Around Natick

The Metrowest Daily News had an interesting article about campaign funds. One elected official spends his campaign money on other candidates, in order to build a base of support for himself. Read more »

A year ago, Frederick “Dirk” Coburn, member of the Natick School Committee, who likes to call himself “dcalfine” when chatting online, wrote the following to the New York Times. What’s interesting is the fact that he wouldn’t reveal his already made up mind when the Metrowest Daily News spoke with him a week later according to this article. “Committee members Dirk Coburn and Karen Adelman Foster declined to reveal their opinion before the March 5 meeting.”

http://www.wickedlocal.com/homepage/8998910203697037311 Read more »

A couple of things to think about;

I wonder why the Conservation Commission with it’s huge bankroll of $6 million hasn’t done anything about improving the existing stock of open space in Natick. Specifically the land around Fiske Pond, and it’s two overflow ponds on both sides of Rte 135 at Speen Street. Those are certainly spots which could become “pocket parks” or areas with paths and benches, or even jogging trails. Next time you’re traveling over the bridge going toward Roche Bros, take a look to your right at the wooded area and pond and think about how it would look if landscaped properly. 

It was pointed out that Kennedy Middle School has a new position on it’s payroll. It’s called a “Theatre Arts” Teacher. It’s an additional staff person. I guess the School Department had plenty of money in it’s budget to hire the extra staff. It makes me wonder if the threat to close Johnson was just a ploy.

It also makes me want to vote for a couple of people who are running for Selectman who would like to cut the fat.

Sometimes Natick Selectmen use gimmicks for plans which would otherwise would be rejected. Giving Mathworks a special “TIF” designation in order to allow them to expand and get a tax break at the same time, for example. Read more »

Hundreds of hits a day, and lots of elected town officials anticipating what I’ll say, each and every day. Wow, it’s great to have so much attention!

Any residents who wish to make their opinions known at Town Hall, or at the School Department, can rest assured that everything written here is read several times a day by everyone on the Board of Selectmen, and School Committee. I know Ostroff, Coburn, and Adelman-Foster check in daily and they have it set up to alert them whenever a new post is made. You won’t have to leave a message on a recording either. So write whatever you want the town elected officials to know, and enjoy!

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Here’s a view of the rail trail near Mechanic Street. I wonder if they’ll call it the Sassamon Trail, or the Eliot Trail. Either name sounds good and is steeped in tradition. I’m sure nobody will want to name it the Redman trail!

The Friday before Christmas, I thought maybe I could find some gifts downtown. Natick has a few stores that might have stocking stuffers. I went downtown, but the Friday night before Christmas, nothing was open. So I ended up at the Mall.

Last Sunday, late afternoon, I thought maybe I could do some shopping downtown. Guess what? Nothing was open. Downtown Natick was like a ghost town. Are we in a recession or what?

Tass Filledes wrote the following letter to the Editor of the Metrowest Daily News; Here’s how it begins “Why pick on Natick’s mascot?

Why Natick? Some time ago Chief Caring Hands from Stoughton showed concern that the Natick High School mascot was “The Redmen.” She thought it was offensive and disrespectful to the Indians. The Natick School Committee voted to eliminate the Redmen name and replace it with something else, still to be determined. Read more »

Someone asked me an interesting question the other day. Was the revenue from the trash bag sales, aka Pay-As-You-Throw, removed from the trash removal budget, or was it simply put in somewhere as extra money for the town? I had to answer “I don’t know.”  Would I be surprised if it was another way of increasing revenue outside of the limits of Prop 2 1/2? No I wouldn’t.

At Fall Town Meeting, the Administration requested that Town Meeting appropriate $675,000 from the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund retained earnings for the FY08 budget. They did this without having it go before the Finance Committee for a recommendation.
They next got the Town Meeting to vote for Water and Sewer Enterprise Funds to repave Glen St. and Cottage St. Some people felt that a repaving project was unrelated to water and sewer. The motion passed anyway.
However, there was no money in the budget for this repaving. Thus, it obligated the Selectmen to find the money to pay for the work. It seems they did when they raised the rates a few weeks ago.
Isn’t it illegal to have Town Meeting vote to spend funds that don’t exist? Hmm….