Belmont’s COVID Infection Numbers Continue To Climb

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Photo: Update on COVID-19 incidents and rates in Belmont

On the week the first vaccine approved to treat the coronavirus was being administered throughout the country, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Belmont continues a steep rise in lock step with the rest of the country.

In the week ending on Thursday, Dec. 17, 121 Belmont residents contracted the virus, bringing the total number since March to 542.

The extent of COVID’s recent reach in Belmont can be seen mapping the rate of increase in cases over time. From a low point of 0.5 on Sept. 11, the average daily incidence rate (per 100,000) over two weeks has steadily climbed to 28.9 per 100,000 as of Thursday, Dec. 17, demonstrating that Belmont is in the midst of the second “surge” in COVID cases in the US.

Average Daily Incidence Per 100,000 People Over A Two Week Period

Sept. 110.5
Sept. 182.1
Sept. 252.1
Oct. 21.3
Oct. 92.4
Oct. 161.8
Oct. 232.9
Oct. 304.2
Nov. 64.5
Nov. 138.1
Nov. 209.4
Nov. 2710.2
Dec. 414.6
Dec. 1121.9
Dec. 1828.9

Belmont, along with its neighbors Watertown (1,023 total cases, an average daily incidence per 100,000 people greater than 50), Lexington (571 cases) and Arlington (809) are in the state’s designated “yellow” category which indicates a “moderate” risk of contacting COVID-19.

While the infection numbers have skyrocketed, the death count hasn’t budged from 60 since the last reported victim in late May.

Water/Sewer Bills Coming Monthly

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Photo: The old bill will be replaced with a combined one with Belmont Light

After sending out water and sewer bills to the public four times a year “for more than forever,” Belmont is prepared to shake things up starting Jan. 1, 2021 when water and sewer remittances will be coming to customers on a monthly basis.

That was the announcement on Monday, Oct. 26 from Department of Public Works Director Jay Marcotte to the Select Board at its Monday, Oct. 26 remote meeting.

The change in billing frequency comes as the Water and Sewer department nears completion of the town-wide smart meter program. The four-year installation plan – replacing older models which required visual reading of the meters with the latest generation of systems that can be “read” online – is nearing 97 percent complete with approximately 400 residences that have yet to give their permission to remove the old meters.

When the automated system is up and running in the New Year, the department will replace its antiquated quarterly billing system and dove-tail into Belmont Lights’ invoice account.

“Once fully implemented, the ability to go to monthly billing is going to be a reality,” said Marcotte.

Before the Jan. 1 turnover, the department will undertake a comprehensive outreach and education program to inform residents of the change, how it will work, tools for on-line payments and viewing of real use consumption by homeowners.

The old system, which will be needed for the 400 customers whose meters have not been replaced, will incurring a fee to the water and sewer department to maintain and staff that system in order to accurately bill for consumption.

Public Works will waive the cost during this time of COVID-19 and will take up what the fee will be with the Select Board next spring.

Lucky Dozen: Streets Named To Undergo Pavement Repair In Fiscal Year

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Photo: Pavement contract approved by Select Board.

It was a few months later than when it’s typically announced but the Select Board finally approved at its Monday marathon meeting of Aug. 10 the fiscal year 2020 pavement management project, the annual list of streets, roads and thoroughfares that will undergo repairs and reconstruction.

RM Pacella located in Plainville was the low bidder on the project, according to Glenn Clancy, town engineer and director of the Office of Community Development. The winning bid on the job estimated at $2,258,955 – $1.8 million in road work and $377,000 for sidewalk repair – came in at $1,861,198, so “we did very well compared to the engineer’s estimate,” said Clancy.

The work includes sidewalk repairs on Williston, Alma, Ridge, Harriet Creeley, Benton and Townsend and curbing on Harriet, Alma, and a small portion of Williston.

Clancy said will the contractor is ready to begin the project, with a dozen streets in the contract – slightly more than a typical year’s allotment – “we won’t finish the work this year so it’ll spill into the next year.”

RoadsFrom To
Williston RoadTrapeloHorne
Alma AvenueBartlettBelmont
Ridge RoadBelmontWhite
Juniper RoadSomersetFletcher
Harriet AvenueBartlettBelmont
Creeley Road SladeHammond
Indian Hill RoadOld MiddlesexBenton
Essex RoadBenton Old Middlesex
Preble Gardens RoadOld MiddlesexOakley
Old Middlesex RoadOakleyBenton
Benton RoadPaysonOakley
Townsend RoadPayson (south)Payson (North)

Annual Fire Hydrant Flushing Begins This Week

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Photo: Flushing out the system.

Starting Monday, Aug. 3 through Friday, Aug. 7 from 7 p.m. to midnight, all street fire hydrants with green tops will be turned on to perform the annual flushing of the pipes. 

Mark Mancuso, water manager of the Belmont Water Division said in an email that operation will cause water discoloration in the system. Residents are asked to draw water for drinking purposes and avoid laundering during flushing hours. 

If there are any questions regarding this program, call the Belmont Water Division at 617-993-2700.

National Purple Heart Day Observation At New Vets Memorial On Friday, Aug. 7

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Photo: Veterans at National Purple Heart Day ceremony.

The Town of Belmont will honor and observe National Purple Heart Day on Friday, August 7 at 10 a.m. at the new Belmont Veterans Memorial at Clay Pit Pond off Concord Avenue and across from Belmont High School.

Residents of Belmont, veterans and their family members and in particular all of those who are Purple Heart recipients are invited to attend this special event. 

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the United States armed forces who are wounded by an enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action.

Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Military Order of the Purple Heart is composed of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat. Although membership is restricted to the combat wounded, the organization supports all veterans and their families with a myriad of nation-wide programs by Chapters and National Service Officers.

Special Town Meeting Set For Sept. 21 Using Zoom, TurningPoint Voting

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Photo:

Belmont Town Meeting Members are being asked to SAVE THE DATES for a Special Town Meeting taking place on Monday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. Additional sessions will be held on Sept.  23 and 30.

The meeting will again be held by remote-access using Zoom and TurningPoint just as we did for the annual Town Meeting on June 16.

Over the next few weeks, the Town Clerk’s Office will be sending instructions to make sure everyone is up to speed to use both technologies and we’ll be scheduling just three training classes for new Town Meeting Members.  

“It’s vitally important that we have a current email address for every Town Meeting Member so that everyone will be included in the TurningPoint list of voting Town Meeting Members,” said Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

If you have changed your email address from the one where you are receiving this email, please inform us at townclerk@belmont-ma.gov and designate the email address as public or confidential. Remember that every Town Meeting Member must have at least one public contact, either phone or email.

Easy As 3.14159 … etc, etc

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Photo: Making Archimedes proud (Donna Ruvolo photos)

What occurred on the newly constructed walking path at the Grove Street Playground on Saturday morning is what happens during a pandemic when smart citizens have a lot of time on their hands.

Using chalk and a great memory, some residents set forth to notate on the walk the calculation for the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, or as it’s better known, “π” (that would be “pi” for those unfamiliar with Greek graphemes.)

Here’s all that’s known about pi.

It becomes clear why March 14 was selected by writing out the date as numbers: 3/14, the first three numbers of pi.

While most people will know pi to at least five digits – 3.1415 – of this mathematical constant (why go further?), the Grove Street folks decided to start writing … and writing … and writing the sequence of number in the calculation until, in an Shel Silverstein-esque conclusion, the sidewalk came to the end at the curve.

The impressive writing out of this list of rational numbers was accompanied by notations such as “Happy π-day” and “easy as π“. There is one hint of who the author(s) could be from a proud boast written along side Archimedes’ constant:

“all memorized by my 11yr old girl!

Smart, indeed.

Editor’s Note: Credit where credit is due: To Precinct 7’s own Donna Ruvolo for sending these photos along.

Belmont Boys’ Hoops Take On Latin Academy in Semis Wednesday At Wakefield

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Photo: Belmont’s Preston Jackson-Stephens taking the shot vs. Billerica

The easy part is over.

After a pair of comprehensive playoff victories in the comforting confines of Wenner Field House, the Belmont High Boys’ Basketball squad will board the bus and head off to neutral site Wakefield High School to meet up with a challenger which has the ability to score in bunches and do so quickly.

The third seed Marauders (18-4) will take on second seed Boston Latin Academy (21-4) in the semi-finals of the Division 2 North sectionals on Wednesday, March 4. Tip off is at 7 p.m.

“They’re obviously a good team having made it this far,” said Belmont Head Coach Adam Pritchard after Belmont ran a good Billerica squad off the Coach Lyons court, 76-57, in the quarterfinals last Wednesday.

Academy is one of the smaller teams Belmont will play, but what they lack in height they make up in speed and outside shooting, usually scoring double the number of 3s their opponents will attempt.

The Dragons are led by 6th man Junior Guard Abdulahi Aden who scored 21 points while grabbing 5 rebounds and giving out 6 assists in its quarterfinal match with Gloucester.

Belmont is captained by Middlesex Liberty MVP senior Mac Annus who is averaging 23.5 points in the playoffs. He is joined by juniors Preston Jackson-Stephens and Tim Minicozzi who are contributing on both ends of the court.

Police Seek Witnesses In Fatal Car/Motorcycle Crash On Winter Street

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Photo: The intersection where the accident took place.

Belmont Police Department is asking the public for information concerning a collision between a car and a motorcycle that occurred on Winter Street this past Monday, Feb. 24, that killed a Watertown teenager.

First responders found the victim, Andrea Martocchia, 16, a junior at Minuteman Regional Vocational Tech High School, in serious condition after his green Kawasaki Ninja model motorcycle collided with a brown Toyota Camry operated by a Belmont resident near the intersection of Winter and Robin Wood Road at approximately 4 p.m.

Martocchia was traveling southbound towards Marsh Street when he collided with the car heading northbound towards Route 2. The teen died on Thursday, Feb. 27.

“This is a tragedy involving the loss of a life in our community,” said Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac. “My heart goes out to the victim’s family during this difficult time.”

“We are asking for any persons who may have witnessed the crash to please come forward. Anyone with information should contact Officer Matt Benoit of the Belmont Police Department at 617-993-2501 or 617-993-2535,” said MacIsaac.

This incident is currently under investigation by the Belmont Police Department, with the assistance of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

League Title 2.0: Belmont Boys’ Hoops Defends Middlesex Liberty Crown

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Photo: Champs again.

Senior Co-captain Mac Annus was still smarting from his seven-point performance in Belmont second league defeat, a 69-63 home loss to Wakefield on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

“It was kinda rough thinking about not scoring. I made only one three,” said the Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball forward who averages in the high teens per game.

So when Belmont hosted Arlington on Friday, Feb. 7, Annus went back to what he does best on the court.

“I just started shooting and just stuck with it. Just stay confident that I’d start hitting those shots,” he said.

And Annus did just that, throwing up 35 points including nailing nine 3s to pace the Marauders to a 90-66 victory over the SpyPonders. After falling behind by nine early in the second quarter, Belmont stepped it up on the defensive end – shutting down Jr SpyPonder Myles Hess (20 pts) who burned the Marauders with five 3s in the first quarter alone – limiting Arlington to 9 points in the second.

Offensively, Belmont nearly doubled its output in the second quarter led by Annus who sank three 3s, a basket and a pair of free throws to end the half with 19. He was joined by senior Avery Arno (11 points) who drained nine points in the quarter as Belmont built a 43-32 advantage at the half.

The third quarter nearly turned into a game of horse between Annus and teammate junior Preston Jackson-Stephens (12 points in the third, 23 for the game) as the two threw in three 3s with some layups to boot with Annus scored 13 points in consecutive quarters.

Belmont’s 14th win of the season (against four losses) also clinched the Marauders consecutive Middlesex Liberty titles. The victory comes during the last half of the season which has been a struggle; a pair of losses to Middlesex Freedom rivals – snapping a two-year unbeaten streak in the League and three years undefeated at home – and wins which were secured in the final seconds.

“This is a very competitive league and you have to come prepared each night because there really isn’t an easy game in the Middlesex especially in the latter part of the season. There are no secrets that you can spring on anyone,” said long-time Belmont Head Coach Pritchard.

Yet it was also during this string of games in which the Marauders defeated a strong top-10 squad from Catholic Memorial, 86-84.

Belmont travels to the Middlesex Freedom champs Burlington (15-3) on Tuesday, Feb. 11, for the unofficial title of Middlesex League champions before ending the regular season on Thursday, Feb. 13, in a doubleheader with the Girls’ team against Woburn.