MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

TOWN CRIER
MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS
March 27, 2015
Vol. 8 No. 12
www.TownCrier.us
Est. 2007 • Mailed FREE to all 12,800 Milford addresses
Town Budget
Looking Good at
8-Month Point
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Eight months into Fiscal
Year 2015, the town’s budget is
looking good, Interim Finance
Director Zachary Taylor
briefed the Board of Selectmen
at its March 9 meeting. He also
laid the groundwork for the
Fiscal Year 2016 budget year
(FY16) which begins on July
1, noting that a two percent
raise in salaries is projected,
and all non-salary expenses
will be level-funded except for
electricity costs.
In terms of immediate
financial issues, Taylor said the
$6.2 million bond anticipation
note (BAN) for the Geriatric
Authority of Milford’s
expansion of its Countryside
Health Care facility will mature
on May 15. “It makes complete
sense to bond that project right
now,” he explained. Since the
Geriatric Authority repays the
town every dollar spent, the
cost of paying off the bond will
have no impact on the town’s
DeBartolomeis Retires After 39 Years in Office Town Election
on April 7
Selectman Dino DeBartolomeis
attended his last meeting as an elected
official on March 23 after serving for six
years on the School Committee and then
33 years on the Board of Selectmen.
Dozens of family members and past
and present own officials gathered at
a brief party before this past Monday
night’s board meeting to wish him
well. “It’s been my pleasure and honor
to have served and worked with you,”
DeBartolomeis told them.
As the meeting opened, Selectmen Brian
Murray presented DeBartolomeis with a
crystal award from Murray, Selectman
William Buckley, Town Counsel Gerald
Moody and Town Administrator
Richard Villani commemorating his
39 years of elected service.
Kevin Rudden photo
Lynch to Receive Bruins MIAA Sportsmanship Award
ECRWSS
Griffin Lynch
POSTAL PATRON
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TOWN BUDGET p 25
By Chris Villani
Sports Reporter/Columnist
Milford High senior
Griffin Lynch anchored
the Scarlet Hawks’ hockey
team both on and off the
ice this season. For his
efforts, he’ll be receiving
the Boston Bruins MIAA
Milford High School hockey player Griffin Lynch,
shown here playing for his team, will receive the
Boston Bruins MIAA Sportsmanship Award for the
Hockomock League at the March 31 Bruins game
against the Panthers. Contributed photo
Selectmen
are the
voice of the
people. I
will speak
loudly.
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Mike Visconti Selectman
Sportsmanship Award as the Hockomock League’s
representative.
“I found out a couple of weeks ago when coach
(Michael) Balzarini called me,” Lynch said. “I was thrilled
when he told me a it caught me completely by surprise.”
Lynch served as a co-captain of the Milford squad.
He scored six goals and added 11 assists for a total of 17
points, the fourth highest total on the MHS roster.
“He’s a quiet leader but he really leads by example,”
Milford head coach Michael Balzarini said. “Starting
in September he organized our captains practices and
all of the off-ice gatherings we had. He is a mentor for
the younger kids coming up and despite being a senior
captain he never views himself as being above anyone.
He embraces everyone the same way to make sure they
feel like they’re part of the team.”
After nominating Lynch, Balzarini wrote a letter to the
MIAA explaining why he thought his player deserved
the award. “Writing that letter made me realize even
more what an asset he was to the team,” the head coach
said. “This is a prestigious honor. No MHS hockey player
has ever been recognized in this capacity and for him to
represent the school, the team, and the town is terrific.”
Lynch will join the representatives from the other
leagues around the state at the Bruins game on March
31 against the Panthers. After a pre-game reception, the
entire group will be recognized during the game and
acknowledged by the crowd.
“I am really excited,” Lynch said, “This is going to be a
once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
With Lynch’s help, Milford captured its first postseason
win in program history. His senior class helped engineer
a turnaround from a team that didn’t win a game the
year before they arrived to a team that advanced in
the sectional tournament
Griffin Lynch p 21
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Milford’s annual election will
be held on Tuesday, April 7, with
contested races for Board of
Selectmen, Board of Health and
School Committee positions.
• William Kingkade, Jr. and
Michael Visconti, Jr. are
seeking to fill the three-year
seat available on the Board of
Selectmen;
• Incumbents Scott Harrison
and Michael Walsh, plus John
Erickson and Scott Vecchiolla
are running to fill the three,
three-year seats open on the
School Committee; and,
• Incumbent Kenneth Evans and
Thomas Harmon are seeking to
fill the three-year seat open on
the Board of Health.
Others on the April 7 ballot are:
• Tax Collector: incumbent
Theresa Diomedes Dias
• Board of Assessors: incumbent
Samuel Bonasoro
• Park Commissioner:
incumbent Joseph Arcudi
• Board of Library Trustees:
incumbent Lisa Bacchiocchi
and Jennifer DeManche-Yohn
• Planning Board: incumbent
Marble Mainini III
• Board of Sewer
Commissioners: incumbent
Rudolph Lioce III
• Housing Authority: incumbent
Michael Diorio
• Vernon Grove Trustees:
incumbent Mary Ann Fiske
• and Town Meeting Members
for each of Milford’s eight
precincts
There currently is no candidate
for a second seat open for Vernon
Grove Trustee.
Polls on April 7 will be open from
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following
locations:
• Precincts 1 and 4: Milford
Senior Center at 60 North
Bow St.
• Precincts 2 and 3: Italian
American War Veterans’ post
at 4 Hayward Field
• Precincts 5, 6, 7 and 8:
Portuguese Club at 119
Prospect Heights
Election results will be posted on the
Town Crier’s website – TownCrier.
us – after the polls close and will be
printed in the April 24 issue.
