With Weekend Extreme Temps, Town Opens Beech Street Center, Library Sat., Sun As Cooling Center

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Photo: Beech Street Center. (Town of Belmont)

With the heat index anticipated to top 100 degrees this weekend, the town of Belmont is opening the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., as a community cooling station.

The center will be open Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In addition, the Belmont Public Library at 336 Concord Ave. will be open Friday, July 19 until 5 p.m.; Saturday, July 20 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and Sunday, July 21 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.  

The National Weather Service is forecasting excessive heat starting today, Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 2. Hot temperatures combined with high humidity are expected to create dangerous heat conditions, with the most oppressive conditions expected on Saturday.

High temperatures Friday through Sunday are forecast to be in the 90s to lower 100s, and dew points in the low to mid 70s. Heat index values are expected to reach the mid to upper 90s Friday, 100 to 110 Saturday, and 97 to 105 Sunday, with the highest values occurring on Saturday in eastern Massachusetts.

Below are tips for preventing Heat Related illnesses:

  • Drink Plenty of Fluids

During hot weather you will need to increase your fluid intake. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Popsicles, watermelon, cantaloupe and fruit salads all contain water. Avoid caffeine and alcohol whenever possible.

  • Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen

Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Use a sunscreen product rated at least SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 15 and apply it to all exposed skin at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun.

  • Stay Cool Indoors

Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a shopping mall, public library or community center – even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.

  • Monitor Those at High Risk

Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others.

  • Infants and children up to four years of age are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
  • People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.
  • People who are overweight or obese may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.

Remember, to prevent a heat illness:

  • Avoid direct sun from late morning until 5 p.m.
  • Limit vigorous exercise or chores to early morning or late afternoon
  • Dress in light-colored, loose-fitting clothes
  • Continually drink plenty of water or juice
  • Avoid caffeine or alcohol
  • Eat light meals
  • NEVER, leave children, adults alone in a closed, parked vehicle.
  • For More Information:For more information visit https://www.cdc.gov/features/extremeheat/index.html orhttps://www.mass.gov/service-details/extreme-heat-safety-tips

Road Work Week: Belmont Side Streets Under Repair

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Photo: Paving starts this week.

The first of the streets on the 2019 Pavement Management “hit” list are about to go under the shovel beginning this week.

Starting Tuesday, July 16, and continuing to Friday, July 19 – if the weather holds out – the Town of Belmont’s General Contractor, EH Perkins, will begin asphalt paving on the following streets:

  • Channing Road from Farm Road to Sherman Street
  • Flanders Road
  • Hastings Road
  • Homer Road 
  • Livermore Road
  • Sandrick Road
  • Winn Street from Cross Street to Pleasant Street

They will also pave Brighton Street from the railroad crossing to the Cambridge line

The streets will be closed to traffic for several hours, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., while the pavement cures. Residents and Commuters are advised to seek alternate routes. No on street parking will be available during work hours. 

Vehicular access to driveways will not be available during work hours. On-street overnight parking on side streets will be available for residents affected by the construction.

For any questions or concerns about the project, contact Arthur O’Brien, resident engineer in the Office of Community Development, at 617-993-2665.

Proposed Ice Rink Gets Guideposts Along With A ‘Fast And Furious’ Timeline

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Photo: Town officials speaking on guidelines/time frame for a new ice skating rink in Belmont; (from left) Jon Marshall, Jeffrey Wheeler, Patrice Garvin, Tom Caputo.

During its final meeting until September, the Belmont School Committee voted on Tuesday, June 18 to approve a list of “guiding principles” for a Request for Proposal for a new ice skating rink that will ensure the school district and town will have a significant say in future of the public/private venture.

The list of suggestions that includes size, uses and oversight of the new rink, will provide “potential applicant the freedom to explore a variety of different [design] options,” said Tom Caputo, chair of the Board of Selectmen.

In addition to the guideline, the town presented a very tight timeline going from the release of a draft RFP in early September to finalizing a public/private lease with a selected development team in late November.

