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CommunityAdvocate
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Vol. 46 | No. 42 | October 16, 2020
Shrewsbury · Westborough · Northborough · Southborough · Marlborough · Hudson · Grafton
Shrewsbury residents to vote on Community Preservation Act Nov. 3
Westborough girls’ soccer defeats Leominster in home opener Right: Westborough senior captain Jane Pittorino clears the ball upfield as Leominster’s Letica Godinho attempts to block it.
Proponents urge voters to approve surcharge while opponents say time is not right By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – As they cast their ballot in the Nov. 3 general election, voters will also be asked to approve a measure presented by a citizen’s group, Community Preservation Shrewsbury, requesting the town adopt the Community Preservation Act (CPA). The CPA provides participating communities the ability to raise funds for open space, recreation, historic preservation, and affordable housing with funding through a surcharge of one percent on the annual property tax assessed on real property, beginning in Fiscal Year 2022, and by annual distributions made by the state from a trust fund established by the Act. If successful, Shrewsbury will join 176 other communities in the commonwealth who have adopted the CPA. “The Community Preservation Act is really about the community. This is about all the other things that
Below: Westborough’s senior captain Emma Mumby drives the ball up the sideline.
PHOTOS/KELLY BURNESON
CPA | 7
PHOTO/MELANIE PETRUCCI
Shrewsbury Garden Club honors essential workers SHREWSBURY – The Shrewsbury Garden Club’s annual Scarecrow Contest this year is “Honoring Essential Workers.” Dozens of scarecrows will be on display on the Town Common until Monday, Oct. 26. For more photos visit www.communityadvocate.com/shrewsbury.
By Kelly Burneson Contributing Photographer WESTBOROUGH - The Westborough High School girls’ soccer team hosted their first home game of the 2020 season against the Leominster High Blue Devils Oct. 8. The Rangers celebrated their varsity senior players as they defeated Leominster, 2-1.
inside this issue: news .....................4 crossword .............16 sports ....................17 schools ...................19
homes & more ........20 police log ...............21 obituaries .............21 classifieds .............22
Southborough educator sees her dyslexia not as hinderance, but as a gift
12
2 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | Viewpoint Shrewsbury BOS supports ballot question for public safety complex To the Editor: Shrewsbury voters, please join us in voting YES on Question 3 on the November 3rd ballot. Question 3 asks Shrewsbury voters to approve funding to build a new police station and replace the town-wide emergency communication system used by Police, Fire, EMS, DPW, and SELCO. The nearly 50-year old police station is substantially under-sized and faces significant structural and infrastructure challenges not visible from the outside. As a result, the Building Committee determined that the current station’s condition would make compliance with current building codes for Essential Service Facilities and Accessibility infeasible. A new building is the most respon-
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Letters to the Editor sible investment of taxpayer dollars. The 25-year old emergency communication system is no longer supported by the manufacturer. Repairs are made using parts salvaged from other broken components to keep the system operational until it can be replaced. Most troubling are the dead spots throughout areas and buildings in town where Police and Fire are unable to communicate critical information, creating potentially devastating outcomes for first responders
and residents. The new police station will be built on town owned land behind the existing station. With our AAA bond rating, the expected interest rate on this capital debt exclusion will be 1.9% or lower, the lowest in our Town’s history. We unanimously support this carefully vetted project as the most cost-effective, longterm solution to these two critical needs. Join us in voting YES for this important community project on November 3rd or during the early voting period
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beginning on October 17th. Respectfully, The Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen, Beth Casavant, Moe DePalo, Jim Kane, John Lebeaux, and John Samia
Support vote for Shrewsbury’s public safety campaign Dear Editor, I am a long term resident of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and I support public safety in our town. My multi-generational family of five has always enjoyed and appreciated the privilege of safe living here in Shrewsbury since 1995. So we want to speak up on behalf of younger families who are just starting out in our home town, and who deserve this same privilege of safe living. We fully support the Community Supporters for Public Safety campaign. Shrewsbury’s
emergency communication system and police infrastructure need to keep pace with the times, so we can meet the increasing demand for services due to population growth. Today, our police station cannot fully deliver what our community needs and expects. The facility requires a more functional layout, a multipurpose training room and accommodation for female officers. We are also long overdue for a technology refresh. Our emergency communications system has reached the end of its useful life. Our newest radios are 22 years old! The current system operates at a low frequency which results in poor coverage in certain parts of the town. There are just three channels which are shared by police, fire, SELCO, and the DPW. An upgrade to this radio system will allow for reliable communication in all locaLetters | 3
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 3
Letters to the Editor Letters | from page 2
tions within our town. It will also enable an unlimited number of talk groups, allowing each department to have their own channel rather than sharing a frequency. This upgrade will be a great investment in the safety and wellness of the entire Shrewsbury community. I urge every one of our Shrewsbury residents to learn more about Ballot Question #3, and vote ‘Yes’ on this initiative. https://www.support4ps.com/ Stay safe, Devi Sundaresan Shrewsbury
Take a stand on Election Day REGION - With less than three weeks to go, the presidential race is leaving many voters feeling a bit “punch drunk”. The first debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice-President Joe Biden was so chaotic, many wondered if the second and third ones would even happen. Then, Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis (and subsequent quick recovery) threw another wrench into the future debate plans with the candidates deciding to scrap the second debate all together. Regardless of where you stand politically, the divide between candidates has rarely been wider. With the 2020 election nearly upon us, there has not been a more important vote than the ones that will be cast this November.
Letters to the Editor
Vote for Biden Nov. 3 To the Editor, Trump touts our great economy. Meanwhile, over 13 million Americans are out of work, cannot afford to pay their rent/ mortgage, and must work mul-
In person or Ryan Maloney, owner
The Community Advocate’s Policy on Letters to the Editor All letters should be 350 words or less. Letters can be emailed to news@communityadvocate.com or mailed to Managing Editor, Community Advocate, 32 South St. Westborough MA 01581. Letters must have the name, address and phone number of the person submitting it (only name and town will be printed.) Letters will be reviewed and printed at the discretion of the Editor for suitability. Letters that are deemed slanderous, libelous or attacking a person or organization will not be printed. Opinions expressed in the letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinion of the Community Advocate or its advertisers.
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tiple jobs to make a living. We need a president who will get our economy moving again, and moving better. Joe Biden has a plan to get our economy back on track: Raise minimum wage to $15 an hour. Sign into law the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. Create jobs through infrastructure improvements, work to combat climate change, and aid to small businesses. Spend $1.9 trillion on education over the next 10 years, including universal pre-K, which will allow people to get back to work; along with increased funding for schools and free tuition to community college, which will better prepare students for the jobs of the future. Expand access to Medicare and Affordable Care Act coverage and long-term elder care. The middle class will be exempt from higher taxes to fund these programs. Instead, tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans will be reversed, so that they are paying their fair share. Vote Biden on November 3rd! Sincerely, Lorna Simon Shrewsbury
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4 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | News Brief, but fierce storm wreaks havoc in region By Dakota Antelman Contributing Writer
photo showed a car that had been particularly badly damaged by a falling tree. In Northborough, meanwhile, CA readers Carol Chione and Russell Lang shared still more photos of roadways blocked by debris.
PHOTO/BONNIE ADAMS
PHOTO/CAROL CHIONE
REGION – An intense storm sent snapped trees and tree branches onto cars, homes, and power lines across the region, Oct. 7. In Westborough, police
shared a photo on Facebook of a power transformer that had fallen onto a street and started a fire. Elsewhere, CA readers sent photos of trees on houses and even woven between power lines. In Grafton, one woman’s
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 5
COMMUNITY | News
Westborough officials decide to push fate of town seal to future meeting By Jennifer L. Grybowski Contributing Writer WESTBOROUGH – The fall Town Meeting will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. at Westborough High School. And although there will be a number of things presented to the voters that day, one thing that will not be on the warrant is the fate of the town seal. That decision was made during the Oct. 6 Board of Selectmen’s meeting. That seal has been under fire over the past few months due to the fact it displays a cotton gin, which was invented and patented by Westborough resident Eli Whitney in 1794. As many called for changing the logo after the recent racial unrest across the nation this year, an equal amount decried that, saying that the seal was an important part of the town’s history. Selectmen, in conjunction with Town Clerk Wendy Mickel and Town Moderator John Arnold, decided the change to holding TM on Nov.
