Lace Up Your Skates: Belmont Sports Complex Opening Day Is Sunday, Nov. 16

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Photo: It’s ready to open on Nov. 16.

Get ready to lace up your skates! The official opening of the Belmont Sports Complex has been announced.

“We circled the date of Nov. 16,” Patrice Garvin, Belmont Town Administrator told the Select Board at its Monday, Nov. 6 meet. The announcement comes as the ice surface is being established and set at the $32 million complex, seeing the return of skating and hockey since 2022 when the former facility was closed after multiple mechanical failures forced the shut down of the former rink.

“We’re working on an opening ceremony and then an event” for that day, said Garvin, who is working closely with Rink Manager Erik Harrington. While admitting they haven’t worked out all the details, Garvin said the preliminary plan is for the day to start with a gathering in front of the complex at 1 p.m. An official opening ceremony will follow with tours of the interior. The day concludes with a public skate at the Viglirolo Rink.

“That’s the date we’d like to do,” said a hopeful Garvin.

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 League Of Women Voters Holding Warrant Briefing For Special Town Meeting Oct. 7

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Photo: The Belmont League of Women Voters will be holding a virtual warrant briefing on Oct. 7

The Belmont League of Women Voters and the town’s Warrant Committee will be holding a virtual Warrant Briefing to discusss the warrant articles in the Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.

Here is an opportunity to ask questions about the 15 articals that will come before Town Meeting Members prior to Special Town Meeting that will begin on Oct. 20. Town officials will be present to provide information.

Paul Rickter, chair of the Warrant Committee, will host the meeting.

Viewing Options:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82452007848

Zoom meeting ID: 824 5200 7848
Passcode: 086788

Live broadcast: Belmont Ch 9 (Comcast); Ch 29 (Verizon);
Ch 2130 (Verizon HD)

Livestream or on-demand: belmontmedia.org/watch/publictv

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.”

State Rep. Dave Rogers Comes Out With Local Office Hours For October

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Photo: Dave Rogers

Belmont’s State Rep. Dave Rogers has announced his October office hours.

  • Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St.
  • Friday, Oct. 17, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Bellmont Caffe, 80 Leonard St.
  • Thursday, Oct. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Tilde Coffee, 2376 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge.
  • Monday, Oct. 27, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Robbins Library, Arlington, 700 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington.

Feel free to contact Rogers’ office with questions by phone 617-722-2263 or by email at dave.rogers@mahouse.gov.

Belmont Center Overlay Vote Pushed To 2026, Planning Board Cites Data Delay For Set Back

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Photo: Map of the zoning overlay district for Belmont Center

A Town Meeting vote on the proposed Belmont Center Zoning Overlay Plan will likely be pushed back into the new year, as the Belmont Planning Board indicated it will miss a self-imposed drop-dead date to approve or reject the plan that aims to ramp up residential and commercial activity in Belmont’s main business center.

“I feel we are not going to meet [the Planning Board’s] required deadline for the fall Town Meeting,” said Planning Board Chair Thayer Donham, who ran the Thursday, Sept. 18 morning meeting virtually from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

This delay marks the second time the proposal has been postponed, having been tentatively scheduled from the annual Town Meeting in May to the Special Town Meeting in October.

The proposed overlay acts as a second set of rules added to the underlying zoning along Leonard Street and Concord Avenue along and Concord Avenue from the commuter rail tunnel and the land west of Harris Field. The town’s Select Board is advancing the overlay with several goals in mind, including improving municipal finances, revitalizing the business center, and creating more and a greater variety of housing options.

Saying she was eager to wrap up the zoning process, Donham indicated the board was anxious to have an all-important parking study conducted before a final vote on the zoning overlay in the coming week.

Belmont’s Town Planner Chris Ryan told the Board he was still waiting for the draft parking report to be delivered by the Boston office of Desman, which missed the initial due date of Sept. 8. In fact, “there were several milestones missed this week,” said Ryan. A traffic analysis by the town’s consultant, The BSC Group, is not expected until the end of the month.