Elect MIKE VISCONTI Board of Selectmen
I will be there for you. I stand for:
• Fiscal Accountability
• Strong Police & Fire Department
• Smart Growth
• Transparancy in Government
• Promoting Business
• Preserving the Character of our
Town
• Conservative Tax Rate
• Full Value for Every Tax Dollar
• Keeping Costs in CHeck
• Maintaining Current Services
without Increasing Taxes
Vote for Mike Visconti on April 7th
Showcasing Youngsters By Offering Music for All Ages
Kids in the audience and kids performing
was the overall theme of the Claflin Hill
Symphony Orchestra Family Matinee
Concert on March 22. Youngsters were
invited to learn about instruments used by
the musicians prior to the concert during
the Instrument Petting Zoo. Members
of the Claflin Hill Youth Symphonies
performed two numbers by themselves
and one with the regular orchestra. Shown
here is the Youth Symphony performing,
and in the parlance of musicians showing
their “serious chops”. Although aimed to
entertain children and show off the talent
of youngsters, the concert was not childlike
instead emphasizing quality music for all
ages. Harry Platcow photos
United Parish
Christian Nursery School
Wearin’ of the Green
The only accredited preschool in Mendon-Upton
Now Enrolling
Call for Appointment or Tour
508-529-6382
We offer extended day classes
for all 2, 3, and 4-day programs
• Warm and loving atmosphere
• Open to all children 2.9 to 6 years old
• Potty trained not required
• Dept. of Early Ed. & Care qualified staff
since 1983
One Church Street, Upton
Sandra Leacu, Director
All shades of green were evident at the Ruth Anne Bleakney Senior Center in Milford on March 17 as St. Patrick’s Day was
celebrated. Here Nick DeMaria wears a large Leprechaun hat, while Highway Surveyor Scott Crisafulli showed off a sporty
version and Police Chief Tom O’Loughlin modeled a bowler covered with shamrocks. Seniors enjoyed a corned beef and
cabbage luncheon and music provided by Big Smile Entertainment. Harry Platcow photo
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Scott Harrison to School Committee
2
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
MARCH 27, 2015
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At the March 11 Milford Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Scioli’s the 2015
Butch Moore “You Touched Upon My Life” Award was presented to Wendy and Frank Saba.
Frank is retiring as CEO of the Milford Regional Medical Center in December and both were
lauded for their contributions to the community. Butch Moore was a local singing legend that
toured the U.S. and Europe initially with The Capitol Showband and later with his wife Maeve
as the famed singing duo Butch and Maeve. His signature song “You Touched Upon My Life”
spoke volumes about a man who had touched the lives of so many around him with his music,
his smile, his generosity, and his big heart. With his passing away in 2001 WMRC-First Class
Radio created this award in his honor. Pictured from left to right: State Rep. John Fernandes,
D. Milford; Tom McAuliffe II, President, WMRC; Frank & Wendy Saba; Dick Ferrucci, MultiMedia Account Executive WMRC; State Sen. Ryan Fattman, R. Webster. Contributed photo
Project Smile Bears Traveling from
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Some of the teddy bears that are making the trip from Hopedale to St. Paul, Alaska to help
public safety personnel comfort traumatized youngsters. The effort is sponsored by Project
Smile, a Hopedale-based non-profit. Contributed photo
Project Smile, the Hopedale based nonprofit organization was recently contacted
by a sergeant from the St. Paul Police
Department in hopes that the organization
could donate stuffed animals to help the
children of St. Paul, Alaska.
Founded by Hopedale resident Catherine
Pisacane in 2003, Project Smile donates
stuffed animals, coloring books/crayons and
reading books for police officers, fire fighters
and paramedics to give to traumatized
children. Project Smile has collected over
36,000 stuffed animals and currently works
with 193 police and fire departments in
New England, including almost all local
departments. Many of the children who
receive these items were involved in car
accidents, witnessed domestic violence,
are victims of child abuse or other violent
crimes, coping with the loss of a loved one,
or sick/injured. Project Smile also partners
with the Department of Children and
Families and homeless shelters and donates
stuffed animals and other items to be given
to children who are entering foster care or
living in shelters. Over 7,000 children enter
foster care annually in Massachusetts and
over 3,000 children are living in homeless
shelters.
St. Paul is an island located 300 miles off
of the coast of Alaska and is the home to
500 residents. According to the sergeant
who reached out to Project Smile, domestic
incidents are frequent on the island and he
felt strongly that the teddy bears donated by
Project Smile could really help in comforting
the children involved in these incidents.
“I am very excited to have our first
donation to a Police Department in Alaska,
and I look forward to more opportunities to
help the children of Alaska,” said Catherine
Pisacane, Executive Director of Project
Smile, “It’s always great to partner with new
police departments and help these children
in need.”
More information on Project Smile can be
found at www.projectsmile.org or 508 634
0203.
Walk-In Medical Care
Our medical team is here to help adults and children with
a wide range of non-emergency medical issues.
Open 7 Days a week 9:00am – 8:00pm
340 East Main Street
(Route 16)
Check wait times online!
www.readymed.org
ReadyMED accepts most health insurance plans, cash, personal checks,
VISA® and MasterCard®
15-031 RM Milford Crier quarter.indd 1
MARCH 27, 2015
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
2/4/2015 11:04:25 AM
3
Fun for the Whole Family
The 21st Annual Family Fun Fair hosted by the
Department of Developmental Services, KennedyDonovan Family Support Center and Milford Family &
Community Network was held Saturday, March 21 in the
Milford High School cafeteria. A wide-range of exhibitors,
who work with families from the prenatal stage through
Fire safety around the home was to focus of the booth
manned by members of the Milford Fire Department. Shown
here, l-r, are Firefighters Patrick Evans, Rafael Perez and
Matthew Denman. Harry Platcow photo
Girl Scouts Brianna Crotea, left, and Kate France are ready
to engage youngsters in some fun creative activities at their
booth. Harry Platcow photo
adolescence, were on hand to inform attendees about the
services offered in the greater Milford area. Monica Trombetta Milford Family and Community
Network manned the booth showing what is offered by
the group, which strives to provide free comprehensive
early childhood programs, partnerships with parents and
development of young children up to eight years old. Harry
Platcow photo
A Prodigious
Memory Highlighted
on Pi Day
Danny Ciccone, a 6th grade student in Heidi
Squadrito’s math class, was able to memorize the
501 digits of Pi for a grade level contest held at
Stacy Middle School on Pi Day. Celebrated around
the world, Pi Day is held on March 14 (3/14)
since the 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant
numerals in Pi or π. Pi is the symbol used in
mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio
of the circumference of a circle to its diameter —
which is 3.1415926535897932384626433832...
Contributed photo
ToyotaofMilford.com
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MARCH 27, 2015
Milford Historical
Museum
The Milford Historical Commission
welcomes visitors to the Museum in
Memorial Hall, 30 School St. every
Thursday from 1 – 4 p.m. Clubs and
organizations are invited to schedule an
appointment for a time that is convenient
for them. Various organizations like the
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Framingham
Historical Society have enjoyed tours of
the Museum as well as school children.
While the Internet can provide much
historical information, it is nice to take
the time to actually see first-hand artifacts
that were carried by Civil War soldiers and
military uniforms representing branches
of the service from different wars worn by
Milford soldiers and sailors.
Memorial Hall, which is Richardsonian
Romanesque designed by Fred Swasey,
was built in 1884 to honor Civil War
soldiers and sailors. The building housed
the town library for over 100 years and is
listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.
