I Can’t Drive … 25? Town Discussing Lowering Speed Limit On All Roads

By 1 Comment

Photo: 25 mph is the limit.

Belmont is moving towards following the lead of neighboring municipalities by reducing the speed limit on town roads to a uniform 25 mph.

Belmont’s Assistant Town Administrator Phyliss Marshall, Glen Clancy of the Office of Community Development and members of the Belmont Police Department have been discussing the possible changes in the past month, said David Kale, Town Administrator at Monday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting.

“Conventional wisdom” would suggest lowering the speed limit would increase road safety, said Kale, who said a bylaw change to reduce the speed limit could be before Town Meeting in May.

Marshall told the Belmontonian on Wednesday, Feb. 8, that so far “all we have done is simply discuss the possibility. Nothing has been finalized.”

If the annual Town Meeting ratifies a blanket speed for town roads, Belmont will join Boston, Somerville, and Cambridge which lowered speeds on town roads to 25 mph. State roadways, such as the Belmont Street/Trapelo Road corridor and Route 60 (which includes Pleasant Street) would remain under Massachusetts Department of Transportation rules.

Cities and towns around the state have moved to drop the speed limit since the implementation of the Municipal Modernization Act signed in August 2016, which grants cities and towns the permission to decrease local speed limits to 25 in highly congested areas and create designated 20 mph safety zones.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health conducted a study of a 2012 bill found that lowering the default speed limits five miles per hour on local roads from 30 mph made neighborhood roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and children while promoting active transportation such as biking and exercise.

Town Election 2017: ZBA’s Iannuzzi Looking At School Committee Race

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Nick Iannuzzi

Nicholas “Nick” Iannuzzi, the long-serving member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, has taken out nomination papers for a possible race for one of the two open seats on the Belmont School Committee.

A founding partner of the Needham-based law firm Orsi, Arone, Rothenberg, Iannuzzi & Turner, Iannuzzi is known for his defense of town residents against commercial business projects such as the proposed boutique hotel on Pleasant Street and placing restrictions on Airbnb rentals. 

In 2010, Iannuzzi ran an independent campaign to represent the third district on the Massachusetts Governor’s Council, eventually losing to long-time incumbent Marilyn Davane of Watertown. 

Iannuzzi is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School. He  has been practicing law for about 20 years. Before becoming a member of the Belmont ZBA, Iannuzzi served on the Zoning Board of Appeals in Somerville.

As of Friday afternoon, Feb. 10, incumbent Tom Caputo is the only candidate to by certified on the April 4 Town Election ballot. Incumbent Elyse Shuster and Catherine Bowen, the chair of Sustainable Belmont, have also taken out nomination papers. Candidates must submit signatures to the Town Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14. 

We Give Up: Schools, Town, Library Closed For Thursday’s Nor’easter

By Leave a Comment

Photo: School’s out for … Thursday!

Belmont has surrendered to tomorrow’s Nor’easter.

With approximately a foot of snow predicted to fall from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, most of Belmont will be shut down for the day.

  • Belmont Public Schools will be closed due to the snow and associated events and sporting contests will be postpone or rescheduled.
  • Town government and other town offices will also be shut tight.
  • The Belmont Public Library has cancelled events for the day and will remain closed until Friday at 9 a.m.

But one scheduled event will take place: Thursday trash and recycling pickup is still “on.”

Breaking: Parking Ban Begins 6 PM Thursday, Ends 6 AM Friday

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Snow Emergency declared for Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.

The Belmont Police has issued a snow emergency parking ban on all streets, municipal and school parking lots in Belmont effective at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, until 6 a.m., Friday, Feb. 10. 

ALL VEHICLES PARKED IN VIOLATION OF THE BAN WILL BE TOWED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE.

If you have any questions please call the snow emergency hotline at 617-993-2698. 

February Nor’easter Blowing into Belmont Thursday AM, Lasting All Day

By Leave a Comment

Photo: You know the drill.

A good ol’ Nor’easter will dump between four inches to a foot of snow in Belmont all-day Thursday, Feb. 9.

At 10 a.m. today, Wednesday, Feb. 8, the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for eastern Massachusetts including Belmont from 6 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9 to midnight, Friday, Feb. 10.

Here are the details from the NSW:

  • Heavy snow with accumulations between 4 to 12 inches.
  • Snow will begin early Thursday morning and last through much of the day before ending Thursday evening. 
  • Snow could fall heavy at times and impact both the morning and evening commutes.
  • Hazardous travel due to snow covered roads and poor visibilities. Blowing and drifting snow is possible.
  • Winds will be out of the North 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

The NWS provided a pair of maps relating to the amount of snow that we can expect to be shoveling. See below. 

screen-shot-2017-02-08-at-1-26-25-pm screen-shot-2017-02-08-at-1-26-51-pm

Obituary: Jason Georgitis, Star Lawyer, Beloved Husband, Father, Dies at 42

By 15 Comments

Photo: Jason Georgitis (Credit: Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.)

