Mailed free to requesting homes in Webster, Dudley and the Oxfords 508-764-4325 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.WEBSTERTIMES.NET “We turn not older with years, but newer every day.” Friday, May 14, 2010 Budget decisions delayed at Town Meeting SIGNAGE BYLAW NIXED, PARK AVE. STUDY APPROVED BY JOY RICHARD working in the municipal field he of the type of sign a business could TIMES STAFF WRITER has never had to postpone a budget display on their store or automo- WEBSTER — With residents until now. biles, was removed from the war- packing the Bartlett Jr./Sr. High “This is the second year in a row rant altogether. School auditorium to capacity that [Webster] has been hit by the At a Board of Selectmen meeting Monday, May 10, voters had the decline in state aid,” said Monday, April 30, Party Planner chance to let their voices count dur- McAuliffe. “[Hopefully] in the next owner Daniel Marcoux said he and ing Annual Town Meeting. five weeks we will be able to get a the other business owners in the Of the two major articles of con- better sense of what legislators are community stood against the idea tention, only one had the chance to doing to bring municipal relief. We of the bylaw due to the fact that be voted on during the evening. want to bring some type of stability they thought it would drive away Article 2, which referred to the to the community.” potential businesses from settling town budget, was passed over to be After weeks of back and forth dis- in Webster. looked at Wednesday, July 21. cussion, Article 7, a proposed sig- “This is not something that only Joy Richard photo Town Administrator John nage bylaw, which if passed, would Webster Town Administrator John McAuliffe speaks before residents during Town Turn To PARK AVE, page A17 McAuliffe said during his time have restricted the size and design Meeting Monday, May 10. A hero’s salute Pomp and circumstance … again WEBSTER COUPLE EARNS NICHOLS DEGREES TOGETHER BY JOY RICHARD TIMES STAFF WRITER WEBSTER — Going back to school can be a frightening propo- sition for someone already in the professional world, but for Webster resident Scott Cote, that fear turned into a thirst for knowl- edge. It was five years ago that Scott’s wife, Cindy, asked him if he want- ed to go back to college to obtain his bachelor’s degree, and although he said he was apprehen- sive of the idea at first, he eventu- Courtesy photo ally agreed. He said this was Even in the midst of May showers, Webster residents and husband and wife Cindy because in his heart he knew the and Scott Cote celebrate their graduation from Nichols College Saturday, May 8. extra degree and knowledge could help him advance his career at go back to school as well to receive would be [a good thing] because it Commerce Insurance in Webster. her MBA. He said staying local is a general field that covers a lot of He said after five years of hard was important to them, which is area.” work and taking the time away why they chose Nichols as the Both Scott and Cindy have been Joy Richard photo from family and friends, he was place they would continue their employees of Commerce Webster resident and U.S Marines Corp. veteran John Silvestri was recently cho- more than happy to earn his journey in higher education Insurance for the last decade, and sen to be the Webster-Dudley Veterans Council Memorial Day Parade Grand degree and graduate summa cum together. Cindy said she could not be more Marshal. laude from Nichols College with a “At first I was not sure [what I grateful for the help the company 3.91 GPA. Scott said it also didn’t would major in],” said Scott. “I hurt that Cindy made the choice to SILVESTRI SELECTED AS thought business administration Turn To GRADS, page A17 PARADE GRAND MARSHAL BY JOY RICHARD during an interview with the TIMES STAFF WRITER Voters approve $30.5M budget Webster Times Thursday,April 29. “I don’t want to toot my own horn, WEBSTER — Although appre- BY JOY RICHARD Jennie Cassie, 10 of the line items were held for fur- but I was [eventually] convinced.” TIMES STAFF WRITER hensive at first about being ther review to approve outside revenues. appointed as the Webster-Dudley Webster-Dudley Veteran’s OXFORD — Residents made their voices heard last Hot topics of discussion during Town Meeting, Veterans Council Memorial Day Agent Richard Holewa said choos- Wednesday, May 5, with the approval of 20 of the 21 which took place at the Oxford High School auditori- Parade Grand Marshal, John ing Silvestri for the esteemed posi- articles posed on Oxford’s Annual Spring Town um, was the proposed Oxford Conservation Silvestri said he is happy to have tion, which