“The calendar is critical and that everybody buys into it,” insisted Jeffrey Wheeler, the town’s senior planner who will be working over the next two months with the Town Administrator’s Office and a working group of school committee members creating the RFP.

An anticipated vote on a location of the rink was delayed until after a traffic study is conducted with the aim of determining the best place for the “curb cut” from Concord Avenue.

“We felt that until that was determined, we really couldn’t figure out the place to site the rink,” said Patrice Garvin, Belmont Town Administrator who was joined by Jon Marshall. the assistant town manager who will lead the effort in writing the RFP.

The school committee guidelines include:

• A rink with one and a half sheets of ice is “acceptable” but developers can submit a plan for a single ice sheet.

• developer should minimize the building’s footprint to accomodate three playing fields for high school sports.

• The rink will include between 70 to 90 parking spaces within the site design; the spaces will be available for student parking at the new Middle and High School.

• The need for locker rooms to accommodate the high school teams and can be used for fall and spring sports.

• Ice time will be allocated to the high school teams and reduced rates for Recreation Department programs.

• The developer must submit a financial model to demonstrate financial viability.

• The creation of an oversight committee to secure the terms of the lease are being fulfilled.

While the town will be performing the heavy lifting of creating the proposal with many moving parts, the real challenge is a fast and furious timeline imposed by the town that calls for the approve the RFP, selecting a developer, OKing a lease and then signing a comprehensive public/private agreement all within a tiddy three months.

According to Wheeler, the accelerated timeline starts the day after Labor Day (Sept. 3) with a draft RFP sent to school committee members and the Select Board for edits and review.

It will be followed over the next two weeks by a pair of public meetings (Sept. 10 and 17) for residents input before a final RFP is approved on Sept. 24. A day later, the RFP is out before potential developers who will have a shortened five-week interval to submit a bid to the community development office by Oct. 30.

Just six days later on Nov. 5, the Select Board and the School Committee will select the best proposal followed eight days later on Nov. 13 with Special Town Meeting voting to approve leasing town/school land to a private developer.

Finally, two days before Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), the Select Board and School Committee will award a contract to the winning proposal on Nov. 26.

Construction Underway At New Middle and High School

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Photo: The first heavy equipment on site at Belmont High School.

A friend of Belmont Middle and High School Building Committee member Pat Brusch called shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18 to tell her that she could hear from her home the cacophony of beeping warning sounds from trailers bringing bulldozers and other equipment to the field adjacent Belmont High School.

For Building Committee Chair Bill Lovallo, who relayed the story to the committee on Wednesday, June 19, it was nice to hear that the $295 million school building project was getting underway “right on time.”

The first day of the summer recess for Belmont Schools on Tuesday morning coincides with the start of four-plus years of construction to build the new Belmont Middle and High School.

While the demolition of the brick gateway and sidewalk leading to the now decommissioned Brendan Grant Field along Concord Avenue is the most visible demonstration of work being done on the site, the most significant workout is occurring inside the Wenner Field House where the second floor – the location of the small gym – is being ripped out and reconfigured to include temporary locker rooms. Major work related to the Higginbottom Pool has also started.

Lovallo thanked Belmont Superintendent John Phelan along with interim High School Principal John Brow, Steve Dorrance, director of facilities, Athletic Director Jim Davis and the town’s Department of Public Works for “prepping” the field house and the former playing fields so construction could take place on day one, “all while students were still in the building.”

In other news

The committee approved W. L. French Excavating Corp. of North Billerica to perform all the pile foundation work with the first piles driven in the ground outside the field house in August with an ending date in late October.

The building committee also approved hiring a contractor to record precondition of the exterior of approximately 70 homes within 500 feet of the construction site. Those residents will begin receiving notifications in the next few weeks.

“We just want to make sure we have it documented, not that we are expecting any issues,” said Lovallo.

School Committee OKs Exploring Private/Public Rink Partnership

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Photo: Select Board Chair Tom Caputo and Assistant Town Administrator Jon Marshall.

