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Election 2008
(May 8 11:09AM)
5/9 10:59am
Anyone know of a local adult softball league? My friends and I are looking
to start a team or possibly join an existing one. Prefer a men's league but
coed is okay too. We are all in our mid-20's. Please help!! The season
starts soon!!
- FG
5/9 10:58am
MON, Re: your post of 5/9 12:42 am - you're starting to grow on me. I took
extreme pleasure in the way in which you get the point across.
- JG
5/9 10:57am
Thank you all who explained the override. Why does Norfolk only do
overrides for the schools? You would think that they could look at
other staff, such as Town Hall (2 people in Planning office with little
building going on), or DPW. It seems they only hit the schools but
don't want to look at what is right in front of them. Maybe by no
raises or reduces staff could loer the override amount.
- AML
5/9 10:56am
SO - I believe it's a Smart Car - I think the owners are on [Norfolk
local street, pretty house].
- LAW
5/9 10:55am
MON's chart is much more 'understandable'. Now I get it!
- LAW
5/9 12:53am
Hello,
Can anyone recommend a facility near Norfolk that is set up for Alzheimer
patients/residents that are on public funding/medicare/medicaide, etc...? We
are trying to find a place for someone that will treat them with respect and
compassion. Thank you.
- PRR
5/9 12:48am
Re: 5/8 3:40pm AB
OK, I see that we have an official organization chart for the Town that can be found here.
[town hall link].
It appears that this Org Chart is a work in progress and is not done
yet. It covers only those people and functions which report to the Board
of Selectmen. Four sheets print out when you click on the "2009
Organizational Chart". Finance should reference Chart C, and DPW, Chart B.
Positions or Boards such as the Town Clerk, Board of Health, Planning
Board, School Committee, and Town Moderator, etc., are independent
elected positions and do not report to the Board of Selectmen and are
not controlled or overtly influenced by them, and do not appear on this
org chart,
though for some reason a list of people who work for the Town Clerk, and
on Elections, Voter Reg, Advisory Board, Recreation, Board of Health and
Planning Board does appear although those people work for the
independent Boards and functions.
Regarding your question: What is the point of printing under the Board
of Selectmen "UNPAID?" Maybe that was a Freudian slip, or maybe the
Selectmen will return their modest stipends to the Town as evidence of
their frugality and dedication. Pass it on.
- BH
5/9 12:46am
This is a response to JH's post on 5/5 wondering about home daycare or
"practicing preschools" in town.
JH, I am currently teaching preschool and I am
in the process of opening my own home preschool (opening in September) for
children 2.6-4 years of age. My program will run Monday thru Friday
9:00am-1:00pm with snack and lunch included. Parents will have the option to choose the
number of days, and which days, they would like their child to attend. The
schedule could be 2, 3, 4, or 5 days per week. I have completely renovated a
portion of my house for the program and I am currently going through the
licensing process. I am very excited to get it up and running! If you have any
questions or want more information, please email me at
emailforlaurie@aol.com
- LH
5/9 12:42am
AB - You need to look at my Flow Chart of Norfolk Town Government. Normal
flow charts just don't cut it here. I had to pattern it on the structure of
our solar system and the Universe.
First off - the selectmen are the center of the town solar system - surrounded
by planetary Boards, some close - some far, far off and of unknown
composition. There are boards yet to be named and discovered. Also, these
central Selectmen spin constantly in circles. The CPC is pulled by the
gravitational pull of money, while the advisory board gravitates towards
disgruntled taxpayers and SO satellites - significant others.
In another galaxy is the Town Adminstrator who is connected by cosmic forces
called Unions - which create the Fire and Police solar monetary flare-ups we
commonly see. Somewhere in another galaxy, far, far, far away, is a
Finance Director - but that isn't known for sure because we have never seen
him.
The most intriquing part of the Norfolk Universe is the DPW Black-Hole - from
which light and information never escapes. It is virtually unknown also and
we are told we will never know. Oh, and the Arrows from the Town
Adminstrator galaxies to the Selectmen only occur in certain
directions - depending on which time of the year. Most of the year the
Administrator feeds the Selectmen information - especially one of them that
shines way too bright for the system... while the Selectmen only interact the
Administrator in a cosmic way right around Tax-Time - which is now.
So that's the Town Flow Chart as far as I see it. Please see the attached
image. I hope this helps.
- MON
5/9 12:41am
DV,
In my school system we subscribe to a service called ConnectEd (which is
what I think KP uses). I don't know if it's a once a year fee, or fee per
use, but we only use it for snow days/emergencies. It has its pros and
cons... It's meant to relay messages to school staff and parents, not the
general public (trust me, you don't want to get a phone call every time
there's a snow day if it doesn't apply to you).
- RD
5/9 12:40am
Election Day - Did anyone else see the extremely tiny, vintage, baby
blue car (convertible) tooling around "downtown" around 4 pm? A man
was driving with a woman passenger. What the heck was that and where
can I get one?
BB - I haven't read up further - I'm catching up - do you still have
the yarn and is it wool?
- SO
5/8 3:40pm
OK, I see that we have an official organization chart for the Town that can be found here.
[town hall link]
Questions -
Where are the following boards/departments? Where do they fit in the hierarchy?
(Maybe this is a subtle hint on how the budget woes are going to be fixed.)
Town Clerk
Rec Department
Board of Health
Planning Board
Conservation Commission
Zoning Board
Personnel Board
CPC
Council on Aging
Town Moderator
Advisory Board
What is the point of printing under the Board of Selectmen "UNPAID?"
Spelling corrections are required.
Contracter is not correctly spelled - it's "Contractor."
- AB
5/8 3:38pm
None of the override money goes to KP, right? Could someone please give
more details about the meeting last night? What options do we have?
- JN
5/8 2:15pm
DWL--override is for Norfolk Pub Schools and to put $$ in the road
budget.
- BS
5/8 2:04pm
AML,
Just wanted to know, is this override for Norfolk or the Regional System?
Thanks.
- DWL
5/8 12:25pm
AML - Override amount is 714,000. It could have been lower, but 2 out of
3 selectmen insisted on higher numbers. That works out to be approximately
250$ per household.
- MON
5/8 11:06am
As far as a recount of the election results, if we go forth with that,
[continued...]
- PA
5/8 11:05am
Folks, skip the workout, catch another game, TiVo American Idol, do
whatever you need to do to get yourself to Town Meeting next Tues and
Weds, May 13-14. Our town leaders will be discussing the 2008-2009
school budgets, and we need to make sure our schools are funded! A very
sobering meeting last night at the high school spelled out the impact of
current KP budget negotiations: class sizes up, availability of courses
down, state requirements of time on learning not met, and a possible
loss of accreditation. This spells disaster for our kids, as well as
property values. A small, dedicated group has spent many, many hours in
meetings with state reps, standing up for good schools on our behalf and
asking them to join them. I, for one, thank them!! Now it's time to give
them our support and get to Town Meeting. And if you have friends in
Wrentham and Plainville, encourage them to go to their upcoming town
meetings as well... Solving our budget crunch is not easy. Getting to
Town Meeting is! Babysitting and free spaghetti dinner (first night) are
offered. Thank you!
- AL
5/8 11:04am
Also highly recommend Pisani's in Franklin Center - the gentleman that owns
it is super nice and can fix anything. Has done wonders with my
husband's dress shoes - good luck!
- KG
5/8 11:03am
Multi-Family Yard Sale: Saturday, May 10th, 8:00 to 12:00, Fleetwood
Drive, Norfolk. Toys: legos, barbie bus, little tykes, action figures,
kids books. Teen girls: designer clothing, sizes 0-4. Household,
jewelry, vintage clarinets and flute. Beginner piano books, two 24" boys
bikes, lefty kids golf clubs. Rain or shine. Don't miss this one!
- CR
5/8 11:02am
Can anyone tell me how much the override is for? I am searching
everywhere for an amount but just cannot seem to find one. Has it been
estimated what the average cost to each household is?
- AML
5/7 11:03pm
JN - I have used Pisini's in Franklin (across from Acapulco's).
The man who
owns the store is great and he has done wonders with some of my
husband's
shoes. He also sells Stride Rite shoes, which is a plus for my kid!
- SF
5/7 11:02pm
BWA, NCTV And where do you think Verizon gets the money from? Us!
- JN
5/7 11:01pm
To Hilary Cohen/ACO - It is so hard to find any gifts that are made in
America these days, so what a nice idea! You could have a year-round
horseshoe fundraiser. I love what you wrote on the page on your site
about the luck of the horseshoe. I am sure there are superstitious
people out there that would enjoy donating to the cause and possibly
helping their luck along a bit :-) I am looking forward to the next
horseshoe I get. I will pick up the story from you then.
- EF
5/7 11:00pm
Thanks RC and BWA - Seeing how 70% of our taxes go to the schools, and the
logic that a taxpayer most likely has Comcast cable - or now Verizon - if
he/she wants to view television inside a house, they pay taxes on.
Therefore, the homeowner-subscriber-taxpayer would like to see the
meetings where 70% of their money goes at times when the
homeowner-subscriber-taxpayer is most likely to be home. Which is
logically and statistically after 5 pm.
I want to be positive as well. But telling me that a majority of the
viewers, which are homeowner-subscribers-taxpayers, are home between 11
am and 2 pm to watch where 70% of our taxes go is highly illogical.
Now if there is a political reason why you don't show the school
committee meetings at night to the taxpayer - such as your studio is in
the school and information does not want to be widely shared - I would
understand your logic.
So I am going to ask again. Please show all School Board Committee
meetings during prime time or at night for the majority and during
working hours for the minority.
- MON
5/7 3:50pm
Thank you both EF and DV. EF, I forgot to enclose Jimmy's story, he too
was in An Apple A Day. I'll give it to you with your next shoe. We will
be doing some new shoes soon, featuring a few off of our rescue Belgian
"Chimay", among other local horses that were rescues and their owners
have donated their shoes. Chimay's shoes, no joke, are the size of
appetizer plates! I wasn't planning on pushing the shoes at this time
of year but I'm always glad to raise money for the animals that come
through our door. So if anyone see a shoe that they like, and if I've
already "sold" it, I can make more. I will have to update the page
again as some of those shoes on there are already hanging in people's
houses.
Sincerely,
- Hilary Cohen ~ Norfolk Animal Control
5/7 1:58pm
Can anyone suggest a local shoe repair?
