Celebrating Our 25th TOWN CRIER Anniversary Year UPTON & MENDON, MASSACHUSETTS See March contest instructions on page 6. March 17, 2017 | Vol. 25 No. 5 | www.TownCrier.us Est. 1993 • Mailed FREE to all 5,800 addresses in Upton and Mendon. BVT Hockey St. Patrick’s Day Came Early to Mendon Team wins Sectionals. Six Nipmuc Skiers compete at States. Read about it on pages 20-23 Community Forum on Education A Community Forum on K-12 Education will be held at Nipmuc Regional High School on Wednesday, March 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Please join Massachusetts Today’s calendar may say March 17, but St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated early Commissioner of in Mendon this year. More than 200 people gathered last Friday for another Elementary and Secondary Mendon 350th Anniversary event – the “St. Paddy’s Day Dinner Celebration,” Education Mitchell complete with a corned beef and cabbage dinner, music from the Belfast Chester in a regional town With warm smiles of the Irish, Mark Riendeau and Kathleen Fichtner Cowboys and Irish step dancing by the Harney Academy of Irish Dance. th hall meeting to discuss the were ready to have some fun at the Mendon 350 Anniversary St. Among the many participants were Jeanne Fichtner (left) and Sally Riendeau, Paddy’s Day Dinner. Kevin Rudden photo who helped put on the event. Kevin Rudden photo successes and challenges of the state’s K-12 public education system and how the education Upton Citizen’s Petition Asking to FY18 School Budget department and school districts work together Review Town Manager’s Act Certified, Up by 2.47% to support teaching and By Michelle Sanford Fleming added although Interim By Melissa Orff Staff Reporter learning at the local level. Staff Reporter/Columnist Town Manager Bob Reed is doing a During a March 7 meeting, the good job, it’s only a part time job for The Mendon Upton Regional School Committee has The commissioner’s certified a $33,409,859 operational budget for FY2018 opening presentation will Board of Selectmen agreed to place a him “We can’t operate as a town for two citizen’s petition on the Annual Town years with a part time town manager,” during their March 13 Open Budget Hearing. be followed by a Q&A Meeting warrant that will review the said Fleming, who recommended the The new budget is an $804,589, or 2.47 percent, session. Please register Town Manager’s Act prior to hiring an Selectmen proceed with the search. increase over the current year’s school budget of at www.doe.mass.edu/ individual for the position. “I have to agree with everything Mr. $32,605,270. “The proposed budget keeps existing programs in place, conference/?Conference The Town Manager’s Act states the Fleming said,” stated newest Selectman responsibilities and authority the Town Gary Daugherty. “If you would have keeps our class sizes that are highly conducive to student ID=9510. learning intact, and builds on our district’s focus of Sponsored by the Manager has as well as the Selectmen’s asked me six months ago, I would have authority to appoint or remove the been on that side saying hold it up. But continuous improvement,” said Superintendent of Schools Mendon Upton Regional individual in the executive office. The actually being in this seat and seeing Dr. Joseph Maruszczak while presenting the proposed School District, the event 15-page document can be found on the what the Town Manager does on a daily budget. is open to all surrounding town’s website, UptonMa.gov. basis; it’s a very crucial position.” districts. The petition comes at the same time Residents Deborah Lazarz and The budget reflects a $222,011 increase in as town officials are taking steps to Donnamarie Floyd are seeing the the assessment to Mendon, a 2.57 percent hire a new Town Manager after Blythe citizen’s petition through and said its increase to $8,877,076, and a $334,053 Robinson resigned in December 2016. intent is not to hold up the process or Municipal Resources Inc. was hired to even question the need for the position. increase in the assessment to Upton, a 3.21 conduct the recruitment process and “Blythe was the first Town Manager we percent increase to $10,732,757, for the will work with the town’s Screening had. All we and other residents want operational budget, not including debt service. Committee to bring the top candidates is to review the Act to make sure it’s before the Selectmen. serving the citizens in the best way PRSRT STD PRSRT PAID US POSTAGE #35 PERMIT MA UPTON, 01568 The Selectmen discussed the possible,” explained Lazarz. “Without The budget reflects a $222,011 increase in the petition during their March 7 meeting. any kind of formal review, how do we assessment to Mendon, a 2.57 percent increase to According to Selectman Robert know what’s worked and what hasn’t?” $8,877,076, and