Join Boris: Pet Licenses Now Being Issued by Belmont’s Town Clerk

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Photo: Sorry, but cat license number 1 has been taken (by Hammond Road’s Boris, the Amazing Russian Circus Cat (Retired) yes, that’s his official name). But that shouldn’t stop you from getting your pet licensed. In fact, it’s a law.

Don’t let your pets become scofflaws!

Belmont’s Town Clerk’s Office has begun issuing annual dog and cat licenses to their owners.

Now is the time to get Fluffy and Fido their tags as the cost for renewing licenses for neutered or spayed pets will double after March 15.

It is simpler then ever to renew pet license for dogs and cats: it can be done online here or by printing the Pet License Form and mailing or bringing in the form and payment to the Clerk’s office at:

Town Clerk’s Office

Town Hall 

455 Concord Ave.

Belmont. MA 02478

New Pets

If your pet has never been licensed before in Belmont, you must supply a Certificate of Rabies Vaccination and a Spay/Neuter certificate from your pet’s veterinarian as well as the Pet License Form and mail to the Town Clerk’s office with payment or come to the Town Clerk’s office and license your pet in person.

2015 Fees

Jan 1 to March 15: Renewals and new pets

  • Neutered/Spayed: $12 per pet; $9 if owner is 60 years of age or older
  • Unaltered: $37 per pet; $34 if owner is 60 years of age or older
March 16 to Dec. 31: Renewals
(New pets use above pricing regardless of date)
  • Neutered/Spayed: $24 per pet; $18 if owner is 60 years of age or older
  • Unaltered: $49 per pet; $43 if owner is 60 years of age or older

Failure to license pets will result in a $50 non-criminal violation. Failure to vaccinate pets will result in a $100 non-criminal violation per Massachusetts General Laws Ch. 140.

Citizens Bank Seeking Non-Profit Partners in Supporting Financial Literacy

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As part of an ongoing commitment to programs that give people the confidence and tools they need to budget, save, invest and be fiscally healthy, Citizens Bank is now accepting applications from nonprofits for financial literacy programs that teach good financial practices.

Through Jan. 30, organizations throughout the bank’s 11-state footprint are invited to submit an application for up to $50,000 in funding as part of the bank’s Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money program. Eligible financial literacy activities include:

  • Basics of banking and asset building
  • Budgeting
  • Homeownership counseling
  • Foreclosure prevention
  • Credit management and repair programs
  • Financial management for small businesses

In 2014, Citizens awarded 108 nonprofit organizations more than $1.7 million in contributions through the Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money financial literacy initiative. In addition to providing funding, Citizens Financial Group colleagues facilitated financial literacy workshops and the program included a social media initiative to celebrate “Money Mentors,” and an online financial literacy resource center dedicated to encouraging healthy financial habits.

To receive consideration for funding, eligible nonprofits in the communities served by Citizens Bank and Charter One should submit an online application by Jan. 30. Recipients will be announced in March 2015. For more information on nonprofit programs and services that may qualify for funding, or how to submit an application, please visit www.cybergrants.com/citizens/chcmanagemoney.

Citizens Financial Group Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $131.3 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, 2014.

Look Who’s Thinking of Running for Town-Wide Office

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With a month to go before the deadline for residents to submit nomination papers, it appears there will be at least two competitive town-wide races – for Board of Selectmen and the Belmont School Committtee – that voters will decide at the Town Election.

As of Jan. 13, Town Clerk Ellen Cushman has recorded the following residents who have taken out papers for a possible run for office. So far, no one has returned their nomination papers with the required number of signatures.

Board of Selectmen

  • James Williams
  • Brian Liddell
  • Andy Rojas (incumbent)

School Committee

  • Lisa Fiore (incumbent)
  • Thomas Caputo
  • Tara Donner
  • Susan Burgess-Cox

Board of Assessors

  • Martin B. Millane, Jr. (incumbent)

Board of Health

  • Dr. David Alper (incumbent)

Belmont Housing Authority

  • Donna Brescia (incumbent)

Cemetery Commission

  • Ellen Cushman (incumbent)

Board of Library Trustees

  • Elaine Alligood (incumbent)

The competitive race that has the most diversified field for Selectmen. Rojas is expected to defend his seat from Williams – who raised his visibility submitting a motion at Special Town Meeting in November to reject financing the $2.8 million Belmont Center Reconstruction project with the town’s “free cash” – and Liddell, a 2014 Belmont High School graduate.