The museum is now collecting pictures
of shoe factories, especially inside photos,
that once dominated Milford. Copies can
be made so the originals can be returned.
The book Images of America – Milford is
available for purchase at the Museum and
at the Milford Town Library.
The Milford Historical Commission
meets the second Wednesday of the
month at 7 p.m., except July and
December, in Memorial Hall. Everyone
is welcome to attend the meetings. For
information call: 508-473-7327 or 508473-8571.
UniBank Free Home
Buying Seminars
UniBank will be sponsoring two free
home buying seminars. These educational
opportunities will provide homebuyers
with valuable information about finding
and buying the home of their dreams.
Important discussion topics include:
Negotiating a Winning Offer, Finding
the Right Mortgage and Pre-Qualifying,
Down Payment Options, the Importance
of Home Inspections, and more.
Refreshments will be served and door
prizes will be awarded at all events.
The seminars are:
Tuesday, April 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30
p.m. at UniBank Worcester branch
24 Gold Star Boulevard, Worcester.
Presenters include: David Sampson,
UniBank Mortgage Specialist;
Michelle Granger, Re/Max; and
Attorney Thomas Wickstrom. Contact
UniBank’s Klara Mnacko at 508-7560807 to register.
Saturday, April 11 from 12:30 p.m. to
2:30 p.m. at UniBank Milford branch
at 91 Prospect St., Milford. Presenters
include: Ross Mazzarelli, UniBank
Mortgage Specialist; Frank Niro,
Century 21 Commonwealth; and
Attorney David Bertonazzi. Contact
UniBank’s Vincent Foley at 508-4785666 to register.
Seminar attendees will receive a $250
mortgage closing cost coupon from
UniBank.
Thank You to All
of Our Advertisers.
You Make the Town
Crier Possible!
MARCH 27, 2015
Dean Bank Offers Special Funding Available for
First-Time Homebuyers
Dean Bank is pleased to announce it is participating in the Federal Home Loan Bank
Equity Builder Program. This innovative program is designed to assist income-eligible
prospective first-time homebuyers. Funds up to $11,000 per eligible household may be
available and can be used to help with down payment or closing costs. Borrowers must
meet program guidelines and funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dean Bank has several other first-time homebuyer and special programs available for
low- to moderate-income borrowers and will help buyers find the right mortgage to meet
their needs. Additional details are available by contacting Dean Bank mortgage specialist
Sandra DeSousa, Mortgage Underwriter, NMLS ID #479655 at 508-803-7842.
For more information visit www.deanbank.com.
The Blameless Victim:
A Catastrophic Injury
and a Landmark Legal
Decision
Milford resident Harold S. Rhodes recently
published his book, The Blameless Victim: A
Catastrophic Injury and Landmark Legal Decision.
The non-fiction work is based on the diary Rhodes
kept after his wife, Marcia, was severely injured on
January 9, 2002, when a forty-ton tractor tanker
crashed into her stopped car. She was left paralyzed
from the waist down with extensive secondary
medical injuries. Rhodes’ diary and his book
chronicles the next 10 years following her care at
UMASS Medical Center in Worcester and Milford Regional Medical Center as well as the
couples’ endless legal battles against two huge insurance companies and a legal system
that all-too-often victimizes innocent victims. The book also tells the story of how the
couple worked to help protect future blameless victims against delaying tactics used by
insurance companies to deny compensation to crash victims whom they are legally and
financially obligated to support.
The book is now on sale at Amazon.com and all proceeds will be donated to Milford
Regional Medical Center.
Share Your Good News with the Good News Newspaper!
Email articles to: TownCrierEditor@gmail.com.
The Advertiser’s Club
Directory
The Advertiser’s Club Directory is a listing
of those businesses that have contracted
to advertising at least 12 times a year in
The Milford Town Crier. Features include
a listing in this directory, discounts and a
feature article about your business (size and
frequency requirements apply).
Business Name................................Ad on Page
Advantage Siding....................................next issue
Affordable Junk Removal...................................18
Asia Cafe..................................................next issue
Beacon Chiropractic...........................................21
Beauty Nails.............................................next issue
Blaire House.........................................................28
Boucher Energy Systems....................................18
Bright Insurance..................................................17
CK Smith.................................................next issue
Chop Shop...............................................next issue
Consigli Ruggierio Funeral Home....................22
CPR Etc.................................................................18
Crystal Pool and Spa...........................................18
Crystal Room.......................................................25
Dependable Properties..........................next issue
EZ Laundromat.......................................next issue
Family Pharmacy.................................................14
Fortress Computer.................................next issue
Gallo Moving.........................................................4
Gibson Septic Service............................next issue
Guerriere & Halnon, Inc....................................20
Heaven’s Gate Pet Services.................................24
Heritage Siding.......................................next issue
Highfields Golf Club..............................next issue
Homefield Credit Union.....................................26
Iadarola Plumbing...............................................19
Imperial.com........................................................28
Joliceur Overhead Doors.......................next issue
Koopman Lumber..................................next issue
LaRose Muscular Therapy..................................23
Medway Oil & Propane Company....................18
Mike Shain............................................................16
Milford Federal.......................................next issue
Milford-Franklin Eye Associates .........next issue
Milford Hardwood.....................................next issue
Milford National.....................................next issue
Nathans’ Jewelers.................................................22
New England Window & Siding..........next issue
Restaurant 45..........................................next issue
Ritas..........................................................next issue
Simoneau Electric...................................next issue
Special Education Consultants.............next issue
Stardust Jewelers.....................................next issue
Templeman Tree Service....................................19
Truck and Trailer World........................next issue
UPS Store.................................................next issue
Wanokura Japanese Restaurant.........................22
Wolf Dental.............................................next issue
Wylie & Julian Oil...............................................19
Zenith Mortgage..................................................21
Advertise your program or
product in our Summer Fun
Section so people can start making
their summer plans!!
NOW OFFERING
FULL COLOR &
FRONT PAGE ADS!
Stand out from
the Crowd ... Call:
On Tuesday, April 7, please cast 1 of
your 3 votes to re-elect Mike Walsh,
Milford School Committee
Visit me on Facebook
Lori Tate:
508-529-0301
Colette Rooney:
508-922-9674
Susanne Odell:
508-954-8148
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
5
Opinion
A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER
Middle School East Re-use Featured
on 30 Minutes
By Al Holman
The other day my wife and I were driving to a
friend’s house to pick them up to go out to dinner. We were going to be a bit early, so my wife
took out her phone (I will not tell which model) and enabled
speech recognition. She then proceeded to talk to the phone,
asking it to call that friend. Just think her phone talked back to
her! She called her friend and said we were running early and
hung up.