Eagle Shoe Repair is in Norwood.
They are located on Day Street which intersects the main street in the center of town.
They can repair pretty much anything. 781-762-0238 is their number. Good Luck!
- LBK
5/7 1:56pm
Rocky's is the best, Marcia and Rocky will give you and your car TLC.
MON et al: please tell what you want to see and when you would like to
see it to NCTV and on the Net, so a fit into scheduling may be
arranged. Perhaps other than Town Boards and Committees could also be
programmed - like your NTA meetings. NCTV is always looking for
informational programs, volunteers and feedback. Let us be positive.
- RC
5/7 1:55pm
JH, although my children don't go there, I just became aware of a
part-time opening in a very well-regarded in home daycare. You can
email me at
workingparentsnorfolk@hotmail.com
- KID
5/7 1:54pm
MON, just to clarify on a common misconception - tax dollars do not
fund NCTV.
Your tax dollars go towards, snow plowing, road maintenance, water,
sewer, etc., not public access tv channels owned by Comcast.
NCTV is a private, 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation who receives
funding directly from Comcast (and now Verizon).
- BWA, NCTV
5/7 1:03pm
Can anyone suggest a local shoe repair?
- JN
5/7 12:46pm
Re: Can anyone suggest a local body shop? I think we have a couple in
town but fortunately, up 'til now, I'm clueless on this subject.
I have had fantastic experiences (yes, plural, unfortunately) with
Rocky's Autobody. The work is exceptional!
- BA
5/7 12:10pm
JH: My kids go to a local home day care and have for several years
now-we are very happy with her! If you would like her contact info.,
feel free to email me privately (have Wm. give you my email address - I
hope that's OK, Wm!!)
If I don't hear from you, good luck in your search!
- SRA
5/7 11:58am
Can anyone suggest a local body shop? I think we have a couple in town
but fortunately, up 'til now, I'm clueless on this subject. I had the
great pleasure of having my 3 month old car hit in Roche Bros parking
lot. Of course there was no note. And now I know why. When you admit
fault, there goes your surcharge for several years. If you pretend
nothing happens, the person who gets hit, pays the deductible but can
still have a fixed car without the surcharge being affected.
MON--you are so right. Apathy. You can say one thing about Norfolknet,
the posters and readers are not disengaged and care.
- BS
5/7 11:56am
EF -- I too bought a couple of the horseshoes from Hilary; one for my house
and one was sent to my 10 year old niece in Texas. They are beautiful and
make great gifts! My niece was thrilled when she got it and my sister told
me that she has read and re-read the Apple a Day story that came along with
them. If anyone else gets a chance to check them out and help out a worthy
cause, I would highly recommend it!
DV -- I agree completely about overuse. When was the last time anyone paid
attention to a car alarm going off in a parking lot? Also, not everyone
received the principal's message. Apparently you have to have a child in the
school system to get the reverse calls, as I did not get one. Was the message
important and should it have gone to taxpayers that support the school
rather than just taxpayers that use (and support, don't read into this, you
guys know what I mean!) the school?
- MH
5/7 10:27am
I just picked up a decorated horseshoe from Hilary Cohen, our Norfolk
ACO. What a great idea and a nice thing to receive for a 35$ donation
to the gift fund to help the animals that make their way into Hilary's
care. This was a winter fundraiser and somehow I missed a post about
this late last year and just happened upon this while checking out
some of the adoptable animals on the animal control site. Regardless,
just wanted to make a post about this. Here is the link that should
take you to the decorated horseshoes:
norfolkanimalcontrol.net
Click on "horseshoes for the holidays."
- EF
5/7 10:15am
JG - I plan on it. The station plays all shows automatically - without
human intervention. All it takes for the station to play the important
meetings is to want to. We want to see relevant board meetings
including the school committee meetings during times when the taxpayer
can view it. If this does not happen there are steps that can be taken.
Also, congratulations goes out to Rob Garrity for winning the
Selectman's seat, winning by microns against the formidable Jay
Talerman. Rob won by less than 5% of the vote, which is smaller than
typical human error, which is 5 to 6%, indicating to me, at least, that
voter mood expects change. Given the closeness of this race, perhaps
the ballots should be hand-counted to make sure there were no computing
errors. In the meantime, and once it's official, we will all be
watching closely to see what transpires between the triumvirate. When I
mean we, I mean the 25% of the registered voters that turned out; the
other 75% are lost in a sea of apathy.
- MON
5/7 10:12am
We were relayed an announcement about a meeting this evening about
the KP middle/high school budgets --
KING PHILIP REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Message sent - 5/3/2008
Current Budget Status Meeting
Middle School/High School Budget
Information Meeting
Wednesday May 7, 7:00 PM High School
Library
The school committee will hold a public
forum on the middle school and high school budget.
Learn about the impact of current budget
negotiations on the programs, staffing, and class sizes at both schools.
Based on current information:
12 to 13 current faculty positions will
be eliminated
10 new positions to meet class size
needs are eliminated
Class sizes at both schools will
increase
Middle school and high school study
halls will increase
Availability of high school science
courses will be reduced
Middle school writing and instrumental
music classes will be cut
State requirements for time on learning
requirements may not be met at both schools
We look forward to discussing the budget
with you!
Respectfully,
Clare Sullivan, Chair
- Wm.
5/7 9:53am
MON, RG, Might I suggest either one or both of you volunteer your time to
NCTV. I'm quite sure they can use the help, and by doing so you could
ensure the programs run when its convenient for you. Best wishes,
- JG
5/7 9:29am
MW, my fear is that if it is overused, people will stop paying attention to
it. Spraying is a good reason to use it because we need to take protective
measures. But I guess there is the answer, what I think is important may not
matter to someone else, which makes the guidelines unclear.
- DV
5/7 9:28am
Excellent dog walker available to walk and feed your dog. References
available. Please contact Mary at
marymjef@aol.com
- EF
5/7 8:57am
DV, My son goes to school in another district... They get a "reverse 911"
call every time report cards go home or if there is some other important
announcement. I am not sure if they use the actual reverse 911, or if
they have some sort of other service that just the school uses...
I
guess the question to ask is, Is there a fee per use? or one fee per
year? If there is no per use fee, I would think that we should make the
most of the fact that our town does pay for this service and we should
use it more often... such as mosquito spraying, water flushing, no
school notifications etc.
- MW
5/7 8:33am
I was very bothered by King Philip's choice to use the phone service to let
us all know the new Principal's message. It is my understanding that this
service is for emergencies only. When I got home my kids were all anxious, saying
that they had missed a call from the school and to please check the answering
machine to see if there was an emergency. Is this for general announcements
or emergencies?
- DV
5/6 9:36pm
A very heartfelt thanks to our beloved webmaster for all his talents,
time, and effort these past several weeks. Thanks to Norfolknet, life
in Little Ole Norfolk is a lot more interesting than it used to be, and
I can't help but believe that it has made many of us better, or at least
better informed, citizens.
- KEM
5/6 9:21pm
Results from the police department:
Selectman's race: Garrity 754, Talerman 724.
Recreation Commission: Fruci 946, Terpstra 760, Lawrence 510.
- Wm.
Update 5/8 11:13am:
The question, "Should the Town Clerk's position be elected,
as it is now, or changed to be appointed?" was decided to keep it
elected; Elected: 617 (No, do not appoint)
Appointed: 512 (Yes, change to appoint).
I almost missed this question, it was tucked in at the very bottom
in a different format than the rest of the page. - Wm.
5/6 9:20pm
NCTV Government Channel 22 has the results of last night's poll. Results
are scrolling through the bulletin board if anyone is interested in
watching. Thanks to new technology, we were able to text message the
data from a cell phone to the studio from H. Olive Day for on the spot
results as they happened. Thanks to Gail Bernardo for taking the time to
slow down for my typing.
- BWA, NCTV
5/6 7:53pm
I agree with MON that all programming on NCTV should run both during the
day and evenings. For the managers and/or board members to think the
majority of Norfolk residents prefer one over the other is absurd. Why
then run any programming after 5 PM. Their argument defies any sense of
rational thinking.
- RG
5/6 7:51pm
Re: unsafe mosquito spraying and safer alternatives!!
And, for my Norfolk, MA neighbors, how to exclude your property from local
spraying.
Please note: if you choose to use the BTI method, it must be done immediately
in order to catch the mosquito larvae on the surface of the water before they
mature!! Like now!!
Okay, I have been very busy today. I hope you take this seriously. It is
serious!
After reading about the various chemicals used in different areas of the
country to deal with the mosquito problems and West Nile and EEE disease and the
contra-indications of spraying chemicals into the air, as far as asthma issues
with children and elders, endangering the birds and bees, pets, livestock and
wild life, water supplies, etc... and of course us... here's some info!
(For my fellow Norfolk, MA neighbors, regarding local spray exclusions, I
called up the number that I suggested that all of you call (781)762-3681. The
deal is this, you must a write a letter stating that you do not want your
property sprayed for mosquitos. You must also list the names of your neighbors,
ie., abutters for they will not get sprayed as well if you apply for an
exclusion. Then you must deliver the letter to the Norfolk Town Clerk's office
ASAP!!! And, there is an alternative product called BTI or Bacillus
thuringiensis bacteria. It is time sensitive and must be used now! So, get on it if
that is your choice!)
For everyone, here are 2 sites that provide excellent information about BTI
and other safe alternatives to mosquito population control:
From:
[flower-gardening-made-easy.com page]
"Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis a naturally occurring bacterium. The
"i" stands for israelensis, the specific form that kills mosquito larvae before
they emerge from the water as biting adults.
Bti is available to gardeners in the US as granules, floating mosquito dunks
or briquettes. The product is organic and safe for birds and fish, which can
still eat the mosquito larvae without danger.
You can use Bti in garden ponds, water features or anywhere you have standing
water on your property. Be sure to read and follow the instructions on the
package as to how much to use and how long the product is effective..."
From: (This is great!)
[birdsnways.com page]
[C o n t i n u e d . . .]
- PRR
5/6 11:23am
Does anyone have any moving boxes they want to get rid of?
Please call me at 553-3921 if you do.
- NM
5/6 10:37am
Norfolk Community League 12th Annual 5K Run/Walk,
Saturday, June 7th,
Race Starts at 9:00 a.m. (registration 8:00-9:00 a.m.),
Holmes Field, Myrtle Street, Norfolk.
