Ho-ho-ho: What’s Open and Closed on Christmas Day in Belmont

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Merry Christmas, Belmont. If after unwrapping all your presents and watching the latest holiday movie on the Hallmark Channel you have a “need” to get out of the house, here are a few places around town open on Christmas.

Dunkin’ Donuts

• The Dunkin’ Donuts at 353 Trapelo Rd. near Beech Street will be open from 5 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.

• The store located on Church Street in Waveley Square is closed today.

Starbucks

• The Belmont Center store at 47 Leonard St. is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CVS Pharmacy

• The stores at 264 Trapelo Rd. and 60 Leonard St. in Belmont Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas, although the pharmacy at both locations will is closed.

What would Christmas be if the local movie theater was closed? Thankfully, Belmont’s Studio Cinema at Trapelo and Beech will be open and screening “Mary Poppin Returns” (rated PG) at 7:30 p.m.

If you are looking to get around on the MBTA:

• The Fitchburg/South Acton Commuter Line will operate a Sunday schedule while buses and trackless trolleys that operate in Belmont are likewise running on a Sunday schedule.

Boys’ Hoops Set For Boston Garden Party Vs Algonquin Reg.; Sunday, Jan. 6 At 5 PM

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Photo: The poster for the invitational.

Belmont High Boys’ Hoops will be heading for a garden party on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. as the Marauders battles the Tomahawks of Algonquin Regional on the parquet floor of TD Boston Garden as part of the annual Good Sports TD Garden Invitational.

Seeing the local team at the “Gah-den” is a special event as those who saw the Girls’ team win both games in 2016 and 2017 and the Boys’ battle it out until the final minute against a strong Somerville team in 2014 can attest. 

So, you may ask, where can I get tickets? Say no more:

Pantazopoulos Pulls Papers For Predicted School Committee Push

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Photo: Peter Pantazopoulos (Linkedin)

Peter Pantazopoulos doesn’t know which Belmont School Committee seat he’ll be seeking at Town Election in April.

But he will be running.

“I haven’t made a decision yet if I will run for three years or one-year term,” said the Winslow Street resident in an email interview. “I plan on making that decision when I turn in my nomination papers on Feb. 12” the deadline to turn in papers to the Town Clerk. 
The father of two “impressionable boys” and an 18 year resident with his wife Olga, Pantazopoulos said his run for one of the two open seats on the six-member board came about after he asked himself “how can I best serve my community.” 
“I have heard parents express their passion to me surrounding the Belmont School system. As I echoed their concerns, I decided the parent’s need a voice on the School Committee that they can trust and will be transparent with them on the intentions of the committee’s decisions that we make.” 
Pantazopoulos is an account executive at Weston-based Apps Associates. He matriculated at Bentley University (BA Accounting) and earned an Executive MBA from Suffolk and an MSIT from Bentley. Pantazopoulos is currently not a Town Meeting member.  
Pantazopoulos’ overall philosophy on education is based on “the passion that all parents have to ensure that their children will have a proper and fulfilling education.
“I want to see all children get the preparation they need to attend a higher education. That journey may require some students to have IEPs [Individualized Education Programs] to develop their social and learning developmental skills,” he noted.   
Pantazopoulos poised several questions which he believes need to be asked of and than answered by the school committee:
  • Are we doing enough for those children and getting them the assistance that they need to enjoy learning and socializing with their peers? 
  • Are students that are on a fast track in learning getting challenged in their studies and do we have the state of the art facilities to foster that hunger to learn? 
  • Do we have the right class sizes and the right grade levels in each facility? 
  • Are we being fiscally responsible in using the taxpayer’s dollars to fund large-scale projects and are these projects being done with the voice of the parents and community members?

He also got Belmont-specific on a pair of fronts. 

“Belmont will be making key decisions in the coming years with building a new 7-12 school. The committee needs someone with experience in managing complex budgets, understanding mandated, fixed and soft costs. Understanding policy and procedures and trusting compliance but verifying we are doing the right thing for the parents, children and the tax payers who are funding these projects with their hard-earned tax dollars.”
“I want to make sure we are starting school at a reasonable time and that working families have high quality after school care for their children at an affordable price,” he said.
Nomination deadline for town-wide and Town Meeting seats is Feb. 12.

Belmont Police Joins Restorative Justice Movement [VIDEO]

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Photo: Restorative Justice project in Concord.

Your car has been vandalized. Someone broke into your house at night. Shoplifters attacked the business you own. You were assaulted by “a friend.”