7 in the morning, as opposed to a nighttime meeting, was warranted for several reasons, including allowing the school to be properly cleaned and sanitized before the meeting and the hope that the meeting could be concluded in one session. In addition, although officials hope voters stay the entire meeting, it does allow people to easily come and go as necessary, likely reducing the impacts of mass entrances and exits at the meeting. “It allows for broader participation and provides a chance to get the best representation of folks,” Selectman Ian Johnson said.
After some discussion during the Oct. 6 meeting, officials decided the Nov. 7 TM was not the right time to have an article regarding changing the town seal. “We want to move through the meeting as expeditiously as possible allowing for as good as discussion as we can. We all know this is a really big hot topic of interest for many residents and I worry about how many people will show up for this specific article alone and the fear people have about the pandemic and not showing up and feeling like their voices aren’t being heard,” Selectman Chair Shelby Marshall said. “I feel like we are in a lose/lose position.” Selectman Ian Johnson agreed, saying that despite the September Town Meeting going well, officials received comments about the number of people in attendance and the length of the meeting. “We have to be realistic here about getting the work of the town done,” he said. “I’m not saying this is not
important, but I think it can be deferred, and we can get through business that needs to get taken care of as expeditiously and safely as possible.” Selectman Allen Edinberg said he thought getting community input before going straight to town meeting was the most important thing, and pointed out that the article would simply gain consensus on the direction from residents on if they want to proceed with a process that may lead to a change on the town seal. “We want to do it in the most inclusive and thoughtful and deliberative way possible,” he said. “I don’t want this seen as a delay or avoidance of an issue, it’s really one about managing the environment and ensuring the broadest participation possible.” Arnold pointed out that if discussion was what people wanted, Town Meeting was likely not going to facilitate that well. “After an hour or so, someone could move the question
and end debate, so we would have voters who would get frustrated and not have their voice heard,” he said. Instead, Arnold offered to host and moderate a series of listening sessions where people could sign in to an online meeting and give everybody a few minutes to speak. “There are ways to do this without having to risk doing it at a Town Meeting where we don’t know how many people will show up,” he said. Selectmen agreed to push the article off until the spring. Other items the board considered included support for establishment of the affordable housing trust, DPW items including DPW a new hire, equipment purchases, data collection tools and town water system improvements and certain “housekeeping” bylaw changes. There were some bylaw changes - specifically related to the timing of the town meeting in relation to town elections – that they decided to put off to a future meeting.
6 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Ahead of general election, clerks fight to ensure safety and preserve accessibility By Dakota Antelman Contributing Writer REGION - Taking their third swing at the challenge of holding elections amid COVID-19, municipal staff across the region play a balancing game, of sorts. To preserve access to this function of democracy, they
must project and ensure a promise of safety. But, to do that, they must actually restrict voting procedures. “You have an issue of public perception of safety,” Southborough Town Clerk Jim Hegarty said. “That’s driving people’s decisions about how they want to exercise their
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right to vote.” After smaller municipal and state primary elections earlier this year, the sights and sounds of pandemic voting seasons are not necessarily new anymore. Signs and social media postings say “vote by mail, when possible.” Public anxiety then spins
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about the security and reliability of that promoted option. Meanwhile, at physical polling places open for those who don’t want to vote by mail, election workers sit behind plexiglass walls directing voters to spaced out booths. Pens go in boxes to be sterilized. Sometimes, the air smells like rubbing alcohol. Much is, indeed, the same. But just over two months after the state primary elections, the upcoming Presidential General Elections still pose unique questions for town and city clerks across the region. “Everyone wants to vote in a presidential election year,” Marlborough clerk Steve Kerrigan said. “Add to that the volume of people requesting ballots by mail, it’s that much busier.” Clerks say they’re swimming in a deluge of paperwork, greater than the flood some still prominently discussed in interviews with the Community Advocate ahead of the state primaries. In Shrewsbury, Town Clerk Sandra Wright says this is all compounded by duplicate ballot requests. Those are appearing after voters filed cards in May saying they wanted mail ballots for every 2020 election but then filed additional individual requests for this election. Kerrigan echoed that comment, also noting that sudden changes in circumstance, including many from college students now no longer living on campus due to remote learning, may also be prompting updated ballot requests. “We just need to check and double check and be sure,” he said. In Northborough, Town Clerk Andy Dowd said he is at least benefiting, this election season, from an influx in volunteer offers. Many of those individuals, he said, are National Honor Society students at Algonquin High School looking for required community service hours now that school is in session. “They’re really interested and engaged in the process,” he said. “They really enjoy the experience of helping on Election Day.” Dowd and Hegarty, in particular, say they’re zeroing in on avoiding ballot marking issues. While they’re rare,
Hegarty said issues, like absent signatures on mail in ballots, forced officials in his town to reject at least three votes back in September. To fight that, towns are adding stickers to ballots calling attention to signature boxes and including supplemental check lists in their mail packages explaining how to avoid rejections. “We’re trying to give people some extra instruction,” Dowd said of mail-in voting. “…Certainly, it’s understandable that, if they haven’t done it before, people may miss a step.” Then, there’s that aforementioned balancing act. It isn’t, clerks admit, a perfect science. In Southborough, Hegarty says the local Rotary Club has sent its volunteers to staff a COVID-19 screening booth outside their physical polling location. Asking a brief series of questions, those volunteers can recommend people with potential coronavirus exposure cast their ballot at already assembled outdoor booths steps away. When one woman recently refused that redirection, however, Hegarty said her legal rights meant he and his staff had to let her vote indoors. So, necessary election workers donned more comprehensive personal protective equipment. Everyone else evacuated the room. The woman entered and cast her ballot. Then officials came back inside and started rigorously cleaning. It was a time-consuming process that Hegarty says could have been avoided had the voter agreed to use an outdoor booth. But it was part of the challenge he faces this year. And it’s par for the course in the ongoing push and pull that election workers say is necessary to provide safe, valid and reputable polling results next month. “We’re just trying to think of everybody to ensure that everyone has a safe and pleasant experience when they choose to exercise their right to vote,” Hegarty said. For information on specifics on how to vote in your town, visit your community’s municipal website.
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 7
COMMUNITY | News
Shrewsbury residents to vote on Community Preservation Act Nov. 4 CPA | from page 1
are quality of life projects that rarely, if at all, get funded,” remarked proponent Jason Molina, campaign manager of Community Preservation Shrewsbury. The surcharge alone could amount to $600,000 annually, according to the Committee. For the Nov. 3 election, the voters will also be asked to approve a $42 million debt exclusion for a new police station to be built. Because of that, the Board of Selectmen has noted while they approve the concept of the CPA, they do not support the passage of it at this time. CPA supporters disagree with that opinion. “I think what we’ve seen with this pandemic is that people are really making use of the public space that we have,” Martha Gach said. “We have a real opportunity in Shrewsbury to strategically look at our open spaces and figure out how to make them more publicly accessible and how to make them more connected.” “In the past Shrewsbury hasn’t really elevated its historical properties and assets to the level that other communities have and that’s really a shame because we have lost so much of it,” added supporter Gail Aslanian. Melanie Magee noted that “society is too automobile centric and there are few places we can walk without risking life and limb.” The cost to the owner of an average single-family home valued at $478,603 in FY2020 is $47.21. Qualifying low-income and low to moderateincome senior property owners would be exempt. Benjamin Tartaglia, wrote the opposing argument that can be found in the Notice of Ballot Questions that was mailed to Shrewsbury residents. He argued that the CPA is financially irresponsible and “the initial one percent operational override real estate surtax can be raised to 3 percent…” “The CPA proposal is a financially irresponsible kind of Proposition 2-1/2 operational override. It automatically raises the override amount every year. It is the wrong method, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons and with wrong assumptions,” he wrote.
“’Matching’ State funds does NOT mean the State will match our tax dollars dollar for dollar. The proposal estimates the town will receive $500,000. BUT, it is NOT guaranteed. It is a VARIABLE distribution,” he added. Tartaglia also states in his argument “the COVID virus is on the rebound. Our schools’
“
I think what we’ve seen with this pandemic is that people are really making use of the public space that we have. Martha Gach CPA supporter
finances are uncertain. We don’t know when we will be back to work. Family finances are under historic pressures. The state’s revenues are plunging. Meals, gasoline, excise and income taxes are all down.” “The proposal should be postponed until our finances improve,” he added. For more information on both sides of the question, visit https://shrewsburyma.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/8372/Ballot-QuestionMailing---September-25-2020.
