Annual Report 2005
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Town of Stow Massachusetts 2005 Annual Report New Chapter in Farming in Stow The newest chapter in the history of farming in Stow took place in 2005 with the formation of the Stow Agricultural Commission. Stow is one of a number of communities to form such a commission as part of the statewide movement to help keep farming viable in local communities. As the demand for housing grows in this area, it becomes more difficult to protect working farmland, and the Agricultural Commission, comprised of members who represent the farming community, will seek to encourage the pursuit of agriculture, to promote agricultural-based economic opportunities, and to preserve, revitalize, and sustain the town's agricultural businesses and lands. Stow was a farming town from its inception, first as Pompositticut Plantation and then as the Town of Stow incorporated in 1683. The townspeople were mostly farmers intermixed with a few traders, tavern keepers, blacksmiths, carpenters and shoemakers. Small gristmills and sawmills also figured prominently in the early history. The move away from farming became apparent by the early 1900's as the number of farms declined to fewer than two dozen with dairy products, poultry, apples and hops as the major crops. By 1950 Stow was definitely more of a residential community than a farm town. Today fewer than a dozen farmstands are scattered throughout the town, and the town is known chiefly for its apple orchards and, of course, its golf courses. Fortunately much of the town's open space legacy has been preserved, and the pastoral beauty of what was an old New England village is still apparent. Farmers started banding together in 1868 with the organization of a Farmers and Mechanics Club in Rock Bottom, now Gleasondale. Then the Farmers and Mechanics Club of Stow, was established at Stow Center in 1873. Both clubs held regular meetings, debating such pressing issues of the pros and cons of specific crops, the use of "patent fertilizer," and how to make a cow produce more milk. Following on the heels of these clubs, the Stow Grange was organized in 1877 and flourished for as long as the town's chief business was agriculture. The nationwide Grange was the oldest and one of the strongest farm organizations in America. Through its efforts the welfare of the farmer had been advanced, education had been promoted, and the life of rural people enriched. In addition to monthly meetings the Grange organized a Stow Fair each fall complete with ribbons and all the trimmings of an agricultural fair. Farming contributes significantly to the rural image of Stow. Today pick-your-own crops are the feature of some of the farms, and organic produce is offered by others. Another change is in the number of riding schools in this small town with l43 horses topping the list of the 2005 Animal Census. The residents have approved the formation of an Agricultural Commission to help preserve the local farms. The new commission will seek to work cooperatively with local government and farm neighbors to keep these agricultural businesses in operation. A delightful look at rural farm life in Stow is told in "Recollections of Stow" by Francis W. Warren, a paperback book published in 1990 by the Stow Historical Society Publishing Company. The late Frannie Warren, as he was known, had been the long-time Stow Town Clerk as well as the owner of Stow's picturesque sheep farm, Pilot Grove Farm. In addition he was a masterful storyteller. Excerpts from Frannie Warren's book can be found on the inside back cover. Information compiled by the Stow Historical Society. Cover: Farm auction poster, 1853, from Stow Historical Society collection. Back cover: Francis Warren, Jr. at Pilot Grove Farm, photo courtesy of the Beacon-Villager. Annual Report Town of Stow Massachusetts for the year ending December 31, 2005 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS In Memoriam 5 Education Nashoba Regional School District 68 Federal and State Officers 7 Nashoba Reg. High School Class of 2005 71 Minuteman Regional High School 74 Town Officers, Elected 7 Minuteman Reg. High Sch. Class of 2005 74 Town Officers, Appointed 8 Public Safety Police Department 80 Administration Fire / Rescue Department 83 Selectmen 13 Forest Fire Warden 86 Town Administrator 15 Planning Board 18 Special Committees Conservation Commission 24 Charter Review Committee 86 Board of Health 27 General Bylaw Review Committee 87 Zoning Board of Appeals 31 School Building Committee 87 Local Access Channel Advisory 91 Town Services Cable License Advisory 94 Highway Department 31 Metropolitan Area Planning Council 95 Building Department 32 Recreation Commission 34 Our Heritage Lake Boon Commission 35 Historical Commission 99 Council on Aging 36 Ancient Documents