Jason Georgitis, a beloved husband, father, step-father, and neighborhood dad, died on Feb. 3, 2017, at the offices of the Boston law firm Mintz-Levin where he worked. He was 42.

The family said the cause appeared to be a sudden heart attack.

“We are all heartbroken at the passing of Jason. He was an excellent lawyer, a trusted advisor to his clients and a wonderful colleague and friend. He will be greatly missed,” said Dan Gaquin, a colleague at Mintz Levin.  

“This is extremely difficult for all of us,” added Stuart Offner, a Belmont resident who also worked closely with Georgitis at the law office.

Georgitis moved to Belmont 15 years ago when his step-daughter, Isabella Janosi began kindergarten at the Butler School. He and his wife, CC Maher, lived on Slade Street before their daughter, Chloe, was born. They moved to Bellevue Road where they developed deep roots while Chloe attended the Wellington Elementary School. 

“He would often lose the briefcase and appear with a tool belt ready to help any neighbor with any project anytime,” said Owen Carlson of Bellevue Road.

Known for his kindness and generosity, Georgitis would treat the neighborhood kids to ice cream and pick-up games of basketball. Georgitis was a neighborhood dad and co-organizer of the annual block party. He recently became a gifted woodworker and loved to share his craft with others in his basement workshop.

An athlete growing up, Jason took to long-distance cycling as his new sport and would go for long rides on weekends, sometimes finding himself in Maine. Jason took his dogs, Tonka and Tank, to the neighborhood playground and would often knock on neighbors’ doors to see if their dog wanted to join. 

He left a mark on the Chenery baseball field when his radio control plane flew into a tree on its maiden voyage. It can still be seen there today.

Originally from Kennebunk, Maine, Georgitis graduated from Tufts University summa cum laude, and received his J.D. from the Boston University School of Law. He was recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers “Rising Star” practicing real estate law at Mintz Levin, where he became a partner in 2015.

In addition to his wife CC, his step-daughter Isabella, and his daughter Chloe, Georgitis is survived by his mother, Pamela Hogan, father and step-mother, Jim and Debbie Georgitis, and brother, Nathan Georgitis.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the First Church Belmont in Belmont Center. 

Donations can be sent to the Belmont Savings Bank to help the family through this very difficult time.  The account name is the Jason Georgitis Memorial Fund.

Belmont Police ‘Not in the Habit’ of Asking Immigration Status

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont Police badge and patch. 

When asked about the department’s policy regarding persons with illegal status in the country, Belmont Police Assistant Captain James MacIsaac said while the department does not have written guidelines, when it comes to conducting local policing, “Belmont’s officers are not in the habit of asking about the immigration status of a victim, witness, or suspect.”

But while being an illegal immigration will not solely lead to that person’s arrest, if Belmont Police is asked by federal authorities to detain a person not lawfully in the country who is in custody for a crime, “I would expect our officers to cooperate,” said MacIsaac. 

The question of police cooperation with federal immigration law is at the heart of a likely citizen’s petition being prepared by residents which would make Belmont a “sanctuary” community through a vote at May’s annual Town Meeting. 

Belmont sanctuary supporters are pointing to a effort in Arlington, using similar language that would prevent local police from “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.” 

Belmont Police’s current policy appears to takes a hands-off approach to the legal status of residents and visitors to Belmont: being an illegal immigrant or migrant is not of the utmost importance for law enforcement. 

MacIsaac said typically Belmont officers will encounter a person whose immigration status would be “questionable” occurs during a traffic stop.

For example, if a driver does not have a license, the officer may discover the person is a foreign citizen who is unable to obtain a Massachusetts RMV license because they do not have legal status in the US.

But that is as far as Belmont Police will go on the person’s status

“[T]he the fact that the immigration status would be questionable does not lead to actual questioning about the status,” said MacIsaac.

“Officers in these circumstances handle their business with a possibly illegal immigrant using state laws about driving unlicensed and then move on,” he said.

MacIsaac said only when a person is arrested would their illegal status officially come to the department’s attention.

As with all who are arrested f0r a crime in Belmont, the arrestee’s fingerprints are transmitted to the Massachusetts State Police and the FBI which assists the Department in identifying the person arrested, if they have a criminal record and determining if there are outstanding warrants.

One of the databases that fingerprint records are checked against, automatically, is one maintained by Homeland Security.

In response to the information that an alien with illegal status is in currently in Belmont PD custody, an official with Homeland Security could send to Belmont Police an “immigration detainer” which allows them to hold the person in custody for up to 48 hours in addition to whatever time they might be arrested for any state charges.

In Belmont, cooperating with the federal government’s request is part and parcel of good policing.

“In the media, one hears the heads of different law enforcement agencies say that they do or do not cooperate with these detainers. For my part, I expect that our officers will assist every US law enforcement agency in the accomplishment of their [legitimate] objectives, just as we would expect the same cooperation from those agencies in the accomplishment of our objectives,” said MacIsaac.

So far, the department has only seen one or two of these detainers, said Macisaac and its cooperation had been limited to providing the detainer to the district court for its action when we transfer a prisoner.

“It has certainly been less burdensome than other forms of civil detention in which the department is involved,” said MacIsaac.

For MacIsaac, the primary job of the department is to protect Belmont’s residents and visitors from crime, no matter the citizenship or immigration situation of the suspect.

“If inquiring into and using the immigration status of a person might help [us] remove from our community a serious criminal more quickly or effectively for the protection of our residents, I certainly support our officers in doing so,” said MacIsaac.

Belmont Elementary Schools Honored On Beacon Hill

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Burbank Principal Tricia Clifford with state rep Dave Rogers (left) and state sen. Will Brownsberger. 

A pair of Belmont elementary schools were the toast of Beacon Hill as each received recognition for stellar work in education.

The Daniel Butler Elementary and Mary Lee Burbank Elementary schools were honored at the Massachusetts State House in a ceremony held Wednesday, Feb. 1 recogning 51 Bay State schools for high achievement, making strong progress, narrowing achievement gaps or a combination of all three.

The Butler school was honored for receiving the 2016 National Blue Ribbon Award given by the U.S. Department of Education for achieving at a “very high level,” while the Burbank school was saluted as a Massachusetts Commendation School for their high academic progress. The Butler received the National Blue Ribbon award in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in November.

rep-david-rogers-danielle-betanourt-michael-mcallister-sen-william-brownsberger

State Rep. Dave Rogers (l) Principals Michael McAllister (formerly Butler, now heading the Chenery Middle School in Belmont) and Danielle Betancourt (Butler), State Sen. Will Brownsberger at the Massachusetts State House.

Principals Michael McAllister (formerly Butler, now heading the Chenery Middle School in Belmont), Danielle Betancourt (Butler), Tricia Clifford (Burbank), and Belmont Superintendent John Phelan attended the ceremony. Also in attendance were State Rep. David Rogers and State Sen. William Brownsberger. There were opening remarks by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell D. Chester, the Secretary of Education Jim Peyser, and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito presented the awards.

For more information, and a complete list of the 51 Massachusetts schools honored, head to the Mass Department of Education web site.

See The Three Plans For The New Belmont Library on Tuesday

By Leave a Comment

Photo: One of three designs now being considered for a new Belmont Library.

The Belmont Public Library Feasibility Committee is asking residents and patrons to join it in the Library’s Assembly Room for the final Open Public Forum on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.

Feasibility Chairs Nancy Dignan and Elaine Alligood, Board of Trustees Chair Kathy Keohane and architect Stewart Roberts will walk through the work that went on during the study: what meetings were had, and what feedback they received.

The main portion of the evening will be reviewing of the floor plans, computer modeling, and cost estimating for each of the three options the committee is considering.

The study worked to develop a plan for:

  • A renovation of the existing space,
  • A renovation with an addition, and
  • new construction.

The study is nearing completion and the committee will be making its final recommendation on which of the three is the right fit and most cost effective to the Board of Library Trustees in the near future.

Come and voice your thoughts or bring questions to discuss. 

Library Director Peter Struzziero will be on hand with other members of the Feasibility Committee and Board of Library Trustees for conversation or other questions as well.

Light refreshments will be served. 

Starting High School Later Measure At School Committee Tuesday

By Leave a Comment

Photo: More zzzzzzzs for high schoolers.

The group pushing for a later starting time for Belmont High School students will present a petition and a formal request to the School Committee at its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 7 to begin steps that will result in high schoolers getting more sleep.

Start School Later Belmont will ask the committee to establish a task force to explore what needs to be developed to allow Belmont High School to begin the school day at a later time, said Jess Hausman, the new chair of the organization.

Currently, Belmont High School’s opens at 7:35 a.m. with classes dismissed at 2:25 p.m.

“We’re asking the School Committee to explore the issue in depth,” said Hausman in an email to the Belmontonian, concluding with the task force resolving how much later can high school students begin their day. 

“On Feb. 28 (hopefully) the [committee] will meet again and vote on this resolution to determine whether they will or will not form this task force,” she said. SSL Belmont believes it will take up to a year to develop a plan that will work for the committee and a formal vote can be held with implementation occurring in the fall of 2018.

Hausman said the reaction to the group’s proposal across different segments of the Belmont community has been overwhelmingly positive. SSL Belmont released the on-line petition to the public on Jan. 30, and by Feb. 5, it reached 288 signatures. 

“We are seeking up to 500 by the time the [committee] vote comes up for the task force resolution which will occur Feb 28, hopefully,” said Hausman. 

The science behind a later starting time for high school students is growing, according to School Committee member Andrea Prestwich, who started SSL in Belmont and campaigning in part on its passage.

“It’s a nationwide problem,” said Prestwich in November 2015, noting that sleep-deprived teens are more depressed, more likely to suffer from diabetes; their immune systems are compromised, can not accept normal levels of stress, impacting academics and are more suspectable to sports injuries.