On the school side, there are four residents seeking to fill two full, three-year positions and a two-year seat serving the two-years remanding on the term of Kevin Cunningham who resigned in the fall.

The incumbent Fiore will likely be racing for one of two open seats against two newcomers to the election process; Tara Donner and Susan Burgess-Cox. Yet the pair have some familiarity with the committee as both sought the temporary appointment to the board in November to fill the six months of Cunningham’s term before town election. A joint committee of the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee selected Caputo two months ago.

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

For more information on running as a candidate, read the article in the Belmontonian.

The Town Election will be held on Tuesday, April 7.

Belmont Girls’ Basketball Push Unbeaten Woburn to Limit, 59-56

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Photo: Belmont High School junior (#15) Irini Nikolaidis heading for the basket defended by Woburn High School senior Taylor Kane at a game in Woburn on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.

There are no good losses.

But for Belmont High School Girls’ Basketball Head Coach Melissa Hart, the team’s 59-56 loss to undefeated Woburn High School on Friday, Jan. 9, did have a lot of positives her squad can build on.

“We’ll learn from [the game],” Hart said. “This is hardly a loss we’ll look back and shake our heads.”

After falling behind by 10 points at the start of the game and being down by as much as 16 points midway through the third quarter, Belmont (4-2 overall and in the Middlesex League) would outscore the high scoring Tanners 38-21 with a combination of a up-tempo offense and its trademark high-power defense that visibly tired the hosts.

Only the play by Tanner all-star senior Sam D’Angelo who put in 8 of her 18 points in the final eight minutes allowed Woburn (8-0, 6-0 in the league) to escape with the win in its most challenging game of the season.

Not that Belmont started the game looking like a team to challenge the table toppers. The Marauders was tentative facing an aggressive opponent, finally scoring with a strong move by senior center Linda Herlihy at the 3:37 in the first quarter to make the score 10-3.

“This reminded me of the Watertown game (an opening loss of the season); [the team] was so unselfish because they didn’t want to make a mistake,” said Hart.

But the damage was done as Belmont’s vaunted defense was being beaten by long outlet passes before either hitting open players driving to the basket or waiting to take outside shots.

“Our press was not the best but you have to give a lot of credit to Woburn. That’s a very good team,” said Hart.

Down 19-6 after the first quarter and 29-17 at the half, Belmont’s sloppy work on the offense side of the ball allowed the Tanners to run off to the 38-21 lead.

But for the final 11 minutes of the game, Belmont began its comeback, starting with two steals that led to a pair of foul shots from freshman point guard Carly Christofori (4 points) and a three-pointer from fellow frosh Jenny Call (10 points including a pair of threes) to brought the score to 45-34 at the start of the fourth quarter.

As in past games, the Marauders followed the lead of senior point guard Sophia Eschenbach-Smith (7 points and three assists), Herlihy (8 of her 18 tough inside-the-paint points in the fourth to go along with 5 rebounds) and junior shooting guard Irini Nikolaidis (12 points) to cut into the Tanner lead.

On defense, senior Samari Winklaar (5 points) began pushing around the exhausted Woburn players into mistakes. The 11-point margin quickly fell to six, 49-43, with 5 minutes remaining on Herlihy’s turnaround, bank shot.

“Sometimes you have to forget the score and play,” said Herlihy. “We just ran the floor and tired them out.”

A pair from Call including a long three kept Belmont close at 55-48 midway through the quarter before a Nikolaidis layup from a court long pass from Christofori, a pair of free throws from Herlihy and Nikolaidis and a pretty step-back three from Eschenbach-Smith reduced the lead to five before Christofori hit two from the charity stripe to whittle the Tanner’s lead down to a single possession.

