The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 84

2 Globe South Boston Sunday Globe JUNE 15, 2003 1 Community briefing IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Glob South Che Boston dMobe 1165 WASHINGTON STREET HANOVER, MA 02339 781-826-1002 'Sharon wwinr a BrocMtM Whitman Hanson A Man) waw Cwivar most out of its natural resources, the town has paired with Peabody-based New England Rain Barrel Co. to offer 55-gallon drums to residents Interested in capturing rainwater. The $59 barrels are equipped with a hose and spigot so residents can use the rainwater for lawns and gardens. Walpole and Plymouth are also among the state's communities signed up with N.E. Rain Barrel.

"In a typical storm more than 700 gallons of water runs off a resident's roof," said Norwood recycling coordinator Doris Burtman. "We should tap into that water supply. At the very least, the hope is it inspires a sense of awareness about the environment," Residents can order the barrels by calling 978-927-0711 or through the Internet at www.nerainbar-rel.com. Barrels will be available for pickup June 28 at Morrill Memorial library on Walpole Street SHARON DIGGING DAFFODILS Last year, they planted 30,000 daffodil bulbs around town. This year, the Sharon Garden Club wants to make it 100,000.

By the end of the month, every Sharon household should have received an order form in the mail, said Elizabeth Skelton, cochairwoman of the club's second annual Daffodil Drive. Thirty bulbs cost $10; 100 bulbs cost $25. The deadline to order is July 16, Skelton said. The drive is aimed at beautifying the town, she said, as well as to show residents how their individual efforts can create something for the greater good. About 18,000 bulbs were planted in residents' gardens last year, and the remainder were planted in front of schools, houses of worship, and community organizations.

This year, bulbs will be available for pick-up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 27-28 and Oct. 4-5 at the Department of Public Works headquarters on South Main Street.

TEEN CENTER CELEBRATION The Sharon Teen Center will close its doors for the summer after Friday, when the Pond Street center will be holding an end-of-the-year celebration from 2 to 6 p.m., according to vice president Laura Salomans. The center will reopen in the fall, with the schedule the same as this year: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 7-10 p.m. Friday.

"It's been great," Salomans said of the center's first year. "We found that there was definitely a need for the center. Kids found a place to belong, and that's whafs most important" Next year, the Sharon parent said, organizers plan to expand programing, and possibly offer informational talks and support groups for parents of adolescents. And plans already are in the works for the center's third annual fund-raiser, she said, sched: uled for Nov. 1 at Christina's in Foxborough.

ft 1 200 Providence Highway. Keegan said the goal is to raise more than $75,000 leading up to the bike ride, which takes place Aug. 2-3. KRISPY KREME IN LINE FOR PERMITS The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing June 23 at Town Hall on a proposal to open a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop on the former Route 1. Peter Zahka, a lawyer representing the project, has filed requests for two special permits.

One is the standard approval for establishments serving food. The other is a permit for a drive-through window. Selectmen voted Monday night to grant Krispy Kreme an exemption to a Dedham bylaw prohibiting drive-through windows for restaurants. If the permit is issued, Krispy Kreme would be the first eatery in town to have one. The Jan Companies of Rhode Island is the developer of the proposed shop, on the site of the former Bickford's restaurant on Providence Highway.

FOXBOROUGH KUDOS FOR WATER DEPARTMENT The town Water Department has received a Letter of Recognition as part of the state Department of Environmental Protection's 2003 Public Water System Awards Program for excellence in providing high-quality drinking water. The program gave scores to 768 public water suppliers in the state and awarded Letters of Recognition to those in the top 10 percent. Scores were based on such factors as administrative capacity, source protection, and distribution, treatment and monitoring procedures. BOND PAYMENT SHIFTED Town Meeting voters approved an article Monday that will shift responsibility for paying off the debt on the Route 1 water pressure district infrastructure from the general budget to the town Water Department's enterprise account. The bond payment, $302,805 annually for 20 years, will increase the average residential water bill by $40 to $50 per year, said Leo Potter, superintendent of the department.

The shift will free up the money that had been budgeted for the bond payment to be spent on police, fire, and school department needs. The water project, designed to remedy low water pressure and encourage commercial development along Route 1, was completed last summer as part of the Gillette Stadium construction. NORWOOD GAS SERVICE ON BACK BURNER The Norwood Light Department wont be cornering the residential gas business at least for now. Department superintendent Malcolm McDonald informed the Board of Selectmen last week that it "doesn't look like there's much market right now" for the utility to expand its service. "In the future, who knows? But not right now," he said.

The department, through Select Energy, already provides gas to 16 town and 11 Housing Authority buildings. Because there are no employees assigned to the gas service, it is offered at cost said McDonald. If gas is provided to homes, personnel would have to be hired. "And now you're talking overhead," he said. "For now, well just keep our eye on the market." The department has been providing electricity to the town for more than 90 years.

Last year, it expanded its service to include cable television and high-speed Internet access. WHO WILL CATCH THE RAIN Looking to inspire residents to protect the environment and get the AVON COMMITTEE SHORTHANDED With no volunteers stepping up to serve on the town's Finance Committee after several members resigned in May, the panel doesn't have the required number for a quorum. The committee, which should have seven members, is down to two, and needs four to conduct business. Town Moderator Frank Staffier, who appoints members to the committee, said he may have found two former members willing to serve, if only temporarily, to allow the committee to complete its end-of-fiscal-year business by June 25. CANTON FORUM ON DOWNTOWN PROJECT The public is invited to attend an overview of the downtown Canton underground wiring project on Tuesday during the Board of Selectmen's 7 p.m.

meeting. According to town Executive Secretary Bill Friel, officials will discuss the status of the improvement project and field comments, questions, and concerns from residents and business owners. Although there's been some frustration and inconvenience with traffic delays, Friel said, "most people, overall, have been very good and very cooperative." As part of the project, NStar, and Verizon wires are being installed under Washington Street from Town Hall to Nepon-set Street. The main part of the "single trenching" construction process, which calls for digging one trench for all the wires, should be done by around Sept. 1, said Friel.

The entire project probably will take until the end of summer 2004. NO MORE FREE PARKING Local officials are considering a new plan to charge for parking on Green Lodge Street near the Route 128 train and commuter rail station. The Board of Selectmen plans to hold a hearing next month on the proposed parking fees, said Executive Secretary Bill Friel. Officials may impose a $1 parking fee on Canton residents, and a $2 fee for nonresidents both to be effective Sept 15. Currently, said Friel, between 200 and 250 cars park on the street for free on business days, instead of paying for parking at the train station.

The town could raise $75,000 annually from parking fees, Friel said, which would help pay for maintaining the road. Officials also are discussing various methods for enforcement Selectmen have been adamant about not banning parking on Green Lodge, Friel added. DEDHAM RIDING FOR JIMMY FUND More than a dozen town officials and employees will take part in the upcoming Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, pedaling nearly 200 miles over two days from Sturbridge to Prov-incetown to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. Among those saddling up for the event are Town Administrator William Keegan Police Chief Dennis Teehan, and several town police officers. State Representative and Dedham resident Bob Coughlin is also on the team, which is riding in behalf of local 5-year-old Timothy O'Brien, who has bone cancer.

A fund-raiser for the team will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at the Dedham Health and Athletic Complex, and will include a raffle and the auctioning of a motorcycle. Tickets are $30, which includes a one-day trial membership to the health club. All proceeds will go to the Jimmy Fund of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. For tickets or more information, call Town Hall at 781-326-5770, the Police Department at 781-326-1903, or stop by the Dedham Health and Athletic Complex at EDITORIAL Editors: Mark Pothier.

781-826-1050 Boston: 617-929-8G72 mpothierglobe.com L. Kim Tan: 781-826-1071 Boston: 617-929-8685 tanglobe.com Reporters: Andrea Estes, bureau chief. 781-826-1053 Sandy Coleman: 781-826-1056 Paul Harber (Sports): 781-340-1175 Judith Forman: 781-826-1072 Kim Atkins: 781-826-1073 Joanna Massey: 781-826-1074 Emily Shartin: 781-826-1076 Dave Doyle (Sports): 781-826-1077 Calendar Listings: Pamela Miele: 781-826-1055 liltaiillliiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitfiriiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiititiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiliHiiiiiiMiiiiiliiittiiiiiliti Email: globesouthglobe.com ADVERTISING Divisional Sales Manager: Wayne Baker: 781-826-1088 Local Apvertisting: 781-826-1000 HOME DELIVERY 1-888-MYGLOBE Stories from all three editions of Globe South are available online at www. BostonxonVglobeweekliessouth liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiitiHiiiititiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiititit LIQUOR SALES TRAINING SESSION Police Lieutenant Scott Bushway will hold a training session for all Walpole liquor-license holders at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall.

