Capital Budget, Solar Reconsideration Highlight ‘Last’ Night of Town Meeting

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Photo: Sidewalk snow blower.

The goodies in the capital budget, revolving accounts and reconsidering the indefinitely delayed solar power amendment will be in the spotlight during the “last” night of the 2015 annual Town Meeting starting at 7 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, June 3 in the Chenery Middle School auditorium. 

Capital Budget Chair Anne Marie Mahoney will lead the discussion on the appropriation of capital expenditures – other than roads – totaling $1.8 million.

The requests – numbering 23 this year – run the gambit from $90,700 for a sidewalk snow blower for the DPW department and $123,000 for replacement radios for Belmont Police officers to $10,000 for a storage shed at the library to $62,500 to replace the Butler School boiler. 

The pavement management account of nearly $1.550 million for road reconstruction in fiscal 2016 (beginning July 1, 2015) is the largest in recent memory and reaches a level in which the town can not rebuild any more roads with any more available funds. 

There will also be eight revolving accounts that require reauthorization from Town Meeting. 

Also up before the annual legislative gathering will be the reconsideration of Article 9, the so-called solar power amendment which was “delay indefinitely” by members back in May during the first session of Town Meeting. Leading the effort to bring the article back from legislative cryonics will be Jim Williams who feels the members did not understand that they were voting to effectively kill the amendment.

Williams would have had a greater presence on center stage in this session with four citizen petitions accepted by the Town Clerk, but he told the Belmontonian on Monday, June 1, he would be withdrawing the petitions as the Board of Selectmen have agreed to move on the recommendations in three of the articles. 

It is expected that Town Meeting could adjourn tonight 

Williams ‘Wins’ Concessions, Withdrawing Petitions at Town Meeting

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Photo: Jim Williams (left)

He’s been an elected officials for just about two months, but in that time, Selectman Jim Williams has sent Belmont’s thinking on town finances all topsy-turvy.

With his surprise election in April – the four-year resident defeated incumbent Andy Rojas by nearly 500 votes – Williams has used his time before and after his election seeking greater “transparency” on a number of financial issues facing Belmont’s future, specifically how the town views and manages long-term expenses related to pensions and other post-employment benefits (know as OPEB).

And it was likely that this month, the town’s legislative body – the nearly 290 member Town Meeting – would have encountered Williams’ goal of bringing those issues into the public forum as the Glenn Road resident filed four citizen petitions with the common goal of “opening the books” of town governance, Williams told the Belmontonian.

But Town Meeting members who were looking forward to several hours of debate and votes on the petitions will be disappointed to learn that Williams will withdraw his articles during the second night of June’s Town Meeting as town officials and members of the Warrant Committee – the financial watchdog for Town Meeting – have agreed to follow through with, at least, reporting on the ideas behind three of the four petitions.

“The selectmen [chair Sami Baghdady and Mark Paolillo] agreed to do the last three [petitions],” Williams told the Belmontonian on Monday, June 1 before Town Meeting reconvened.

The trio of petitions the selectmen agreed to be:

  • sending a quarterly report on the status of free cash to Town Meeting members,
  • the creation work sessions on the development and use of a 20-year financial forecast model for the town, and
  • the establishment of an in-house risk management policy which will make a lot easier because you can anticipate problems.

(The fourth petition would have required all reporting bodies – the selectmen and the warrant and capital budget committees – to provide in writing 48 hours before Town Meeting why they held either a favorable or unfavorable position on articles before the legislative body. It was decided that each body would have to decide on its own how to report this information.)

The other two selectmen’s deferring to William’s petition is somewhat of a surprise as both the Warrant Committee and the selectmen had or prepared to vote an “unfavorable recommendation” on each of the petitions. In the case of the Warrant Committee, the votes on the quartet of articles were nearly all unanimous.

Why the change of heart?

Williams said once he made his presentation to the selectmen, “they decided it was the right thing to do.” The former Wall Street banker said that all he has been asking the town for is “the same transparency any financial body is expected to provide. I don’t see how this is so revolutionary.”

Williams hopes that new information and vigorous debate will lead to what has been his clarion call of tackling the town’s fiscal obligations sooner than later.

As the selectmen are preparing to take a look at areas of debt, the Warrant Committee will take on a “summer project,” according to committee member Adam Dash, to review the town’s current pension payment plan with an attempt to mitigate the cost to town taxpayers.

