Towns Brace for Midyear Budget Cuts Shortfalls in Revenue
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. II, No. 19 Complimentary Home Delivery by request ONLINE: WWW.BLACKSTONEVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM “I don't believe in failure. It's not failure if you enjoyed the process.” Friday, February 6, 2009 Towns brace for midyear budget cuts shortfalls in revenue. concern to those in charge of draw- REDUCED STATE AID FORCES OFFICIALS TO SCRAMBLE For some, like Worcester, that ing up the budget. means an estimated $5,037,681 must The cuts will be taken from BY THOMAS MATTSON trators trying to balance the books Jan. 27 that a roughly 9.7 percent be cut from a budget the city started Lottery funds and other assistance TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER for this year, even as they keep an reduction in the estimated Cherry to work on in the fall of 2007. For accounts intended for local towns REGION — Midyear cuts to fiscal eye on what looms as an even Sheet receipts will be imposed on other, smaller communities, like and cities year 2009 local budgets pose just one tougher 2010. FY 2009 budgets of communities Douglas for example, the reduction Northbridge will have to deal with is less — $88,464 — but no less of a more challenge to Valley adminis- Gov. Deval Patrick announced throughout the state because of Turn To CUTS page A10 Citizens opposed to Berkowitz plan for more tonnage BY THOMAS MATTSON Ram. TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER In response to points made in NORTHBRIDGE — Citizens for the Berkowitz letter to the Preservation of Northbridge Department of Environmental (CPN) has asked a state official to Protection (DEP) Commissioner deny a waiver request by Tom Laurie Burt, Shelley Buma, a CPN Berkowitz Trucking to allow the representative, said that, unlike solid waste transfer station off the implication of the Berkowitz Douglas Road to continue opera- letter that only limited portions of tion within a riverfront area, as his business lie within the 200- well as to expand tonnage. foot river area limit in which cer- Berkowitz also seeks to process tain commercial operations are construction and demolition not allowed, the current debris. Berkowitz facility falls almost The letter from Berkowitz was written by a lawyer from Norfolk- Turn To TONNAGE page A6 Kujawski, Callahan upset by ‘backroom’ Thomas Mattson photo From left, USOT’s Linda Simonds, David Moriarty and Robert Monaco at last weekend’s fund-raiser at the VFW. election of speaker BY ANDY LEVIN TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER REGION — Two of the Valley’s USOT draws crowd to gala state lawmakers agree that last week’s election of new House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, EVENT FORGES BOND BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND TROOPS was certainly not Beacon Hill’s finest hour. State Representatives Paul BY THOMAS MATTSON packed the place for a dinner and of the food,” she said, “and busi- Kujawski, D-Webster, and Jennifer TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER raffle to raise money for gifts to be nesses donated the raffle items.” Callahan, D-Sutton, both remain State Reps. Paul Kujawski, D-Webster, and UXBRIDGE — There is nothing sent to soldiers in Iraq. The grand prize was a handmade harshly critical of the process that It was the sixth annual Uxbridge patriotic quilt. Jennifer Callahan, D-Sutton, spoke out about like a good, rousing neighborhood led to DeLeo’s succeeding former the process that led to Rep. Robert DeLeo get-together for an overarching pur- Support Our Troops benefit dance. “W raise money to ship goods to House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, being appointed House speaker. pose. According to co-chair Diane troops,” Moriarty said. Meanwhile, who resigned Jan. 26 amid grand DiMasi of essentially handing the This community excels at it. Moriarty, it may be the only such her husband David Moriarty,and co- jury probes and an investigation by gavel to DeLeo behind closed doors. Take Saturday night, Jan. 31, at event of its kind in Massachusetts. chair Linda Simonds ran the raffle the state Ethics Commission. the VFW Hall. More than 250 people “Local restaurants donated most Turn To USOT page A15 Kujawski and Callahan accused Turn To SPEAKER page A10 Pinewood Derby offers lesson in life BY ANDY LEVIN so many of them have been TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER working on them for weeks, NORTHBRIDGE — It has with help from their mom or become almost like a rite of dad.” winter, across the country and Each Scout is given an offi- here in the Valley. cial Grand Prix Pinewood A staple of Cub Scout life for Derby kit including a block of more than five decades now, the wood, four nails and four Pinewood Derby combines wheels. Derby rules allow for technical skill, competition, the boys to customize the mod- and lessons about winning and els, but at completion the car losing. may be no longer than 7 inches, St. Peter’s Church in no wider than 2 3/4 inches, and Whitinsville was the site of no heavier than 5 ounces. Cub Scout Pack 150’s annual Kittredge said it takes sever- Pinewood Derby last Saturday, al hours to complete the cars Jan. 24, as 59 youngsters and because of the necessary sand- their families crowded around ing and painting. a huge wooden track to take “That translates into a lot of part in the race. one-on-one time for the boys “This is one of our biggest and their parents,” he said. events, with almost 100 percent Several of the cars were Thomas Mattson photo participation every year,” “truly amazing,” according to Robert Kittredge, co- Kittredge. One boy created a ‘DEFENSE!’ Cubmaster of Pack 150 and the Batmobile inspired by the 1960s event’s chairman. “The Scouts NORTHBRIDGE — Sean O’Bannon plays defense against get their kits before Christmas, Turn To DERBY page A18 Heath Ostoin at the Whitin Community Center last week- end. Both 10-year-olds are on the WCC traveling squad. For Courtesy photo more photos, see A11. At right, Boy Scout Andrew Belanger (left) inspects cars prior to the first ses- sion of last weekend’s Pinewood Derby at St. Peter’s Church in Whitinsville. A3 .......................................... LOCAL A9...................... SENIOR SCENE THE BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE CAN BE A4,5 ..................................... OPINION A12-13 ...................... SPORTS A7 .....................................OBITUARIES A14 .............. GREAT OUTDOORS REACHED VIA E-MAIL: [email protected] INSIDE 2 • Friday, February 6, 2009 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE Friday, February 6, 2009 • 3 TRIBUNE Selectmen to name cable corporation members BY THOMAS MATTSON profit Community Access and Media Board. School. Nolan is certified in CPR and ALMANAC TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER He has served five terms on the Planning Advanced Cardiac Life Support. NORTHBRIDGE — Selectmen are expect- Board, including as chairman, has been a “I have followed the issues surrounding ed to name three members to the newly member of the Cable Advisory Committee 12 the cable studio location, the [Community] QUOTATION OF THE WEEK organized Northbridge Access and Media years and is its current chairman. He has Standards Review Board, and the formation Inc., a non-profit community corporation also been on the Earth Removal Board. of the Access Corporation as a citizen and “The problem now is that that will assume control of local television Berkowitz has been a Boy Scout leader 15 selectman,” Nolan commented. “I have every sector [of the economy] operations. years, a member of AMVETS and active at attended meetings of the Cable Advisory is being hit.” The school department and the Cable the Oliver Ashton Post, American Legion. Board. I hope to provide input to promote, Advisory Committee will also each appoint He is the host and producer on a local access grow and improve [local] access in — Executive Office of Workforce and one member to the five-member corporation. television show. Northbridge.” Labor Development Director of Policy and The Board of Selectmen established the He is a trustee for Soldiers’ Memorials, Planning Robb Smith, on rising unem- corporation Jan. 26. The new corporation and a member of the Republican Town ployment rates across the region. will take over local operations from Charter Committee. Communications. The board is expected to Berkowitz has worked in local access tel- EAL STATE RANSACTIONS R E T name three members to the corporation at evision for 20 years. He listed as valuable NORTHBRIDGE its Feb. 9 meeting in Town Hall. his keeping up to date with technology. He There are four candidates — Sharron said the show he produces and hosts has • $216,000, 608 Church St., Brosnahan, Ampagoomian, Harry Berkowitz, Ronald the second-longest run on local access tele- Kitty-Rena, and Brosnahan, Michael, to Guillaume, and Selectmen Daniel Nolan. vision. Mowry, Ryan A. All except Nolan serve on the Cable Ronald Guillaume is a senior software • $363,500, 68 Nicole Ave., McMorrow, Advisory Committee. automotive engineer with a bachelor’s Michael S., and McMorrow, Penny, to Sharron Ampagoomian is a licensed prac- degree in computer science from Central Tritone, James M., and Tritone, Sharyn. tical nurse and has a bachelor’s degree in New England College. He is a specialist in AACCURACYCCURACY advanced client server programming and is UXBRIDGE Consumer and Family Studies/Education from Framingham State College. certified by Worcester Polytechnic • $409,900, 15 Gervais Way, H&B Realty, She serves on the Cable Advisory Institute as a tester. WAATCHTCH and Hunchard, Bruce J., to Begin, Gene, Committee and is also on the Zoning Board An active public access producer, W P., and Matthewson, Meghan. of Appeals. Guillaume is a member of the Cable Access THE STATS Sharron Ampagoomian videotapes many Committee and a member of the Video The Blackstone Valley Tribune The average age of townspeople, educational events and is a two-time New Educators of New England.