Then she wanted to call her friend back and tell her something else. Well, this time the phone did not understand
what she said. It responded with the question “I found a lot
of matches which, one do you want”. All of the choices were
the wrong choice, but still THE PHONE TALKED BACK TO
HER!
She then tried to repronounce her friend’s name and as a
result of that pronunciation the phone came back with a yet
difference response. My wife’s voice volume increased and
again she tried. It came back with a response this time that was
not even close to what she had asked for.
It seemed that no matter what she asked or how she asked it,
the answer was never correct. What I thought about this was
how fantastic that she had a phone that could not only lookup
information but did it via voice request. How cool is that?
My wife, not a technologist, was now getting quite agitated
and began to use language not normally used by her. I then
suggested that she just type in the request so the phone would
not misinterpret her question. She then instructed me in how
to go to a place not normally visited. I decided at this point
to make no more suggestion in fear of being told what other
action I could take.
After several more tries she finally stopped trying and took a
deep breathe, and looked at the phone in utter disgust and said
“You Stupid ........ Phone” and slammed it back in her purse.
At this point I could not hold back my laughter. It was the
funniest thing I ever heard .... telling a phone that it was stupid
because it did not understand what she ask it to find verbally.
It just goes to show that some people are techno-challenged
and even if all you have to do is talk to the phone some people
just can’t get it done. I never thought that being less than
technical would even go to the way you communicate verbally
but is seems that the technology can detect somebody that is
techno-challenged and that describes my wife.
And that’s looking out my window - waiting for the phone to
fly by my head and hoping that it misses me when she reads this.
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
The future of the Middle School East building was discussed on the
most recently aired episode of 30 Minutes with The Town Crier. The
episode – featuring Steve Trettel, chairman of the Middle School East
Re-use Committee, discussing the progress of the committee to date
– is now available for viewing on the 30 Minutes with The Town Crier
channel on YouTube.
Future episodes of the show scheduled are:
• April 3: Ellen Freedman of the Milford Regional Medical
Center Healthcare Foundation talking about community health
improvement planning;
• April 17: Rev. William MacDonald Murray, rector of Trinity
Episcopal Church, discussing the Humanitarian Summit efforts;
and,
• May 1 and May 15: Milford resident Harold Rhodes, talking
about his new book, The Blameless Victim, as well as his work to
bring local bus service within Milford.
The half-hour show airs every other Friday at 6:30 p.m. on Milford
TV – Comcast Channel 8 and Verizon Channel 38. The show is
produced by Town Crier Publications, Inc. – publishers of The Milford
Town Crier and The Upton & Mendon Town Crier newspapers –
and focuses on Milford’s government, culture and history, news,
businesses and charitable organizations. The show airs every other
week and is co-hosted by Town Crier Publisher Al Holman and Town
Crier columnist Kevin Rudden.
MYSTERY PHOTO
FROM MARCH 13
An
SUMMER FUN!!!
Advertise YOUR Business!
Call for More Information!
Lori Tate: 508-529-0301
Colette Rooney: 508-922-9674
Susanne Odell: 508-954-8148
Harry I've never
heard of GOLF
TERMITES
Thanks to Frank Krzciuk of Milford for sending us our March
Mystery Photo. The picture shows the Ideal Theater, which was
located at 91 Main St. He notes the “building caught on fire
back in the 60s so they demolished it and the town built a public
parking lot, which was followed by the Friendly’s Ice Cream
Restaurant.” Krzcuik added that Friendly’s was later knocked
down and the structure that now houses Commerce Bank was
built on the property.
Many readers also had memories of the theater including
Dr. Richard A. Heller, who noted the current Commerce Bank
is at the location; Marie DeFonzo; John Derderian, who said
it closed in 1961; Dave Pedroni, Tom Sebastiao and Kathleen
Congliandro, who all noted that the Webber and Rose Furniture
Store was next door; Lorraine Gregoire Sutton and Dennis
Tavano, who both identified the photo as from 1950s; Carol
Caffrey, who both saw favorite movies there; Bob Kushner and
Phyllis Ahearn, who both noted that the Ideal was considered
Milford’s second best movie theater and so it offered occasional
free dinnerware as a inducement; John Taddei, who identified
it as in the Thom Block; Pam Fields recognized the theater, and
Linda Harty, gave the theater’s address.
RUMINATIONS
By Kevin Rudden
It never ceases to amaze me
that there is a giant disconnect
between the concepts of
paying taxes and wanting
services. Most people don’t want to pay taxes,
but most also want something from their
governments.
It’s a concept that also extends to just buying
“things.” People don’t understand where their
money goes.
A local business owner told me a story a
few years ago: A customer handed him $20
to pay for something and commented, “That’s
$1 for the item and $19 for you.” No, the store
owner said, “That’s $1 for the item” and then
enumerated how much went to rent, utilities,
taxes, etc. before concluding, “and 50 cents for
me.”
So it is with government. We pay our tax
bills and most of us assume it all gets wasted –
while demanding more services.
Maybe cities and towns should start adding
price tags onto everything they do. As in, “This
town election cost $5,000” or “This road cost
$400,000 to pave.” Most people do not realize
that it usually costs a town more each year to
educate a student than that student’s parents
pay in property taxes. The difference is made
up by people without children in the school
system and, of course, by businesses.
In Milford, the businesses have to pay more
property taxes than homeowners do – which
artificially lowers the bill for homeowners.
That may be politically smart to do – after all,
there are more homeowners than businesses
– but it puts the town’s small businesses in the
situation of earning less to stay competitive
with their competitors in other local towns
that do not put this tax burden on their
businesses.
I know one auto repair shop in town that
has to make $100 in profit each day, six days a
week, 52 weeks a year, just to pay its property
tax bill. Now you know why an oil change costs
so much.
A new concept in local government is “levelfunded” budgets. That means spending the
same amount of money each year, no matter
if costs rise. Milford is doing this for the next
fiscal year. It lets people brag about holding the
line on spending.
But, it can lead to reduced services. For
example, if the cost of asphalt rises, and the
Highway Department has the same budget, it
means fewer road miles can be paved because
the same dollar now buys less.
Another concept is “level services”:
budgeting. That means allowing budgets to rise
only as much as the cost to keep providing the
same services as last year. Mendon is doing
this for the next fiscal year.
While “level services” would solve the
Highway Department’s problem in the example
I just gave, it also translates into higher overall
spending and therefore a tax increase. But,
it does let people brag about not cutting any
services.