For Baghdady, the purpose of the new long-range forecast committee “to look at our existing policy and see if there is anything more that can be done. We have a big obligation on paper [approximately $174 million] currently so the first question will be what more can we do as a fiscally-responsible community.”

Baghdady hopes that the efforts by the selectmen and the Warrant Committee on long-range debt “will come together as they really do go hand-in-hand” although pensions payments follow state policy while OPEB debt has not dictated.

While Williams believes the outcome of this new era of fiscal “glasnost” will lead to paying down OPEB debt early, Baghdady said that “it is possible that after the report is complete, it might tell us to ‘stay the course’.”

The current policy is for Belmont’s pension obligations to be paid down steadily – at an ever increasing amount annually – until 2027 and then focus on OPEB. Until that time, a token amount – this year about $366,000 in the next fiscal year – will be transferred into an OPEB stabilization fund.

Town Treasurer Floyd Carman has stated while small, the annual payment is seen by the bond rating agencies as a proactive step in facing its debt obligations, ultimately resulting in the town being one of only 30 or so communities with a stellar AAA bond rating.

“But I think we do owe it to ourselves to go through the process and the analysis,” Baghdady told the Belmontonian.

 

 

Last-Second Fiddling Reverts Belmont Center ‘Green’ Back to an Island

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Photo: The “access” road in front on Belmont Savings Bank.

The planning took four year to finalize, the blueprints were drawn, the contractors hired and the work underway.

And for those who worked to bring the Belmont Center Reconstruction project to fruition, it appeared that all that was left was for a ribbon cutting late in the year to celebrate the upgrade to the roadway, new sidewalks and other amenities that is expected to last for the next half century.

But being Belmont, the final word is never the last say. 

Despite a half decade of public meetings led by the Belmont Traffic Advisory Committee and with workers tearing up curbing and cutting trees beginning last week, the Belmont Board of Selectmen called a special meeting for Thursday, May 28 at the Beech Street Center to hear from some of the apparently 200 residents who decided the last second was an appropriate time to be heard about the entire project.

Led by 96-year-old Lydia Phippen Ogilby of Washington Street who took pencil to paper to call for the meeting to hear from the signatories – many who are north of Belmont’s median age of 42 – who felt passed over on the opportunity to express their concerns on the finished design, submitted their own “Plan B” revision. 

Saying the reconstruction will be with the town for more than a half century, Selectmen Chair Sami Baghdady said aspects of the project “raised so much concern” that despite the lateness of the challenge, the meeting was warranted in an effort to find a “revenue neutral way” to find a compromise.

In fact, the opponents were apparently perturbed with just a pair of the design’s details; the removal of about 10 diagonal parking spaces located in front of the Belmont Savings Bank headquarters at 2 Leonard St., and the related one-way “access” road – actually the currently parking area – connecting Moore Street with Concord Avenue.

Under the TAC design plans approved by d the Board of Selectmen and reviewed by a Special Town Meeting in November when it approved a funding package, the parking spaces and road were removed to create a “Town Green” in front of the bank, with benches and a flag pole that would attract residents and visitors to a central landmark Belmont Center. 

“It provides Belmont a ‘green’ which many towns have but we have been lacking,” Glenn Clancy – as director of the Community Development Office is overseeing the project for the town – told the Belmontonian before the meeting. 

In the current plan, known as Plan A at the meeting, there would be three parking spaces next to the existing exit from the bank’s covered parking garage with additional parking spaces created near by along Concord Avenue near Town Hall. 

While the meeting was established to hear from critics, most speakers expressing opinions were supportive of the current design.

“It would be a big mistake to change the new design,” said former State Rep. and Selectman Anne Paulsen, saying the “town green” concept would make the site “a friendlier space” while keeping parking and the access road will result in the space that “only a few people” would want to spend time.

Paul Rickter of Cross Street approved eliminating the cut-through from Moore to Concord as it would make the center “a little more pedestrian-friendly.”

While supporters were , the tardy opponents were not satisfied with the design as it would effect how they conduct business especially at Belmont Savings’ main branch. 

The second design – supported by the petitioners – would revert the Green back to a tear-shaped island surrounded by traffic and parking while keeping the “short cut” from Moore to Concord, which several residents note is a convenience so not having to enter onto Leonard Street to turn right onto Concord. 

