Beals Library Proposes Adapting Vacant Funeral Home Into Library Annex
At their meeting on Monday, February 14, the Board of Selectmen heard from Town Manager Justin Sultzbach and Beals Memorial Library Director Manuel King about the possibility of purchasing and adapting the former Fletcher Funeral Home at 70 Pleasant Street to expand the library. The funeral home building, which has long been vacant, is approximately 100 yards northeast of the library with Oak Street between the two properties.
Mr. King explained that buying and remodeling the second building would cost significantly less than the current proposed plan to renovate the basement of the Beals building for a children's library space, something the library has been fund-raising towards for several years. "If we anticipate construction to start in 2026, the estimate would be...closer to $1.8 million to...renovate the basement space of the existing library...I think we could do the job for considerably less if we had the 70 Pleasant Street property," Mr. King said. "So we're willing to put up $70,000 of what remains of our Accessibility Project monies towards this project." He stated that the town building inspector did a visual inspection and felt that renovating the 70 Pleasant Street property was a viable option.
Selectman Barbara Anderson commented that it would be necessary to bring the building up to municipal code standards which could add substantial cost to the renovation.
Mr. Sultzbach agreed, but argued, "the combined price of actually purchasing the property and rehabbing it would come in significantly underneath what the cost would be just to try to shoehorn a children's library into the basement of the Beals Memorial building. We have at this point no concrete estimate, but we're going into it with the assumption that if you're doing a full remodel of the interior you're going to want to redo the roof first, and get the building envelope under control. In addition, we're working on the assumption that it's going to need a full mechanical overhaul. And so the asking price is $184,500 for the property, but once an inspection is done on the property I would imagine we're going to try to negotiate that figure down if possible, not significantly, but if there's something that turns out to be a catastrophic expense, that's not something that we want to take on as a community if we don't have to." He predicted that even with additional costs, the renovation would be considerably less than the $1.8 million estimate for adapting the library basement.
Ms. Anderson brought up the issues of parking, and concerns about the fact that the former funeral home is right across the street from the police station. Police cars would potentially be exiting the back way onto Pleasant Street with urgency, putting families and children walking to and from the new building at risk. "We have to be really aware of that, when the police have to go someplace fast, they have to get there," she said.
Mr. King stated that parking is already a problem on Pleasant Street around the library, which, he pointed out, has very limited parking of its own. "[The] former funeral home has parking for probably, at least ten to fifteen cars. We're also going to be getting that parking lot across, next to the dentist's office on Pleasant Street, as part of the, I believe the Central Street reconfiguration, so our parking is going to grow significantly over the course of the next several years, I think. If, of course, we get that 70 Pleasant Street property." He added, "people are parking on the street everywhere, making that street a very dangerous...when cars are parked on both sides of [Pleasant Street] it's a one-lane road. And so having that parking lot, if it's configured correctly, I think it'll be much safer."
Mr. Sultzbach suggested that the town could get pricing for a flashing beacon or alert that would warn passersby and traffic when emergency vehicles were exiting and entering the police station area, although such beacons are, he said, "shockingly expensive."
Board Vice Chair Rick Ward said, "I've walked through that building, Fletcher's funeral parlor, and the possibilities are endless. There's so much open space and rooms in that building and it's all one floor. The library basement, if you've been down there for the book sale, very small area, it's good enough for a book sale, but that small area, to make it ADA compliant, and have a ramp, that's going to take up even more space, to do that, so I think this is an exciting opportunity, to use that building and provide more opportunities for the children who use the library. But also I'm excited about using the space for other town events, because we do have limited space, and this would be an excellent opportunity to also combine some senior citizens working with the children down there. I think it's a great space."
Mr. Sultzbach got down to hard details later in the discussion. "Logistically, this is a little bit challenging," he said candidly. "So we're trying to move through this process to get to the opportunity for citizens to be able to vote for this. In the meantime, the property owner has asked for a vote with intent from the Board of Selectmen, saying that in effect you are in support of exploring the purchase of this property contingent upon Town Meeting vote in the positive. In addition to that, they're asking for a financial kind of placeholder. The issue though is that we don't have a pot of money that we can dip into for that purpose, we don't have authorization to do that. However, the [Winchendon] Redevelopment Authority by design does.
