Tough Decisions Ahead As Officials Mull Budget Options Quote
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COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.CHARLTONVILLAGER.COM Friday, April 25, 2014 THIS WEEK’S Tough decisions ahead as officials mull budget options QUOTE “None but a coward PD, LIBRARY AMONG DEPARTMENTS FEELING CRUNCH dares to boast that BY CHELSEA DAVIS came up at the boards and After losing a position due Charlton Public Library he has never known VILLAGER STAFF WRITER committees meeting was a to a disability retirement Director Cheryl Hansen fear.” CHARLTON — Various question of where are we and being told his depart- says the problems start with town officials discussed bud- with the budget,” Craver ment would not go under 18 the coming season. get issues with the Board of said. “Where we are at officers, Police Chief James “From the beginning of Ferdinand Foch Selectmen at their meeting this point with the schools, Pervier said the police May through the end of on Tuesday, April 15. we’re still about $900,000 in department’s budget has September there was not Originally, Town deficit. The best that I can been strained. one week where I had a full Administrator Robin see that we get is $400,000 to “I would just tell you right staff at the library because Craver said she would skip $500,000 … but there will be now, with lack of staffing, of vacations,” Hansen said. the budget discussion as the a deficit.” I’m paying out a lot more “Coupled with the loss of INSIDE meeting had gone on for a So the question for many overtime and I haven’t hit a full-time person this has long duration already, but boards and departments even all my vacations and huge consequences for the Almanac ....................... 2 after addressing the library, remains — will there be a training,” Pervier said. library.” James Pervier Obituaries ...................15 the discussion actually hap- hiring freeze? “Not [having] more person- Due to this lost position, pened. The answer, as of this nel is going to exacerbate Hansen says, hours will will be closed on Saturdays Police Logs .................11 The discussion pertained moment, is uncertain — but what’s going on.” be cut for the library to be bringing the hours down to Opinion .......................10 mainly to the issue of hiring department heads let the The library voiced many open. 30 1/2,” Hansen said. Learning ....................... 4 and the current deficit the board know the consequenc- of their concerns after los- “From Memorial Day Unfortunately for the town is facing. es if their unfilled positions ing a full-time position and weekend through Labor Calendar .....................11 “One of the concerns that remain unfilled. being told not to fill it yet. Day weekend the library Please Read BUDGET, page A11 Real Estate ........ B Sect. Sports .........................16 PLAY BALL! Bay Path OK’s LOCAL water tank purchase BY CHELSEA DAVIS erable,” reads a written VILLAGER STAFF WRITER statement released by the CHARLTON — The Bay committee. Path Regional Vocational Currently, the towns of Technical High School Southbridge and Charlton Building Committee unan- are working together to imously voted to install a renew an inter-munici- 20,000-gallon potable water pal agreement in which tank during the summer Southbridge provides break of 2014. clean drinking water to The decision comes after Charlton. debating between buying This comes after oil Are you feeling a tank for the school or spills from ExxonMobil in the possibility of hooking the 1970s and 1980s caused plucky? into a municipal water line some well drinking water with the Town of Charlton. in the town to be contam- Page A4 “The School Building inated. Committee decided that the In recent months, both inability of Southbridge Charlton and Southbridge LEARNING and Charlton to reach an had said their focus for the agreement on a proposed agreement shifted in order water line on Muggett Hill to provide Bay Path with Amanda Collins photos Road… made the summer Charlton softball players wave as they make their down the street on the way to the field. of 2014 installation pref- Please Read WATER TANK, page A14 CHARLTON — Little League baseball and softball players kicked off their 2014 Housing Authority units season with an annu- al march down Main Street and an opening in ‘emergency status’ ceremony at Memorial Field Saturday, April BY CHELSEA DAVIS Housing Authority’s law- 12. Kids waved to fam- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER yer, due to state regula- A quiet day of ily and friends as they CHARLTON — The tions that indicate the units paraded down the road reflection Board of Health last week must be grouped together with their teammates, declared two of the three for remediation. and gathered around Page A4 units in emergency sta- “It is my understand- the diamond at the tus for mold remediation ing that an emergency is field for traditional in the Charlton Housing going to be declared with readings, the singing of SPORTS Authority. at least one of these units,” the National Anthem The board discussed said Charlton Housing and the ceremonial the issue at length at their Authority Counsel John first pitch. meeting on Tuesday, April Miller. “They have to be For more photos, 15. treated collectively togeth- turn to page A8! Both units 12 and 20 were er.” unanimously voted to be Board of Health in an emergency state for Chairman Matt Gagner remediation while unit explained that he under- 18 was not voted to be an stood where Miller was emergency. coming from, but the board A softball player gets a piggyback ride along the parade route. This caused some issues and confusion for the Please Read MOLD, page A14 Shepherd Hill softball topples Rockets, 7-5 Superintendent search narrowed down to four finalists Page A16 BY JOY RICHARD STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER OPINION DUDLEY — With only a few months left in the school year, the Dudley- GET YOUR Charlton Regional POINT ACROSS Superintendent Search PAGE A10 Committee stepped up their efforts with the recent selection of four finalists. Those four adminis- trators include Dudley Middle School Principal Gregg Desto, Blackstone- Jodi Fortuna Dr. Paul Haughey Dr. Elizabeth Zielinski Gregg Desto Millville Regional School District Director of Student District Superintendent School Committee meeting sen school officials last each candidate brought Services Dr. Paul Haughey, Dr. Elizabeth Zielinski. (after this edition’s dead- week, it was clear that something different to the Hudson School District Each public inter- line) and the information there was no lack of pas- interview table. Assistant Superintendent view took place during is set to be reviewed on a sion for the possible posi- For Haughey, coming Jodi Fortuna and King the Wednesday, April 16 later date. tion. With varying areas of Philip Regional School Dudley-Charlton Regional Speaking with the cho- experience and expertise, Please Read SEARCH, page A14 2 •THE CHARLTON VILLAGER• Friday, April 25, 2014 www.charltonvillager.com Recreation complex question to be on ballot BY CHELSEA DAVIS ed in building. Swensen brought up that the last recreation Annual Town Meeting as was discussed at VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “In general, the CRF would like to create facility was built in the 1990s and even longer the selectmen’s meeting. CHARLTON — The Board of Selectmen a facility at the Sampson Road parcel which before that. The first warrant will ask for the $500,000 it heard the hopes for a new recreation facility creates an environment for all age groups of “And if I’m not mistaken, before that it will cost to purchase the piece of land. at their meeting on Tuesday, April 15. the community,” reads the report. was probably in the late 1950s with the fields The second item will ask for the $3,676,000 “We came up with something that I think Perkins also echoed this sentiment at the behind the library,” Swensen said. that Gale estimated would cost for the first would be great for the town and all of its meeting. Aside from the use of sports, the report phase of the project. citizens,” said Charlton Recreation Friends “This [facility] was geared for everybody,” details how the complex could be used for Selectmen voiced their support for the war- member John Perkins. Perkins said. “The flow of the whole facility is other events. rant to go through to the Town Meeting. Though they have tried and failed in the geared towards walking for seniors … a pavil- “For passive recreation, this schematic lay- “I think it’s time that the town get back past, the Charlton Recreation Friends will be ion area for picnics [and] spots for activities.” out provides an amphitheater, which will behind recreation,” said Selectman Brent putting two warrant items in for the Annual The facility would include both a natural serve as a meeting place for Boy Scouts as Sellew. Town Meeting in regards to a new recreation and synthetic turf rectangle field, two nat- well as a place where the town can hold con- “[The CRF] deserves a lot of credit for doing fields complex.