Joel Semuels of Bellevue Road, who is on the board for the town’s Council on Aging, said reduction of parking spaces would be a detriment to the “25 percent of residents over 60” (Editor’s note: the 2010 US Census data indicated that 16 percent of Belmont residents are 65 years old and older) seeking to do business at the bank. Semuels approved of four parallel spaces situated before the bank’s garage exit in the Plan B scheme.

Scott Tellier, who with his father owns commercial property in Belmont Center, said preserving parking spaces – even three or four that will be “lost” in the entire project – was paramount for stores and restaurants to retain customers seeking to shop in the commercial hub.

“We want to see parking,” said Tellier.

Bob Mahoney, the president and CEO of Belmont Savings, said he could support the changes begin proposed although he did want to promote the green space adjacent the bank. He noted even under Plan B, the green will increase by approximately 40 percent from its present footprint.

The dilatory nature of the opponent’s complaints, as well as their insistence their concerns were not incorporated into the reconstruction’s plans, did not sit well with Linda Nickens, TAC chair who pointedly told the few opponents in attendance the committee didn’t sit “in a dark room” developing the project, which, she added, was viewed favorably by the selectmen and the business community last year.

“They did like it,” said Nickens.

With numerous public meeting TAC set aside to hear from all sides of the measure, the opponents “never came to complain” or be part of the process, said Nickens, calling the belated campaign to alter the plans “disappointing.”

As a supporter of the current plan, Rickter said his objection with the meeting is that “this change was made at the eleventh hour with no clear notice that the Selectmen would be making such a substantial change to the design.”

“We don’t know if they are representative of the town as a whole or merely a very vocal minority; the process never allowed us to find that out,” he told the Belmontonian.

Given the last say, Ogilby – whose family first ventured into what is now Belmont in the 1600s – expressed her feelings in a labyrinthine statement, in which she complimented Clancy, talked about the news about town, how she likes the traffic roundabout in front of her house at the corner of Grove and Washington, and all the “nice” residents near her 19th-century farm house for signing the “papers.” 

In the end, the selectmen unanimously voted to support Plan B which the opponents championed. Baghdady, who earlier called the changes “tweaking” he current plan, hailed the changes as “part of the democratic process.” Even Nickens agreed that “the people have spoken” on the matter. 

Belmont Jazz Ensemble Performs at Cambridge’s Legendary Ryles Tonight

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Photo: The Belmont High School Jazz Ensemble.

You can’t get any better than the Belmont High School Jazz Ensemble.

The quintet of talented seniors – Max Davidowitz on drums, Mary Yeh, bass; Charlie Smith, piano; Rowan Wolf, tenor saxophone; and singer Zoe Miner – won over the judges at this year’s Massachusetts Association of Jazz Educators’ annual conference with their outstanding performance at the Berklee Performance Center in March, earning them the rarified status of being named gold medalists.

But the combo never got the chance to show their chops to the public three months ago after the concert they would have been part of was cancelled at the last minute.

So the group’s long-time director, Berklee professor Mazim Lubarsky, and the members decided to put on their own show. Tonight, Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m., the combo will be performing at the legendary venue Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge’s Inman Square. The club, which hosts international and local jazz performers, is located at 212 Hampshire St. which is only 15 minutes from Belmont Center. 

Tickets are $5.

The night will also showcase guest performers – and fellow Belmont High students – Riley Grant and Alex Sun on trumpets and Sa-Sa Gutterman on trombone. 

Check out a video of the group here.

This is an opportunity for residents and fellow students to enjoy great music and get a chance to see young musicians – nurtured in the school district’s music program – at the start of their careers. 

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Belmont Baseball Heading to Wilmington for First Round of Playoffs

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Photo: Belmont High School Baseball.

In a meeting between eight and nine seeds, Belmont High School Baseball will be take on Middlesex League partner Wilmington High School in the first round of the MIAA Div. 2 North Sectional playoffs.

The teams, both 11-9, will meet on Thursday, June 4, at 4 p.m. at Wilmington High School. 

In their only encounter this year, the Marauders defeated the Wildcats, 9-3, back on April 29 in Wilmington. 

The winner of the game will take on the winner of number-one seed Danvers (17-3) and 16th-ranked Tewksbury (6-14) on Monday, June 8, at 4 p.m. at the home of the highest seed. 

