Nomination Papers For Town-Wide, Town Meeting Candidates Now Avaliable From Town Clerk

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Photo: Nomination papers are here!

For Belmont residents who are looking to make a difference in town goverance, candidate nomination papers for town-wide office and Town Meeting are now avaliable the week of Dec. 1 from the Town Clerk’s Office at Belmont Town Hall, according to Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

All candidates must be registered voters of Belmont and US citizens. For those seeking a seat on the eight town-wide offices – there is no minimum on the number of offices a resident can run for – they need to gather at least 50 signatures of registered voters in Belmont. Town Meeting candidates most obtain at least 25 signatures of registered voters in your precinct. Cushman advises candidates to gather at least 10 percent more than the minumum signatures in case some are challenged.

Nomination papers are due back for signature certification by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.

Office hours for Town Hall to pick up and drop off papers or ask questions are Mondays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to Noon.

Got questions? Email quires to townclerk@belmont-ma.gov or call the Clerk’s office at 617-993-2603.

Dionne Stepping Down From Select Board, ‘Doesn’t End My Commitment To Public Service’

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Photo: Elizabeth Dionne

Elizabeth Dionne, who helped transform the Belmont Select Board into a more business friendly body and who actively supported a pro-economic growth agenda for the town, announced she will not seek re-election to her post in the coming Town Election in April, 2026.

“Serving on the Select Board has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Dionne said in a press release dated Nov. 17. “This community’s trust has meant everything to me, and I am immensely proud of the work we have accomplished together.” 

Dionne – who is in her last year of her first three-year term on the board – said she expects to complete her current term.

While she did not elaborate her reason for leaving the board, “it doesn’t end my commitment to public service. I will be announcing future plans shortly.” Speculation of Dionne’s next move range from a run for higher office or a move to a state agency.

“Elizabeth will be hard to replace. She’s a reformer who believes that Belmont can and should tackle its most deep-seated problems,” said fellow Select Board member Taylor Yates.

An attorney who advocates for special education students, the Wellesley Road resident made a name in town as a member of Town Meeting, Warrant Committee and as chair of the Community Preservation Committee before joining the Select Board in 2023 winning the seat unopposed.

During her tenure, Dionne said she brought “thoughtful fiscal stewardship, commitment to transparent government, and [a] focus on long-term planning for Belmont’s financial health and infrastructure.” A central theme of Dionne’s stewardship has been revamping the zoning bylaws to promote a “friendlier” environment for businesses and developers by promoting commercial investment.

“I remain deeply committed to Belmont and its future,” Dionne added. “I look forward to supporting a smooth transition and to continuing my work as an active and engaged resident. This town is full of talented, passionate people, and I am confident the next Select Board Member will continue building on the significant progress we’ve already made.”

With Dionne’s exit, the first question many are asking is who is likely to run for her seat. When asked, many residents well versed in local politics responded that there is no clear front runner, and those who would be seen as a potential candidate have opted out when approached.

“The election to replace her may well be about whether or not we’re willing to continue making the changes needed to fix our Town,” said Yates.

As SNAP Funding Runs Out, Belmont Farmers Market Tries To Help The 1,100 Local Residents Who Could See Their Food Security Lapse

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Photo: The red tokens representing the what the Belmont Farmers’ Market matches in federal SNAP funding

The rain had already begun falling on the final day of this season’s Belmont Farmers’ Market on Thursday, Oct. 30. The dank, wet afternoon could have been the reason for the much smaller numbers of shoppers arriving at the market’s long-time home in the back of the Claflin Municipal Parking Lot in Belmont Center.

But the conditions didn’t deter a steady stream of patrons coming to the Market Manager’s tent where red, white, and blue tokens – which resemble poker chips – were being handed out. Soon those markers would be used at the more than a dozen vendors waiting in the rain.

The red plastic vouchers represent he federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – formally known as food stamps – provides a boost in the earning power of each household’s food purchases. Under the BFM’s food assistance program, every week SNAP recipients can have their benefits matched up to an extra $25 to purchase any food items under the program’s guidelines.

