Letter to the Editor: Please, Town Meeting, Don’t Shut Down Doggie Day Care

To the editor:
Please urge Town Meeting members to NOT shut down or curtail the business of Crate Escape. My dog has been going to Crate Escape for almost eight years. It allows me to have a busy personal and professional life that would otherwise be impossible. The people who work at Crate Escape are terrific; they know my dog, they care about her, they groom her, they help me buy the right kind of food for her.
In short, they help make me a more responsible and knowledgeable dog owner. The place is very clean, orderly and well-run. It is located in a part of town that I believe is not residential and therefore, the presence of dogs should not be a nuisance for anybody. The owners of Crate Escape are lovely, responsible people.
Please don’t take this wonderful service away.
Judy Foreman
Nationally Syndicated Health Columnist
Brattle Street
Cambridge

Belmont High Darkroom To Be Named for Late Benefactor’s Generosity

In a rare gesture at Belmont schools, the Belmont School Committee unanimously approved a recommendation from Belmont School Superintendent Dr. Thomas Kingston to name the photography darkroom at Belmont High School after Paula Lerner, the award-winning Belmont photographer who donated her extensive photo equipment to the Belmont High arts department before her death in March 2012.

“The administration certainly endorses the request as it is perfectly appropriate commemoration for the considerable contribution that Paula Lerner made to the development of a really compelling program at the High School,” said Kingston in his recommendation.

The request for a memorial plaque bearing Lerner’s name and date of the dedication came from Andrew Roy, the Belmont High teacher who instructs the Photography III Honors class and whose students use the equipment, which, Roy noted, is the “single largest donation to the photography program in [more than] 10 years.”

“There has been so much positive outcome from Ms. Lerner’s generosity and my students have truly benefited in ways far more significant that the material gifts and financial support,” said Roy.

The honors program used a Foundation for Belmont Education grant to create an exhibition of photos in Lerner’s style in the summer of 2013 at the Belmont Media Center in honoring her.

Easter Services in Belmont

All Saints’ Church (Episcopal)
17 Clark St. (on Common Street)
617-484-2228

Thursday, April 17
6:30 p.m. – Agape Meal

Friday, April 18
Noon – Stations of the Cross
7 p.m. – Good Friday Liturgy which will include a dramatic reading of the Passion according to St. John.

Saturday, April 19

8:30 a.m. – Holy Saturday Liturgy

Sunday, April 20
10 a.m.: Festival Holy Eucharist, Rite II (Childcare for children up to age three.)

After the service: coffee hour.

Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church
421 Common St. (Cushing Square)
617-489- 0730

Thursday, April 17

7:30 p.m.: Maundy Service

Friday, April 18

7 p.m.: Tenebrae Service for Good Friday.

Sunday, April 20

10:30 a.m.: Easter Sunday.

Christ Lutheran Church
597 Belmont Street (on Common Street)
617-484-4352
Cornerstone Baptist Church
54 Brighton St.
617-489-2498

Sunday, April 20
6:30 a.m.: Sunrise Service.

7:30 a.m.: Full Breakfast

9:30 a.m.: Sunday School

10:45 a.m.: Morning Service

6:30 p.m.: Evening Service

Crossroads Evangelical Church
51 Lexington St.
617-489-4959

Sunday morning worship begins at 11 a.m.

First Armenian Church
380 Concord Ave.
617-484-4779

Sunday, April 20

10:30 a.m. Easter services

First Baptist Church of Belmont
129 Lexington Street
(617) 484-1310

Thursday, April 17

6 p.m.: Maundy Thursday Service

Sunday, April 20

10 a.m.: Easter services

First Church in Belmont, Unitarian-Universalist
404 Concord Ave.
617 484-1054

Sunday, April 20

6 a.m.: Easter Sunrise Service at Habitat at 10 Juniper St.

9 a.m. – 10 a.m.: Sunday Service

11 am – 12 pm.: Sunday Service

Payson Park Congregational Church
365 Belmont St.
617-484-1542

Thursday, April 17

6 p.m.: Maundy Thursday Service

Friday, April 18

7 p.m.: Good Friday Service

Sunday, April 20

10:30 a.m.: The Reverend Lael Atkinson preaching and the Cherub Choir and Alleluia & Youth Choirs singing.

Plymouth Congregational Church
582 Pleasant St.
617-484-5257

Thursday, April 17

6:15 p.m.: Maundy Thursday meal

7:30 p.m.: Maundy Thursday service

Sunday, April 20

10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Service

St. Joseph’s Parish
130 Common St.
617-484-0279

Thursday, April 17

7 p.m.: Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper.