Belmont Town Meeting, Section B; Monday, June 1

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Photo: Belmont Town Meeting

7:08 p.m.: Mike Widmer, town moderator, has gaveled Section B of the annual Town Meeting into session.

It’s the beginning of all things budgetary including what to do with the rest of the override funds. That’s $1.6 million.

7:16 p.m.: A proclamation for Bruce Davidson, a long-time chair and member of the Warrant Committee and Town Meeting member, who recently died. He was also a long-time financial editor and columnist for the Boston Globe.

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7:19 p.m.: Kevin Cunningham, Pct. 4, is seeking to change the order of the articles to place Article 12 to go before Article 13. Widmer believe that keeping it in the current order because if Town Meeting does not allocate the remaining $1.6 million of the override amount, then you would want Article 12 coming afterwards. If not, Town Meeting would need to have countless articles. Cunningham’s wishes are defeated.

7:29 p.m.: Sami Baghdady, Selectmen chair, is making the Board’s update. Here are some highlights around town: Belmont Center Recreation . 

And some real news: the Belmont Center commuter rail bridge will be power washed this summer. “How nice it will be for the gateway to our community” to be brought back to its stone glory.

The Underwood Pool is on schedule.

Belmont Uplands project: 298 units/60 affordable units. The building foundations are in the ground. Look on the bright side: 60 units of affordable units but will be give credit for all 298 units s there will be 696 affordable units or 6.7 percent.

Cushing Village: The last two weeks, the new partnership has received the OK for construction financing so maybe something will be built there this summer. Maybe.

Woodfall Road: There is now a P&S agreement and a sale will be done in 90 days. 

Pavement Management Program: The most money that can be used in one year.

Community Path Implementation: It’s on track.

Belmont Public Library: A new project feasibility study will get underway soon.

Solar Net Metering: A modified stage II within 60 days – looking for a compromise between solar advocates and Belmont Light. 

Belmont remains a great place to live so let’s keep moving forward, said Baghdady.

7:42 p.m.: State Rep Dave Rogers is addressing the gathering. House passed its budget – $38 million, a small increase. The new budget does not draw on the stabilization fund. Good news for Belmont is a five percent increase to education and 4 percent for general government. And $350,000 increase in roads and sidewalks. Also fully fund sped circuit breakers and METCO will see a 5 percent increase. Rogers priorities includes funding for homeless families, DEP funding, and funding for Legal Aid. He introduced 26 bills with a focus on legal issues including criminal justice reform (solitary confinement for those 21 and under.)

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In local projects, Alewife rotary reconstruction at routes 2 and 16 (public meeting on June 16, at 6 p.m. at 60 Acorn Park in Cambridge.) 

7:54 p.m.: Back to business. Article 10 is up, the salaries of elected officials. It’s approved after Bonnie Friedman, Pct. 3, asked why the town doesn’t pay something to the school committee. Widmer recalled a vigorous debate on paying school committee members several years ago. It was defeated then and it has never come back up. 

8 p.m.: Mike Libenson, chair of the Warrant Committee, is going over the entire budget. Fun facts:

  • The budget is $100,293,295; nine figures!
  • The total budget increased by 5.3 percent while the $84.5 million operating budget (other then pension, debt, the other stuff you don’t spend) increased by more than 6 percent.
  • Fixed costs are $15.8 million with pensions is $6.5 million with debt at $4.4 million. Road spending is going up with debt is falling.
  • Schools take up the most of the operating budget (58 percent) with public safety (15.2 percent) followed by public services (12 percent) then general government (5 percent).
  • Municipal departments funded at level service or better.
  • Healthcare costs is again flat, saving money.
  • School have been saved from significant cuts, adding 16 full-time equivalent personal.
  • Free cash: Belmont spent a lot: It started with $7.5 million in July last year, spending $1.3 million on Belmont Center, and fiscal 16 allocation at $1.75 million and OPED and snow and ice ending at $3.3 million, which is within the guideline of having at least 3 percent of the total budget.

There are four stabilization funds – SpEd, a new “general” fund (where to put the override funds), OPEB and capital/debt (for four projects). 

Long-term trends: as a Town of Homes, growth can only be between 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent annually. Employee pay is 70 percent of the budget, school costs shooting up, lot of needs in capital and maintenance and infrastructure and pension and health care obligations. 

Did you know that there is a different between pensions and other post employment benefits (OPEB)? Yes, there is. Pensions are being paid off by 2027 and OPEB has a $171 million unfunded liability (which is $21 million lower than what was predicted.)

