Orange Planning Board Prepares for Possible South Main Street
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
LOOK for this insert in today’s Senators coast to 54-34 print edition Page 11 defeat of Smith Fun gadgets at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show Tomorrow: P. Sunny Page 2 Academy Page 8 26°H 20°L Story on Page 6 Per Week Single ¢ $ 30 Delivered Vol. CCCXXIII No. 9 Copy Athol, Mass., Wednesday, January 13, 2016 atholdailynews.com 12 Pages 75 3. By Carrier Orange Planning Board prepares for possible South Main Street business-corridor proposal By CAMERON WOODCOCK 15 off-ramp and Randall roughly two years ago, said ADN Staff Reporter Pond Industrial Park. board member Richard Reading Challenge A collaboration between Sheridan. ORANGE — The Plan- Community Development The Planning Board was ning Board on Tuesday re- Director Kevin Kennedy asked to familiarize itself viewed town zoning maps and Town Administrator Di- with applicable zoning maps for the Route 2, Exit 15 area ana Schindler, the would-be in the event that the select- of South Main Street, where proposal involves changing board sends an official zon- zoning changes could ulti- three zones from residential ing amendment, Sheridan mately lead to the creation to residential/commercial, said. Following the schedul- of a business corridor. The and one zone from village ing of a public hearing, the zoning-change concept, yet residential to residential/ Planning Board would offer to be formally proposed, commercial. Kennedy’s its recommendation relative would affect 382 acres be- plan expands on a smaller- tween the areas of the Exit scale concept he introduced Orange Page 5 Phillipston consultant highlights inconsistencies in town salaries By KEITH KENT Jacobs, hired as a con- explained, along with how ADN Correspondent sultant, was highly recom- to define “competitive.” Ja- mended by many communi- cobs said, when looking over PHILLIPSTON — Don ties who hired him for Class its current system, “The Jacobs of Jacobs Consult- & Compensation Plan stud- town of Phillipston is cur- ing met with the selectmen, ies. Jacobs is a past town rently anything but consis- READING CHALLENGE — Each student at Pleasant Street School was town employees, members manager for three Massa- tent...While these levels of given a new book to keep as part of a winter break reading challenge. In ad- of the finance committee chusetts communities. payment are recommenda- and residents Monday to dition, all children were given a response activity sheet to return the week of With charts representing tions based on the survey answer questions about rec- Jan. 4. Students who returned their response sheet were given a prize and town government, fire, and market data, it is up to you ommendations, job descrip- entered into a drawing for Walmart gift cards at an upcoming all school police, qualifications and as a town to decide what you tions, and pay scales based meeting. Principal Dianne Ellis reports, “The gift of reading is priceless” experience were not the can afford to pay, and again, on responsibility and experi- and that to develop strong readers and a love of literacy is a gift that will last only criteria taken into con- the numbers provided are ence, for the town’s upcom- sideration, as “consistency a lifetime.” This project was generously funded by a grant from the Athol ing Class and Compensation and flexibility” were also Phillipston Royalston Education Fund submitted by Patty Winters, a reading special- Plan. Page 5 ist at Pleasant Street. Pictured left-to-right are kindergarten students from Sheila Webb’s class — Allyson Burnett, Alauna Choquette, Kendyl Jack, and Evan Romero DaSilveira. Submitted photo New request for proposals to be drawn up for wood pellet boiler for school By ASHLEY ARSENEAU would be included than just the year. ADN Staff Reporter the design aspect. The board passed a mo- The third RFP was writ- tion to allow the energy PETERSHAM — The ten for the energy commit- committee to work with selectboard met with Linda tee by the state’s Depart- FRCOG on the RFP. Paquet of the energy com- ment of Energy Resources Care of the common mittee during their meet- (DOER), but due to a mis- Bids for the landscaping ing Tuesday night to discuss take from the DOER, that around the town common the status of the proposed RFP is illegal, as it was writ- have been received. Ad- wood pellet boiler to be ten with specifications for a ministrative coordinator installed at the Petersham project that would in total Steve Boudreau said they Center School. cost millions of dollars. received two bids, one from Paquet said that they are Paquet said the commit- the current landscaper, still trying to find an engi- tee will be seeking the help Barnes Landscaping, for neer to do the design work of the Franklin County Re- $7,680 annually and anoth- DETAILED