Decades ago, in high school, I took an
economics class in which I learned the
acronym, TANSTAAFL. That stands for “There
ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” As in,
“somebody’s got to pay for it.”
Cla
TOWN CRIER PUBLICATIONS 48 Mechanic Street, Upton, MA 01568 | 508-529-7791 | TownCrier.us
Publishers of
Upton-Mendon Town Crier
Published the 1st & 3rd Friday and mailed
free to all 5,800 addresses in Upton and
Mendon, MA.
PUBLISHER
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Milford Town Crier
Published the 2nd & 4th Friday and mailed
free to all 12,800 addresses in Milford, MA.
MANAGER
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material it deems unfit for publication in a family newspaper. We reserve the right to edit any submitted articles as
needed. We regret typographical errors in ads but will not
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EDITOR
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Cell: 508-525-1319
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6
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MILFORD TOWN CRIER
PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
UPTON-MENDON
April 3 • Deadline March 24
April 17 • Deadline April 7
May 1 •Deadline April 21
May 15 •Deadline May 5
MILFORD
March 27 • Deadline March 17
April 10•Deadline March 31
April 24 •Deadline April 14
May 8 • Deadline April 28
Graphics: Jodi McGowan
Web Manager: Andy Holman
INDEX
Advertiser’s Club Directory...........................5
Community Calendar...............................8-10
ELECTION................................................ 16
SCOUT NEWS........................................... 17
SENIOR LIVING...................................14, 15
SPRING SPRUCE-UP............................18, 19
Mystery Photo..............................................5
Opinion.........................................................6
Senior Living
Section
pages 14-15
MARCH 27, 2015
Anniversary Sale
Fifth Annual Flamingo Flocking
Fundraiser Underway
Free Gifts • Huge Discounts
New Spring Styles
Special Purchase Valances at $3.99
UTLET
curtain factory
Fri
10am - 5pm
cf
cf - Sat, March 27-28th,
Premium Outlet
Sunday,
March 29th, Noon - 5pm
* See our Facebook Page or Website for more details.
8 Sutton Street
Northbridge, MA
(508) 234-2944
OUTLET
Since 1974
www.CurtainFactoryOutlet.com • www.facebook.com/curtainfactory
Scott Vecchiolla for School Committee
The Milford High School After Prom Committee kicked off its fifth annual Flamingo
Flocking Fundraiser on the snowy morning of Saturday, March 21, by “flocking” the
home of Athletic Director Peter Boucher (seen here with his family). The flock will move
from yard to yard through May as the committee collects donations. Contributed photo
Mission Accomplished: BVT Students Put
Skills to the Test
Submitted by Andrew Morrison
Blackstone Valley Tech
Students at Blackstone Valley Tech
won 82 medals and swept eight categories
at the recent SkillsUSA Massachusetts
District V competition held on March
11 at Bay Path Regional Vocational
Technical High School, Charlton.
Nearly 800 hundred students
from seven schools took part in the
competition. BVT students earned 32
gold, 28 silver and 22 bronze medals,
including sweeps of Culinary Arts, Diesel
Equipment Technology, Internetworking,
Medical Terminology, Photography,
Restaurant Service, Telecommunications
Cabling, and Welding. In the annual
SkillsUSA student-elections, Valley
Tech Health Services sophomore
Stacey Muanya of Milford qualified to
run for State Officer on the SkillsUSA
Massachusetts State Executive Council.
More than 60 Valley Tech students
will now advance to the Massachusetts
SkillsUSA Championships being held
May 1 at BVT. Gold medals winners at
the statewide competition will move on
to the SkillsUSA National Leadership
and Skills Conference Championships,
June 22-26 in Louisville. Last year, 17
Valley Tech students competed nationally
earning 11 medals, including four gold,
five silver, and two bronze.
The following Valley Tech students
were among the school’s 82 medalists at
the District V SkillsUSA competition:
Hopedale
GOLD: Brittany Firth, Cosmetology Over
500 Hours.
SILVER: James Symmes,
Internetworking.
Milford
GOLD: Owen Amour, Internetworking;
Dylan Phaneuf, Collision Repair
Technology; Karina Ramos, Nurse
Assisting.
SILVER: Paul Facey, Cabinetmaking;
Madeline Phillips, Cosmetology Over 500
Hours.
BRONZE: Ulisses Ramirez, Architectural
Drafting.
STUDENT ELECTION: Stacey Muanya,
Nominee for SkillsUSA Massachusetts
State Executive Council.
I was born and raised here in Milford and am an active
rresident and voter. I currently work at Stop and Shop and I
am an elected trustee of the Vernon Grove Cemetery.
AAss a School Committee member, I plan to help accomplish the following:
1
2
Assist in planning
plan
and construction of the new Woodland School.
3
4
Support school policies that reduce/eliminate bullying
5
Implement changes to the technology department and helping to pass the
$300,000 proposed budget.
Make sure all students are vaccinated to ensure the health and well being of all
our students.
Support the Town budget and the English Language Learning Program
Paid for by the committee to elect Scott Vecchiolla
Nice ride!
How’s your rate?
99
1.
Other rates & terms available
to apply today!
Senator Ryan Fattman, R.
Webster, spending some
time in Milford on March
17, stopped at Memorial
Elementary School and
is shown here speaking
to a second grade class.
Contributed photo
MARCH 27, 2015
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MILFORD TOWN CRIER
7
Calendar
A list of calendar events of community groups, fundraising events of local charities and free
events of local businesses. Maximum 150 words. Published the 1st & 3rd Friday of every
month. Deadline 10 days prior to publication date. Email to TownCrierEditor@gmail.com
Unlaunch’d Voices, an Evening with
Walt Whitman
HOPEDALE-Come celebrate National Poetry
Month with The Friends of the Hopedale Library
on Wednesday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. when actor
Stephen Collins presents, Unlaunch’d Voices,
an Evening with Walt Whitman at the Bancroft
Memorial Library, 50 Hopedale St., Hopedale.
Actor Collins transforms into Whitman for this
one-man show, capturing the essence of the poet
as he reflects upon his life on his 70th birthday.
Experience Whitman’s growth as a man and poet
through poetry and readings of actual letters. Registration is recommended. To sign up
please call the library at 508-634-2209 or stop by
the upstairs registration desk by Monday, April 6.
There is no cost for this program.
Thimble Pleasures Quilt Guild
MENDON-Quilt Artist Diane Miller known
for her exquisite needle turn appliqué quilts
will speak at the next meeting of Thimble
Pleasures Quilt Guild, Thursday, April 16 at 7
p.m., Mendon Unitarian Church, 13 Maple St.,
Mendon. She will also have a trunk show of her
very extensive appliqué quilt collection. Guests
are welcome for a $5 fee.