8:23 p.m.: OK, up now is Article 13, the general stabilization fund to be funded with a transfer of $1,674,069. There are two amendments, both by Cunningham. He said he doesn’t care how members vote on the amendment, his objective is to start a conversation on “process.”

But before he could come to a point, Robert McGaw, Pct. 1, calls point of order, that Cunningham has gone beyond the amendment’s scope. Moderator Widmer said he would give Cunningham some “poetic license” on his comments. But Cunningham continues to make it a debate on process, which causes Widmer to ask him to get to the point.

After completing his presentation, Cunningham then removes his amendments after getting his point across.

During the debate, Adam Dash, Warrant Committee and Pct. 1; Jack Weis, Pct. 1; Ellen Schreiber, Pct.  and Paul Roberts; Pct. 8, make the same point: allow the will of the voters who passed the override to be upheld even if members don’t like the idea that these funds are not targeted towards specific needs. Joe White, Pct. 4, said the voters would not have voted for the override if they knew there would be funds remaining. 

The vote has been called and after a false start, the article passes easily, 214 to 32. 

9:15 p.m.: Now is the real money, Article 12, the town’s budget, will be debated and voted. 

Early on in the process, there is an amendment that will request the Warrant Committee to produce an update report on the town’s current pension funding schedule, which is $6 million in fiscal 2016 and will increase by seven percent annually until 2027. Sponsored by Julie Crockett, Pct. 5, the report will see if there are alternative schedules that are not “unsustainable” as the current plan.

The amendment passes 137 to 85. 

9:55 p.m.: The school budget is up. At $49,660,070, it’s big. And it passes, unanimously, like most budget appropriations. 

10:35 p.m.: Finally, all the department budgets have been approved. 

10:36 p.m.: Just one more article, said Widmer. Groans. Article 17 is the OPEB (Other Post Employment Benefits) Stabilization fund at $366,738. Town Treasurer Floyd Carman is masterful in explaining why this little amount of money is seen large by the credit rating agencies which allows the town to keep its AAA rating, a rare occurrence. 

Baghdady said the Selectmen will create a similar committee to the Warrant Committee’s pension review committee to take a look at the town’s OPEB payments. Article 17 passes easily. 

10:45 p.m.: Finally, the gavel comes down and the first night of the reconvened Town Meeting has ended. See you on Wednesday for the Capital Budget portion.

 

Belmont Garden Club’s ‘Tour’ Set for June 13

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Photo: Lilacs in bloom.

The Belmont Garden Club will host “A Tour of Belmont Gardens,” to celebrate the club’s 85th anniversary, on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
The tour – held rain or shine – will venture into seven local flowering gardens, the locations to be announced on the day of the event. 
Advance sale tickets are $25 and can be obtained by call Loretta at 617-484-4889. On the day of the tour tickets, with a map of the gardens, will be available at the Belmont Public Library for $30.

Reconvened Town Meeting To Determine What To Do With Override Funds

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Photo: Belmont Town Meeting.

As the annual legislative meeting reconvenes on Monday, June 1, at 7 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School to debate and vote on the town’s finances, the nearly 300 member will be asked to decided where to place the remainder of the $4.5 million raised after voters approved the Proposition 2 1/2 override at April’s Town Election.

With the focus of the night on the town’s operating budget, the one article that is capturing a great deal of interest is Article 12, transferring $1,674,069 of the override amount into a general stabilization fund. If approved, the funds will remain there until Town Meeting, by a two-thirds margin, approves any transfer of funds.

The key word is “if” because there is a possibility that Town Meeting might not approve the transfer of the funds in the first place. There have been rumblings by some override opponents to vote against Article 12. Since the $1.6 million would not be appropriated, that amount would not be levied in taxes in fiscal 2016, effectively providing ratepayers a small “rebate” on what they had been anticipating in taxes beginning July 1.

Warrant Committee member Adam Dash’s amendment to the fiscal 2016 budget appropriations article will be brought before Town Meeting if Article 13 fails. It would raise the $1.6 million from somewhere in the budget and place the funds into the Warrant Committee Reserve Account. The committee would sit on the amount for the entire year and allow it to become part of the town’s “free cash” amount. So at next year’s Town Meeting, those funds would be placed in the General Stabilization Fund.

“This would preserve the will of the voters by levying the full amount of override funds,” said Dash. If Article 13 passes, Dash will drop his amendment.

But before Dash’s amendment moves forward, there are a pair of amendments sponsored by former School Committee member Kevin Cunningham, on the Article 13. The two amendment would, in their way, take $250,000 of the amount and place it into the Special Education Stabilization Fund, thus providing $1,424,069 into the general fund.

According to Cunningham, the quarter million dollars being directed to the Sped Stabilization account simply replenishes the line item after it was drained by that same amount in April to help close a $500,000 deficit in this school year’s budget.

Since there is “the highest likelihood” the Sped Stabilization will be needed in fiscal ’16, Cunningham targeted fund to an area where the need will be greatest.

It doesn’t appear the amendment will find much support from the Board of Selectmen or the Warrant Committee since, as Board of Selectmen Chair Sami Baghdady said last month, “we made a promise to the voters that every dollar would be set aside for the purposes stated on the ballot” which included school deficit, capital budget bonding and streets and sidewalks.

While it doesn’t appear that Town Meeting will take up five hot-button articles – four citizen petitions and a request to reconsider the “solar” article – being brought to the assembly by newly-elected Selectman Jim Williams until the third night of the June agenda, his presence will be felt with a second amendment to Article 12 sponsored by a slew of Town Meeting members.

Dubbed by Dash as the “Warrant Committee’s summer project,” the amendment directs the Warrant Committee to produce an update report on the town’s current pension funding schedule, which targets $6 million in fiscal 2016 and increased by seven percent annually until 2027.

The Warrant Committee will take a look at different strategies to mitigate the impact the pension has on the town’s annual expenditures.

“[Williams] is the imputes for this project. And it’s something that should be done as being part of good fiscal management,” said Dash two weeks ago.

This Week: Town Meeting Returns Monday, Jazz at Ryles Wednesday, Garden Opening Friday

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Photo: Burbank Elementary School Garden.

On the government side of “This Week”:

  • The Board of Selectmen will meet on Monday, June 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School to sign a few contracts, approve applications and take a series of votes on Warrant Committee articles and amendments. 
  • The School Committee will discuss pending articles and amendments that will come before Town Meeting when it meets at 6 p.m., on Monday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 3, at the Chenery Middle School.
  • The Warrant Committee meet on Monday, June 1, and and Wednesday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School to discuss financial articles and amendments. 
  • The Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee will meet at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2, at Town Hall, where they will identify challenges with potential routes.
  • The Planning Board meets on Tuesday, June 2, at 7 p.m. where they will discus the next step on the citizen petition zoning amendment. 
  • The Underwood Pool Building Committee will meet on Thursday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

• Belmont Town Meeting reconvenes with its focus on financial articles. The meeting takes place on Monday, June 1, at 7 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School. 

• State Rep Dave Rogers will be holding office hours on Tuesday, June 2, at 9:30 a.m. at the Beech Street Center.

• The Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer run library at the corner of Old Middlesex and Oakley, will be holding Summer Pre-School Story Time at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2, with stories and crafts for children 3 to 5. Younger siblings may attend with adults. Parents or caregivers must be present. Registration is not required. Pre-School Story Time meets at 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Friday throughout the summer.

• Sing-along with Julie will take place on Wednesday, June 3, at 10:30 a.m. in the Children’s Room.

• On early release Wednesday, June 3, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., Chenery Middle School student can stop by the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room, work on your homework, enjoy some lemonade and cookies, and try out an activity. This is for middleschoolers only, so high school students can do something else. The activity is funded by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Just drop in.

• The Belmont High School Jazz Ensemble, Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education’s gold medalists, will be performing at Ryles Jazz Club, 212 Hampshire St., Cambridge, on June 3 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5.

• The Friends of the Belmont Public Library annual meeting will take place on Thursday, June 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St.

• The LEGO Club for kindergarteners through second graders is back on Thursday, June 4 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library. Drop in anytime. Members will be creating their own unique LEGO structures. All LEGOs will be provided.

• The 7th-8th Grade Book Group from the Chenery Middle School meets Thursday, June 4, at 7 p.m., at Belmont Public Library’s Young Adult Room.

• The Burbank Elementary School Garden Opening Celebration will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 5, at the school on School Street with ribbon cutting and activities for families in the new Garden Classroom and in Burbank’s organic vegetable garden, also established this year with co-sponsorship from Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom.