Barbara Zalenski is recovering at the Buckley Healthcare Center in Greenfield and would love to hear from her friends and neighbors. Her address is Barbara Zalenski, Buckley Healthcare Center, Room 316, 95 Laurel Street, Greenfield, MA 01301.
Grace Lesure
Friday, June 4, 2010
What Price Accessibility?
The plans to make Town Hall handicapped accessible again are taking shape.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Select Board member Norm Russell, liaison to the Town Hall Building Committee, reported that the committee now has at least a rough idea of the cost of bringing the Town Hall up to code. He said the cost will run to “thousands of dollars rather than tens of thousands.”
According to Russell, the committee is trying to create enough space to pull a van up to Town Hall for unloading. This may mean moving the flagpole, though only a few feet. The committee is also looking into moving the Police Department to the new town garage, to open up more space for offices in Town Hall.
One move the committee is not considering is a way to make the upstairs stage handicapped accessible. The cost of a lift from the floor to the stage level would run tens of thousands of dollars.
David King
At Wednesday’s meeting, Select Board member Norm Russell, liaison to the Town Hall Building Committee, reported that the committee now has at least a rough idea of the cost of bringing the Town Hall up to code. He said the cost will run to “thousands of dollars rather than tens of thousands.”
According to Russell, the committee is trying to create enough space to pull a van up to Town Hall for unloading. This may mean moving the flagpole, though only a few feet. The committee is also looking into moving the Police Department to the new town garage, to open up more space for offices in Town Hall.
One move the committee is not considering is a way to make the upstairs stage handicapped accessible. The cost of a lift from the floor to the stage level would run tens of thousands of dollars.
David King
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Lights Out for Ashfield?
At next Wednesday’s meeting, the Select Board will be voting on whether or not to shut off the town’s remaining streetlights. Select Board Chair Dave DeHerdt has invited any interested citizens to come and express their views.
Ricki Carroll of Main Street brought material to last night’s meeting showing that light pollution interferes with melatonin production. She also complained of lights shining in her windows at night.
According to DeHerdt, Police Chief John Cotton has said that the only lights he sees a need for would be at places such as the beach, where young people might congregate at night. Lights at such locations would allow patrolling officers to see immediately if anything is amiss.
When asked about funding for the lights, DeHerdt explained that, if the Board votes to keep the lights on, the town will have to appropriate the necessary funds at a special town meeting. Funding for the street lights was not included in the budget approved at May’s Annual Town Meeting.
Board Member Doug Field explained that at least one light will remain on. The town is required by law to illuminate the American flag flying in front of Town Hall.
David King
Ricki Carroll of Main Street brought material to last night’s meeting showing that light pollution interferes with melatonin production. She also complained of lights shining in her windows at night.
According to DeHerdt, Police Chief John Cotton has said that the only lights he sees a need for would be at places such as the beach, where young people might congregate at night. Lights at such locations would allow patrolling officers to see immediately if anything is amiss.
When asked about funding for the lights, DeHerdt explained that, if the Board votes to keep the lights on, the town will have to appropriate the necessary funds at a special town meeting. Funding for the street lights was not included in the budget approved at May’s Annual Town Meeting.
Board Member Doug Field explained that at least one light will remain on. The town is required by law to illuminate the American flag flying in front of Town Hall.
David King
Layoff at the Highway Department
As of July 1, the Highway Department will be losing an employee.
At Wednesday’s Select Board meeting, Chair Dave DeHerdt reported that Highway Superintentent Tom Poissant has made the personnel cut mandated by the town at May’s annual town meeting. John LaBelle, the department employee with the least seniority, has been informed that he will be laid off as of July 1.
David King
At Wednesday’s Select Board meeting, Chair Dave DeHerdt reported that Highway Superintentent Tom Poissant has made the personnel cut mandated by the town at May’s annual town meeting. John LaBelle, the department employee with the least seniority, has been informed that he will be laid off as of July 1.
David King
Ashfield.org Good to Go Soon
The long-awaited Ashfield website, www.ashfield.org, (link not yet available) will be ready to go live within “a week or two,” according to Juliet Jacobson, chair of the Website Committee.
The site, as Jacobson showed the Select Board on Wednesday evening, will contain a wealth of information about Ashfield. You will be able to find meeting times (neatly organized on a calendar page), hours of operation for various town departments, and contact information for town officials. You’ll be able to download forms for anything from burn permits to dog licenses, or view the minutes of town board meetings. You can even find maps of hiking trails around town.
The Town Clerk will use the site to post warrants for the annual town meeting and special town meetings. The Police Chief Search Committee will even use the site to post the chief’s job description and application forms.
The site will also include links to various Ashfield organizations, such as the Belding Memorial Library, the Ashfield Historical Society or the Ashfield Town Common blog. Ashfield businesses are encouraged to submit links to their websites as well.
Jacobson stressed that the site, though “launchable,” is not finished. The committee is still seeking information from some town departments. Once the site is up, they will also invite feedback from the public – anything you would like to see, or see improved, on the site, please let them know.
