Mailed free to requesting homes in Charlton, Charlton City and Charlton Depot Vol. 3, No. 51 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.CHARLTONVILLAGER.COM “Data data everywhere but not a thought to think.” Friday, Dec 18, 2009 Selectmen found in violation - again DA: PRIVATE MEETINGS FOR EVALUATION A ‘DELIBERATE CIRCUMVENTION’ OF LAW BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL the evaluation. ings by [selectmen with public.” after last year’s violation. The STAFF WRITER No penalties have been Craver] were a deliberate cir- Specifically addressing the selectman said the board had For the third consecutive levied because the reviews cumvention of the Open private meetings, Smith not received a clear answer. year, selectmen have violated were incorporated into meet- meeting Law by avoiding the wrote: “It is quite obvious “She [Smith] could have the Open Meeting Law in ings minutes, which make presence of a quorum to dis- that these individual meet- told us not to do [the individ- evaluating Town them public record. cuss professional competence ings were specifically devised ual meetings,” he said. Administrator Robin L. Overall, this is the board’s privately,” Assistant District as a private discussion of pro- According to the Sept. 22 Craver. third Open Meeting Law vio- Attorney Patricia C. Smith fessional competence in the minutes of a selectmen’s “That borders ridiculous. lation in the past two years. wrote in a Dec. 8 letter to the absence of a quorum.” meeting, however, the DA’s It blows my mind. I don’t get The District Attorney’s board. “[Selectmen] violated Boria, however, said the office informed Town it,” said Selectman Peter J. office rendered its latest opin- the Open Meeting Law by con- board had asked the DA’s Counsel James Cosgrove it Boria of the violation, which ion in response to a complaint ducting a significant portion office for advice when craft- had “concerns” about the pro- stems from the one-on-one filed the by the Worcester of [Craver’s] evaluation by a ing a new policy on evaluat- posed new evaluation policy. meetings each selectmen had Telegram & Gazette. series of individual public ing the town administrator, with Craver prior to finishing “… The one-on-one meet- meetings that excluded the something the DA suggested Turn To VIOLATION, page 11 Robin Craver Registrar: I would Route 20 in line for makeover BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL PROJECT TARGETS STRETCH IN STAFF WRITER oute 20 is going to be renovated, have come but opinions vary on whether it CHARLTON-OXFORD will make the state highway safer. O’Malley’s Truck & Auto Body R repair shop owner Thomas O’Malley said at his Route 20 to hearing shop that the work will have limited benefit on motorist safety. “They [have] got to slow the traffic down,” said O’Malley, who, while he believes planned RMV GOES ON new medians will make turning more prob- lematic, thinks the overall project will have limited benefit. DEFENSIVE AS HEAT “It is going to help to some extent,” he said. “It really boils down to the people driving the TURNS UP road.” Other motorists interviewed last week BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL expressed a different opinion. NEWS STAFF WRITER Worcester resident Stacy Ross, who was SOUTHBRIDGE — Registrar of Motor passing through Charlton on Route 20, said Vehicles Rachel Kaprielian is defending her the work will make the road safer and reduce agency’s decision to send only a note-taker to the number of blind spots. a Monday hearing about moving the Even still, she added, it may actually make Southbridge RMV branch to Charlton. people “drive crazier.” “They were there to recognize the point,” UPGRADES Kaprielian said during a telephone interview with the Southbridge Evening News. “They The state Department of Transportation were there for a presence,” and to “take (DOT) is currently designing upgrades for the stock.” Ryan Grannan-Doll photos Richardson Corner Road intersection of State Rep. Geraldo Alicea, D-Charlton, who Route 20 in Charlton and the Route 56 junction worked to schedule the hearing, said The intersections at a in Oxford, according to MassDOT Spokesman Kaprielian told him Friday she did not know Richardson Corner Road in Adam Hurtubise. whether she would attend but that somebody Charlton and Route 56 in Overall, a 3.2-mile stretch from Richardson would go to “participate in the hearing,” and Oxford, both at Route 20, Corner to the Route 12 intersection in Oxford not just take notes. are in line for improve- will be widened and shoulders will be added The registrar, who did not attend the hear- ments through the state along with median barriers, Hurtubise said in ing at Southbridge Town Hall, maintained she Department of an e-mail last week. was never personally invited to go, and Transportation. “Horizontally, the roadway curves exces- dithered on whether she would