You are a victim of a crime and you want justice.

In the past forty years, the expected action from law enforcement and the courts were to take the perpetrator, convict them with the harshest sentence and lock them up.

And while that might be satisfactory, it, for the most part, doesn’t restore a sense of safety to or provide a lasting resolution to the victim.

According to Erin Freeborn and Belmont Police’s Asst. Chief James MacIsaac, there is a better way. Rather than throwing away the keys, bring the victim and culprit together. “Hold the offender accountable so healing can begin and everything is put right,” said Freeborn, executive director of C4RJ, a non-profit community-police partnership that offers restorative justice to those affected by crime.

And Belmont PD announced at the Belmont Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, Dec. 17, it has joined 24 other Massachusetts police departments (including Arlington, Cambridge, and Lexington) and the Middlesex and Suffolk country district of attorneys partnering with C4RJ.

The Concord-based organization in operation since 2000 is driven by a group of trained volunteers recognizes crimes is a violation of people and relationships, not just a violation of the law. The focus of the organization is to assist victims and offenders of a crime through a healing approach outside the court system.

C4RJ builds strong, respectful communities by responding to a crime in ways other than tough sentencing. C4RJ listens to victims, holds offenders accountable, and restores trust in communities.

Through C4RJ’s process, victims of a crime respond to an incident by directly addressing the person who committed the crime. In turn, offenders are given the chance to rectify their actions and avoid a potential criminal conviction on their record.

“Where once a fistfight after school was seen past part of growing up, now that could be considered a felony assault with real harsh consequences,” said Freeborn. “We want to reduce the number of people being incarcerated and [restorative justice programs] are one way to do that.”

Partner police departments recommend cases to C4RJ. If the victim and the offender agree to the process, the matter is given to C4RJ, which sets up a meeting between both parties, putting the decision making into the hands of those directly affected.

Together, under the guidance of the board of directors and law enforcement officials, the victim, the offender, and their loved ones and supporters, along with community members discuss the crime and find a way to move forward. The process is as follows:

  • Victims of crime address the person or people who have harmed them, to ask questions in a safe environment, and to share ideas on ways that the offender can repair the harm.
  • Offenders better understand the impact of their actions, are held accountable and encouraged to make amends to those they have harmed.
  • The community offers support for the process, addressing matters of public safety and strengthening connections with the police department.

At the end of the meeting, the offender pledges to change his or her actions, which are often accompanied by completing a number of service hours for an appropriate organization. In 60 to 90 days, all parties meet again to check in and reassess the situation.

This approach appears to work: the recidivism rate using the C4RJ approach is 16 percent as compared to 31 percent reincarceration rate (within three years) in Massachusetts, according to a 2018 National Reentry Resource Center study.

“By giving victims and offenders of a crime the opportunity to express themselves in a safe environment, we can have a dialogue that yields positive results for both sides,” said Freeborn.

C4RJ will be holding its next volunteer training on Feb. 8 (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and Feb. 9 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The first step is a volunteer application found at https://bit.ly/2ya8z5K.

Drillin’ for … Thermals As 7-12 School Project Gets Underway

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Photo: They’re drillin’ on the rugby field, lookin’ for geothermal heat.

It could have been mistaken for an oil derrick drillin’ for Texas Tea (1960s cultural reference) a few meters from the track at Harris Field adjacent Concord Avenue.

But what the team was boring 500 feet into the earth since Dec. 12 was to measure the underground thermal properties and used that information to design the geothermal system as part of the heating and cooling system for the new 7-12 grade school building on the site of Belmont High School set for completion in 2023.

It is just one part of a handful of on-site projects now underway under the care of Skanska, the multinational firm which was selected the project’s construction manager this past May.

According to Skanska, preliminary work on the new building is underway to prepare for the beginning of construction in June 2019:

  • Less than a week after town voters approved a $213 million debt exclusion to construct the new school, a complete survey of the entire campus site began on Nov. 14 and ran through Nov. 30.
  • The geothermal test wells will run through Jan. 11, 2019
  • On the same day as the drilling commenced, a trailer housing the project team was moved into the rear of Belmont High School and will remain through June 2019 when construction of the site begins.
  • And the day after the school goes on winter recess, the entryway to the Wenner Field House – from the outside doors near the weight room to the field house – will be closed as the ceiling is removed and fireproofing abatement begins, lasting until New Year’s Eve 2018. 

