GUZIK MOTOR SALES CELEBRATING OUR 51st Anniversary as a Family Owned Business! 2014 Jeep Patriot 2014 Jeep Compass NEW 6 speed auto transmission Rebates up to $2500. See dealer for details. PLUS 5 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranty PLUS interest rates at historic lows E. Main St., Rtes. 9 & 32, Ware Just Over the West Brookfield Line Never a Document Fee Never A Dealer Prep Fee 413-967-4210 or 800-793-2078 • www.guzikmotors.com Never An Interest Rate Mark Up Mailed free to requesting homes in East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Brookfield, Leicester and Spencer Vol. XXXV, No. 34 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF RELAY FOR LIFE OF THE GREATER SOUTHBRIDGE AREA! Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.SPENCERNEWLEADER.COM Friday, August 23, 2013 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Mizikar picked “We don’t know who we are until as new town we see what we can do.” administrator Martha Grimes STURBRIDGE RESIDENT UNANIMOUS INSIDE CHOICE OF SELECTMEN BY DAVID DORE Obituaries........B Sect. NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER LEICESTER — Pending Calendar ........B Sect. successful contract negotia- Local ..................A2-5 tions, Kevin Mizikar is about to get a promotion. Classroom Corner A6-7 Mizikar, Grafton’s assis- Viewpoint ..............A8 Courtesy photos tant town administrator Sports ............A10-11 and a Sturbridge resident, Charlene Grammatic of Auburn and her Dad tackle the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk together was the Leicester Board of Police Logs ..........A14 in memory of her mom, who died from colon cancer in 2011. Selectmen’s unanimous pick Monday, Aug. 19, to be the next town administrator in Leicester. “I think it was the person- LOCAL Talking and walking ality fit between the board and him, and his energy, Kevin Mizikar and his economic develop- AREA RESIDENTS SHARE THEIR REASONS ment experience, as well as lawyer in New Hampshire his [human resources] expe- and former town manager FOR JOINING THE JIMMY FUND WALK rience,” Selectmen in Jaffrey, Salem and Chairman Sandra Wilson Hopkinton, N.H., and Shaun BY MARK ASHTON explained after her board’s along the historic Boston they celebrate completing Suhoski, town administra- STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER vote. “The things that he’s Marathon route with a col- the course and enjoy com- tor in Sturbridge since 2010. doing in Grafton are things When an expected 8,500 lective goal of raising more plimentary food, beverages, While selectmen negoti- we need to do. people lace up their than $7 million to support a speaking program, and ate a contract with him, “I think we’re starting footwear and step off on the life-saving adult and pedi- entertainment. All walkers Municipal Resources Inc. of new with a new superin- 25th Anniversary Boston atric patient care and can- are asked to raise a mini- Meredith, N.H., hired by the tendent for schools, that Marathon Jimmy Fund cer research at Dana- mum of $300 (or $100 for Town Administrator Search we’re at a place where we Walk (BMJFW) next Farber Cancer Institute walkers age 12 and under); Committee to help with the can start and take advan- month, some two dozen and the Jimmy Fund. “Pacesetters” are extraor- process, will do an in-depth tage of his youth and his area residents will be Walkers begin in dinary fundraisers who background check. Wilson enthusiasm,” Wilson added. among them. Hopkinton and other raise $1,500 or more. said a preliminary back- “In his short time, he’s got a Walkers from Sturbridge, Boston-area locations on Walkers – either as indi- ground check was done on lot of experience, and I Dog Days in Charlton, Webster, Auburn, the day of the walk (walks viduals or team members – Mizikar that “had no red think it fits our needs.” and Spencer will take part range from 3 to the full 26.2 have stories to tell about flags at all.” E. Brookfield in the Sept. 8 event, in miles) and finish together Mizikar beat out fellow which participants walk at Copley Square, where finalists Jonathan Sistare, a Page A4 Please Read WALK, page A16 Please Read LEICESTER, page A15 LEARNING Spencer Fair stays McGovern visits region to true to its roots announce federal grants FAIR TO CELEBRATE 125TH YEAR JOINT CDBG PLAN FUNDED, AS IS NORTH NEXT WEEKEND BROOKFIELD AMBULANCE BY ELISA KROCHMALNYCKYJ But they’d be pleased BY DAVID DORE NEW LEADER CORRESPONDENT because it’s still an agri- NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER SPENCER — cultural fair, Davies said. Congressman James Poker Run aids Underneath the swirling “We’ll have a cow barn McGovern (D-Worcester) rides, diverse entertain- that will have probably 100 area veterans visited two of the newest ment, tantalizing food