Come kick off Norfolk Community Day by participating in the NCL Annual
5k Charity Run/Walk. This years proceeds will benefit Norfolk
Together, a non-profit organization that provides immediate financial
assistance to families in need. Free T-Shirts to the first 75 runners
registered, post race food and kids races. Registration is $15.00;
Kids Races $5.00 and Parking fee of $5.00 goes to the Norfolk Lions
and gets you admission to Norfolk Community Day! Registration form can
be found on
norfolkcommunityleague.org
or register on race day.
- JC
5/6 10:20am
I called the water department and they told me that the purpley, rusty
water is from fire training exercises last night. They told me that I
have to run my tap for 15 minutes to clear the pipes. I asked them who
would pay for that water and they said it was the homeowner's
responsibility. After the giant water bill many of us received
recently, I find that to be rather annoying.
- MJD
5/6 10:17am
One other issue: The folks at NCTV say that a majority of the viewers
want to see relevant town meetings during the day - i.e.,
majority of viewers would like to see it during the day at the time
slots scheduled. Unfortunately, we can't please everyone all of the time
with the schedule.
- Brian
My question to the NCTV crew is - How do you know unless you have polled
the Town? I find this to be "fishy" in the least.
How many Norfolk people would like to see tax-relevant town meetings at
prime-time? Many of us work for a living and can not view relevant
meetings.
For NCTV to say such a blanket statement shows a lack of respect for the
wishes of the people who pay for it.
What say you, Norfolk?
- MON
5/6 10:13am
PRR:
Here are two links from NY that talk about Anvil (the spray that they will
be using for mosquito control).
[Rense.com page],
[NY info page]
Here are other warnings posted in other states:
To reduce exposure, residents of targeted neighborhoods may wish to stay
indoors and close their windows while spraying is underway. To further
reduce exposure, remain indoors or avoid the area for 30 minutes after
spraying has ceased.
* It is safe to run your air conditioner; however if you wish to
reduce possible exposure to AnvilŪ, set the air conditioner vent to the
closed position, or chose the recirculate function.
* Some people with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma may
be more sensitive to AnvilŪ and should take steps to minimize their
exposure.
* Pregnant women should take care to avoid exposure when practical,
as with any pesticide.
* Children should take care to avoid exposure when practical. Extra
precautions can be taken with infants and small children by placing the
child on a blanket instead of the grass if spraying has occurred.
To further minimize exposure, children's toys, outdoor equipment, and
clothing should be taken inside during spraying. If outdoor equipment is
exposed to pesticides, it may be washed with soap and water to reduce
possible exposure.
* Pets can remain outside during spraying. There is minimal risk
(define minimal!!!) however, pet owners wishing to reduce their pets'
exposure can keep them indoors during spraying.
* The ingredients of AnvilŪ are not corrosive and will not damage
car paint finish or house paint.
* AnvilŪ breaks down in sunlight or water and does not have a
residual effect, making it ineffective as an agricultural pesticide.
Vegetable gardeners wishing to reduce possible exposure after spraying
should wash vegetables with water before consuming them.
This is a known carcinogen. The government is over-reacting to West-Nile
virus. Most cases are never diagnosed and people get better quickly. Every
bad case of WNV gets covered on the news and hysteria results. If they
covered all the cases of cancer diagnosed everyday, they would be covering
that 24/7.
- JN
5/6 10:12am
PRR - The use of this particular larvicide is disturbing. The individual
components are estrogen-mimetics- meaning, they activate estrogen receptors
in the body. When this happens breast cancer can occur and feminization of
males and testicular cancer can arise, among the other unhealthy things that
are known. If the Town is spraying it should be stopped immediately. If
the State is doing it we should protest.
Anvil is a serious and toxic substance, and even if they selectively sprayed
it would still diffuse into your environment no matter how it was applied.
And there is nothing you can do about it. Molecules do not know boundaries.
- MON
5/6 10:11am
It seems that, in my absence, the ban about discussing sensitive
town issues has been lifted. So, even though the hour is late, I'd like
to express my observations on the political race for the seat on the
Board of Selectmen.
I've met with the two candidates and have considerable knowledge of
their respective track records; they're both amiable individuals and my
esteem of them is essentially the same as I hold for most of our present
town officials--At a personal level, I think of them as potential or
existing friends.
However, when it comes to the strongest and most positive leadership
in keeping our town on an even keel, more than one's warm regards or
friendship is needed to choose the best person for the job. The
position of Selectman has become a very complex position. It requires
someone with foresight who is truly proactive, and possesses the ability
to do a comprehensive analysis on each issue as it occurs, and then
think it all the way through to the end, while relentlessly looking for
the unforeseeable, as well as foreseeable consequences. Only then, can
that leader act responsibly in the overall best long range interests of
our town, not just for the benefit of a handful of self-serving special
interest groups.
On one hand, we're asked to consider Rob Garrity for the job. Rob
seems bright; he's likeable, and, clearly, we can see that he's a real
go-getter. Those qualities may be seen as being adequate for lesser
posts, but is it good enough for the job of Selectman? Does Rob have
the capacity to make us any better off than we are, now, or will he
simply blend in with the status quo and give us more of the same
instability as we have now? My feeling is that he will quickly fall
into step with the present power structure and will be unable to
effectively deliver anything new and constructive to or from the
Selectmen's office.
Now on the other hand, we have Jay Talerman, who I have observed
handling town affairs. Time after time, knowing that he was right and
following the law, he stuck to his guns. In reality, I don't know Mr.
Talerman any better than I know Mr. Garrity, but as I've studied many
individuals, including Jay and Rob, as they've conducted their town
business, I've come to recognize and respect Jay Talerman as one of the
best of the brightest, capable of creative thought, and an outstanding
citizen. He's a rare breed--the now legendary rugged individual and
straight talker; no one owns Jay and there are no greedy developers or
other opportunistic businessmen on Jay's bandwagon. I firmly believe
that we can count on him to do what's right... and to do the best
job to protect the town and all of us resident taxpayers.
One last
point: Our entire concept of self government is predicated on a solid
system of checks and balances, in order for it to work properly. We've
been missing the necessary "checks" part of that equation, for a long
time... I believe that Jay Talerman is the best man to bring the
fairness and sensibility of good sound government back to us again.
Vote for Jay Talerman... there's no substitute for quality.
Sincerely,
- MT
5/5 11:41pm
Is anyone else's water purple? I thought it was rust and maybe it is
but there is a very purple cast to it. It is very heavy too. DId they
open hydrants or flush lines? Nice to know beofer you ruin a load of
wash!
- MJD
5/5 11:32pm
Hello!? So what happened to enough notice so we can apply for
exclusions from spraying??
We were just today notified about the mosquito control spraying plans at the
end of May. But we were not notified back in Jan. or Feb. that we had to
apply for an Exclusion of Spraying before March 1st. Yes? No? Be advised,
besides applying for an exclusion back in Jan. or Feb., you also have to very
carefully mark your land with helium balloons in case of application by aerial
spraying and with orange surveyor's tape or another Dept. approved marking
device which clearly defines the area of exclusion... etc... etc.. read on...
[Mass.gov
pesticide application regs]
This is from the announcement on the Norfolknet.com site dated May 2nd. 2008:
"Process to Exclude Property From Public Area Wide Pesticide Applications
State Regulation 333 CMR:13:04 provides a method for homeowners to exclude their
property from public area-wide pesticide applications. For more information,
please click on the following links: ... (and) To have a property excluded from
spraying, please contact Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project at (781)
762-3681."
13.03 EXCLUSIONS FROM PESTICIDE APPLICATION:
"Designation for exclusion may be made prior to March 1st of each year and
shall be effective from April 1st of that year through March 31st of the
following year."
Now, I would like to know, since we were just notified re: dates of spraying,
how in the blazes we are supposed to turn back the clock to March 1st in
order to properly exclude our swimming pool, homes, yards, pets and children -
and organic gardens, for those that are trying to grow them - from getting
poisoned?
So for those that are interested, please call (781) 762-3681. Maybe if
enough of us request an exclusion, there might actually be a chance for
alternatives in mosquito control in our town.
"State Regulation 333 CMR:13:04 provides a method for homeowners to
exclude their property from public area-wide pesticide applications. To have a
property excluded from spraying, please contact Norfolk County Mosquito
Control Project at (781) 762-3681."
These sprays will hurt your kids. That is a fact. Do you want them a
"little hurt" or "a lot hurt" ? A little poisoned" or what? My father was in
the business. I know.
Grr-rrrr!
- PRR
5/5 11:30pm
NC and PA: Jay Talerman also has lengthy "in-town experience" having served
on numerous boards, but he adds another critical ingredient - plenty of
"out-of-town experience", where he has gathered fresh and innovative ideas
on how to settle the issues/problems a town may face. We don't need more of
the same - we need someone who can help us creatively solve the issues we
are facing in these difficult fiscal times and Jay has the intelligence and
experience to do this. In my book, that makes Jay the better candidate.
- CPL
5/5 11:17pm
Why other cities have chosen not to spray:
This is a lot to sort through, but it is worth it. Please take the time to
read the info I have gathered. There is much research out there and much of
it points to the dangers of spraying poisons into our environment. There are
alternatives. And consider this: "This poison kills beneficial insects
like: bees, butterflies, firefies, moths, etc. It contributes to creating "super
mosquitoes" that develop a resistance to the pesticide so, in the long run,
it will make mosquito problems worse."
Please read the enclosed information before you allow your yard and our
precious open spaces here in Norfolk to be sprayed. Thank you very much.
WHY OTHER CITIES & TOWNS HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO SPRAY!!
Please read this and then become part of
the national movement against spraying.
We owe it to ourselves and to our children to be informed!
This is for real and very serious!
Local Massachusetts
resources are listed at the end of this email!
Please... read this before you permit your yard to be sprayed.
[info on Anvil2 PDF]
Please read this:
[NPAC Boston resources]
Please read this:
[NPAC Boston campaign]
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that no pesticide can be
considered 100% safe. Manufacturers and distributors of pesticides are not
allowed by Federal Law to say that any pesticide is safe. Health Department
officials should consider this when they make their erroneous claims that the
pesticide is harmless.
[C o n t i n u e d . . . ]
- PRR
5/5 5:41pm
I've read quite a lot of posts lately, but clearly NC had the most
cogent point, and that is Mr. Garrity's lengthy in-town experience. His
14+ years of service to us are unrivaled in this contest. The
experience, knowledge and expertise he has picked up along the way will
only be beneficial as we move forward. While there's nothing wrong with
making strides in Sunderland, or upholding Upton's bylaws, or protecting
Provincetown, I'll go with the time-tested veteran of Town Hall
tomorrow, and that's Rob Garrity.
- PA
5/5 5:36pm
From the NCMCP:
Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
To: Boards of Health
From: John J. Smith, Director
Date: May 2, 2008
Re: Notification of Early Morning Aerosol (ULV) Applications
Please be advised that the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will
begin the 2008 early morning ULV aerosol applications on or about May 27,
2008, weather permitting. This program will be a continuation of the
procedure, which has been used in past years:
May 27, 2008 through September 30, 2008 - Adulticide aerosol (ULV)
applications.
(2:00 AM to 6:00 AM (sunrise), Monday through Friday)
If any resident wishes to know when the spray program may be conducted in
their area, they should go to the Projects website at
[Mass NRC NCMCP page],
or contact their local Board of Health. If
an individual would like to see a map and/or street listing of the areas to
be treated they should click on the following link, and then click on their
town.
Current early morning aerosol application schedule and maps
[Mass NRC: spray schedule]
Please note that the ULV map and/or street listings will be posted on or
about 3:30 p.m. the day before the scheduled application day. Residents may
also contact the Projects main telephone line (781)762-3681 after 3:30 P.M.
the day before the scheduled treatment to hear a recorded message detailing
the streets/areas to be treated in the town.
The purpose of the adulticide application is to control nuisance and/or
virus carrying adult mosquitoes. The control product being used is Anvil
(EPA Reg.# 1021-1688-8329) applied in ultra low volume (ULV) sprayers at a
rate of approximately one half ounce per acre of finished spray.
Process to Exclude Property From Public Area Wide Pesticide
Applications State Regulation 333 CMR:13:04 provides a method for
homeowners to exclude their property from public area-wide pesticide
applications. For more information, please click on the following links:
[Mass.gov PDF]
or
[Mass NRC page]
- BF, Town of Norfolk
5/5 5:06pm
I don't think there's anyone in Norfolk except a certain few who believe
someone as knowledgeable as Mr. Talermen and the reason he was not reappointed
back to the Conservation Board was anything other then
pay-back; it was blatant and we allowed it. I feel if the current board
were to stay intact with their agenda, that the current rural feeling
of this town will in fact be jeopardized and the Norfolk that most of us
moved here for will be gone forever.
- DA
[The question of motive was also discussed in the previously cited
6/28/07 Globe article.
- Wm.]
5/5 5:04pm
NC: An "iron fist?"... "velvet glove?"
What [...] is this - "the beatings will continue until morale improves?"
So are you saying that we should support a wolf in sheep clothing?
- AB
5/5 4:52pm
My post, again, is to try and make everybody look at all of the issues in
the selectman's race. - Mr. Jack Scott
First of all, I applaud anyone's intention of bringing factual information
forward that can help voters to make an important, informed decision for our
town. I, myself, have brought forward information that I felt needed to be
heard by the voters. That is what makes this country great--that we all have
the freedom to speak and be heard.
That being said, Mr. Scott's declaration that he is attempting ``to try and
make everybody look at all of the issues in the selectman's race'' bothered
me. First of all, you cannot ``make'' anyone do anything. Secondly, what are
``all'' of the issues you speak of? From what I can see, you speak of only
one issue: your on-going issue with the town regarding your development.
I did do what you said, in fairness to you--I looked at all sides. I pulled
up minutes from meetings that you have had with the BOS and the ConComm and
I read through all of them. I also read your attachments. I am not sure
what you are attempting to do, other than to have people think that Jay
Talerman, somehow, is the architect of some vast conspiracy to foil your
plans. Therefore, he is a villain and you are a victim? I did not see
that in anything that I read. I also noted that there were several people
on many boards that had questions regarding your development. I have
attempted to look at things clearly and without any prejudice. My heart
really lies in trying to make the best decision. I have nothing else to
gain from any comment or endorsement. And I have no sour grapes toward
anyone is who trying to help by volunteering countless hours to town
committees. I may be opposed to certain ideas that they hold, but not the
people themselves.
I think we are not spending enough time really focusing on the very
important issues facing this town. This election is starting to remind me of
7th grade. We need to move past personal vendettas and get to the heart of
the matter: our town of Norfolk. We have some serious issues facing our
town. We need strong leadership and we need it now. Jay Talerman is not the
dangerous person that you are attempting to portray him as. I think it is
much more dangerous for our town that we listen to rumor and innuendo and
continue business as usual.
Personal choice is a wonderful thing. Making decisions based on loyalty to
friends or for favors is not in the best interest of this town. We need
change and we need it this year. Norfolk is on the precipice and it is up
to the citizens of this town to become informed by our own interpretation of
events, not other's interpretations. Therefore, I will continue to support
Jay Talerman for Selectman.
- Janice Nelson
5/5 4:50pm
Developers, No! Talerman, Yes!
And to whom it may concern: email Barney
Frank and plead with him to switch his superdelegate loyalties from
Hillary to Barack before any further damage is done.
- TEM
5/5 4:49pm
Details regarding childcare services at Town Meeting:
Norfolk School Committee Announces:
Child Care will be available
on Tuesday, May 13th & Wednesday, May 14th 7:15 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
at the KP Middle School for all Community Members with children in grades
K-6 attending the:
Town Meetings
Tuesday, May 13th & Wednesday, May 14th,
7:30 p.m.
KP Middle School Auditorium
Child Care Drop Off: 7:15 p.m.
Child Care Pick Up: 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $2.00 (cash or checks accepted)
Location: KP Middle School Media Center
To ensure quality programming and proper security all child care providers
will be employees of the Norfolk Public School's SACC program.
SACC staff members will be offering crafts, games, and activities.
If you are interested in taking advantage of this service, please contact:
Toni Marie Davis, SACC Director
508-528-2545
davis@norfolk.k12.ma.us
- DW, Town of Norfolk
5/5 4:26pm
Having read the published new paper articles and after listening to the both
selectmen candidates at candidates night they both portray a willingness to
give their personal time to represent the Town of Norfolk as our selectmen.
They both appear enthusiastic about the position and state that they will do
a good job, bring new and different ideas to the selectmen's position and
they both have volunteered on various boards in town. After all of the
fluff is put aside I see two differentiators between the selectmen
candidates - one a practical issue and another a major issue.
While Mr. Garrity has experience working in state government and dealing
with various state agencies - Mr. Talerman has experience as a municipal
attorney working with numerous town's within the State of Massachusetts and
the various town boards. Working at a the state level is important but it
is more of the bigger and broader level for financial, policy, . budgeting
and other issues. While working at the town level there is much more
personal involvement and decision making with the various Boards of
Selectmen, town Administrators, permitting boards and department of public
works. Working at the state level if fiscal mistakes are made the
consequences or accountability is not as severe as it would be at the town
level of government. If fiscal mistakes are made at the town level the
consequences are felt by the residents with the potential of services being
cut or diminished. Almost anyone with simple business skills can run a town
or corporation when money is rolling in the door, but with the tough fiscal
times that are upon us now and as with any town or corporation you want
someone that does not waffle and has a thick skin to make the hard decision
with the long term vision of the town's future in sight. While both
candidates bringing various levels of experience the selectmen candidate
that has more experience with seeing things done right and/or wrong at the
town level is clearly Mr. Talerman.
The major issue that keeps on coming back to me is that in reality this
election, in the big picture of life, is irrelevant - after the votes are
cast and win, lose or draw for either candidate means we all go about our
lives doing whatever it is we choose to do. To me what is most important in
the short time we have on this earth is family, friendships, loyalty and
integrity. That is why I am personally still dumfounded why Mr. Garrity, as
a close personal friend of Jay Talerman's and one that not only whole
heartedly supported Jay in last year's selectmen's race but was also a
close and trusted advisor in Jay's campaign, would choose to run against
him. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Garrity or anyone else has the right, freedom
and choice to run against anyone of their choosing at any time they choose.
But, there are certain intangibles that each of us as individuals have
[...]
Godspeed to him. I will vote for Jay Talerman this Tuesday for this reason
alone!
- JL
5/5 4:09pm
WC,
If you've seen the news on Channel 5 this past week, you might have seen
an investigative story about the 'state' of dams in Massachusetts and
how 27 or so are on a list of dams to be concerned about. As I indicated
earlier, the Highland Lake Dam isn't one of them. The common problem
with most of the dams is the private ownership. There is a state agency
that is charged with overseeing dams in the state and ensuring that they
are safe. Dam owners whose structures are considered unsafe are
supposedly fined up to $500 per day until the dam is brought into
compliance with current codes. The fact that the story raised was that
this agency has not been able to enforce the safety laws or even collect
the fines for years... yes, that's years. One fellow supposedly has
accumulated total fines of some $142,000 and he's still not done
anything to correct the problem. As many of the people involved said...
you can't get blood from a stone, and there's no money to be gotten.
The point here is that, yes, there is a state agency. But it appear to
be understaffed(?), underfunded(?), incapable of performing the tasks
it's charged with, so there's no reason to think that they'll do
anything about the Highland Lake Dam.
As for the town... well, the dam is on private property. There's been
no damage reported to date. There's been no indication of hazard to life
or safety to downstream residents (upstream don't count as much I'm
guessing), so the town isn't likely to step into that without due cause.
And I'm also guessing that the town would need some kind of court order
to go on private property. And once on said private property, does the
town employ 'dam' specialists to survey the conditions and recommend
repairs or work to be done to raise or lower the level of the lake, or
insure the safety of the dam? My guess is no... so there may be
authority to enforce remedies that come from people who aren't
'specialists'.
It's quite a complicated thing, I think. And that's unfortunate. It's
almost like admitting that until the dam breaks and downstream property
and residents are put at risk or worse, there's nothing that anyone can
or will do. It's all about taking on the liability that rests with the
dam owner at the moment, and no one will want to tread there unless
they're given some sort of release of liability themselves. Upstream
lake levels, unless they 'flood' a residential area, likely won't be
considered a hazard; only if the lake level becomes a hazard at the dam
will the situation become one that demands attention. We usually call
those things 'emergencies'.
- TRK
5/5 2:14pm
Wetlands are the most important habitat for living, wild flora and
fauna. If a developer does not comply to statutes of a town or state
then they should, by law, not be allowed to develop their project.
That should be satisfactory to all, except for the developers. This
Town should applaud Mr. Talerman and the others on the commissions for
enforcing the laws of the Commonwealth, preserving wetlands at all
costs.
Furthermore, we need real leadership in this Town and we need it now.
The current Selectmen, have had their turn(s) and have failed miserably.
This manage-by-crisis and the constant re-defining of our problems has
to end. For once I would like to hear them give an answer instead of
descriptions. Just ask the advisory board about the current Town
leadership or anyone breathing about Stop and Shop. Let's replace them
one-by-one with people who at the very least understand the laws and
mechanics of Town government.
Vote for Jay Talerman - We've had enough with politics as usual.
- MON
5/5 2:06pm
When our kids lose their library program this fall, and the town loses
other services and employees, we can all thank some of these developers,
in part, for their "love" of Norfolk. These lawsuits are a shameful
waste of money, not to mention energy for all volunteer committees
involved who have limited time to move through meeting agendas.
But let's get to the future of this town. My vote is for Jay Talerman,
who clearly has demonstrated he can weed through complex legal issues,
budgets, and by-laws, will not fold when it comes to supporting our
schools, and will strike the right balance for future town development.
At Candidate's night, I was impressed he came prepared with examples; he
did not speak in cliches and headlines. He has been out on the
campaign trail talking to hundreds and hundreds of concerned citizens
and he knows that most of us want to retain Norfolk's rural character,
but also want tax relief. It's not getting any easier in the years to
come. I am hopeful, though, because tomorrow we have a chance to elect
someone who has a depth of municipal experience, and has already shown
years of energy and commitment to the town of Norfolk. Whether he is
coaching out on the softball field, or drafting a by-law to force Stop
and Shop to landscape the moonscape, Jay has always given back. The many
people who have served alongside him on town boards, and who now support
him wholeheartedly in his campaign, tells me exactly what I need to know
about his character and integrity.
- AL
5/5 12:47pm
MJD: A few of our neighbors have tried to talk to the dam owner, without
success. Yes, I do post this problem often in hopes that somebody out there
would educate me as to whether there are government or state departments that can
address this problem. Thank you for your interest.
- WC
5/5 12:46pm
I have been actively involved in our town and its elections for 46
years, and have learned, I believe, a great deal about the type of
candidate we need. I would like to think that perhaps I may have some
tested experience in our decision making, therefore I am supporting Rob
Garrity as the Selectman we need in office at this time. His lengthy
in-town experience on several boards and committees, as well as working
with the youth of the town, has given him broad insight to bring to the
decision making table. He has the ability to listen before deciding,
to repair rather than tear, to encourage cooperation without
intimidation. We need a leader with a velvet glove over an iron fist,
who can contribute to maintaining all that we expect and love in this
Town. My vote is for Rob Garrity.
- NC
5/5 11:30am
WC - I wasn't saying that you should, but I would think if the gentleman is
your neighbor, that would be a good place to begin since you post about
the issue often and it seems to really concern you. It was just a
suggestion.
- MJD
5/5 11:28am
We are looking for recommendations for any home day care or practicing
preschool that is a drop-off in the town of Norfolk. I thought there
were a couple of these in town but don't have any of the names/contact
info.
Thank you
- JH
5/5 11:25am
Jazz Night at King Philip High School -
Wednesday May 14th 7pm at King Philip High School Auditorium, Wrentham.
This annual Jazz Night is a culmination of a year's worth of
work, featuring the jazz band of the middle school and the two high school
jazz bands.
The King Philip music program is honored to have guest artist, Greg Abate
join and play with Jazz I. Greg Abate is a jazz saxophonist, flutist,
composer and an International Jazz/Recording Artist.
In the mid 70's after finishing a four year program at Berklee College of
Music, Greg played lead alto for the Ray Charles Orchestra for 2 years. In
1978 Greg formed his group Channel One and from there had the opportunity
to play with the Artie Shaw Orchestra. Following this experience Greg
ventured out as a soloist, playing Jazz Festivals, Jazz Societies and Jazz
Clubs around the world. To this date Greg has recorded over 13 CD's and was
nominated for a Grammy. Greg is an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at
Rhode Island College and is also a very active jazz clinician conducting
workshops and master classes through the U.S and abroad.
The bands will be performing music of Ellington, Buddy Rich, Charles
Mingus, Bob Mintzer as well as others.
Admission: Adults: $8 Students and Seniors:$5
A reception will follow.
- MW, KPMA
5/5 11:22am
This is in response to several posts that have been made over the
course of the last week. My issue here is that people are not
sticking to the facts, but instead creating impressions to suit
their own political or personal agendas.
To begin with, the minute anyone sues the Town of Norfolk, it starts
to cost us all money. I have a high enough opinion of the members
of the various boards in this town to assume that they issue decisions
based on concrete legal standards, rather than for their own personal
gain or glory. As it applies to the ConComm, it is apparent that Mr.
Talerman refused to bow to strong-arm tactics. Indeed, these tactics
should be denounced, rather than coddled. On this score, Mr. Talerman
gets high grades.
Secondly, as far as Mr. Talerman's credentials as an experienced advocate
for this town (and others), his record speaks volumes. Mr. Garrity's
experience in a variety of administrative positions in State
government is laudable, but, in my opinion, no substitute for the
day to day direct municipal experience that Jay can bring to this
town.
More than anything, I believe that the good folks of Norfolk are
smart enough to sift through the innuendo, focus on the facts, and
vote for Jay Talerman tomorrow. He is just the sort of shot in the
arm that we need now.
- KEM
5/5 11:21am
DWL -- I called my mom and she assured me that I am not ugly. Mothers don't
lie about those kind of things, do they?
As for being an American, you better believe I am! I can, in fact, trace
both sides of my family to coming over in the early 1600's (oops, does that
mean I am not American?) I am sorry if you think that makes me prejudiced
against other countries and their citizens; I personally never put the two
together. Isn't it ironic that people worry about being offended, yet are so
openly willing to offend others? In my life I will get offended by others,
just as I will surely offend. Learning to deal with that is what makes a
strong individual.
I can assure you that I would not be so caught up in my child being
influenced by other children; it should be the parent's responsibility to
teach your child to influence others. Perhaps if your child's opinion was as
strong as yours, the offending child would have gone home to their parents
and taught them a lesson rather than vice versa.
- MH
5/5 11:20am
A little good news... the Highland Lake Dam is not on the state's list of
unsafe dams. I suppose that's good news...
- TK
5/5 11:19am
MJD: Is it up to me to call the person who is supposedly draining Highland
Lake? The Lake is owned by the Town of Norfolk. I would think the burden is on
the Town.
- WC
5/5 11:17am
John Lawrence/all - I appreciate
your response to my post. For the record, my post was put up only to make
the taxpayers/voters of this town aware of just how much money is being
spent on unnecessary legal fees by some of the town boards and
individual members that sit on these boards. I am not only speaking about
my court action, I am speaking about past lawsuits as well. My position
is that if there is so much of the taxpayers' money being spent on
litigation, the town boards are not doing their jobs.
That being said, I
have no problem with neighbors, board members objecting to my subdivision
while I take it thru the approval process, but I do have an issue with
individuals Jay Talerman/L. H. that speak at town meeting to
rezone my property and to take my property by eminent domain then get
appointed to the boards that I am seeking approvals from. I do have a
problem with the Conservation Commission spending taxpayers' money and
trying to convince the C.P.C. to contribute their funds to buy my
property after I have been involved in the approval process for two years
and was never interested in selling it - as I indicated several times in
public.
My actions in the court were only brought on because I was unable
to get a fair shot in front of the Conservation Commission. Again, it was
not only I who thought I was not being treated fairly, it was also the
Board of Selectmen, that appointed Jay Talerman and L. H. and
then dismissed them for their actions (see attached news article.) The
interesting issue that stands out in my head is that Jay Talerman was
not reappointed to the Conservation Commission by the Board of Selectmen,
but the first thing that the Conservation Commission did was reappoint
Jay Talerman as an associate member because of his relationship with
chairman Jeff Kane. The sad facts are that the only Conservation
Commission hearing that Jay Talerman attends as an associate member is
my hearing regarding my order of conditions that he wrote (and I appealed
to the superior court as I am unable to comply with). Town counsel has
been trying to work out a satisfactory order of conditions on my
subdivision to stop another unnecessary court action for the last 6
months, which has been and waste of time and money on everyone's
behalf.
My post, again, is to try and make everybody look at all of the
issues in the selectman's race. I have attached documentation from other
people other than myself for everyone's review. You do what you want with
it, but you should at least look at both candidates' record and intentions
before you vote. Again, that why my vote is for Rob Garrity
- Jack Scott
[Attached to the post were:
[6/28/2007
Globe article],
[April(?) 2007 Boomerang articles]
[9/12/2007 Norfolk Con Comm minutes, pg. 1]
[3/22/2005
Dover Planning Board Minutes]
]
5/4 4:47pm
The Southeastern Community Concert Band is currently beginning
rehersals for its summer concerts. The band reherses every Monday
night in Medway. As a true community band, all players, ages 15 and up,
who can play music at the high school level are welcome. The band has
a particular need for trumpet and percussion players at this time.
Returning college students and high school students from all of the
surrounding towns are welcome. Please call (508)-520-1572 for more
information, or message
cindy@humancomm.com.
- CR
5/4 3:18pm
I attended Candidate's Night last week and was very impressed by Jay
Talerman. As a municipal attorney, Jay said he has worked with nearly half
of the cities and towns across our Commonwealth. His in-depth experience and
intelligence would prove invaluable to our town and would serve him well on
our Board of Selectmen. He also presented some new ideas on how we can
address old problems and seemed to have a good handle on how to deal with
the development of our town, including the moonscape and Rt 1A. As we are
facing difficult financial times (everyone says it is only going to get worse),
I would feel more confident having someone in charge who has the experience
needed to make tough decision in tough times. I'm going to vote for Jay on
May 6 and hope the rest of you will join me. It would be a shame to turn our
backs on his talent.