As for the derricks on the rugby field, three geothermal wells will be installed around the existing Belmont High School for testing. A closed loop HDPE pipe will be installed inside the borehole and the borehole will be completely grouted to form the geothermal well and thermal conductivity testing will begin. A temporary manhole cover will be set over each of the geothermal wells and the area around will be restored upon completion.

Community Preservation Gives Thumbs Up To Four Hopefuls

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Photo: The Belmont Police Station which will receive $787,000 of CAC funding.

The Community Preservation Committee has given its nod of approval to half of the applications requesting funds from the committee in the fiscal year 2019 cycle.

While the ultimate say on which of the eight applicants will be funded will be determined by Town Meeting at the annual gathering in May 2019, a thumbs up from the committee is an influential endorsement with many Town Meeting Members.

With the applicants requesting a total of $2.7 million and the committee with $2 million to distribute, the committee’s OK could be the difference from seeing projects get underway and those pushed off until next year.

The four which won committee approval on Wednesday, Dec. 12 were:

  • Preservation and restoration of vegetation at Clay Pit Pond; $20,0000
  • Habitat preservation through the control of non-native and invasive plant infestations; $25,400
  • Belmont Police Station conditions study and design; $787,575.10
  • Community Path phase 1b design from the Clark Street Bridge and Brighton Street; $1 million

The sum of the approved projects tops $1,832,975, leaving a minuscule $168,025 for the remaining four, including:

  • Town Field playground restoration: $700,000
  • Payson Park bandstand: $50,000
  • Restoration of the Belmont Clock Tower at First Church Belmont: $66,250
  • Town Hall slate roof: $75,000

For three of the applications – Town Field, Clock Tower and the slate roof – the committee requested more information on aspects of the project. i.e. is there any church/state legal issues involving using CPC funds to rebuild a portion of a religious building. 

The application which solicited the most quires from the committee was the Payson Park bandstand which will protect the bands and groups playing at the Payson Park Music Festival. Commissioners said they were wary of assertions by sponsor Tomi Olsen of town departments partnering with her to build and manage the bandstand, which officials disputed.

 

Yardemian Breaks Single-Game Points Record As Boys, Girls Hoops Down Lexington

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Photo: Danny Yardemian after scoring his record-breaking 46th point.

The first Girls’/Boys’ Basketball Friday Night doubleheader saw a record fall and Belmont’s teams gather their second wins at Lexington on Friday, Dec. 14.

Boys’: Danny Goes For 46, Belmont cruises late

If there was one word that would describe senior guard Danny Yardemian night against Lexington, it would be “drive.”

As in drive from the top of the key, drive along the baseline, drive at players and drive to the hoop. By the end of the night, Yardemian drove past Belmont’s long-standing single-game points record of 44 points – held by three players – as the league all-star hit for 46 leading the Marauders to an 89-73 victory over a physical Lexington squad. 

Danny’s night included 19 baskets, a single 3, and five free throws in a demonstration of consistency, scoring 13, 13 and 14 points in the first three quarters before coming out with 6 in the fourth. Lexington’s defensive approach to Yardemian led to the majority of his points coming off the dribble.

Saying that his usually reliable mid to long-range jumpers are not yet falling, “[Lexington was] giving me the inside and I took it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” he said

When asked about Yardemian’s record-breaking performance, longtime Head Coach Adam Pritchard nonchalantly called it “a pretty good night.” 

“He should have scored 50,” quipped Pritchard. “I could have gotten 60 if I knew how to shoot free throws,” said Yardemian. 

After dispatching a young Wilmington team, 99-44, on the road Tuesday in the season opener, Belmont came to the Lexington High School gym for a step up in competition as the Minutemen overpowered Stoneham, 81-56, in its opener. And it was a matchup of the Minutemen’s strength and height against Belmont’s speed and having the better one-to-five on the floor. Given the inside with a single defender assigned to him, Yardemian started early, scoring 13 points as his teammates contributed 11 in the first quarter while Lexington relied on its big presence at center, senior Kase Cronin (8 points in the first eight minutes, 18 points for the game) on the inside and guards junior Will Amsler and senior Jazin Ayala (16 points each) from the perimeter. 

Belmont’s opportunist defense jumped into passing lanes and setting up under its basket would keep Lexington trailing by 7 to 9 points for most of the second quarter with senior Ben SSeruwagi and sophomore Tim Minicozzi (11 points each) assisting Yardemian who put up his second 13 point quarter to propel Belmont a 50-41 halftime lead.

