GUZIK MOTOR SALES Family Owned and Operated for Over 49 Years
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GUZIK MOTOR SALES Family Owned and Operated for Over 49 years. Come See the Difference Never a Document Fee Never A Dealer Prep Fee Never An Interest Rate Mark Up PLUS 5 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranty PLUS interest rates at historic lows 1941-2011 E. Main St., Rtes. 9 & 32, Ware Just Over the West Brookfield Line 413-967-4210 or 800-793-2078 • www.guzikmotors.com Mailed free to requesting homes in East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Brookfield, Leicester and Spencer Vol. XXXVI, No. 3 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF RELAY FOR LIFE OF THE GREATER SOUTHBRIDGE AREA! Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.SPENCERNEWLEADER.COM Friday, January 20, 2012 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE East Brookfield officials reject 7-12 school idea FEASIBILITY STUDY TO LOOK AT PROUTY RENOVATION, EXPANSION “Our lives begin to end the day we become BY DAVID DORE town by one. Brookfield Memorial Town NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER silent about things “You’re asking East Brookfield to Complex included representatives that matter.” EAST BROOKFIELD — Faced build an elementary school for from the Spencer-East Brookfield with having to make a decision that Spencer, which is completely Regional School District, the East Martin Luther King Jr. night based on estimated numbers, ridiculous,” said East Brookfield Brookfield Board of Selectmen and officials in East Brookfield said Finance Committee member Steve the East Brookfield Finance they do not support widening the Messier. “That shouldn’t happen. Committee. Officials from Spencer scope of the David Prouty High We’re not responsible for that.” were invited, but could not attend School feasibility study to include East Brookfield Selectman because they were at a state ethics building a new school to house Joseph Fish said he was “not real training course. INSIDE Grades 7-12. comfortable” with changing the The Massachusetts School Based on a plan presented at a scope of the feasibility study Building Authority gave the dis- Jan. 11 meeting, construction of a because voters in both towns trict permission to do a feasibility Obituaries ..............B2 combined junior-senior high approved studying the options for a study on David Prouty High School Calendar ................B3 school could have set off a domino high school, not a junior-senior and see what should be done with effect of moves in Spencer that high school. the nearly 50-year-old building. The Our Towns ............A-5 reduced the number of schools in The Jan. 11 meeting at the East Classroom Corner A6-7 Reza Namin Please Read SCHOOL, page A12 Viewpoint ..............A8 Sports ............A10-11 FUN AND FUNDRAISING Police Logs ..........A14 Changes coming to LOCAL local school district LAYOFFS, NEW POSITIONS PART OF PLAN IN SPENCER-EAST BROOKFIELD BY DAVID DORE to school-based support NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER teams for special education EAST BROOKFIELD — students. Spencer-East Brookfield The jobs of three custodi- Superintendent of Schools ans who worked at all of the Reza Namin said protecting district’s schools, instead of “the school and the class- being assigned to a specific room” and supporting stu- building, will be eliminated David Dore photos dents both “academically as of Feb. 1, followed by the and emotionally” are two of supervisor of custodial and Ricky “7-Footer” Lopes dances with younger members of the audience. the goals of his plan to maintenance services as of W. Brookfield restructure positions in the July 1. The supervisor will NORTH BROOKFIELD — The library hosts school district. be replaced with a manager Harlem Rockets made their Some jobs no longer exist, of facilities, Namin said, and annual trip to North Brookfield art show Namin told the East one of the three custodian Thursday, Jan. 12, to play the Brookfield Board of posts will be replaced with North Brookfield Dream Team Page A3 Selectmen and Finance another facilities position. and raise money for the town’s Committee Wednesday, Jan. Namin explained this is Playground Committee. 11, while others will be elim- another example of district- inated or changed over the wide responsibilities moving AT RIGHT, Chris “Super LEARNING next several months. to individual schools. Chicken” Turnquist speaks Both at that meeting and Principals will have over- with Brooke Buzzell, 3, of in a follow-up interview with sight of their buildings, North Brookfield as she, her 4- the Spencer New Leader including working with cus- year-old cousin Trentin Friday, Jan. 13, Namin todians to keep them clean. Buzzell, second from right, and explained the changes he The facilities manager others stand in line outside made and the reasoning would work with Namin on the gymnasium. The kids later behind them. the budget, supplies and con- participated in a