March 19, 2019

Groveland Water and Sewer Department Announces Vacancy on Board of Water Commissioners

Jordan Mayblum ⋅ Client News, Water Department News ⋅ Groveland, Groveland Water, water and sewer commission ⋅ 0 Comments

Groveland Water & Sewer Department
Thomas Cusick, Superintendent
Town Hall
183 Main St
Groveland, MA 01834

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Groveland Water and Sewer Department Announces Vacancy on Board of Water Commissioners

GROVELAND — Superintendent Thomas Cusick announces that Groveland’s Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners is seeking a new member to fill a vacancy.

The Board of Water Commissioners is an independent board responsible for overseeing the Water and Sewer Department and acting as stewards of the town’s water and sewer infrastructure.

The Board is seeking an engaged resident who will commit their time to overseeing this important work, which is vital to the maintaining the board’s sovereign oversight of the the department’s operations.

“Our water and sewer commissioners play an important role in guiding department priorities, overseeing spending and ensuring that we’re all working collectively to provide Groveland residents with the best possible services,” Superintendent Cusick said.

Members of the board are responsible for several critical decisions, including the placement of fountains and hydrants, regulating the use of water, establishing equitable pricing for water and sewer services and appropriating department revenue.

Anyone interested in an appointment to the board should call 978-556-7220

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March 8, 2019

Media Advisory Pentucket High School Building Committee to Hold Meeting Tuesday

Kelsey Bode ⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ building project, design, design renderings, design update, Groveland, high school, massachusetts school buiding authority, meeting, Merrimac, middle school, MSBA, Pentucket, pentucket building committee, pentucket building committee meeting, school building project, West Newbury ⋅ 0 Comments

Pentucket Regional School District
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew
22 Main Street
West Newbury, MA 01985

For Immediate Release

Friday, March 8, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Media Advisory

Pentucket Building Committee to Hold Meeting Tuesday

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew wishes to remind residents that the Pentucket Building Committee is having a meeting next week.

WHEN:

Tuesday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Pentucket Regional High School Cafeteria, 24 Main St., West Newbury

WHAT:

The Pentucket Building Committee is holding a meeting Tuesday, March 12, at Pentucket Regional High School to review updated design renderings for the combined high school/middle school building project, the next steps in the Massachusetts School Board Authority (MSBA) process and a schedule of upcoming community meetings.

“It is important that voters attend the public meetings we have scheduled about this project, familiarize themselves with the information available on the project’s website, and ask myself or another member of the committee any questions they may have,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “We want voters to fully understand what they are voting on this spring, and what this project would offer students in the future.”

Since the committee’s Feb. 13 meeting, the district submitted a schematic design of the building project to the MSBA on Feb. 20. The district will meet with the MSBA in the coming weeks to review the submitted schematic design.

About the Pentucket Building Project

Pentucket Regional School District and the Building Committee have been working with the MSBA since 2015 to develop a building project to meet the needs of the district. The proposed building would solve critical infrastructure concerns facing both the middle and high school buildings, including the HVAC, water and electrical systems at the high school.

A 2015 report found that the high school’s HVAC and electrical systems are in “imminent danger of possible failure.”

The high school building was built in 1956, and the middle school building was built in 1967. Both buildings are well worn and in need of replacement. Combining the middle and high schools into one new building presents a more cost-effective option than building separate middle and high school buildings. The proposed project would create a three-story facility that aligns with modern academic standards and best practices and would serve several decades of students to come.

Residents in Groveland, Merrimac and West Newbury will vote on Monday, April 29 whether to approve the funding request for the project and again in a ballot vote on May 6.

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March 6, 2019

Groveland Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

Kelsey Bode ⋅ Client News, Fire News ⋅ call/volunteer, class 76, Firefighter Michael Neenan, graduate, graduation, Groveland, Groveland Fire Department, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, MFA, MFA Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighting Training program class 74, MFA Volunteer Recruit Firefighting Training Program, Michael Neenan ⋅ 0 Comments

Groveland Fire Department
Richard York, Interim Fire Chief
Public Safety Building
181 Main St
Groveland, MA 01834

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003

Groveland Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

Firefighter Michael Neenan, left, stands with Interim Fire Chief Richard York after completing the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Local Call/Volunteer Firefighter Recruit Training Program in February. (Courtesy Photo Groveland Fire Department)

GROVELAND — Interim Fire Chief Richard York is pleased to announce that Michael Neenan graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy last week.

Firefighter Neenan graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighting Training program Class 74. He was recognized along with 23 other graduates during a ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 28 at Masconomet Regional Middle School in Boxford.

Firefighter Neenan was born in West Newbury and moved to Groveland in 2002. He joined the Groveland Fire Department in July 2018 and will begin working towards his EMT certification this May.

“On behalf of the entire department, I congratulate Firefighter Neenan for completing this challenging program,” Interim Chief York said. “The skills learned at the academy will be invaluable in serving and protecting the residents of Groveland.”

During the training, firefighters learned the basic skills they need to respond to fires, including how to contain and control them, public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, firefighter self-rescue and vehicle extrication.

To graduate, firefighters were required to complete 240 hours of training, all on nights and weekends, while demonstrating proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack in situations ranging from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multi-room structural fires.

The other 23 graduates represent the fire departments of Boxford, Essex, Georgetown, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Rockport, Sherborn, Tyngsborough, Wenham, West Newbury and Weston.

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March 4, 2019

Pentucket Launches Middle and High School Building Project Website

Jessica Sacco ⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ building project, Groveland, high school, Merrimac, middle school, Pentucket, website, West Newbury ⋅ 0 Comments

Pentucket Regional School District
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew
22 Main Street
West Newbury, MA 01985

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 4, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Pentucket Launches Middle and High School Building Project Website

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to announce that Pentucket Regional School District has launched an official website about the proposed middle and high school building project.

The website PentucketProject.com will act as an official source of information for residents in Groveland, Merrimac, and West Newbury as they prepare to vote on Monday, April 29 whether to approve the funding request for the project and again in a ballot vote on May 6.

The project needs to be approved by all three towns, in both votes, to move forward. The votes represent the final step in the process.

“We’re excited to share this website as an official resource for residents looking to learn more about the project,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “It’s important going into town meetings and ballot votes that residents know all the facts about the project, the concerns facing the current middle and high school buildings, and how the details of this project came to be.”

A news blog on the website will be regularly updated with the latest information about the project. The website also includes video recordings of past presentations on the project, which can be seen by clicking here.

The proposed Pentucket Regional School District (PRSD) grades seven through 12 building would replace the current middle and high schools, which were respectively built in 1967 and 1954.

Both buildings are significantly worn and approaching the end of their useful life spans. The high school building faces several infrastructure issues, including an old, corroded plumbing system that is insulated with asbestos and frequently causes flooding and an outdated heating system that a district assessment of its condition revealed is in imminent danger of failing. To learn more about the state of the current buildings, click here.

The project would build a three story, modern facility combining the middle and high schools into one building on a unified campus. This is a more cost effective option than building separate, new middle and high school buildings that exist now.

To examine renderings of the proposed building and learn more about its design, click here.

The total estimated cost of the project is $146.3 million. After ineligible costs are calculated and deducted from the total cost, the district estimates the Massachusetts School Board Authority (MSBA) will fund approximately 40 percent of the project.

The MSBA will announce an official reimbursement amount in April.

At the project reimbursement rate and interest rates, based on the average assessed home value in each town in the district, it is estimated that, should the project move forward, the average Groveland homeowner’s taxes would increase $745, the average Merrimac homeowner’s taxes would increase $734, and the average West Newbury homeowner’s taxes would increase $755.

Four years ago, PRSD was accepted into the MSBA process for the first time since a proposed new high school building was voted down in the late 1990s. Since PRSD was re-accepted by the MSBA, the district has been working with the MSBA to develop the most cost effective plan to meet the needs of the middle and high schools.

“The proposed building would solve the infrastructure concerns in both buildings, and would create a facility that will enhance and support student learning for decades to come,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “We encourage residents to visit the website, learn about the project being proposed, and consider what the project will mean for future generations of Pentucket students.”

A School Building Committee formed in fall 2016 to oversee the MSBA process, and includes administrators, town officials, selectmen, school committee members, and residents. To learn more about the committee, click here.

To access the website, visit pentucketproject.com.

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Groveland