The Select Board voted unanimously for the committee to go ahead with the launching of the site. The link will be provided here as soon as the site goes live.
David King
The site, as Jacobson showed the Select Board on Wednesday evening, will contain a wealth of information about Ashfield. You will be able to find meeting times (neatly organized on a calendar page), hours of operation for various town departments, and contact information for town officials. You’ll be able to download forms for anything from burn permits to dog licenses, or view the minutes of town board meetings. You can even find maps of hiking trails around town.
The Town Clerk will use the site to post warrants for the annual town meeting and special town meetings. The Police Chief Search Committee will even use the site to post the chief’s job description and application forms.
The site will also include links to various Ashfield organizations, such as the Belding Memorial Library, the Ashfield Historical Society or the Ashfield Town Common blog. Ashfield businesses are encouraged to submit links to their websites as well.
Jacobson stressed that the site, though “launchable,” is not finished. The committee is still seeking information from some town departments. Once the site is up, they will also invite feedback from the public – anything you would like to see, or see improved, on the site, please let them know.
The Select Board voted unanimously for the committee to go ahead with the launching of the site. The link will be provided here as soon as the site goes live.
David King
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wind Power Revisited
It seems that Ashfield may be officially opposing H. 4687, the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act. The bill, currently coming for a vote before the Massachusetts House of Representatives, would fast-track wind energy projects by giving the state the authority to override local planning and zoning boards.
At last week’s meeting, Andrew Wells of Bailey road asked the Select Board to craft a letter opposing the bill. At tonight’s meeting, Wells and Lauren Preston Wells spoke against the bill, arguing that they support wind power but feel the bill unfairly robs towns of local control.
Speaking as a concerned resident rather than a blog reporter, I suggested that some residents feel strongly in favor of the bill. If the Select Board opposes the bill, they will not be speaking for all of Ashfield’s citizens.
Select Board chair Dave DeHerdt asked board member Norm Russell to craft a letter based on what he had heard this evening. The letter will be presented for a vote at next week’s board meeting. The public are invited to attend and voice their opinions on the matter.
The full text of H. 4687 is available here.
A representative of Clear Sky Energy, LLC, the wind development company interested in development here in Ashfield, will be present at the June 16 Select Board meeting.
David King
At last week’s meeting, Andrew Wells of Bailey road asked the Select Board to craft a letter opposing the bill. At tonight’s meeting, Wells and Lauren Preston Wells spoke against the bill, arguing that they support wind power but feel the bill unfairly robs towns of local control.
Speaking as a concerned resident rather than a blog reporter, I suggested that some residents feel strongly in favor of the bill. If the Select Board opposes the bill, they will not be speaking for all of Ashfield’s citizens.
Select Board chair Dave DeHerdt asked board member Norm Russell to craft a letter based on what he had heard this evening. The letter will be presented for a vote at next week’s board meeting. The public are invited to attend and voice their opinions on the matter.
The full text of H. 4687 is available here.
A representative of Clear Sky Energy, LLC, the wind development company interested in development here in Ashfield, will be present at the June 16 Select Board meeting.
David King
Chief Cotton to the Rescue
A snafu in the police department nearly left the Memorial Day parade unprotected. “Fortunately,” said Select Board Chair Dave DeHerdt, “Chief Cotton was on hand.”
In his police liaison report at tonight’s Select Board meeting, DeHerdt explained what happened. Cotton had asked Sergeant Kristina Nunez when the Memorial Day parade was scheduled to take place and was told it was at noon. Accordingly, Cotton arranged to have Officer Jarek Konopko on duty by 11 a.m.
Then the chief found that the parade was actually scheduled for 10 a.m. When he was unable to reach Konopko, Cotton arranged to have the fire department help him manage traffic to keep the parade safe. DeHerdt credited Konopko for showing up promptly at 11 a.m.
DeHerdt also reported that Cotton will appear before the Select Board next week to present his recommendations for which officers to reappoint to the police department for the new fiscal year, beginning on July 1. At the same meeting, he will be presenting preliminary designs for both a uniform patch and a paint scheme for the cruisers. The new designs will more clearly distinguish Ashfield police officers from State Police officers.
David King
In his police liaison report at tonight’s Select Board meeting, DeHerdt explained what happened. Cotton had asked Sergeant Kristina Nunez when the Memorial Day parade was scheduled to take place and was told it was at noon. Accordingly, Cotton arranged to have Officer Jarek Konopko on duty by 11 a.m.
Then the chief found that the parade was actually scheduled for 10 a.m. When he was unable to reach Konopko, Cotton arranged to have the fire department help him manage traffic to keep the parade safe. DeHerdt credited Konopko for showing up promptly at 11 a.m.
DeHerdt also reported that Cotton will appear before the Select Board next week to present his recommendations for which officers to reappoint to the police department for the new fiscal year, beginning on July 1. At the same meeting, he will be presenting preliminary designs for both a uniform patch and a paint scheme for the cruisers. The new designs will more clearly distinguish Ashfield police officers from State Police officers.
David King
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