• LOCAL NEWS LOCAL STORIES LOCAL ADVERTISERS • E WARE REGION FOR 1 ING TH 29 YE SERV ARS Vol. 135 No. 22 12 Pages (Plus Supplements) USPS 666100 $31 PER YEAR - $1.00 A COPY THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021 www.warerivernews.turley.com A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com CPA ATM ends suggests Cat trapper in just 30 changes keeps feral minutes By Paula Ouimette By Paula Ouimette Staff Writer Staff Writer colonies in check WARE – Certified Public HARDWICK – Roughly 50 Accountant Eric Kinsherf, special- method of reducing feral cat pop- voters attend the Annual Town izing in municipal finance, heard About 75 cats ulation. Meeting this past Saturday at the Board of Selectmen’s concerns The TNR method involves trap- Hardwick Elementary School, regarding an audit of town financ- trapped in Ware ping feral cats using traditional making quick work of the 19-arti- es at its June 15 meeting. Kinsherf over a year and/or drop traps, bringing them to cle warrant. said in addition to municipal financ- be neutered or spayed, then return- Moderator Ryan J. Witkos rd es, his firm also offers fraud risk By Paula Ouimette ing them to the location where they called the 283 ATM to order assessment, to see where a client is Staff Writer were trapped from. “I wanted to and gave recognition to the new- potentially vulnerable to fraud. be dealing with people that have ly-recognized Juneteenth holiday. Ware has had Scanlon & BRIMFIELD – Here Today huge problems with feral cats,” A moment of silence was held to Associates CPA conduct their Adopted Tomorrow, located at 180 Hutchinson said. “The program remember Ed Banas and Charles annual audit for the past 12 years. Sturbridge Road, is a nonprofit at HTAT is outstanding and they Lowell, both of whom passed away SelectBoard Chairman Keith animal sanctuary that relies on the rely on volunteers and grants.” in 2020. Kruckas said they reached out to compassion and dedication of their Hutchinson has been helping to Most of the articles carried, Kinsherf because they wanted to volunteers to help protect and con- TNR the second of two large feral including the fiscal 2022 budget ensure they were looking at the trol feral cat colonies in the area. cat populations in Ware since last of $5,899,933.13, which includes whole process. “There are some One such volunteer is year. a $10,000 overlay. The fiscal 2022 concerns about taxes and where Sturbridge resident, Lynn Cats can begin reproduc- budget was a 5.9% increase over the money goes…we want to make Hutchinson. A “trapper” for the ing at around six months of age fiscal 2021. Board of Selectmen sure everything is accounted for,” past 12 years, Hutchinson has been and can have about two to three Vice Chair Julie Quink explained Kruckas said. Kinsherf said finan- assisting HTAT with capturing feral litters of kittens a year. Each lit- that the town had to cut its fiscal cial best practices recommend cats for about three years. ter can produce on average four 2021 budget significantly, and switching auditors every five to six Hutchinson, an avid cat lover, kittens, quickly causing feral cat this increase brought them to a years to keep a fresh set of eyes first began trapping feral cats while colonies to grow unmanageable in safe operating budget. Voters also on it. He recommended switch- she was working at a previous job. size. Overpopulation can lead to approved the transfer of $35,800 ing auditors and talking with each “I started in New York, where there lower quality of life for the cats and from free cash to purchase a department to see where they have was feral cat population out of con- increase the spread of disease and generator for the Hardwick Fire concerns. trol,” she said. When she moved illness. Feeding a large colony of Department. This amount of feral cats also places a significant Photo Courtesy of Here Today Adopted Tomorrow to Massachusetts, she began look- Here Today Adopted Tomorrow volunteer Lynn Hutchinson money will be reimbursed to the Water pipe replacement ing around for a rescue that offered holds a kitten that was trapped in a stonewall on a farm in town through a federal grant. Kruckas said he and Selectman a “trap-neuter-return” or “TNR” Please see CATS, page 3 Ware. Quink took a moment to rec- Nancy Talbot attended a Water ognize Dr. Gerald Paist, super- Resources Committee meeting the intendent of Pathfinder Regional previous week. He said the com- Vocational Technical High School mittee talked about adjusting water use rates, replacing water pipes, in Palmer, of which Hardwick and lining and tank cleaning costs. is a member town. He has been Kruckas said they are looking at Board interviews town administrator candidates a superintendent for over five different solutions to address water decades and will be enjoy- concerns. Talbot said they will By Paula Ouimette tion skills. Job experience among reference to ensuring the town agreement at their meeting last ing “re-wirement,” as opposed need to schedule a public hearing Staff Writer the finalists ranged from being a operates smoothly with their new night. to retirement, Quink said. to adjust the water rates. The board town administrator in a similarly administrator and departments, Quink introduced his succes- agreed to schedule a hearing for HARDWICK – The Board of sized community to working with Kemp said, “It takes a village.” Route 32/32A project sor, Eric Duda, Pathfinder’s cur- mid-August. Selectmen interviewed seven can- State Legislature. The board agreed to have Kemp said the abutters along rent Assistant Superintendent. didates for the position of town The board emphasized the interim town administrator Katie the roadway were sent letters Paist thanked Quink for her kind EMS agreement administrator this past Monday need to communicate openly and Tyler check the references of offering them the monetary value words and gave a brief history of Town Manager Stuart Beckley and Tuesday evenings. The board frequently as being one of their their top finalists. They will make of their easements or the oppor- Pathfinder’s journey from a four- said he gave Hardwick BOS agreed that all of the candidates top priorities, together with the their selection for the position at tunity to donate that amount back town school district to a nine-town a revised contract similar to pre- had desirable qualities and unique ability to see the town’s large their next meeting, Monday, June to the town to defray the costs of district. vious ones. Kruckas said he was skills, but selected four that fit the projects through to completion. 28, at 6:30 p.m. the project. Six property owners Board of Selectmen Chair Kelly “extremely disappointed” they were town’s needs the most. Board of Selectmen Chair Kelly opted to donate the amount back Kemp said it has been a trying not invited to discussion about the All of the finalists had exten- Kemp and Vice-Chair Julie Quink EMS update to the town. The board signed the year for the town and thanked Lori sive experience managing mul- said they are an active, involved Kemp said the Barre Board Order of Taking for the roadway tiple projects and deadlines at board that is not afraid of hands- of Selectmen signed off on their project and Town Clerk Ryan J. Please see , page 2 WARE BOS once, and had strong communica- on work and helping out. In emergency medical services Witkos notarized the signatures. Please see ATM, page 2 Pathfinder tech team makes finals in international robotics match By Jonah Snowden [email protected] PALMER – History was made at Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School when the Tech VEX Robotics Club’s Team 785A competed at the 2021 Live Remote VEX Robotics World Championship recently, and nearly won. The team is comprised of team Captain Michaela Tourtellot, Co-Captain, and Lead Programmer Ethan Griswold, Scoring Specialist McKenna Martin, Game Turley Publications staff photo by Paula Ouimette Specialist Harrison Lavoie, Operator Hunter Skowyra, and SUMMER SOLTICE CELEBRATED Programmer Catalina Mudgett. HARDWICK – Last Friday night the Summer Soltice was celebrated on the Town Common with The Otters Turley Publications staff photo by Jonah Snowden providing entertainment. Please see TECH , page 5 Team 758A’s robot, named “Rome.” Inside this edition: COMMUNITY BUSINESS SPORTS Connect with us Viewpoints 4 Public Notices 10 Eagle Scout Hardwick Ware edged ceremony home to out by Sports 7 Classifieds 13 online Southwick Police/Fire 9 auction firm Obituaries 10 Page 3 Page 5 Page 7 WareRiverNews Page 2, Ware River News, June 24, 2021 Warren Democratic Town Each week the Ware River News digs into its submitted photo archives and selects Committee caucus, July 7 a people photo to publish We need your help to help WARREN – The Democratic Town as of the date of the caucus, July 7, identify those pictured Committee will hold a caucus virtually and be present virtually at the caucus. on at Wednesday, July 7, at 6 p.m., via Pre-registered Democrats who turn 16 Email your answers Zoom, for registered Democrats to elect before June 15, can participate and run by Monday at noon to two delegates and one alternate to the for delegate or alternate. ekennedy@turleycom PHONE Sept 25 Massachusetts Democratic State The caucus is an open Democratic 413.967.3505 Convention in Lowell. Attendance at the Party meeting, but participants who are convention can be either in-person or not registered Democrats may not vote Fax: 413.967.6009 virtual. or run. Subscriptions: 413.283.8393 In order to vote or run to become a Contact Peter Krawczyk at 413-436- delegate or alternate, one must be reg- 5457 for the Zoom link before the cau- EMAIL istered to vote Democratic in Warren cus.