SPENCER FAMILY DENTAL Gentle Caring State of the Art Dentistry For The Whole Family Cosmetic Dentistry • Restorative Dentistry • Preventative Dentistry CROWNS • CAPS • BRIDGES • COMPLETE and PARTIAL DENTURES New We Strive NON SURGICAL GUM TREATMENT • ROOT CANAL THERAPY Patients SURGICAL SERVICES For Painless Welcome BREATH CLINIC-WE TREAT CHRONIC BAD BREATH Dentistry HERBAL DENTAL PRODUCTS • All Instruments Fully Sterilized • Most Insurances Accepted Dr. Nasser S. Hanna Conveniently Located On Route 9 • (Corner of Greenville St. & Main St.) 284 Main St., Spencer 508-885-5511 Mailed free to requesting homes in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. VIII, No. 2 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF RELAY FOR LIFE OF THE GREATER SOUTHBRIDGE AREA! COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET Friday, January 10, 2014 THIS WEEK’S Sturbridge solar project moving closer to reality QUOTE BY CHELSEA DAVIS which was continued to Dec. Commission also approved said. VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “He who reigns 10, said Town Planner Jean the project at its Thursday, The town decided to part- STURBRIDGE — Multiple Bubon. Dec. 19 meeting after mak- ner with BlueWave Capital within himself boards and commissions of “The hearings were held ing sure it was in compli- LLC with John DeVillars as and rules his pas- the town approved the pro- to make sure the project was ance with wetland regula- its managing partner posed solar facility for in compliance with town tions. through the company. sions, desires, Sturbridge in the past few solar and site-plan bylaws,” The Conservation While trying to determine weeks. Bubon said. Commission has yet to issue the best location for a solar and fears is more “I am very pleased that The Planning Board its order, but it should be facility, it was found that than a king.” the Town of Sturbridge is approved the project with doing so soon, Bubon said. lands owned by the town advancing with this long- conditions at its Tuesday, The project began two would not work for a facility John Milton term initiative that will cut Dec. 10 meeting. years ago after the town was due to impacts on the neigh- the town’s cost of power and “It’s probably around 20 looking to reduce its elec- borhoods surrounding the save taxpayer funds while conditions, but they are tricity costs. land and the cost of inter- simultaneously reducing pretty standard conditions, I “The town was seeking to connection. the town’s reliance on fossil Jean Bubon would say,” Bubon said. find a private sector partner “We began to look at prop- fuels,” said Town The Planning Board filed to develop a solar photo- erty along the Mass Pike Commission held public Administrator Shaun the Site Plan Approval with voltaic power facility to owned by the Massachusetts INSIDE hearings on the matter. Suhoski. the Town Clerk on Monday, reduce electricity costs Department of The Planning Board held The Planning Board as Dec. 16. together with the town’s car- a public hearing on Nov. 12, ALMANAC ............2 well as the Conservation The Conservation bon footprint,” Suhoski Turn To SOLAR, page A17 OPINION ............10 OBITUARIES .......12 CALENDAR .........12 Route 20 SPORTS ............13 New Year starts with snow, frigid temps POLICE LOGS......16 plan moves WINTER WEATHER BRINGS LOCAL TROUBLE FOR COMMUTERS BY AMANDA COLLINS forward VILLAGER STAFF WRITER A slow-moving snowstorm and bitter cold air BY CHELSEA DAVIS ushered in the New Year last week, as locals VILLAGER STAFF WRITER dealt with nearly a half-foot of snow and danger- STURBRIDGE — The Sturbridge ously low temperatures in the first days of 2014. Commercial Tourism District Residents in the region awoke to artic temper- Project Advisory Committee held a atures in the single digits, below zero with the working group meeting for the wind chill, and a blanket of snow Friday, Jan. 3. Sturbridge District Improvement The storm, which dumped almost two feet of Plan on Thursday,Jan. 2, to review snow along the state’s coast, began on Thursday past meetings and discuss a meet- when flurries came and went all day long. The ing coming up. snowfall steadied late Thursday night and into “People are going to be wonder- the wee hours of Friday before tapering off by New Fire Chief ing what’s in it for them,” said the late morning. According to the National Amanda Collins photos sworn in Commercial Tourism District Weather Service, Southbridge ended up with five The after-storm cleanup on Main Street in Sturbridge Friday after- Project Advisory Committee mem- noon Jan. 3. Page A8 ber Fidelis Onwubueke. Turn To SNOW, page A17 Members of the committee felt that the public hearing held on LEARNING Wednesday, Dec. 4 went generally well and have heard mainly posi- tive feedback since then on the Town accountant stipend OK’d improvement plan. “The comments I’ve received are BY CHELSEA DAVIS additional efforts of the finance needed to step up to the plate at dif- positive for the most part,” com- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER director.” ferent times for various reasons,” mittee member Heather Hart said. STURBRIDGE — Though the During the search for the new Gimas said. Most members agreed the pro- next town accountant for town accountant, Finance Director Due to the extended length of the posed improvement plan has been Sturbridge has been named and Barbara Barry helped to assume search, Gimas said her original a long time coming. appointed, there were still some duties of the town accountant and opinions changed. “We are behind the times here,” matters of the search process that help Interim Town Accountant “I did believe at the time that it Hart said on the district’s current the Board of Selectmen attended to Valerie Bernier. would be a six- to eight-week vacan- layout. at their Monday, Dec. 16 meeting. “There’s extra headaches every cy,” Gimas said. Exploring Literacy Pare Corporation Consultant “Last week, Selectman [Priscilla] day. One hour [of work] could be Gimas decided to speak with John Shevlin confirmed this, say- Gimas inquired about the extenuat- two hours [of work],” Suhoski said. Barry to see if a compromise could Page A10 ing that most communities went ing circumstances surrounding the There was an original proposal be reached for compensation. through their streetscape projects search for the town accountant,” months ago to give Barry a stipend “I had a two-hour discussion on four to seven years ago. said Town Administrator Shaun compensation for the extra hours this … I walked away understand- SPORTS Onwubueke felt three questions Suhoski in a memorandum, “and she worked. The stipend was voted ing far more than I understood [she] asked that I revisit the subject down by the board. Turn To PLAN, page A17 of potential compensation for the “I felt [originally] that everyone Turn To STIPEND, page A16 Police pleasantly surprised by lack of holiday OUIs ‘IT WAS A GOOD, SAFE NIGHT FOR STURBRIDGE’ BY CHELSEA DAVIS in Sturbridge. File photo VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “It gives us great pleasure to On New Year’s Eve and New STURBRIDGE — The announce there were no Year’s Day, the Sturbridge Sturbridge Police Department impaired operators during this Police Department was happy conducted its bi-annual “Drive campaign,” the department to announce it did not make one Sober or Get Pulled Over” cam- declared on its Facebook page. single OUI arrest as part of its paign over the New Year’s holi- Though the Police “Drive Sober or Get Pulled day, but one thing stands out Department made 90 traffic Over” campaign. Sturbridge over previous efforts — no OUI stops during New Year’s Eve Operations Division Lieutenant Warrior BBall arrests were made on New Earl Dessert says this result Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Turn To POLICE, page A17 shows that “the message is Action getting out there.” Page A13 Suhoski hopes New Year brings prosperity to Sturbridge OPINION GET YOUR E WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A BIG BREATH THIS YEAR POINT ACROSS ‘W ’ PAGE A10 BY CHELSEA DAVIS Suhoski said that in the Town Hall, extensive renova- hope to see no extra finan- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER past few years, the Town of tions at Burgess Elementary cial burdens on taxpayers for POLICE LOGS STURBRIDGE — As the Sturbridge has taken on School and work done at the this year, it is looking for- P L year 2014 begins, the town many projects that have hit water treatment plant in ward to seeing some new administrator of Sturbridge taxpayers hard. town. projects put in motion and PAGE A5 is hoping to have a less “We’re looking forward to “Even though the taxpay- some finished. eventful year than those in a year that does not include ers approved these projects, “I’m looking forward to the recent past. any large capital expenses and they were definitely seeing the construction of “We would like to take a that are hitting the tax roll needed, the fact is the costs the town’s solar facility,” big breath this year,” said or water and sewer rates,” have hit the taxpayers’ pock- Suhoski said. Town Administrator Shaun Suhoski said. etbooks,” Suhoski said. Suhoski. Shaun Suhoski He cited the renovations at Though town officials Turn To YIR, page A17 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, January 10, 2014 State officials announce fire IN AND AROUND STURBRIDGE BY AMANDA COLLINS Not ready for the The “Puppet Playhouse VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “advanced” dance? No prob- Theatre” is a creative show prevention program funds Get your sweet tooth sated lem – a beginner’s class is for children that will take for a good cause at this year’s coming up soon. Contact Moe place at 10 a.m.