• LOCAL NEWS LOCAL STORIES LOCAL ADVERTISERS • E WARE REGION FOR 1 ING TH 29 YE SERV ARS Vol. 135 No. 26 12 Pages (Plus Supplements) USPS 666100 $31 PER YEAR - $1.00 A COPY THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2021 www.warerivernews.turley.com A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com Coulombe heats up stage USDA pulls appeal sewer denied at Quaboag project By Eileen Kennedy Staff writer funding WARE – Thomas Coulombe Town faces has been denied his appeal of his demotion from Ware Fire appeal process Department chief to lieutenant By Paula Oubliette and a 30-day suspension without Staff Writer pay by a vote of 4-0 Civil Service Commission on Friday, July 15. HARDWICK – This past The denial comes after the com- Monday, the Board of Selectmen mission held seven days of hear- and the Sewer Commissioners ings in Springfield between May held a joint meeting to hear about and September of last year. Both the design progress for the sewer Coulombe and the town testified project from DPC representatives during those hearing days. David Prickett and Justin Skelly. Civil Service Commissioner The BOS also shared a notification Chairman Christopher Bowman of adverse decision they received wrote in the decision: “The town from Jennifer Lerch, USDA has proven by a preponderance of Director, Community and Business the evidence that the appellant has Programs last Friday afternoon. committed substantial misconduct which adversely affects the public interest by impairing the efficiency Project design of public service, most especially Skelly said the overall project, by knowing that his son was ineli- which was awarded 75% of its The cast of “Frozen Jr.” put on last weekend by Quaboag Regional Middle High School students and recent graduates. gible to sit for the firefighter exam- funding through the USDA, has ination and failing to take steps been broken down into three sep- to prevent the subsequent illegal on the Quaboag stage, in addition to directing arate projects, which could poten- appointment of his son. I find that Director declares ‘Live theater is back!’ at several local community theaters. tially be put out to bid with sep- there was just cause for demotion arate contractors. The three parts of Thomas Coulombe from Ware By Paula Ouimette impassable but did not keep the audience away include upgrades to the Gilbertville Staff Writer Two-week prep Water Pollution Control Facilities, Fire Chief to Lieutenant and just as students performed to an almost full house At the end of this past school year, Joinville Wheelwright WPCF and the cause for the 30-day suspension at all three shows. was approached by Quaboag Regional School WARREN – An enchanted icy blast Hardwick Road Sewer System. without pay.” Music and Theater Director at the school, District Grant Writer Madeline Smola, to see brought cool relief from the days of extreme “Thomas Coulombe agrees that James Joinville, was thrilled to bring a live if he would be interested in conducting a sum- heat and endless rain this past weekend at a Ware firefighter should be held to theater performance to the stage after an mer theater program, made possible by the a high ethical standard, since fire- Quaboag Regional Middle/High School, Gilbertville WPCF 18-month hiatus due to the pandemic. “Kids 21st Century program. Having run accelerated Of the three projects, the fighters serve the public at large. with the Theater Department’s production are itching to get back on stage,” Joinville theater productions for elementary school- Gilbertville WPCF comes with of Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” Days on heavy rain said. A teacher at the school for the past 13 Please see COULOMBE, page 6 caused severe flooding that made many roads years, Joinville has directed 14 different shows Please see FROZEN, page 5 Please see USDA, page 3 Police prep Heavy rains, breached dams Ideas shared to benefit area for cause flooding, damage Gilbertville businesses By Paula Ouimette the goal of this forum is to iden- relocation By Paula Ouimette Staff Writer tify a set of projects that residents Staff Writer and businesses in Hardwick want HARDWICK – Representa- to see happen. Future STM to decide WARE – The month of July tives from Dodson & Flinker, Sussman said they look at building’s fate in New England is typical- Landscape Architecture and six categories when compiling ly known for its hot, dry days. Planning, Dillon Sussman and their data for the Rapid Recovery Farmers make hay, while others By Paula Ouimette Peter Flinker, hosted a pub- Plan. Those categories are public seek out local swimming holes, Staff Writer lic forum for business own- realm, private realm, revenue and rivers and pools to beat the heat ers and residents to discuss the sales, admin capacity, tenant mix and stay cool. But this year, WARREN – Police