MEETING — Don Jacobs, of Jacobs Consulting and a past town as they have had some is- gional Council of Govern- er from DS Landscaping sues putting out requests manager of several municipalities, presented his financial recommendations in ments to draft a new, legal for $20,000 annually. The a workshop held with the Phillipston Selectmen on Monday. Jacobs presented for proposals. She said the RFP. FRCOG will charge contract is set to run for first RFP brought interest $750 for this service. Pa- many handouts documenting market survey averages, recommended salaries, but no bids. The second and job descriptions. Photo by Keith Kent quet said she has spoken Petersham Page 5 one brought in overly ex- with the finance director pensive bids. Energy com- for the school, Dan Haynes, mittee member Tom Cahill and the school is willing to said the overly expensive pay for the RFP. The engi- MLK Walk to Stop the NED Pipeline begins Jan. 16 bids were due to having an neering work will be paid NORTHFIELD — More shared with participants at or Buddhist tradition. Leigh Storyteller David Arfa of overly broad scope of work for by a grant and that grant than a hundred walkers have 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Youngblood, executive direc- Shelburne will offer celebra- in that RFP and led to en- must be used by the end of registered for the MLK Walk Sunday and 4 p.m. Monday. A tor of Mount Grace Land tions of ancient Hebrew envi- gineers thinking more work to Stop the NED Pipeline Buddhist monk or nun will of- Conservation Trust, will share ronmental wisdom. Lyn Shaw scheduled to step off from the fer considerations of the walk insights about conserved land of Hartford, Conn., will dis- site of a proposed natural gas and pipeline from the perspec- under Article 97 of the Massa- cuss the International Peace pipeline compressor station in tive of Martin Luther King, Jr. chusetts state constitution. Walk 2017 budget reviews Northfield on Saturday, Jan. Page 5 16, according to Hattie Nes- tel of Athol, organizer. The continue into date Erving and things are going Revs. Gyori Kato, Toby Keyes, By CHRISTINE MIRANDA and Clare Carter of the New ADN Correspondent well. , Margaret Sul- England Buddhist Peace Pa- ERVING — The select- Treasurer goda in Leverett will lead the men continued the bud- livan, was seeking a 2% mer- it increase and 2% Cost of 34-mile, three-day walk to the get review process from Plainfield construction yard last week by meeting with Living Adjustment (COLA) for the payroll/HR assistant site for the proposed pipeline. elected town officials Mon- “Every step deliberate, ev- day night. Using the same citing a strong, dedicated employee. Also included ery step a prayer to stop the format, the BOS met indi- pipeline,” Nestel said, borrow- vidually with each official in was 32 extra hours for train- ing workshops. Discussion ing a line from the Camino de 15-minute intervals. Jacquie Santiago in Spain. “On any Boyden, assistant asses- continued on the position of Human Resource (HR) and given morning or afternoon sor handed out a one-page during walk weekend, we ex- snapshot of funds available where it belonged. While the treasurer’s office needs pect that we’ll have from 10 to to the board which included 30 walkers on the road.” funds requested so far, pro- to keep track of HR person- nel benefits and deductions, Each evening during the PEACE PAGODA — Prayer flags at the New England Peace Pagoda on New posed capital improvement walk, a potluck meal will be Year’s Day, 2016. articles, funds allocated, and Sullivan reiterated that the repeating annual articles. selectboard or administra- Town accountant Deb tive coordinator should be Mero reported there would responsible for posting jobs, Search for next police chief under way in Athol be no changes or increases writing job descriptions, interviews, etc. The select- ATHOL — The search intent to retire this year, includes selectmen An- is serving in an advisory ca- in the accountant depart- for a replacement for Po- and Town Manager Shaun thony Brighenti and Alan pacity. ment. The computer and board agreed to revisit the HR position. lice Chief Timothy Ander- Suhoski, who is responsible Dodge, Franklin County The application deadline software programs are up son, who will retire July 9, for hiring a replacement, Sheriff Christopher Do- is Feb. 25. Once the pool of Recreation Commis- is under way. established a search com- nelan and retired Fitchburg applicants is pared down, sion, Chad Gagne report- ed increased wages due Anderson previously ad- mittee to aid in screening and Gardner police chief the finalists will be intro- vised the selectboard of his applicants. The committee Edward Cronin. Anderson 6 56525 10951 5 Erving Page 5 Athol Page 5 Page 2 ATHOL DAILY NEWS Wednesday, January 13, 2016 National forecast OBITUARIES Forecast highs for Thursday, Jan.