Good Friday, April 18

3 p.m.: Living Stations of the Cross
7 p.m.: Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at St. Luke

Holy Saturday, April 19

8 p.m.: Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday, April 20

Masses: 8 a.m. in the church and 10 a.m. in both the church and hall.

Saint Luke’s, Belmont
132 Lexington St.
617-484-1996

Good Friday, April 18

3 p.m.: Living Stations of the Cross

Holy Saturday, April 19

Easter Sunday, April 20

Things to Do Today: Book Club for Chenery Kids, Caregivers’ Group, Canterbury Tales

The town is gearing down for the Easter holiday, Patriots’ Day and the spring recess for the town’s schools.

Book Club for 5th and 6th graders will held from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Work Room of the Belmont Public Library.

Caregivers’ Groups led by Senior Center Director Nava Niv-Vogel is being held at 2 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St.

 Today is the final full day of school until the April recess: Belmont District Schools get out early tomorrow.

On this day in 1397, Geoffrey Chaucer tells the Canterbury Tales for the first time at the court of Richard II.  Chaucer scholars have also identified this date a decade earlier, in 1387, as the start of the book’s pilgrimage to Canterbury.

 

Belmont Planning, Health Boards to Make Changes to Kennel Rules

The Belmont Planning Board and the Board of Health will be working together to make changes to a pair of Town Meeting articles that, if passed, would force Crate Escape, the doggie day care center located on Brighton Street, to close its doors, leaving 300 customers and 150 dogs – 75 percent from Belmont – without a home of the day.

“The intent [of the articles] were not to effect day care, only overnight kennels,” said the Planning Board’s Elizabeth Allison, who said she will be sitting down with the Health Board’s Vice Chair Dr. David Alper and the town’s Health Director Stefan Russakow to replace the current static number of dogs that can stay in a “kennel.”

“Is this a backdoor way to eliminate doggy day care in town? No,” said Allison at a Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, April 15, at Town Hall.

The two Town Meeting articles, number 8 and 9, updates Belmont’s decade-old animal bylaw to meet state standards and the zoning code on the definition of what is a “kennel”; the current regulations specify a kennel as being an outdoor shelter. Under the existing code, that facility could only hold up to 25 dogs at one time.

Under the new proposed code, the definition of kennel is expanded to include commercial entities such as overnight and extended-stay as well as day care businesses. But the Town Meeting article that would amend the Health Code did not change the maximum number of 25 dogs that could be kept in a licensed location.

According to Crate Escape’s owner Bradley Hastings, he would be forced to close his Belmont site if the articles passed Town Meeting early in May.

In response to Hastings’ concern, the Allison group is considering replacing the 25 dog limit with a formula establishing a square-footage percentage of dogs that can be safely held in an interior site such as Crate Escape.

“We will come up with something to keep [Hastings] here,” said Allison, who said she will be seeking the help of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in creating the formula.

Things to Do Today: A ‘Peeps’ Show at the Library, World Book Night, Boys’ Sports

• They are holding a “Peeps” show at the library. But nothing more risqué than placing the lovable marshmallow yellow chicks into scenes as the Belmont Public Library hosts its annual Peeps Diorama Party from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Peeps shows and contests are gaining in popularity across the country; the esteem Washington Post has held a contest for the past five years with great readers interest.

• Yesterday was the last day to file a federal income tax return but the Massachusetts Department of Revenue has given state filers an extension until midnight this Friday, April 18, because of delays with its electronic filing system.

World Book Night, which will occur on April 23, is an international effort in which members of the public apply to personally hand out 20 copies of a particular book (of 35 titles selected each year by a panel of librarians and booksellers) in their community to teens and adults who are light- or non-readers. Meet other World Book Night book givers and enjoy tea and cookies in the Young Adult Room of the Belmont Public Library from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Interested in being a WBN giver? Stop by & chat with this year’s givers. RSVP 617-993-2877.

• The boys are back: Boys’ Tennis will host Woburn on the High School’s courts at 3:30 p.m. and Boys’ Lacrosse will take on Wilmington on Harris Field at 4:30 p.m.

Get Ready Kids: Belmont’s Egg Hunt This Saturday

Hundreds of basket holding kids from toddlers to nine-year-olds will descend on the Chenery Middle School field  this Saturday to participate in the Belmont Activities Committee’s 14th annual Belmont Egg Hunt.