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8 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Council on aging director shares update on programs and resources By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – Hollie Lucht, director of Shrewsbury Council on Aging (COA), reported recently that her staff has been back at work at the Senior Center since Sept. 28. While it isn’t yet open to the public, programs are taking place and Lucht and her team have been actively working to serve the town’s seniors during an exceedingly difficult time. “We are trying to connect with all of the seniors in town who are 60-plus, whether they are isolated or whatever their needs might be and assisting them with finding the resources that will help them,” Lucht explained. Further, they developed the “Connect and Assist” program with the goal of assisting all seniors with living a quality life at home. “We developed a resource guide which is on the website and we’ve pulled information from Shrewsbury and sur-
rounding communities with phone numbers and short detail about each organization,” she added. To access the program and resource guide, visit: https:// shrewsburyma.gov/963/Connect-Assist-Senior-ResourceGuide. “We are still working on providing some online (Zoom) programs…We are finding that the general interest and participation is quite low,” Lucht noted. “I’m not sure if that just comes from the fact that this [the pandemic] has been happening now for … almost eight months and people are needing something different.” The COA offers virtual Bingo with staff and a low impact exercise class. Contact 508-8418758 for more information. She noted that programs such as exercise, mediation and yoga can also be found online through the Shrewsbury Media Connection website, www. shrewsburymediaconnection. org. “We are still offering Meals
on Wheels,” Lucht said. “We are now offering grab-and-go hot meals that come to us from Elder Services, the same people that make the meals for Meals on Wheels.” The COA Board voted to pick up the tab for the grab-and-go meals in September to see how well the program would be received. The purpose was to provide seniors with an option in addition to Meals on Wheels and to assess which seniors in the community need food assistance. More than 400 meals were requested. Going forward, a sug-
By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter REGION – Justin Sousa, director of central Massachusetts Veterans’ Service District, recently gave an update regarding Veteran’s Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11. Traditional Veterans’
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dant if they have one) may ride at a time. All must wear masks. The COA vans will also be available to assist those who need transportation for early voting and on Tuesday, Nov. 3, for in-person voting. For information and to schedule a ride, call 508-8418640. Meanwhile, because of the pandemic, the Council on Aging is unable to celebrate its 20th anniversary. “We are starting to plan for the 21st celebration and we are hoping for next September,” Lucht said.
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gested donation of $2.50 per meal will be appreciated. For monthly grab-and-go menus, visit https://shrewsburyma. gov/941/Grab-Go-Meals. Lucht reported that COA van transportation has been available since June 15 and has recently expanded to include non-medical appointments and trips to local retail stores. Van services are for anyone 60 years and older and those with disabilities who need transportation. Medical and work-related trips take priority and only one rider (with personal care atten-
emergency basis.” Veterans may visit www. town.westborough.ma.us/ central-ma-veterans-services or call 774-551-5782 for assistance. Likewise, the Federal Department of Veterans Services is operating remotely during regular business hours and communicating through mail, email and telephone. However, delays in written correspondence may be experienced. The VA Central/Western Massachusetts Healthcare System may be reached by phone by calling 413-5844040, press 0 for operator, and ask for the Worcester Clinic. Sousa stressed that in case of an emergency, whether it be coping with stress, fear or anxiety, people are encouraged to call 800-273-8255. For more information, contact Sousa at www.centralmassvets.org or 774-2932208.
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Day parades are just one more victim of the coronavirus pandemic. “Due to COVID, we cannot and should not have a parade, so I will work with the towns to create meaningful programming relevant to Veterans Day, similar to our Memorial Day programs earlier this year,” Sousa said. In the meantime, while his agents, who serve the towns of Shrewsbury, Grafton, Northborough and Westborough, are not seeing customers in person, they are fielding emails, phone calls and regular mail as quickly as possible. “Any paperwork can be dropped off at the respective town hall in a sealed envelope with ‘Attention Veterans Services’ on the front, and it will be placed in our inbox,” he stated. “I am also working remotely, but regularly checking our physical mailboxes in all four towns. I am meeting with customers on an as needed/
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 9
COMMUNITY | News
Board votes to seek extension on Cares Act funding for coronavirus relief By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – Board of Selectmen Chair Beth Casavant reviewed a letter with her colleagues Oct. 6 that would be sent to federal elected officials asking that the use of Cares Act funding be extended beyond the current deadline of Dec. 30. Tow n Manager Kev in
Mizikar added further that all Cares Act funds need to be expended by Dec. 30 because that was the date set for them to expire. He said that it was in April and no one expected that it would still be necessary. An analysis of public building expenditures was conducted. Using funding for enhanced cleaning costs of the schools
as an example, a cost estimate of $420,000 would still be needed from Jan. 1 through the end of the school year. “If Cares Act funding isn’t extended, we are kind of on our own,” he said. “It’s unfortunate because the other side of the coin is that we don’t have sufficient expenses between now and Dec. 30 to expend the entire $3.3 million in Cares
Act when coupled with the $1.4 million that the schools got. “It would be a waste of funding in my opinion if the timeline isn’t extended because we could really use those funds between now and at least June 30 if not beyond,” he continued. Casavant shared that she had included language asking if they could use part of that
Northborough town officials concerned about Fiscal Year 2022 By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH – Northborough Town Financial Director Jason Little and Northborough Town Administrator John Coderre updated the Board of Selectmen on the status of the budget during the Board’s Sept. 28 meeting. The biggest issue is that planning for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 is difficult because of the limited available data and information from FY2021.
Coderre’s sentiments are similar to those expressed by Gov. Charlie Baker. “We will close FY20 okay,” said Coderre. “We will get by in 2021. We have a balanced budget as of right now that assumes significant cuts in state aid, which is not clear if they will materialize or not. My concern largely is the issue of 2022 because the problem is we do not know where FY21 is at this point in time, and so it is hard when you don’t have data points.” Conservative planning is the
focus. Postponing or restructuring projects may be needed. “We are not going to have a lot for capital improvement,” said Coderre. “This is going to be the trend for the next couple of years. Budgets are going to get tight and surpluses are going to get tight.” Department heads have been asked to bring forward budgets containing minimal increases and not to spend funds unless absolutely essential. “The upcoming budget for FY2022 has the possibility to
have some very significant implications for our level of service delivery,” said Coderre. “People need to be aware. That is what these numbers are telling us now–2022 will be an extremely difficult year.” The budget will continue to be reviewed as part of the process. “It’s about dealing with difficult information or unpleasant information, but we have always dealt with it and we will continue to deal with it,” he said.
funding to replace lost tax revenue. Selectman John Samia suggested to restrict the use of funding for lost revue until direct costs were taken care of first, in keeping with the purpose of the grant. All agreed with the added suggestions and the board proceeded to a unanimous vote of approval.
St. Michael’s Parish to host clothing drive HUDSON –St. Michael’s Parish will be hosting a clothing drive fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is invited to drop off gently used coats, clothes, shoes, and accessories at the church’s location, 21 Manning St. Items are requested to be bagged or boxed.
