School Committee Race Gets Competitive With Incumbent, Newcomer In The Mix

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Photo: Meg Moriarty and Matt Kraft

It’s now three candidates seeking two open seats on the Belmont School Committee in the annual Town Election as the incumbent chair of the committee and a prominent professor in education submitted the necessary papers to the Town Clerk this past week.

Meg Moriarty is seeking a second three-year term on the board. While in her initial stint on the board, Moriarty has been chair since April 2022, garnering praise from her colleagues on her leadership and collaborative skills when negotiating educators and staff contracts, navigating the district through two budget cycles, managed the transfer to the committee of the new Belmont Middle and High School and helping in the hiring of Dr. Jill Geiser as Superintendent of Belmont School District.

The mother of two who attend Belmont Public Schools, Moriarty runs MegMor Research and Evaluation which helps organizations assess the impact of Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM) programming. The Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member matriculated at Brown and earned her master’s and doctorate in education (science education) from Boston University.

Newcomer Matt Kraft enters the Belmont political scene from academia as a leading scholar in education economics. The St. Louis native is an associate Professor of Education and Economics at Brown University with a focus on efforts to improve educator and organizational effectiveness in public schools. He is also a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

“I care deeply about Belmont public schools because my two children will be in the [Belmont schools] for the next decade,” Kraft said. The schools are at the heart of the town and I am excited tp serve and add a voice that brings experience and knowledge to addressing the challenges we face

Kraft received his B.A. from Stanford while earning a M.A. and doctorate from Harvard. Kraft taught 8th grade English as a long-term substitute teacher in Oakland, CA, while receiving his M.A. than teaching 9th grade humanities at Berkeley High School.

Moriarty and Kraft will join Emerson student Angus Abercrombie on the ballot for the annual Town Election being held on April 2.

Pair Of Historic Wins For Belmont High Grapplers At Annual Brendan Grant Wrestling Tourney [VIDEO]

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Photo: Ava Suistunov and Jaden O’Connor with their first place medals at the 2024 Brendan Grant Memorial Wrestling Tournament

A pair of Belmont High wrestlers made history by winning their weight divisions at the Brendan Grant Memorial Tournament held on Saturday, Jan. 6.

Sophomore Ava Suistunov powered through the competitors to win the 106 lbs. weight division in the inaugural girls’ division competition. Wrestling since she was in kindergarten, Suistunov came to the finals having pinned her first two opponents before scoring early against Jailyn Edmonds of Boston’s Joshua Quincy Upper School, giving up just a single point in her 6-1 victory.

“It was good. Tough competition, obviously,” said Suistunov. “I didn’t give up, and I stuck to my plan in the matches,” she said, as she is looking forward to competing in the postseason.

Senior Jaden O’Connor became the first Belmont wrestler in the long history of the competition to win consecutive Brendan Grant titles as he prevailed at 150 lbs., defeating Seamus Olohan from Catholic Memorial via a pin in the second stanza. Last year, O’Connor took the 145-pound crown.

“It really feels good because last year a lot of people told me the first time was a fluke … and to win the whole tournament again is [great],” O’Connor said.

According to Casey Grant, this year’s contest attracted nearly 600 athletes, the most wrestlers to participate in the annual event over 14 hours in the Wenner Field House.

Belmont first-year student Eva Cohen was Belmont’s third finalist in the meet. A football team member who also plays the sousaphone in the band, Cohen took the final distance, losing to Logan Murray of Woburn, 11-1. The Ava/Eva partnership secured third place in the girls’ high school team competition with 44 points.

The Marauders’ varsity scorers included O’Connor, Luke Coelho (3rd place at 132 lbs.), Andre Sweet (4th at 138 lbs.), and Michael Wessman (4th at 120 lbs.), racking up 92 points for 11th place in the team event.

Belmont’s junior varsity squad placed a strong fourth, with Darmir Neal winning the 153.6 lbs. category, Ben Warinner (197.6 lbs.) and Shayan Rostamnezhad (135.9) taking home seconds, and Fergus Williams placing third in the 153.6 weight division.

Once A Holiday Tradition, Cardboard Drop Offs Are No Longer A Gift That Gives

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Photo: Cardboard stacked for recycling (credit: Marek Ślusarczyk or www.microstock.pl)

In recent years, the end-of-the-year holidays in Belmont meant festive meals, family get togethers, presents and cardboard drop off, where the town would take away all their cardboard packages at one for a small fee.

And the drop offs were once as popular as Santa. In January 2021, nearly 350 vehicles waited an hour at the Department of Public Works’ Yard as the town collected 22 tons of cardboard filling five 40-yard long containers, two truck bays and six 6-wheel dump trucks. Just last year, the Belmont Select Board proposed three drop off days before and after Christmas with the expectation of a similar high demand for the service.

Well, this holiday, it appears the Select Board is declaring “bah, humbug” to a new set of drop offs. While there has been initial discussions between the DPW and the town on holding a single event, the Select Board has squashed those plans.

“Cardboard? We’re not going to do it,” said Roy Epstein, chair of the Select Board, who overheard a conversation on the subject before the start of its scheduled meeting. To have that declarative statement coming from Epstein was a bit of a surprise as he himself said, “I was the original advocate of the drop off.”

Epstein pointed out that while the high point of the drop off program occurred during the height of COVID restrictions, circumstances have changed to where “the program has failed the market test ever since.”

Pointing to the most recent events, Epstein said barely 250 of Belmont’s 10,000 households participated in the program as residents have become increasingly happy to cut up or fold their cardboard in the green/blue recycling carts.

“As [DPW Director} Jay [Marcotte] has said many times that people get very personal about their trash. This is one example,” said Epstein.

And the town was not seeing a financial pop from collecting cardboard. While the Wall Street Journal has reported late in 2023 a modest “cardboard comeback,” the limited number of participants and expenses placed on a small producer such as Belmont would require the town to increase the $5 per vehicle fee just to break even, according to Patrice Garvin, Belmont’s town administrator.

“Remember, Select Board members reached into their own pockets to fund the deficit the last few times we had drop offs,” said Epstein. “I don’t see what the advantages are for the town.”

So Long, Mike … And Welcome Back! Long Time Town Employee Retires, Than Is Appointed Belmont’s Tree Warden

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Photo: Recently retired DPW Highway Department Director Michael Santoro receives a gold ceremonial shovel from Select Board members Mark Paolillo (left) and Roy Epstein as Belmont acknowledged Santoro’s 42 years of service.

It’s not everyday when the word “beloved” is used when speaking about a town official. But it is when talking about Mike Santoro, Belmont’s manager of the Department of Public Works’ Highway Division and assistant Public Works Director, who retired Dec. 31 from his post.

Mike Santoro

The soft spoken, life-long resident has served the people of his home town for 42 years, advancing from his first position as a laborer in 1981 to becoming, in 2005, the head of a department responsible for the repair, patching, and maintenance of Belmont’s 78 miles of public streets and roads and 97 miles of paved sidewalks, caring for the town’s sewer lines and storm drain system, and assisting in the care, removal, and replanting of Belmont’s 10,000-plus public shade trees.

And when a winter nor’easter deposited tons of snow on the town’s byways, it was Santoro who would spend days in his cramped, cold office in the pre-renovated DPW building directing an armada of town-owned vehicles and heavy equipment along with dozens of contractors in keeping the roads open.

“First of all, Michael, thank you for your exemplary service for our community. It’s been outstanding and we are going to truly miss you,” said Select Board Member Mark Paolillo at Monday, Jan. 8. “You always had an answer, you always returned our calls and you always have been incredible helpful.”

The proclamation noted Santoro was instrumental in the successful consolidation of the highway, water, cemetery and the parks and recreation departments into what today is the Department of Public Works, all the while working “long tireless hours” taking leadership roles on numerous projects that required a steady hand and a calming voice of experience.

“Michael has set a high standard of commitment and dedication that serves as an inspiration to the citizens of Belmont,” read the proclamation.

So it wasn’t surprising when those attending the meeting gave Santoro a standing ovation.

Santoro was presented with a going away gift from the town; a gold-colored commemorative shovel with an inscription on the shaft: “Michael Santoro. For his many years of Dedication and Commitment to the Department of Public Works. 1981-2023.”

“As I’ve been saying to everyone, it’s not goodbye, it’s ‘I’ll see you later’ because there are other things that I’m gonna try to do around town,” said Santoro, who was accompanied to the meeting by his wife, Susan, children and family.

No truer words were spoken as the next item of business before the board was naming a new town tree warden: Mike Santoro.

“There is no rest for the weary,” said Board Chair Roy Epstein.

After the retirement of Tom Walsh in July 2021, the warden post had been vacant with DPW Director Jay Marcotte acting as interim tree warden with Santoro assisting in the field. In the past months, Santoro completed the necessary training to be certified by the state to hold the position.

Precinct 1 Voters New Polling Location At Temple Beth El During Belmont Library Construction

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Photo: Beth El Temple Place

Beginning with the Massachusetts Presidential Party Primaries on March 5, voters reciding in Precinct 1 will be casting their ballots at Temple Beth El Center located at the corner of Concord Avenue and Blanchard Road on the Cambridge/Belmont line.

The move is required with the pending demolision of the Belmont Public Library, the tradition home for Precinct 1. Speaking before the Select Board on Monday, Jan. 8, Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman said the two had considered two possible locations, Beth El and All Saints’ Church on Common Street, to relocated the polling place. But it was soon evident that Beth El, at 2 Concord Ave., was a superior site as it has ample parking and a large community room to accomindate the voting stations. The temple is declining a fee and will provide signage during elections.

“There is great handicapped access … and nice and secure separate spot for us. So we’re thrilled that they were so kind [to become a polling place,] said Cushman.

Belmont Woman’s Club Free To Manage Its 11 Parking Spaces As It Deems Fit

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Photo: The Homer House’s parking spaces.

In a split decision, the Belmont Planning Board voted to allow the Belmont Woman’s Club to manage “on their own” the 10 parking spaces and single handicapped space located at the historic Homer House across from Belmont Town Hall at 661 Pleasant St.

“I believe it’s the Woman’s Club property [and] they should be able to manage that parking spaces as they wish,” said Planning Board Chair Jeffrey Birenbaum. He called the decision a “minor modification” to the former parking lot use plan approved by the Planning Board in July 2021 which restricted the lot’s use “to Women’s Club activities and functions.”

The new language states that parking “to allowed the Belmont Women’s Club to utilize their on-site 10 parking spaces plus one handicapped for them to handle.” If any problems arise with the change in status, the Club would be required to meet with the Building Department and later with the Planning Board.

Daytime parking at the Town Hall lot – which includes the School Administrative building and several town departments in the Homer Building and Town Hall – is currently a tight fit. When the lot is full, visitors and staff are required to use on-street parking – which has time restrictions – or travel to the municipal parking lot on Claflin Street.

And it appears the Woman’s Club spaces may have an interested party to claim the lot. Town Planner Chris Ryan said he had conversations with Town Administrator Patrice Garvin expressing that “it would be fine to have town staff parking there,” albeit a memorandum of understanding would need to be negotiated to identify any possible issues, a stipulation the Club’s President Wendy Murphy said would be “very easily” completed.

“I think one of the concerns that [residents] had was some of the town staff were parking on the sides of the driveway,” said Ara Yogurtian, the Planning Board’s staff member, who advised writing in the decision and MOU that parking can only occur in the designated spaces.

Yet the decision was not unanimous. Planning Board Member Thayer Donham reminded the board that “we had a lot of meetings on this case and … a lot of history to get to the original decision.” Donham believes that a new shared parking use should not be granted unless the club returned to the Planning Board with a new application.

“I just don’t feel comfortable overturning it,” said Donham, who was the sole “no” vote in the 3-1 decision.

But Birenbaum, noting the town bylaws does speak on accessory use of shared parking spaces including a lot used by town departments.

“I don’t think what I’ve read … that we need to come down with a hard hammer and say they need special permits or they can’t use their lot.”

Belmont Winter Special Town Meeting: Virtual Session Set For Jan. 22 On Board Of Assessors

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Photo: The current board of assessors (from left) Charles R. Laverty, Robert P. Reardon, Patrick Murphy with Dan Dargon, the Assessing Administrator

A winter Special Town Meeting is all set as the Belmont Select Board opened and closed the warrant for an all-virtual meeting assembly dedicated to a single proposition: to transition the Board of Assessors from an elected to an appointed council.

The fully remote meeting will occur on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The article awaiting the members originated as a citizen petition from Precinct 8’s Angus Abercrombie for the fall Special Meeting in November. Due to the heavy agenda facing the meeting, Moderator Mike Widmer asked Abercrombie to have the petition moved to the new year, where it would receive the attention it deserved.

A recommendation in a 2022 review of the town’s financial structure by the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, the change in the Board of Assessors structure will bring an essential element in the town’s fiscal structure under the umbrella of the financial director. Earlier this year, the post of Town Treasurer was made an appointed position.

The current board comprises long-time Chair Robert P. Reardon, Charles R. Laverty, III, and Patrick J. Murphy, IV.

Belmont FY ’24 Property Tax Rate Falls But Not Owners Bill; Average Single Family Price Tag Tops $1.6M

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Photo: Assessors Charles Laverty III and Bob Reardon with Assessing Administrator Dan Dargon before the Select Board during the annual property tax rate hearing, Monday, Dec. 4

In what could be the final time an elected Belmont Board of Assessors makes the presentation, the three-member board announced a drop in the fiscal year 2024 property tax rate during its annual property classification tax rate hearing before the Select Board on Monday, Dec. 4.

“The tax rate that’s going to be proposed by the Board of Assessors will be a decrease from a rate [of] $11.24 [per $1,000 of assessed value] for this year, down to $10.57 for fiscal year ’24,” Bob Reardon, the long-time Assessor’s chair, told the Select Board.

While it may initially sound like a windfall for homeowners, members from both boards told property owners not to expect a drop in their bills in the new year. Reardon said the vast majority of the decline of 67 cents was due to the increase in the value of all properties over the past year.

“Just because the tax rates are coming down doesn’t necessarily lead to people paying less,” said Reardon. “The tax rate is simply computed by the amount being raised divided by the total assessed value.”

“I think people hear, ‘Oh, the rates have gone down, great,'” said Select Board Vice Chair Elizabeth Dionne. “No, that is not what it means. This just means your [home’s] value is higher.”

Values for all Belmont property classifications increased in the past year. The town’s total residential and personal property assessment is $11.3 billion, up from $9.0 billion in fiscal year ’23.

The actual tax levy – how much the town can raise after increasing real estate by the maximum annual 2.5 percent – to be raised in fiscal year ’24 is $119.5 million, of which $106.3 million comes from the total levy for residential and commercial property. An additional $13.1 million comes from eight debt exclusions for everything from the construction of the Beech Street Center to the new Middle/High school. The debt exclusions for the new rink and library will be included in the calculation for the fiscal year 2025. According to Reardon, new growth collected in the past year “remains strong,” raising $876,069.

Despite higher-than-average mortgage rates, during which property values “usually take a dip,” Reardon told the board that due to a lack of inventory of houses for sale, the average single-family home in Belmont jumped to $1,615,200, an increase of more than 10 percent from $1,436,500 in fiscal year 2023.

With its presentation on Monday, the Board of Assessors will face a Special Town Meeting in the next two months, where members will be asked to change the board from its current elected members to an appointed board. Similar to the recent change of the town Treasurer from an elected to an appointed position, the Town Meeting would follow a recommendation of the Collins Center Report.

As in past years, the assessors recommended, and the Select Board agreed to a single tax classification and not to enact real estate exemptions. With barely five percent of Belmont’s property base commercial, Reardon reiterated past statements that commercial property must reach 30 percent to make a split rate effective and not deter businesses from staying or coming to Belmont.

While voting to approve the Assessors’ rate recommendation, the Select Board decides on two related issues: whether to implement a singular “split” rate for commercial and residential properties and to approve a residential exemption that would reduce the rate on owner-occupied properties at the expense of non-occupied residences. 

As for residential exemptions, the administrative costs to run such a program would be prohibitive for a revenue-neutral initiative. As with the split rate, two-thirds of rate payers would see little reductions or increases in their tax bill.

Nomination Papers Now Available For Belmont Town Meeting, Town-Wide Offices

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Photo: The Town Clerk’s office is located on the first floor of the Belmont Town Hall

Nomination Papers for the April 2, 2024 annual Town Election are now available for pick up at the Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall during office hours.

  • Nomination Papers must be picked up in person by the candidate, they cannot be emailed or mailed.
  • All candidates must be registered voters of Belmont at the time they return the signed Nomination Papers and the name will appear on the ballot as registered to vote.
    • To get your name on the ballot for Town-wide office requires at least 50 certified signatures of registered Belmont voters.
    • To get your name on the ballot for Town Meeting Member requires at least 25 certified signatures of registered Belmont voters of your Precinct only.

The deadline to submit the signed Nomination Papers is Feb. 13, at 5 p.m.

Elected Town Meeting Members currently serving do not need to file signed Nomination papers as long as they submit their Letter of Intention to Run for Re-election by Jan. 23, 2024. The Intention Letters will be mailed in mid-December to each Town Meeting Member whose term is expiring in 2024. Check the Town Meeting Member webpage to check your term expiration year here: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6831/f/uploads/tmm_effective_48.pdf

For more information, check out the Town Clerk’s webpages here: https://www.belmont-ma.gov/town-clerk/pages/elections-how-to-run-for-elected-office-town-meeting-member and https://www.belmont-ma.gov/town-clerk/news/nomination-papers-now-available-for-town-wide-office-and-town-meeting-member

Feel free to email, call, or visit the Town Clerk’s office with any questions  ( townclerk@belmont-ma.gov   617-993-2603  and Town Hall hours: Monday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Tuesday to Thursday, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.; and Friday, from 8 p.m. to noon).

Select Board Race Now Competitive With Second Warrant Committee Member Taking Out Papers

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Photo: Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor knows a thing or two about running a race, finishing this year’s BAA Marathon in three hours and three minute.

It appears the Edgemoor Road resident will next be running for a seat on the Belmont Select Board as Taylor submitted his Statement of Organization on Tuesday, Nov. 29, to create an election committee to fill the seat of Mark Paolillo who declared earlier this month he would not run for a fifth three-year term.

Taylor joins Warrant Committee Chair Geoff Lubien to take out organizational papers as the first step to officially enter the race. Taylor’s team is made up of Samantha Thu as chair and Matt Lennon treasurer.

On his website, 02478.org, the Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member and parent of two Burbank students said his family “has made a multi-decade commitment to Belmont and our community – a commitment to multi-generational thoughtfulness and ideals.”

In last year’s League of Women Voters Town Election Voters Guide, Taylor said Belmont’s long-term strength depends on investing in the town’s public schools and government services.

“I’m passionate about finding and sharing clear, accurate explanations for complex topics. To prepare, I study what works in other towns: calming traffic, budgeting, zoning, contracts, and infrastructure projects. I listen before I speak,” Taylor said.

Taylor has been active recently in a number of local issues: he created a Change.org petition asking the Select Board to allow the Belmont Public Library’s Children’s room to operate for 50 hours per week at its temporary location at the Benton Library. Taylor also promoted the creation of a parking benefit district where parking revenues would offset traffic mitigation and fund neighborhood transit safety improvements such as crosswalk upgrades and hiring parking clerks and crossing guards.