The dash for eggs will begin at 10 a.m. sharp – do not be late! – on Saturday, April 19, rain or shine.

This year there will be a special area for toddlers to hunt for eggs in the playground.

In addition to being the presenting sponsor this year, Belmont Savings will also be giving away 200 “gold” coins at the event. Eggs with special gold coin slips can be redeemed at the tent during the hunt. There will also be a chance to win a bike.

Entertainment will be provided by Marcie of Kids Music by Marcie. The Easter Bunny will be on hand to pose for pictures and free refreshments and live music will also be offered.  Face painting will be provided by Cultural Care Au Pair.

Other sponsors of the Egg Hunt include: Champions Sporting Goods, Cultural Care Au Pair, Dunkin Donuts, Gregory’s House of Pizza, Hammond Residential, Kendall Confectionary, Lawndale Realty, Moozy’s Ice Cream and Yogurt Emporium, Paprika Kids, Patrick Murphy, Coldwell Banker, Tokyo Joe’s, Toy Shop of Belmont and Wheelworks.

For additional information on the branch egg hunt, please visit the Belmont Savings Bank’s website. 

Things to Do Today: Jazz Tonight, Story Time at the Benton, Planning Board in the AM

• Today is the final day to file your federal and state taxes. Remember? You can always ask for an extension.

• It’s Jazz Night at Belmont High School as several great ensembles will be performing in the school’s auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. This is a “don’t miss” opportunity to hear the musical talent there is at the High School.

• The Planning Board will be meeting at 8 a.m. (yes, in the morning) in Conference Room 2 of Town Hall where they will discussing among other matters Town Meeting Article 8 and 9, an amendment to the zoning code effecting dog kennels, doggie day care and canine-related activities as a result of the rewriting on the Board of Health’s regulation on all things relating to handling and keeping of pets.

• Pre-School Story Time will be held at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer run library, at 10:30 a.m. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.

• The defending state champions Belmont High School Rugby Club takes on Needham High School at Harris Field tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Belmont High School Girls’ Track will be hosting the Spy Ponders of Arlington High at Harris Field beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Town Meeting Articles Could Force Dog Kennel to ‘Take a Walk’

Sadie, a blue-nose bull dog, isn’t shy to say “hello” to anyone after spending a day at Crate Escape, Belmont’s “doggy day care” center at the corner of Brighton and Hittinger streets.

Her owner, Chris of Acton, said he has been taking his pet to the facility located hard by the commuter rail tracks for the past three years which is convenient as he works in neighboring Arlington.

“It’s awesome. She loves it here,” said Chris who has owned Sadie for the past five years.

“She runs around all day and comes home tired. He usually naps on the trip home,” he said, calling himself a “very satisfied” Crate Escape customer.

But Chris and Sadie along with approximately 300 customers and nearly 150 dogs on an average day will need to look for a new canine provider if next month Belmont’s Town Meeting passes a pair of articles forcing the six-year-old facility to shut down for exceeding the maximum amount of dogs a kennel can house under the new regulations.

“This will bankrupt me if this passes,” said Crate Escape’s owner Bradley Hastings, who opened his current Belmont facility last year after moving from his original location across Brighton Street on Flanders Road (which opened in 2008) that will be used for the new Belmont Light substation.IMG_3798

Chris was more succinct.

“It would [stink],” he said.

Hastings attended an informational meeting by the Board of Health Thursday, April 10 at Town Hall on the changes to the town’s health codes in Article 8 to amend the general bylaws effecting animals.

Hastings, who has 55 employees and a $1.2 million payroll at stake, said first heard about the meeting and the warrant articles that morning when clients spoke to him advising him to attend. What he heard was sobering for the Belmont resident.

“People don’t like services taken from them and this is what will happen. But it will also do such damage to a business that is successful and wants to do what’s right for everyone,” said Hastings to the Belmontonian.

Located in a 15,000 square foot single-floor commercial building, Crate Escape is a big open play space for your pooch. On a visit, some dogs were running around, others playing with plastic toys, a few napping and several extremely curious of a 35mm camera.IMG_3778

Dogs are segregated by temperament and social “skills” in one of the seven pens with a handler on hand so everyone “plays safe,” said Nikkilee Condon, Crate Escape’s general manager, who said there is also grooming and boarding at the facilities.

“There’s a lot of running around and mental stimulation for the dogs. They have to figure their way through a new hierarchy each day,” said Condon, who said their are 30 dogs in each enclosed area.

Calling the business’ clients “very loyal,” Condon said more most dogs, a half-hour walk “is not enough” activity and leaving them alone is troublesome for both pet and owner.

“We have the right balance here,” said Condon.

Yet for Hastings, the services he provides the community is just two votes away from being banned in Belmont.

On Thursday, the Board of Health’s vice-chair Dr. David Alper told the sparsely-attended meeting the language change to the existing bylaw was effectively mandated by the state’s Board of Health which issued language in 2012 in an effort to bring uniformity to the hodgepodge of hundreds of regulations existing in each of the Commonwealth’s approximately 350 municipalities.

Changing regulations, static numbers

Under the “tweaking” of the regulations, the town’s Health Department will only have the power to enforce the safety and welfare of the animals by inspection and licensing facilities; it is unable to determine where a facility can be located which is left up to the zoning bylaws, said Stefan Russakow, director of the town’s Health Department.

Yet in the proposed new bylaw, the town’s terminology for what is a “kennel” has been expanded and specified  to the determent of doggy day care facilities.

In addition to requirements on licensing pets and dealing with “dangerous” dogs, Article 8 states that “[n]0 Kennel may keep more than 25 dogs on the premises at any time.”

And under the language in Article 9, a kennel in Belmont will include “[a]n establishment used for boarding, holding, day care, overnight stays or training of animals.”IMG_3795

This regulatory double play would force Hastings’ facility to close down as he could not meet the drastically-altered licensing requirements.

“There is just no way we could do business here,” said Hastings.

Yet the new amendments were not being proposed to drive kennels out of Belmont, according to town officials, but rather an oversight when transforming existing bylaws and zoning regulations.

According to Jeffrey Wheeler, the town’s Planning Coordinator, the history of the current animal regulations goes back to 2003 when residents along Pleasant Street complained of noise coming from an animal clinic’s outdoor kennel and petitioned the town to regulate those facilities by limiting the number of dogs to 25 in any kennel.

Under the bylaw that has been in existence for the past decade, a “kennel” did not included a section for canine care facilities such as Hastings’ but will under the amendments.

“And the Board of Health did not change the number of animals in their regulations when the zoning changes were made,” said Wheeler.

If in the first week of May Town Meeting votes to amend the bylaw (Article 8) and the zoning code (Article 9 ), Create Escape will be forced to close.

Yet the articles are far from being death sentences to Hastings’ business, according to both the Board of Health and Wheeler. Crate Escape will need a little help to revise the articles with the stroke of the copy editor’s blue pencil.

One of two measures would need to take place to save Sadie’s daytime home: the submission of a so-called “amendment to the amendment” (the articles are, in fact, amendments; they do not create new bylaws or codes) doing one of two things: either excluding the terms “day care”; or change the number of dogs a specific facility can handle.

Those who hope to change the articles are required to submit an amendment to the amendment.

Town Clerk Ellen Cushman told the Belmontonian that one Town Meeting member can file the proposed amendment in writing with the Town Clerk by the close of the business three days prior to the session of Town Meeting the article is expected to be voted.

“Related to animals, [that is] expected to be heard and voted on May 5; amendments are due by 4 p.m. April 30. No additional signatures are required,” she said.

“It behoves you to go to the zoning, planning to discuss this,” said Alper to Hastings.

But for Hastings, the last-minute way and how he was informed of the two Town Meeting articles he said could do severe damage to a decade-old service with 4,000 current customers in three locations was deplorable.

“There has been this anti-business feel since I’ve been here. No one could think of calling me? I’m disappointed,” said Hastings.

Belmont Police Holding Take-Back Prescription Drug Program

The Belmont Auxiliary Police and the US Drug Enforcement Agency will host a prescription drug Take-Back Initiative to prevent the abuse and theft of old, unused and expired prescription drugs.

The Auxiliary Police will have a collection point set up at the town’s DPW yard, 37 C St., on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old or unused prescription drugs (no liquids) may be dropped off for free with no questions asked. You won’t even have to get out of your car. Please take some time to check your medicine cabinet and visit us on the 26th. Unfortunately, these drugs are highly susceptible to misuse by family and friends. In addition they can be improperly disposed of and end up in our environment, posing a potential health hazard.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic, according to the White House. While there has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs like cocaine, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time in 2009 began by using a prescription drug non-medically.

For more information on the Rx Drug Take Back Initiative or a list of additional collection sites visit www.dea.gov . You may also contact Lt. Kristen Daley. The Belmont Police also has a permanent Rx drug collection kiosk located in the lobby of Belmont Police Headquarters that is accessible at any time, day or night.