“We have an average of almost 60 SNAP transactions every week. And last year, we had almost 300 separate households, families, individuals that came in to get benefits,” said Hal Shubin, the Farmers’ Market manager.

In addition, under the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), SNAP recipients receive $40 of free produce every month. And the Belmont Food Collabrative created HIP Plus, its own program – those are the blue tokens – which gives anybody who wants it $20 a month to buy fresh food from any vendor.

The programs makes a difference for many patrons who come to the market from late spring to the end of October, said Shubin. “We have had people tell us that they can only eat well because of the match, because they’re getting that much extra money.”

A young man carrying his young daughter in his arms so her shoes wouldn’t get soaked said he hadn’t been to the market “lately” but want to come before the market closed for the season and due to the news he heard over the past few weeks.

“She really likes apples,” he said. “And I wanted to use the [program] before it’s gone,” he said.

The news he heard was as dreary as the weather. Due to a stalemate on funding a national budget, the federal government shut down that began Oct. 1 resulte in the funding for SNAP run out on Nov. 1. The program is used by more than 20 million households representing 412 million people across the country. A typical monthly SNAP payment is approximatley $188 per person, or about $332 per household.

And that number includes Belmontians, said Shubin. The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance reported in September that, there are almost 700 households in Belmont that receive SNAP benefits, about seven percent of the town’s households.

“That’s about 1,000, 1,100 individuals in those households,” said Shubin, pointing out that while many are older residents, the number includes those who work full-time, new citizens, and children, which makes up nearly 40 percent of recipients nationwide.

“People think Belmont is very well-to-do town. It’s really more of a mix of people than that, and there are people who need help with putting food on the table. And again, not just food, but this is good food that we have here,” said Shubin.

And demand for food assistance is only growing. When the Farmers Market started the SNAP match program in 2011, it matched $1,000 for the five month season. In 2025 it will approach $28,000 “and we haven’t gone through this last day yet. So the need has been going up,” said Shubin.

The BFM’s SNAP match programs helps people in Belmont and surrounding communities. “We had one woman that used to come from Littleton, because we’ve got one of the very best SNAP matches of any Farmers Market around,” said Shubin.

SNAP recipients are not just buying food, “they’re supporting all of these vendors,” said Hal pointing to the tents pitched in the lower parking lot. “I don’t know if it brings the vendors [to the Farmers Market], but it helps to keep them here.”

“I was at [a SNAP] rally at the Massachusetts State House a couple days ago, and one of the farmers which used to in Belmont told how important it was for his business to receive SNAP dollars and supporting the farmers.” With the pressure of commercial and residential real estate development, “all the farms could turn into condo developments or shopping centers. Supporting the farms and the farmers keeps the open space as well, and they employ people. So [the SNAP program] goes really far,” said Shubin.

While a pair of federal judges on Oct. 31 ruled the federal government must use reserve funding to keep the SNAP program running, President Trump has frozen SNAP benefits for the Nov. 1 release date, impacting all who receive SNAP benefits.

A long-time member of the Belmont Food Cooperative, the Market’s parent organization, and market manager, Shubin said while he doesn’t have experience in the federal budget – he’s a software engineer by trade – he has a hard time getting his head around how the country has come to this point.

“We’re non-partisan here, so I’m not going to get into any details. But I can’t tell you why anybody thinks that it’s good to make people be hungry. It’s not even balancing the budget,” he said.

“Where do people go? If they had SNAP benefits and they’ll lose it for, maybe, I don’t know, how long? We don’t know when it’s going to come back. Where do they go? What do you tell people?” said Shubin.

The BFM is attempting to do its part. As the Nov. 1 deadline approached, the BFM created a four-page handout of food pantries, community fridges, meals programs, Meals on Wheels, even a food pantry for pets. It also lists local Winter Farmers Markets that have SNAP and HIP benefits (although the SNAP match doesn’t matter that much until there is a resolution). Brookline’s Allendale Farm will be conducting a free Farmers Market in Jamaica Plain for a couple of Thursdays in November, and looking for other people to join them, said Shubin.

“So folks are starting to help, but you can’t make up for this shortfall,” he said.