"And so I'd be going to the Redevelopment Authority on the 28th to request, or at least gauge their interest in putting forward a deposit on the property to hold it until the Town Meeting vote in May. The property owner requested a 20 percent deposit which is fairly typical for a commercial property, and I negotiated it down to 5 percent. So realistically it would be about a $10,000 non-refundable deposit. And that's something the Redevelopment Authority is going to have to determine, so the Board of Selectmen vote would satisfy one piece of that, showing your intent to explore purchasing the property contingent upon a Town Meeting vote, and that's the request that I have for you this evening. And the Redevelopment Authority will cover the other piece on the 28th."
At this point, Ms. Anderson said, "I have some real concerns with taking up a new project that hasn't ever appeared on our five-year plan in more than five years. And now like we don't have enough to do, we're going to pick up something else...I understand their desire for a space at the library. We're having difficulty getting their electric done. And now we're taking on a new building for them."
Mr. Sultzbach agreed that the town has a lot of expenses projected in the five-year plan. "I would say we plan for everything that we can plan for, however, sometimes opportunities arise and I think this is one of those instances. I agree that, for me personally I have plenty to chew on right now. But that said, the intent to finish the basement of the Beals as a children's library was something that at least to my knowledge, it was always on the table, at least part of the discussion. And I think this 70 Pleasant Street is an opportunity to get a better result for less funding and that opportunity isn't frequent."
Board of Selectmen Chair Audrey LaBrie said she had recently toured the 70 Pleasant Street building, "and I was really surprised, I'd been in there when it was a funeral home, and all you saw was the very front section of it. There is huge potential there, for a lot of things I think will benefit the library, benefit the kids, other than just the basement area. So I feel, personally, that it's important enough, and the potential and the intent is enough, that it warrants bringing this as far as we can now, and then letting the voters decide at the final official Town Meeting."
"I think without having an inspection on that building...I can't do it," Ms. Anderson said. "I think there's just too many unknowns at this point."
Ms. LaBrie called for a motion, which Mr. Ward gave as "I move the Board of Selectmen express interest in the purchase of 70 Pleasant Street pending Town Meeting approval, and to authorize the Town Manager to proceed with negotiations in conjunction with the Winchendon Redevelopment Authority." Ms. Anderson seconded, but voted nay. With two members of the Board absent, the motion passed with two in favor, one opposed.
BOS Discusses Letter of Support for MRPC's District Local Technical Assistance Program
At its meeting on Monday, February 14, the Board of Selectmen discussed endorsing a letter of support for the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission's (MRPC) District Local Technical Assistance Program (DLTA), with Town Manager Justin Sultzbach as part of addressing the town's affordable housing percentage.
The MRPC was formed in 1968 under the State Enabling Legislation Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40B, and is one of thirteen regional planning agencies across the Commonwealth. According to the MRPC, "The (DLTA) Program enables the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) to provide technical assistance to its 22 communities over 685 square miles encouraging and enabling municipalities to work together to achieve and/or enhance cost-effective delivery of municipal services, or to create and sustain ongoing collaboration and consultation on issues affecting municipalities, such as land use and planning for new economic and housing growth."
Sultzbach explained that when a municipality is seeking grant funding, it's typical to see the organization assisting with the process seek a letter of support from the BOS Chair authorizing the organization to go forward in seeking those grant funds. Sultzbach noted that the town at this time does not have a housing production plan in place, which is called for in the town's Master Plan.
"The important piece of having a Housing Production Plan is that it helps us to facilitate and incorporate zoning amendments and other items which would be potentially reviewed in conjunction with a review the Zoning Board is presently doing with our existing zoning bylaws. The other important piece is down the road it would unlock an opportunity to become a Housing Choice Dedicated Community where there is annually about $250K in grants available for capital projects. If we started today, it's about a year and a half process with the production plan to become a designated housing choice community," Sultzbach said. As regional home prices continue to rise exceeding the current rate of wage increases, Sultzbach added, more and more people in Winchendon are experiencing trouble finding affordable housing.
