What’s Open, Closed On Veterans Day In Belmont

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Photo: Veterans saluting the raising of the flag of the country.

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

What’s Closed:

  • Belmont Town offices and Belmont Light are closed. 
  • US Postal Service offices and regular deliveries.
  • Banks; although some branches will be open in some supermarkets.

MBTA: Operating on its regular weekday schedule. See www.mbta.com for details.

What’s Opened:

• Retail stores

• Coffee shops; Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are serving coffee

• Supermarkets

• Convenience and drug stores (CVS) open regular hours

• Establishments that sell beer and wine are also allowed to be open.

Rink Sinks: New Skating Facility Proposal ‘Not Economically Viable’

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Photo: The Skip has opened for the season.

On the day the town opened the 40-year-old plus Viglirolo Skating Rink for the season, the Select Board heard that a long sought after replacement for the current dilapidated facility came to a close after the only candidate to reply to the ambitious proposal could not make the project financially feasible.

“I wish I had better news to report,” said Tom Caputo who was the Select Board’s liaison to the town’s effort to create a one-and-a-half ice sheet rink to the west of the current facility known as the “Skip.”

“But the consensus of the group [of town and school officials] who worked on this is we don’t have an economically viable public/private partnership at this point,” said Caputo during the board’s ultramarathon of a meeting [four hours and 26 minutes] held Monday, Nov. 9

This comes as Recreation Department personnel who run the rink state that it is only a matter of time before a catastrophic mechanical failure involving the pipes and compressors – some original underground equipment from the 1970s that are no longer being manufactured – will require the facility to be closed for good.

“It’s running. That’s the key every year, we just hope it gets up and going,” said Recreation Director and Assistant Town Administrator Jon Marshall.

“But in the near future, we’re not going to be lucky. That’s the challenge,” said Marshal.

First proposed in September 2015, a long sought-after new rink was envisioned to be private/public partnership in which the school department would lease a portion of its land west of Harris Field to a private developer/rink manager at not cost for at least 25 years. In exchange, the Belmont High ice hockey teams would practice and hold games for free as well as allow for free recreational skating while the rink manager would rent the space to hockey leagues and private functions.

A detailed request for proposal was developed with input from the school committee and district, the town and neighbors during at times laborious negotiations. While there was some interest in the proposal, only one team headed by Belmont Youth Hockey put their hat in the ring to move to more substantial discussions with the town.

A tall order that failed

According to Caputo, what doomed the talks directed at replacing the ancient rink was how the RFP “was pretty highly constrained” to the developer. Not only was the town seeking for them to fund, construct and operate a multi-sheet facility, it required more than 100 parking spaces that would be linked to the high school and construct three high school playing and practice fields while providing aforementioned free playing and game time for varsity and junior varsity teams.

“That was a tall order, to say the least,” acknowledged Caputo.

While the two sides negotiated over the summer and resolved many conflicts facing the proposal, at the end of the day, the Youth Hockey team could not made their proposal work financially if it had to meet the space requirements in the RFP, especially the parking component, as well as providing a large chunk of no cost ice time to the school department.

“We just could not come up with an economically viable project that would work for the applicate that they could get funded and be confident to make payments on,” said Caputo. In fact, the town believes as currently written, the RFP as outlined and as constrained is such that there is not a viable project that will work.

Under the column titled Next Steps, Caputo said there is interest in adjusting the long list of town requirements for the project and modify the RFP.

“This is not unusual … to have a couple of rounds with the RFP before you get it right,” said Caputo. “There is creative ideas around parking and maybe not have free access to ice time that can be explored.”

But Caputo admitted that some of those creative adjustments that are “kicking around” is that “they are so far from the RFP that was created that they are probably outside the bounds of what we can reasonably negotiate.”

In addition, Marshall has begun the first steps in better understanding what it would take to renovate or rebuild the current location.

