Thursday’s Nor’easter: School Delayed Two Hours, Parking Ban Starts At Midnight

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Photo: Maybe not this much …

While the expected snow totals have been falling all night, the Town of Belmont isn’t taking any chances with the fourth potential Nor’easter in the past month. The town and school department have issued updates on possible closings and delays for Thursday, March 22:

  • There will be a two hour delayed opening for all Belmont Public Schools on Thursday.
  • There is a Snow Emergency Parking ban effective as of midnight Thursday until further notice. Vehicles must be off streets and out of municipal and school parking lots or they will be towed.
  • Trash and Recycling WILL be picked up Thursday as scheduled.
  • All town offices will open at  8 a.m. as scheduled.

Residents will be notified of any further changes based on updated weather conditions.

Please call 617-993-2698 with questions.

It’s Good to be Green: State Provides $250K in Energy Saving Grants

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Photo: The Burbank school.

Kermit The Frog famously lamented “It’s not easy being green.”

But recently for the town of Belmont, being green is not just easy but pretty darn profitable.

Last month, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Division approved an award of $250,000 for four projects the town proposed in a “Green Communities Competitive Grant” application it submitted to the state last year.

List of projects being funded include;

• $92,499 for a boiler replacement at the Burbank Elementary School.

• $16,508 for retro-commissioning controls also at the Burbank Elementary.

• $92,481 for a boiler replacement at the Butler Elementary. 

• $48,512 for the weatherization of the Belmont Public Library.

The DOER reviewed Belmont’s grant application and determined these capital projects met the eligibility requirements of its “Competitive Grant” program, taking them off the rolls of the town’s Captial Budget Committee.

Belmont was named a Green Community at a State House ceremony in December 2014.

The Green Communities Division helps each of Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns find clean energy solutions that reduce long-term energy costs through technical assistance and financial support to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in public buildings, facilities and schools.

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

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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.”

Belmont Officers, Town Agree to Contract … And Prepares For Another

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Photo: Police Headquarters.

It took a while, but the town and the union representing the cops on the beat have OK’d a new agreement in which Belmont officers receive a wage increase with some concessions – including limited drug testing – on their part.

And in a few months, the two sides will be right back at the bargaining table for another three-year contract.

The Belmont Board of Selectmen voted Monday, Aug. 8 to approve a three-year deal – from July 2014 to June 2017 – between the 31 member Belmont Police Patrolmen’s Organization and the town. 

“We’re very happy with the agreement and [the union’s] negotiating team which settled on a very reasonable settlement,” said Belmont Human Resources Director Jessica Porter. 

The contract’s highlights include:

  • An annual two percent cost-of-living-adjustment which is consistent with other town/union contracts.
  • While not random testing, the union agreed to drug and alcohol testing “based upon reasonable suspicion.” 
  • Newly hired officers as of July 1, will see their health insurance contribution rate go up from 20 percent to 25 percent in exchange for a 25 cents an hour increase n hourly pay. 
  • The stipend for officers who have associates/bachelors/masters degrees in criminal justice is increased to $5,000/$9,500/$11,000 as long as the officers complete their degrees within three-and-a-half years for graduating from the Police Academy. 
  • The 12 patrolmen who have reached Master Patrolman status – based on ten years of experience, training, and performance appraisal – will see their differential from the base salary increase from 2 percent to 2.4 percent. 

Just after the agreement was signed, Porter said she’d begin the next set of contract negotiations for a three-year agreement soon as this new contract expires this coming June 30. Porter is hopeful the new “new” contract will take less time to negotiate and settle. 

“It should be a little smoother for a new contract as we have recently discussed everything that will be on the table,” said Porter.

Concord Under Construction For Next Five Days

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Photo: The road work begins on Concord Avenue. 

The main thoroughfare from Cambridge and Belmont High School to Belmont Center and points west will be reduced to a single lane as the roadway undergoes much-needed repair and repaving, according to the town’s Office of Community Development.

Concord Avenue from the commuter rail bridge to Cottage Street (where the Underwood Pool is located) will become home to pavers and asphalt spreaders for the next five days – if the weather cooperates – as the roadway (known for its potholes and divots) is restored as part of the 2015 Pavement Management project.

Concord Avenue is one of 15 streets that are being repaired after the Belmont Board of Selectmen accepted a $1.99 million bid from E.H. Perkins Construction last month, according to OCD Director Glenn Clancy.