Zini Rebuts MSBA CLARIFIES POINTS in FEASIBILITY STUDY
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. III, No. 13 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: www.blackstonevalleytribune.com “Peace begins with a smile” Friday, December 25, 2009 Zini rebuts MSBA CLARIFIES POINTS IN FEASIBILITY STUDY BY ANDY LEVIN TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER UXBRIDGE — Superintendent George Zini has countered the state’s demand for more information about the dis- trict’s high school building project. In a Nov. 16 letter to Zini, Director of Capital Planning Mary Pichetti relayed the Massachusetts School Building Authority “does not believe that the feasibility study currently provides sufficient data and supporting analysis to allow a conclusive recom- mendation for a preferred schematic of new construc- tion.” File photo Representatives of the Uxbridge Superintendent George Zini has responded to the district and the MSBA, Massachusetts School Building Authority’s request for more informa- including Executive tion about the high school building project. Director Katherine Craven, school to be built on town- two-year feasibility study. met here Nov. 24 to clarify owned land off Quaker In 2007, the MSBA granted issues that were raised in Highway.The town’s School preliminary approval of the letter and to discuss Building Committee voted partial state reimburse- how to move plans forward this fall to pursue the new for a 600-student high school option, following a Turn To MSBA page A6 Budget alarm sounded BY THOMAS MATTSON money is drying up and the TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER state’s Rainy Day Fund is DOUGLAS — It isn’t exact- hovering at a dangerously Courtesy photo ly Edward R. Murrow with low level.” The Blackstone Valley Jr. Midget cheerleaders pose with their trophy at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. “This is the News” from “The leadership in the state London. Legislature has notified us But the news from Douglas that it is not a question of is still a little daunting when whether or not there will be it comes to the effect of the additional cuts in local aid in CHEERSHEERS! economy on town govern- FY 2011, but how deep those C ! ment. cuts will be,” Guzinski “As difficult a fiscal year as declared. “The town’s other 2010 is for the sources of revenue, such as VALLEY JR. MIDGETS COMPETE AT DISNEY Commonwealth,” Michael ‘Local Receipts,’ and ‘New Guzinski wrote to all boards, Growth,’ are both expected to committees and department be even lower in FY 2011.” BY ANDY LEVIN out of 15 teams. To get there, the 16- TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER heads in a recent communica- Guzinski said the town member squad took first place in local tion, “all signs indicate that would continue to explore REGION — The Blackstone Valley Jr. and Central Massachusetts’ events. we should expect an even ways of reducing expenses Midget cheerleaders just completed a Later, a second place finish at a regional more difficult financial situa- File photo such as health insurance and season to remember. competition secured their spot in tion in fiscal year 2011.” Michael Guzinski utility costs, “but those meas- Only in its fourth year as a program, Orlando, Fla. “It appears that any real ures alone will not be suffi- He noted the The squad comprised of girls from economic recovery,as far as it cient to weather this storm.” the girls aged 10-14 made it all the way to Commonwealth is currently the nationals at Disney World on Dec. 9, Northbridge and Uxbridge cheers for relates to local municipal rev- “Continued sacrifices will anticipating a $3 billion need to be made across the placing a more than respectable fourth Turn To CHEERS page A16 enues, is at least a few years away,” he said. deficit for FY 2011. Moreover, he said, “federal stimulus Turn To BUDGET page A8 Shining Rock close to opening New housing BY THOMAS MATTSON TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER NORTHBRIDGE — Although starts plummet Christmas and lots of snow are on everybody’s mind right now, Timothy Gordon of the Hopkinton Country Club is looking ahead to warmer weather — in Northbridge say in April — when he hopes to open Shining Rock golf course for play. BY THOMAS MATTSON Selectmen is first establish- As the new owner of the course and TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER ing a Local Housing also of the proposed clubhouse parcel, Partnership. Gordon seems to be the catalyst for NORTHBRIDGE — The idea for creating such wrapping up details that have slowed Sometimes a few numbers a plan comes from the state progress of perhaps the most ambi- tell a story better than any Department of Housing and tious project in Rockdale outside of words. Community Development. Beaumont Skilled Nursing and Take “35, 64, 76, 84, 103, 79, The Housing Production Rehabilitation complex. 25, 16 and 13.” Plan is described as “a com- Before those two enterprises, one Those numbers represent munity’s proactive strategy would have to go back to Coz Chemical the volume of new single- for planning and developing Corp, and then before that to the Paul family homes built in town affordable housing…” Whitin Mill to find greater capital in each year of a nine-year Every community is sup- investments. span, from the year 2000 posed to have 10 percent of The project has survived contractor Thomas Mattson photo through 2008. its housing available to mod- problems, residents’ complaints, and a The much-anticipated Shining Rock golf course could be open for play next spring. Those are perhaps only the erate- and low-income peo- bad economic climate to emerge as a most dramatic indications of ple. Although it has been a viable commodity by the coming golf houses and condominiums. But when complaints from a certain number of how the national economy is longtime standard imposed season. no one met the bidding floor of around residents about unfinished sidewalks, reflected in the local scene. by state planners, most com- Several years back, Norwood Bank, $4 million, Norwood retained the prop- lights, paving, debris and other things, One way of dealing with munities, especially in the holder of the 275-acre spread that erty and decided to look at other ways plus the apparent deferral of a club- such data is to assemble it more rural Central and includes hilly terrain with small cliffs of interesting a buyer. house to the future, added to illness, within a larger context. Western Massachusetts, nestling silver-like sheaths of rock that Town voters gave former owner Fred combined to move the property out of That is why the town is in often have difficulty achiev- reflect the morning sun, tried to auc- Ruland a strong vote of confidence in Ruland’s hands. the midst of forming a ing that goal. tion off the property, on which a sepa- the project several years ago, but prob- Housing Production Plan. rate company has built a number of lems with contractors and nagging Turn To GOLF page A16 To do that, the Board of Turn To DEVELOP page A8 A2-3 ...................................... LOCAL A9 ...................... SENIOR SCENE A4-6 ..................................... OPINION A12 .......................... CALENDAR THE BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE CAN BE A7 ................................... OBITUARIES B2 .................. VALLEY NOTEBOOK REACHED VIA E-MAIL: [email protected] INSIDE 2 • Friday, December 25, 2009 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE SBC hires project manager TRIBUNE ALMANAC QUOTATION OF THE WEEK BY THOMAS MATTSON the hope the same firm that pro- dle school model, with grades 2-5 provided by their references. “If we don’t have a project TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER vides a project manager can also in a new elementary wing that The Douglas School Building DOUGLAS — The School do the feasibility study. Voters would be a part of the complex. Committee conducted three ref- that addresses the needs of Building Committee has chosen have authorized up to $350,000 The I/E school currently houses erence checks on each of the those younger grades we are Heery International, Inc. as its for that. grades 3-7 and grade 8 is in the firms that were short-listed/ going to have a real School- project manager for a proposed Last September, in a building high school. There has been The School Building $52 million school project. project update to the School speculation for several years Committee began the contract Choice out issue.” Selectmen took a vote Dec. 15 Committee, Superintendent that, as the school enrollment negotiations with Strategic ratifying the selection and the Nancy Lane said if approved by grows, grade 8 could be pulled Building Solutions. However, it — Uxbridge School Superintendent School Building Committee sent voters, the project could be com- back into a rehabilitated middle was discovered that through an George Zini, on the need to build a new documents pertaining to its pleted by 2013. school, leaving the high school oversight the Douglas School high school and thus free up space to use selection process in recommend- The new complex would serve for use only by grades 9-12. Building Committee had not the existing building as a middle school. ing Heery for the job. The an estimated 1,000 students in Grades K-2 are currently in the advertised the request for servic- Massachusetts School Building grades 2-8, Lane said. elementary school on Gleason es beyond the Central Register. THE STATS Authority must approve Heery Lane said the Court. MSBA was advised and directed Median householder income, by age, 65- before the appointment becomes intermediate/elementary school Plans call for an addition to the Douglas school district to 74 ($ in previous year) official. The MSBA is expected to would share some common the school of 100,000 square feet advertise locally to meet require- Auburn..........................................35,263 render its decision Jan.