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10 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Planning Board continues The Gutierrez Company’s hearing By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH - The Northborough Planning Board met for over 4 hours on Oct. 6, the bulk of the time continuing their hearing on The Gutierrez Company’s plans for 0 Bartlett Street. The Board members echoed a few key concerns. Traffic: Planning Board Member Millie Milton questioned the accuracy of the traffic study stating it was conservative and based on a warehouse operation versus the operation of a distribution center. Currently, the tenant for the proposed property is unknown, but the site would have 33 truck bays potentially creating additional traffic 24/7 on Bartlett Street towards Route 20. Board member Michelle Gillespie added her recommendation that the exit from the site’s driveway should be designed to allow a left turn only so a right turn would not be allowed and all traffic would be routed through Marlborough instead. Board members were in
agreement that the number of truck bays was not originally disclosed. “We’re hearing on one hand that it is a low intensity use of a warehouse so I think in my mind I had one picture of what that means,” said Board Chair Kerri Martinek. “I think there is a disconnect in terms of when you start talking about 33 truck bays; it brings a very different picture to me.” The Gutierrez Company Attorney Mark Donahue clarified. “A classic distribution facility would actually have docks on both sides, because that is the desire to essentially bring goods in, break them down, and send them back out on the other side,” he said. “Not only does this not have that, it also has the docks essentially grouped in one portion of the building, with a significant part of the building, therefore, not having docks. It has to be able to maintain the flexibility of the building for different types of uses. It’s much more toward the warehousing as opposed to simply moving goods in and
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I think there is a disconnect in terms of when you start talking about 33 truck bays... Kerri Martinek Board Chair
moving goods out.” Snow Removal: There were questions from the Board regarding the snow removal and storage plan. The Gutierrez Company Development Manager Isreal Lopes said that in some areas of the site, snow will be stored in the wetland buffers, but said typically the parking lot is used for snow storage. Town Engineer Fred Litchfield noted that “Snow storage areas are typically within the parking lot so that when the snow melts it can be run through the drainage system and treated prior to discharge to the detention basin. Even though that is in the wetlands buffer zone, it’s up on top of the parking lot so it can run through
the drainage system.” Additional clarification will be provided from the company’s engineer who was not present at the meeting. Public Comment: Martinek acknowledged the high volume of public input received – 39 letters and a petition started by the resident-run Save Bartlett campaign (www.savebartlett. org) against the site proposal with over 1,300 signatures. Several residents participated during public comment and voiced their opposition to the noise level, development of the many acres of undisturbed land, strain on the community resources, and for the need for more truck restrictions. “If The Gutierrez Company has filed a completely inad-
equate plan, then the Planning Board has no obligation to go forward and continue to give them opportunities to provide us with more information,” said resident John Wixted. “They have had plenty of opportunities to provide us with this information and they have failed to do so. Their failure to provide adequate information for the Planning Board to make a reasonable decision is not grounds for us to provide them more time to provide more information.” He also stated that it is completely inappropriate for the Planning Board to have to decide if there will be a significant impact on traffic and pedestrian safety without knowing the use of the building. The Board agreed to continue the hearing to Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. The applicant will provide additional information on the recalculation of traffic, redesigning the site exit, snow storage and removal, and consideration of a smaller footprint. The entire meeting can be viewed at Northborough Remote Meetings on YouTube.
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 11
COMMUNITY | News
Westborough Cultural Council seeks grant proposals WESTBOROUGH - The Westborough Cultural Council is accepting grant applications online for organizations, schools and individuals to apply for funds supporting a range of community cultural activities, including concerts, exhibits, lectures, performances, workshops, festivals and student field trips. Westborough is a part of the Local Cultural Council Program (LCC), the most extensive system of grassroots support for the arts, sciences and humanities in the nation. There are 329 local cultural councils in Massachusetts; collectively, they distribute more than $3 million a year in grant monies to support cultural activities in cities and towns in the state. More than $12,000 was awarded by the Westborough Cultural Council in 2020. Grants awarded include Assabet Valley Mastersingers, Chamber Music Metrowest, Hundredth Town Chorus, programs at the Westborough
Public Library and Westborough Historical Society, cultural dance and music performances, SkyRise Theater, Shir Joy Chorus, Westborough Community Chorus, Westborough Community Land Trust’s live animal program, Westborough Connects, cultural festivals and other cultural programs in schools. The Westborough Cultural Council receives a large part of its funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, but also depends on and welcomes donations and grants from local individuals, businesses and corporations. Additionally, the town of Westborough provides funds through the annual town budget to supplement the commonwealth grant to provide additional local support. Proceeds from the annual Westborough Cultural Council’s Arts in Common Festival (which was canceled this year due to COVID-19) are also used to fund grants. Grant application infor-
mation is on the Westborough Cultural Council website, www.westboroughculturalcouncil.org. Applications must be completed online by Monday, Nov. 16. Only applica-
tions submitted online can be considered. More information can be found at https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-councilprogram/application-process.
For additional information or questions, contact Maureen Johnson at 508-366-6326 or maureenj1@verizon.net or Connie Hastings at cvbh@ hastingshq.com.
Shrewsbury DPW launches new citizen reporting tool SHREWSBURY – The Department of Public Works (DPW) has launched SeeClickFix which will allow citizens to report items through a mobile app instead of calling or emailing. This includes potholes, visibility issues, potential water main leaks and other infrastructure deficiencies. Further, residents can request services from the DPW, such as utility service re-reads, pressure checks, flushing, mark-outs, abatements, consumption reports, change of owner, illegal dumping, snow removal, tree services, and PAY-T general information. With the free SeeClickFix mobile app and web tools, Shrewsbury’s citizens will now be able to pro-
vide the town with pictures, videos, specific descriptions and more – valuable information needed to get the job done efficiently. In addition, the SeeClickFix platform provides Shrewsbury officials with a centralized issue management system to track service response from creation to resolution, engaging Shrewsbury’s citizens throughout the process. “As public administrators, we seek to provide a response to all resident requests as fast as possible,” said DPW Business Manager David Snowdon. “We are making significant strides toward this claim in our partnership with SeeClickFix by using proven technology
to make it easier for residents to communicate with us. This partnership not only allows Shrewsbury’s citizens to report problems, but also to view and comment on problems submitted by their neighbors. Citizens can even create their own ‘watch areas’ to receive notifications about all the issues reported in their community, enabling them to follow the progress of all service requests - not just the ones they report.” The SeeClickFix mobile app is available for download on Android and iPhone. In addition to the mobile apps, citizens can send reports to https://shrewsburyma.gov/ Submit-Service-Request-Online.
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12 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
PEOPLE
Author embraces dyslexia Educator sees her dyslexia not as hinderance, but as a gift SO U T HBO RO UGH By Liz Nolan, Contributing Writer
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outhborough resident, educator and author Katherine (Kate) Gostick does not see her dyslexia as a hindrance, but as a gift. A gift that has given her stories to write that she wouldn’t have otherwise written and has given her joys that would have been otherwise missing from her life.
In addition to herself, Gostick’s husband and her three sons have dyslexia. She found out as an adult when her second son was being tested. She recalled how when she was younger she was the last student in class to learn to spell her name, was at the bottom of
her English class and misread questions on exams. Originally, no one could read what she had written, but she always loved writing. It took one fantastic English teacher to make the difference for Gostick. “She really appreciated what I wrote, not how I wrote it
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down,” she said. “She saw the value in what I had written and gave me the feeling that I could do it. She gave me the confidence to write.” Gostick has two self-published books available on Amazon. In her writing, she communicates the importance
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Katherine Gostick and her son Henry, 13, holding the books
of uniqueness. Dyslexia has brought that uniqueness to her life. “Being unique is actually a benefit,” she said. “Individuality is such a strength.” Her children’s book, “The Spy who Saved Christmas – How a Dyslexic Elf Saved the Day,” was written for her kids to let them know that they can do anything. The humorous plot is about Stanley, the dyslexic elf, who must overcome all his difficulties to make sure everyone gets the right present on time when all the other elves become sick. Her son Henry, 13, helped to illustrate it. “Dyslexia does not bar you from doing anything,” Gostick said. “You will work harder and take longer, but it doesn’t mean you cannot do it.” October is Dyslexia Awareness month and early detection is important. Gostick said people with dyslexia are known to look at things in a different way, think out of the box to solve problems, and have talents and strengths that go beyond the classroom. “If I could take away the dyslexia from my kids, I wouldn’t,” she said. Gostick’s husband has a PhD in Molecular Biology; and she has her masters in reading, is Orton Gillingham trained, and teaches literacy. Her boys have grown up knowing that they can be successful at anything they choose to do and having
dyslexia doesn’t hold them back. “Dyslexia is not a disability; it’s a difference,” she said. “Dyslexia makes you resilient. I fail all the time, every time I write something down I fail. I embrace those failures, because they can be really funny sometimes. You can’t be afraid to try and to make those mistakes.” Gostick, an England native, moved to Southborough in 2003. Her newest book, “Finding a Place to Park my Melon: a Memoir of a Trailing Spouse”, is based on her family’s experiences while living in Germany for three years due to her husband’s job. The family worked through a European bucket list of adventures, some of which had interesting and funny outcomes. It focuses on her observations of the differences in British, American and German culture. She uses the metaphor of fruits (peaches, melons and coconuts) to compare how people integrate and are accepted in different cultures. The book is meant to be a trigger to reflect on what is valued in different cultures, such as uniformity or individuality. Her advice to new writers is to just write and believe in yourself. “No one else is going to believe in you, except for yourself,” she said “You gain nothing from it if you try nothing. There’s nothing to lose.”