a $334,053 increase in the assessment Fleming, the citizen’s petition could Part of that review they said might to Upton, a 3.21 percent increase to $10,732,757, for the hold up hiring the new position for include some of the oversight the Town operational budget, not including debt service. possibly two years. If the petition passes Manager currently has with regard to Maruszczak began his presentation talking about the at the May meeting, a committee would the budget, employee human resource state of the district, citing reasonable class sizes, expanded be formed to review the Act. Any issues, and possibly reviewing the Town extracurricular, enrichment and athletic offerings at changes the committee recommends Manager’s salary. Floyd added such a the middle school, the successful roll-out of a special would then come before residents to be review is not unique. “Groton reviewed education inclusion model at the elementary and middle approved which would then need to be and changed theirs,” she said. “Other levels, and the addition of Social Emotional Learning reviewed by the Massachusetts House towns have done this too.” programs at all grade levels. of Representatives, the Senate, and the The two say the Board’s opposition “Nipmuc High School was also named as one of Ways and Means Committee before to the petition is frustrating and shows Newsweek’s Top High School in America,” he said. being enacted. “To be very specific, the a lack of transparency. “They’re very Maruszczak continued with his presentation delving legislation from the state is where we resistant to any kind of adjustment,” into details of the budget. Some of largest drivers for the get our authority; not from town bylaw. said Floyd. “They’re picking the person increase year over year, said Maruszczak, were increases We are acting under the authority of the who will be running the town; it should in salary, $355,362 or 1.91 percent; health care, $268,510 POSTAL PATRON POSTAL CAR-RT-SORT WS MA 01568 UPTON, Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said be more of a collaborative effort.” or 9.9 percent; and special education out-of-district The Upton & Mendon Town Crier Town Mendon & Upton The Inc. Crier Publications, Town Street 48 Mechanic MA 01568 Upton, Fleming. OPEN BUDGET p 3 2016-2017 Nipmuc Regional High School Term 2 Honor Roll Grade 9 Nicole Walsh Natalie Ginsberg Shawn Forget High Honors Dahlia Whitney Michelle Goddard Adam Grenon Average 90 – 100 Honors Emily Hartwig Jennifer Jokela Lindsey Abate Average 85 – 89 Lucy Hawkins Marcia Montgomery Selvana Abdelmesih Casey Aron Chloe Hoff Kevin Perry Abigail Adams Elizabeth Bohan Kylie Jordan Gabrielle Puchovsky Cosmetic & Family Dentistry Casey Costello Alex Chase Samantha Kilcoyne Rebecca Rinoldo Emma Cote Anthony Ellero Cole LaBonne Nayeli Rivera Liam Crisfield Hannah Flis Taylor Leach Kayla Salgueiro Relaxed Friendly Atmosphere Rory Crisfield April Hackenson Audrey Lemieux Aaron Schiavo Emily Crosier Tessa Hatfield Maggie MacDonald Lauren Surbey Katherine Dawson Lauren Kirby Grace Martel Christina Vanslette Welcoming New Patients! Elise Descheneaux Ashley Porter Brendan Mathieson Daniel DeZutter Patrick McEnaney Honorable Mention Rachel Dunlavey Honorable Mention Annette Michel Average 80-84 Joseph Ellero Average 80-84 Kelly Miller Jake Grant Molly Fitzgerald Emma Hagan Abigail Murphy Cleaning & Exams Camille Gallagher Garrett Kimball Erin Murphy Grade 11 Nyah Gazda Kate Nadolski High Honors Periodontal Care Benjamin Gilchrist Grade 10 Justin Nikfarjam Average 90 – 100 Dev Gujarathi High Honors Owen O’Brien Caroline Abate Root Canals Bret Hackenson Average 90 – 100 Corinne Osgood Cole Alibozek Reem Harrati Haley Alcott Emily Overholt Elina Barrows Crown & Bridge Aidan Hayes Ashley Ambrosino Alexandra Perkins Delaney Bolton Mackenzie Healey Osama Aziz Katherine Pollen Cameron Busby Implants Children Taylor Johnson Erin Bailey Divya Rapur Erin Capalucci Welcome! 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Park, DMD Andrew Murphy Thomas Chesters Sophia Studley Leah Fitzgerald Justine Nicholson Monica Cilley Cole Sullivan Emily Gay Julia Orff John Dacey Alyssa Vance Kiara Griffith 508-473-6500 Kailyn Rideout Audra Dankwardt Erik Venable Donald Halsing Benjamin Rodman Julia Derocher Allison Weed John Hartt www.parkplacedentalma.com Olivia Sanborn Samantha Donnell Erin Hartwig Allison Shepherd Thomas Doyle Honors Maegan Herd 54 Hopedale St., Suite 8, Hopedale Ava Siegel Willow Dunster Average 85 – 89 Andrew Herendeen Aaron Spindel Madison Duplessis Blake Cannistraro Nicole Kaufman Additional Location in Hopkinton Preranaa Srinivas Robin Dupre Timothy Carey Ryan Kelleher Christina Tong Savarah Gaskill Thomas Crocker Corey Lazarz Shea Trimble Isabella Genova Olivia DiCecco Owen Lukas Continued on Next Page..