But Belmont’s charge was a little too late in the game as time ran out.

“We need to stay close for the entire game with good teams. We seemed to be battling from 10 to 12 points behind for most of the game. But they never gave up. They know they are capable of coming back,” said Hart.

Thanks, Charlie: New Governor Sends Extra Cash for Roads to Belmont

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Immigrants were told American streets were paved with gold. Last week, Charlie Baker sent Bay State towns some extra greenbacks to simply pave the streets.

On Wednesday, Jan. 8, on his first full day in office, the newly-installed Massachusetts Governor released an additional $100 million of Chapter 90 funding to Massachusetts communities.

Belmont’s share comes to an extra $266,000 for the town’s roadways and sidewalks.

Chapter 90 reimburses cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects. Cities and towns must submit receipts to the state’s Highway Department which verifies if the expenditures qualify for reimbursement..

The money comes from an initial $300 million Chapter 90 funding in the state’s the fiscal year 2015 transportation bond bill that passed the legislature last year.

But then-Gov. Patrick said state revenues would be insufficient to support the entire borrowing and released $200 million.

According to Belmont Town Administrator David Kale, the town received $534,000 from the state for transportation-related projects.

While the money will be coming to town, a question remains when to spend the funds. Kale said he was in discussions with town counsel to determine if the money is required to be spent as part of the current fiscal year 2015 budget or allocated towards the fiscal 2016 town budget.

Whether it will be used today or towards the 2016 budget, “the money must be used for transportation purposes,” said Kale.

Despite Kerans’ Return, Boys’ Basketball Collapse in Woburn, 54-53

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In a season-deflating collapse, Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball team failed to score in the final two-and-a-half minutes in its matchup with host Woburn High, allowing the Tanners to run off nine points, including a steal and basket in the final 23 seconds to founder to a 54-53 loss on Friday, Jan. 9.

“I don’t know what to say. I don’t have a sound bite to give you,” said Adam Pritchard, Belmont’s head coach after the game.

The loss send Belmont to a 5-3 record and 4-2 in the Middlesex League, two games behind undefeated Arlington (7-0, 6-0 in the league) and a game behind Woburn (5-4) which is 5-1 in the league .

The defeat spoiled the return of starting junior shooting guard Matt Kerans thought to be lost to the team until late January after he was injured in a win over Cathedral High School over the winter recess. Since losing Kerans in December – who with senior center Adam Kleckner are the Marauders’ top scorers – Belmont is 1-3.

It was with 1:55 remaining in the first quarter when Kerans entered the game, pairing him with his long-time backcourt partner, Ben Lazenby (7 points). While rusty in his passing, Kerans (9 points) hit his first shot, a long-distance three point basket – the first of three threes in the game – to give the Marauders a 18-14 lead a minute into the second quarter.

While the Marauders’ took the game to the Tanners, leading 15-10 after the first quarter and 26-20 at the half, the only consistent scoring threat for Belmont was Kleckner, who finished with 17 points and double digits in rebounds. In the four quarters, only junior forward Justin Wagner (8 points) and senior co-captain Tim Martin (5 points including a three) scored more than one basket in any one quarter while no other Belmont player scored in double figures.

Led by Kleckner’s scoring and Wagner’s defense – including two blocks and grabbing several rebounds – Belmont took its biggest lead with Martin’s three upping the Marauders’ lead to 10 at 37-27 with 2:48 left in the quarter.

But a three point shot by Deion Williams (who finished with 16 points) followed by a three from Jimmy McRae quickly cut the lead to five at the end of three (40-35). 

Despite running at Woburn, Belmont saw its lead shrivel to one at 43-42 with six minutes to play. But a Kleckner driving layup, a Kerans steal, a three point shot from Lazenby and then by Kerans (from more than 18 feet from the basket) and  finally a Wagner easy put-in after Kleckner dove and stripped the ball away from a Tanner player saw the Marauders lead grow to eight with 150 seconds left.