will lead the parade Meeting warrant. Commission bylaw, which by design, would protect the honor of leading the parade. Monday, May 31, was an easy one Voters also passed article 3, which presented the local wetlands by creating stricter guidelines. A resident of Webster for the to make, with his military record public with a fiscal year 2011 budget of $30,576,194 — Residents voted against the bylaw with the required majority of his 79 years, the U.S and service to the greater veter- a $700,500 increase over last year’s $29,875,694 spend- two-thirds vote. Marine Corps., veteran said he ans community a testament to ing plan. Out of the fiscal 2011 budget, $15,914,382 is Prior to the meeting, selectmen voted against the was anxious to take up the posi- itself. set aside for education, while $14,661,812 is set for gen- bylaw 4-1, with Selectman Susan Gallant abstaining tion when first asked. “[Silvestri] is totally involved eral government, public safety, public works, and from the vote. This vote was due in part to a law that “I was reluctant and a little other services. nervous at first,” said Silvestri Turn To PARADE, page A15 When presented by Board of Selectmen Chairman Turn To BUDGET, page A17 Celebrating a year of service HUBBARD OFFICIALS LOOKS BACK ON HARRINGTON TRANSITION BY JOY RICHARD last year with Harrington before the merger occurred, local TIMES STAFF WRITER Memorial Hospital in residents expressed their con- WEBSTER — With a year Southbridge, is excited to share cerns about the consolidation of already behind them, officials at with the public a year’s worth of medical services, fearing they Harrington HealthCare at accomplishments, which she and would have to travel to Hubbard Campus in Webster are other officials believe they have Southbridge or farther for both in a celebrating mood. achieved as of Tuesday,May 4. She emergency and in-patient care. Public Relations and Marketing said these changes are what they Harrington HealthCare at Manager Blaine Schnare said in hope will continually improve the Hubbard Site Administrator Pam an interview with the Webster quality of care given on campus to Zouranjian said even though the Times last week that the hospital, residents of the surrounding in-patient care area of the facility Courtesy photos formally known as Hubbard towns. has been changed after the transi- Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard Lab Phlebotomist Barbara Siddall prepares for a Regional Hospital before a merger Looking back a year to just blood draw in the laboratory. Turn To YEAR, page A17 Seniors ................. A5 Obituaries ............. B2 LOCAL SPORTS Learning .............A6-9 Events Calendar ...... B3 LIBRARY CLOSER Viewpoint ............. A10 Real Estate ........Sect.B RAMS COME ALIVE Sports ..................A12 Legal Notices ..... Sect.B TO COMPLETION PAGE A12 PAGE A2 INDEX 2 • THE WEBSTER TIMES • Friday, May 14, 2010 www.webstertimes.net Library inches closer to completion ALMANAC QUOTE OF THE WEEK BY JOY RICHARD TIMES STAFF WRITER “I wasn’t exactly excited to go back … I thought I would be in the classroom DUDLEY — With more than a decade of with 22 year olds, and I wasn’t looking hard work behind them, staff, patrons and forward to something like that.” members of the building team of the new Pearl L. Crawford Memorial Library will be - Webster resident Scott Cote, a recent graduate able to gaze in awe at their new facility as of Nichols College, commenting on his thoughts before going back to school. early as July. The current library on Village Street will close its doors for the last time on Friday, OPEN TO CLOSE June 11, and the projected date for the move DUDLEY into the new facility is Saturday, July 10. Opening day events will take place from 1:30 DUDLEY TOWN HALL (508) 949-8000 to 4:30 p.m., and residents are encouraged to Board of Selectmen (949-8001) make their way over to the library and see Monday-Thursday . .8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. all of the new additions. Fridays . .8 a.m. to 1 p.m. “There are community centers in every Evening appointments if needed. Note: Office town,” said Pearle L. Crawford Memorial hours are for selectmen’s secretary and town Library Director Matthew Hall as he stood administrator. Selectmen do not hold office inside main lobby of the new library facility hours. at 40 Schofield Ave. “But to me the library is Town Clerk (949-8004) the center of the community.” Monday-Thursday . .8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hall said he wanted to assure residents Thursday nights . .5 to 7 p.m. that while the library is in transition he and Fridays .