public meeting

Manchester-by-the-Sea to Hold Public Meeting on Restoration Options for Central Pond

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Manchester-by-the-Sea
Gregory T. Federspiel, Town Administrator
10 Central StreetManchester by the Sea, MA 01944

For Immediate Release

Friday, Oct. 12, 2018

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

Manchester-by-the-Sea to Hold Public Meeting on Restoration Options for Central Pond

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — Town Administrator Gregory Federspiel would like to invite the community to attend a presentation and discussion next week on potential restoration options for Central Pond.

WHEN:

Thursday, Oct. 18 from 6-7:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Town Hall, Selectmen’s Room 5 (second floor), 10 Central St.

WHAT:

Community members are invited to attend the meeting, where town consultants will present several restoration possibilities of Central Pond.

The replacement and widening of the Central Street bridge/culvert will present the Town with an opportunity to restore Central Pond. The purpose of the restoration is to reduce upstream flooding, improve the aesthetics of the area, fix the sea walls, and reestablish habitat for migratory fish and other wildlife.

The presentation will be followed by an open discussion period, where attendees are invited to share their comments and ask questions.

“We’re still in the very early stages of this project, and residents should know that all potential options to be discussed at this event are conceptual,” said Grants Administrator Mary Reilly. “This meeting is to inform the community of some possible options that we have developed. We encourage residents to attend so that their voices can be heard.”

The Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program is funding this stage of the project, in which alternative plans will be created and evaluated.

Residents with questions, or those who would like to reserve a spot at the meeting, should contact Reilly at [email protected] or 978-525-6427.

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*MEDIA ADVISORY* Merrimac Public Safety Building Committee to Hold Public Meetings

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mpdpatchMerrimac Police Department
Eric M. Shears, Chief of Police
16 East Main St.
Merrimac, MA 01860

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 13, 2017

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

*MEDIA ADVISORY*

Merrimac Public Safety Building Committee to Hold Public Meetings

Discussion of Progress Toward the Development of Town Services Buildings

MERRIMAC — The Merrimac Public Safety Building Committee will hold two public meetings to update members of the community on the progress being made toward the development and renovation of buildings that are expected to serve the needs of virtually all of Merrimac’s town services for the next century.

WHEN:

Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 7 p.m.  (Public hearing and presentation)

AND

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 7 p.m. (Presentation during Merrimac Candidates Night)

WHERE:

Merrimac Town Hall, Upstairs
2 School St, Merrimac, MA 01860

WHO:

Committee members:

  • Eric M. Shears, Chief of Police
  • Ralph Spencer, Fire Chief
  • Mr. Robert Sinibaldi, DPW Director
  • Mr. Richard LeSavoy, Finance Committee Chairman
  • Mr. Mark Tocci, Building Committee
  • Mrs. Carol McLeod, Finance Director
  • Mr. Rick Pinciaro, Former Selectmen / Capital Planning Committee
  • Mrs. Laura Mailman, Former Selectmen / Senior Center Director

WHAT:

In August 2015, HKT Architects Inc. was selected by the Town of Merrimac to conduct a feasibility study for the Merrimac Public Safety Complex located at 16 East Main St.This work included a review of existing facilities, an evaluation of safety and functional aspects of the building, programming for the Police, Fire, Emergency Services, Intermediate Ambulance Service and Public Works departments, and a review of several off site locations as possible locations for new structures.

The resulting 481-page study is a comprehensive look at all of these items. The town has also received a donation of land that has been found to be suitable for the construction of the town’s first standalone police station and a modern public works facility.

The town’s current facilities have outlived their expected lifespans and can no longer support Merrimac’s emergency and public works departments.

The Public Safety Building Committee is recommending a new joint police/public works facility to be built at 106 West Main St. and a renovated fire department at the current 16 Main St. site, with the old police department section being torn down due the fact that the structure is failing and sinking into the ground, among other deficiencies.

The Merrimac Capital Planning Committee unanimously voted to support the work of the committee, and earlier this month the Merrimac Finance Committee also voted unanimously voted to support the committee’s work.

All are welcome, and the committee members hope members of the public will come to hear about the work and ask questions!

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Bedford Police Invite Residents to Meeting to Discuss Town Water Supply

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Bedford Police Department
John J. Bryfonski, Chief of Police
55 Constitution Drive
Bedford, NH 03110

For Immediate Release

Friday, March 25, 2016

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

Bedford Police Invite Residents to Meeting to Discuss Town Water Supply

PFOA Levels Found in Pennichuck Water Works

Water Supply Remains Safe, but Long-Term Effects of Chemicals Not Known

BEDFORD, N.H. — Chief John Bryfonski and the Bedford Police Department invite residents to attend a public information meeting regarding water contamination in the Town of Bedford.

The meeting will be held Wednesday, March 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Peter Woodbury Elementary School, 180 County Road.

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Pennichuck Water Works, and Bedford town officials will speak about the recent discovery of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in water supplied to Pennichuck Water Works from the Merrimack Village Water District.

PFOA, a perfluorochemcial (PFC), is part of a family of manmade chemicals that were used for decades as ingredients to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Many chemicals in this group, including PFOA, are commonly present in the environment and do not break down easily. Studies have shown that nearly all people have some level of PFCs in their blood. Potential health effects from exposure to low levels of PFCs are not well understood.

Officials would like to stress that there is no direct threat to the health of residents, and they are taking extreme precautions while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) further researches the effects of long-term exposure to PFOA. The water in all homes is safe to cook with and bathe in. No boil water order has been issued. 

“This meeting is not meant to cause fear or panic in town,” Chief Bryfonski said. “Rather, we want to alert our residents to the measures that the state is implementing to keep them and their families safe.”

This meeting does not affect all Bedford residents, only those served by Pennichuck Water Works in the following areas:

  • Greenfield Farms
  • Cabot Preserve
  • Parker Ridge
  • Brick Mill
  • Jenkins Road

Out of an abundance of caution, the NHDES will be providing bottled drinking water to residents using a private well for drinking water in these areas. 

Residents are encouraged to contact the Bedford Town Manager at 603-472-5242 or the Bedford Police Department at 603-472-5113 with any concerns or questions before Wednesday’s meeting.

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Franklin to Update Its 2008 Open Space and Recreation Plan

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Franklin_MA_seal (1)

Town of Franklin
Jeffrey D. Nutting, Town Administrator
355 East Central Street
Route 140
Franklin, MA 02038

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015

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

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 978-769-5193
Email: [email protected]

Franklin to Update Its 2008 Open Space and Recreation Plan

Officials Hold Public Meetings to Gather Community Input

FRANKLIN — Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting announces that the town is in the process of updating Franklin’s 2008 Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) and is inviting residents to be a part of the process.

The purpose of the OSRP is to create a document through a public input process that will guide Franklin in its efforts to maintain and enhance the community’s open space and recreation resources. Officials hope to have a new plan in place for 2016.

“A lot has happened over the last eight years. The town has grown and the needs for our open space and recreation areas have changed,” Town Administrator Nutting said. “It is time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished and create a new plan that will guide us over the next several years. We encourage the public to be a part of this process and share their ideas so we can create the best product going forward.”

In order to complete a plan that represents the opinions, desires and needs of the community, the Department of Planning and Community Development is attempting to gather information in a variety of different ways, including:

Open Space & Recreation Public Meeting

When: Saturday, Nov. 14, at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Franklin Public Library, 118 Main St.

The Department of Planning and Community Development will hold a public meeting to facilitate dialogue and gauge public support for various open space and recreation priorities. Progress from the 2008 OSRP will be presented, and written and verbal comments from the community regarding future goals and suggested projects will be collected.

Conservation Commission Public Hearing

When: Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:15 p.m.

Where: Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 355 East Central St.

Conservation Commission members will discuss proposed goals and objectives to be included in the 2016 OSRP and ask for input from the public on all open space preservation and recreation issues.

Open Space & Recreation 2015 Citizen Participation Questionnaire

As part of the public input process, the Department of Planning and Community Development is conducting a survey to inform town officials on how residents feel about the preservation of open space and the adequacy of parks and recreation opportunities.

Completed surveys will be accepted until Dec. 4, at which time the department will assess the collected data and develop a summary report that will include an analysis of specific variables.

The questionnaire can be downloaded from the town’s website, or hard copies can be obtained at any of the following locations: Franklin Recreation Department, Franklin Town Library, Franklin Senior Center and Franklin Department of Planning and Community Development.

Completed surveys can be returned to the same locations or mailed, faxed, or scanned and emailed to the following:

Franklin Open Space & Recreation Planning Study

C/O Planning and Community Development

355 East Central Street

Franklin, MA 02038-1352

Fax: 508-520-4906

[email protected].

Stakeholder Meetings

The Department of Planning and Community Development will hold meetings with nonprofit organizations, town personnel, and other stakeholders upon request. Please contact the department at 508-520-4907 or [email protected] for more information.

Written Comments

Written comments can be mailed or emailed to the Department of Planning and Community Development at the address listed above. To ensure your input is included in the 2016 OSRP , please provide written comments by Dec. 4.

Other Opportunities to Provide Input?

Once the draft 2016 OSRP is developed, the town will implement a month-long public comment period, which will include at least one public hearing to gather input regarding the draft plan.  The Department of Planning and Community Development expects a final plan will be submitted to the state for approval by February or March 2016.

Anyone with questions, or who would like more information, should contact the Department of Planning and Community Development at 508-520-4907 or [email protected]

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