Town Warrant Is Now Open for the Next Month

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Photo: Town Meeting

The opening of the 2017 Town Meeting Warrant, which is the list of agenda items to be voted on by the 290 member body opened today, Monday, Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. close a month later at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 6. 

It will close a month later at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 6. 

During this time, the Board of Selectmen will include articles in the warrant that include everything from appropriating money to run the town to proposed bylaws.

Residents can place articles in the warrant themselves, known as citizen petitions. Those submitting a petition must secure at least 10 signatures from registered voters, although the Town Clerk advises petitioners to obtain 15 to ensure they meet the requirement.

The petition will then go to the Bylaw Review Committee which reviews proposals for bylaw changes to make sure they do not conflict with existing statutes.

For more information, contact Town Administrator David Kale at 617-933-2610.

Group Seeking ‘Sanctuary Town’ Status For Belmont

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Photo: Anne Mahon speaking before the Belmont Democratic Town Committee

A group of politically progressive Belmont residents is pushing forward with a citizen’s petition designating Belmont a “sanctuary” community to be voted on at the annual Town Meeting in May.

“We’re not doing this to wave a flag and make ourselves feel warm inside. There are people that are really afraid,” said Anne Mahon, chair of the Belmont Democratic Town Committee who presented the plan before two dozen members at its monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 2 at Town Hall.

Mahon said the committee’s move is in response to a ban of travelers from seven majority Muslim nations and halting of the resettlement of Syrian refugees by President Trump. 

“Belmont has residents with green cards and Visas because top scientists, doctors, and engineers are always being recruited from around the world to work at our universities and firms. They come here because we have one of the finest school systems as well as proximity to their job locations. We want our families to all feel safe here,” she said.

Mahon said supporters of the proposal expect an increase in deportations of not only undocumented immigrants but people in the country with a “green” card and student and work visas.

“We have local families that are afraid to visit a sick family member abroad for fear they will be denied access to their return,” she said.

“Imagine how horrible that would be … to have a job and a residence here, a dying parent abroad that they wish to comfort, but worry America won’t let you back in.”

A sanctuary community enacts laws placing limits on how much local police or town officials can cooperate with requests from federal authorities to hold immigrants in custody.

“There are people in Belmont we know who can’t leave the country because they don’t know if they can come back,” she said.

While most in attendance were approving of the measure, the Democrats want to see the petition sponsored by the town’s Human Rights Commission – as it was done in Arlington – to ensure a non-partisan debate at Town Meeting. 

“This is a bipartisan issue. This is just neighbors looking out for neighbors,” she said.

Belmont would join neighboring communities Newton and Arlington which have started their efforts to secure sanctuary status. Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and Amherst have established policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authority.

Mahon said Belmont would use language similar to Arlington’s proposal [see below] which would prevent town police from enforcing federal immigration laws or for them to ask the immigration status of people they meet.

So far, reaction to Arlington and Newton has been mixed. While the language is still being crafted, Arlington’s Board of Selectmen has placed the article into its annual Town Meeting set for April but have yet to vote on a recommendation. In Newton, Mayor Setti Warren is backing one of two ordinances, but he and supporters have seen considerable pushback from those who feel the measure would threaten to shortchange the town of federal funding.

Trump has threatened to take away federal grants from sanctuary communities if they do not help deport immigrants.

Mahon said an analysis by the town’s treasurer found the financial hit to Belmont if the administration bans federal funds would be minimal with the town receiving just about $50,000, mostly in affordable housing grants.

Arlington’s Sanctuary Town resolution

To see if the Town will resolve to become a Sanctuary Town, joining hundreds of municipalities nationwide, providing a safe haven and sanctuary for undocumented residents of our Town, and protecting all residents from hate and prejudice, provided, however that this resolution shall not prevent law enforcement from investigating, arresting or charging someone for a crime or other legal infraction, or take any other action related thereto.

Inserted at the request of the Human Rights Commission

ARTICLE RESOLUTION/SANCTUARY/TRUST ACT COMMUNITY

To see if the Town will resolve to become a Sanctuary Town, joining hundreds of municipalities nationwide, providing a safe haven and sanctuary for undocumented residents of our Town, and protecting all residents from hate and prejudice, provided, however that this resolution shall not prevent law enforcement from investigating, arresting or charging someone for a crime or other legal infraction, or take any other action related thereto.

