Wishing a happy, safe, and celebratory
July 4th Independence Day
to you and your family!
First Toy Town Food Truck Festival and Battle of the Bands Hits a Home Run Out of GAR Park
Over 1,000 pack G.A.R. Park for Food Truck Festival.
Just one small corner of the field of G.A.R. Park has over 200 people visibly attending the Friday, June 24, Food Truck /Battle of the Bands Festival designed by the Winchendon Recreation Commission.
Photo by Keith Kent
Simmy's Polish Express like others saw lines of fifty to sixty persons for up to two hours before showing signs of getting caught up with demand, as many enjoyed the diverse menu of Polish style cuisine on a warm summer evening.
Photo by Keith Kent
If the Winchendon Recreation Commission had any concerns as to how their first Food Truck / Battle of the Bands Festival was going to go on the evening of Friday, June 24, they were quickly laid to rest. Not only did attendees fill the park, but multiple vendors sold out of items before the four-hour event finished. One of the longest daylight happenings of the year was enjoyed by an estimated 1,000 or more people under summer sun seguing to twilight fun.
The event first proposed nearly a year ago by Planning/Land Use Coordinator Nicole Roberts, according to Town Manager Justin Sultzbach, couldn't have come at a better time, as many seek to return to a feeling of normality. As many of a certain age will tell you, they would much rather enjoy the original social media interaction of "Get outside."
With over a dozen food trucks on hand for the event surrounding G.A.R. Park on both sides, and Bull Spit Brewing on the grounds providing beer and wine for adults, there was no shortage of cultural selections from around the globe. From your average typical American cuisine to South American fare, to Polish favorites, to European delights, if you were looking for it, there was a pretty good chance you could find something to leave you and your family heading home full and happy.
The food truck names were as creative as their menus. Simmy's Polish Express, The Dog Father, Atrevete a Probar, Moe's Sweet Eats, Mrs Moriconi's Frozen Desserts, Mac Daddy Extreme Mac and Cheese, Sabrosa Venezeula, Smokin Food Truck 51, Easy Street Tacos, Trolley Dogs, Uncle Joey's Cannoli, Bubbe's Blintzes, Travelin' Bones Barbecue, and the local favorite for washing it all down the hatch, Bull Spit Brewery with a roped-in beer garden.
Scheduled to run from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., by 6:00 p.m. the food truck lines averaged a minimum of twenty to thirty people, with at least six vendors handling lines of fifty to sixty patient customers for the entire event. First to run out of food in less than one hour flat, according to Roberts, was Mac Daddy Extreme Mac and Cheese, followed later by four more vendors--Uncle Joey's Cannoli, Bubbe's Blintzes, Easy Street Tacos, and The Dog Father according to event organizers.
As this was the first time the vendors had participated in this event, it was clearly tough to plan on how much food product to bring for the evening extravaganza. It was also a first time for WooTrucks of West Boylston who organized the food trucks, also not knowing how to judge how many trucks should participate. Everyone knows now that next time, a few more trucks will be a welcome addition based on the very strong attendance.
Simmy's Polish Express, set up on the lower rear side of G.A.R. Park along Morse Avenue, with its selection of Pierogies, Kapusta, Lazy Golumkie, Kielbasa Sandwiches and more, served a line of over fifty persons for more than two hours straight. Those attending could often be overheard telling their friends and family where they felt the best food was and which truck to go to for it. Travelin' Bones Barbecue, Moe's Sweet Eats and others, all commanded long lines as well. Bull Spit Brewery eventually saw its own longer line as people became thirsty.
And the lines grow longer.
As the event progressed, so did the length of nearly all the food truck lines. Some forty of the fifty in line at the Travelin' Bones Barbecue foods location in the rear of G.A.R. Park on Friday, June 24.
Photo by Keith Kent
Vendor Shopping.
Along with some thirteen food trucks, Bull Spit Brewery, and live entertainment, there were also vendors selling various merchandise around the center monument section of G.A.R. Park adding more variety and diversity to the event.
