Fall Special Town Meeting
NEW DATE!
Monday, December 11 -- 7:00 p.m.
Murdock Middle/High School Auditorium, 3 Memorial Drive
Special Town Meeting Warrant (PDF)
List of Unaccepted Roads for Article 15 (PDF)
Last day to register to vote at Town Meeting is still Friday, November 3 at 5:00 p.m. The Town Clerk's Office will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. that day (Town Hall, 109 Front Street).
"FALL BACK!"
Daylight Savings ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 5. Don't forget to turn your clocks BACK one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!
Social Media Threat Sends WPS Students Home, Closes All Schools
Classes had just begun on Friday, October 27 at the three Winchendon school buildings (Memorial Elementary, Toy Town Elementary and Murdock Middle High School) when parents and students were startled by an announcement from the school administration: all students were being dismissed and sent to "an offsite location" as all three buildings were closed.
A call to Winchendon Police was logged at 7:48 a.m. According to reports on social media, a student had received an anonymous Instagram post threatening to "shoot up" the schools "and you too" that afternoon. The student immediately reported the post to their parent and to the police.
At 8:42 a.m., parents received this notification from the school administration:
The district has just been made aware of a potential threatening post made on Instagram towards Murdock Middle/High school for this afternoon. In an abundance of caution and with collaboration from the Winchendon Police Department, we will be closing all schools while we investigate this potential threat. Buses will return students home and school will remain closed for the day. We will provide an update for families as soon as possible. All students will be bused to the Clark YMCA, where you may pick them up, or if they take the bus, they will be bused home. Please understand this may take some time. District staff will stay with your child at the YMCA until they are safely picked up. Please do not call the schools at this time and allow us to focus on returning students home safely. Please be assured that all students and staff are safe, and more communication will be sent out as soon as possible.Liz Latoria, Executive Assistant to Interim Superintedent Dr. Ruthann Goguen, sent the Courier the following media statement at 10:33 a.m.:
This morning the district was made aware of a threatening social media post towards Murdock Middle/High School. In an abundance of caution, and in collaboration with the Winchendon Police department, the district canceled school at all buildings for the day in order to ensure the safety of Winchendon students and staff and to allow time for this threat to be investigated.Students were bused to Clark Memorial YMCA, beginning with the elementary school students. All district staff and employees were deployed in making the emergency evacuation as smooth and rapid, and at the same time, as unfrightening for the students, as possible. Students were picked up at the Clark by their parents or guardians and had to be signed for; if a parent was not able to come to the Clark the child was bused home.
There was much chatter on social media through the morning about what was going on, with residents reporting seeing the crowds of students at the Clark. Multiple parents thanked the schools for their quick response and the efficiency of the evacuation. All students were safe and unharmed.
Planned events in the district for that day and over the weekend, many of them Halloween-related, were cancelled or postponed to a later date. Murdock High School's "Haunted Hallways" will take place Saturday, November 4 and the Monster Ball for grades PreK-5 at Memorial School will take place on Friday, November 3.
At 6:09 p.m. the Winchendon Police Department released the following statement:
On Friday, October 27, 2023 at approximately 7:30 AM Winchendon Police learned of a social media post which threatened a shooting at Murdock Middle/High School. The origin and credibility of this threat were undetermined at the time. Out of an abundance of caution the schools were closed and students were dismissed to an offsite location where they were re-unified with their parents. The source of the threat has been identified and an investigation revealed the threat was not credible. The Winchendon Police Department will be working in conjunction with the District Attorney's Office to pursue charges.
Fall Special Town Meeting Postponed to December 11
The Fall Special Town Meeting, originally scheduled for Monday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m., has been postponed for one month, and will be held on Monday, December 11, at 7:00 p.m., in the same location (Murdock Middle/High School Auditorium, 3 Memorial Drive). Town Manager's Executive Assistant Mary Calandrella confirmed to the Courier that the postponement is due to a delay in certifying the town's Free Cash.
The problems presented with Free Cash not being certified were brought up at the meetings of the Select Board and Finance Committee last week. Several members on both Boards made the point that legally, no article expending funds from Free Cash could be voted on unless the amount of Free Cash was certified. The Boards were not able to recommend or not recommend such articles without knowing the amount of Free Cash. Eight of the 22 articles on the Warrant involve expending Free Cash.
Interim Town Manager Bill McKinney told the Boards that "they were working very hard" to finalize the accounts and have Free Cash certified by November 13. Members of both Boards floated the idea of postponing Town Meeting to December if it appeared that Free Cash could not be certified within a reasonable time. Some articles specify a percentage of Free Cash, which was unknown until Free Cash was certified.
The Boards can give their article recommendations on Town Meeting floor, but this is not ideal, especially with significant amounts of money involved.
Town Manager Finalists Announced
"Meet and Greet" on Sunday, Public Interviews on Monday
After weeks of reviewing applications, the Town Manager Search Committee has made its recommendations to the Select Board, and three finalists have been chosen for the permanent position of Town Manager. The candidates will attend a "Meet and Greet" for the public on Sunday, November 5 at the Winchendon History and Cultural Center, 151 Front Street, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
On Monday, November 6, beginning at 4:00 p.m., interviews of the three candidates will be held in the Town Hall 2nd floor auditorium, 109 Front Street. Interviews are open to the public and will be broadcast live on Winchendon TV and on Xfinity/Comcast public access Channel 8.
The three candidates are:
- Heather Munroe LinkedIn Profile
- Ryan McNutt LinkedIn Profile
- Sean Hendricks LinkedIn Profile
Her full application packet may be read at https://www.townofwinchendon.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif8401/f/news/heather_munroe.pdf
Mr. McNutt states that he is the town manager in Palmer, MA, and prior to that was City Manager of Claremont, NH and town administrator in Lancaster, MA. From 2009 to 2011, he was Chief of Staff for Fitchburg Mayor Lisa A. Wong's administration, and he earned his BA (in History Secondary Education) and Masters (in History) from Fitchburg State. He is a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official and states that he has "strong grant writing experience."
His full application packet may be read at https://www.townofwinchendon.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif8401/f/news/ryan_mcnutt.pdf
Mr. Hendricks is a military veteran (17 years with the U.S. Army and Massachusetts Army National Guard) and former labor attorney who only began working as a town manager in 2011. He has served as the town manager of Uxbridge, MA, Killingly, CT and Millbury, MA, where he resigned his position abruptly on August 2, 2023, according to the Bramanville Tribune. Between his stints in Killingly and Millbury, he served for two years as staff attorney for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a union which town administrators often find themselves negotiating with. He earned a BA from Worcester State College and a law degree from Western New England University School of Law in Springfield.
His full application packet may be read at https://www.townofwinchendon.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif8401/f/news/sean_hendricks.pdf
As in the past, the initial screening of applicants was handled by a third party vendor, Municipal Solutions.
Those who are interested can review Municipal Solutions' profile of the town of Winchendon, which was provided to applicants for the town manager position, here:
https://www.townofwinchendon.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif8401/f/news/community_profile.pdf
[EDIT: David Devertsen of Municipal Solutions reached out to the Courier with more information about their process in recruiting applicants. The Courier hopes to report in more detail about the recruitment process used by Municipal Solutions and the Town Manager Search Committee.]
Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue Holds Grand Opening for Its New Facility
The brand new Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue shelter.
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The main room in the Adoption Center was filled with visitors for the entire three hours.
Photo by Inanna Arthen
Despite rainy weather, more than 150 people visited the brand new Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue shelter at 273 Central Street for its official ribbon-cutting and Open House on Sunday, October 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Freshly renovated throughout with new paint, utilities, and flooring, the new space offers far more room than the several separate locations that Ahimsa previously worked from, which included a utilitarian building and a donated trailer on the grounds of the Templeton DPW yard and a storefront space at 196 Central Street. All these spaces were leased; the new building is owned by Ahimsa outright, fulfilling a 24-year dream for the rescue organization.
The new building has two sections completely separated from each other, allowing the north side to be reserved for "intakes" who must be kept apart from adoption-ready cats. When a new animal is brought in, it is thoroughly checked and vetted, brought up to date on vaccinations, given whatever treatment it may need, and its interactions with people and animals are closely observed. Only after an animal has been cleared can it be moved to the "Adoption Center" next door.
That Adoption Center was on full display Sunday afternoon, with cages filled with kitties staring curiously at all the visitors, sometimes playing with toys or getting a few treats from friendly animal-lovers. Tables held complimentary treats for the humans, too, including cupcakes, cookies, veggies and hot cider or coffee. T-shirts, hoodies and caps with the Ahimsa logo were available to buy. Several donation jars steadily filled with coins and bills.
One of two smaller rooms for animals that are more comfortable in a quieter, smaller space.
Photo by Inanna Arthen
Some of the treats and refreshments on offer at the Open House.
Photo by Inanna Arthen
"In 2013, the town of Templeton graciously let us lease what was then the Templeton animal control facility"--a cinderblock building which was constructed largely by volunteers with donated time and materials. "In 2016 Mr. Harris donated a trailer to us...and that trailer served many, many purposes, saved more lives, housed more cats and helped those in need. In 2018, Karen and Andy Brooks were gracious enough to let us rent their facility after Sara Harrington said that she was no longer going to be running her shelter, A Better Tomorrow." The Winchendon storefront became an adoption center, with a thrift shop, Rescued Treasures, operating in the connected unit next door.
Ahimsa's online auction, which began in 2021, grew to a network of over 1,000 people. With that, many other fundraising efforts and other donations, Ahimsa was able to purchase the building at 273 Central Street when the Winchendon CAC put it up for sale.
Ms. Roberts fervently thanked everyone who helped make the new shelter a reality. "Thank you so much to everyone who donated to our online fundraiser via Facebook and privately through our volunteers and our organizations to help make this happen. We could not have done any of these renovations without you. Thank you to our volunteers who devoted countless hours of work--weekends, nights, whenever they had time available--to work on the punch list and do what needed to be done. Thanks to my dad, who devoted countless hours here. And he let us girls boss him around pretty well! And thank you to the businesses that contributed, too. You know, they would ask what needs to be done? How can I help? Any remodeling?"
Ms. Roberts added, "I'd also like to thank Robinson Broadhurst for their continued support of what they affectionately call the Cat House. And thank you for our partnerships with local ACOs, and organizations like Street Cat Angels, that again, we work with them on a regular basis to save the cats that need saving, and to give them a better life. I'd also like to thank a special angel in heaven, who made it a part of her legacy."
Ahimsa rescues 400 to 500 cats each year, from newborn kittens to grizzled senior cats who have been left homeless when their owners passed away or went into nursing homes. The organization is entirely volunteer run, with not one person involved receiving a penny of compensation. Every cent goes to help the animals.
Countless volunteer hours are devoted to things such as
- caring for the cats in the Intake Center and Adoption center (morning and evening shifts every day, seven days a week, on each side, plus shifts at PetSmart where some adoption-ready cats stay)
- transporting cats to veterinary appointments as far away as Lowell and Sterling
- fostering cats in their homes to help them socialize, care for medical needs or raise newborn kittens until they're old enough to adopt
One of the hardest parts of rescue work is accepting surrendered animals from heartbroken owners who would rather not give them up, but don't know what else to do. Volunteer Mary told the Courier that Ahimsa is working on helping such owners find ways to keep their pets in their homes--whether they need resources, support, lower-cost veterinary care or other help.
You can help Ahimsa by participating in its fundraising events, which you can find on the Ahimsa Haven Facebook Page under "Events" (Coming up: Bingo, Kitten Yoga and a chartered bus trip to New York City).
Donations are always gratefully accepted. Ahimsa is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Monetary donations help pay for medical care (nearly 70 percent of Ahimsa's budget goes for medical care for the cats), food, supplies and operating expenses. But in-kind donations are welcome, as well. Food (wet and dry), litter, cleaning products, toys, and many other items are always needed. See the wish list on Ahimsa's Donation page, http://www.ahimsahaven.org/donations.html for specific items. There is a donation bin outside the shelter to drop off items.
But more than anything else, you can help by welcoming a shelter cat into your life and giving it a forever home. All information about becoming an adopter can be found on Ahimsa's website at http://www.ahimsahaven.org/
Kitties available for adoption can be found in every corner of the new center.
Could you be his one and only? An adoption-ready kitty watches the sea of feet go by.
Photo by Inanna Arthen
Fall Films at the Beals Memorial Library
Head over to the Winchendon library for this month's selection of fantastic films! Each month, the library screens three films that are free and open to the public. The library will be starting off the month with their Classic Movie Matinee, so grab some popcorn and other treats and head over to enjoy the show!
On Wednesday, November 15, at 3:00 p.m., go to the Beals Memorial Library to enjoy the 1946 classic film, The Best Years of Our Lives (PG). Starring Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, and Fredric March, the film follows three World War II veterans, two of them traumatized or disabled, returning home to find that their families have been irreparably changed. The classic film is a must-see flick in honor of Veteran's Day.
On Thursday, November 16, at 6:30 p.m., join Library Ken for a screening of this year's hit film, Barbie (PG-13). Featuring an all-star cast including Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the titular Barbie and Ken, the film follows Barbie as she suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence. This summertime hit is one you don't want to miss!
Finally, on Saturday, November 18, at 10:00 a.m., the library will be playing the animated film, Chicken Run (PG) for their Family Movie Matinee. Starring Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, and Miranda Richardson, this popular children's film centers on a group of chickens who take the arrival of a rooster on their egg farm as an opportunity to escape the cruel fate of winding up in a chicken pot pie. This animated adventure comedy is the perfect film leading up to Thanksgiving!
All movies at the Beals Memorial Library are free to attend and shown in the library's auditorium. Bring your own popcorn and treats and come enjoy this month's lineup of films!
The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant Street in Winchendon. For more details, call the library at 978-297-0300 or visit their website at bealslibrary.org.
Massachusetts Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program's Winter Heating Season to Begin November 1
Applications are now open for eligible Massachusetts households to apply for financial assistance this heating season (Nov 1, 2023 - April 30, 2024)
Oct. 30, 2023 (BOSTON) - The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) is pleased to announce November 1 as the start of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 2023-2024 winter heating season. LIHEAP is a free, statewide service funded by the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that helps eligible households stay warm during the winter months by paying a portion of winter heating bills.
Applications for home energy assistance are currently being accepted online at toapply.org/massliheap, and income-eligible households may receive financial help to offset heating bills from November 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024.
Both homeowners and renters can apply online or through local administering agencies for LIHEAP assistance. Households must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for aid, which will be paid directly to their heating vendor.
Eligibility is based on several factors, including household size and combined gross annual income of residents 18 and older. Qualifying households - including those with the cost of heat included in the rent - can receive assistance for all sources of heat, including oil, electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood and coal.
"The Massachusetts home energy assistance program is free, because no resident should have to worry about heating their home during the wintertime," said Ed Augustus Jr., Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. "High fuel costs can have a devastating effect on household budgets and can even endanger Massachusetts' most vulnerable residents. We encourage anyone who needs heating assistance to explore their eligibility by applying online or visiting the nearest administering agency. And to please share the information with loved ones or neighbors who could benefit from this free resource."
For more information, or to find your local LIHEAP agency, visit www.toapply.org/MassLIHEAP.
Winchendon residents can contact the Winchendon CAC for help applying for heating assistance.
About EOHLC
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) was established in 2023 to create more homes and lower housing costs in every region. EOHLC also distributes funding to municipalities, oversees the state-aided public housing portfolio, and operates the state's EA family shelter.