AND/OR

To see if the Town will vote to adopt a resolution that Arlington serve as a “Trust Act” Community (also known as a “sanctuary community”) to ensure that all immigrants can fully and safely participate in the civic and economic life of the Town by resolving to refrain from among other things: using Town resources for the purpose of gathering information regarding the citizenship, immigration status, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation for discriminatory purposes; engaging in or assisting in Immigration and Customs Enforcement in reporting, arresting, detaining deporting, or taking any other law enforcement action unsupported by separate and distinct warrants or probable cause from criminal conduct unrelated to immigration status; or take any action related thereto.

Comment: A number of simultaneous efforts by Town residents and bodies, including the Arlington Human Rights Commission have expressed great desire to establishing Arlington as a “Sanctuary Town” or “Trust Act” community. I am aware that this matter is separately on your agenda as the Arlington Human Rights Commission plans to present their version of a warrant article (the former above) as part of a wider discussion for your endorsement. If the Board is so inclined, there may be some distinctions between the ultimate Town Meeting motion pursued by like- minded efforts, but overall it is my recommendation that if either or both are pursued, they are presented as resolutions.

I also look forward to the opportunity to discuss some of the distinctions between Trust Act ordinances adopted by neighbors such as Boston and the town’s legislative options.

Town Election 2017: Dash Off And Running After Launch Party

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Photo: Adam Dash in focus.

If you’re going to have a campaign event for more than a dozen people in Belmont, it’s going to be in one of two places: the basement of the VFW Hall on Trapelo Road (where the bar is located) or Patou Thai in Belmont Center.

You will soon discover that while each location has its distinct ambiance, they both have one feature in common: they are the worst locations in eastern Massachusetts to take photos. Let’s just say you haven’t experienced tungsten lighting this harsh since they closed the interrogation rooms of Soviet-era prisons in the Ukraine.

But the light fixtures did not deter the 60-plus Belmontians from showing up to hear from Adam Dash as the Goden Street resident officially launched his campaign for a Selectmen’s seat this spring.

The Somerville attorney was there with his wife and younger daughter and campaign staff including co-chairs Ellen Schreiber and Sara Masucci – whom just so happened to be co-chairs of the Yes for Belmont effort that passed the Prop 2 1/2 override two years ago – and its chairman Ralph Jones.

Jones introduced Dash expanding on the candidate’s themes of vision, experience, and action.

“After last week, experience is needed” on the board, said Jones to a significant amount of laughter, not realizing his reference to the departure of Belmont’s Town Administrator David Kale would also be interpreted as a swipe at the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and his team that bungled a recent executive order.

He noted Dash’s membership on the Warrant Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Meeting and as vice chair of the Underwood Pool Building Committee, “the best building project this town has ever seen.” 

Dash joked to the audience that he has “met a million people or so” (What? Another swipe?) as he walked the streets knocking on doors and listening to residents who told him there needs to be a better way to conduct important town business “and then do it.”

He explained how he and neighbors including former Selectman Anne Marie Mahoney got the town to stop parking on both sides of Goden during high school football games which prevented vehicles from traveling on the narrowed street. 

“But not everyone is plugged in” as he and his neighbors.  

Action should be “top down rather than bottom up” when it comes to government, said Dash, who added that it was easy to just “kick the can” down the road; he would rather take the more challenging course of “getting the stone rolling for change.”

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Town Election 2017: Bowen Seeking A School Seat? Sami Will Say Soon His Future

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Photo: Will he or won’t he. Only Sami knows.

Catherine “Kate” Bowen, the chair of Sustainable Belmont, has taken out nomination papers for a possible race for the Belmont School Committee.

Incumbents Tom Caputo (who has qualified to be on the ballot) and Elyse Shuster (who has also taken out nomination papers) currently occupy the two seats up for grabs at the annual Town Election on Monday, April 4. Bowen and Shuster have until Feb. 14 to submit 50 signatures of eligible voters to the Town Clerk’s office.

The Bartlett Avenue resident is active in town government – she is an active Town Meeting Member from Precinct 4 – and is involved at the Butler Elementary School which her children attend.

Bowen is a program administrator at Harvard University who matriculated at Hampshire College and has an MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She also has a background in teaching art and art history at several Boston-area colleges and universities.

Will Sami Run?

“Soon.”

That’s all incumbent Belmont Board of Selectman Sami Baghdady had to say on Monday, Jan. 23 when asked if he would be running to retain his seat on the three-member committee.

While newcomers Adam Dash and Guy Carbone have been certified for the April 4 ballot, Baghdady has not passed through the Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall to pick up the necessary nomination papers.

While the attorney has plenty of time to collect the 50 signatures needed have his name before voters, residents around the coffee shops (especially the politically astute who hang out at the Dunkin’ Donuts on Trapelo Road) and town centers are asking; “Is Sami running?”

Known for his lawyerly demeanor on the board – he recently saved the town several thousand dollars in lost tax revenue when he spotted a possible legal dodge in the sales contract for the new electrical substation – Baghdady has pushed the members to complete long-delayed projects such as the community path.

While there is no indication the life-long resident who has held many roles in town government over the years isn’t running – he has been actively attending events such as the public meeting on Cushing Village this week – the curiosity of voters gets stronger by the day.

Town Meeting Warrant Opens Feb 6, closes March 6

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Photo: The seal of Belmont

The opening of the 2017 Town Meeting Warrant, which is the list of agenda items to be voted on by the 290 member body, has been set by the Belmont Board of Selectmen at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 23. 

The warrant will open at 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 6 and close a month later at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 6. 

Also, the Selectmen voted that the first day of the annual Town Meeting will be Monday, May 1. The meeting will be held in the auditorium of Belmont High School beginning at 7 p.m.

During this time, the Board of Selectmen will include articles in the warrant that include everything from appropriating money to run the town to proposed bylaws.

Residents can place articles in the warrant themselves, known as citizen petitions. Those submitting a petition must secure at least 10 signatures from registered voters, although the Town Clerk advises petitioners to obtain 15 to ensure they meet the requirement.

The petition will then go to the Bylaw Review Committee which reviews proposals for bylaw changes to make sure they do not conflict with existing statutes.

For more information, contact Town Administrator Davd Kale at 617-933-2610.

Town Election 2017: Dash Enters Selectmen’s Race, Shuster Pulls Papers for School Committee

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Photo: Adam Dash delivering nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office.

Early Monday morning, Jan. 23, saw the usual hustle and bustle at the Town Clerk’s Office in Belmont: the Town Clerk was upstairs at Town Hall officiating at a wedding, the staff were staying busy in coats and sweaters as the building’s new boiler was on the fritz for the third time in a month, and numerous town officials were stopping by to ask questions.

In among the beehive of activity, Belmont voters were rewarded with a competitive race for the Board of Selectmen. Adam Dash presented Town Clerk Ellen Cushman – back in the office with newlyweds in tow – with 154 signatures from resident registered voters, all but assuring the Goden Street resident will be on the April 4 ballot with Woodfall Road’s Guy Carbone to battle it out for the single Selectmen’s seat up for grabs this year.

“It was fun knocking on doors and speaking to the residents,” said Dash, a longtime resident and an attorney with a practice in Somerville. Dash will officially launch his campaign on Saturday, Jan. 28, 3 p.m. at Patou Thai restaurant in Belmont Center.

Who hasn’t taken out nominations papers? It is the incumbent for Selectman, Sami Baghdady. Baghdady has been steadfast in not being pressured to say one way or another if he will seek a second  three-year term.

Who has taken out papers is Elyse Shuster, one of two incumbents – the other is Thomas Caputo – currently on the board. It’s not known if Shuster – who has been reluctant to make a public announcement on a return to the committee – will be seeking to challenge Caputo for a full three-year term or run for the two years remaining on her seat.

As for Dash, he finally got to meet his very experienced challenger as Carbone “crashed” the dropping off event – actually, he just came to do some research. A handshake, and then another for the cameras. 

“We get to meet. Wonderful,” said Carbone to Dash.

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Search to Replace Town Administrator as Kale Heads for Home

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Photo: David Kale

The novelist Thomas Wolfe famously said, “You can’t go home again.”

Apparently, David Kale is ignoring that advice.

The lifelong Cambridge resident will decamp as Belmont’s Town Administrator in mid-March to become his hometown’s Assistant City Manager for Finance, according to a press release issued late Thursday, Jan. 19 by Cambridge City Manager Louis DePasquale.

Kale returns to Cambridge city government having served previously as the city’s Director and Deputy Finance/Budget Director from 2003 to 2012.

Kale was in the final six months of a second three-year contract ending in July 2017.

While sudden, the news of Kale’s departure was not shocking to most in Belmont government circles.

“It was really no surprise that [Kale] would be leaving,” said Selectmen Chair Mark Paolillo Thursday, noting Kale’s strong ties to Cambridge and the knowledge that Belmont’s neighbor would be seeking his expertise in finance and budgeting for its operation. 

“It’s a great job for him, a real step up in his career,” said Paolillo.

While saying Kale’s departure “will be a real loss to the town,” Paolillo said a committee would be assembled “soon” to begin the search for Kale’s replacement.

We have a fiduciary obligation to do a broad search for a replacement,” said Paolillo. 

Paolillo said he hopes the board will appoint Assistant Town Administrator Phyllis Marshall as interim Town Administrator until a new chief administrative officer for the town is selected. Paolillo said Marshall would be welcomed to apply for the position. 

Kale was named Belmont’s town administrator in June 2012 after a contentious decision. Paolillo said Kale was instrumental in implementing the successful “one town, one budget” process in which schools and municipal departments worked collaboratively in creating the annual budget.

“[Kale] was politically astute … and he really tried to work towards a consensus on what was best for Belmont,” said Paolillo. 

“He was not a reactive town administrator. David was always thinking about the next step and working towards filling the needs of the town. I’ll miss that the most,” he said. 

Paolillo said Kale would stay to lead the town through the initial part of the budget process which is currently underway.  

According to the town’s website, the town administrator serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town and has three primary responsibilities:
  • Directs and manages the delivery of municipal services, except those under the jurisdiction of the independently-elected authorities;
  • Provides leadership to the Selectmen for strategic planning; and,
  • Serves as the Director of the Office of the Board of Selectmen. 

Cushing Village Update: Municipal Lot Closed To Public Wednesday

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Photo: From parking lot to construction site.

In the first tangible indication construction on the long delayed Cushing Village development is about to commence, signs notified the public the municipal parking lot adjacent Starbucks was official closed to vehicles.

“THIS PARKING LOT Located on the corner of TRAPELO ROAD and WILLISTON ROAD WILL BE CLOSED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 18th, 2017” read several signs in the near empty lot.

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At the Williston Road entry, another sign said “Construction Entrance Only” and “Lot Closed 1/18/17,” placed by Nauset Construction, the Needham-base constructon management firm hired by the project’s national developer, Toll Brothers. 

Toll Brothers officially took possession of the town-owned lot on Oct. 19, 2016 after purchasing the parcel for $1.335 million, according to town records.

Despite assurances the lot would be closed within days of the sale, it would take three additional months for the Pennylvania-based Apartment Living subsidiary to secure the first of several permits from the town and state’s environmental protection agency to allow construction to precede and to finalize a long-term lease with Starbucks to secure a space in the project.

Cushing Villiage is a 165,000 square foot, three building development with approximately 38,000 square feet of commercial space, 115 apartments – 60 two-bedroom units and 55 one-bedroom units – and 225 parking spaces including 50 municipal spaces.

Bill Lovett, a senior development manager at Toll Brothers’ Apartment Living, said in August the earliest date for construction to begin on Cushing Village is late spring of 2017 with a completion date of the summer of 2019.

Town Election ’17: Carbone In, Dash On The Way, Waiting on Baghdady

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Photo: Guy Carbone.

If anyone was wondering about Guy Carbone‘s commitment to the race for a seat on the Board of Selectmen, you could rest assure the octogenarian is serious about winning a three-year term on the board as the Woodfall Road resident is the first resident to turn in his nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office on Tuesday, Jan. 17. 

If 50 signatures are verified by Town Clerk Ellen Cushman, Carbone will be the first official candidate on the ballot for the Selectman’s seat now occupied by Sami Baghdady. 

In an earlier conversation with the Belmontonian, Carbone said his run for office will focus on repairing and improving Belmont’s notorious roads and sidewalks.

“We pay a lot of taxes to maintain our streets, but at this stage of the game, there is no leadership among the Selectmen,” said Carbone, who touted his experience as a four-term member of the Watertown School Committee and two terms as a selectman in Watertown. 

Carbone said he would help Glenn Clancy, director of the Office of Community Development, deliver on the promises made to neighborhoods such the Hillcrest community where he lives.

While Carbone is first, in the next few days, another challenger is expected to walk into Town Hall with a stack of papers with signatures to be certified.

Adam Dash, a Goden Street resident and a member of the Warrant Committee, told the Belmontonian Monday, Jan. 16 he has 50 residents’ John Hancocks and wanted to collect a few more than needed before handing them over to Cushman.

It was expected that Dash was committed to a run for selectman as he has created a slick website for his campaign and building a team of community members to back his race.

With two potential candidates moving forward with their campaigns, the person still up in the air on a possible run is incumbent Sami Baghdady. The Arlington-based attorney has yet to take out nomination papers to retain his seat on the board he won three years ago in a race against another non-officeholder, Roger Colton. 

But before anyone makes any conclusions, hopefuls have until Feb. 14 to submit nomination papers. 

In other races, incumbent Tom Caputo will be seeking a full three-year term on the School Committee while Elyse Shuster, who is holding a partial term seat, told the Belmontonian she was still considering whether to run. 

Burbank Community Protest Dangerous Roadway After Guard Hurt [VIDEO]

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Photo: Concern on School Street.

When Kelly Fanning heard Wednesday, Jan. 11 well-liked crossing guard James Marcantonio was hit and then hospitalized by a vehicle on School Street in front of the Burbank Elementary School, the mother of two who lives steps from the crosswalk knew it was time for the community to take action.

“[James] is a friend to everyone, he knows all the children and really looks after them,” said Fanning.

(A press release from the Belmont Police said Marcantonio suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the accident that occurred at 8:11 a.m. The driver was cited for not yielding for a person in a crosswalk.)

“If this could happen to him, it shows how dangerous the road is now,” said the mom of Reece Bundy and Mabel Fanning. “There recently have been three accidents before [Marcantonio] including another pedestrian, all happening in front of the school.”

Parents have pointed to the increase in pass-through traffic along School Street, how the crosswalk is just beyond a blind corner as traffic travels from Washington Street and the lack of traffic-calming devices leading to the crosswalk.

“I know that the town knows the yellow [warning] lights don’t work. It’s just another thing that lets drivers not pay attention to the crosswalk,” said Jimmy Busa, who was standing in for his fellow crossing guard.

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Later Wednesday, Fanning and her husband, Red Bundy, began mobilizing their social media contacts to bring together parents, students and residents to demonstrate Thursday morning before school in support of better safety leading in both directions to the crosswalk.

“There are several things the town can do including put a curb along [the south side of] School Street up to the crosswalk and raise the crosswalk,” said Randolph Street’s Peter Dizikes, a parent, and a Precinct 1 Town Meeting member.

On a cloudy, chilly Thursday morning, Fanning brought colored poster board and Sharpies for students and parents to write out signs.

“Ten parents sent back messages that they would attend,” said Fanning. “That would be a good start.”

Soon, parents walking students to school came by and joined the growing numbers who carried signs – “Stay Alert and Slow Down” and “Kids Crossing” – and brought their voices and even cowbells (“More cowbells” advised one parent to the students ringing away).

By the beginning of the school day, more than 60 students and residents were loudly proclaiming their support to make the roadway and crosswalk safer.

“I hope that the [town] will see that there is a lot of people who want something to happen here. This is a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed,” said Fanning.