Photo by Keith Kent
With all this noshing going on, let us not forget there was actually a "Battle of the Bands" taking place, with four bands as contestants, the winner gaining a spot to perform in the Toy Town Summer Concert Series. The battling bands were Faceless Hobos, Hyperborea, Ian Galipeau, and Laquerhead, emceed by special guest, DJ Kayden Gordon. According to the Recreation Commission, Faceless Hobos won in a tight race by just one vote, and will play in the upcoming summer park concert series on July 22, as the Battle of the Bands winner.
Chair of the Winchendon Community Park Group, as well as Vice Chair of Recreation, and Park & Recreation Coordinator, Tiffany Newton, was asked how she felt this first-time event went for the town, and how she felt the turnout and event support was. Newton replied, "We have had so much positive feedback, very very minimal negative feedback. The positive feedback about the first time event has been amazing. We always want to do things that the town wants to have, that the town wants to see and enjoy, and being it was the first time it can only get better from here! This was just an amazing event that we can't wait to do it all again next year."
While wanting to thank so many, Newtown especially wanted to recognize DJ Kayden Gordon from the Kayden Gordon Show for helping recruit the bands who competed, as well as local attorney and band member David LaPointe, who, she pointed out, "Was quick to jump in and assist with some technical difficulties as well." Newton also said, "There were just so many who helped out, so many to thank. Just know all who helped, you are really appreciated and we thank you."
Newton also wanted to make sure that Winchendon Department of Public Works Director Brian Croteau and his department were given plenty of credit for all their hard work making the event come together. "They deserve immense credit because we could not have pulled it off without their help. From his crew setting up tables, blocking off roads, setting up trash cans and more, Brian and I were both there still packing up the tables and chairs at 10:00 p.m. closing it up. Brian was a huge help making it all come together for the town."
In closing Newton added, "At the end of the event, the food trucks that still had food and didn't run out were still selling food to the last people in line that still wanted more. People were leaving happy and glad they came to the event. That is exactly what we had hoped for. This event was a first time and it was a success. With so many positive comments, we are really glad we were able to make this happen for the town, it's exactly what so many people told us they wanted. With this kind of feedback, next year we can improve even more and do it again."
And the Winner is...!
Faceless Hobos, the second of four bands to play at the first ever Winchendon Food Truck / Battle of the Bands Festival, who won by one vote with top honers at the Friday, June 24 event, will be featured musicians at the summer concert series in G.A.R. Park on Friday, July 22.
Photo by Keith Kent
Lining up for the Beer Garden.
Some of those in line at Bull Spit Brewery awaiting their tasty beverages to help wash down all their delicious food they have been purchasing and eating during the Food Truck Festival.
Photo by Keith Kent
Town Manager Updates BOS Regarding Ongoing Water/Sewer RFP Process
At the Monday, June 26 Board of Selectmen's meeting, Town Manager Justin Sultzbach updated the Board regarding the current contract situation with the Town of Winchendon Water and Wastewater management firm Veolia. With the current contract set to expire soon, the town continues to search for a possible financially competitive replacement. An operator is still needed in the meantime to keep the facilities in operational running order.
Sultzbach explained, "As an update the RFP [Request For Proposal] for the Ashburnham/Winchendon joint water authority have been released and proposals are due to the towns by July 21st. Interviews with interested firms will be held in late July with an award anticipated for early August and we will bring all that before the board well in advance. The contract itself would begin on October 1st, and would run for a 5 year term."
Regarding Wastewater, or the Town of Winchendon Sewer Department, Sultzbach said, "Separately wastewater services which is not a joint situation with Ashburnham and is just us, we are in the process of securing a firm to develop an RFP for that purpose as well. I have had discussions with DPW Director Brian Croteau who has done a lot of heavy lifting on this and I thank him for that. There were conversations regarding if there may be a benefit to us going out for waste water services after the fact which is what we are doing because at that point if there is a water services firm in place it's more appealing to them to try to gain the contract because there is a cost savings perspective to them."