After the Belmont School Committee voted unanimously Tuesday, June 4 to move forward with a private/public partnership to build a new town skating rink, Select Board Chair Tom Caputo said the vote was the “easy part.”

The hard part, he noted, is coming in two weeks.

With the Select Board likely following the School Committee’s lead supporting the partnership at its Wednesday meeting, Caputo said the next step for the School Committee to providing Town Administrator Patrice Garvin’s office “some guidance” on the size and location of the rink when the town creates a “request for proposal” that developers will bid on.

“Are there some specific things that folks would like to see or hear or investigate in the time that between now and then that would help inform that conversation,” Caputo asked the committee members after voting to explore a public/partner arrangement.

What is going to make this phase of the committee’s work difficult is due to an extremely tight timeline to get all their concerns and suggestions to the town.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” said Caputo, since the work identifying the major issues that need to be resolved to satisfy the committee members that the partnership is doable must be completed in just two weeks when the School Committee meets for the final time until the new school year in September.

Jon Marshall, assistant town administrator noted to the committee, representatives from his office and the Office of Community Development will require at least the summer to write an RFP has the dual challenges of writing a financial worthy project while encapsulating the advice from the School Committee.

“I think that the challenge that we will have, as a group, as we go through this process is putting on the table the hopes and expectations that we have in the RFP and prioritizing them as to non-negotiable to flexible items, and then finding out what we are at the end and then to avoid that area,” said John Phelan, Belmont Superintendent.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the committee members raised several prominent issues they wanted to be investigated, a major one being whether the project requires a regular sized rink with an adjacent half rink to be financially viable.

Another concern the committee wants to place in an RFP is a requirement that the project doesn’t reduce the three playing fields that will abut the new project. Committee member Tara Donner said there should be some effort either in the RFP or during the that supports a rink with ice sheets two levels to reduce the building’s footprint.

Belmont School Committee member Tara Donner

Marshal said it’s likely that the RFP can be written in such a way that bidders will be encouraged to tackle the space of the building and how it impacts the number of fields.

Other issues were the availability of parking, traffic pattern changes with a new structure, and hours of operation needed to support the business plan.

While a number of residents at a public meeting a week previous voiced a myriad of issues with a prink – including pay the rink’s estimated $8 to $10 million price tag – the School Committee was fairly unified in its support to at least thoroughly investigate the private/public proposal over other options.

“[W]e need to at least explore the possibility of this low-cost option,” said Micheal Crowley who said residents have taken on the financial burden of a new school and the likelihood of an override next spring.

While echoing Crowley’s statement, fellow member Andrea Prestwich said her support is conditional with the knowledge that if the proposals do not satisfy the board’s direction and specific worries, “we have the right to say ‘no’.”

Belmont Farmers Market Opens Thursday, June 6, At 2 PM

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Photo: Ribbon cutting Thursday at 2 p.m.

Roy Epstein, Belmont’s newest member of the Select Board, will join Miss Tomato on Thursday, June 6 at 2 p.m. for the ceremonial ribbon cutting, bell ringing and a trumpet fanfare, to celebrate the opening of the 14th season of the Belmont Farmers Market.

Not only will residents and visitors have great local produce, baked goods, dairy, meat and fish, and prepared foods to purchase like all farmers’ markets have, but the Belmont Farmers Market is more.

,There will be storytime, performances for kids and grownups, community information, chats with friends and neighbors, and much more.

VENDORS ON OPENING DAY

  • Produce: C & M Farm*, Common Acre Farm*, Dick’s Market Garden, Hutchins Farm
  • Meat, fish & dairy: Hooked (Red’s Best & Boston Smoked Fish Co), Foxboro Cheese Co., Lilac Hedge Farm*
  • Bread, pastry & sweets: Dulce D Leche, Mamadou’s Artisan Bakery, Mariposa Bakery*, Tick Tock Chocolates*
  • Prepared foods: Del Sur Natural Empanadas, Deano’s Pasta, Just Hummus*, Tex Mex Eats
  • And more: Beverly Bees,*, When Life Gives You Lemons.
  • Indicates a new vendor in 2019. Find out more about all of our vendors.