Board Vice Chair Rick Ward said, "While reviewing social media, I see people looking for and talking about trying to find affordable housing, and there really is a lack of it in town, so I am all for this." Ward asked about the discussion regarding Round 1 applications, and what happens with Round 2 of the funding applications. Sultzbach explained that the funding is capped for communities, and if a community did not get Round 1 funding, it would then be encouraged for apply for the 2nd round of funding.
Selectman Barbara Anderson stated that she felt that while the Town Manager wanted the board to approve the letter of request for the go ahead to move forward, she felt that the Town Manager was very good at giving the Board what the "Pro" sides would be, but he tended not to give the Board the "Cons" of the situation. Anderson said that she felt potential "Cons" could be increased criminal activity that the community may not be capable of handling.
Sultzbach responded, "When many hear about affordable housing, some people often think of the term 'Projects' where people are packed in the bad area of town and there are frequent police calls, which was more commonplace through the 1960s, 70s and 80s. But as new smart growth practices have come into place, people have determined that in terms of upward mobility on a social level of creating opportunities for individuals in your community, it has been infrequent that you have seen positive results by putting it in a bad part of town and making all the bad quote people living there. The push that has been made more starting in the 1990s was how to integrate the rest of society, so say you don't have a thirty unit housing complex that is the affordable section of town and tell people not to go there. What this is, is say a developer is going to come in and say build twenty units, or fifty units, the regulations will say ten percent of them need to be affordable, so that way you are getting a mix, and they have to be integrated throughout the rest of the community."
Sultzbach said that each town has a ten percent minimum for affordable housing. "So if a developer comes in and say, purchases a large piece of agricultural land and wants to put a development on it, you literally have no mechanism to stop that from happening. There is nothing you can do, there is no safety net. They walk in, go to the state, and the state says sign here. When Winchendon hits that ten percent threshold you have more control. So when you talk about doing an affordable housing plan, you're talking about controlling future developments by design, to incorporate a certain amount of affordable housing." Sultzbach provided the example that as more residential buildings are constructed, it lowers the relative percent of affordable housing, and what was once above ten percent could drop to 9.5 percent, opening the door for more potential affordable housing units.
Sultzbach summarized, "Having a design in place is going to provide a playbook and path forward for the community to follow, and how to get to that point and stay and preserve that point."
With discussion finished, Ward made a motion for the Board to sign a letter for the fiscal year 2022 for the DTLA seeking local technical assistance to complete a housing production plan for the town of Winchendon. The motion was seconded by Anderson. The vote passed 3-0. Selectmen Amy Salter and Danielle LaPointe were not present (the minimum quorum for a BoS meeting is three).
To learn more about the MRPC, visit www.mrpc.org.
For a more education look at Massachusetts affordable housing guidelines established in 2014, see www.mass.gov/doc/guidelines-gl-c40b-comprehensive-permit-projects-subsidized-housing-inventory/download (PDF).
~ Stage Review ~
MMHS Performers, Directors and Crew Kill It with "Little Shop of Horrors"
Last Friday, the Murdock Middle High School auditorium stage transformed into "Skid Row" as students mounted the first of two vastly entertaining performances of the outrageously dark-humored cult favorite musical Little Shop of Horrors. Directed by Kristi Iannacone, with musical direction by Emma Erwin, cast members pulled off their challenging and often strenuous roles with skill, vigor and spot-on timing. The many hours of rehearsal cast and crew devoted to the show were obvious, and the fruit of their labors delighted the large audience, who nearly filled the auditorium.
The musical is based on the 1960 B-movie Little Shop of Horrors directed by Roger Corman--legend has it, in one weekend. ("We were going to play tennis but it was raining," Corman quipped.) The movie, whose cast includes a young Jack Nicholson, was enjoyed by audiences and critics and has remained popular for decades.
In the early 80s, the story was adapted into a musical by composer Alan Menken and lyricist/writer Howard Ashman, the same duo who created the songs for Disney Studios' The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Keeping the plot in 1960, Menken and Ashman turned their show into a rock opera in the style of early rock-and-roll, doo-wop and Motown, with an ever-present three-woman "Greek Chorus" of singers providing commentary and back-up harmonies to the main characters' misadventures.