Sultzbach said he expected no matter how that bidding process went with RFP's, he expected responses no later than late July to early September to be presented to the Board for their consideration. Board public discussion regarding Veolia, their national history of violations, constantly increasing operational costs, and more have been ongoing for at least the last two years. More recently, two independent contracting firms over the last two years, each at a substantial cost, determined there would be no additional cost savings if the town were to revert to its former operational management style of running the wastewater treatment plant in-house, to the surprise of some of the Selectmen.
As previously discussed on multiple occasions, Sultzbach mentioned to the Board that the contract for the town's wastewater treatment plant is expiring faster than the progression of the RFP process. Sultzbach advised the Board that currently Veolia is seeking a minimum six month extension to continue operating the facility for the town, and that he is looking into the possibility of only committing the town to a three month extension.
Turning it over to the Board for comments, Selectman and past Chair Barbara Anderson, who has done extensive research into Veolia's vast history of cited state and federal violations around the nation, immediately replied, "I don't want to give them an extension, at all." Board Chair Audrey LaBrie with polite understanding, pointed out, "We have to have somebody run it."
Hearing no further discussion, a motion was made by BOS Vice Chair Rick Ward, "I move to authorize the Town Manager to enter into an extension with our existing wastewater plant operator, not to exceed six months, with the intent of allowing the adequate time to complete a comprehensive Request For Proposals Process." The motion was seconded, and passed with a 4-1 vote.
BOS Receives Final End of Year Updates from Town Manager
At their meeting on Monday, June 26, the Board of Selectmen received their final end of year updates from Town Manager Justin Sultzbach at their last meeting of the town's fiscal year, which begins July 1 and ends June 30 annually.
Sultzbach informed the Board that the last of the CARES (The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funding, as released in response to COVID-19, has officially been closed out by the town, and has been certified and completed with all necessary financial documentation requirements. He went on to advise the Board that official interviews were held that day, June 26, to fill the currently vacant position of Town Treasurer. "It's our goal to have that role filled for the town prior to the end of July," Sultzbach stated.
Currently, retired former Town of Winchendon Treasurer/Collector, Donna Spellman, has been filling in during the temporary absence of former Treasurer Lynn Nystrom during the town's employment search to permanently fill the position. Sultzbach told the Courier that Spellman has been assisting the town during this transition period, and wanted to publicly express his thanks to Spellman, who has vast experience in the position, with her efforts to help her community.
Sultzbach also said that a posting will be advertised internally for the position of a Part time Recreation Coordinator once a job description is finalized, which is anticipated to take place within the next two weeks. Sultzbach also advised the Board that there is a continuation of the review of the Planning and Development role, and there will be an update at the Board's next meeting on July 11.
Under "Project Updates," the Redevelopment Authority will be holding a walk-through of the Beech Street property on Monday, July 18, with a time TBA, open to the public. Sultzbach added the stipulation that "open to the public" hinges on the condition of the properties for safety purposes yet to be determined. Also on Project Updates, Sultzbach announced Mellen Road was paved on Monday, June 20, to beat any imminent increases in materials costs. Additionally, the lower section of Teel Road near Route 140 along with others were also recently paved, with Department of Public Works employees staying late on Fridays to get the work done as scheduled. Thank you to all DPW employees for your continued hard work!
Sultzbach closed by thanking the Recreation Commission, Department of Public Works, Boards, and Departments who contributed to the Food Truck Festival on Friday, June 24, for helping to make it the huge success it was as a first-of-its-kind event in the Town of Winchendon.
Sultzbach, who lives in Lowell, said he came back to visit the festival event with his wife and young son, saying that, "It was really good and there were just so many smiling faces. There was one gentleman who was in the line I was in who said 'This is great they should do this every weekend this is great!' The answer is there simply isn't enough volunteers. It was such a small group of people that put this all on and so much effort to make that one day happen that people sometimes forget that these things don't just show up and it's a lot of work. Please volunteer and maybe we can do these kinds of things more frequently. Just remember, please volunteer."
North Worcester Country Reporting Mostly Lower COVID Numbers at Start of Holiday Weekend
With a population just over 10,500 residents, Winchendon one week ago had increased to 6.32 percent viral positivity based on 475 tests over the previous 14 days. As of the latest Massachusetts Department of Public Health update dated Thursday, June 30, 2022, Toy Town has dropped 34 percent in just one week to 4.19 percent positivity based on 453 molecular tests.
Our local ten town area of North Worcester County has decreased from an average 4.70 to 3.28 percent positivity, with the majority of its towns going down, although two remain well over 7 percent. Those remaining high in the region were Ashburnham increasing from 5.62 to 7.76 percent, and Westminster still high as it goes down from 9.60 to 8.12 percent. The Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District has now thankfully entered summer recess. Gardner with 21,000 residents stayed steady at 3.13 percent positivity for the second consecutive week based on 1,215 molecular tests, a strong position at this time.
In the towns of the Athol-Royalston Regional School District to Winchendon's west, Athol remains low at 2.88 percent based on 729 tests, and Royalston based on just 43 tests yielded 0.00 percent. In the Templeton/Phillipston area to Winchendon's south, Templeton dropped from 2.53 to just 2.05 percent positivity, and its school district partner Phillipston went down from an already low 1.79, to 0.00 percent following Royalston. Hubbardston, last in our ten town area, tested at 3.80 percent.
In the Twin Cities just to the east of the Gardner/Winchendon area, Fitchburg registers at 3.58 percent positivity, and Leominster 4.13 percent, both low numbers considering their population and population density with the current viral variants. In the Commonwealth's largest cities, Boston based on nearly 37,000 tests registers at 6.27 percent, Worcester yields 3.60 percent positivity, and Springfield tracks at 5.90 on 10,000 tests. Massachusetts as a whole registers at 5.52 percent positivity.
In closing, there are ongoing conversations in the public health sectors regarding more viral variants which are always to be expected with any virus, and their individual potential resistances to vaccinations which is also to be expected. If you are already vaccinated, and considering a booster dose of any vaccine, please speak with your qualified medical professional about the timing of such a decision, as the three major pharmaceutical manufacturing providers are now publicly discussing altering their vaccines for the new Omicron Ba.4 and Ba.5 strains due to their new resistances. As these two new strains continue to mutate, we in all probability will continue to see positivity numbers continue to "see-saw" up and down which should be of no surprise, and it will mostly likely show percentages entering the upcoming Fall and Winter seasons and upcoming academic school year which again should be of no surprise to most.
In closing, please enjoy every day as each one is truly a unique gift to be thankful for. Be thankful for your health, as no amount of money could ever truly replace it, or buy it. Please remember to care about your community, no matter what town or city you live in, and think about how "you" could help contribute to public health. Each one of us can make a difference, and together, WE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE! Have a Happy July 4 holiday with family, friends, and loved ones. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
Keith Kent
Chair
Board Of Health
Town of Winchendon
Butterflies at 3,500 feet!
Seen in these photos taken Sunday, June 26, from the highest point in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the summit of the Mount Greylock State Park, at an elevation of 3,491 feet along the majestic Appalachian Trail, are two contrasting photos of one of the most common butterflies in Massachusetts, a Great Spangled Fritillary, or Speyeria cybele. Fritillary which are some of the most abundant types butterflies in the commonwealth, can be identified by various characteristics, in this case a checkerboard type pattern, and are usually shades of orange and black. Easily confused with other types of Fritillary in the butterfly family, it can just as easily be spotted in Winchendon along the banks of the Millers River or in private gardens, as well as sea level towns, a range spanning from the coast west to the highest point in Massachusetts.