But that was enough time for Woburn to use the time to apply double teams up and down the court and win the ball as the game got a bit chippy with Wagner ripping out the ball from McRae sending Woburn senior Matt Catizone (8 points) to the court with a thump.

A two point jumper, another three from Williams, a Belmont turnover and a bucket by Woburn reduced the lead to a single point with 40 second remaining. Pressure on Belmont resulted in the turnover to the Tanners and guard Daniel Muscot (who scored 10 of his 12 points in the final stanza) buried the layup with 23 seconds to play.

A quick miss by Belmont forced the team to foul Woburn three times in the backcourt – Woburn had only collected four fouls that point in the game – wasting valuable seconds on the clock. Catizone missed the one-and-one free throw with less than six seconds to play but Lazenby’s shot from the top of the key at the buzzer hit high off the backboard.

“We need to play smarter and better in this league to win,” said Pritchard.

Show of Support: Saturday’s Rally Thanks Belmont Police

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Photo: Participants at Saturday’s rally in support of the Belmont Police Department. 

Despite a brilliant, cloudless day, the sun’s warmth was wanting Saturday, Jan. 10 as winter’s deep freeze arrived in Belmont.

The frigid conditions did not stop between 30 to 40 residents from rallying across Concord Avenue from the Belmont Police Stations at Town Hall to show and voice their support for the town’s law enforcement officers.

With signs proclaiming “Thank You,” “We Support Our Belmont Police” and “My Dad, My Hero,” the participants waved to vehicles passing along Concord Avenue just past noon, receiving honks and thumbs up from the motorists.

Thirteen-year-old Conner Shea was with his mother “supporting my dad” who is a Belmont Police officer. Karen Davison said, “all lives matter, including the police.”

For Belmont’s Lynne Mailhot, whose husband is a BPD sergeant, the few hours in the cold holding signs of support was worth the discomfort to show local law enforcement that their work is not being forgotten.

“With all the negative news directed at cops, we just want to come out to show that we support them,” said Mailhot, who helped organize the rally with fellow Belmont resident Kathleen Cowing whose husband is also on the force.

The rally comes after several high-profile incidents in which unarmed African-American men died during confrontations with law enforcement sparking a wave of protests and civil actions across the country – including in Belmont – for the past several months directed towards police and the justice system.

“They need a morale boost because the public perception of the police is not very good at the moment,” said Mailhot, who added Saturday’s action was not a counter-demonstration to those who have an opposing view.

“We just feel that our voices should also be heard,” she said.

Mailhot said Saturday’s gathering was proposed after about a dozen Belmont officers attended the funerals for New York City Police Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were shot on Dec. 20.

“It was really hard going to the services. You can imagine how much it hurt because they belong to this brotherhood,” Mailhot said.

Joan Seaver said unlike the work most people do for a living; the police live with an uncertainty that few would want to take on.

“A lot of us go to work in front of a computer with financial spreadsheets. These men and women don’t know if they are coming home at the end of their shift,” she said, saying that more police officers have been killed on duty in 2014 than in the previous decade.

For Mailhot, the rally was one way for those who support the police “can be more visible to the public.”

“And for those guys in the building in front of us.”

 

This Week: Lots of Authors and Speakers and a Trip to See the Harvard Rothkos

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• A quiet week on the government side: the Belmont Conservation Commission will discuss an application for keeping bees at Rock Meadow while there will be an update of the construction of the Underwood Pool by Town Administrator David Kale at the Recreation Commission. Both meetings are at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at Town Hall. There will be an update on the off-leash program (that’s for dogs) at the Board of Health meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The Community Preservation Committee will be review the final application for grants at its meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall.