Select Board Designates Belmont Police Chief Screening Committee; Q&A With A Member

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Photo: Mark Paolillo returns to serve on his second Police Chief Screening Committee

The Belmont Select Board on Wednesday, Oct. 22, selected the final three seats on the 2025 Police Chief Screening Committee, to fill the position after the retirement of Chief James MacIsaac.

MacIsaac, who announced he was leaving on Aug. 7, is now the director of Campus Safety and Security at the Middlesex School in Concord, MA. Assistant Belmont Police Chief Mark Hurley was named the department’s interim head by the Select Board on Aug. 21.

The members of the Screening Committee are:

  • Didier Moise, president of Belmont Against Racism and a member of the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee,
  • Mark Paolillo, former four-term Select Board member who served on the last Police Chief screening committee in 2019,
  • Roy Epstein, former two-term Select Board member,
  • Patrice Garvin, Belmont Town Administrator,
  • Dr. Jill Geiser, Belmont Schools Superintendent,
  • Thomas Browne, current Chief of Police in Burlington,
  • Mauro Lance, Formally on the Board of Directors, current member of the Foundation for Belmont Education and the YMCA of Metro North.

Some residents put in their two cents into the selection process.

Ira Morgenstern, Precinct 7, voiced his “concern” about the makeup of the [screening] committee as it ignores the problems created from the department’s “poorly handled exit” from the Civil Service system in 2024.

“I ask the Select Board review the candidates for the selection committee and get feedback from the police rank and file” before it finalize that committee,” he said. Garvin corrected Morganstern saying it was incorrect to say the removal of civil service created the level of vacancies in the department, as the last three hires under the town’s Civil Service have left, each keeping their civil service positions.

The board each were the recipiants of an old fashion “poison pen” letter – which has a rich history in Belmont politics – directed at Epstein, “impugning … his integrity and honesty.” But this old-timey spitball to influence the board was cast aside with a collective eyeroll.

“Even when I disagree with [Epstein], I’ve ended up respecting him more. I absolutely meant that as an extremely high compliment,” said Matt Taylor, board chair.

Mark Paolillo knows something about Police Chiefs: He’s the son of one, Cambridge Police Chief Anthony Paolillo, and he help hire Belmont’s most recent chief, James MacIssac, as the head of the selection committee. Paolillo gave his view on the process facing the committee and what he’ll be looking for in a candidate during the break in the second night of Special Town Meeting.

Belmontonian: What’s your expectations being part of this committee, having been a veteran of the previous one?

Paolillo: “I think we’re going to find the best candidate possible. I don’t know whether we’ve gotten direction from the Select Board as to whether it’s just internal candidates or external or both. When I was on the screening committee (in 2019), my colleagues, Adam Dash and Tom Caputo, and I established the criteria that we were looking for, the type of individual that we wanted to assume this responsibility. We agreed to look at internal candidates first, And we thought, if we don’t find those qualifications, we’ll go external. So it sounds to me as though I haven’t been told that this is both internal and external. I think that’s the right approach.”

Belmontonian: What qualities and qualifications are you looking for in a candidate?”

Paolillo: “I’m looking for someone that can do the job, similar to what Chief McIsaac did and also Chief Paul McLaughlin. I think what’s so important within our town, because it is such an activist community, is someone that reaches out to the community, listens to the concerns and has a presence in town. And particularly individuals who are empathetic to what’s taking place at a national level. We’re all against, of course, any ICE agents coming into our community and trying to do what they’ve been doing in other communities. I would hope that would be someone who would listen to our concerns about that as well.”

Belmontonian: There has been talk about low morale in the department. Will having someone who can tackle that a priority for the committee?

“I think that’s absolutely the case. I don’t know what the situation is, but if there is a morale issue, I think that’s what a new person needs to address. I’m really concerned about that. I don’t know where the new [salary and benefits] negotiations are at this time. Perhaps that’s part of the issue that’s taking place here. If it hasn’t, that needs to be settled. I think we need to address that matter. These men and women put their lives in line every day for our for our public safety, and I think we need to sort of ensure that they’re taken care of. The new chief, whoever that might be, understands that needs to be addressed.”