- CPL
5/4 10:41am
Jack Scott - you are spot on in your post. We shouldn't have a town
selectman who can interpret, understand and apply the laws, regulations
and bylaws promulgated by the Town and State. We should have a Town
Selectman who is in the side sleeve of existing elected officials and
developers.
That way we can approve development throughout the entire
town - like the boy-scout land where you sued the town for development
in excess of what the Con Comm approved, or Lind Farm where I did my
morning run this a.m., or the excess land off Beaver Brook drive near
your house (there's a horse farm that could be developed into 2 or 3
houses). If we could have plowed in 13 new homes in the boy-scout land
that would have been great. Perhaps if each house had an average of 2.2
kids, that's an additional 28.6 kids in our school system in addition to
all of the town services that are required. We could have then further
pressured our Town budget, asked our senior citizens in Town for more of
an override and of course taken away from some of the beauty in town.
I'm sure you know that more residential housing is not the answer to our
budgetary issues as the services (and cost thereof) that are required to
service those homes and its inhabitants exceed the property tax revenue
generated. If you're looking for someone who understand the revenue,
cost, and development side of a town as it intertwines with the
landscape and beauty of a town, join me and vote for Jay Talerman this
Tuesday May 6.
- John Lawrence
5/4 10:38am
This stray cat has been hanging around an Evergreen resident's home on
a daily basis. Do you know who owns him/her? If you do, or know who
does, please contact our department before 5/6/08 or we will pick this
cat up.
Sincerely,
- Hilary Cohen ~ Norfolk Animal Control
5/4 10:35am
I take serious exception to Mrs. Nelson's portrayal of me as unsupportive of
Advanced Life Support and the fire department. It is simply not true that I
would support cutting ALS.
While I have had reservations about the dramatic increase in the cost of the
fire department (up 97% since 2002, where schools are up 36%, police 22% and
the general budget 37%) in the past, after meeting with Chief Bushnell and
talking about the way the fire department is structured and the excellent
service they provide, I understand very well how important ALS is and how
the changing emergency services landscape really requires ALS in our town
department. I recall my conversation with Mrs. Nelson quite clearly and I
believe my largest objection was to the idea that we could cut back police
to provide more ALS staffing.
I can't remember how long ago it was, probably eight or nine years ago, when
we started moving from a call fire department to a full time department. I
believe the first budget that greatly expanded the department was funded
partially through "free cash", a non-recurring revenue source. I got up at
town meeting and argued against that. I didn't think it was right to create
an expense in one budget year that wasn't properly funded and would impact
the following budget years. It was really a question of process and not
over the issue of the fire department.
To say that I am opposed to ALS now, or somehow unsupportive of the fire
department now, is simply not accurate.
- Rob Garrity, Candidate for Selectman
5/3 9:25pm
WC - BTW, I saw the Selectmen's meeting about the Highland Lake dam.
Interesting. Why don't you approach the current owner and ask him to
stop draining the lake, if it is he who is doing it; he seemed like a
nice enough guy.
- MJD
5/3 4:18pm
Regarding this post: Rob makes decisions based on fact, while working within
the parameters of our town bylaws, and he exhibits fairness in his dealings
with people. He is open-minded and looks at issues as if there were no names
or faces attached to them. ... He has the wonderful ability to work
cooperatively with all people. [5/3 2:24pm]
While I have wanted to remain rather neutral regarding the race between Rob
Garrity and Jay Talerman, I feel as though I must make a comment regarding
one of my meetings with Mr. Garrity. He seems like a nice man, indeed;
however, he did not deal with me in the loving way everyone is portraying
him. As part of the Bylaw Committee in this town, his reaction to a proposed
bylaw change regarding TM was far from open-minded. As a matter of fact, I
was rather put off by the way he spoke to me at that particular meeting. At
the time, I was a very new (and a bit naive) to the committee and did not
even know who he was. Subsequently, I have met him on other occasions, and
while he has always been very polite and cordial to me, that meeting has
stuck in my mind.
I have also had the opportunity to speak to him one-on-one
and I disagree with his ideas regarding the current ALS (Advanced Life
Support) service that we currently have in town. He seemed not as
concerned about the fact that we have quick response time to an emergency
with ALS service So, there are always two sides to every story. I do not
wish to be controversial, but wanted to share another point of view. Just
for the record, I am an RN who understands the importance and difference
between basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) and we need
to keep ALS in place in our town at all costs. That is one of the many
reasons I am voting for Jay Talerman, as he is very supportive of keeping
this service in our town. After speaking with Rob Garrity, I was left with
the impression that this may not be something that he supports
wholeheartedly.
- Janice Nelson,
Bylaw Committee Member
5/3 4:13pm
Mr. Scott, if I'm following your logic correctly, you care about the
town of Norfolk so much that you filed four lawsuits against it. And, now
you are critical of the town because it has chosen to defend itself.
Additionally, it seems to me that you think Jay Talerman would be a bad
choice for Selectman because he stands up for what is right and for what he
believes in. You have now given me yet another reason to vote for Jay.
Until your post, I had been very pleased to date with the civil tone of this
election. I don't think that a newspaper and a community website are
appropriate forums to disparage someone's character and name.
- Maryellen Horgan-Currier
5/3 4:12pm
JS - Ron Miller is a contractor from Wrentham who recently removed a
load bearing wall in our house. He did a great job and we are very
happy with the work. His number is 508-561-2070.
- LP
5/3 4:11pm
I don't often head out Main St. to Franklin,since the Shaw's there is
currently discombobulated, but I did this morning.
First, I've been meaning to thank our DPW for the super job they did
around Mill Pond. It's lovely!
Second, I was horrified to see a swath of trees cut to the pond. What
is going on there? Who gave them permission to rearrange the landscape?
Given that the ConCom makes [developers]
replace every native weed,
how could they have allowed this rape of the land? Just curious
- LAW
5/3 2:43pm
Hi, I'm looking for someone to install a wood stove for us. Any suggestions?
- JL
5/3 2:24pm
Rob Garrity's past experience dealing with budgetary issues throughout
the state, his keen ability to negotiate between various branches of
state government and his understanding of how budgets work make him
the more appealing candidate for me. Rob has a strong understanding
of fiscal matters, especially here in Norfolk, and can best help
manage our town. Rob has lived in town for 13+ years, and he is not a
newcomer to NORFOLK town government--far from it! He has been
involved with a number of town Boards since 1995 and has been what
some people would refer to as a fixture at town meeting, actively
participating in many discussions on town meeting floor for most of
the 13+ years he has lived here. The reasons are obvious--his
passion for Norfolk, his desire to better understand Norfolk's town
government and the town's evolving needs, and his desire to take an
active role in town and bring fresh, new ideas to the table. Rob
makes decisions based on fact, while working within the parameters of
our town bylaws, and he exhibits fairness in his dealings with
people. He is open-minded and looks at issues as if there were no
names or faces attached to them. He has the wonderful ability to
work cooperatively with all people. With Rob, you get honesty,
integrity, fairness, and a deep passion for Norfolk with no hidden
agenda or attitude that things need to be done his way. A well-
functioning town government requires a healthy give and take of
information and a cooperative spirit between people and between
Boards. I will be voting for Rob Garrity at the polls on May 6th, and
I sincerely hope that when you cast your ballot that you feel the same
and give Rob your vote as well.
P.S.: Rob has made his cell number and home number available to anyone
who has wanted to talk with him to discuss their concerns and to find
out how he feels about issues facing our town.
- EF
5/3 2:08pm
We were forwarded a statement to appear in the upcoming 5/9 Boomerang
about Jack Scott's support for Rob Garrity in the selectman's race.
A Word About Jack Scott. Last week the Boomerang printed an endorsement of
me by Jack Scott. I was quite surprised given that Jack is currently suing
me and the rest of the Zoning Board relative to the denial of a permit for a
home he wanted to build.
While I don't agree with Mr. Scott on many issues, I am pleased that while
we have disagreed he recognizes that I've always been fair in my dealings
with him and other applicants before the boards on which I have served.
It is the same sense of fairness which I would bring to the Board if you
give me the honor of being elected Selectman on May 6th.
[Rob Garrity, quote from the 4/19 Boomerang]
- Wm.
[Update 8:57pm: quoted in the 4/19 Boomerang - Wm.]
5/3 2:05pm
JS, Give Dave Smith a call.
He owns David Smith Jr. Construction right here in
Norfolk. He's always done a great job (whether big or small) for our property.
His work is good and his prices were really decent. (508) 250 3678
- HC
5/3 1:30pm
Hello,
I am looking for a contactor to remove a load bearing wall that is between
my kitchen and dining room. Can anyone recommend a good/fair contractor
for this type of job?
- JS [a different JS. - Wm.]
5/3 1:08pm
We were forwarded a statement clipped from the April 12 Boomerang about Jack
Scott's support for Rob Garrity in the selectman's race. Some of it is
relevant to the recent posts as well --
Mr. Scott's comments are disappointing to me. Except for the personal
satisfaction that comes from volunteering my time to the Town, I have
nothing to gain by running for Selectman. It is my hope that my experience
working with cities and towns will be a benefit to Norfolk as we work
through the many challenges that await us in the coming years. It is
disheartening that some in town feel the need to make personal attacks, but
this is not the time or the place for character assassination.
I am also puzzled by the allegations that Mr. Scott raises. He applied to
the Conservation Commission for approval of a subdivision on the former Boy
Scout property, which has both historical and environmental significance
for the town. As a member of the Conservation Commission, I stated clearly
that my preference was to preserve the parcel for use by Norfolk citizens.
When it appeared that this avenue was blocked, the Commission worked with
Mr. Scott on an approval for a 14 lot subdivision. Perhaps Mr. Scott is
upset because I didn't immediately approve of his project but my duty as a
local official is to work, within the law, for the common good of all
people in Norfolk. If carrying out that duty means that I have lost the
support of Mr. Scott, I am prepared to live with the consequences.
In the final analysis, I have too much respect for the voters of Norfolk to
believe that they can be swayed by negativity and innuendo. I prefer to
focus my campaign on what we can accomplish together as a community.
[Jay Talerman, quoted in the 4/12 Norfolk Boomerang]
- Wm.