Bushway said that the session is a proactive approach to combating underage drinking. It will take about an hour and include a short video and a presentation on the Police Department's procedures for curtailing liquor purchases by minors, he said. Invitations to the session were hand-delivered by officers to some 29 Walpole liquor-license holders on June 6, Bushway said. WESTWOOD HEARINGS ON FOX HILL PROJECT A new slate of Planning Board public hearings is under way for a 22-lot development on Fox Hill and Gay streets. The project which would cover 70 acres, had already received a special permit but last month proponent William Duffey submitted a slightly different plan for a second permit required under Westwood's bylaws.

The town has a two-tiered approval system for subdivisions. A special permit must be issued under both the state's zoning laws and Westwood's Subdivisions Control Law. The new plan has a different road configuration and is missing a pathway from Gay Street to an adjacent wooded area that was included in the initial plan. Town Planner Diane Beech am said Duffels lawyer explained that his client submitted the second plan because he wanted to "keep his options open." She added that if the revised plan is approved, the proponents will have to seek the other special permit under the state's zoning requirements. The Planning Board has until July 7 to decide on the request for a special permit on the new plan.

STOUGHTON SEARCH ON FOR THREAT'S AUTHOR Handwriting specialists have been called in to help police find the person who scrawled a threatening message on a bathroom wall at the OTtonnell Middle School last month. The threat which read, "Tomorrow someone will die at 1 p.m.," was found on May 29. The following day, Stoughton police officers were stationed throughout the school, checking backpacks and book bags. Nothing was ever found. "We're matching up the writing on the wall with the handwriting of every student in the school," said school Superintendent Tony Sarno, who sent a letter home with students alerting parents to the discovery.

"It may take a while to solve this, but we're working on it with police and handwriting experts. This is not going to go away." Roughly a third of the school's 1,067 students stayed home on May 30. SELECTMEN FILL TOWN BOARDS The Board of Selectmen made a dozen appointments last week to town boards and commissions. Reappointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals was chairman Steve Mitchell, with Edward Coppinger moving from alternate to full membership on the board. Stanley Zoll was reappointed to the Board of Assessors for another three years.

The Council on Aging, which had 13 applicants vying for three positions, saw Patricia Campbell, Carlton McMorrow, and John O'Meara named to its board. Maxine Willis was named to the Cultural Council, while Charles McNamara was reappointed to the Industrial Development Finance Authority. Harvey Levensohn, Joyce Husseini, and Sheila Osborne were all named to the Stoughton Library Board of Trustees. Michael Sammarco was reappointed to the Planning Board. WALPOLE ELECTION RESULTS Incumbent Alan Rockwood and newcomer Catherine Winston defeated incumbent Judith Conroy and John Spillane in a four-way race for two seats on the Board of Selectmen in the June 7 town election.

With 15 percent of Walpole's 15,107 registered voters casting ballots, Winston was on 59 percent of the ballots, Rockwood on 57 percent Conroy on 32 percent and Spillane, 30 percent In the only other contested race, James Armstrong Jr. beat Joseph Doyle Jr. for a seat on the Walpole Housing Authority. A i AT WATER'S EDGE An Jk empty sand pail of Stephanie wasserman, oi fV "TV, Sharon, LakeMassapoag fj VH on a sunny June GLOBE STAFF PHOTO JOHN TLUMACKI Compiled and written by Sandy Coleman, Globe staff, and correspondents. NWf i i i DnrvT 6T) ATTr "i it m' The BIST Selection I I II II I A I II I -Wrought Iron I 1 T-' "Pools Pool Supplies jiJJrlii i3 Over 1 Acre of Showroom BRUNSWICK OLHAUSEN yt m'WfV I if PROLINE BEACH 11 IVt "Vf jJ on display iJmr' Store hours: Monday-Friday 10-8 Sat Sun 12-5 781 -82c-0077 Hanover, MA iS7 Columbia Kuac- Route S3, next to Building 1S.