Chief Gilbertville Rapid Recovery and cultural/arts. many people are hoping for the Gerald Millette attended last Plan, made possible by a grant return of the summer’s sun after week’s Board of Selectmen meet- awarded to the town from the a series of hard-hitting storms Room for ing and said he has contacted all state Department of Housing and have brought days of steady rain of his vendors about moving the Community Development. The improvement and caused damaging floods. department to the West Warren Fire Rapid Recovery Plan covers the Flinker said in the public In the last two weeks Ware, Station since the Town Hall build- area of from Regin’s Repair and realm, sidewalks, trees, street- and many surrounding towns, ing has been deemed structurally Cumberland Farms to Lost Towns lights, wayfinding, roadbeds, have received an astonishing unsound. Brewing. crosswalks, parking and benches amount of rainfall. Ware on The cost to setup in the West are all evaluated. He said there is average receives a little over 2 Warren Fire Station would be “room for improvement” in many inches of precipitation in July, Pandemic impact about $2,000. Millette said he has areas, including crosswalks and but has already received more also come up with a design to best on businesses benches. Flinker said the cobra- than four times that amount to utilize the space in the fire sta- While Gilbertville saw two head streetlights detracted from date, according to the National tion, while ensuring that the Fire permanent closures of business- the historic character of the vil- Weather Service. Department’s tanker could still es during the pandemic, with the lage and provided poor visibility This past weekend brought remain in the bay. loss of the Whistle Stop and the for pedestrians at night. Public even more heavy rain, and riv- For the bay level, he suggest- American Legion, there has also parking is also limited, and lack ers and ponds began to over- ed moving the tanker to the other been the addition of two new busi- of signage makes finding local flow. In the early morning hours side of the bay, closer to the outer nesses in town, Rise and Grind attractions challenging for those of Sunday, July 18, a local resi- wall. Millette said there should be Nutrition and the laundromat. passing through town. dent on Quarry Street heard the enough room to put up a wall in Sussman and Flinker start- In the private realm, they look sound of beaver dams overflow- the middle, establishing a booking ed their project in March of this at building facades and trans- ing atop Coy Hill and knew a area, conference room, locker room year, taking a tour of the town parency. Flinker said people are “once in a century” catastrophic and more secure doors. They could and meeting with residents. The more likely to enter a business event that occurred years before convert an existing office into an Rapid Recovery Plan is designed if they can see inside it from its was happening again. evidence room. to help communities and busi- exterior. Twenty-five percent of Back on Oct. 15, 2005, the The upper level would mostly nesses impacted by the COVID- the businesses in Gilbertville lack area at the bottom of Coy Hill, remain open for patrolman’s desks. 19 pandemic. Five out of the this type of transparency, but sev- including Quarry Street, Morse He would have a wall added to Turley Publications staff photo by Paula Ouimette dozen plus Gilbertville businesses eral have attractive facades that Water that breached Coy Hill beaver dams this weekend, on top responded to a survey supplied by Please see RELOCATE, page 6 Please see FLOODING, page 6 heavy rains, tore apart a Quarry Street driveway. Dodson & Flinker. Sussman said Please see BUSINESS, page 2 Inside this edition: PETS SPORTS NATURE Connect with us Viewpoints 4 Public Notices 11 Second Quabbin Bluebird Chance player houses Sports 7 focuses on mentors come Police/Fire 9 veterinary players together Obituaries 9 care Classifieds 10 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 WareRiverNews Page 2, Ware River News, July 22, 2021 Ware River News TCC store in Ware to give away Obituary Policy backpacks with school supplies Turley Publications offers two types of WARE – Round Room LLC, the easing the back-to-school shopping obituaries. nation’s largest Verizon authorized burden and helping set children up for Each week the Ware River One is a free, brief retailer, announced that its TCC and success.” News digs into its submitted Death Notice listing Wireless Zone stores are donating According to the National Retail photo archives and selects the name of deceased, 140,000 backpacks full of school Federation, American families with a people photo to publish date of death and supplies to children across the U.S., school-aged children spent an average We need your help to help funeral date and place.