Photos by Keith Kent
Help the Town of Winchendon Update its Housing Production Plan by Sharing Your Input
The Town of Winchendon has requested assistance from the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) to update its Housing Production Plan (HPP). The purpose of the HPP is to develop a proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing consistent with the state's Chapter 40B statute and regulation. The HPP is required to include a comprehensive housing needs assessment, a list of affordable housing goals, and an implementation plan to realize the goals.
This survey has been developed to assist with the housing needs assessment and solicit public input to be included in the HPP. We appreciate your opinions and want to assure you that all answers are anonymous. In addition to the survey, MRPC will be collecting and analyzing demographic, housing, and income data to determine needs of the population of Winchendon. Results of the data analysis and survey will be presented at a Planning Board meeting in the fall where goals and objectives will be discussed.
Please see link below to complete. Thank you for your participation!
www.surveymonkey.com/r/WinchendonHousingSurvey2022
A1/B2 ACR Project Virtual Meeting
Dear Neighbor,
On January 1, 2022, the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office issued a Public Involvement Protocol for projects that potentially impact Environmental Justice (EJ) communities. The New England Power's (NEP's) A1/B2 Asset Condition Refurbishment Project (the Project) is located within 1 mile of an Environmental Justice Area and is thus subject to the Protocol. On June 14, 2022, a notice was sent out to the EJ reference list provided by Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). As a follow up to the notice, and to enhance the public engagement process, NEP will be holding a public meeting for the entities that received the notice as well as abutters along the ROW located within an Environmental Justice community.
Please join us on July 11th, 2022, from 6-8pm for a virtual meeting to learn about the Project, including a Project overview, anticipated activities and schedule.
Link to the Virtual Meeting: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/0c7d27de/o-g8O3ObNkGC7vf0N0669w?u=http://transperfectww.remotecounsel.com/meetings/ksmTqV09skE/join [link.edgepilot.com]
Dial by your location: +1 (646) 568-7788
Meeting ID: 928-033-18789
Password: 881703
We are committed to providing ample access and opportunity to stay up to date on this Project. More information can be found on our website: https://newenglanda1b2.com/ or by calling +1 (844) 500-3536
We look forward to seeing you!
Reunión Virtual del Proyecto A1/B2 ACR
Estimado vecino,
El 1 de enero de 2022, la oficina de la Ley de Política Ambiental de Massachusetts (MEPA, por sus siglas en inglés) emitió un Protocolo de Participación Pública para proyectos que potencialmente impacten a las comunidades de Justicia Ambiental (EJ, por sus siglas en inglés). El Proyecto de Renovación a Condición de Bienes A1/B2 de New England Power (NEP) (el Proyecto) está ubicado dentro de 1 milla de un Área de Justicia Ambiental y, por lo tanto, está sujeto al Protocolo. El 14 de junio de 2022, se envió un aviso a la lista de referencia de EJ proporcionada por la Oficina Ejecutiva de Energía y Asuntos Ambientales (EEA). Siguiendo al aviso, y para mejorar el proceso de participación pública, NEP llevará a cabo una reunión pública para las entidades que recibieron el aviso, tanto como los que comparten el perímetro del Derecho de paso ubicado dentro de una comunidad de justicia ambiental.
Vengan con nosotros el 11 de julio de 2022, de 6:00 p. m. a 8:00 p. m. a una reunión virtual para conocer el Proyecto, que incluye una descripción general del Proyecto, las actividades anticipadas y el horario del Proyecto.
Link do Zoom: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/0c7d27de/o-g8O3ObNkGC7vf0N0669w?u=http://transperfectww.remotecounsel.com/meetings/ksmTqV09skE/join [link.edgepilot.com]
+1 (646) 568-7788
Meeting ID: 928-033-18789
Password: 881703
Estamos comprometidos a brindar un amplio acceso y la oportunidad de mantenerse actualizado sobre este Proyecto. Puede encontrar más información en nuestro sitio web: https://newenglanda1b2.com/ o llamando al +1 (844) 500-3536.
¡Esperamos verte!