EVENTS TENT

The market match government benefits to help all families take home great, local food: SNAP (Food Stamps), WIC (for moms & babies) and FMNP (for seniors). Most of our produce vendors accept HIP.

  • 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Music by The Soundchasers
  • 4 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Storytime for kids and grownups. Reading by our friends at the Belmont Public Library
  • 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Music by LBE Brass

COMMUNITY TABLE

  • 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Talk with Mary Beth Calnan, Belmont’s Recycling Coordinator. She can answer questions about Belmont’s plastic bag ban, and about trash, recycling and yard waste pickup.
  • Kim Foster of Community Growing: Plant a seed with your kids to take home while learning about gardening and Belmont Food Collaborative’s Community Growing program.

Ready For Your Close-Up, Mr. Williams

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Photo: Behind the scenes with Mr. Williams at Town Hall.

One, if not the sole, perk of being an ex-Belmont Selectman – if that title can be used one final time – it’s the honor of having a “goodbye” portrait hung in the Select Board Room of Town Hall.

Going back a century, the photos of residents who were elected to the executive branch of town government are placed in perpetuity on the walls overlooking the current members as the proverbial “judge over their shoulder,” giving wise guidance to those following them.

On Tuesday morning, Jim Williams, who served one eventful term on the board, arrived in the board room for his appointment with Belmont photographer Beth Ann Fricker of BAF Photography.

While he selected a more traditional tie rather than his favorite with sharks details, Williams – who is moving to Florida in the next few months – didn’t select a pair of paints for the session. If it’s a portrait they want, shorts will do the job just fine.

It’s not known if fellow ex-Select Board member Sami Baghdady showed up in shorts for his portrait later in the day.

Advise And Consent: Town Meeting Opens Budget Season With Roll Call Q&A

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Photo: Mike Widmer, Belmont’s Town Moderator.

While the second half of Belmont’s annual Town Meeting is dedicated to all things budgets and numbers, the reconvened gathering of the town’s legislative body tonight, Wednesday, May 29, will have the opportunity to give its “advise and consent” on the contentious matter of roll call votes.

The evening’s appetizer is six questions presented by Town Moderator Mike Widmer to the approximately 290 Town Meeting members to obtain an “informal sense” of the body regarding the parameters and procedures for recorded votes.

During the first session of Town Meeting in April, roll calls were requested on a series of votes including several which the articles passed by sizable margins. While many seeking recorded votes said their goal was greater transparency by elected members, others viewed it as “vote shaming” (there’s an app for that) to point out those who made unpopular votes.

The answers to the questions will be “strictly advisory and non-binding” and used to inform Widmer, the Select Board and “others” whether to consider any potential articles on the topic at a future Town Meeting.

The questions include yes or no answers to when an automatic roll call should be used instead of anonymous vote (all the time vs only on close margins) and what is the threshold percentage or number of members needed to have a roll call and whether to use percentages or a member count.

“Town Meeting seems quite divided on the issue of roll calls, some arguing for roll calls on every article while others wanting to raise the 35-person requirement,” said Widmer.

“I have no way of knowing how many support which position and of course there are lots of alternatives beyond these two positions. I think it will be helpful to get a sense of [Town Meeting] in order to develop a proposal with the Select Board to be presented at the fall Town Meeting,” said Widmer.

While the objective of the pre-meeting Q&A is to find the sense of Town Meeting, the decisions could dampen or accelerate citizens petitions seeking to force the issue.

An article at fall Town Meeting on the future of the hows and whys of roll call voting will likely be driven by the Select Board. And so far the three-member board is keeping an open mind on the issue.

“We haven’t made any decision to take any action at this point,” said Tom Caputo, chair of the Select Board at Tuesday’s groundbreaking for the Belmont Middle and High School. “But we’re pleased that [Widmer] is putting those questions in front of town meeting and looking to get their feedback and we’ll take action from there.”

“I think the [Select Board] wants to make sure that we are helping to support town meeting and ensuring that we are both achieving accountability, but also minimizing some of the more acrimonious activities than we’ve seen in in the last couple of Town Meetings,” he said.

Feds Ties Belmont’s Hands Regulating 5G Cell Towers

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Photo: 5G small cell technology is coming whether Belmont likes it or not.

The future of ultra fast, ultra reliable, ultra cool mobile connection is coming to Belmont as a company in alliance with AT&T will present an application to install 5G small cell equipment at two locations in the Belmont Center area before the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, May 14.

But don’t think that Belmont has much said in the matter. New Federal Communications Commission regulations called unprecedented in favoring corporate interests over local municipalities have tied the hands of town officials both here and around the country in any attempt to limit the number, height, and appearance of the hardware.

Just how tall are stand alone “small cell” towers? Try a 50 foot black cylinder pole with a lamp jutting out near the top.

“They are monstrously tall,” said Selectman Adam Dash as he pointed out height can not be challenged under the new F.C.C. regulations.

An example of the poles.

Aesthetically, the towers can appear as a light poll, the supporting equipment can be stored in enclosures shaped like mailboxes or, it can be designed to look like a tree.

With the prospects of the town soon being home to dozens of these new cell stations, the board attempted to dull that impact by voting for a package of “reasonable” restrictions that will pass federal muster.

“This is as good as we’re going to do in the time frame we have as we continue to work on it,” said Dash as the board approved a series of “life/safety” measures at its Monday, May 13 meeting so the town will have some limiting language on the books before Tuesday’s meeting.

Some of the 10 new regulations passed Monday included restrictions on poles in historic districts, they can not be within 10 feet of a house, the color of a new pole must be consistent with existing poles, a structural engineer is required to work on the project, there is no signage on the pole, a series of fees and there can not be cell equipment within 20 feet of each other.

These were the sort of “reasonable” restrictions the town’s counsel said would be defensible if challenged with the F.C.C. restrictions, said Dash who worked on an earlier draft of the regulations before it was reviewed and revised by legal counsel.

“We have some level of urgency to get this passed and then come back and [deal] with this later,” said Dash, adding he “wasn’t thrilled to having to do it quickly but I would rather get this done and then continue the discussion.”

Extenet Systems has applied to put a pole top antenna on one of the ornamental light posts in Belmont Center between 30 – 42 Leonard St. and the other on a Belmont Light light pole at 223 Channing Rd. The small cell antenna are located in an enclosed pod-like unit with the equipment supporting it secured either to the base or midway up the structure.

5G is the next generation of wireless internet which produces far faster speeds than existing cellular connections, allowing for a wide range of applications and uses. (For more see the explanation presented by CNBC.)

And it appears there will be quite a few of these these cell locations. Verizon, which along with AT&T are leading the installation of 5G in the area, noted online that “[W]e’re building a vast network of small cells, because a denser network is a crucial part of 5G Ultra Wideband deployment.”

According to a 2018 New York Times article, the new antennas will be placed an average of 500 feet apart to create complete customer coverage. When installed nationwide, 5G will add nearly one million more cell locations to the already 300,000 wireless cell stations in existence.

The installation rules being used by AT&T and Verizon was part of the F.C.C’s effort to have the US become the leader in 5G use and innovation. The FCC said the rules sought to “ban short-sighted municipal roadblocks that have the effect of prohibiting deployment of 5G.”

The federal rules make it easier for telecom industries to install its equipment by easing local zoning regulations, limiting fees and streamlining the review process. They include placing strict 60 day time limit for the board to make a decision after an application has been submitted.

The Times article noted without local regulations impeding its installation, telecommunications companies will be able to cheaply and quickly build out the system as “they cash in on the $250 billion in annual service revenue from 5G by 2025.”

Early this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit turned down a motion from a group of local governments to stay the F.C.C’s rules on the roll out of 5G technologies.

Those opposing the F.C.C. said local governments should be allowed to set its own regulations regarding the placement of telecom equipment on publicly-owned infrastructure rather than being forced to accept nationwide a one-size-fits-all approach.

The three selectmen said they are not opposed to the arrival of 5G to town, rather there remains a number of very practical questions – who pays for the electricity and running the wire to the pole and should the owner of the pole “be on board” with the placement of the antenna on their property – that need to be answered, said Dash.

During the meeting of the Belmont Light Board – made up of the Board of Selectmen – Belmont Light General Manager Christopher Roy stated he does not want the cell on Light Department structures for a myriad of reasons including the poles were not installed with additional equipment in mind.

“That’s when the rubber will hit the road,” said Dash of Roy’s objection.

2019 Belmont Annual Town Meeting, Segment A, Day 3

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Photo: It’s town meeting

Welcome to possibly (hopefully) the final night of Segment A of the 2019 Belmont Town Meeting being held in the Belmont High School auditorium, Monday night, May 6.

Two big articles await the 290 plus members of Belmont’s legislative body, the first is voting on an extra $3.76 million for the renovation of the Belmont Police headquarters and additions to the Department of Public Works main building.

The second article will be the fourth time Town Meeting will either be debating or voting on changing the tenure of the Town Moderator from one to three years. The first vote was a razor-thin rejection of the article but in a tactical mistake worthy of the French at Agincourt, the “Nos” requested a roll call vote that resulted in accepting the three-year change.

The third time the article came before the meeting was this past Wednesday on a call for reconsideration that seeming laid on the assumption that members weren’t fully informed on the role of the moderator before voting one way or another. The debate along with a more than 90-minute presentation on a non-binding article on the town’s response to climate change resulted in the meeting adjourning past 11 p.m.

Why four bits at the apple on a seemingly non-controversial measure that Mike Widmer, the well-liked and respected moderator for the past 12 years who has come out saying he’d be in favor of whatever the meeting wants? The answer will likely come during the debate.

The under/over that the meeting ends by 11 p.m? 2 to 1 the over.

The meeting is about to start. Here’s the agenda:

7 PM: Reconvene the Special Town Meeting,

Article 1: The DPW/ Police Appropriation.

After the conclusion of the Special Town Meeting, the Annual Town Meeting resumes with the following articles in this order

  • Article 1,
  • Article 11, Community Preservation Community allocations.
  • Reconsideration of Article 10,
  • Article 9

Celtics up 5-3 in the first quarter.

7:06 p.m.: The roll call is being called to check the electronic voting. The question reveals only 2/3 of the meeting is following the Bruins this playoff season.

In a powerful speech from the moderator’s stand, Widmer said he is deeply concerned about “what’s happening with the roll call.” He said people are telling him that “people are feeling intimidated” and none of us should “be shamed” for the votes they take as the roll call is being “weaponize.”

“The fact that our democracy was built on dissent. And if we’re can’t embrace this in this town meeting, then we are in deep trouble,” said Widmer.

“Democracy is not a given,” he said. “

Anne Marie Mahoney is presenting the special town meeting for an added $3.76 million for the $7.9 million renovation of the police headquarters.

Just like the Kentucky Derby, a building project can have unexpected outcomes and the renovation of Police HQ is just like that. And the added funding is due to an added scope of work.

Ted Galante, the project architect, said the best way to do the most efficient building process and provide the most safety for the officers. He speeds through the designs.

Mahoney goes over the relocation of the police at the Water Dept. and the DPW, the trailers and talked about how the police will be traveling to and front the site. It will take 15 months.

Mahoney runs through the financing, a total of $12.5 million and explains that the $1.9 million in contingency which is more than the standard 10 percent. “This is an old building,” said Mahoney and there will be issues that pop up doing this work. If the meeting does not approve the article, it means the entire project must start over with either keep doing costly repairs or build a new headquarters for up to $60 million. Mahoney does her usual masterful job “selling” a project (or passing a budget) that there is cheering at the end of the presentation.

Questions include the energy efficiency of the future building and if the DPW is just as

Jamie Murphy, pct 5, asked why didn’t the building committee know that the scope of work could change resulting in an additional “ask” of $3.76 million, deeming it as a “bait and switch.” Mahoney said that was a “fair” complaint but the added funding comes with more information.

More questions on energy issues with the building, such as electrifying the building rather than using natural gas for heating.

The vote is underway and it passes 223-16.

The special town meeting is ended and the town meeting returns with the Community Preservation Committee requests. There are eight requests and seven projects for funding.

Bob McLaughlin, Pct 2, questions the work of the committee, whether it takes a vote on each of the project or if it simply “check the boxes” on its acceptability under the rules. Another question, who oversees each of the projects to get the best value for the bucks paid.

Now the projects:

  • the historic preservation of the facade of the Belmont Police Station for $787,575.10. Passes on a voice vote, some “nos” out there. 
  • repair of the slate roof at Town Hall, Homer Building and the School District Building for $100,000. Voice vote – overwhelming yes, two or three nos.
  • The request for the clock tower at the First Church is being removed due to some question of separation of church and state and could lead to litigation. Will likely come back next year after more work.

So there is a five-minute break. About time!

  • $1 million for the design of the community path from the Clark Street Bridge to Brighton Street. Selectman Adam Dash going over the history of the community path and its a long one. This is the second request for design work on the complete path, the first was $400,000 for an underpass at Alexander Avenue. The design phase is for the north side of the commuter rail track. “But until we start digging” the path could go back to the south side. But at least the design work is moving forward. A little extra – Belmont is requesting $300,000 from the state’s MassTrails Grant Program; while not a sure thing, it would be great to get to reimburse the town for the design work. A voice vote, all but one vote positive.
  • $60,000 to prepare for construction and bid documents of the Town Field Playground restoration. The cost of construction of the playground and courts will come back next year looking for $640,000. Voice vote, unanimously approved.
  • Payson Park Music Festival Bandstand for $90,000, to protect musicians during the festival concerts. Linda Oates, Pct 6, ask that the request be postponed because it’s not a “gazebo” which she said she supported in the past and that neighbors were not sufficiently informed. “My neighborhood is important to me,” she said. The postponement would last until there is a meeting the neighborhood and abutters. Anthony Ferrante, chair of the Rec Commission, said he was surprised that neighbors were not contacted and if that was the case, he would support a postponement. The vote for postponement passes 208-23.
  • $20,000 for preservation and restoration of vegetation around the bank of Clay Pit Pond. “This has been a disaster from what I see,” said John Robotham, pct 2, “Does anyone know what’s going on?” The path being built around the “pit” is different than the vegetation project. “Why isn’t this project part of the regular town budget?” is asked. Many questions on the effectiveness of such a project, the timing as the new high school is being built and pesticide use. Still passes 157-72.
  • Finally, $25,400 for preserving the meadow at Rock Meadow from invasive vegetation. It is adopted unanimously.

Now for the fourth time: Article 10, the term of office from one to three years for the Town Moderator. Mark Paolillo is taking over as moderator. This debate is if going from one to three years would be a more efficient way of governing.

Mike Widmer speaks why he presented this article. He points out what the duties of the moderator, he appoints four of 30 committees. He talks about the four committees (Warrant, Capital Budget, etc); these are legislative bodies as he acts on the Town Meeting’s behalf. This is done for the separation of powers. When he makes these appointments, he asks several people, Town Meeting members and groups while performing interviews before selecting that person. It is the process that moderators have been performing for years.

The debate comes down to this: those in support of the three-year term is that the moderator doesn’t actually have that much actual power and can be held accountable for their actions. Those who want to keep it at one year is that moderators have too much power and can be unaccountable for their personal whims. It’s interesting that a few members bring up the current political climate (not naming the administration in Washington DC, of course) to defend the one year term.

So the third vote on article 10; yes for three years; a no, one year.

The article is defeated, 141-82. And guess what? A roll call request! Who would have thought! And it passes with 39 votes. There will be no scrolling this time.

So the fourth vote is in and its 139-79 against.

That’s it. I lost my bet by two minutes! At least the Bruins won.