Select Board Member Adam Dash said that many of the required changes needed in the RFP to spark interest from a private developer would be “no gos” on the town side as the RFP required a great deal of negotiations with the school district and residents.

Dash also derided any thoughts of refurbishing the “Skip,” describing it as a “disaster.”

“What would it cost to build a one sheet of ice rink? God knows when we could get the money to do it,” said Dash. “This one is gonna die probably before we can get there. It’s not a good situation.”

Professional Status Granted To 26 Belmont Educators

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Photo: Brianna Normile, who earned her professional status from the school district she attended for her entire elementary and secondary education, including graduating from Belmont High School.

Belmont Schools Superintendent John Phelan said this year’s celebration on the granting of 26 educators’ professional status was special for him on a personal level. One of the educators who were honored on Oct. 27 at a virtual meeting of the Belmont School Committee was a student he knew a decade ago when he was an assistant Middle School principal.

“I won’t call her out,” said Phelan, but said it was so rewarding to have taught her and now seeing her as a teacher.

Under state statute, a teacher who has served in the public schools of a school district for the three previous consecutive school years is deemed to have earned “professional teacher status,” which is sometimes referred to as tenure.

Included in the group includes Brianna Normile, who earned her professional status from the school district she attended for her entire elementary and secondary education, including graduating from Belmont High School.

Noting that the keepsake given to him 17 years ago when he earned his professional status as a teacher at the Chenery Middle School is on his desk, Director of Human Capital Mike McAllister, gaining professional status is no small accomplishment as it not only means each teacher, specialist and leader met expectations but will serve the larger mission: to educate the children of Belmont and prepare them for the future.

This year’s teachers and educators include:

  • Eleanor Ahlborn-Hsu
  • Elizabeth Willis
  • Margaret Dagon
  • Kerry Eaton
  • Nicole Frisone
  • Meghan Gallagher
  • Scott Giusti
  • Lauren Grossi
  • Kaitlyn Kennedy
  • Emily Communiello
  • Lea Walsh
  • Elise Stoppel
  • Stephanie Chan
  • Melissa Chalmers
  • Jennifer Richards
  • Elizabeth O’Connor
  • Sara Carson
  • Lisa Carlivati
  • Brianna Normile
  • Sonia Neuberger
  • Kassie Bettinelli
  • Steven Berson
  • Catherine Monnin
  • Sarah McInnis
  • Marella Averill
  • Tawnya Lewis

Commuter Rail Late Night, Weekend Service Ending As T Reduce Service

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Photo: Commuter rail service will see cuts in 2021

With the COVID-19 pandemic essentially keeping workers at home and away from crowded public transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority announced it will be making significant reductions to the level of service in the next year.

For Belmont residents, the reduction will be felt by those who travel on the commuter rail out of Waverley and Belmont stations, while those who take buses are being spared at this time.

There will be a virtual meeting on service cuts for the region Belmont is in on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.

“In order to protect essential service for those who depend upon it, we need to reduce service where there are fewer riders,” said the MBTA in a press release on Monday, Nov. 9.

Commuter rail

The cut in service will impact the Fitchburg line of the MBTA’s commuter rail service. Currently, the commuter rail trains are running at 10 percent of pre-COVID-19 ridership levels, according to the T.

Starting sometime near May 1, 2021, the commuter rail will:

  • Suspend weekend service.
  • Halt service after 9 p.m.
  • Reduce the number of trains during the weekday peak by more than 10 percent.

While Belmont two stations have some of the smallest ridership numbers, they were not on the list of six stations that will be closed due to passenger reductions.

Buses

While bus ridership has seen a reduction of 40 percent since March, the MBTA will continue all bus lines running in Belmont with only the 554 (from Newton Center to Waverley) will be “shortened.”

All other routes that travel throught Belmont – 67, 73, 74, 75, 78, – could see possible reduction of service levels if ridership continues “below baseline.”