“I feel we are not going to be able to meet the required deadline,” said Donham. “We want to continue our thoughtful process of hearing from people, and parking is a concern we’ve been hearing about for months. We don’t think we can make a parking decision without the report.”

After a short roundtable discussion, Planning Board members each agreed with Donham that the board could not make a recommendation without the critical data on hand and without a legal reading of the results by Town Counsel.

“I don’t see how we can vote on the zoning overlay [on Sept. 25] without this data,” said Donham. “We’re trying to get all the information needed and vetted, and here we are, a week before we’re required to get to take a vote, and we don’t have a major piece of information.”

“We’re essentially running out of time, and given the delays in getting this information and the request we’ve gotten from everybody to look at this specifically,” said the Planning Board’s Alisa Garner-Todreas. “It feels like we need more time, possibly a February special Town Meeting, and that would be a better deadline for us to cross the t’s and dot the i’s.”

The Zoning Overlay proposal has had a rough row to hoe from the very first public meeting in March, when nearby residents and business owners opposed what they believed was an invitation for large development that would overtax the existing infrastructure. By a June public meeting, resistance to the plan had remained, and there was some talk, even by some board members, that data gathering, anticipated changes to the plan, and a needed public relations effort could not be completed to allow the plan to be presented to the Special Town Meeting. Yet at its latest meeting, the Select Board appeared confident the overlay measure would be before the Special Town Meeting and would receive a favorable vote.

It now appears the Select Board has little option but to remove the Zoning Override from the Special Town Meeting Warrant that is required to be voted on at its Sept. 29 meeting.

Parking in Belmont Center will be front and center the next day. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, when the Select Board, the Planning Board, and the Traffic Advisory Committee hold a joint meeting on parking and transportation in Belmont Center. “I think that is just the big public discussion that is necessary to finalize any zoning,” said Donham.

Town Administrator Garvin Received 2% Salary Merit Increase … Then Gave It Back

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Photo: Patrice Garvin

After the Belmont Select Board gave for the second year running an outstanding work performance review to Town Administrator Patrice Garvin, the three member board on Monday, Sept. 15, provided a two percent merit increase to Garvin, totalling $4,681.80.

After hearing the announcement, Garvin quickly gave the amount back to the town.

What?

No, it wasn’t part of an elberate protest on her part or, as one online critic suggested, an attempt by her not to enter a higher tax bracket. In fact, Garvin redirected her increase to help support a town non-union Employee Recognition Program to be run by the town’s Human Resources Department. The funds will awarded to staffers for outstanding work and innvoation that improves the town’s operations.

“That’s incredibly generous, and I think it shows a lot about you as a leader to who watches out for her staff,” said Matt Taylor, Board Chair.

“You have high standards and do a lot with a little. And this is a very generous way to give a bit back to other employees as well. I admire you a lot for this,” said Taylor.

Garvin accepted a $229,500 annual salary in March, 2025 as part of a financial package to counter an opportunity to take over the head administrator post in Danvers.

“I love what I do,” Garvin told the board. “I love working with the board to solve problems that come up. Sometimes it feels like there’s more problems and solutions. We take it day by day, and I hope to just improve the town in small increments every day I come to work. It’s about doing what’s best for the town.”

As for the performance review conducted by Belmont’s HR Director Kelley King who created an executive summary from answers to a questionaire on Garvin’s overall job performance. And just like last year’s review, Garvin knocked it out of the park, earning the top score of five out of five from the board, “reflecting her outstanding leadership, professionalism and dedication,” said Kelley.

“[Garvin] consistently demonstrates integrity, resilience and creativity, effectively managing complex issues while maintaining a positive and collabrative approach with staff, the Select Board and the community,” said King.

The review noted Garvin’s work on maintaining balance budgets while helping to create a revenue-based annual budget process, improved organizational efficiency such as incorporating the Council of Aging into a newly-created Human Services Department, enhancing municipal services during a time of fiscal constrains, while using out-of-the-box approach to provide needed assets, e.g., securing $1 million from in-town non-profits and the town’s electric utility to provide a solar array for the Belmont Sports Complex which will house the town’s skating rink.

“Garvin’s expertise, problem solving skills and commitment to make her an invaluable asset to Belmont and a driving force behind the town’s continued success,” said King.

Board members praised Garvin after the review.

Elizabeth Dionne said most of the “public do not see what she does behind the scenes. They do not appreciate how much work she does.”

“I don’t know if this … officially shows up in the job description but you’re kind of like our problem solver,” said Taylor. “Something comes up and we need someone to ramp up on that quickly and figure it out because there isn’t a playbook for it. You’ve done that multiple times,” Taylor told Garvin.

Belmont High Volleyball Takes Powerhouse Melrose To Five Sets In Season Opener

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Photo: Belmont High’s Kat Hsu (No. 11) and Sadie Boas (No. 8) at the net vs Melrose

For the past decade, Belmont High School Volleyball has been paired in the season opener against perennial Middlesex League powerhouse Melrose. In the early years of this competition, it was a humbling experience for the Marauders as the Red Hawks would walk through the opposition.

But over the past three years, the competition between the teams has become competitive with Belmont falling 3-2 last season, after defeating the Red Hawks, 3-1, in 2023.

The season opener at Belmont’s Wenner Field House on Wednesday, Sept. 3, had all the feel of a changing of the guard in the opening sets as Belmont’s lineup of first time starters out hustled the visitors to take a two set lead (25-20, 25-20). Belmont’s new head coach Raylynn Kauila had the players performing at a tournament level against a talent-laden opponent.

Belmont High’s new head coach Raylynn Kauila

“The players did play very well defensively,” said Kauila, who coached at Springfield Central previously. “They kept that ball up. They kept it in. They were talking and moving really well and were doing really well with our serving too. We didn’t have too many missed serves.”

But Melrose was holding a very big weapon in its arsenal: senior Sabine Wenzel. At 6’6″ and 175 pounds, the Division 1 commit to East Texas A&M, is THE presence on the court both at the net blocking and especially on the attack. “Melrose were so good at finding [Wenzel on the] right, and they adjusted really well later in the match,” said Kauila.

In the third and fourth sets, Wenzel was the Red Hawks offensive stalwart, winning multiple points on set shots with deadly accuracy. While the Marauders kept both sets close, they could not narrow the margin to within a point, dropping Belmont 25-21 and 25-19.

Melrose High Volleyball senior Sabine Wenzel in action vs. Belmont High

The match came down to Melrose’s better finesse and fitness as Belmont’s earlier performance slipped as the match wore on.

“We got tired, and it definitely showed,” said Kauila. “We were not being able to finish and made some hitting errors. Once we got down in that third set, it was really hard to come back.. We closed it just a little bit. But just not get over the hump,” she said as Belmont fell, 15-11, in the deciding set.

[Belmont would take two of the next three matches – defeating Reading and Watertown while losing to Wayland – to end the first week at 2-2.]

But there was a lot to take from the match: a player that impressed Kauila was junior middle blocker LeeLee Kozelian, who was matched up against Wenzel. “It’s very intimidating to play against someone with that big of a height difference. And she surprised me by really committing to playing there and not being scared. She had some good fight in her and it’s important at that position.” Three times in the match, the junior stuffed Wenzel’s attempted spikes to win the point.

Belmont senior Libero Zulal Merdinian

In the back court, senior Libero Zulal Merdinian was ‘talking, reading the game, adjusting to the defense, and just doing a phenomenal job,” said Kauila.

Despite the loss, Kauila did find encouragement for the rest of the season.

“It’s a nice baseline for game one. So I can’t wait to see their growth over the next couple of games,” she said.