have if she sively in several locations which has con- received an invite. At one point, she suggested running the RMV kept her too busy because Turn To PROJECT, page 11 there was “no shortage” of work to do. Soon after saying that, she said: “If I were invited I would have attended.” Kaprielian said she was later briefed on the hearing. The Joint Committee on Transportation’s public hearing Monday afternoon to discuss Town develops taste for help two proposed bills, which Alicea filed, related to the RMV. One would establish hearing process for any future closures, while the ANNUAL FUNDRAISER TARGETS SENIORS’ ENERGY COSTS other would require another hearing to dis- cuss the closing of the Southbridge branch BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL Masonic Home. dishes. Among the samplers will earlier this year. STAFF WRITER The event is a fundraiser for be the newly opened Andy’s CHARLTON — The holiday the Charlton Chapter of the Yankee Diner, Nana Eleanor’s Turn To RMV, page 11 season will be over by then, but Residential Energy Assistance diner and the Heritage Country area residents will still have good for Seniors (REAS) organization. Club, said REAS Chapter reason to stuff their mouths with The group pays for heating and Director Elaine Kingston said. food in late January. cooling costs for needy seniors. “It’s all going to be local,” The second annual “Taste of Tickets are $10. Kingston said. “We want to just the Towns” event will be held at 6 The event will feature many let them put their food so that p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 at the area food merchants, hopefully at Overlook Banquet Room at the least 22, sampling their culinary Turn To TASTE, page 11 Novelty lighter bill tweaked BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL State Rep. Geraldo Alicea, D- The new version, like the old, STAFF WRITER Charlton, who proposed the idea would ban the sale of the Changes to a bill before the earlier this year and hopes to lighters, which resemble chil- Ryan Grannan-Doll photo state Legislature would increase make the law final by February. dren’s toys. A novelty lighter is Walter Bird Jr. photo the penalties to be imposed on Changes include increasing defined as one that would appeal EAGLE EYE State Rep. Geraldo Alicea, far left, sits with the Joint those who sell novelty lighters. the penalty to a maximum $1,000 to children 10 and younger. The Committee on Transportation as it listens to former A new version of the bill, a fine and up to one year in jail. bill would not apply to lighters Keenan Mahan affixes a ribbon to his moth- state Rep. Mark Carron of Southbridge, at the podi- combination of two similar pro- The Committee on Bills in the made before Jan. 1, 1980, which er, Teresa, during ceremonies in which um, talk about problems with the new Registry of posals, is progressing through Third Reading is now reviewing are considered to be collectibles. Keenan was awarded the Eagle Scout the State House, according to legislation. award. For more photos, turn to page A4. Motor Vehicles office on the Mass Pike in Charlton. Turn To BILL, page 11 TRIVIA RAMS’ CORE Almanac ................. 2 Learning................ 12 GOING In 1950, Ralph J. Obituaries ............. 13 Calendar ...............13 GROUP ROLLS Bunche was awarded Police Logs .............. 5 Real Estate ...B Section DOOR-TO-DOOR PAST PANTHERS the Nobel Peace Prize. INDEX INDEX Opinion ................ 10 Sports .............. 14-16 PAGE 8 Why was this notable? PAGE 14 Answer inside. 2 •THE CHARLTON VILLAGER• Friday, December 18, 2009 www.charltonvillager.com Gilrein gets high marks from school board CHARLTON ALMANAC THEY SAID IT BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL tract expires June, 30, 2014. the highest standards in your athletes; as well STAFF WRITER HONORS as the talent and poise exhibited by the skilled “That borders ridiculous. It blows DUDLEY — Dudley-Charlton School The Massachusetts Basketball Coaches and competitive young women on the team,” District Superintendent Sean M. Gilrein Association (MBCA) last month awarded Gilrein wrote in a Monday, Nov. 30 letter to my mind. I don’t get it.” received a glowing evaluation last week. James Hackenson, the high school varsity bas- Coach Thomas Cafelle, of Oxford. —SELECTMAN PETER J. BORIA, ON THE Overall, the Regional School Committee ketball coach, Central Massachusetts Division FLU CLINICS LATEST DISTRICT ATTORNEY OPINION THAT gave Gilrein, a 49-year-old Charlton resident 1 Coach of the Year Award. He was also hon- THE BOARD VIOLATED THE STATE’S OPEN and the administrative chief since 2001, a 4.7 ored him for his 400th win. The district hosted an H1N1 vaccination MEETING LAW WHILE EVALUATION TOWN average. In five separate categories, he “You should be very proud of the achieve- clinic last month, at the Heritage School on ADMINISTRATOR ROBIN CRAVER.