State Names Belmont The Latest ‘Green’ Community

(From left) Mark Sylvia, Undersecretary of Energy, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs; David Kale, Belmont Town Administrator; Maeve Vallely-Bartlett, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs; State Rep. Dave Rogers; Andy Rojas, Chair, Board of Selectmen; Sami Baghdady, Vice-Chair, Board of Selectmen; Ian Todreas, Co-Chair, Belmont Energy Committee; Gerry Boyle, Belmont’s Director of Facilities, Meg Lusardi, Acting Commissioner, Department of Energy Resources. 

After being formally submitted to the Board of Selectmen this summer, Belmont was named by Gov. Deval Patrick as one the state’s latest Green Communities at a State House ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Belmont was one of 13 municipalities named and is now eligible for grants up to $151,850 to encourage energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy by the town.

As a designated Green Community, Belmont will be eligible to apply for future grants to fund local renewable power and energy saving projects.

“Collaboration has real power, particularly when we’re trying to do something new and innovative,” said Patrick.

Belmont became eligible to become a “green community” after meeting five criteria including

  • renewable energy-friendly zoning,
  • expedited permitting,
  • programs to reduce energy use by 20 percent within five years,
  • the purchase of fuel-efficient municipal vehicles, and
  • the an energy efficiency requirement – known as the “stretch” code – for new commercial/industrial construction, as well as residential construction of more than 3,000 sq.-ft. The Belmont Town Meeting adopted a “stretch code” in May 2011.

After expressing concerns of possible unintended financial consequences from being designated a green community, the Selectmen created a working group to review the proposal. As part of the application process, an energy audit by Marlborough-based Guardian Energy of all town buildings to review the lighting, water use, and windows was completed to create an energy reduction plan. The application was submitted to the state in October.

Next for the town is a more detailed analysis of municipal buildings and the costs associated with meeting the Green Communities goals. If the town does go to the next step and apply for grants, Guardian Energy will implement the required improvements.

Funded by a regional cap-and-trade program, more than $30 million have been paid out to city and towns since 2010. With the announcement, 136 of the state’s 351 communities have joined the program.

 

Santa Makes Annual Arrival (with the Mrs. This Time) to Turn On Belmont

Photo: One youngster got very shy when greeting Santa Claus at the Belmont Savings Bank during the 24th annual “Turn on the Town” in Belmont Center, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2015.

Why was Santa and Mrs. Claus coming out of the basement of Champions Sporting Goods? It was expected the famous couple was coming down from their workshop beyond the Arctic Circle using the sleigh pulled by reindeers on the annual visit to Belmont Center to light the Christmas tree and say hello to all the town’s kids.

But there they were, climbing out of the section of the store where hockey and baseball equipment are located.

Turns out there was a “reasonable” answer to the question so many were asking on Thursday, Dec. 4.

“There’s a tunnel from the North Pole to the store. It’s easier,” said Champion’s owner Gerry Dickhaut.

Another mystery solved.

And before you could say “Ol’ Saint Nick,” Santa was on top of a Belmont Fire Department Engine for the short trip to the town’s tree and the official start of the 24th annual “Turn on the Town” celebration.

Residents came out with their children while pre-teens and some high school students wandered closed Leonard Street to participate in the night’s activities.

After the tree was illuminated, the Claus’ headed to the Belmont Savings Bank’s headquarters for a round of photos with a larger than usual number of toddlers who made it quite clear they didn’t want to sit on Santa’s lap.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be around somewhere before Christmas,” said Santa to a child and her mother.

Outside, Leonard Street was filled with free eats, the Belmont High School Madrigals (many who were auditioning at the same time for the spring musical), a petting zoo, Frosty and Rudolph and a train ride.

And in a sign of the times, one young girl took a “selfie” with Rudolph rather than wait for her mother to show up to take a photo.

Feel Like Running? Nomination Papers Available Now for Town Office, Town Meeting

Want a say in how Belmont is run? Here’s your chance: Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman has announced that nomination papers for Town Meeting and Town-wide office are available to be picked up at the Clerk’s office on the first floor of Town Hall starting today, Friday, Dec. 5.

The deadlines to return nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s office is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015, said Cushman. 

The Town Election will take place on Tuesday, April 7. 

If you’re thinking of running for elected office in Belmont, Cushman is advising potential “runners” to take a look at the guide for Belmont’s elected government and how to run for elected office in the “Town of Homes.”

Candidates for town–wide office (such as selectman, school committee and several boards)

To be considered a candidate for town-wide office, you must be at least 18 years old and a registered voter in Belmont.

All candidates for town-wide office must secure the signatures of at least 50 registered Belmont voters and return the signed nomination papers by Feb. 17 at 5 pm. Cushman recommends that more signatures are collected and submitted in the event that some signatures are invalid.

Nomination papers are available for pick-up at the Town Clerk’s office. Before collecting signatures, the candidate must sign the nomination papers and fill in the office for which he/she will be a candidate.

Terms for Town Meeting Member

The elected term for Town Meeting Member is three years, though should a resignation occur, there may be openings for one or two year periods.

Candidate for re-election as Town Meeting Member

If you are an incumbent Town Meeting Member, in late December/early January of the year your term is due to expire, you will receive from the Town Clerk’s office a letter asking if you would like to be considered a candidate for re-election to Town Meeting for your precinct.

The candidate must sign and return the affirmation form to the Town Clerk’s office by Feb. 17 to be considered a candidate for re-election. If the date passes without return of the form, the candidate would be considered a new candidate for Town Meeting and would be required to secure the 25 signatures on the nomination paper and the words  “candidate for re-election” will not appear next to the name on the ballot.

New candidates for Town Meeting Member

To be considered a new candidate for Town Meeting Member, you must be at least 18 years old and a registered voter in Belmont in the precinct you wish to represent. If you are currently serving as a Town Meeting Member who was elected at caucus, not by town ballot, you will need to submit nomination papers as a new candidate.

Candidates for Town Meeting must secure the signatures of at least 25 registered voters from the precinct and return the signed nomination papers. Once again, Cushman recommends that more signatures are collected and submitted in the event that some signatures are invalid.

“We encourage all candidates for all elected offices, for both town-wide and for Town Meeting, to investigate the responsibilities of the post by reading the Town General Bylaws and Belmont Town Meeting Acts of 1926, and reading the minutes of the elected board,” said Cushman.

This Weekend: Benton Open House Saturday, A-B Chamber Chorus on Sunday

• The Benton Library, Belmont’s independent library located at Oakley and Old Middlesex, is holding it’s annual Open House on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Join the board of directors and volunteer staff to celebrate the season. Everyone in the community is welcomed to attend and anyone who hasn’t tried the Benton is urged to stop by.

• Students from Belmont’s Powers Music School are performing  their winter recitals with a holiday theme as they tour the area. They will be performing at the Watertown Mall, 550 Arsenal St. in Watertown on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Come early as the group will be a special holiday music story at 2 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 7 at 1:30 p.m., the group heads to the Mall at Chestnut Hill in Newton.

• The Belmont Hill School’s Winter Concert will take place in Hamilton Chapel on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Performing will be the school’s orchestra, jazz band, piano trio and the Belmont Hill B-Flats, the senior choral group, as well as the 9th grade’s A-Sharps. The concert is open to the public. 

• The Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus under conductor Barry Singer presents NOT-QUITE-WINTER CONCERT on Sunday, Dec. 7, beginning at 3 p.m. at Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont St. The concert will consist of six masses each from a different century and songs of poets over five hundred years. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7 for 17 years old and younger.

Sold in Belmont: Big Ranch by Little Pond (and the Uplands) Brings Seven Figures

A weekly recap of residential properties bought in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 75-77 Grove St. Two-family (1900), Sold for: $705,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 2,112 sq.-ft. 11 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 61 days.

• 127 Oliver Rd. Early Ranch (1945), Sold for: $1,020,000. Listed at $1,150,000. Living area: 2,911 sq.-ft. 9 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 76 days.

• 12 Hurley St. Ranch (1952), Sold for: $690,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 1,704 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 76 days.

While most of the million-dollar Belmont homes sold are those “with a view” – a glimpse of Boston through a grove of trees, overlooking parkland, etc. – there is a type of homes that many potential buyers may not realize are hiding in the Town of Homes: waterfront property. 

While surrounding towns have greater availability of “beach homes” – Spy Pond in Arlington, Winchester’s Upper Mystic Lake, along the Charles River – Belmont’s Little Pond provides houses for those partial being close to the water.

The Oliver Road property is interesting in that it’s one of the earliest examples of the ranch house in New England, being built as World War II ended. It’s big for a style built as being a starter house in mind, with nearly 3,000 square feet. But what really sells the property is the HUGE backyard, most of a half an acre that leads to the pond’s edge. That’s the sort of expanse you see in places out in the hinterland such as Arkansas or Minnesota where folks take the bass boat after work. (Do NOT eat the fish from Small Pond.) As you would expect, there is a large deck that overlooks the water. For their million dollars, the new owners will also get the opportunity to see the development of the 299-apartment unit Belmont Uplands housing project from their backyard. 

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Spreading the Season’s Spirit With a Bit of Midnight Shopping

Photo: June Yacubian (Mrs. Claus) helping customers at The Toy Store in Belmont during Midnight Madness, Dec. 2, 2014.

Over in The Toy Store of Belmont, Mrs. Claus had just heard that Santa Claus will be accompanied by “his wife” during his annual visit to Belmont Center on Thursday.

“He’s bringing someone other than me?” Ms. Claus declared. “Santa Claus is a bigamist?” 

Not really. While dressed much like Ol’ Saint Nick’s significant other, The Toy Store’s Mrs. Claus is actually June Yacubian who was busy helping a customer well past the usual closing time of the store located adjacent to the former Macys site on Leonard Street.

She and the staff of “the happy place in the Center” along with nearly two-dozen other stores in Belmont Center remained open until the First Church’s bell struck 12 participating in the 5th annual Belmont Center Midnight Madness holiday sale spree.

Sponsored by the Belmont Center Business Association, the sale – in which many stores provided deeper discounts as the hour grew later – provides a unique opportunity for local shoppers to do their holiday gift purchasing without having to rush home during the work day or wait until the weekend. 

Over at bessie blue, Ali and Dandy Lion (3/4 chihuahua, 1/4 Pomeranian) assisted nearly two-dozen shoppers – some dressed up, others not so – with the latest fashion while in Marmalade, everyone dressed in matching pajamas to greet a steady stream of customers. 

“We have people asking for weeks, ‘Is the midnight sale this week? When is it’?” said bessie blue’s owner Lee Gaston, who calls the event a great way to start the holiday season.

Owner Lisa Castagno was fighting jet lag at her store, the consignment shop, Revolve, as she predicted a surge in shoppers when the discounts would begin on designer handbags at 10 p.m.

“We had customers waiting in the store until it was 6 p.m. so they could get 20 percent off. We never had that in the past,” she said.

For Champions Sporting GoodsGerry Dickhaut said he saw business pick up around 7:30 p.m. “after the mom’s put the kids to bed and can get out of the house,” noting the majority of participants have been and continue to be women.

“This is a great way to know our customers since we have more time to talk to them,” he said.

At Chocolate Dream, Vicki Frassica said that despite the rainy conditions, the night is “definitely very successful” in the past half decade.

“It’s nice to get a deal, and it’s nice that nearly everyone [of the stores] does it,” she said.

The Claus’ are Coming to Belmont Tonight to Turn on the Town

Santa and Mrs. Claus are visiting Belmont Center tonight as the main attraction of the 24th annual Belmont Center Business Association’s “Turn on the Town” celebration taking place Thursday, Dec. 4 beginning at 6 p.m.

The Claus’ will arrive via Belmont Fire Department truck to the town’s Christmas Tree located adjacent to the Bellmont Cafe at 6:20 p.m. and then head over to the Belmont Savings Bank headquarters on Leonard Street where children (and some adults and pets) can have free photos taken with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. While inside, enter to win one of five Holiday Prize Stockings stuffed with goodies.

Celebrate the season of giving and bring non-perishable food items or unwrapped toys to be donated to the Belmont Food Pantry.

There will be stuff happening throughout the Center:

  • Face painting at The Toy Store of Belmont.
  • Cupcake decorating at Champions Sporting Goods.
  • Charity Central at il Casale sponsored by Hammond Residential.
  • Hot cocoa at Belmont Savings Bank & Hammond Realty.
  • The Powers Music School will be performing at Chocolate Dream at 6:30 p.m. with the Vanezia Dance Group at 7:15 p.m.
  • The Belmont High School Madrigals will be caroling everywhere.
  • Frosty and Rudolph will be greetings the tall and small throughout the streets.
  • Hot fried dough at Stonehearth Pizza, sponsored by Coldwell Banker.
  • Glow bracelets will be given out inside Belmont Savings Bank.
  • A balloon artist is sponsored by East Boston Savings Bank.

While at the bank, residents can purchase tickets for next week’s Holly Jolly Trolley tours.

See you there.

Ambulance Firm Hopes to Land Satellite Office on Pleasant Street

A regional ambulance firm is seeking to set up a satellite office in Belmont on Pleasant Street in the new year.

Arlington-based Armstrong Ambulance Service hopes to build its 10th Boston-area outpost at 1010 Pleasant St. near the back entrance of Star Supermarket, according to a presentation representatives made before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday, Dec. 1.

The company is seeking a Special Permit to operate the business.

The company, which began in 1946 by Marine Corps veteran Bill Armstrong, want to store six ambulances inside the existing building on the site while keeping three wheelchair-capable vans outside. There will be no vehicle maintenance or hazardous material storage in Belmont. 

The operation will be managed from a 200 sq.-ft. office in the building. There will also be 15 parking spaces for employees. 