• Author Richard Primack will speak on his book Walden Warming:  Climate Change Comes to Thoreau’s Woods, as part of the Belmont Public Library’s Books and Bites program on Monday, Jan. 12 at 11 a.m. A Boston University professor and Newton native,  Primack searched for evidence of climate change at Concord’s Walden Pond, made famous by Henry David Thoreau. Primack tells the deeply instructive story of the challenges he and his dedicated graduate students faced during the past decade as they identified the many plants that have disappeared since Thoreau’s time and those which are flowering earlier in successive years as spring temperatures rise. All are welcome to attend this free program.  Refreshments will be provided.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

• Tuesday, Jan. 13 is story time at both of Belmont libraries. Pre-School Story Time 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. Over at the Belmont Public Library on Concord Avenue will be holding two sessions of Story Time for 2’s and 3’s, at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 

• Photographer Carole Smith Berney will present a multimedia show with images and music at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 1:15 p.m. as she shares the surprising variety of the local natural world, including colorful flowers, autumnal fruits, and even winter wonders. Berney’s photography exhibit, “Seasonal Colors,” is currently featured at the Center. 

• The Friends of the Belmont Public Library welcomes author Adam Tanner who will speak on his book, What Stays in Vegas: The World of Personal Data – Lifeblood of Big Business – and the End of Privacy As We Know It, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at the Belmont Public Library. Tanner takes readers beyond the headlines of national government snooping to unveil how private businesses are gathering personal data on multitudes of individuals every day. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

• Dr. Jolene Ross of the Foundation for Wellness Professionals will speak on “Natural Solution to Executive Function Struggles and ADHD,” on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at  7 p.m. in the Flett Room of the Belmont Public Library. All are welcome to attend this free program.

• The Council on Aging will be visiting the newly-opened Harvard University Art Museum on Thursday, Jan. 15 with the bus leaving Belmont at 9:30 A.M. and returning at 1:30 p.m. The cost is $17; $13 for admissions plus $4 for the bus transportation. Harvard spent six years renovating their Quincy Street space, incorporating three of its existing museums. The result is exquisite. Current exhibits include the famous Mark Rothko (restored) Harvard murals and bronzes from the Mediterranean and ancient Near East.

• The Book Discussion Group for Lower Middle School students in 5th and 6th grades will take place on Thursday, Jan. 15 from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Flett Room of the Belmont Public Library.

• The Belmont Stormwater Working Group meeting will take place on Thursday, Jan. 15, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library. 

• State Sen. Will Brownsberger will be holding office hours at the Beech Street Center at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 16.

• Well-loved local musician Liz Buchanan performs original songs and traditional favorites at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. 

Guess Which Former Belmont Resident is Thinking of Running for President … Again

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Third times the charm.

At least, that’s what Mitt Romney is hoping.

The former Belmont homeowner who lived with his wife, Anne, and five sons for five decades on Winn Street, Marsh Street and South Cottage Road, told a group of donors on Friday, Jan. 9, that he is considering a White House bid in 2016, a move that could scramble the race for the Republican presidential nomination, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In the Journal article, Romney cited turbulent events overseas and the state of the economy as two reasons why he is considering another run.

If Romney does run for a third time for president – he ran in 2008 but did not receive the Republican nomination and lost to President Obama in the 2012 general election – Belmont is unlikely to be placed in the international media spotlight as it was in the fall of 2012 as the Romney’s sold their Woodlands at Belmont Hill townhouse condominium in May for $1.2 million.

 

This Weekend: Chamber Music, Snapshots and Flying Nelsons

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• The Powers Music School is holding the 2015 Stein Chamber Music Festival on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 5 p.m., at All Saints’ Church, 17 Clark St.  The festival is a musical celebration that gives area musicians an opportunity to perform and enjoy chamber music. The festival includes music of all genres performed by musicians of all ages, ranging in abilities from beginning students to amateurs and professionals.

• The 14th annual Brendan Grant Wrestling Tournament is taking place on Saturday Jan. 10 from noon to 6 p.m. at Belmont High School’a Wenner Field House.  Last year thirteen high school wrestling teams competed in this all day tournament.  Previously referred to as the Belmont Invitational Wrestling Tournament, for the last 34 years this event has become one of the classic High School Wrestling gatherings of its kind in the Northeast region with approximately 600 attendees throughout the day.

• The Belmont Gallery of Art is presenting for its latest exhibit, “Photovoice: A Lens into Our Lives,” on Sunday, Jan. 11 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is located on the third floor of the Homer Building in the Town Hall complex at 19 Moore St.