Starting in summer 2021, the T is planning systemwide changes to buses:

  • Stop all service after midnight althought early service will continue on “essential” bus routes.
  • Reduce frequency on essential routes by system-wide average of 5 percent – will vary by route, high ridership will not be changed.
  • Reduce frequency on non-essential routes system-wide by 20 percent; will vary by route based on ridership.

Subway

For Belmontians who use the Alewife and Harvard Square subway stations, the subway system will see all service ending at midnight and a reduction of overall service by 20 percent.

As Belmont Moves Back To Green, Schools Reports 5 Positive Cases In November

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Photo: Back to green for Belmont in coronavirus cases

After a week in yellow, Belmont has returned to the state designated safer green level of COVID-19 infection, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in its weekly coronavirus update on Friday, Nov. 6.

The total number of positive cases in Belmont increased by 24 to 308 total cases (since March 13) in the past two weeks, according to the MDPH, resulting in a 4.4 average daily incidence rate per 100,000 over the same period which lies within the state’s green level, which indicates a low risk of infection within the community.

In the view of the state, Belmont has seen “No Change” in the number of new cases occurring over the current two-week period ending Nov. 5 compared to the previous two-week period.

In the first week of November, the Belmont School District reported five new cases at its six schools.

On Nov. 2, two members of the Belmont High School community (they can either be staff or students) were confirmed to have COVID-19. Both individuals were remote (not in the building) and unrelated to each other. In addition, each did not have contact with others in the district.

Three cases were reported on Nov. 5, one at Belmont High School and two at the Chenery Middle School. While the person at the high school and one of the cases at the middle school were not in the buildings and not in contact with others, the second middle school case was at the school and was in close contact with others. Those who were in contact with the person are in quarantine for the next two weeks.

Drop It Off! Great Pumpkin Rescue This Saturday at Winn Brook and Butler

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Photo: Drop off Halloween pumpkins this Saturday

Let’s keep all those Halloween pumpkins away from the landfills!

The Great Pumpkin Rescue – sponsored by Belmont Helps along with the Butler School and Winn Brook School PTA’s – will take place Saturday, Nov. 7, between 11 a.m. to noon.

Drop off your pumpkins and gourds at a pair of drop off choices:

  • Winn Brook Elementary School back along Sherman Street, or
  • Butler Elementary School at the front entrance at 90 White St.

Please wear face coverings and maintain six-feet social distancing during the drop-off. Drivers should open their trunks so volunteers can remove pumpkins and any donations.

  • Pumpkins and gourds of any size will be accepted.
  • Remove candles/tea lights.
  • Pumpkins with paint, glitter or bling will NOT be accepted. If you can cut those pieces off, Black Earth Compost will accept the rest.
  • Black Earth Compost will pick up that afternoon.

In addition and optional, we will be collecting spare change and financial donations for Belmont Helps to use for families in need of groceries and resources.

Cash, check or Go Fund donations are welcome. 

https://www.belmonthelps.org/

Letter To The Editor: Belmont’s Poll Workers and Election Staff are Amazing

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Photo: Election workers

Dear Neighbors and Voters of Belmont:

While many Americans are focused on the results of the Nov. 3  Presidential Election, I  call special attention to our fellow Belmont neighbors who served as election workers to guarantee the rightful exercise of our treasured right to vote, even in the midst of a global pandemic.  They did a fabulous job and need to be recognized for their work:

The Official Election Results for Belmont have not yet been finalized, but the official results will be certified by Nov. 18.  

Exactly 81.99 percent of Belmont’s voters cast ballots in the Nov. 3 election. That’s 15,038  people – of whom more than 12,100 voted during the fourteen days of the In-Person Early Voting period or Voted by Mail. The conclusion: a vigorously active electorate and even more amazing election workers and staff. We enjoyed expert assistance from many town departments, but most particularly the Police, Public Works, Fire, Library, Council on Aging, School Department, Facilities, Treasurer, Information Technology, Community Development, Select Board’s office, Health Department, Emergency Management and others. Lastly, the members of the press/media covering Belmont, each of our media outlets, got the word out to our residents to let them know the details of voting which really made a difference.