The storyline focuses on poor and orphaned Seymour Krelborn, who lives and works in an urban flower shop run by Mr. Mushnik, who also employs a young woman named Audrey. Although Seymour is sweet on Audrey, she is dating a leather-jacketed "bad boy" who abuses her, Orin Scrivello. The flower shop is about to go out of business when Seymour produces a "strange and unusual plant that he's been working on." The plant attracts customers instantly, but Seymour discovers that only blood will keep it healthy. The plant, and Seymour's fortunes, keep on growing until the plant starts to talk (and sing) and make its own demands, which include being fed whole people. This Faustian tale bounces along to the beat of numbers like "Skid Row," "Feed Me," "Dentist!" and "The Meek Shall Inherit."
As produced by MMHS, the entire show was played on a single minimal, but effective set. Upstage was a backdrop representing the grimy brick alley walls of "skid row" with a platform and "fire escape" steps down to the stage (which performers descended numerous times, often in high heels and singing). Mushnik's flower shop was represented by a table and free-standing door at stage right, and a dentist's office by one salon-style chair. But the audience didn't need more detail than that--the actors filled it all in.
Domenic Iannacone was earnest and fervent in his depiction of Seymour, the nebbish who finds himself an overnight celebrity with a gruesome secret. He conveyed all of Seymour's ambivalence and eventual anguish at the dilemma he's been sucked into and his hopeless love for his coworker Audrey. Colin Rowe brought just the right combination of cynicism and assertiveness to his role as flower shop owner, and boss to Seymour and Audrey, Mr. Mushnik, with enough Jewish schtick to flavor the character without ever going over the top. Moeketsi Molai was completely enjoyable as sadistic druggie dentist Orin Scrivello "DDS" (he insists on the suffix), who so richly deserves to be chopped up and fed to a hungry plant. The three male leads, all with strong singing voices, played off each other verbally, musically and very physically, showing a great sense of timing and good chemistry as a team.
As plaintive Audrey, the girl "with a past" who doesn't think she deserves a nice guy like Seymour, Shaiel Gasqui was perfectly cast. Her voice matched the style of her musical numbers well and she delivered her solos and duets to great effect. It's only unfortunate that her role (and this is so often the case in musicals) didn't give her the same range and energy as the three male leads. Her key number was the wistful ballad "Somewhere That's Green," and only in her duet, "Suddenly Seymour" and the ensemble number "Skid Row" could she briefly break out. I'd love to see her do more.
The "Greek Chorus" trio of Ronette, Crystal and Chiffon were most competently played and sung by Via Hastings, Tiana Graessle and Madelyn Santos respectively. Constantly onstage, making numerous costume changes, and often dancing or even being manhandled by Scrivello as they back up most of the musical numbers, all three performers were perfectly timed, on mark and in sync. They blended in well and never upstaged the leads, yet their contribution enriched every number, and their singing commentary pieces moved the plot along and kept the audience guessing about what was going to happen next.
All these humans had to work hard to avoid being upstaged by the show's main antagonist: "Audrey II," the mysterious and sentient plant that appeared during an unexpected "total eclipse of the sun" and was bought by Seymour for $1.95. Audrey II appears onstage in the form of four puppets designed and created by Cameron McEachern--two of them hand puppets and two of them larger-than-person-sized models capable of "swallowing" people. The puppets are impressive, but puppets are only as good as their puppeteers. In this regard, the MMHS had a pair of puppet meisters giving a seamlessly synchronized dual performance--unseen themselves until the curtain call.
Operating the big and biggest versions of Audrey II was Camille Hart, who made the giant puppets lip-sync to their lines, show expression, extend a tongue, "dance" to the music, swallow victims and turn toward actors onstage. She was in perfect synchronization with the actor giving Audrey II its voice, Ronan Kast-McBride. As the conniving, manipulative Audrey II, Kast-McBride used just enough street-tough expression for the role as written without ever going too far, and played the part with sinister vigor. The "Feed Me" duet (or perhaps I should say trio!) between Seymour and Audrey II was masterfully done.
Supporting the leads was an ensemble cast who appeared in quick character cameos and choreographed numbers like "Skid Row," "The Meek Shall Inherit" and the finale, "Don't Feed the Plant." All did a fine job.
The performers wore headset mikes, and for the most part the audio was fine. The general acoustics in the MMHS auditorium are below par, no fault of the performers. Instrumentals were played by the "Pit Band" of Aly Galipeau on piano, Ian Galipeau on guitar, Scott Ryder on bass, Sam Vendt on drums and Emma Erwin on clarinet.
Many volunteers worked very hard for several months on Little Shop of Horrors--it's safe to say that not a minute of their labors was lost. I'm just sorry it only ran for one weekend! I'm looking forward to the next MMHS show.
For incredible photos of the show, see this photo gallery on professional photographer Chris Guerra's website!
Public Health Numbers Rapidly Improving, COVID Infection Counts Plummeting
After reporting a COVID positivity rate of 8.79 percent as of last Thursday, February 17, Winchendon has dropped slightly to 8.50 percent as of the Thursday, February 24 report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The Commonwealth-wide seven-day COVID average has dropped down to just 2.35 percent, the lowest since August 3, 2021 and a 43 percent drop from last week.In the ten-town area surrounding Winchendon, every single town registered lower in the new report versus the report from one week prior. Ashburnham declined from 12.99 to 7.86 percent, Ashby went from 7.43 to 5.43 percent, Westminster dropped from 9.89 to 5.06 percent. Gardner is in much more comfortable territory, down from 8.89 to 5.11 percent. Templeton dropped from 10.01 to 7.09 percent, and school district partner Phillipston remains the highest in the area after going down from 12.90 to 12.82 percent. Athol realized additional relief as it declined from 11.23 to 8.18 percent, and its school district partner Royalston dropped to the lowest in our area, moving from 5.80 to just 2.82 percent. Hubbardston, like Phillipston dropped from 5.98 to 5.93 percent. Over all, the ten town area realized a considerable improvement, going down from 10.86 to 7.02 percent positivity, a 36 percent one week drop, and a substantial 50 percent drop in just 2 weeks!
Massachusetts' largest cities have also dropped considerably to pre-Omicron contagion numbers. Boston now registers a 14 day average of 2.09 percent, Worcester realizes 1.70 percent, and Springfield registers at 5.40 percent.
Winchendon, according to the Mass DPH February 24 update realized the following vaccination levels. In the category of fully vaccinated, 5,997 of 10,765 residents are now fully vaccinated for 56 percent, and 6,733 residents are now partially vaccinated for 63 percent of the population. Children ages 5 to 11 register as 21 percent fully vaccinated and 24 percent partially vaccinated. The age group of 12 to 15 now realizes 41 percent fully vaccinated, and 45 percent partially vaccinated, and teens aged 16 to 19 register 46 percent fully vaccinated, and 52 percent partially vaccinated.
In closing, while the numbers have now shown a month long descending trend, please do not be tricked into thinking we collectively are out of the woods just yet. The Winchendon Board of Health recommends becoming vaccinated if you have not yet already done so, if you are healthy enough to do so. Please have that important conversation with a qualified health care professional such as your primary care certified physician. Do not listen to the nearly countless false claims found on multiple social media platforms, which have throughout the pandemic been nothing short of detrimental to public health, causing harm, and in some cases, great harm to many individuals and families. Please consult your doctor.
Keith Kent
Chair
Board of Health
Town of Winchendon
Free at-home COVID-19 rapid tests are available for order and shipment through the United States Postal Service®. Each order will contain 4 tests. There is a limit of 1 order per residential address. Additional tests cannot be ordered regardless of the size of the household.
This effort is part of a federal program to provide free at-home COVID-19 tests with free shipping to every residential address and residential PO Box in the United States. Orders cannot be shipped outside of the United States, but we do ship to APO/FPO/DPO addresses and U.S. territories and possessions. Tests cannot be ordered for business addresses or business PO Boxes. Orders will ship free starting in late January. Tests will usually ship within 7-12 days. Click link below to order.
COVID Home Tests | USPS
To schedule a free COVID-19 vaccination, including a booster, at any time, go to www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.
DCR to Offer Lifeguards Up to $1,000 in Bonuses; Increased Pay for 2022 Summer Season
Seeking to Improve Water Safety, the Agency is Also Hiring Three New Key Positions
BOSTON - The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) today announced that the agency is offering bonuses totaling up to $1,000 to qualified lifeguard applicants for the 2022 season. An early sign-on bonus of $500 will be offered to candidates who commit to being an agency lifeguard for the summer season by Sunday, March 27, 2022. The sign-on bonus is in addition to the agency's $500 retention bonus that will be provide to lifeguards who continue to work for the department through the end of the season. DCR has also raised the hourly rate for lifeguards for the 2022 season to between $21 and $26 depending on position and associated certifications (last year's starting rates were $20 for lifeguards and $21 for head lifeguards). Lastly, DCR has also created a new Bureau of Pool and Waterfront Safety to better prioritize water safety for all visitors.
"In an effort to enhance water safety and prevent dangerous situations from occurring, our Administration has taken an approach that includes both increase water safety education and additional safety measures," said Governor Charlie Baker. "By offering early sign-on bonuses, we hope to engage with candidates sooner in the process and ensure the state parks system has a full complement of lifeguards for the upcoming summer season."
"Lifeguards serve as an important component in our efforts to keep children and families safe while visiting waterfronts and pools throughout the state parks system," said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. "With the recently created Bureau of Pool and Waterfront Safety and the early recruitment of lifeguards, we will hit the ground running and provide another summer of exceptional water recreational activities for all to enjoy."
Furthermore, DCR's Bureau of Pool and Waterfront Safety will include three newly created positions that will work closely with one another. These positions include Director of Pool and Water Safety, a Chief Lifeguard, and a Director of the Learn to Swim Program. Interested applicants should apply online through the MassCareers job portal.
"The state parks system's beaches and pool are popular places for people of all abilities to visit and enjoy the summer with friends and family," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. "Lifeguards keep our beaches safe, and working in this essential role can be a rewarding career with good compensation so I encourage anyone interested to apply to join our team."
Currently, DCR is actively recruiting individuals to become a lifeguard at agency-managed inland and coastal waterfronts, and deep-water swimming pools, particularly at Central and Eastern Massachusetts locations. DCR lifeguards are professional rescuers who are trained to prevent injuries and respond in the event of an emergency to help save a life. As part of a team, lifeguards must work together calmly and efficiently to manage potential crisis situations and ensure the safety of all visitors. To be considered for a DCR lifeguard position, applicants must be at least 16 years of age by Sunday, May 15, 2022, must complete lifeguard training, and must be certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The agency offers free training classes and certification to lifeguards who commit to DCR summer employment prior to the opening of designated swimming areas. Candidate training and certification dates and locations are listed at mass.gov/lifeguards for qualified candidates who commit to guarding for the summer season.
"The creation of a new Bureau of Pool and Waterfront Safety serves as another significant example of the Baker-Polito Administration's efforts in making the state park system's waterfronts and pools safer places for children and families to visit and enjoy," said Acting DCR Commissioner Stephanie Cooper. "Additionally, every year the agency recruits hundreds of lifeguards to provide a watchful eye on recreational swimmers, and by offering the new early sign-on bonus, we are seeking to jump start that process from years past."
This year's efforts further the Baker-Polito Administration's aggressive steps taken last year in making all waterfronts safer locations for visitors. In August 2021, the Administration made available $475,000 for nonprofit and private entities to apply for funding through the Safe Water Initiative Massachusetts (SWIM) Program to expand free beginner swim lessons to Massachusetts residents of all ages. Additionally, DCR coordinated a series of free Water Safety Days programming last summer at select agency-managed pools throughout the state to improve water safety. Also last year, DCR fabricated and installed new multilingual swimming safety signage at several unguarded waterfront locations to increase water safety awareness.
DCR-managed beaches in or near Winchendon include Lake Dennison State Park and Otter River State Park, along with many others offering potential job opportunities for Winchendon residents. See the complete list here.