game of He said a district-wide tracts. catch. If they didn’t catch the behavior specialist and four “It is unusual to do it the basketball, they were out. The “positive strategies” teach- other way around, the way two players left standing at ers will be let go as part of a we’ve been doing it,” Namin the end of the contest were shift from “intervention into said, noting later the new Brooke and Trentin Buzzell. full inclusion” — that is, plan “gives more authority from a district-wide program Please Read DISTRICT, page A15 Bingo at Bay Path Page A7 Warren man charged SPORTS Rising oil prices put pressure on local groups in death of local chef BY DAVID DORE Dauber’s report, Lizak and NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER Reardon spent the evening of WARREN — Police have Dec. 28 at Ye Olde Tavern in HEARTS FOR HEAT TO HOLD SPAGHETTI SUPPER filed charged against a West Brookfield. The report Warren man following a stated owner Roger Larson FUNDRAISER JAN. 28 fiery automobile crash last recognized Lizak, since month that killed one of his Lizak worked there, but not Hoops action BY DAVID DORE friends, David Reardon, a any of his friends. NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER chef and manager at the In his report of his inter- Page A10-11 NORTH BROOKFIELD — Clam Box in Brookfield. view with Lizak the after- Although the winter of 2011- Michael Lizak, 32, of 178 noon of Dec. 29, Warren 12 started out mild and Brook Road was arraigned Police Detective Mark Chase snow-free, it hasn’t made Jan. 11 in Western Worcester wrote, “Lizak stated that he OPINION things any easier for people District Court in East had ‘a beer’ and played a ‘few who can’t afford to heat Brookfield on charges of games of pool’ while he was GET YOUR their homes. leaving the scene of personal at the establishment. At one The average price for injury and death, negligent point later in the evening POINT ACROSS heating oil in operation of a motor vehicle, Lizak stated that he had a PAGE A8 Massachusetts as of Jan. 10 racing of a motor vehicle by conversation with his friend, was $3.93 per gallon, accord- a licensed operator, intimi- David Reardon, and noticed OLICE OGS ing to a state Department of dating a witness and speed- that he ‘had a few more beers POLICE LOGS Energy Resources tele- ing. He was released on per- than me so I offered him a phone survey of oil dealers. sonal recognizance, and will ride.’ According to Lizak, PAGE A14 That is up 11 cents from the File photo be back in court March 20 for Reardon declined the ride previous week, and 57 cents a pre-trial hearing. home. It was at this point Paul Jackson of New Braintree, left, and Jim Haupt of Barre If convicted of all charges, when Lizak told Reardon to from early January 2011. serve up servings of spaghetti with sauce and a choice of meat- Lizak could face up to 14 1/2 And it’s all caused by uncer- balls or sausage at last year’s Hearts for Heat Spaghetti Dinner. follow him ‘and take it slow.’” years in jail. The 2012 edition will be held Saturday, Jan. 28. They ended up on Maple Please Read FUNDS, page A14 According to Warren Police Officer Jeffrey Von Please Read CRASH, page A14 2 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, January 20, 2012 Quaboag upgrades: One building done, two more to go $1.4M PLAN FOR HIGH SCHOOL, WCES FACES VOTES LATER THIS YEAR BY DAVID DORE unit, 3 inches of insulation in the again this year so it could go later this month to see it in action. bid over the next couple of months. NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER attic, new motors for the building’s through the town’s planning “In my communications with the With the flooring and painting WEST BROOKFIELD — With heat circulation pumps, butterfly process for big-ticket expenses. Warren selectmen, the Advisory still to be done, the district is $2,487 technology and building upgrades valves in the heating system, Speaking with West Brookfield Board in West Brookfield and under budget. That is despite at West Brookfield Elementary upgraded controls for the heating, selectmen Tuesday, Jan. 10, Finance Committee in Warren, spending an additional $32,406 to School complete, the Quaboag ventilation and air conditioning Superintendent of Schools Brett technology — that’s something to hire contractors to put up the Regional School District’s focus has system, a new clock and public Kustigian thanked West Brookfield me it’s a critical need,” Kustigian SMART Boards and projectors and shifted to its two facilities in address system and new play- residents for their support. said. “I want to see the high school install electrical and network Warren. ground equipment. The computer equipment at the and Warren Community at the wiring. Former Technology A $1.4 million plan unveiled by Warren taxpayers would be elementary school was overhauled, same speed as West Brookfield.” Director Steve Bachelder said he the district for Quaboag Regional responsible for 60 percent of the as was the building’s network.