5/3 1:07pm
For those who are pondering the Warrant Article relating to recording of
public meetings, the following was in Today's Globe (5/3/08). It may be
of interest to those of you on the fence.
[Globe
5/3/08, "Open the Doors to Public Meetings?"]
- RZ
5/3 10:18am
Maybe we should be focusing more on what is happening at KP. I am really
concerned about the reluctance of Wrentham and Plainville to increase the
budget. I am interested to know more about the impact this will have on the
students there. I have reviewed the information posted on the KP web-site,
but I am also interested to learn more from parents of KP students.
Also, in response to [an earlier] post,
I am assuming that there will still
be 3 Selectmen, so I cannot see how one Selectman can appoint someone to a
board without agreement from at least one other. Am I missing something
here? [...]
Thanks,
- JN
5/3 9:50am
"She was not educated here. She did not start teaching administration in the
United States until 2001." Not negative? If you want to focus on her time
periods positions, do so - leave the rest out.
- DWL
[To be fair to MH, the way I too read the post (5/2 5:52pm),
MH made two points:
lookuped up the answer to an earlier question about where Dr. Scott
received her degree, and added a dig about her job history. I didn't
notice a slight, overt or implied, about her country of origin - Wm.]
5/3 9:33am
DWL - I think you are projecting that onto MH. I did not read the post
that way. Someone asked, MON I believe, if we can hire a Super form
another country and I pointed out that we already had, in Dr.
Augusta-Scott. My thought on this topic is that the Canadian educational
system and our own are different but I am sure that Dr. Scott has a
Mass. Certification so it matters not from whence she comes originally.
MH was referring, I think, to the number of jobs she has held in her
relatively short career.
- MJD
5/3 9:20am
MH,
Seriously you sound like an "Ugly American." So many people work in
countries other than their own. Why is there a problem with this?
People leave the U.S. to work in other countries and many companies
hire ex-pats to work in our country. It seems like many people
focus on her being a Canadian citizen and I just cannot figure out
why. This attitude is then passed on to the children as they hear
their parents speak. My children have come home and told me the
same thing about her not being a citizen, as they heard it from
friends at school (they would have never heard such a thing from
me). Guess what, these children know because their parents have told
them. Shame on anyone who is focusing on where she was born and
actually telling their children this. She is here legally and that
should be it. Someone working here from another country is not a
bad thing, we should be thrilled. It is a big world out there.
- DWL
5/2 8:12pm
I think with the upcoming election for selectman the taxpayers of this
town should research some facts before they decide on a candidate for
selectman. We talk about the overrides of this town; as tax payers you
should find out just how much money is being wasted because of ongoing
lawsuits that have been filed against the Norfolk Conservation
Commission and the Z.B.A. boards. These board members are appointed by
the board of selectmen and not by popular vote.
My vote is for Rob
Garrity as I truly believe he has the town's best interest at heart. Jay
Talerman continues to talk about how he is an attorney that works well
with developers and his practice is about knowing the law and how to
work out fair agreements. Residents of Norfolk take a look at the order
of conditions that Jay Talerman wrote for the Boy Scout property (Pine
Creek Dev. Corp.); the document has language in it that the developer can
not comply with based on the decisions of the other town boards. Jay
Talerman knew exactly what he was doing as a practicing attorney when he
wrote the document. The language that was written by Jay to date has cost
the town thousands of dollars in court costs. The order of conditions has
been appealed to the Superior Court and is now pending a trial. Town
counsel has been working with the commission the last six months to
change the language as it is bordering on illegal. The interesting facts
are that Jay Talerman is concerned about his order of conditions being
overturned before the election, as it hurts his position and election
statement that he works well with developers. All put Jay Talerman in
office and with his power to appoint Conservation/Z.B.A. board members
he will then have control over two boards that will continue to slow
down the approval process (our beautiful center of town). All, do not take
my word but ask the Town Administrator for a copy of the order of
conditions Jay wrote and then you decide whether or not it was written
fairly.
PA, for the record, Mr. Scott has 4 separate litigations pending
against the town to date. Jay said he was a lot of talk. Well, if 4 pending
cases is a lot of talk, so be it, but the talk has cost the town
considerable taxpayer money to date.
- Jack Scott
[Mr. Scott graciously consented to signing his statement; I would
appreciate it if follow-ups, if any, were likewise signed.
Thank you, - Wm.]
[Update 5/3 2:36pm: Please include a note to me that you're signing
your full name and you intend it to show up as such on the page!
It didn't occur to me, but many people routinely sign their posts with
their full name, knowing that only their initials will appear.
Thanks! - Wm.]
[We were provided with a set of scans of the order of conditions;
I've put them on-line as
Preface,
pg 1,
pg 2,
pg 3,
pg 4,
pg 6,
pg 7,
pg 8,
pg 9.
Page 5 was not included in the set. - Wm.]
5/2 5:52pm
She was not educated here -- her resume is located at:
[copy on Lowell Sun]
She did not start teaching administration in the United States until 2001.
If we must find another Superintendent, I certainly hope we can find one
with a more stable job history.
- MH
5/2 6:40pm
EF makes a good point and I didn't mean to mislead anyone with my previous
post.
Here is a good link for anyone interested
[mass.gov page]
- JN
5/2 6:39pm
I just picked up nearly a full garbage bag of trash on my street. I was
disgusted while I was picking up the trash, but I know the next time I
walk to the bus stop I will feel a whole lot better.
- KL
5/2 5:56pm
KEM:
Jay Talerman will also be at a neighborhood greet and meet at my home on
Sunday from 4-6. Please stop by and meet him.
Email me for directions.
[Use
box115@norfolknet.com - Wm.]
- JN
5/2 5:54pm
I am not certain that everyone understands how an operating override
works so this is how I understand the situation. Please correct me if
I am wrong. I believe the road money was an operating override (as
are the school overrides). When we have a 300K$ override in year 1,
that increases the tax base by that amount. In year 2, we again incur
the 300K$ in our tax base plus 2.5%. In year 3, it is now $307, 500
plus 2.5%. In year 4, it is $315,187.50 plus 2.5% and so on.
Basically, what I am saying is this is not a one time increase in
taxes that goes away after the year it occurred. This stays with us
from year to year, and the dollar amount increases from year to year.
- EF
5/2 5:50pm
MON: Who in the school department is receiving the 6-10% annual raises that
you refer to? Does Norfolk really give annual raises to any employees of
the Town in the 6-10% range? Is so, it does sound very high, which is why I
tend to doubt these statistics are accurate.
- CS
5/2 5:49pm
On Saturday, May 17th, from 9-2, The Federated Church of Norfolk will hold a
gigantic yard sale/flea market, as well as as a silent auction. Coffee,
muffins, and lunch will be available.
[... Details on the Notice Board, 5/2]
- KR
5/2 5:38pm
BA at NCTV - How about televising the important meetings during prime
time? Examples - School Board meetings and the like, where our tax dollars
are at stake. Besides, at 11:30 am and 2 pm I have to watch my two
favorite shows - "Chimpanzee Dance Party" and "Loving Things with Yellow
Ribbons." Both great shows, but town meetings sometimes surpass them in
entertainment and information value.
- MON
5/2 5:18pm
In reference to a previous post, there was no malfunction to NCTV's
videotape of Candidate's Night. Our station manager, Brian Alves,
arrived at the site sixty minutes prior to the start of the event. He
had planned on a two-camera shoot fed into our Sony Anycast system, and
was prepared to take the in-house audio feed into that unit, which would
have resulted in a great remote production. When he learned that the
candidates were not going to use the in-house mic and sound system, he
had to modify the plans and go with a one-camera shoot with audio coming
in off of the built-in mic on the camera. Not ideal, but better than no
tape at all. I screened the tape afterwards, and you can hear the
speakers while at the podium, but the other audio is not great. NCTV did
the best they could under the circumstances, and yesterday it started
airing twice a day on channel 22. As far as the reference to last year,
that was an operator error with the camera, not the result of any
subterfuge.
Lastly, as I've been saying for my ten years with NCTV, public access
means just that....the public has access to our studio and equipment. We
serve anyone who wants to be involved. Also, we could use volunteers to
operate cameras during Town Meeting. Call our station manager anytime at
508-520-2780 or send him an e-mail
(brian@nctvnorfolk.org)
if you want
to be involved with NCTV.
- Paul C. Altmeyer/NCTV
5/2 5:14pm
CG - It's hard to comprehend how attending a Candidate's Night could
give anyone a reliable gauge on a person's integrity and honesty. Those
qualities, I think, can only be assessed after extensive interactions
with that person. Based on my experiences with Jay Talerman, I find him
to be a man of integrity, honesty, and grit. This is further attested to
by the people who have endorsed him (go to www.jaytalerman.com for
testimonials), people who themselves have worked with both candidates on
various boards and events in town. I for one do not want more of the
same, ineffective, unconstructive government to continue in this town. I
want residential development slowed down so that our resources are
preserved, I want our schools to continue to achieve and make
progressive strides, I want to see our commercial tax base optimized to
its full potential. What I don't want is a Selectman who will decide how
to spend my money for me. I want a Selectman who will trim the fat off our
budget but give me the choice to vote for the services that I
value most. Before you make your final decision, please check out Jay's
web site, watch the Candidate's Corner interviews, and, if you can read
lips, check out Candidate's Night again on TV. I'm sure you'll also have
no trouble finding Jay at the roundabout this weekend. Talk to him - I
think you'll be glad you did.
- KEM
5/2 2:54pm
For anyone interested in what the recent Candidates have to say about
local issues be sure to watch Channel 22 as NCTV presents a recording of
Candidates Night from April 30, 2008. It will air daily at 11:48 a.m.
and 2 p.m.
BA, NCTV
5/2 2:42pm
SDB:
I retrieved the information on the web doing a search for something else. I
did not think to share it before, but now that we are talking about
overrides, it seemed like a good time to look at some real information and
not just speculation. If you want more information, I am not sure who is
the appropriate department to contact in Town Hall; perhaps the Town Clerk's
office? She is always a wealth of knowledge and probably can lead you in
the right direction. I am not sure who put this report together.
This information is important because if you look at the override for roads,
for example, you will see they received that money in 2001. That was 7
years ago. A lot happens to our roads in 7 years, plus we have more traffic
and much larger vehicles. This winter was also very bad. Arming ourselves
with accurate information helps us to make better decisions about this
upcoming override question.
