In the run-up to the annual town meeting last April, the Advisory Council discussed ways to increase participation at the meeting. One of the things they considered was whether town meeting should be held on a single Saturday instead of across multiple evenings during the week. Advantages are you get the meeting over with in Read the full article → from Should town meeting be held on a Saturday?
Government
Selectmen call for collaboration on plans for new police station
“Are we closer to the goal of getting a new public safety building?” That’s what Chairman Sal Giorlandino wanted to know at last week’s selectmen meeting. The answer isn’t entirely clear. The Municipal Facilities Committee and the Historical Commission have been working independently on two very different options for a new police station. The facilities Read the full article → from Selectmen call for collaboration on plans for new police station
Is the time right for tigher restrictions on door-to-door solicitors?
There aren’t many rules a solicitor has to abide by when knocking on doors in Southborough — our bylaws on solicitation are pretty weak. A few years ago town meeting voters were asked to approve a stronger bylaw, but the article failed by just a few votes. Now the Southborough Police Department hopes the time is Read the full article → from Is the time right for tigher restrictions on door-to-door solicitors?
Selectmen meeting broadcast on public access channel
Last week’s marathon Board of Selectmen meeting was broadcast several times this weekend — anyone catch it? — and will be broadcast a few more times this week on Charter channel 12 and Verizon channel 37. Here’s the schedule: Monday at 1.00 pm Tuesday at 2:30 pm Wednesday at 9:00 am Read the full article → from Selectmen meeting broadcast on public access channel
The week in government
On Tuesday, selectmen meet to interview a candidate for a police officer position. On Thursday the Historical Commission and Municipal Facilities Committee meet to try to iron out their differences over proposals for a new police station. Monday, August 3 No meetings scheduled Tuesday, August 4 Board of Selectmen, 6:30 pm @ Hearing Room, Town Read the full article → from The week in government
How to get rid of your household hazardous waste
We’ve all got the stuff lying around our basements and garages — old cans of paint, cleansers, antifreeze, other unpleasant chemicals. But how do you get rid of it? That question from a couple of commenters in this week’s open discussion thread prompted me to find out. I talked to DPW Supervisor Karen Galligan. She told Read the full article → from How to get rid of your household hazardous waste
Fay makes contribution to ladder truck fund, but does away with annual PILOT
At their meeting on Tuesday night, Selectman Bill Boland announced that Fay School has decided to match St. Mark’s $100,000 donation toward the purchase of a new ladder truck for the town. Great news, right? Yes. And no. Fay will donate $10,000 over the next ten years, all earmarked for the ladder truck. The problem Read the full article → from Fay makes contribution to ladder truck fund, but does away with annual PILOT
Quick recap of the Board of Selectmen meeting
It was a marathon four-hour (!!) Board of Selectmen meeting last night, and the agenda was packed with hot-button topics — the new ladder truck, the new police station, and PILOT payments by non-profits to name a few. There was even a little talk about marijuana … now that got your attention, didn’t it? It Read the full article → from Quick recap of the Board of Selectmen meeting
A safer way to book ’em in Southborough
A few weeks ago I got a first-hand look at the Southborough Police Department’s new booking room. Fortunately, it was from the right side of the jail cell, not the wrong side. At town meeting in 2008, voters approved $21,000 to renovate the old booking room, which the police department said was cramped and unsafe Read the full article → from A safer way to book ’em in Southborough
Why flags are at half-staff today
President Barack Obama declared today National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day to mark the end of the Korean War 56 years ago today. Read the full article → from Why flags are at half-staff today
The week in town government
The big meeting this week is the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. The Advisory Committee, Municipal Facilities Committee, and Historical Commission will all be attending. The agenda hasn’t been posted on the town website, but I’ve been told plans for a new police station will be the primary topic of conversation. In theory, Tuesday’s meeting Read the full article → from The week in town government
Southborough landowners complain about ZBA treatment
In a letter to the Metrowest Daily News published today, a Southborough landowner said she and her husband “feel like we have been hit by a truck” after a recent Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. The couple attended the meeting to urge the board to decline a request by a major land developer to rezone Read the full article → from Southborough landowners complain about ZBA treatment
Regional planners suggest improvements to I-495
A couple regional planning committees have been studying the I-495 corridor from Berlin to Hopkinton, including the portion that runs through Southborough. This week they presented some ideas to improve the traffic capacity of interchanges on 495 and to reduce traffic along the corridor, reports the Metrowest Daily News. In addition to redesigning the interchange Read the full article → from Regional planners suggest improvements to I-495
Southborough’s top 5 taxpayers
The Worcester Business Journal ran a brief profile of Southborough the other week. The most interesting bit from my perspective was a list of the town’s top five taxpayers in FY2009. I wasn’t familiar with any of the names on the list except for EMC, so I looked them up in the FY2009 Real Estate Read the full article → from Southborough’s top 5 taxpayers