The End In Sight?

According to the Worcester Telegram & Gazzette, the Town Administrator Search Committee has some new finalists.

Finally, more finalists.

This search processes has been an arduous task. The committee has worked very hard, and now, it is up to the selectmen to make a choice.

Now.

This process has been going on for far too long. We have new finalists from a new search committee. It's like skiing on fresh powder--nice and clean, and nothing left over from older runs to get in the way. Right?

Let's hope so. We seem to drag our butts here in town. I'm not sure just why it is. Separation anxiety from our last TA? Doubt it. It's almost like a bunch of 8 year olds at the shore waiting for one of them to feel just how cold the water is.

"You do it."

"No, you do it."

Cripes! Will someone just make a decision?!

Well, we'll see.

My prediction? I want to say this matter will be wrapped up inside the month. That is what I want to say, but I know better. There is going to be yet one more sideshow. One more disruption to the process. One more surprise.

The biggest surprise would be a new Town Administrator in place by months end.

Worcester Telegram & Gazette article:

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Familiar candidates among new TA finalists

By Craig S. Semon TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Looking For Ideas For Heins Farm Dedication On June 5

"To all interested groups, committees and individuals:

The Sturbridge Trails Committee along with Conservation Committee are looking for your help in supporting a public open event to dedicate the completion of the walking / hiking trails on the Heins Farm town open space. The event is scheduled to be held on Saturday June 5, 2010 12:00-3:00.

This is in the preliminary planning stages and we are looking for support on items to make this day a success. We need sponsors (either individuals or groups) that will take charge of a specific activity and run with it. We have a number of ideas we are considering but welcome any ideas that a group or individual would like to bring forth.

The theme is to make this a fun event utilizing the trails and meadow as the setting. The following is a list of ideas that we have under consideration and need volunteers to take charge of. To reemphasize, we are open to other ideas.

Ribbon Cutting

Historical talk

Kite Flying

Kids mountain bike race

Parcel History talk

Flora and Fauna talks

Kids Geo Cache search

Snacks and water give away

Trash Management

RC aircraft demo

Rocketry Demo

Transportation

Orienteering

Forestry Management Talk

If you can lend some support please respond to either Randy Redetzke at rredet@charter.net or Leslie Wong at lwong@town.sturbridge.ma.us

Please forward this on if you can think of anyone that maybe able to help."

--from a recent email.--ed.

On Hold? Why? Let's Hear A Credible Reason For Once

Rt. 15 sites on hold for sewers

Treatment plant capacity to increase

By Craig S. Semon TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

STURBRIDGE — Standing in front of the town’s wastewater treatment plant, state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, declared the Board of Selectmen will no longer have to turn away business because the plant’s capacity is full.

Mary M. Berry, manager of the Sturbridge Retirement Cooperative Corp., will believe it when she sees it.

Like several other property owners in the Route 15 Special Use District, Mrs. Berry has been butting heads with selectmen for years over connections to town sewer lines. Monday night, she will plead her case in front of selectmen again.

The Sturbridge Retirement Cooperative Corp., 1 Kelly Road, and neighboring Yogi Bear Jellystone Park Camp Resorts, 30 River Road, are facing administrative consent orders from the state Department of Environmental Protection to upgrade their septic systems because their daily flows exceed the Title 5 limit, which is 15,000 gallons per day.

“The consent order says that we’re noncompliant; therefore, we have two choices: our own treatment plant or a municipal tie-in,” Mrs. Berry explained.

She wants a municipal tie-in to the town sewer system for 32,700 gallons per day, but she said the actual flow on most days is about 20,000 gallons.

Back in September, Sean Finicane, owner of Yogi Bear Jellystone Park Camp, said he needs 31,500 gpd a few months a year.

Mrs. Berry said she has already spent about $500,000 and it would cost an estimated $1.2 million to finish an on-site treatment plant.

Mrs. Berry accuses some selectmen of stalling the issue by relying on delay tactics, including repeatedly citing the need for “another study,” the necessity to “recharge the aquifer,” and the existence of a “sewer moratorium” as fallback excuses.

“I have tried to take each concern of the board and address it and find the quickest and easiest way to get something accomplished,” Mrs. Berry said. “I someday want to strike the word sewer from my vocabulary. Let’s see if this time the rubber meets the road.”

Mr. Brewer’s visit Jan. 26 coincided with Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s announcement that $15.1 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants and State Revolving Fund financing will be used to upgrade Sturbridge’s 40-year-old wastewater treatment plant from 750,000 gpd to 1.3 million gpd.

Mrs. Berry said selectmen should add Route 15 Special Use District to the comprehensive waste management plan and apply for a permit modification to add about 75,000 gpd to the existing plant to address the immediate concerns.

She said she wants to make them understand how simple this could be and that ultimately, the question being posed to the selectmen, who act as sewer commissioners, is simply, “Do you want to help?”

“How do they think these seniors feel when they are told the town’s got the capacity for us, but they have to hold it for somebody else that may need it down the line? What are we, chopped liver?” Mrs. Berry asked. “We’re not asking for something for nothing. Just give us what we need. It’s available, if you do it right.”

Mrs. Berry has repeatedly offered the town a check for sewer privilege fees totaling $450,000 with hopes of being connected by about 2.5 miles of pipe stretching from Route 131 to Kelly Road. The offer is still on the table, she said.

While Sturbridge Retirement Cooperative Corp. (67 acres) and Yogi Bear Jellystone Park Camp Resorts (at 75.5 acres) represented the need side of the equation, Gary E. Galonek represents the opportunity side. Owner of Kelly Farm Ltd., which includes three parcels at 17 Kelly and 26 Kelly Road and 90 River Road (74 acres combined), Mr. Galonek has been pushing for infrastructure for 15 years along Old Route 15 with no results.

“The special use district was put in place to be developed,” Mr. Galonek said. “Sturbridge has gotten into the land collection business. We have more land that we don’t tax, that we have no plans for.”

Selectmen Scott A. Garieri and Thomas R. Creamer both agree the town has an obligation to help provide a solution to the sewer woes along Old Route 15.

“This is a neighborhood, a district, however you want to look at it, that’s in need,” Mr. Garieri said. “And it’s our obligation to find out and do everything we can do, not just putting it off because certain factions in town don’t believe Route 15 should be developed.”

“I’m fully prepared to support any municipal solution down there on Route 15,” Mr. Creamer said. “Waiting is no longer an option. We need to do something and we need to do it now.”

Selectman Mary Blanchard, chairwoman of the board, said the board will be able to come to more educated and viable answers to these questions Monday.

Worcester Telegram & Gazette February 6, 2010

Don't Let Cabin Fever Get You Down

Cabin fever got you and the kids on the verge of forming a new Donner Party? Then check out this Winter Activity Guide for Kids at Naturerocks.org sent in by Tom Chamberland. This site is loaded with lots of ideas, and activities for both you, and the kids.

Enjoy!

The Need For New Voices

Recently I found some old friends living in my laptop. Facebook has a way of shaking things up, and bringing these old friends up to the surface after being away for so long. I've learned a lot since joining Facebook. One thing I have learned is that no matter where one lives we are all subject to the same things. Family issues. Work problems. Local politics.

Yep. Local politics. Tip O'Neil said that all politics was local. What he did not say was that all local politics is the same, only the address is changed.

And, that is to be expected.

Every community has roads that need repairing, schools that need to be built, landfills that need to be capped, and public servants that need to be paid. Every community also has individuals that feel that more could be done, that too much time is spent on the the "drama", and not enough on action, and that their community has become divided.

Sturbridge, we are not alone.

When I found out that Dori was running for selectman's office in Stoughton, I smiled and said to myself, "The more things change, the more things stay the same". She never could sit and watch. She liked to be involved. One can only take so much, before one chooses to act at a particular level.

I guess Dori has had her fill, and is going for it.

I wonder who, in Sturbridge, will step up this year, and run for selectman? Will we hear from a frustrated, new voice here in town as Stoughton has?

I hope so. Every chorus needs new voices.