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 13
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PEOPLE
High school student publishes children’s book HU D SO N By Cindy Zomar, Contributing Writer
J
ake Marrazzo, 17, is a typical high school senior, currently dealing with the challenges of a hybrid school schedule where some days he is in class at Hudson High School and some days he is learning remotely. Unlike his peers, however, Jake has authored and published his first children’s book.
low. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I pictured,” laughed Jake. Sheryl Marrazzo, Jake’s mother, talked about the book’s theme. “One is a number whose friends are all letters and he felt different and wanted to be just like his friends. What kid or young adult hasn’t felt like this
at some point in their lives?” she noted, adding that Jake already has ideas for a sequel. In the meantime, Jake will be launching his book at a socially distanced book signing Sunday, Oct. 18, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Kith and Kin restaurant, 38-40 Washington St., in Hudson. If the weather
cooperates, the event will be held outside. Books will be available to purchase; due to health restrictions, books brought from home will not be able to be signed. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the 4 Jake’s Sake Charitable Foundation.
There’s nothing scarier than being left out in the cold!
“I had the idea when I was 4, and my Dad wrote it all down…, but we didn’t know where to go from there,” he explained. His father, John Marrazzo, shared that at an incredibly young age, Jake would often
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Jake Marrazzo will be signing copies of his children’s book in Hudson Oct. 18.
tell his parents that he had an idea for a book or a movie, but it was usually an extension of something he had just seen or heard. “This one was completely different,” John said. “It was a story about how being unique is not only OK, it’s a good thing. It was about how the number one wanted to be a letter, so I typed it up and kept it.” The book, “One Wanted to Be a Letter” will be available this month. “Watching films and television shows that had inanimate objects come to life, like in ‘Toy Story,’ always interested me. It was like a separate civilization, and it expanded the boundaries,” Jake said. “This book teaches kids to respect others when they are unique or different, and to respect themselves, too. You are allowed to be you.” At the age of 8, Jake was diagnosed with Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, a hereditary disease that causes progressive weakness of the
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14 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
&PLACES
PEOPLE
Phil Kittredge, a man who lives by the golden rule W E ST BO RO UGH -
down images, maps and anything to do with the town. I have traveled to hundreds of antique shops, paper and ephemera shows and bookstores in search of images and memorabilia.”
By Peg Lopata, Contributing Writer
A passion for history and serving others Kittredge was a young man when he started repairing and selling old toys, later opening an antique toy and train shop. That business, Noreast-Antiques is now on eBay. For 42 years he worked for the Westborough Fire Department, retiring as fire captain in 2013. Volunteering has always been a part of his life, too. For the past six years he been co-president, with his wife, Donna, of the Westborough Food Pantry. And now
PHOTO/ANDY WEIGL, WEIGL PHOTOGRAPHY
S
ome people are just born to do all kinds of work and to help others. They choose careers that serve the public and even when they retire, they continue on that same path. A man who exemplifies this is Phil Kittredge, 68, of Westborough. Kittredge is a professional writer with the launching of his first book, “ We s t b o r ough” by Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Old roads and antiques are just one aspect of history Kittredge delves into. His interest in local history grew and made him a sought-after historian on his hometown. It all began
“Images of America: Westborough” Then in 2018 he worked with Katherine Anderson, author of “Westborough State Above: Phil Kittredge Hospital.” Acadia Left: The Westborough Public Publishing, publisher of that book, gave him Library under construction, the go-ahead to write prior to its 1908 opening. a history of Westborough. The writing in high school. process had its challenges for “I met Don this first-time author, but he Lowe, who wrote a local hishad help from his wife, Donna; tory column. I was fascinated Kristina Allen, author of earlier by the images and the stories book on Westborough history, behind the images,” said Kit“On the Beaton Path” (Westbortredge. “I collected postcards ough Historical Society, 1984), of Westborough and hunted and editors at Arcadia.
Other difficulties arose in making sure the facts were facts and identifying what was speculation and legend. “Not everything published and printed in the past was correct,” explained Kittredge. “Researching how Westborough evolved from a farming community to a manufacturing center was fascinating,” he said. “Clocks, straw hats, boots, shoes, bicycles and more were produced here. Thousands of men and women were employed in the factories downtown.” Many of the original glass images he found buried in barns and basements, “covered in pigeon poop!” he laughed. Painstakingly cleaning and restoring them, he brings Westborough’s past to vivid life. Indeed, even though the book, with its over 200 images, is a chronicle of Westborough, it is one any fan of local history would enjoy reading. Kittredge | 16
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 15
COMMUNITY | Business
Cornerstone Bank
that want to give back and want to volunteer, and really want to get involved with the various communities that we’re in,” said Tallman. “They see it as their job to give back and be part of the community and volunteer.” Cornerstone Bank is an independent, mutual savings bank serving the residents,
A strong commitment to customer service throughout Central Massachusetts By Morgan Hume Contributing Writer REGION - As a customer, it is important to connect and build trust with the local businesses in your community. And if anyone understands that best, it’s Cornerstone Bank. In 2017, Cornerstone Bank was formed after SpencerBANK and Southbridge Savings Bank merged together. Headquartered in Worcester, the bank has 13 branches in Central Massachusetts. From residential mortgages to home equity and auto loans, to opening basic checking and savings accounts, Cornerstone Bank can do it all. But what distinguishes them from the other banks out there is that they do it all with a strong commitment to customer service. Cornerstone Bank uses a high-touch customer service model, which focuses on having meaningful interactions and conversations. They take the time to sit down with people and evaluate their finances from every aspect. “We’re trying to sell a holistic financial approach to our customers,” said Todd Tallman, the president and treasurer of Cornerstone Bank. “To listen to them and what they want to do, and how we can help them. What we can offer is advice more than anything. That’s what sets us apart.” Tallman said the bank believes it is important for customers to trust the people they are working with to handle their finances. In addition to different types of lending products, Cornerstone Bank offers individualized attention and guidance, which Tallman said is hard to find from other places. “I think our approach is incredibly different from the bigger players from that perspective,” said Tallman. “We’re offering the same products, but we operate at a very different level. It’s one on one, face to face.”
businesses, and communities throughout Central Massachusetts from offices in Charlton, Holden, Leicester, Rutland, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Warren, Webster, and Worcester, along with a Loan Center in Westborough. For more information call 800-939-9103 or visit www. cornerstonebank.com.
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And Cornerstone Bank’s commitment to its customers has been recognized. This year, they were named the top bank in Central Massachusetts for overall quality by the New England Banking Choice Awards. Cornerstone Bank’s service to the community goes beyond just the people that come into one of their locations. Every year, they award scholarships to local students and donate thousands of dollars to dozens of organizations. In the past, the bank has donated to places like the March of Dimes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts/Metrowest, Old Sturbridge Village, and Abby’s House. “We try to put our money where our mouth is. We try to give back to all these different
groups. I think that is our mission as a community bank,” said Tallman. “Not only to support the local community with financial stability, but we also have employees all willing to give back. That is an expectation when you work here, but I think it’s an accepted part of our culture.” Tallman added the employees at Cornerstone Bank are dedicated to volunteering their time and resources, which is one of the reasons why he is proud to work with them. The employees at the bank each have different causes and charities they are passionate about supporting, and they work towards helping those who are disadvantaged. “They’re incredibly committed as a group of people
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16 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | Business
Nothing Bundt Cakes in Shrewsbury serves joy with every bite By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – Nothing Bundt Cakes is approaching its oneyear anniversary this fall. Since its grand opening, the familyowned bakery has quickly become part of the community. Owners Alan (Al) and Liz Gulachenski wouldn’t have it any other way. And what a year it has been! Al and Liz recently received the Worcester Chamber of Commerce “Family Owned Business of the Year for 2020” award. To win the award during a business’s first year is impressive but during the coronavirus pandemic is amazing. Gulachenski humbly acknowledged the community for their support during these trying times and congratulated his hard-working staff. Jajaira Flores, bakery manager, shared that Nothing Bundt Cakes is a franchise and there are only four in Massachusetts. Theirs is the only one in central Massachusetts. They want their guests to have the best experience possible. The bakery is bright and inviting and the aroma is amazing. The Bundt cakes are hand-
“REVOLUTIONS”
Al Gulachenski at his Shrewsbury bakery
crafted on premises. Everything is from scratch using the freshest ingredients. Their signature frosting is also made at the bakery. “We bake every day and make the frosting everyday and even our decorations that go on top of the cakes are made by hand,” she noted. Guests have 10 flavors to choose from, from classic vanilla to chocolate chocolate chip to red velvet and carrot cake and pecan praline. The featured flavor for fall is pumpkin spice. Their cakes come in four sizes: bite size Bundtinis sold by the dozen; individual size Bundtlet in its own container; an eight-inch cake that serves up to eight; and a ten-inch cake serving up to 18, which can be tiered.
“The Bundlets are also available stacked and gift wrapped as a single, double or triple,” Gulachenski noted. “We have a decoration for everything,” Flores said. “Everything you can imagine and even if we don’t have something specific to what your need is, we have an option for ‘Build a Bundt’ where can build an entire cake with a decoration based on your occasion.” While the Bundt cakes are becoming legendary what isn’t as well known is their philanthropy - especially in response to the pandemic. “We have done a lot in Worcester county…donations to first responders, to all of the hospitals, the police stations, the fire stations and we continue to do that,” she remarked.
“It’s a very big part of who we are as a company.” In addition to the Bundt cakes, they offer a retail component featuring glassware, coffee mugs, serving platters and party supplies – it’s one stop shopping! Nothing Bundt Cakes is truly a family run business. Flores shared that their team has a lot fun and look forward to serving “bites of joy” with
Bundt cake perfection. Stop by the bakery located at 98 Boston Turnpike. Their hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For more information call 508- 753-2253 or email worcester-shrewsbury@nothingbundtcakes.com or visit www.nothingbundtcakes. com/bakery/ma/worcestershrewsbury
Phil Kittredge, a man who lives by the golden rule Kittredge | from page 14
Giving back at Westborough Food Pantry As volunteer co-president of the Westborough Food Pantry he notes it is “rewarding to make someone’s day just a bit better,” said Kittredge. “There are three great parts about working at the pantry: a team of about 75 dedicated volunteers, the clients, and the support of the town and community. I cannot say enough about the support we receive from the Board of Selectmen, the town manager, the community, including industry and local businesses,” he said.
Book signing Kittredge will be doing a book signing in front of the Art & Frame Emporium, 18 Lyman St., (Westborough Shopping Center), Saturday, Oct. 17 from 1-3 p.m. (All safety protocols will be in place.) Ed Turner, the shop’s owner, said that patrons will have the opportunity to purchase prints from Kittredge’s collection at a discounted price that day. Additionally, if a patron has a specific image in mind (such as an historic house) Turner can check in the archives to see if there is an image available.
SUPER CROSSWORD
Answers to puzzle located on p. 23
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 17
COMMUNITY | Sports Without sports, Assabet Valley seeks to find new ways to engage students By Matthew Dunn Contributing Writer MARLBOROUGH - Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School is not alone in managing the disruption of their fall sports season but remains innovative and creative in finding ways to keep their students active, engaged and safe. According to Principal Mark Hollick, student safety and access to education are among the top priorities during a tumultuous fall. “A t l e a s t from now until December, we know our main focus is going to be on getting kids re-engaged and back into a routine, but we still don’t know how this is going to evolve,” Hollick said. With abrupt changes in daily life for most, resuming academic coursework and learning, as well as ways to allow students to connect with their classmates, is at the top of the priority list for most schools. “Right now we know kids haven’t been in school for six months, so right now the focus is to get them back into a routine of attending school on a regular basis and focus on their education,” Hollick said. “When we say student-athlete, student is first for a reason.” Despite the numerous challenges in resuming high school athletics, it’s clear that they play an important role at Assabet. One possibility that exists is
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the delaying sports traditionally held in the fall to the spring, if risk factors improve and it is safe to do so. The rescheduled fall season would take place primarily in the early spring, and spring sports in May and June with compressed schedules. “Right now, we don’t know what that will look like,” Hollick said, but offered insight as to what high school athletics may look like in the future. School sports may resume being played in pods, meaning less travel and less expense. “If we got to a pod system, we will be going by region, so we may play schools we usually never play,” Hollick said. When sports do resume, it is important to ensure equality between boys’ and girls’ sports being offered, as well as the logistics involved to ensure all who want to participate will be able to do so safely. “It’s also about access, we don’t want to shut kids out from participating because they can’t get a ride,” Hollick said. “We have kids from 15 cities and towns that come to us, so it’s a long ride for some.” In lieu of an active fall sports season, and with the onset of hybrid and virtual learning, Assabet is still looking for ways to ensure students are able to engage with their classmates outside of school in a safe virtual setting. “We’re continuing to look at what we can do that’s meaningful,” Hollick said. “We have
a game club where kids are allowed to play online games together; there’s a wide variety games, everything from board games to dungeon and dragons...We’re also looking into trying to be able to offer a virtual Student Council member-
ship, and we have a very active JROTC.” As most high schools are facing similar challenges, the importance of finding ways to continue to safely offer social engagement and activities with classmates is also an important
facet in a new adaptive school setting. “We have a lot of kids involved and it’s important, but we have to do these things in a safe way,” said Hollick. “Bottom line is we wanted to do the right thing for the kids.”
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18 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
COMMUNITY | Sports
Pickleball comes to Shrewsbury By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – With a beautiful backdrop of fall colors, Shrewsbury’s “inaugural” pickleball match was played Sept. 29 on the courts at the Calvin Coolidge Elementary School. Pickleball is now available on existing tennis courts marked with pickleball courts and removeable nets are on site supplied by Shrewsbury Parks & Recreation. Shrewsbury resident John Campbell was among the first to play on the court. He had been advocating for pickleball courts to be installed in town for several years. “I want to especially thank the Shrewsbury Parks & Rec. department for installing four great courts at the Coolidge School,” he remarked. “I think its going to be a big plus for Shrewsbury. Our first day we’ve already got eight players. It’s going
(l to r) John Campbell, George Fortier, Tom Hays, Howard Vinnes, Eve Choi, Alex Fleischman and Detlef Rethage
to pick up from here.” Using elements of tennis and badminton, the game involves two to four players playing on a court roughly a quarter of the size of a tennis court. The nets are smaller and the ball is perforated, and instead of a racquet, the players use a solid paddle. Gary Grindle, manager of Shrewsbury Parks & Recre-
(l to r) Howard Vinnes, John Campbell, Detlef Rethage and Eve Choi
ation, said that Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports. “It’s huge,” he noted. “In the spring is when we are going to start looking at some pickleball programming… and start looking at different options.” Campbell shared that it is a great sport for seniors as it is easier on the knees and shoulders than tennis. And it’s not just for seniors - he said some schools are starting to offer the sport. “I also want to thank Town Manager Kevin Mizikar and Angela Snell and Gary Grindle for listening to us and installing these pickleball courts,” he added. “I’m so excited. This is just great; I love this game,” stated resident Sherry Brooks who stopped by to wish the players well. “It’s pretty hard not to get hooked when you start, so having these courts in Shrewsbury is just the best.”
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 19
COMMUNITY | Schools Rotary’s Interact Club continues community service during pandemic By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH/SOUTHBOROUGH- Northborough Rotary’s Interact Club, comprised of 45 students in grades 7-12, has been productive in initiating community service projects during the pandemic, including making care packages for the Northborough Food Pantry and a Worcester shelter. They also produced a COVID-19 awareness video highlighting statements from elected officials, medical staff, and school staff. Interact Club President Sravya Tanikella is a senior at Algonquin Regional High School (ARHS) and has been with the group for five years. The group’s focus is on community service and building leadership skills. The quarantine restricted the group from meeting in person, but they continued to meet virtually to discuss how they could help those in need during this uncertain time. Tanikella said that when many things closed and events were cancelled, many people felt stuck and unsure of what direction to go in. The group brainstormed and decided to create a COVID-19 video featuring clips to offer different community perspectives and to raise awareness of the fragility of the situation. “When it sunk in that the quarantine was going to be longer that we thought, we knew people were looking for inspiration and motivation and could benefit from words of wisdom,” said Interact Club
Pantry. The care packages contained basic necessities like soap, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, masks, gloves, a handwritten note and a list of helpline phone numbers. “There are a lot of people struggling,” said Rajeshkanna. “We found the opportunity to give back, recognized the need and stepped up.” Rotary Club member Jeanne Cahill advises the Interact Club. “The group is self-reliant and committed to team building, leadership development, and engagement in purposeful efforts,” she said. “They considerately recognize problems that they can address. I see them questioning how best to plan and engage in efforts despite communication and in-person meeting challenges. It’s a privilege to advise this group - I learn so much from them.” Club Vice President Andrew Yang, a senior at Mass Academy,
Above: Members of the Northborough Southborough Interact Club work on putting care packages together Right: Sample of a care package.
Director Cynthia Rajeshkanna, a junior at ARHS. Teachers, state senators, town administrators and other community members were featured in the 10 minute video while sharing their own lessons learned, views and experiences. The video can be viewed on YouTube at the Northborough Southborough Interact Club link. Another project the Interact Club coordinated was making and delivering care packages. In June, 150 were delivered to a shelter in Worcester and in September, 140 were delivered to the Northborough Food
SEE WHY WE’RE THE
said an initiative of the Club that had to be postponed was to host a Rise Against Hunger meal packaging community event. He is hoping to resume working on the details soon as funding was received prior to the shutdown. “I’m proud of the group,” said Rajeshkanna. “A lot of groups dropped off in April. We stepped up, worked together and carried out the program.” In addition to Tanikella, Yang and Rajeshkanna, other Club board members include ARHS Seniors Megan Harrington as treasurer and Sofia Abdullina as secretary. Students interested in learning about the Interact Club should email nsborointeract@gmail.com with their name and grade. The Club posts updates on Instagram (@nsborointeract) and Facebook (@Northborough Southborough Interact Club).
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Winter is approaching … is your home ready? By Michelle Gillespie
With the autumn leaves turning color and cool crisp fall nights, we are reminded that winter begins in a few months. As you work on your fall clean-up, here are a few of my home maintenance tips on preparing your home for the upcoming winter months. Roof, Gutters and Downspouts Michelle Gillespie, REALTOR® MEGA AGENT Direct Line: 508-934-9818 michelle@michellegillespie.com www.michellegillespie.com MICHELLE GILLESPIE REALTORS 10 MAIN STREET, NORTHBOROUGH
Rain, ice, snow and wind can all cause damage to your roof and gutters. Now’s the time to trim back all tree limbs and vegetation away from the roof. You also should remove debris, such as leaves and sticks from your gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters don’t allow water to properly drain away from the home, which can cause seepage in your ceilings and walls. You can also invest in gutter guards, a screen that prevents debris from entering
the gutter and directs the flow of water away from the house and into the ground.
Water Heater You don’t want to find out that your water heater isn’t operating properly when you need it most. So use this time to perform an annual inspection, which includes having your tank’s pressure and temperature relief valve checked. In addition, remove sediment from the bottom of the tank by draining two gallons of water to improve heat
transfer and the efficiency of your heater.
Heating and Cooling System
If you have a forced warmair heating system, you should check the exhaust vent and air shutter openings for dirt and dust. Clean any lint and dirt from the blower blades, motor and burner (if you have a gas heater). Vacuum air passages and check and replace, if necessary, fan belts. To prevent airborne dirt from circulating throughout your home, wash out your reusable filter or replace it if it’s disposable.
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To help control heating costs, make sure your doors and windows are properly sealed. Now is the time to repair or replace weather stripping around door bottoms and jambs and window frames. Check for loose or missing glazing putty and caulking for deterioration. If you have storm windows, install them.
Fall is also a great time to seal your driveways, wood patios and other hardscape surfaces. In addition, prune tree branches away from your home and electrical wires. Plant spring flower bulbs and move sensitive potted plants indoors. Although this list is merely a guide, it can help you keep your home in good shape and have a winter free of major repairs.
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Frozen or burst pipes can cause major damage to your home and be expensive to remedy. Before frigid weather hits, protect your pipes in unheated areas from freezing by adding insulation, which reduces heat loss from hotwater pipes and condensation on cold water pipes. This can be accomplished by wrapping the pipes with heating tape or blanket insulation and duct tape or by encasing the pipes with preformed plastic foam. In addition, examine your pipes for cracks and leaks.
My prediction is the fall and winter real estate market this year will be very robust because of the limited inventory.ß My properties are selling once they go on the market and I have very happy sellers who are benefiting from the limited inventory. If you want to sell your home this fall or winter, please give me a call. There are so many buyers out there looking to buy, that I know you will be very pleased with the results.For more information, please email me at michelle@michellegillespie. com or call me direct at 508934-9818. I look forward to hearing from you.
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good working order. Clean the chimney flue and, if needed, have it inspected and repaired. Check the seal on your flue, which is designed to keep out drafts. Replace the seal if it is loose or damaged. In addition, bef ore i n s p e c t i n g, c l e a n i n g o r making any repairs refer to your owner’s manual for all equipment for proper instructions, which should be the final authority on any maintenance.
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 21
Obituaries Raymond A. Jolie, 85 WESTBOROUGH/NORTHBOROUGH - Raymond A. Jolie, 85, of Westborough, formerly of Northborough, passed away peacefully at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, on Sept. 30, 2020. Ray was born and raised in Marlborough, the son to the late Napoleon and Edna (Gardner) Jolie. Ray is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley (Clark) Jolie; three children, David P. Jolie and his wife Karen of Sterling, Elaine F. LeBlanc of Westborough, and Linda M. Jolie of Topsfield; nine grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Ray also leaves one brother, Paul Jolie of Georgia. Three of Ray’s siblings, Vivian Kulik, Donald, and James Jolie, preceded him in death. A private funeral Mass was
celebrated at St. Bernadette Parish of Northborough, with burial with military honors at Howard Street Cemetery. Hays Funeral Home of Northborough assisted with arrangements.
Ronald J. Rogers, 59 Assabet Valley Regional Technical School teacher
HUDSON – Ronald J. Rogers, 59, of Hudson, passed away unexpectedly at his home Oct. 2, 2020. He is survived by his beloved companion, Helena G. Bettencourt. He is also survived by his two sons, Thomas J. Rogers of Gray, Maine and Johnathan M. Rogers of Scarborough, Maine; his parents, Ronald Rogers Sr and Patricia M. (James) Rogers
of Hudson; two stepchildren, Adrian B. Andrade and Tanya B. Andrade, both of Los Angeles, Calif.; a sister, Christine M. Rogers of Cape Coral, Fla.; two brothers, Richard J. Rogers and his wife Theresa of Hudson and William F. Rogers of Lakeland, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews. Ronald was born Sept. 17, 1961 in Waltham and later settled in Hudson with his family, where he attended school and graduated from Assabet Valley Regional Technical School. He learned the trade of Appliance Repair, becoming a well-known Appliance Repair Man. He later enrolled in Teaching Courses and became an Appliance Repair Shop Teacher, now known as HVAC and Refrigeration and was loved by many students. Ronald was an avid muscle car and Mopar enthusiast. He owned several classic muscle cars throughout the years and enjoyed spending time working on them. He was also a great history buff and especially loved
learning about World War II and visiting the American Heritage Museum in Hudson. Ronald found peace in the outdoors and more than anything, loved to watch a beautiful sunset. A period of visitation was held Oct. 6 at Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated Oct. 7 at Saint Michael Parish. To honor Ronald’s love of sunsets, interment was held later that day at Forestvale Cemetery.
Dawn S. Tsai, 62 MARLBOROUGH - Dawn S. (Piehl) Tsai, 62, of Marlborough, died Sept. 29, 2020, at Mass General Hospital in Boston. She was the daughter of the late Gerald and Mildred (Mincey) Piehl and the wife of Claude Tsai, to whom she was
married for 39 years. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Kelsey Tsai, of Chicago, Ill., and her son, Stephen Tsai, of Nashua, N.H. Dawn moved to Marlborough in 1989 from Southern California and started TSAI Design, a graphic design and marketing firm. She successfully ran TSAI Design with her husband for 29 years. Dawn loved to travel and visited destinations all around the world, including China, Europe, and Tanzania. She also traveled to Alaska to fish for king salmon. After retiring in 2018, Dawn and Claude went on RV trips across the country, sailed the Caribbean, and took an expedition to Antarctica. Dawn was an avid gardener and also loved reading, cooking, snorkeling, camping, skiing, kayaking, and, most recently, golf. Visiting hours were held Oct. 9 at the Slattery Funeral Home, Inc. of Marlborough.
POLICE LOG The information in the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court issued documentation.
Marlborough
Saturday, Oct. 3 12:55 a.m. Arrested, Beth Ann Green, 47, of 276 Main St., Apt. 33, Marlborough, for unlicensed operation of MV, OUI-liquor or .08% 2nd offense, fail to stop/yield. 4:50 p.m. Arrested, David W. Koukoulis, 26, of 229 W Main St., Dudley, on warrant. 10:36 p.m. Arrested, Brandon Daniel Cruz Gonzalez, 22, of 6 Grove St., Apt. 1, Westborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, negligent operation of motor vehicle, A&B. Sunday, Oct. 4 3:31 a.m. Arrested, Victor D. Ribeira, 33, of 560 N Main St., Leominster, for op MV with license suspended, warrant. 11:12 p.m. Arrested, Luis Armando Ramirez, 26, of 20 Helen Dr., Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08% 2nd offense, oper MV
with license suspended for OUI, MV lights violation. Monday, Oct. 5 7:38 p.m. Arrested, Derick Joseph Glawson, 36, of 145 Ames St., Apt. 2213, Marlborough, for making u-turn where sign prohibits, oper MV with license suspended for OUI. Wednesday, Oct. 7 12:08 a.m. Arrested, Andrew J. Deleon, 20, of 17 Neil St., Marlborough, on warrant. 11:15 p.m. Arrested, Henry Jose Mejia-Chojolan, 26, of 26 Huntington Ave., Apt. 1, Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, marked lanes violation, MV lights violation, unlicensed operation of MV. Thursday, Oct. 8 12:34 a.m. Arrested, Xavier O. Rodriguez, 27, of 47 Mechanic St., Apt. 1, Marlborough, for carry loaded firearm without license, carry firearm without license, receive stolen property -$1200, leave scene of property damage, negligent operation motor vehicle, possess ammunition without FID card, speeding/rate of speed greater than was reasonable and proper, marked lanes violation. 1:32 a.m. Arrested, Jerome David Burton, 23, of 79 Framingham Rd., Marlborough, for disorderly conduct, assault, resist arrest.
Westborough
Thursday, Oct. 1 2:07 a.m. Arrested, Mohamed L. Muhina, 25, of 38 Stebbins St., 2nd fl., Worcester, on warrant. 3:58 a.m. Arrested, Christopher N. Marshall, 29, of 31 S Main St., North Brookfield, on warrant. Saturday, Oct. 3 2:58 a.m. Arrested, Walik Kendell Morrison, 40, of 724 Central Ave., Apt. 6, Pawtucket, R.I., on warrant.
Shrewsbury
Friday, Oct. 2 8:13 p.m. Arrested, Tennysson Deassis, 40, of 99 Armory St., Apt. 1, Worcester, for unlicensed operation of MV, warrant. 9:17 p.m. Arrested, Mahzin H. Chehab, 35, of 25 Adams St., Watertown, on warrant. Sunday, Oct. 4 4:35 p.m. Arrested, William T. Morin, 57, of 55 Ingleside Ave., Worcester, on warrant. Monday, Oct. 5 12:15 a.m. Arrested, Crystyna M. Lopez, 19, of 634 Grafton St., Apt. 2, Worcester, for oper MV with license suspended/revoked, possess large capacity firearm or magazine, possession of ammo/ firearm/chemical propellant, con-
spiracy, possess firearm/ammo w/o FID card, warrant; Giovanni M. Kevelier, 20, of 4 Montrose St., Worcester, for carry firearm without license, possess firearm/ ammo w/o FID card, possess large capacity firearm/magazine, conspiracy; and Juan Ramon Otero Jr., 18, of 31 Joyce St., Webster, for carry firearm without license, possess firearm/ammo w/o FID card, possess large capacity firearm/magazine, conspiracy. Tuesday, Oct. 6 3:52 a.m. Arrested, Kenneth O. Perez, 29, of 161 West Mountain St., Apt. 4, Worcester, for oper MV with license suspended/ revoked, possession Class B substance. 6:19 p.m. Arrested, Julian E. Galindo-Cloutier, 47, of 408 Saratoga St., E Boston, on warrant.
Hudson
Thursday, Oct. 1 12:04 a.m. Arrested, Shawn E. Kerivan, 43, of 10 West Ave., Hudson, for warrant, possess Class B drug; Joshua Collins McCarthy, 29, of 9 Drew Cir., Hudson, for possess Class B drug; and Scott C. Lynde Jr., 29, of 780 North Bigelow St., Marlborough, for possess Class B drug (2 cts).
4:26 p.m. Arrested, Yuejun Wang, 61, of 10 Winter St., Apt. 2, Hudson, for trafficking of person for sexual servitude.
Southborough
Saturday, Sept. 26 2:25 a.m. Arrested, Xavier Thomas Morin, of E Princeton Rd., Princeton, for OUI-liquor or .08% 2nd offense, negligent operation of motor vehicle, marked lanes violation, op MV with registration revoked, uninsured motor vehicle. 2:56 p.m. Arrested, Dante J. Robinson, of Pine Hill Rd., Framingham, on warrant.
Grafton
Friday, Sept. 25 8:35 p.m. Arrested, Sarah Lind, 35, of 7 Pond St., Mendon, for OUI-liquor or .08%, negligent operation of motor vehicle, leave scene of property damage, marked lanes violation.
Westborough
Thursday, Sept. 24 11:50 a.m. Arrested, Julie Stewart, 36, of 16 Hartford Ave., W Mendon, for op MV with license revoked, marked lanes
22 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
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Public Notice
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MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WETLANDS REGULATION PROGRAM Notice of Public Hearing and Comment Period
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Wetlands Protection Act Regulations Variance - M.G.L. c. 131 §40, 310 CMR 10.00 :DWHU 4XDOLW\ &HUWLÀFDWLRQ 9DULDQFH ² 8 6 & DQG 0 * / F †† DQG UHJXODWLRQV DW &05
Notice is hereby given that a request is being made of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to waive certain regulations by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). This request seeks a variance of the Wetlands Protection Act (MGL c. 131 §40; Act) and the associated wetland UHJXODWLRQV &05 1RWLFH LV DOVR SURYLGHG WKDW 0DVV'27 VHHNV D :DWHU 4XDOLW\ &HUWLÀFDWLRQ SXUVXDQW WR WKH UHTXLUHPHQWV RI &05 IRU WKH GLVFKDUJH RI GUHGJHG RU ÀOO PDWHULDO WR DQ 2XWVWDQGLQJ 5HVRXUFH :DWHU 25:
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Call Mary Ellen at 508-366-5500 x17 or email classified@communityadvocate.com
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020 • 23
Interested in placing a HELP WANTED AD?
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Help Wanted
Home Repair & Maintenance
Town of Northborough
Employment Opportunity GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS AND THE LIKE
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VAN DRIVER
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The Town of Northborough is seeking qualiďŹ ed applicants for a part-time Van Driver position with the Senior Center. For information on how to apply, please visit: www.town.northborough.ma.us
393-6816 W.E.S.
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Northborough-Southborough Public Schools is looking to ÄŽĹŻĹŻ Ć?ĆľÄ?Ć?Ć&#x;ƚƾƚĞ ƚĞĂÄ?ĹšÄžĆŒ ŽƉĞŜĹ?ĹśĹ?Ć? Ĺ?žžĞĚĹ?ĂƚĞůLJ for this school year.
The Marlborough Community Development Authority, (MCDA) is seeing a Full-Time Administrative Assistant/ Bookkeeper responsible for general bookkeeping/rent +((! 0%+*ÄŒ (!.% (ÄŒ Ăź(%*# * +0$!. +Ăž ! 10%!/ / *!! ! Ä‹ *+3(! #! +" 4 !(ÄŒ +. ÄŒ * % .+/+"0 Ăž ! .!-1%.! Ä‹ Ä‘ +1./Ä? ąĀļ3!!'ÄŒ +* 5 0+ .% 5ÄŽ +1.(5 0!Ä? Ä¸Ä Ä‡Ä‹Ä€Ä€ 0+ Ä¸Ä ÄˆÄ‹Ä€Ä€ Ä‘ ÇŤ!*!Ăź0/ %* (1 ! $! (0$ÄŒ /% 'ÄŒ 2 0%+* * ,!*/%+* Ä‘ ĆŤ+.%ÄŒ ,$5/% (ÄĽ .1# 0!/0%*# .!-1%.!
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MARLBOROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Community Advocate Your Community. Your News.
Your Paper.
Advertising Submission Deadline is Friday at noon, one week prior to publication.
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24 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 16, 2020
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