The Belmont office will allow the company to provide 24-hour emergency response in and around Belmont; its nearest operation is in Waltham. 

While it will be a 24/7 operation, the application stated that only one ambulance will be staffed between midnight and 5 a.m. unless there are pending weather conditions that would require more vehicles on the road.

The town can issue a special permit after the ZBA determines the business’ impact on the immediate neighborhood and the greater community. Board member Nicholas Iannuzzi said he would like to see a traffic study conducted on the effect of ambulance trips on the increasingly congested roadway while Chairman Eric Smith said he would like to see a clearer staffing schedule along with a protocol on when the vehicles would use their lights and sirens.

Three residents who attended the meeting – Judith Sarno, Austin Bennett Jr. and Mark D’Andrea, Jr. – spoke in favor of the business coming to Belmont.

The ZBA continued the hearing until January.

Health Director Russakow Retiring, Assistant Braun To Take Charge

Stefan Russakow, who has headed Belmont’s Health Department for the past four-and-a-half years, is retiring as the department’s director at year’s end.

The town didn’t look far for a replacement as Russakow’s assistant, Angela Braun, will take charge of the department in January 2015. 

Recognizable by his prominent mustache, Russakow has been the town’s face for a variety of health services including inspections of the town’s 80-plus eateries and educating their food service staff on preventing food-borne illnesses, handling housing and nuisance complaints while adopting new animal control regulations.

He was on the forefront with the Health Board in increasing the age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 at the 20 retail outlet selling the products. Russakow also was a main player in the removal of the diving board at the Underwood Pool in 2012 which caught the attention of many residents.

Russakow came to Belmont in July 2005 as assistant to Belmont’s long-time health director Donna Moultrup. Braun was hired in Dec. 2010.

The Philadelphia native began is public health career while serving in the armed forces in the Philippines. Before coming to Belmont, he worked as the director of public health and community services in Nashua, N.H., was the director of the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and was the Chief of Environmental Health and Operations of a 12-town health district in Connecticut.

Selectmen Declare Package Stores Unwelcome in Belmont

Photo: Manager Kiran Nagar of Trapelo Variety with attorney Jake Walters (right) and husband Ajay Nagar before the Belmont Board of Selectmen.

The attempt by a young business couple to bring beer and wine to Belmont’s Central Square (the intersection of Trapelo Road and Beech Street) did not pass the “character” test before the Belmont Board of Selectmen Monday night, Dec. 1.

With the selectmen voicing a growing number of concerns and a half-dozen neighbors expressing discontent with the business centered on selling alcohol, the Selectmen rejected the application of a wine and malt retail license to Kiran and Ajay Nagar of Trapelo Variety located at 386 Trapelo Rd.

“It’s really about the character of the store,” said Selectman Mark Paolillo after being told by the Nagar’s that the small storefront business – with about 500 square-feet of business space – they bought in August would focus nearly exclusively on the sale of alcohol along with two of its most popular items, cigarettes and lottery tickets, if it received the license.

Pointing to the Selectmen’s decision in May to reject a beer and wine license to LC Variety a few hundred feet down Trapelo Road from the Trapelo Variety, Paolillo noted the Selectmen then were troubled by the same mix of lottery tickets, alcohol and tobacco at the location.

“I don’t see how I can vote to approve this application when we denied one for LC Variety,” said Paolillo.

“It’s also how the town sees itself,” said Selectmen Chair Andy Rojas, noting the four establishments with either beer and wine or full-alcohol licenses – The Loading Dock, Belmont Center’s Craft Beer Cellar and Vintages Adventures in Wine and The Spirited Gourmet in Cushing Square – have a polished “upscale” feel while “[t]his feels like a package store.” 

In addition, Belmont School Superintendent John Phelan wrote to the board opposing the license as the store was within 500 feet of the playground of the Daniel Butler Elementary School on White Street.

“My concern is the proximity with the Butler School,” said Selectman Sami Baghdady, saying the neighborhood was a “very family friendly” which ran countered to a alcohol-centric retail operation.

Kiran Nagar, who manages and runs the current store, said the proposed store would allow local residents to purchase beer and wine in Belmont rather than heading to Waltham or Watertown.

“This will allow us to increase business and revenue for the town and allow us to grow,” said Nagar, who indicated that they would likely take over the space currently occupied by an insurance agency next door if the license was granted.

While residents said they have seen an improvement in overall cleanliness and that Nagar is an outgoing merchant, residents did not support the move to beer and wine sale.

“I can’t see how a package store is an addition to the area,” said Dave Skolnick of Hull Street. “It doesn’t do the town justice.”

In the end, the worries outweighed the advantages of the business plan and the board rejected the proposal.