and cows,” Davies said. “We’ll towns in his Second Page A9 extraordinary fun is the have a poultry tent that Congressional District ear- heart of the Spencer Fair: will have close to 100 chick- lier this week to announce Agriculture. ens and ducks. A rabbit they had received grants SPORTS In fact, the first Spencer tent. I think they would be from the federal govern- Fair, in 1888, was simply happy that we still have ment. about agriculture. agriculture at the fair.” McGovern’s first stop “Exactly 125 years ago a There’s also a whole lot Monday, Aug. 19 was bunch of people sat more than there was in Memorial Town Hall in around a kitchen table and 1888, including entertain- Spencer — a town that, said, ‘Let’s find a way to ment that seems to just get along with North display our produce and better every year. Brookfield, got nearly cows and see whose is the In addition to the ever- $800,000 in Community best,’” said Dale Davies, popular Friday night Development Block Grant president of the Spencer Demolition Derby, this money. He then went to the David Dore photo Agricultural Association, year’s lineup will include North Brookfield fire sta- Standing on the front steps of Spencer Memorial Town Hall for which sponsors the fair. the headliner band Little tion to say the North Monday morning’s Community Development Block Grant If that bunch of people Texas and Bon Jersey trib- Brookfield Ambulance announcement are, from left, Spencer Selectman Anthony Pepe, came to this year’s fair — ute band, hypnotist Dan Squad got a $21,450 Rural state Rep. Peter Durant (R-Spencer), North Brookfield Selectman Labor Day weekend, Candell, the Lumber Jills, Development grant to buy Mary Walter, state Rep. Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), state Sen. Friday Aug. 30 through the Franzen Elephant and a new ambulance. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre), Congressman James McGovern (D- TBA finals Monday, Sept. 2 — they Tiger Shows, karaoke, Spencer Town Worcester), North Brookfield Selectman Robert Smith and might be a little startled Ronald McDonald, the Spencer Town Administrator Adam Gaudette. Page A10 that it’s progressed to an beloved Robinson’s Racing event that draws more Please Read GRANTS, page A18 than 28,000 people a year. Please Read SPENCER, page A13 OPINION GET YOUR POINT ACROSS PAGE A8 Annual 4-H Fair brings plenty of free family fun BY ELISA KROCHMALNYCKYJ It’s all at the 64th annual cator and fair coordinator, animals settled, submit dis- monies. POLICE LOGS NEW LEADER CORRESPONDENT Worcester County 4-H Fair adding that between 4,000 plays and drop off contest Throughout the day, SPENCER — Tractor being held this weekend, and 5,000 people attend a entries, for the public the there’s a variety of animal PAGE A14 pulls. Horse shows. A chick- Aug. 24-25, at the Worcester year. fun starts Saturday at 7:30 displays, including dog en barbecue. A corn-shuck- County 4-H Center, 92 In addition to the fea- a.m. with the tractor pulls. shows, llama shows, goat ing contest and pet-costume McCormick Road. tured horse shows, there The fun continues with shows and poultry judging. parade. “It’s a great opportunity are all sorts of farm ani- the popular “Pets on There’s also displays and And make-your-own ice- for a fun day and to see mals and pets. Parade,” which starts at 9 judging of just about every- cream sundaes. Free. All what 4-H is about,” said While 4-H members show a.m. and is followed by the thing prize-worthy: free. Lorraine Kiritsis, 4-H edu- up Friday night to get their 9:30 a.m. opening cere- Please Read 4-H FAIR, page A15 2 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, August 23, 2013 Towns to hold public meetings on school override SESSIONS NEXT WEEK OPEN TO SPENCER, EAST BROOKFIELD VOTERS BY DAVID DORE ed minimum contribution. “We will prepare some hand- implications for FY14, and In the meantime, the district NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER The override amount is outs as an introduction into the beyond.” will continue to operate on an Selectmen in Spencer and East $1,681,094 in Spencer and $405,585 meetings and then answer any An override would add $1.82 interim budget set by the state Brookfield will each host infor- in East Brookfield. questions that the audience may per $1,000 assessed value to prop- Department of Elementary and mation sessions next week on At separate Special Town have,” Gaudette said. erty tax bills in Spencer, or $364 Secondary Education of no more upcoming Proposition 2 1/2 over- Meetings last month, voters “We feel it is important for peo- per year for a house valued at than $2,207,572 per month. ride votes to fund this year’s approved appropriations for ple, on both sides of this issue, to $200,000. The impact in East Interim Superintendent of school budget.