Committee 100 Housing Authority 40 Cemetery Committee 40 Town Clerk Cultural Council 41 Report 100 Randall Library 42 Vital Record Totals 101 Veterans Services 43 Community Preservation 44 Town Meetings Housing Partnership 46 Annual Town Meeting – May 16 102 Municipal Land Use 47 Annual Election – May 24 133 Special Town Meeting – October 24 135 Financial Reports Special Election – October 25 145 Finance Committee 48 Special Town Meeting – December 12 146 Capital Planning Committee 52 Special Election – December 22 161 Assessors 53 Tax Recapitulation 55 Town of Stow Data 163 Treasurer 57 Changes in Fund Equity 58 Town Calendar 165 Tax Collector 59 Combined Balance Sheet 60 Town Telephones 167 Trust Fund Financial Report 62 Randall Funds 65 Hale High School Fund 66 3 JOINT APPOINTMENTS CapitalPlanning Committee Community PreservationCommittee JeanH. Lynch, ChairmanQO07) - Moderator RobertT. Wilber, Chairman-Open SpaceCommittee ArchibaldA. Owen(2008) - Moderator - resigned DavidP. Arsenault(2006) - Moderator CaroleA. Makary(2006) - Selectmen KathleenK. Fanell Q007) - FinanceCommittee JohnP. Bolton.- Boardof Assessors Vacancy(to fill unexpiredterm) KarenC. Gray- HistoricalCommission 3 AssociateVacancies (2006) - Moderator David E. Walrath- FinanceCommittee GeorgeC. Dargaty- Councilon Aging JohnC. Toole- StowHousing Authority CorinneB. Green - RecreationCommission Municipal Land UseCommittee MargaretA. Lynch,Chairman - HousingPartnership Ellen Sturgis- NashobaReg. School Dist. Comm DonnaJacobs, Vice Chair- MasterPlan RobertWilber - OpenSpace JeanH. Lynch- CapitalPlanning JohnClayton, Jr. - Public SafetyCommittee GeorgeDargaty - Councilon Aging MichaelBusch - RecreationCommission NashobaRegional School District Audit Committee,Stow Representative (Jointappointment by FinanceComm. & Boardof Selectmen) WilliamJ. Ross PublicSafety Planning Committee DavidB. Soar,Fire Chief RobertBraceland, Citizen's Representative Mark H. Trefry,Police Chief JohnClayton, Jr, Boardof Selectmen MichaelE. ClaytonSuperintendent of Streets Patricia A. Heron,Finance Committee William J. Wrigley,Town Administrator David P. Arsenault,Capital Planning Committee SchoolBuilding Committee (Jointappointment Board of Selectmen& StowNRSD Committee Representatives) ChristineWay, Co-Chairman BrianP. Burke,Associate AnneC. Draudt,Co-Chairman -resigned PatriciaL. Crawford,Associate GaryM. Bernklow AnneC. Draudt,Associate EdmundC. Green GregoryD. Jones,Associate SaraG. Kilkenny CaroleM. Makary,Associate GregorTrinkaus-Randall DerekRocca, Associate EX-OFFICIO MichaelWoods, Superintendent NRSD Greglrvine, PrincipalPompo & Center APPOINTMENTS BY CONSERVATION COMMISSION OpenSpace & RecreationPlan Committee RobertT. Wilbur DwightP. Sipler William H. Maxfield DouglasE. Moffat KathleenV. Sferra PamelaJ. Weathers, Associate APPOINTMENTS BY PLANNING BOARI) Light Pollution Study Committee Lower VitlageSubcommittee WarringtonR. Willis, Chairman DonaldG. McPherson,Chairman Lucille King -BusinessOwner William J. Chiarchiaro BruceE. Fletcher BarbaraP. Sipler GregoryD. Troxel JohnC. Hoenshell- resigned LauraSpear KarenKelleher WarringtonR. Willis l; M/</ /aL/' {/{ 4 In Memoriam EDWIN B. MERRICK 1941 – 2005 Assessor 1982 – 1993 Finance Committee 1997 – 2002 Capital Planning Committee 1999 – 2004 ************ TERESA BUSH Town Accountant 1986 – 1989 ************ ROBERT MCCONNELL Board of Registrars of Voters 1997 – 2001 ************ MABEL STOW CARVILL 1899 – 2005 Direct descendant of John Stow for whom the Town was named. Holder of the "Post Cane" since 1996 as the oldest citizen of Stow. 5 6 OFFICIALS FEDERAL & STATE OFFICIALS United States Senators Officials of the Commonwealth Edward M. Kennedy Governor Mitt Romney 2400 Kennedy Federal Bldg. Boston, MA 02203 Senator – Middlesex & Worcester Pamela P. Resor John F. Kerry State House, Room 410 One Bowdoin Square, 10th Floor Boston, MA 02133 Boston, MA0 2114 Representative in General Court Representative in Congress Third Middlesex District Fifth District Patricia A. Walrath Martin T. Meehan State House, Room 236 11 Kearney Square Boston, MA 02133 Lowell, MA 01852 TOWN OFFICERS, ELECTED Moderator Planning Board Edward E. Newman (2007) Bruce E. Fletcher (2006), Chairman Malcolm S. FitzPatrick (2007) Selectmen Ernest E. Dodd (2008) Edward R. Perry, Jr. (2006), Chairman Laura Y. Spear (2009) John Clayton, Jr. (2006) Kathleen A. Willis (2010) Carole A. Makary (2007) Janet G. Wheeler (2007) Trustees, Randall Library Stephen M. Dungan (2008) Peter B. Masters (2007), Chairman Mary Y. Fox (2007) resigned Assessors Robert A. Aldape (2007) John Paul Bolton (2006), Chairman Timothy H. Reed (2008) John E. Smith (2008) Harold B. Donahue, Jr. (2006) Walter L. Schwall (2007) Leonard H. Golder (2006) Carolyn C. Howe (2008) Nashoba Regional School District Committee Alison M. Campbell (app’t