A Sleepy Special Town Meeting In Belmont As All Articles Pass By Wide Margins

By Leave a Comment

Photo A view of the new Belmont Public Library that will open in the fall of 2025

No controversy, no post-11 p.m. debates, and no problems.

In an efficient and timely manner, Belmont’s town legislative representatives approved five articles by a wide margin at the Fall Special Town Meeting held over two nights, November 29-30.

Not that there was any foreseen trouble from articles that included a compromised agreement on the future use of leaf blowers, three “housekeeping” financial items, and the reaffirmation of the will of the voters who passed a debt exclusion to build a new town library.

On night one of ”the special,” the body heard a proposed general bylaw to ban gasoline-powered leaf blowers. The impetus for the new regs came after residents stuck at home during the Covid pandemic began complaining to the Select Board about the noise from multiple blowers used by landscape businesses at all daytime hours, including early weekend mornings.

While initial public meetings and Select Board discussions on a bylaw pitted those residents who wanted to limit the noisy and polluting machines and small landscaping businesses who saw the ordinance hurting their bottom line, and residents who find the blowers are far more efficient than picking up a rack.

A first attempt to bring a proposed bylaw to the annual Town Meeting was scrapped as the June warrant was oversubscribed, and the wording was less than ideal. During the summer, Select Board member Roy Epstein and members of the Warrant and Energy committees brought representatives of both sides – including landscape owner Dante Muzzioli – to hammer out a compromise, allowing landscapers to continue to use the equipment until a certain date.

“If you’ve read the bylaw, you’ll see it has several provisions that seem complicated, but the overall intent is actually quite straightforward,” Epstein told the meeting.

With both sides aligned with the fact that gas-driven blowers “produce wall penetrating noise and pollution that is incredible,” according to the Energy Committee’s Claus Becker, under the bylaw, ”in a few years all the leaf blowers in town will be a lot quieter and won’t be stinking up the neighborhoods.” Becker pointed out that communities across the country have established bans on gas blowers and that California – a trendsetter for the country – is banning the sale of this equipment in the next two years.

The Warrant Committee’s Geoff Lubien detailed the provisions in the new bylaw:

  • A ban on gasoline-powered leaf blowers starts in January 2026. The three-year” runway” for the end of gas blowers will correspond with technological improvements to electric-powered blowers, thus building a cushion to give homeowners time to switch. ”We feel this is a reasonable time horizon to give everyone to adjust,” said Lubien.
  • The Select Board will appoint an enforcing person. The property owner or property manager – not the operator – will be the responsible party when considering violations of the bylaw. Belmont Police Chief James McIssac believes the police should not be asking for identification from landscaping employees, many of who are undocumented workers. “I don’t want to put my officers in that situation. I don’t think that is the type of community we are,” said McIsaac.
  • A first violation will be a written warning; subsequent violations will see a citation issued.
  • Commercial landscape businesses will prohibit gas blowers at residential properties – single-family homes and condos and two to eight-unit multi-family – from May 13 to Sept. 30. ”Most noise complaints were coming from the dense residential areas,” said Lubian. The dates were chosen because grass and leave debris are the lightest and can be cleaned up with electrical blowers.
  • Commercial properties – town and public school-owned land, cemeteries, state property (such as Beaverbrook), MBTA property, churches, private schools, golf courses, and large apartment complexes such as Royal Belmont – were to be allowed to use blowers until 2026. An amendment to the article by John Robotham (Precinct 2) would add commercial properties to be added to the residential restrictions. While the amendment was not backed by the group or the Select Board, it narrowly passed by 124 to 114 with nine abstentions.
  • There will now be a limit on the number of blowers of any type used simultaneously on residential property; the number will be determined by the size of the lot. This provision will continue after gas blowers have been banned.

The debate of the amended article was lively regarding how effective the enforcement of the new bylaw will be, with a few members demanding from Epstein just how beneficial eliminating gas blowers would be to the environment and to residents hearing.

With the debate completed, the article passed 205 yes, 44 nos, and four abstentions.

On night two, Town Meeting was asked to authorize the borrowing of $34.5 million to demolish the existing building, create architectural drawings, and construct the new 42,000-square-foot structure on the current site. The library debt exclusion was passed by Belmont voters in the state election on Nov. 8 by a 1,800 vote margin.

The reason Town Meeting is required to vote on the debt exclusion that was approved by the voters is because each are “two different things, said George Hall, Belmont’s town counsel. Town Meeting is the appropriating authority to allow the town to borrow the $34.5 million while the voters approved that the principal and interest on the debt could be assessed as additional taxes over and above the level limit imposed by Prop 2 1/2. So both need to be passed to allow for the project to move forward.

The article’s presentation by Kathy Kethane, vice-chair of the Board of Library Trustees, and Clair Colburn of the Belmont Library Foundation noted that $5 million of the project’s total cost of $39.5 million would be paid for from fundraising.

With the feasibility study and schematic designs completed, the project calendar for the project is:

  • Starts immediately the design development phase in which the schematics design is refined; there will be public forums during this phase.
  • Construction documentation phase will come after the design development is complete.
  • There will be a competitive bid process for a construction firm to be hired when construction docs are complete.
  • Breaking ground will occur in the first quarter of 2024 with an 18-20 month construction period.
  • The grand opening of the new library will occur in the fall of 2025.

While most of the town meeting members expressed enthusiastic support for the article, a handful of members sought to convince their fellow legislators to spurn the will of the voters and reject the appropriation. Chief among of those members was Paul Looney (Precinct 7), who launched an 11th-hour campaign to defeat the debt exclusion. Looney did not curry the favor of the members when he suggested that most were not as informed as he was on the library’s impact to the town’s finances. (Precinct 7 voted 885 to 544 in favor of the library debt exclusion)

“Based on my personal conversation with well over 100 residents, I can tell you that non of them has a clue about the Collins’ report or the $8 million structural deficit projected for fiscal year 2024. Many are confused by what a structural deficit means. It’s easy to vote for something when you don’t know what may be lurking behind the curtin. I believe most voters fell in that catagory,” said Looney, who said library supporters used a campaign of “fear” that the current structure is a fire hazard.

Chris Grande (Precinct 1) said with the town’s current fiscal” position is “subobtionial and a plethora of other critical financial needs he would vote no. (Precinct 1 voted 901 to 594 in favor of the library). While “respecting” the large margin the library won in his own precinct and in town, Grande said the voters seemed “a bit out of touch” as there are budgetary issues that voters did to consider which he believes they didn’t when casting their ballots. They included contracts for public safety employees, the expenses of using an out-of-town rink due to the current ice skating rink breaking down, and an expected Prop 2 1/2 override in the next few years, and funding the town’s pension contribution.

“Interest rates are high. Inflation is high. We really can’t afford this,” he said in conclusion.

Most meeting members found the arguments from both Looney and Grande to be wanting. Adriana Poole (Precinct 1) said the article being voted on was not if Belmont voters were educated enough about the issues related to the library when they submitted their ballots on Nov. 8. “It’s about respecting the wishes of the voters. The trust they pit in us as their representatives to carry on this issue and finalize the project.”

Heather Brenhouse (Precinct 7) said “it’s dangerous to present our voters as being uneducated on these issues” as her interaction with residents found them to be informed and engaged in the debate. “We’re either going to be throwing good money after bad if we delay this project or we’re going to invest in our future like the voters have already voted for.”

The vote to approve the article comfortably received more than the 2/3 needed for passage: 228-27-8

On Tuesday, the special meeting was suspended to allow a special town meeting within the special town meeting – ”Special Town Meeting 2” – to vote on three financial articles which were seen as housekeeping

  • Article 1: Raise and appropriate $284,000 to add to the Fiscal Year ’23 Recreation Department budget. This was an example of having to spend money to make money: Since the easing of the Covid-19 restrictions, enrollment in Rec Department programs and sports has grown exponentially. The funds will allow the department to hold the programs this fiscal year, resulting in a spike in fee revenue. Passes 235-5-8.
  • Article 2: Reduce the town’s fiscal ’23 budget’s principal debt and interest line item from $15,778,851 to $15,243,002. This is an oops article; the town miscalculated its original budget.This technical change will lower taxes, so it passed 248-0-1.
  • Article 3: An off-cycle Community Preservation Committee appropriation; the committee approved a total of $266,300 to repair Town Hall’s slate roof. This has been an ongoing issue for the CPC.

Belmont High’s Fenway Football Dream Dashed By Watertown, 21-7, In Centennial Clash

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Fenway Park was the setting for the centennial clash between Belmont and Watertown

There was only one appropriate location to play the centennial game in the long Belmont/Watertown football rivalry. And in the Boston area, that would be historic Fenway Park.

While Marauders would fall in the game, 21-7, on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns by Watertown’s running back William McHugh, the event was a once in a lifetime experience for the teams and fans who ventured into Boston’s Back Bay on the day before Thanksgiving.

Photo: Brandon Fitts

With only passing clouds and temperatures in the high 40s, the pregame atmosphere was loud and joyous, with teens and kids banding about the “lyric little bandbox of a ballpark,” with the Belmont High marching band performing the greatest hits. The Belmont and Watertown police departments joined in a combined color guard, as did the chorus’ from the high schools to sing the National Anthem. A highly successful pregame event hosted by Belmont Police Chief James McIssacs raised funds for the Junior Marauders, the middle school football program where most of the high school players get their start in the sport.

Photo: Brandon Fitts

The hundreds of fans filled nearly the entire Red Sox side stands, with the Watertown contingency making up most of the spectators. But with everyone preparing for the long Thanksgiving holiday and the accompanying meal, the supporters and students from both schools were in good spirits for the 100th meeting between the border rivals.

It was a game that, by appearance and talent, Belmont (4-6) held the advantage: larger offensive and defensive lines led by junior Max Cornelius and senior Asa Rosenmeier, an all-star running back in junior Adrien Gurung, and three quick receivers – seniors Ben William and Chris Cogliano and junior Brian Logan – that towered over the defensive backs covering them.

Photo: Brandon Fitts

While Watertown (7-4) had suffered four consecutive losses in their final five games, two of the Raider’s losses were to Super Bowl-bound opponents – Stoneham and Wakefield – and its run-centric offense had McHugh and Payton Andrade, the Raiders’ go-to backs who were the ground forces along with senior QB Johnny Cacace, the son of Watertown’s Head Coach John Cacace.

Watertown started the game with a promising drive – which included converting a fourth down near midfield – before a sack and a near interception forced a fourth and 15 from the Belmont 31, which the Raiders failed to make with six minutes on the clock. Belmont’s first time with the ball saw junior QB Jayden Arno find junior Bryce Hubbard to the Watertown 25, only to be negated by a false start.

Photo: Brandon Fitts

After receiving a punt, Watertown started from its 31 and drove the field on its second six-minute-plus drive, scoring when the Watertown’s coaches son, Cacace, rounded the right corner and carried a Belmont defender nine yards into the end zone with 6:31 left.

Belmont would have its own impressive drive, including converting its own fourth down. A series of runs brought the ball to the six-yard line with a first down but only 39 seconds remaining. And it appeared that Belmont had squandered its chance as time ran out when Arno ran out of bounds on the 5-yard line. But a late hit personal foul on Watertown gave Belmont one final play in the half at the 1-yard line with zeros on the clock.

When Belmont needed a short conversion throughout the season, they placed Rosenmeier, the 6’5”, 300 lb USA Rugby U18 National team player and the anchor of the Belmont offense/defense lines, in the backfield and dared the other team to stop him. The outcome was a given as Rosenmeier barreled over center into the end zone to knot the score at seven at halftime.

The third quarter saw Belmont’s defense start on the right foot, halting Watertown with a sack. Belmont could only advance the ball five yards, and a short punt had Watertown starting at their 44 midway through the quarter. Watertown then would go on a grinding, time-consuming drive where the Raiders’ gained big chunks of territory on each attempt. It appeared Belmont had finally stopped the Raiders’ with Watertown facing a fourth and three yards to go from the Belmont 11 when the quarter ended.

Rather than attempt a field goal, Watertown’s McHugh swept around the right side to the Belmont two-yard line. McHugh scored on his second attempt to give the Raiders’ a 14-7 lead. Belmont faced a third and one at its 45 when G. broke a 20-yard romp up the middle to bring the ball to the 35. But unlike Watertown’s success on fourth down, Belmont could not convert a fourth and three yards from the 29-yard line with six minutes remaining. The Marauders’ defense immediately stiffened, putting Watertown into a second down and 14. But a ten-yard pickup and two yards on third down had Watertown facing a fourth down and one yard at its own 47-yard line with two minutes remaining on the clock.

But once again, Watertown could not be stopped on fourth down. With the clock winding down, Belmont could hope for a quick stop, but McHugh would take the next play up the gut of the Marauder defense and sprint untouched 55 yards into the end zone with 1:41 remaining. An interception sealed the game, and the celebration began on the Watertown side while Belmont sat near the Green Monster to discuss the game.

Watertown currently leads the series, 50-45-5. Belmont will need to wait 366 days before it gets a chance to begin a winning streak as the game returns to Thanksgiving day, next year at Victory Field in Watertown.

Assessors Fill Open Seat With Life-Long Belmontian

By 1 Comment

Photo: The new line-up, (from left) Charles R. Laverty, Robert P. Reardon, Patrick Murphy with Dan Dargon, the Assessing Administrator

The Belmont Board of Assessors has a complete line-up as life-long Belmont resident Patrick Murphy was appointed by the Belmont Select Board to take the seat formerly held by Charles Clark who resigned early in November.

Born and raised in Belmont, Murphy is a Lexington-based residential real estate attorney for the past 20 years with extensive negotiation skills which he believes will be helpful when drawing up contracts as the town prepares to take on several real estate projects.

“I also represent buyers and sellers on a daily basis in town so I see what values are at … which will also help me when we assist people seeking an exemption,” said Murphy.

“He’s what we’re looking for and that is someone with a real estate background,” said longtime chair Robert Reardon. “He knows the town very well, all the nooks and crannies and we are fortunate to have him as a temporary appointment to the board.”

Murphy said he will throw his hat into the ring and seek to win election in April to serve a full three year term on the board.

Composed of three members, the Board of Assessors is responsible for the administration of a wide range of state laws pertaining to “ad valorem” taxation, maintains and updates the information pertaining to all residential, commercial/industrial and personal property, while also administer the Massachusetts state motor vehicle excise tax.

The board will also recommend to the Select Board the residential and commercial tax rate at the annual classification hearing in December.

Social Action Holiday Gift Fair On Sunday, Dec. 4, At The First Church

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Find your holiday gift and help do good for others

Do your holiday shopping and help others at the same time!

The First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist at 404 Concord Ave. is hosting a Social Action Holiday Gift Fair on Sunday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Free parking. Masks are recommended.

Find gifts for everyone on your list by choosing from an array of products featuring the work of both local and international artisans. Items for sale include:

  • paintings and collages,
  • jewelry,
  • calendars,
  • cards,
  • soaps,
  • books,
  • photography,
  • clothing and accessories,
  • children’s items,
  • specialty food items,
  • African and Latin American crafts,
  • kids’ bikes, and more

The items are by talented artists selling their work to support the church’s Social Action Committee or a charitable cause of their choice that is aligned with our UU values.

Get Rid Of Your Cardboard At DPW Drop-Off On Saturday, Dec. 3; 8 AM to 1 PM

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Get rid of all that cardboard in your house

The Belmont Department of Public Works is holding the next in its series of cardboard drop-off event on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Town Yard at the end of C Street off of Waverley.

This event applies to all cardboard and only cardboard.

When you arrive, remain in your vehicle.
All cardboard should be in the trunk or rear of the vehicle. 
All cardboard should be flattened prior to drop off.

There is a $5 fee per vehicle.

Click Here to Register 

Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus Performing ‘en francais’ At Payson Park Church; Sat. Dec. 3, 8 PM

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Rue de Paris, temps de pluie (1877) by Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894) (In the public domain)

The Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus will present an “A French Connection” concert at the Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont St., on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m.

The program, conducted by Barry Singer and accompanied by pianist Amy Lee, features various French poems and texts. The music spans some 550 years, from the 1500s through the present day, and includes pieces by composers from France and elsewhere, including Jean-Phillippe Rameau, Camille Saint-Saëns, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, and Morten Lauridsen.

This will be a free concert; donations are gratefully accepted. The Sanctuary is wheelchair accessible.

We ask that our audience please wear a mask to attend this concert.

To watch our live-streamed concert, please visit our website on Saturday, Dec. 3, at www.psarlington.org  

Belmont’s Ellie Shea Heads To National XC Championships After Winning Northeast Regional

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Ellie Shea (Credit: John Nepolian, New Balance National Indoor)

Last year, then-Belmont High sophomore Ellie Shea stepped off the course at the 2021 national high school cross country championship while racing with the lead pack. Something didn’t seem right, so Shea did the wise choice and decided to wait for another day.

That day comes in less than two weeks as Shea again toes the starting line at the Champs Sports Cross Country – formerly the Foot Locker Cross Country – Championships in San Diego after running away with the Northeast Regional title in historic Van Cortland Park in the Bronx on Nov. 26.

Finishing sixth in last year’s regional, Shea started with the lead pack before upping her tempo and dropping a stellar field by the two-mile mark, widening her lead over the five kilometer (3.1 miles) course before finishing in 17:10.7, a clear 100 meters over second place Karrilynn Baloga of New Windsor, NY who clocked in at 17:24.9.

With the victory, Shea returns to the championships in San Diego where she will meet the top harriers from across the country over the 5km course in Bilbao Park. The race will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10, starting at 9:15 a.m. (12:15 p.m. Eastern)

Watch the National Championship LIVE! on Facebook or Youtube or Twitter

A dual indoor (2022) and outdoor (2021) 5,000 meter high school national champion, Shea has been breaking records – from such stars as Olympian Lynn Jennings and Lesley Welch – from the mile to the 10K on the track and roads in the past six months. In June at Bentley University, Shea lowered her personal best in the 1500 meters to 4:14.35, a state and New England high school record which is the eighth fastest all-time mark in US high school history.

In October, she ran with professional runners in the Boston 10K for Women finishing ninth in 34:11, the 9th fastest 10km road performance in the world this year by women 20 years old and under and the fastest U20 10km in North America this year by nearly two minutes.

Help Wanted, Please! Belmont DPW Director Says Finding Workers Tougher Than Ever Before

By 1 Comment

Photo: Wanted to drive for the DPW?

Once, it was nearly every child’s dream job was to drive a big truck including a snow plow.

Today, Belmont and about every city and town across the country can’t find someone/anyone to drive a municipal truck. In fact, the Belmont DPW can’t get people to join the department, period.

The DPW is desperate to find someone, anyone, to drive its large trucks equipped to clear snow off the roadways this winter.

“We’ve been posting the jobs for a while but we are just getting candidates,” said DPW Director Jay Marcotte to the Belmont Select Board on Monday, Nov. 21.

Last year, when the DPW was down five workers, during both of the heavy snowstorms which required every town department and all the town’s contractors on the streets clearing snow, the DPW “had two trucks sitting in the garage … which means we have to hire more contractors and we pay a premium for those,” said Marcotte.

Currently, the town is seeking anyone – resident or nonresident – with a Commercial Driver’s License to apply.

“I want to avoid idle trucks at all costs,” Marcotte told the board.

But it’s not just drivers where the DPW is coming up short. As of mid-November, the department has ten open positions – two which were the result of cutbacks in last year’s the town budget – which the town just cannot seem to fill.

“Just a few years ago, you’d have a line out the door with applicants. It was considered a way to get your foot into working for the DPW,” said Marcotte after the meeting.

“We though about changing our prevailing wage but I don’t even think that would bring any additional applicants,” Town Administrator Patrice Garvin told the Belmontonian.

Garvin said Belmont is not the only town with a workers shortage. Head over to the Massachusetts Municipal Association jobs site and the list of open positions – for both professional staff and salaried workers – in city and town government is seemingly endless. Marcotte said he has talked to his fellow DPW directors and they are facing the same shortage.

What Belmont is facing is happening across the country: The US has, as the Economist reported, an unemployment problem. Not what we normally associate as too many unemployed; rather there’s not enough people out of work. As taught in Econ 101 (almost certainly using the text book Economics co-authored by Belmont resident Paul Samuelson), when there are too few workers in the market, the demand for them increases and those workers have their choice of who they work for.

Significant factors in this phenomenon was the Covid-19 pandemic that saw many older workers retire, younger people seek entrepreneurial careers and, in Massachusetts, a dip in the population level as the state suffered one of the highest rates of outmigration – 6th largest in the US – in 2020.

The results can be seen throughout the state: popular shops such as Starbucks and local restaurants are closing due to staffing issues, a lack of child care workers limits the number of children a site can take in, and workers are asked to add extra shifts due to the lack of employees.

Marcotte said the real world implications for Belmont of this national trend is residents will see delays in response times for service or less frequent action, while needed infrastructure repairs will be pushed to the side.

“They will feel the affects if we can’t find workers not just during the snow season but as we head into the spring,” said Marcotte.

New Library Borrowing, Leaf Blower Bylaw Highlights Special Town Meetings, Nov. 29-30

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Town Moderator Mike Widmer will lead the Fall Special Town Meeting beginning Nov. 29

The Fall Special Town Meetings – yes, there will be two – will take over two nights, Tuesday, Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 30, each beginning at 6:30 p.m.

On the first night under Article 1, Select Board Chair Mark Paolillo will report on the Collins Center recommendations. Following his report, Town Moderator Mike Widmer will adjourn Special Town Meeting 1 and consider three financial housekeeping articles under Special Town Meeting 2. The “Special, Special” will then be dissolved and the body will resume STM 1 with a discussion of the leaf blower bylaw. That will end the first night.

The only business on night two, Wednesday, Nov. 30, will be the Belmont Library borrowing authorization. Voters on Nov. 8 approved a debt exclusion for a new library by a 1,800 vote margin. The latest estimate on the cost to build the structure is $39.5 million with supporter groups raising approximately $5 million in fundraising.

In June, Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to continue with the three-minute speaking limit that was initially used at this most recent annual Town Meeting. “So that will now be the regular practice,” said Widmer in a discussion with Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

Widmer also asked Town Meeting members “to continue our tradition of civil discourse at Town Meetings.”

“As Belmont’s legislative body, we have a responsibility to air our differences respectfully as we have consistently done in the past. I would also add that this respect should extend to our communications on social media. Our obligations as Town Meeting Members are not confined to Town Meeting itself,” said Widmer.

What’s Open (Coffee, CVS), Closed (Everything Else) In Belmont On Thanksgiving

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Thanksgiving (c. 1935) by Doris Lee (1905–1983), Art Institute of Chicago

Thanksgiving is a national and state holiday – one of only ten recognized by the federal government – and while most businesses along with federal, state and town offices are closed shut. In Belmont, town offices and the library will also be closed on Black Friday. But there are a few places where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen to pick up a coffee or hot chocolate or hit the drug store for whatever reason.

What’s open!

  • Starbucks in Cushing Square (Trapelo and Common) is open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving and 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Black Friday.
  • Dunkin’ at Trapelo Road and Beech Street will be operating under normal hours from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The location on Church Street (in Waverley Square) will be open from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store at 350 Pleasant St. will be open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • CVS at 264 Trapelo Rd. is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. while the pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • CVS in Belmont Center on Leonard Street is operating from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The pharmacy is closed.
  • Star Market in Waverley Square is closed all day.