Alternatives: 3rd Annual Art Palette
Contest
WHITINSVILLE-What do you get when you
give an ordinary wooden artist palette to a group
of creative people of all ages and abilities and ask
them to make some magic? Beautiful and unique
works of art that will be on display until April
23 at an exhibit in Whitinsville at the Spaulding
R. Heritage Gallery, 50 Douglas Road.
These fabulous, whimsical creations are
the work of participants in the 3rd Annual Art
Palette Contest sponsored by Alternatives and
the Artist Palette Studio at the Whitin Mill. The
16 x 20” wooden palettes become the canvas
in this contest where no other rules apply. The
choice of media varies from the expected to the
unconventional, including paint, ink, buttons,
photographs, figurines, electric lighting and
stained glass.
Gallery visitors will be invited to vote for
their favorites, and cash prizes will be awarded
to the top three entries in each age category.
Voting will close on March 31, and with so much
creativity on display, it may prove challenging to
make a selection.
Annual Bunny Breakfast HOPEDALE-The Annual Bunny Breakfast at
the Hopedale Union Church, 25 Dutcher St.,
Hopedale on Saturday, March 28 from 8 to
11 a.m. It features an all-you-can-eat breakfast
of pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice. Tickets
are $5 at the door with children age 12 months
and under free. Free picture with the Easter
Bunny. Great raffle prizes, crafts and face
painting. For tickets information email or call:
huec@verizon.net or 508-473-1476
Brimfield Flea Market – The Whole
Story
MENDON-Every year thousands descend on
Brimfield, Mass. in May, July and September for
America’s oldest outdoor antiques market.
For over 50 years it has been THE destination
for antiques dealers and collectors - a oneof-a-kind experience everyone enjoys! Take a
break from your taxes and come to the April 14
meeting of the Mendon Historical Society to
hear Laurel Prescott, relative of Brimfield Flea
Market founder Gordon Reed, Sr. as she tells
the story of the world-famous event we all know
and love, now run by J&J Promotions. This
year’s first Market is just around the corner!
The meeting is Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m.
at the Mendon Senior Center, 62 Providence
Road. In case of bad weather, please check
www.mendonhistoricalsociety.org or call 774766-0739.
Foxwoods Trip
MILFORD-Valencia Council #80 is sponsoring
a Foxwoods Trip on Friday, April 24 for any
adult over age 21. The bus will leave the Milford
Municipal Parking Lot across from Sacred
Heart Church at 4 p.m. and leave Foxwoods at
11 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and include
round trip transportation, a $10 food voucher
or free buffet and $10 in slot plays. Reserve a
spot by calling Jim Burke, F.D.D., 508-478-9813
on or before April 17. Proceeds will benefit the
Council’s Scholarship Fund.
Franklin Art Association Spring Show
and Sale FRANKLIN-The Franklin Art Association 2015
Spring Members Show & Sale will be held at the
Black Box Theater 15 West Central St., Franklin
on Saturday, April 18 from 12 to 8 p.m. and
Sunday, April, 19 from 12 to 3 p.m. The exhibit
is free and opened to the public
The event will feature an exhibit of original
works of fine art and photographs, bin sales of
original works of art and prints, complementary
food and beverage and clothes line art sale. The
awards ceremony will be Saturday evening at 7
p.m.
For further information please visit www.
franklinart.org and www.facebook.com/
FranklinArtAssoc
Antique Appraisals by Tom Tomaszek
UPTON-Tom Tomaszek, a noted antique dealer
and appraiser, will be doing appraisals the Upton
VFW, Rt. 140, on Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. to
benefit the Upton Historical Society. Appraisals
are $6 for one item and $10 for two for Society
members; $7 for one and $12 for two for nonmembers; or a $3 entrance fee. Only two items
will be appraised.
The total number of appraisals will be limited
based on available time. Pay for appraisals at the
entrance and receive a numbered receipt.
An appraiser for over 30 years, Tomaszek’s
expertise includes numismatics (coins and
tokens), militaria (military antiques) ephemera,
stamps pre-1900, fine jewelry of the Georgian to
Edwardian period, artwork, and American folk
art.
Gary McKinstry, Psychic
UPTON-Gary McKinstry, well-known Medium,
Psychic and Radio Personality, once again
brings his unique talent to Upton’s Memorial
School, 69 Main St. on Friday, May 1 at 7
p.m. Sponsored by the Upton Bloomer Girls, a
charitable organization, the evening will feature
McKinstry sensitively and often humorously
channeling spiritual contact with passed loved
ones. Four lucky ticket holders will have private
10-15 minutes sessions. Everyone will have an
opportunity to win a gift basket. Reserve a seat
for $20 by calling Ida, 508-529-2822, or purchase
at the door for $25.
2nd Annual Hopedale Girls
Basketball Alumni Game HOPEDALE-The 2nd Annual Hopedale Girls
Basketball Alumni game will take place on
Saturday, March 28. Doors open at 4 p.m. with
tip off at 4:30 p.m. Bring a blue and white shirt
so teams can be split accordingly. If you would
like to attend or have any questions please
email alumnigame15@gmail.com.
Bring your family, kids, and anyone who would
like to watch the game! This is a free event. I Love My Clogs
MILFORD-On Friday, April 3, I Love My Clogs
offered by Darius Filipiak, ABC Board Certified
Pedorthist, will be available for purchase at the
Milford Regional Medical Center, in Conference
Room A, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shoes are fitted
specifically to the client’s foot. Styles include
Dansko, Sanita and Klogs USA.
This is a fundraiser for the Milford Regional
Medical Center Auxiliary which helps support
the Medical Center departments including the
current expansion. The Auxiliary meets on the
second Tuesday monthly at 9:30 AM, except
for July and August. The public is welcome;
men and women are encouraged to consider
joining this successful organization. For more
information, call 508-422-2099.
The Milford and Boston Series
Photos
MILFORD-Photos by Town Crier photographer,
Harry Platcow, will be exhibited at the Milford
National Bank main office on East Main St.
during the month of April. The exhibit will
feature many pictures taken locally in Milford
and some from Boston. Stop by anytime the
bank is open to view these always interesting
and often artistic local views.
Thanks To Yanks All-You-Can-Eat
Breakfast
MILFORD-An all-you-can-eat breakfast of
eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee, milk
and juice will be held on Saturday, April 11 at
the Italian American Veteran’s Club in Milford
from 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Tickets are $6 per person, $4 for children 8
years old and younger, and will be sold at the
door. No reservations are required.