More than 200 election workers were trained and ready to go; 116 actually wound up working during the Early Voting Period or on Election Day itself along with the fantastic, hard-working staff of the Town Clerk’s office :

  • Rising before the sun to arrive at the polls by 6 a.m. and be open to voters by 7 a.m.:
  • Happily greeting every voter;
  • Checking in and out thousands of voters and processing absentee and early voting ballots, some routine, some needing extra help;
  • Researching voter information so voters who needed to go to a different precinct or community to vote could do so;
  • Helping voters who needed a little physical help or extra time;
  • Expertly responding to hundreds of phone calls from precinct election workers and voters from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Election Day and many days before and after;
  • Opening and tabulating more than 10,000 Early Voting ballots, while ensuring a secret ballot for all voters;
  • Posting signs, now-famous blue arrows to direct voters along with COVID-19 reminders;
  • Giving up hours at home with family in the evenings and even holiday weekends;
  • Scheduling the workers like an air traffic controller;
  • Processing and mailing more than 2,000 Absentee Ballots, including hundreds to Members of the Military and Overseas Citizens;
  • Registering 1,973 new voters since Jan. 1, 2020 and deleting many more so they could vote in their new communities;
  • Keeping everyone’s spirits buoyed, even when face-to-face with an angry voter when we made a mistake;
  • Closing out the polls, accounting for every ballots and all the legal requirements so we could post Belmont’s results to the website;
  • Most importantly, enjoying one another’s company and looking forward to working the next Belmont election.

We are extremely proud of the work these folks accomplished to make Belmont’s election a huge success with accurate results and we thank them sincerely for their efforts, their attitude and their willingness to participate so wonderfully in this open election process. 

When you see them around town, we encourage you to thank them in person.

With thanks and in awe of:

AlanaAubin
AnnahAbrams
BruceAlger
KatherineAnderson
AngelaCarini
ClausBecker
JessieBennett
IrinaBerlin
WoodyBishop
IreneBocella
SarahBoyle
LianeBrecknock
CarolBurt
CatherineByrne
LauraCaputo
LaurieCarlson
HeatherCharron
AlysonConover
ElaineCrisafi
LiamCushman
AngusDavison
MargaretDecker
AmyDeDeo
HildyDvorak
BrendaDzierzeski
NaomiEllenburg-Dukas
AnyaEpstein
ReneeEurdolian
EileenFarrell
ErnieFay
DebbyFenn
JaredFernandez
LynnFindlay
AngeloFirenze
JennaFlanagan
HarrisFoulkes
VirginiaGrant
SuzanneGreenberg
IlanaGut
ViktoriaHaase
BrianHanley
KaleighHannigan
JaneHaverty
KellyHiggins
StephenHodgdon
PriscillaHughes
BrianIler
MelissaIrion
AudreyJerome
BarbaraJohnson
GaryKelly
MauraKelly
JaniceKnight
JuliaKostro
AndrewKramer
PamLarson
ChuckLaverty
DavidLind
LarryLink
WarrenLogan
RosemaryLoRusso
GeoffreyLubein
PaulaLyons
KatharineMacIsaac
ZendaMancini
KristenMasoud
BethMaury
CamilleMayeux
GretchenMcClain
MarshallMcCloskey
KareyMcKenna
GlenMohr
RobinMoore
PaulinaMuratore
HollyMuson
KentNewton
LauraNoerdlinger
RachelNovember
DavidNuscher
LaurelObermueller
ChristineO’Neill
DianeOrfanos
CharisPalandjian
ChristopherPiccione
AndreaPrestwich
KathyQuirk
SarahRichards
AnnRittenburg
JudyRizzo
IlyseRobbins-Mohr
PhilRossoni
KathleenRushe
BrianSaper
DennisSimenson
BarbaraSkelly
CarolineSokol
SharonSprague
ClareStanley
HeidiSteinert
HollyStratford
ScottStratford
MatthewSullivan
JoyceThe Voice
SusanTitus
JohnUmina
Paulavan Horn
AnnVerrilli
MarkWagner
JenWaldron
MarjorieWayne
MichaelWissner
IanWright
JoeZarro
RoseannZelny
VictorZelny
EricaZidel

Town Clerk’s Staff Members

DanCane
NancyCasale
MegPiccione

Ellen O’Brien Cushman, Town Clerk and Fellow Members of the Board of Registrars of Voters: Robert McGaw, Paul Minor and Stephen Shestakofsky

Water/Sewer Bills Coming Monthly

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Photo: The old bill will be replaced with a combined one with Belmont Light

After sending out water and sewer bills to the public four times a year “for more than forever,” Belmont is prepared to shake things up starting Jan. 1, 2021 when water and sewer remittances will be coming to customers on a monthly basis.

That was the announcement on Monday, Oct. 26 from Department of Public Works Director Jay Marcotte to the Select Board at its Monday, Oct. 26 remote meeting.

The change in billing frequency comes as the Water and Sewer department nears completion of the town-wide smart meter program. The four-year installation plan – replacing older models which required visual reading of the meters with the latest generation of systems that can be “read” online – is nearing 97 percent complete with approximately 400 residences that have yet to give their permission to remove the old meters.

When the automated system is up and running in the New Year, the department will replace its antiquated quarterly billing system and dove-tail into Belmont Lights’ invoice account.

“Once fully implemented, the ability to go to monthly billing is going to be a reality,” said Marcotte.

Before the Jan. 1 turnover, the department will undertake a comprehensive outreach and education program to inform residents of the change, how it will work, tools for on-line payments and viewing of real use consumption by homeowners.

The old system, which will be needed for the 400 customers whose meters have not been replaced, will incurring a fee to the water and sewer department to maintain and staff that system in order to accurately bill for consumption.

Public Works will waive the cost during this time of COVID-19 and will take up what the fee will be with the Select Board next spring.

Record Free Cash Level Likely To Lower Override Dollar Ask

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Photo: Free cash isn’t free

The holidays came two months early to Belmont Town Hall as the Massachusetts Department of Revenue certified the town’s fiscal year 2020 free cash account – officially known as the Unreserved Fund Balance – at $11,239,464, a record high level for the budget line.

“The free cash amount this year is good news all around. The town was diligent in its conservative practices and we are seeing the fruits of our efforts,” Town Administrator Patrice Garvin told the Belmontonian.

Free cash is made up of receipts – taxes and fees – in excess of revenue estimates along with unspent amounts in departmental budget line items known as “turn backs” for the previous fiscal year, plus any unspent free cash from the previous year. Before it can be used, free cash must be certified by the state.

The size of this fiscal year’s amount dwarfs the average account over the past decade ranging from $5 to $7 million. The $11.2 million outpaced last fiscal year’s robust $8.1 million in free cash which allowed the town to balance the fiscal year ’19 budget without the need of a Prop. 2 1/2 override.

“I’m pleased to see that the town and school’s efforts earlier this year to proactively freeze hiring and curtail spending, combined with our focus on maximizing federal reimbursement for COVID expenses, has substantially improved our free cash position,” said Select Board Chair Tom Caputo.

It comes as no surprise that both town and select board are viewing to use some of this fiscal year’s bounty to reduce the $12.5 million the town is seeking in a Prop 2 1/2 override which will be on the ballot at the annual Town Election set for April 6.

“While this healthy free cash balance doesn’t address the structural deficit that we will confront in the coming fiscal years, it does give Belmont some more flexibility as we look to an April override,” said Caputo. “The free cash may be available to help stabilize the budget for a few years and reduce the size of the required override.”