Belmont Health Dept To Provide Free COVID, Flu Vaccines For Under/Un-Insured Residents

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Photo: Belmont’s Health Department will provide vaccines for those who are under- and uninsured.

The Belmont Health Department has a limited number of Flu and COVID vaccines available for underinsured and uninsured children and adults.

“Underinsured” are for those who have health insurance, but it does not cover the cost of vaccines. Vaccines will be administered by appointment only.

Call the Health Department at 617-993-2720 or email dneylon@belmont-ma.gov for more information and to put your name on the waiting list.

Once we receive the supply of the vaccine, residents will be contacted to schedule an appointment by appointment only.

The vaccines will be offered at: 

The Homer Building, 2nd Floor 

19 Moore Street

Under and Uninsured vaccine opportunities 2025

Mini Market Makers Adds To Selection At Belmont Farmers Market

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Photo: Some of the participants in the inaugural Mini Market Makers event at the Belmont Farmers Market

There will be more than the standard fare being sold at this week’s Belmont Farmers Market.

On this coming Market Day, Thursday, Oct. 9, besides the cornucopia of fall produce, baked goods, meats and prepared foods, patrons will have the opportunity to purchase hand soap, paper airplanes and … slime from vendors between 8 to 12 years old participating in the Farmers Market’s inaugural Mini Market Makers Day.

Mini Market Makers Day
Thursday, Oct. 9, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Farmers Market will be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Mini Market concept began when Market volunteer Merri Suzuki said her 9-year-old daughter was inspired to raise money for her school, the Carroll School, by selling a rather unique product. “She loves slime,” said Suzuki of the mixture of household items that acts like both a solid and a liquid.

And with the help from her best friend, Suzuki’s daughter asked if they could sell her home made goo at the Farmers Market.

“I had them work on a business plan together to present to the Market Committee, and the committee loved the idea,” said Suzuki.

And that initiative proved to be the impetus that led to five additional young entrepreneurs asking to sell their own crafts at the market, including handmade jewelry, 3-D printed items, crayons, Pride-themed crafts, hand soaps, and paper airplanes. [See the complete list of Mini Market Makers here] Just like Suzuki’s daughter, most of the kids are donating the proceeds to a cause of their choice “which is exciting,” she said.

Using a similar program run by the Lexington Farmers Market as a template, Suzuki said each participant were asked to present a formal business plan once they were accepted, answering questions such as what was the product, why were they doing it, and what was the price point of their product.

As for the Market, “they said ‘let’s give it a try for this one year, and see how it goes,” said Suzuki.

Suzuki emphasizes the goal of this venture is to empower the kids and give them a taste of running a real business.

“When my daughter and her friend were doing their plan for slime, they were like, ‘this is hard!’ We really made it a very short, cut and dry, process, but they still had to answer hard questions, like calculating the profit from their sales.”

On Thursday, the kids will be located at three tables under a vendors tent. Suzuki helped prepare the kids for the big day by answering their questions and will be there to support them during the event. At the end of the day, “we’re going to do lessons learned, like what went well, what didn’t go well, and what would you do differently going forward,” she said.

And the future business leaders were eager to get started, said Suzuki. “The ones that I’ve spoken to so far are very excited.”

Work To Start On Revamping Playing Fields West Of Harris Field, Softball Diamond

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Photo: The West of Harris Field play grounds and the former varsity softball diamond

Six years after ground breaking on the Belmont Middle and High School, the town has approved a plan to reconstruct the playing ground known as West of Harris Field, which is the final work required to complete the School’s campus.

On Monday, Sept. 30, the Select Board award the West of Harris Fields renovations contract to MJ Cataldo Inc. of Littleton for $765,000. The project will renovate the fields and softball diamond West of Harris Field, create a shot put circle and sector as well as putting up new fencing.

According to Belmont DPW Director Jay Marcotte, work on the project will begin in November.

The project started as a Community Preservation Committee request simply to redo the long-time softball field. In May, Belmont Town Administrator Patrice Garvin and Belmont Schools Superintendent Dr. Jill Geiser presented an CPC application seeking $429,000 to redevelop the former varsity softball field at the far end of the BMHS campus adjacent to the new Belmont Sports Complex and the MBTA commuter rail tracks.

While the softball renovation was being considered, the Municipal Skating Rink Building Committee in charge of building the rink was using the JV soccer field, located next to the softball field, as lay down area for steel and material for the rink’s construction. Using the lay down area was on condition that when the project was completed at the end of 2025, “the construction manager would put the field back as it found it,” Garvin told the board.

“So when we started looking at the softball field, we realized there was some economies of scale that we could potentially capitalize on in regards to taking two projects and making it one to be bid out,” said Garvin. “So we really wanted to take what was approved at Town Meeting and elevated to another level.”

Working with Mark Haley, the chair of the Building Committee, the DPW, and the landscaping firm Activitas Inc., the town created construction bid documents for a single project, “hoping for a better price.”

“So this is really an effort between what we were able to appropriate from CPC, the Rink Building project through the construction manager, and the DPW to make the best projects we can,” said Garvin.

The funding sources for the project are CPC and the Rink Building Committee, along with some Revolving Field Funds, said Marcotte.

Twelve construction firms bid on the project with Cataldo coming in a low bidder, said DPW’s Marcotte.

Belmont High Field Hockey Takes Top Ten Duel Vs Winchester, 3-1

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Photo: Kendall Regan (18) redirects a centering pass from Gigi Mastrangelo (8) for the game-winning goal as Belmont defeats Winchester, 3-1, in a top-ten match on Sept. 29 at Harris Field.

In its second meeting with a high-ranked opponent this month, Belmont High School Field Hockey came off Harris Field Monday, Sept. 29, with a scrappy 3-1 victory over one-loss Winchester to solidify its number 4 post in the Boston Globe poll.

Junior forward Gigi Mastrangelo – who earned one of the “Players of the Week” honors by the Boston Globe – scored the brace between sophomore Kendell Regan’s game-winning strike, her second in consecutive games. Sophomore goalie Zoe Bruce made a half-dozen important saves while the defensive wall of senior Niamh Lensky, junior Elsie Lakin-Schultz, and first-year Katie Townsend hampered Winchester’s quick forwards from taking clear shots at Bruce.

Belmont (7-1-0) is currently ranked 6th in the MIAA Division 1 power rankings.

With opponents focusing their attention on stopping senior midfield star MacKenzie Clarke [who set the Belmont career scoring record early this season], Smith has been relying on everyone on the field to contribute.

“[Goals] are coming off different sticks. Gigi had two, and Kendell got the other one, but [Lensky] got an assist and Mackenzie was involved in all three. In the scoring book, it’s not straight across just one person with all the points. Mackenzie didn’t need to score three goals for us to win, and that’s what we need. We needed other people to show up, and they did.”

Belmont had to play from behind for only the second time this year – the other being against Watertown – when Winchester’s senior forward Sloane McCarthy scored off a bouncing pass from sophomore Eliana Drake in the game’s first two and a half minutes. But that was a short-lived advantage for the Red and Black as five minutes later, Mastrangelo won a goal-line scramble that four teammates – the last being Lensky – passed around the scoring circle off a penalty corner to knot the game at one.

“I’d rather the first goal come two minutes into the game than the third quarter,” said Smith. “I knew we had a ton of time. I believe in the team. I know some of the older players can step up and make it happen.”

As one would expect from teams close in talent, the game was a contest to hold an advantage in the midfield to launch attacks. Belmont’s tactic to dull Winchester’s speed upfront was to challenge closely every time they held the ball, and do as much to disrupt passes or dribbling.

Belmont would take the lead with four minutes left in the third quarter off a penalty corner as Clarke returned the ball to the inserter Mastrangelo, who sent the ball through the goalie box to Regan’s waiting stick.

Belmont’s insurance goal came as the third quarter was winding down. Lakin-Schultz started play at midfield and found Clarke, who weaved past two Red and Black defenders and launched one of her patented reverse rockets from 15 meters out. This time, it was Mastrangelo at the far left post where, using her softball skills to great effect, deflected the rising shot into the top netting with 18 seconds remaining.

For the final 15 minutes, Belmont relied on the back three with senior Caroline French inserted as a sweeper to hold the fort. Belmont’s midfield of Mia Smith, seniors Nina Sheth-Voss and Avery Ranold, and Brooke Mahoney, were blocking passing lanes and helped clear out errant balls. Smith pointed out “the amazing job” Townsend did as she was assigned to shadow Drake. “I’m not sure that 14 got one strong shot on the net tonight.”

Bruce was “totally phenomenal,” said Smith, making several critical saves, including challenging Winchester’s Drake one-on-one as the midfielder attempted to get by the sophomore.

“You know, the three defenders are outstanding athletes. They’re multi-sport athletes who are strong and know where to be on the field. They understand space. They’re fighters. They’re just athletes through and through, and they make it happen,” said Smith.

Belmont begins an unprecedented number of road games, playing eight of their remaining 10 regular season matches away from Harris Field, including against Reading (which they defeated 2-1), Lexington (4-2), Winchester, and at non-league powerhouses Dover-Sherborne and Newburyport. They will be home on Thursday, Oct. 9, against Wilmington, and the final game of the season on Saturday, Oct. 25, for a Seniors Night contest vs Arlington.

Health Board, Pharmacies Holding Belmont Fall Vaccine Clinics

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Photo: COVID and flu shots will be avaliable

The Belmont Health Department is partnering with Osco and Union pharmacies to provide vaccines primarily for COVID-19 and the annual flu to Belmont residents. The vaccines will be given at the Beth El Temple Center and the Beech Street Center.

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your vaccine eligibility and current recommendations. And bring your insurance card to the clinic.

For questions or more information, contact the Belmont Health Department at 617-993-2720.

To register, click on the link for the day and time that best works for you.

Beth El Temple Center (2 Concord Ave.) Vaccine Clinics:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 22 – 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Wednesday, Nov. 19 – 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Wednesday, Dec. 3 – 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Beech Street Center (266 Beech St.) Vaccine Clinics:

  • Thursday Oct. 9 – 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Monday Nov. 3 – 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM
  • Monday Dec. 8 – 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Belmont Seeks Members For Police Chief Screening Committee As Search Begins In Earnest

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Photo: Belmont Police patches and shield.

With the Select Board preparing to choose a consulting firm to conduct the search for Belmont’s next police chief, the town has begun seeking applicants for the 2025 Police Chief Screening Committee.

To be considered, select the “Police Chief Screening Committee – 2025” on the town’s Volunteer Opportunities web page to express interest in serving on this committee.

Patrice Garvin, Belmont Town Administrator, told the Select Board at its Monday, Sept. 29 meeting, that two firms – John Parow, Consulting & Assoc. and Municipal Resources, Incorp. – responded to the town’s Request for Proposal for consulting services to recruit the replacement for recently retired Police Chief Jamie MacIssac.

Garvin believes the growing complexity of the position requires the town to seek the assistance of an outside firm to lead the process.

“Policing has changed in 30 years,” said Garvin. No longer simply an administrative position, “a chief encompasses a lot more skill set than of the past, including budgetary issues, personnel issues, union issues, ranking. It runs across the board, and you’re looking to encompass all of those skill sets.”

“The consultant really helps us guide through the process, to not only to do assessments [of potential candidates] but to help with the screening committee, but also with the recruitment. Sometimes these firms have people in mind,” said Garvin, noting MacIssac was hired using a consultant.

“None of us were on the Select Board the last time we did a police chief search,” said Select Board Chair Matt Taylor. “And these firms often specialize in these kinds of positions, they go through it a lot, and have a much more updated, fresh vision of what this process is like, what the market is like, and what kinds of things to look for.”

The two firm candidates will be interviewed by the board at its Oct. 6 meeting, after which a winning bid will be selected hopefully that evening, said Garvin.

The screening committee, will be appointed sometime around Oct. 20. which Garvin said was “good timing, as it will come after the close of Special Town Meeting when the town can “really focusing on the police chief.”