Annual Town Report Northbridge, Massachusetts 2019 Annual Report OF THE TOWN OF NORTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2019 Cover Photographs: Courtesy of Gary Bechtholdt, Town Planner TABLE OF CONTENTS General Statistics 7 In Memoriam 8 List of Town Officials 9 Organization Chart 17 Administration — Board of Selectmen 18 Town Manager 19 Finance Committee 21 Town Accountant 23 Retirement 47 Board of Assessors 49 Treasurer / Tax Collector / Parking Clerk 50 Town Clerk / Board of Registrars 51 ▪ Spring Annual Town Meeting – May 7, 2019 51 ▪ Fall Annual Town Meeting – October 22, 2019 63 ▪ Annual Town Election – May 21, 2019 75 Information Technology 81 Cable Television Advisory Committee 84 Land Use: ▪ Zoning Board of Appeals 85 ▪ Planning Board 86 ▪ Conservation Commission 89 Public Safety — Police 92 Fire / Ambulance 109 ▪ Emergency Management 113 Code Enforcement: ▪ Building Inspector 116 ▪ Plumbing Inspector 116 ▪ Gas Inspector 116 ▪ Electrical Inspector 117 ▪ Sealer of Weights & Measures 118 Safety Committee 120 5 Schools — Northbridge Public Schools: ▪ School Committee 121 ▪ School Department 123 ▪ Fiscal Report 124 ▪ Office of Curriculum 125 ▪ Pupil Personnel Services 128 ▪ Technology 129 ▪ School Nurse 131 ▪ Maintenance, Custodial & Grounds 132 ▪ School Food Service 134 ▪ Northbridge High School 134 ▪ Northbridge Middle School 136 ▪ W. Edward Balmer Elementary School 137 ▪ Northbridge Elementary School 139 Blackstone Valley Regional School District 157 Public Services — Public Works 153 Building, Planning & Construction Committee 163 Human Services — Council on Aging 164 Board of Health 167 ▪ Visiting Nurses Association 169 Housing Authority 172 Disability Commission 174 Trustees of Soldiers’ Memorials Committee 175 Veterans’ Council 176 Veterans’ Services 177 Culture & Recreation— Cultural Council 178 Whitinsville Social Library 179 Historical Commission 182 Playground & Recreation Commission 183 Town Employee Wages 184 6 GENERAL STATISTICS Northbridge was incorporated as a Town July 14, 1772 Location -- 13 miles south of Worcester Population - 15,707 per 2010 federal census Area - 17.96 square miles Assessed Valuation as of January 1, 2019: Real Estate $1,729,995,260 Personal Property 49,198,210 Total: 1,779,193,470 Tax Rate: $13.84 per thousand FY 2020 Town Offices: Northbridge Town Hall 7 Main Street Whitinsville, MA 01588 United States Senators: Elizabeth A. Warren and Edward J. Markey Representative in Congress: James P. McGovern (2nd Congressional District) State Senator (Prec. 1 & 3): Ryan C. Fattman (Worcester and Norfolk District) State Senator (Prec. 2 & 4): Michael O. Moore (2nd Worcester District) Representative in Gen. Court: David K. Muradian Jr. (9th Worcester District) Member of Executive Council: Jennie L. Caissie (7th Councillor District) Voting Qualifications Must be 18 years of age on or before Election Day, born in the United States or fully naturalized, and a resident of Northbridge. Registration of Voters (1) Town Clerk's Office, Town Hall, 7 Main Street, Whitinsville, MA, during regular Town Hall hours: Mondays: 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Fridays: 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM (2) Special Session previous to all elections and Town Meetings. Where to Vote: Precincts 1, 2, 3, and 4 Northbridge High School 427 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville 7 In Memoriam RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE SELECTMEN OF NORTHBRIDGE ON THE DEATH OF: 2019 Elizabeth Aldrich Election Worker 1998-2014 Kathleen Charbonneau Housing Authority 2017, 2019 Disability Commission 2017 Robert Fraser Playground & Recreation Commission 2012-15 Harold Hartman Zoning Board of Appeals 1998-2013 Charlotte Nadeau Finance Committee 1992-98 John Rauth, Sr. Capital Outlay Committee 1973, 1975-83 8 ELECTED OFFICIALS BOARD OF SELECTMEN Thomas J. Melia Term expires 2020 Daniel J. Nolan Term expires 2020 Alicia Cannon Term expires 2021 Charles Ampagoomian, Jr Term expires 2022 James J. Athanas Term expires 2022 MODERATOR Henry Lane Term expires 2022 SCHOOL COMMITTEE Brian Paulhus Term expires 2020 Bethany Cammarano Term expires 2020 Michael Lebrasseur Term expires 2021 Robert Dziekiewicz Term expires Town Election 2020 Steven Falconer Term expires 2022 PLANNING BOARD Brian Massey Term expires 2020 Rainer Forst Term expires 2020 Abdul Kafal Term expires 2021 James Berkowitz Term expires 2022 Harry Berkowitz Term expires 2022 Vacancy/*Associate Member (Joint Appt. by Plan. Bd. and BOS)Term expires 2020 TRUSTEES SOLDIERS' MEMORIALS James Athanas (Ex-Officio) Chair - Board of Selectmen Chap. 4l, Sec. 105 Richard Trier [Non-Veteran] Term expires 2020 Daniel Beneway [Veteran] Term expires 2020 Thomas Farley [Veteran] Term expires 2021 Frank Defazio[Veteran] Term expires 2022 James Gallagher [Non-Veteran] Term expires 2022 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Gerald L. Gaudette (STATE APPOINTEE) Term expired 1999 Vacancy Term expires 2020 Melanie Benton Term expires 2021 Vacancy Term expires 2022 Vacancy Term expires 2023 9 HOUSING AUTHORITY John F. O’Brien Term expires 2020 Christine Simonian / State Appt. Term expires 2020 Vacancy Term expires 2021 Elaine Mahoney Term expires 2023 Susan M. Brouwer Term expires 2024 BLACKSTONE VALLEY VOC. REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Jeff T. Koopman Term expires 12/31/2022 SELECTMEN'S APPOINTMENTS TOWN COUNSEL KP Law, P.C. Term expires 6/30/20 TOWN MANAGER Adam D. Gaudette ADA COORDINATOR/Town Hall Adam D. Gaudette ADA COORDINATOR/School Department Amy McKinstry, School Superintendent BOARD OF ASSESSORS Alan Ratcliffe Term expires 2020 John Gosselin Term expires 2021 Walter Convent Term expires 2022 BOARD OF HEALTH Paul McKeon, Chairman Term expires 2020 Lani Criasia Term expires 2020 Steven Garabedian Term expires 2021 Scott Chase Term expires 2021 Christopher Cella Term expires 2022 BOARD OF REGISTRARS Ann Riley (Republican) Term expires 2020 Mary Contino (Democrat) Term expires 2021 Doreen Cedrone, Town Clerk (Republican) Term expires 2022 Suzanne Fregeau (Democrat) Term expires 2022 10 BUILDING, PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE Paul Bedigian (Selectmen) Term expires 2020 Vacancy (Moderator) Term expires 2020 Steven Nye (Selectmen) Term expires 2021 Vacancy (Moderator) Term expires 2021 Vacancy (Selectmen) Term expires 2022 Michael W. Beaudoin (Moderator) Term expires 2022 Brian Paulhus (School Comm. Rep.) Term expires 2022 CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Harry Berkowitz Term expires 2020 Sharron W. Ampagoomian Term expires 2020 Vacancy Term expires 2020 Vacancy Term expires 2021 Benjamin Corman Term expires 2022 Vacancy Term expires 2022 James Hackett Term expires 2022 CONSERVATION COMMISSION Justine Carroll Term expires 2020 Justin Arbuckle Term expires 2020 Cynthia Campbell Term expires 2021 Barbara NcNamee Term expires 2021 Vacancy Term expires 2021 Richard Chiras Term expires 2022 Vacancy Term expires 2022 CONSTABLES (Terms expire 2020) Walter Warchol, Police Chief Lt. Timothy Labrie Det. Sgt. John Ouillette Sgt. Brian Patrinelli Sgt. Richard Gorman Sgt. Carmen Borelli Ptlm. Conrad Chickinski Ptlm. Kristina Westbury Ptlm. Jeffrey White COUNCIL ON AGING Carole M. Sweeney Term expires 2020 Elaine Mahoney Term expires 2020 Elaine Inman Term expires 2020 Jean Finnegan Term expires 2020 Yvette Ayotte Term expires 2021 John Doldoorian Term expires 2021 Bonnie Poquette Term expires 2021 11 Nicole Roadman Term expires 2022 Charlene Potvin Term expires 2022 Denise Forgit Term expires 2022 Jean Mistretta, Chairman Term expires 2022 CULTURAL COUNCIL Douglas Walker Term expires 2020 Yurima Guilarte-Walker, Chairman Term expires 2020 Leeann Hansson Term expires 2020 Ashley Bannon Term expires 2021 Vacancy Term expires 2022 Patricia Corkum Term expires 2022 Vacancy Term expires 2022 DISABILITY COMMISSION Amanda Foster Term expires 2020 Jonathan Smith Term expires 2020 Bruce Frieswick Term expires 2021 Joanna Schomberg Term expires 2022 Washa Liu Term expires 2022 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Gary Bechtholdt, Town Planner Ex-Officio James Berkowitz (Plan. Bd. Rep.) Term expires 2020 Thomas Melia (BOS Rep.) Term expires 2020 William Davis (Member At Large) Term expires 2020 Jocelyn Augustus (Member At Large) Term expires 2021 Chloe Mawn (Member At Large) Term expires 2021 Matthew Ruzzoli (Member At Large) Term expires 2021 Vacancy (Member At Large) Term expires 2022 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT David White, Director Term expires 2020 HISTORICAL COMMISSION Leonard Smith Term expires 2020 Mary Barlow Term expires 2020 Stephen Miller Term expires 2021 Richard Steeves Term expires 2021 Wendy Timmons Term expires 2021 Kenneth Warchol Term expires 2022 Dan O'Neill Term expires 2022 12 OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE Brian Massey, Pl. Bd.Vacancy, At Large Darlene Zuehl, At Large Vacancy, Cons. Comm. Vacancy, At Large Barry Posterro, At Large Michael Proto, Playground & Rec. Sharron W. Ampagoomian, At Large Vacancy, At Large PERSONNEL BOARD Vacancy Term expires 2020 Vacancy Term expires 2021 Peter Lachapelle Term expires 2021 Vacancy Term expires 2022 Vacancy Term expires 2022 PLAYGROUND AND RECREATION COMMITTEE Mike Proto, Chairman Term expires 2020 James Gahan, Jr. Term expires 2020 Michael Dempsey Term expires 2020 Mark Tracy Term expires 2021 Shawn Roby Term expires 2022 SAFETY COMMITTEE (Terms expire 6/30/2020) Walter J. Warchol, Police Chief Lt. Timothy Labrie/Alt. Richard Maglione, School Dept. David White, Fire Chief James Shuris, DPW Dir., Chairman Jamie Luchini, Hwy. Supt./Alt. R. Gary Bechtholdt, Town Planner Peter Bedigian, Merchant Rep. George Murray, At Large Alternates: James Sheehan, Bldg. Inspector ZONING BOARD