And Garvin isn’t wasting any time presenting scenarios how the fund can be used, going before the Financial Task Force II on Friday, Nov. 6 meeting and presenting a preliminary free cash plan to the Select Board on Monday, Nov. 9.

“We are currently running models to see what can be used from free cash to lower the override request,” said Garvin.

Yet it’s unlikely the select board will attempt cut the lion’s share of the override with free cash. For more than a decade, town policy is to maintain a level of free cash that will help secure the town’s Triple-A bond rating. In 2018, that goal was set at four percent of the current fiscal year’s General Fund Revenue Budget.

“I will tell you that I have had many conversations regarding the town’s Undesignated Fund Balance, and its impact on the bond rating. This work is ongoing and answers are forthcoming,” said Garvin.

Four factors for free cash

The increase in free cash reflects the town’s conservative budgeting practices and our response to managing the financial impacts created by COVID-19, such as controlling spending, freezing hiring and maximizing available Federal and State reimbursements.

“This level of free cash gives the town greater flexibility to reduce an operating override request, without reducing services,” said the press release announcing the record free cash level.

The factors leading to this favorable result include:

  • Proactive management of the Town and School hiring and spending at the end of Fiscal Year ’20
  • COVID-19 slowdowns in spending, resulting in large turn backs (underspent budgets) from departments;
  • Federal Assistance for COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security(CARES) Act Reimbursement for Town and School Expenses, of approximately $1 million;
  • Accounting adjustments for prepaid property taxes in prior fiscal year.

The line items contributing to the Free Cash balance are:

ITEMAMOUNT
FY’19 Rollover Unreserved Fund Balance (Free Cash)$425,160
Prior Year Reserve for Subsequent Taxes (Prepay that should have been reserved last year)$2,151,248
Reserve Prior year bond premium$18,000
Reverse prior year reserve for continued appropriations$1,711
Tax Deferral Redeemed$274,899
Tax Title Redeemed$489,099
Estimated Receipts Surplus (Revenue)$1,430,258
Turnbacks from Departments$6,405,517
Prior Year Fund Deficits/etc.$43,567
CERTIFIED FREE CASH as of July 1, 2020$11,239,464

The line items in the table are explained in more detail as follows:

FY19 Rollover Unreserved Fund Balance (Free Cash)

The FY20 budget included a high use of Free Cash. This drawdown reduced the FY19 Unreserved Fund Balance (Free Cash) to $2.4 million. A subsequent review of our accounting revealed the need for two additional adjustments related to classification of property tax and water and sewer revenues. These were one-time adjustments. The effect of the adjustments reduced the FY19 rollover to $425,165.

Prior Year Reserve for Subsequent Taxes

Tax payments by residents sometimes cross over the fiscal year, which begins on July 1. $2.1 million of FY20 Free Cash represents tax revenue that was prepaid and not estimated in the FY20 Fiscal Year. This $2.1 million should have been part of the FY19 Certified Free Cash.

Tax Deferral Redeemed

The Town has tax deferment programs that delay the collection of taxes. Free Cash is credited for the taxes in the Fiscal Year they are actually paid. For FY20 $274,898 of tax deferments were collected.

Tax Title Redeemed

Free Cash is also increased when delinquent taxes are finally paid. The Town Treasurer works diligently to collect delinquent taxes.

Estimated Receipts Surplus (Revenue)

The Town budget estimates revenue receipts for the year. Actual FY20 revenue exceeded the estimate by $1.4 million. Most of this excess can be attributed to investment income on amounts borrowed for the new middle and high school. The Town saw a reduction is some local receipts due to COVID-19, but the investment income resulted in a surplus.

Turnbacks from Departments

Turnbacks, underspent department budgets, returned to Free Cash, totaling $6.4 million are the largest contributor to the increase in FY20 Free Cash. This amount almost doubled from the previous year. Turnbacks can be generated by vacancies in positions, and spending less on supplies and services. COVID-19 is the main explanation for the FY20 turnbacks. The Town realized in March that the pandemic would significantly impact revenues and wanted to make sure we capitalized on every dollar. The Town was also mindful of the budgetary challenges and the potential need for an operating override. We started to slow down spending beginning in March and April. The Select Board imposed a hiring and spending freeze for May and June. Also, the COVID-19 CARES Act reimbursement enabled Belmont to receive reimbursement of over $1 million for Town expenses associated with COVID-19.

Prior Year Fund Deficits/etc.

$43,567 remains of Prior Year Fund Deficits, which are created by not expending the entire amount of available funds.

Election Day In Belmont: Biden Takes Belmont As Mr. Kelley Goes To Town Hall To Vote

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Photo: Nicole Howkins voted at Precinct 7.

It took several minutes for Fred Kelley to move up the ramp into Town Hall. Moving quite slowly with the aid of a walker, the 86-year-old Beatrice Circle resident was visibly struggling to make it into the building. The former Navy flyer and recruiter had to stop twice on the ramp, straining to catch his breath.

But living 63 years with diabetes and a frail body did not stop Kelley from coming to his precinct polling station to vote in person.

“I’m still around,” said Kelley, as he exited the elevator to the second floor of Town Hall. “When asked when was the first time he voted, Kelley looked up and said, “I really don’t know.”

But with the help of family. poll workers and Belmont Police Lt. Kristin Daley, the veteran was able to mark his ballot and then slip it into the recorder.

When asked why did he made this herculean effort just to register his vote, Kelley leaned forward and after taking three hesitant breaths said in a steady voice, “I want good government and I wanted true government.”

“I want government that helps, not hurt. To do good and avoid evil. I always lived my life that way and I hope to die that way.”

With the exception of a single incident where a voter at Precinct 7 got huffy when asked to remove a mask which promoted a presidential candidate, election day in Belmont was peaceful with short waits and a “I Voted” sticker waiting at the end of the process.

It was also when registered voters took extraordinary advantage of mail-in, absentee and early voting as 12,100 of the town’s 18,341 registered voters cast their ballots before Nov. 3, according to Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

At the close of the polls at 8 p.m., 15,038 Belmontians voted, which is 82 percent of eligible voters. In comparison, 82.4 percent voted in the last presidential election in 2016.

It surprised no one that blue Belmont gave its overwhelming support to former VP Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris for president and vice president with more than three-quarters of voters filling the oval beside their names. Incumbent President Trump saw his support in the Town of Homes fall from 21.4 percent in 2016 to 19.6 percent (3,106 votes in 2016 vs 2,920 votes).

The only vote which Belmont was an outlier to the statewide vote was on Question 2 which would allow ranked choice voting in state and local elections. The question lost statewide 54 percent to 45 percent.

Unofficial results, Nov. 3, 2020

President/Vice Presidentvotespercent of vote
Biden/Harris (D)11,60577.7
Trump/Pence (R)2,92019.6
Jorgensen/Cohen1751.2
US Senatevotespercent of vote
Edward Markey (D)11,41177.4
Kevin O’Connor (R)3,24022.0
US House of Rep, 5th CD votespercent of vote
Katherine Clark (D)11,18877.0
Caroline Colarusso (R)3,33022.9
Senate in the General Courtvotespercent of vote
William Brownsberger11,76298.2
Rep. in the General Courtvotespercent of vote
David Rogers11,50698.6
Question 1 (Right to Repair)votespercent of vote
Yes11,08578.0
No3,12022.0
Question 2 (Ranked-Choice Voting)votespercent of vote
Yes8,55659.9
No5,73340.1
Question 3 (Alternative Energy)votespercent of vote
Yes10,30576.0
No3,25424.0