All proceeds will benefit Thanks To Yanks,
Boston Wounded Veteran’s Run, and Operation
Delta Dog. Thanks to Yanks is a Milford
based 501c3 whose mission is to support our
military members, veterans, and their families.
For further information visit our Facebook
page, www.thankstoyanks.org, or email info@
thankstoyanks.org.
Milford Area Chamber of Commerce
MTC15
8
MILFORD-The Milford Area Chamber of
Commerce (MACC) will host the following
events. To reserve your place at any of these
events call 508-473-6700 or email chamber@
milfordchamber.org. For more information
about the chamber visit www.milfordchamber.
org.
Home and Business Expo 2015 on Saturday,
March 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Valley Tech,
Pleasant St., Upton, will feature a Mac & Cheese
Competition, free kids activities include photos
with the Easter Bunny and Balloon Creations
by Bobo the Clown, raffles, door prizes free
samples, specials, appliance recycling and more.
Free admission and free parking. Vendor spaces
still available.
Boot Camp for Small Businesses-How
Important is Social Media Today, presented by
Chiderah Okoye, State Director & Community
Connection Campaign Lead Venly OpCenter,
on Wednesday, April 8 at 8 a.m. in the Chamber
Offices, 258 Main St., Milford.
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
Trivia Night with Parents for Music
MILFORD-Enjoy an evening with friends…
food… & laughter at the Trivia Night with
Parents for Music at the Marchegiano Club on
March 27 at 7 p.m. at the Marchegiano Club, 60
Meade St., Milford.
Join the Milford Parents for Music and Master
of Ceremonies, Bob Tremblay, for an evening of
fun and a chance to win some prizes. Mulligan’s
are back by popular demand. Who will be
crowned our new champion??
Admission is $10 per person, teams of eight,
just register at the door. Single players are also
welcomed. The evening includes raffles, light
refreshments and a cash bar. Paricipants may
also bring their own snacks.
Anyone interested in donating a basket or
item for the raffle table, please contact: Sandi
Hastings @ sandihast@gmail.com. For questions
about trivia night, please contact: Amy
Allegrezza, amyjim5@verizon.net or Joanne
Smith, jerand@comcast.net
Antique Appraisal Program and Open
House
HOPEDALE-The Hopedale Council on Aging
is sponsoring an antique appraisal program and
an open house of the Hopedale Senior Center
on Saturday, April 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the
Hopedale Community House, 43 Hope St.,
Hopedale.
James Johnston, from Johnston Antiques,
Franklin, will offer the appraisals. Johnston is
a well-known appraiser and lecturer as well
as a founding member of the Massachusetts
Suburban Antique Dealers Association,
a member of the American Numismatic
Association, and the American Philatelic
Society.
Admission is $5 per person with a limit of
three items for appraisal. Admission is free
for those who attend but do bring items to be
appraised.
Supporters of this event – Atria Draper
Place, Blair House, Cornerstone at Milford and
Whitcomb House – will provide refreshments
and raffle baskets.
Register by calling 508-634-2208 or visit the
Hopedale Senior Center. Space is limited and is
on a first come basis.
Trinity Church Community Dinners
MILFORD-Trinity Episcopal Church offers free,
nourishing meals to the local community. The
menu consists of an entrée, soup, salad, bread,
dessert, and beverage. All are welcome to come
and enjoy a hot meal. Meals are served from
4:30 to 6 p.m. on the last Wednesday, the last
Thursday, and the last Friday of every month.
For more information, contact the parish office at
508-473-8464 or office@trinitychurchmilford.org.
Thursday meals, hosted at Trinity Episcopal
Church, are sponsored by the volunteers of the
First United Methodist Church in Milford.
Volunteers to help prepare and serve meals are
always needed and most welcome.
Lego Builders Club
MILFORD-The Milford Community School Use
Program will offer the popular Lego Builders
Club program at Memorial Hall, located next to
the Milford Town Library. For students in grades
K to 2, the program will take place on Tuesdays
from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m. for six weeks beginning
March 31. For students in grades 3 and 4, the
program will take place on Thursdays from 3:45
to 5:15 p.m. for six weeks beginning April 2.
Each week, projects will be geared around
specific themes giving students an opportunity
to show their creativity and have fun. All
materials are provided. There is a maximum of
12 students for each class.
All program information and registration
forms may be found on the Milford Community
Program website www.mcs.milford.ma.us. For
more information call 508-478-1119. Forms
and fees must be submitted to the Milford
Community Program office located at 31 West
Fountain St., Milford MA 01757 prior to the start
of the program.
Twice Blessed Thrift Shop
HOPEDALE-Twice Blessed Thrift Shop at
Sacred Heart Church of Hopedale will be
offering half off of suits and slacks and jeans for
$1 each during March. Also check out the March
It’s Gotta Go Sale - buy one stuffed animal or
teddy bear and get one free. The shop is open
Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday
from 9 a.m. to noon.
MARCH 27, 2015
Assembling Spring Baskets for a
Cause
MILFORD-Please help gather supplies and build
Spring baskets for the families of Voices Against
Violence, a vital program of South Middlesex
Opportunity Council (SMOC) in Framingham.
SMOC is currently accepting donations
of candy, plastic eggs, baskets, shredded
cellophane, ear buds, small denomination gift
cards, stuffed animals or goody bag items to
include in the baskets through Saturday, March
14. It is also looking for volunteers on Saturday,
March 28 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Milford
High School to help assemble and transport the
baskets.
For more information on how to donate or
to get involved, please contact Pam Berman
at pmgmjg@hotmail.com.
Friends of Adin Ballou Essay Contest
HOPEDALE-The Friends of Adin Ballou are
sponsoring an essay contest for students in 7th
through 12th grade. Contestants must write a
250-word original essay on one of the following
topics:
What does peace mean to me?
How can one person help spread peace?
What I will do for peace!
Entries, which must include the author’s
name, phone number and date of birth, should
be emailed by April 23 to Editor@adinballou.
org. The winning essays will be published on the
Friends of Adin Ballou website
For more information visit AdinBallou.
org,find us on Facebook at Friends of Adin
Ballou or follow us on Twitter@AdinBallou.
The Franklin Art Association
FRANKLIN-The Franklin Art Association
will meet Wednesday, April, 1, at the Franklin
Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill St.
Refreshments and socialization will begin at
6:30 p.m. The program will feature an oil stick
demonstration presented by artist Carol Letvin.
Meetings are free and opened to the public
For more information, please visit www.
franklinart.org and www.facebook.com/
FranklinArtAssoc
The Coyote Wars
MILFORD-Author, Michael C. De la peña will
discuss his debut novel, The Coyote Wars as well
as the sequel, The Last Coyote, which will be
released this year at the Milford Town Library on
Wednesday, April 1 at 7 p.m..