Lexington would cut the Marauders’ advantage with a big and tall lineup to four in the second half, but just as quickly Yardemian was there to take on single and double defenders to score. In the third, he began calling for the floor to the cleared to allow him to either make his now patient drive or pass to a teammate such as this year’s discovery, sophomore Preston Jackson-Stephens (7 points) who left his mark on both ends of the court, with hard-nose defense under the boards and a steady stroke from outside that included a killer 3 in the final quarter. 

Belmont blew the game wide open after the Minutemen closed the gap to 68-64, going on a 13-0 run from late in the third to midway into the fourth quarter. Shortly after he broke the record, Yardemian was taken out to receive a well-deserved round of applause.

“I have to credit coach and team,” said Yardemian. “They attracted defenders, and I got one-on-ones.”

While only two games into the season, Belmont is currently averaging an NBA-like 94 points a game with Yardemian at a 31 PPG clip. Belmont takes on Stoneham at home on Tuesday and Winchester on Thursday. 

Girls Hoops Takes The Measure of the Minutemen

In the near past, a visit to Lexington was hardly a pleasant experience when the Minutemen possessed a scoring machine named Anna Kelly, she who holds the Wenner=omml Field House scoring record with 54 points. But recently, a trip to this neighboring town has resulted in happier outcomes.

On Friday, in the matinee of the doubleheader, the Marauders used a suffocating defense to run away from the Minutemen to secure a workmanlike victory, 58-29, to go to 2-0 in the Middlesex League.

“I still don’t think our offense is where it should be, but then you don’t want to play your best at this time of the season,” said Melissa Hart, Belmont’s head coach.

After trailing 2-1 in the first minute, it was all Belmont for the remaining 31 minutes as the team used its overall speed to produce a steady stream of steals while forcing bad shots as the Marauders outplayed the hosts, 34-9 in the first half. Seniors Meghan Tan (9 points) and Jane Mahon sparked the offense in the first quarter with 7 and 4 points respectively after freshman starter Nina Minicozzi hit a long-range bucket for a three for the second game running.

Sophomore Maiya Bergdorf scored 9 of her 14 total points in the third quarter to lead the Marauders in scoring. The final half was less than thrilling as both teams appeared to emphasize defense and passing than reverting to schoolyard play. 

One downside in Belmont’s win was the return of an old bugaboo that the Marauders hadn’t seen for the past three years; missed free throws as Belmont went 8 for 18 from the charity stripe.

Belmont will be on the road Tuesday in Stoneham and Thursday with the boys’ at home vs. Winchester.

Guden’s 5 Point Night Secures Home Opener Win For Belmont Girls’ Hockey, 5-2, Over Medford

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Photo: Belmont’s Katie Guden scoring her third and game-winning goal.

The first half of Belmont High Girls’ Ice Hockey home opener at the “Skip” on Thursday night, Dec. 13 was all Medford High as the Mustangs held a 2-0 lead and were peppering the Marauders’ goal with scoring opportunities galore.

The second half was all Belmont’s Katie Guden. The junior forward would put on an offensive show having a part in all of the Marauders five goal in Belmont’s 5-2 victory over the Medford. After opening the season with an away win at Burlington, 5-4, the night before, Wednesday, Dec. 12, Belmont, under head coach Ken Murphy, now stands at 2-0-0.

Number 14 – the same numeral Guden wears as the all-star quarterback of the field hockey team – tallied four goals (one an empty net) and assisted on senior Morgan Chase’s marker leading the Marauders in a four-goal outburst in the final period.

After surrendering a pair of first period goals to Medford’s Brenna Forbes and Elizabeth Lazzaro, Belmont appeared still a bit discombobulated against the speedy Mustang forwards heading into the second period.

Belmont would turn it around by taking advantage of the power play as Guden popped in her first six seconds before the midpoint of the game at 7:36. The Marauders then survived going two down shortly afterward and took control of the game. Just three minutes into the third, Guden found space between the dots at the top of the slot to snap it by Medford’s goalie Terrell Pesaturo to knot the contest at two. Less than four minutes later, it was Guden getting her hat trick by sweeping around the net and back to the slot to wrist the shot high stick side to give the Marauders the lead. The senior nearly made it four a minute later as she “clanged” a shot off the post.

Trailing for the first time in the game, Medford found their energy again but Belmont’s senior goaltender Amanda Hanley sprawled to her left to take a puck off a stick at the side the goal. 

Belmont put the home opener beyond reach when Chase scored off a centering pass by Guden with two-and-a-half to play. Guden ended her big night with an empty-netter – with the assist from her field hockey teammate senior defense Jordan Lettiere – while finishing the game with nearly a “Gordie Howe hat trick” ending up in the box ’til the buzzer for a high stick.

Belmont will be at home Saturday, Dec. 15, for a 1 p.m. matinee facing Wilmington which is coming off a stunning upset of perinatal Middlesex League and state top 5  Woburn, 3-1.

Join Belmont Open Sings’ Holiday Tradition Performing Handel’s ‘Messiah’

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Photo:
 
One of the great musical traditions in Belmont will take place Sunday as Powers Music School’s Belmont Open Sings will perform the holiday-favorite, Handel’s “Messiah.” All singers and community members are welcome to join Powers Music on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont St.

The performance is conducted by Belmont Open Sings Artistic Director Mary Beekman who will lead the musicians and the chorus made up of the audience in the great work. All ages are welcome, and the school encourage singers to bring your family and friends to enjoy these masterpieces together.

Tickets: $10 per person; No reservations needed. 

Belmont Open Sings next performance will take place on Sunday, March 31, with Handel’s “Utrecht Te Deum and Jubilate”

Next Year’s Property Tax Rate Falls But Bill Continue Skyward As ‘Average’ Belmont Home Nears $1.1 Million

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Photo: An “average” Belmont home that recently sold for $1.1 million (and it’s a ranch!)

Belmont Board of Selectmen Chair Adam Dash said that next fiscal year’s property tax rate approved by the board Thursday morning, Dec. 13 isn’t that onerous compared to charges imposed in other Massachusetts city and towns.

“It’s our housing values that are high,” said Dash, focusing on the annual dichotomy of where lower tax rates result in raising taxes for Belmont’s property owners after the Belmont Board of Assessors presented its analysis of Belmont real estate valuation during its annual tax classification hearing before the Selectmen.

Robert Reardon, long-time chair of the Board of Assessors, announced that Belmont’s fiscal ’19 property tax rate – which begins on July 1, 2019 – will be set at $11.67 per $1,000 assessed value, a reduction of nearly half-a-buck from the fiscal ’18 rate of $12.15.

But the average quarterly bill isn’t shrinking with the new tax rate as the total assessed value of property in Belmont shot up to $7.947 billion from $7.497 billion in fiscal ’18 as home buyers continue to clamor into the “Town of Homes.” 

The healthy increase in Belmont property values also pushed up the average residential home value to $1,090,000, a jump of a little more than 8 percent or $86,000 in 12 months. “Incredible,” said Selectman and lifelong Belmont resident Mark Paolillo upon hearing what the new “average” has become.

With home prices increasing at a steady clip, the annual tax bill in fiscal ’19 on an average assessed valued property ($1,090,000 x $11.67) will be $12,720.30, an increase of $525 from the $12,195.56  in fiscal ’18.

And the town is squeezing every last drop of taxes from the levy; by taking in $89.25 million, it is leaving only $4,003.08 of excess capacity “on the table,” said Reardon. 

When Selectman Tom Caputo asked how the new 7-12 school building on the site of Belmont High School will impact tax assessments, Town Treasurer Floyd Carman said the nearly $215 million debt exclusion will be phased in over three years beginning in fiscal 2020. The town is expected to borrow between $85 to $90 million in long-term borrowing in the first two years with taxes on an average home increasing by $680 each year. The final year will be short-term bonds in the $25 million to $30 million range.

“Think $1,800 plus” total increase on the average property in taxes by the start of fiscal 2022, “assuming we keep our [triple A] bond rating,” said Carman.

As in past years, the assessors’ recommended, and the selectmen agreed to a single tax classification and no real estate exemptions. Reardon – who is director of Cambridge’s Assessing Department – said Belmont does not have anywhere near the amount of commercial and industrial space (at must be least a minimum of 20 percent, said Reardon) to creating separate tax rates for residential and commercial properties. Belmont’s commercial base is 3.9 percent of the total real estate.

“Every year, the layperson ask us why we don’t increase the commercial rate, and the reason is that is such a small, small impact,” said Reardon. If Belmont increased commercial rates to the maximum limit under the law, those tax bills would jump on average by $6,350 while residential taxes would fall to $381, placing an unfair burden on commercial owners and their renters “and make Belmont a less desirable town.” 

“People always assume there’s more money if you go with the split rate when it really is just shifting the cost to the commercial side,” Reardon said.