P.S.: if you print the report, all three pages print, including
the debt exclusion.
- JN
5/2 2:41pm
Acceptance of New Roadways - if the town can not afford to maintain
existing roads and infrastructure, why do they keep asking at town
meeting to accept new ones. Until the town can show it can maintain its
existing infrastructure, no more streets should be accepted. The streets
we have now are embarrassing.
- DA
5/2 2:40pm
Aj33** at live.net -- if you're reading this, I can't get in touch,
and I need to find out how you're connected to town before I post
your comments. Thanks!
- Wm.
5/2 2:39pm
I am very disappointed with the audio on the taping of Candidate's Night
this past Wednesday hosted by NCL... I sat down at 11:50 today, tuned in
and could not hear a word of what the candidates were saying, even
after turning up the volume. It was very scratchy and difficult to
hear... I've also noticed this problem when trying to watch the
Selectmen's meetings. Is there anything NCTV can do to resolve this
dreaded problem?? A concerned voter and strong supporter of Jay
Talerman!
- LR
5/2 2:36pm
Seems to me that everyone is confused here, which is why I went straight to
the SC and asked them, instead of wild speculation: Q: Are we required by
law to have a Superintendent? A: (From Ms. Williams)
MGL does require School Districts despite their size and in our case PreK-6
to employ a certified Superintendent of Schools. The Chapter of MGL which
addresses this requirement is below. There may be additional chapters as
well and they can be found on-line.
Superintendency Unions refer to arrangements where 2 or more districts share
a Superintendent of Schools but maintain their local School Committees and
are not Regionalized districts. Norfolk Public Schools is a district not a
union. When Plainville supt's position became available a couple of years
ago, I approached the Plainville School Cte. with the suggestion of piloting
a Supt's Union between our districts. They declined our offer.
Additionally, our School Cte. approached KP S/C, Wrentham and Plainville 2
years ago to suggest that we study options for sharing resources and
personel. There was overwhelming resistance from the other school
committees to this idea.
Chapter 71: Section 59. Superintendent of schools; appointment;
compensation; powers and duties
Section 59. The school committee of a town not in a superintendency union or
district shall employ a superintendent of schools and fix his compensation.
A superintendent employed under this section or section sixty or sixty-three
shall manage the system in a fashion consistent with state law and the
policy determinations of that school committee. Upon the recommendation of
the superintendent, the school committee may also establish and appoint
positions of assistant or associate superintendents, who shall report to the
superintendent, and the school committee shall fix the compensation paid to
such assistant or associate superintendents. The school committee shall
approve or disapprove the hiring of said positions. Such approval by the
school committee of the recommendation shall not be unreasonably withheld;
provided, however, that upon the request of the superintendent the school
committee shall provide an explanation of disapproval.
So stop focusing on the Superintendent and think about the root issue
here - the unions and 6-10% raises. Thank you school committee! They always
answer my questions, of which I have a lot lately, quickly and promptly.
Anyone for Crow? [...]
- MON
5/2 2:32pm
Where can I get recycling bins for newspaper, glass, etc?
- AP
5/2 2:27pm
We received an email with details on the broadcast times of Candidates Night;
it is airing daily on NCTV (Comcast ch. 22) at 11:48 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- Wm.
5/2 2:26pm
MON - Chris Augusta-Scott is a Canadian and I believe was educated there.
- MJD
5/2 2:25pm
RW: I was originally told by Verizon FIOS that it was not available on
my street and there were only a limited number of contracts (unless
someone changed their plan to another provider, I was out of luck).
However, one week later, I received a flyer from FIOS stating it was
available. I called the number on the flyer and they are hooking it up
in a couple of weeks. It is approximately $70/ month less than my
Comcast plan. The number was 1-877-245-4796. Some of my neighbors had
the same problem but, once it was hooked up, they were happy about it.
Good luck!
- MA
5/2 9:36am
Time to forget the tax, school, override, issues which cover this board.
Its now time for a shameless plug (if Wm so allows):
The Joe Gately Band
will be performing this Saturday from 4:30-6:00 pm at the North
Attleboro Elks Lodge. Come see the new and improved Joe Gately Band. For
those of you who have heard us in the past we are even better featuring
a new bassist and a guest drummer and as always Frank and Robin McDonald
lead the group with North's own Tony Calcia on vocals. This is a major
fundraiser for the North Attleboro YMCA. There is an article in the Sun
Chronicle but I'm not skilled enough to link it here.
[4/30
Sun Chron, "Wing and a Prayer" - Wm.]
Here's the details.
If You Go ...
WHAT: Hockomock YMCA's second annual Wing-Off.
WHEN: Saturday, 3 to 9 p.m. Actual competition 3 to 5 p.m.
WHERE: North Attleboro Elks Club, Bulfinch Road.
ENTERTAINMENT: Silk Road performs from 3 to 4:30; the Joe Gately Band
from 4:30 to 6; Tulsa Queen from 6 to 7:30; and Itchy Fish from 7:30 to
9.
TICKETS: $25 advance; $30 at the door. Can be purchased at the North
Attleboro branch of the YMCA, 300 Elmwood St.
- JG
5/2 9:23am
Thank you to JN for retrieving the data on Norfolk's support for
overrides. Which office of the Town provided this information? I am
asking because we would all benefit from knowing as well the record of
voter support for debt exclusions. For example, it took at least three
elections for funding of the H. Olive Day School to pass.
- SDB
5/2 9:20am
RE: Trashing Our Town: Garbage Tossing for Sport and Pleasure [?].
I am so glad that folks are discussing the amount, the outrageous amount of
trash and garbage that is "appearing" on our roads. I enjoy my morning walks
wth my dogs on Diamond Street, between Union and North Streets... this
morning I was shocked. It literally looked like someone had just emptied a
garbage bag along the road as they were driving.
How can anyone be so disgusting and disrespectful as to throw trash out of
their car windows? I think we should have a major town clean up day... and
a heavy littering fine ($100.00) put into effect! If you see someone
throwing trash or bottles out their car, make a note of their license... call up Town
Hall and report them... If folks have to be disgusting slobs and ruin the
pristine and tranquil quality of our town then let them pay the consequences!
I am truly angry!
[Sheesh]...
there is more trash on some of our streets than I ever saw on Centre
Street in Jamaica Plain when I lived there. And broken bottles on the
sides of the roadways... I mean, people walk on those streets, with pets, with
children. If the most exciting thing "you" can think of to do is tossing
bottles, then "you" need some serious therapy. Come on, whoever the jerks are
that are littering our streets - get a life, and stop trashing our [your?]
town!
- PRR
5/2 9:19am
MJD - I understand your point now, after I reversed your sentence- ``we must
have a qualified and certified Super'' is different than ``the super must be
qualified'' But we digress.
But
given the recent [...] history of our current school committee
nothing is absurd [...]. Does the Massachusetts Dept. of Education even
accept degrees from other countries? Inquiring minds want to know.
- MON
5/2 9:16am
FIOS availability -
I contacted Verizon and was told service was not available to homes with
underground utilities and no plans are in place to correct this. I would
be interested to find out how the contract reads. Will Verizon need to
be forced to correct this? Offering to select homes in town to save
money means a lot of homeowners will be cheated out of new technology.
- RW
5/2 9:15am
The strangest things happen around election time here in Norfolk! I was
really hoping to catch a bit of Candidates' Night on Norflk TV, but,
for the second year in a row, it appears the videotape malfunctioned?
What? I mean, I watch Tiger Tales, produced by 9-12 yr olds, get on the
air regularly no problem! Can the Norfolk Cable team let us know if this
important event will be available for viewing between now and election
day? Thank you!
- AL
5/2 9:14am
I thought my post was clear. I'll try again. PJT's ideas won't work.
It is State Law, I was told, that we must have a Super who has earned
the State Certification and moving a Principal won't work unless they
have that certification already. I doubt either do. MON - I was not
defending or anything.
- MJD
5/2 9:13am
CG - I can't understand how you learned all that just from last night's
three minute speech. You must be very intuitive.
- MJD
5/2 9:12am
[Received revised version, see 9:19am - Wm.]
The messages are continued
in the archives, (here).
Have an event coming up?
Let others know,
mail it in
.
Old items are archived.
5/10
VOICES (Voices Of Involved Citizens Encouraging Safety)
is a non-profit organization of mothers helping Massachusetts Citizens take an
active role in their Safety through Advocacy, Education and Awareness.
But we need your help to accomplish our goals.
Please join us at our first VOICES fundraiser.
[D e t a i l s . . .]
5/13-14
2008 Annual Town Meeting will be May 13 and 14, so save the dates.
5/14
King Philip Music Department
in conjunction with the KPMA is Proud to Announce:
Wednesday, May 14
7:00 PM,
King Philip High School Auditorium:
Middle School Jazz Ensemble,
Jazz Ensemble II,
Jazz Ensemble I.
Featured Artist: Greg Abate.
Music from Ellington, Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus,,
Bob Mintzer and many others.
Reception to follow;
$8 Adults $5 Students & Seniors.
5/31
Garden Club of Norfolk - Perennial Plant Sale at Town Hill
Saturday, May 31, 2008; 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM"
6/9
Norfolk Community League 12th Annual 5K Run/Walk,
Saturday, June 7th,
Race Starts at 9:00 a.m. (registration 8:00-9:00 a.m.),
Holmes Field, Myrtle Street, Norfolk.
Come kick off Norfolk Community Day by participating in the NCL Annual
5k Charity Run/Walk.
This years proceeds will benefit Norfolk
Together, a non-profit organization that provides immediate financial
assistance to families in need. Free T-Shirts to the first 75 runners
registered, post race food and kids races. Registration is $15.00;
Kids Races $5.00 and Parking fee of $5.00 goes to the Norfolk Lions
and gets you admission to Norfolk Community Day! Registration form can
be found on
norfolkcommunityleague.org
or register on race day.
|
Welcome to
Norfolknet!
I will respect your home and I will keep your home neat and clean during
the painting process. I have painted so many interiors in Norfolk and
have great references.
Dependable, Thorough & Honest
![[April(?) 2007 Boomerang articles]](posts/js-boom0507.jpg){kind=link}
![[9/12/2007 Norfolk Con Comm minutes, pg. 1]](posts/js-ccmin.jpg){kind=link}