The Coyote Wars is an FBI suspense novel
featuring a family of domestic terrorists and the
hunt to capture them by a team of FBI agents.
Assigned as a Special Agent to the New Haven,
San Juan and Boston offices of the Federal
Bureau of Investigations, Mr. De la peña is a
certified Polygraph Examiner and has conducted
approximately 2,000 polygraph exams for the FBI
in the United States, as well as Latin America and
Iraq. He is also an FBI certified undercover agent
and hostage negotiator.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Milford Town
Library, this event is free and open to the public.
Catholic School Alumni Banquet
MILFORD- Join the celebration of 135 Years
of Catholic Education in Milford and the 40th
Anniversary of Milford Catholic Elementary
School at the Alumni Banquet on April 11 at the
Crystal Room, 49 Cedar St., Milford. Alumni
and family of alumni from Milford Catholic
Elementary, Sacred Heart of Jesus School and
Saint Mary’s Elementary and Central Catholic
High Schools are all invited to attend an evening
of fun with classmates and friends. Tickets,
which must be purchased in advance, are $40
per person, for a full course dinner. To purchase
tickets and to reserve a table, please call Milford
Catholic Elementary School at 508-473-7303 or
email alumni@milfordcatholic.org.
Events at Cornerstone at Milford
MILFORD-The following events will be held at
Cornerstone at Milford, 11 Birch St. the public is
invited to attend.
Silent Movie, April 3 at 2 p.m., enjoy a silent
movie presented by Richard Hughes, who
provides live keyboard accompaniment!
The Traveling Boutique on April 14 from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m., shop for bargains at the Traveling
Boutique!
Thatcher Freund on Memoir Writing, April
15, at 2 p.m., author and journalist Thatcher
Freund discusses the importance of writing or
dictating your life story in “Why You Should
Write your Memoir.”
MARCH 27, 2015
Books Are Fun
MILFORD-On Tuesday, March 31, from 7 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Books Are Fun by Kathy Doane will
be held in the Milford Regional Medical Center
Atrium Café. Included are books for adults and
children. Stationery and CDs will also be sold. A
portion of the sales goes to the Milford Regional
Medical Center Auxiliary, which conducts many
fundraisers throughout the year.
Fundraisers provide support to hospital
departments. Currently, the Auxiliary is also
contributing to the expansion of the Medical
Center. The public is welcome and both men and
women are encouraged to consider joining this
successful organization. For more information,
call 508-422-2099.
Best Buddies Sweetheart Pageant
MILFORD-Milford High School Best
Buddies will be hosting a sweetheart pageant
for ladies and gentlemen with intellectual
disabilities from the Milford area. It will be
held on Friday, March 27 from 6-8 pm at
the Milford High School Auditorium. Young
women will participate in an introduction,
eveningwear, and a talent portion of the pageant
and young men will participate as escorts and
in a “Mr. Milford” theme wear portion of the
pageant.
Admission is $3. All proceeds go to the Best
Buddies of Milford Chapter.
DAV Mobile Service Office
NEW ENGLAND-The Disabled American
Veterans Mobile Service Office will visit the
following locations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the
days listed in the next few weeks. Free counseling
and claim filing assistance is available for all
veterans and members of their families.
March 30-DAV Joseph Broadfoot Chapter
6, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 113 Beach St.,
Westerly.
Tuesday, March 31-Amvets Post 33, 140 South
Bend St., Pawtucket.
Thursday, April 2-New Bedford Veterans
Center, 73 Huttleston Avenue, Fairhaven.
Friday, April 3-Knights of Columbus, 1675
Douglas Avenue, North Providence.
For further information regarding these events,
please feel free to contact NSO Michael Zibrida,
401-223-3695.
Milford Regional Medical Center
Auxiliary Meeting
MILFORD-The Milford Regional Medical
Center Auxiliary will meet on April 14 from
9:30 to 11 a.m. in the MRMC Conference
Room A, 14 Prospect St., Milford. The public
is welcome and encouraged to consider joining
this successful organization.
The Auxiliary conducts many fundraisers
throughout the year which provide support to
MRMC departments and the Auxiliary has also
contributed to the expansion of the Medical
Center, which is well underway. If you would
like more information about the Auxiliary,
please call 508-422-2099.
Monthly Dementia Support Group
MILFORD-A monthly Dementia Support
Group is held the last Thursday of each month
from 6 to 7 p.m. at Whitcomb House, 245 West
St., Milford. The group will be facilitated by
Shana Hermans, Population Health Specialist
with Century Health Systems. She will lead
discussions on a variety of issues related to
dementia, including stages, signs and symptoms;
coping with a loved one’s dementia; caregiver
tips; supportive community services; and more.
Light snacks and refreshments will be served.
The support group is free to attend, but space
is limited. Please RSVP to Jessica Reardon at
508-634-2440 or jreardon@capitalseniorliving.
net. For information about establishing a
support group in your area, please contact
Century Health Systems at 508-651-1786 or
info@centuryhealth.org.
Blackstone Valley Chamber of
Commerce
AREA-The Blackstone Valley Chamber of
Commerce will be holding the following events.
For more information or to register call 508234-9090, ext. 100, visit BlackstoneValley.org or
email administrator@blackstonevalley.org.
Massachusetts Lt. Governor Karyn Polito
will be the keynote speaker at the Business &
Breakfast meeting on Wednesday, April 15 at 7
a.m. at Pleasant Valley Country Club, 95 Armsby
Rd., Sutton.
Have Your Child’s Car Seat Checked
MILFORD-The Milford Police Department will
be offering a free child passenger safety seat
checkup at the Milford Highway Department,
30 Front St. on Saturday, April 11 from 9 a.m.
to 1 p.m. The event is part of the Massachusetts
Child Passenger Safety Initiative. At the checkup,
nationally certified child passenger safety
technicians will be available to inspect and
properly install child safety seats. The checkups
are made possible by federal grant funding
provided by the Executive Office of Public Safety
and Security (EOPSS).
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of
death among children ages 3 to 14 in the United
States according to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration. Three out of four child
safety seats are not properly installed and even
a sudden stop can seriously injure a child who
is not properly secured in the right type of child
safety seat.
Questions on this checkup or any aspect
of child passenger safety may be directed to
the EOPSS’ child passenger safety hotline at
1-877-392-5956 or by visiting www.mass.gov/
childsafetyseats.
April Vacation Kids Kamp
MILFORD-Lenny Morcone, