210 Charlton Road – ROUTE 20 – Sturbridge
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Charlton, Charlton City and Charlton Depot Vol. 2, No. 36 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.CHARLTONVILLAGER.COM ‘Television has a real problem. They have no page two.’ Friday, Sep 5, 2008 ... this could not possibly have been a violation because we in fact did not do part three of the policy. I Home sweet, Old Home Day know this because I complained “ about it. TOWN TURNS OUT FOR ANNUAL CELEBRATION – Charlton Selectman Kathleen Walker, on a BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL complaint as to how selectmen condicted the STAFF WRITER review of Town Administrator Robin Craver” s Linda Lavallee watched the Old Home Day parade from her chair on the Charlton Town Common, she shared why she loves the annual community event. A “I feel very much at home,” she said. Charlton Lavallee, a North Oxford resident and former Charlton Elementary School teacher, was one of the scores of folks that flocked to the common as part of the town’s 112th Old Home Day Monday, Sept. 1 — an annual tradition. Mother Nature blessed the area with pleasant temperatures and officials lots of sun throughout the day. The usual events, such as community groups selling items to raise money for their causes and people consuming food, were plentiful at the Labor Day event, but partygoers enjoyed a few new things to do. defend Many people gathered around the front lawn of the library to watch the new lumberjack contests. Contestants used chainsaws of various sizes to cut large sections of wood. Ware-based Woodpecker Industries owner Michael Moore demonstrated his portable sawmill. Across the way, review Turn To OLD HOME DAY, 16 page EVALUATION OF ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONED HBY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL STAFF WRITER CHARLTON — Selectmen are citing their policy on how they evaluate the town adminis- trator in denying a recent allegation that they violated the Open Meeting Law. According to a complaint filed with the Worcester County District Attorney’s office, selectmen allegedly broke the law by conducting Shawn Kelley photos Town Administrator Robin L. Above, Andrew Jeffers, of A. Jeffers Tree Service, uses his chainsaw to make chairs Craver’s 2007-2008 evaluation for donation to The Friends of the Charlton Animal Shelter during the annual Old in private. No references to Home Day, Monday, Sept. 1. At left, 3-month-old Matilda Gervais of Charlton gives specific meetings are made in Robin Craver a kiss to a loveable pooch, Polly. the Tuesday, Aug. 19 from the DA informing selectmen of the complaint. This is the second Open Meeting Law com- plaint filed against the town recently and is separate from one filed by the Charlton Villager. The DA has not ruled on either issue yet. Health chair: Beetle not in town While selectmen last week maintained they never held any meetings to do the evaluation, BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL the policy laid out in their response letter STAFF WRITER ASIAN LONGHORNED HAD BEEN FEARED FOUND gives deeper insight into their defense of the CHARLTON — Two town offi- latest complaint. A written summary of cials are putting to bed the initial Craver’s review was released to the public reports of an Asian Longhorned the parking lot of the town hall. The scare began Aug. 19 when Swensen said late last month the Tuesday, July 1. It gave her “strong perform- Beetle at a Charlton home. Dealing with the issues of an Burlingame walked into a select- property had been inspected and ance” on all six categories. “I found no beetles at all,” Tree Asian Longhorned Beetle would men’s meeting and declared a the beetle was not at the home. A “The Board of Selectmen’s policy regarding Warden Todd Burlingame told be problematic. According to the Japanese Beetle had been found Department Of Conservation and the Town Administrator’s evaluation was selectmen last week. U.S. Department of Agriculture at the 311 Stafford St. home of Recreation official, who is not carefully created in order not to violate the Board Of Health Chairman Web site, the bugs invade, eat Janet Pierce. Todd Burlingame’s authorized to speak publicly, said Open Meeting Law and provide the public Nelson Burlingame backed up trees and impede their vascular wife, Vicki Burlingame, said it he had not inspected the property. with a summary from the Board,” the that assertion immediately after systems. Removing the trees is was an Asian Longhorned Beetle. Calls to the U.S. Department Of Thursday, Aug. 21 response letter states. the meeting Tuesday, Aug. 26. the only way to rid an area of Conflicting reports emerged Agriculture’s line to report beetle Selectmen, according to the letter, formulate “There is no beetle,” he said in them. The beetles were recently immediately afterward. their review with a series of written reports, spotted in Worcester. Selectmen Chairman Rick Turn To BEETLE, page 11 with the process beginning in April. Per the Turn To EVALUATION, page 11 Got junk? Try freecycling it BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL STAFF WRITER WEB SITE STEPS IN FOR LANDFILLS CHARLTON — Junk, to some of us, is not necessarily worth throwing Internet users have organized a 61, began using the Woodstock, away. Charlton Freecycle group, which has Conn. Freecycle site several years Central Mass. residents, using a 720 members, and an Oxford one, ago. He soon began using the nationwide Internet network called with 466. Both were founded in Charlton one. He frequently posts Freecycle, are posting electronic March 2005. The Charlton group ads asking people to take away his advertisements looking for any tak- serves Sturbridge and Southbridge. unwanted objects or asking for par- ers for their unwanted items away. Palmer also has its own group. ticular items. Jones said he has rid There’s one catch — it’s all free. “Our mission is to build a world- himself of lawnmowers, books, com- Founded in 2003 by Arizona resi- wide gifting movement that reduces puters and lumber using Freecycle. dent Deron Beal, group, according to waste, saves precious resources and He even used the site to find a new its Web site, www.freecycle.org, has eases the burden on our landfills home for some cats. grown to more than 5 million people while enabling our members to bene- “Freecycle is the only way to do it,” with 4,581 sub-groups across the fit from the strength of a larger com- Jones said. country. It also has groups in 75 munity,” the Web site reads. He said he enjoys the site because Ryan Grannan-Doll photo countries. Southbridge resident Eric Jones, Turn To FREECYCLE, page 11 Southbridge resident Eric Jones shows off the grill he obtained from Freecycle. Almanac ................. 2 Opinion ................ 10 TRIVIA Police Logs .............. 5 Calendar ...............11 TROOPER OLD HOME DAY What is it? .............. 5 Real Estate ............ B He is the subject of a story in Obituaries .............. 7 Sports .............. 14-15 HONORED RACE which he beat a steam-pow- ered drill by hand. INDEX INDEX Around the Region.... 6 PAGE 2 PAGE 14 Learning................ 9 Answer Inside 2 • THE CHARLTON VILLAGER • Friday, September 5, 2008 www.charltonvillager.com Going above the call of duty VILLAGER ALMANAC THEY SAID IT BROOKFIELD STATE TROOPER HONORED FOR HEROIC ACTIONS “Freecycle is the only way to do it.” BY ALANA MELANSON STAFF WRITER — Eric Jones, on using the Charlton Freecycle State Trooper Timothy Erickson of Web site that allows users to get rid of unwanted the Brookfield State Police barracks items, rather than taking them to the landfill. was honored last week for his “quick-thinking actions” that saved the life of a Charlton woman one OPEN TO CLOSE year ago. In a ceremony Friday, Aug. 29, CHARLTON TOWN HALL (508) 248-2200 Board of Selectmen (248-2206): Erickson was presented with an offi- Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays .............. 7:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. cial Senate citation by state Sen. Tuesdays ............................................................. 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Stephen M. Brewer. He also received Fridays ............................................................... 7:30 a.m to 12 p.m. a departmental award from Lt. Col. Town Clerk (248-2249): Robert G. Smith, commander of the Monday to Thursday ............................................ 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Division of Field Services for the Fridays ................................................................................... Closed Massachusetts State Police. 1st and 3rd Tuesday ................................................... 5:30 to 7 p.m. “This reflects his great family upbringing, as well as his state police CHARLTON PUBLIC LIBRARY (248-0452) training,” Smith said of Erickson’s Mondays, Wednesdays ...................................... 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. actions. “People often think of us Tuesdays, Thursdays ........................................ 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. just as the guys who pull you over or Fridays, Sundays .................................................................. Closed make arrests. But we take pride in Saturday .............................................................. 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. helping people out on the road. This is worth 100 arrests for us, because CHARLTON POLICE DEPARTMENT (248-2250) we saved a life.” Alana Melanson photos Monday to Friday ................................................... 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Erickson remained modest when State Trooper Timothy Erickson, center, is surrounded by, from left, State Rep. Anne Gobi, For emergencies, dial 911 presented with the awards, saying, “I Lt. Col. Robert G. Smith of the Massachusetts State Police Division of Field Services, just happened to be at the right place state Sen. Stephen Brewer, Jane Padro (whose life Erickson saved), Erickson’s father, CHARLTON FIRE DEPARTMENT (248-2299) at the right time.” Harold Erickson, state Rep. Geraldo Alicea and Troop C Commander John Dunn outside the Monday to Friday ................................................... 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Several wasps stung Jane Padro, Brookfield State Police barracks.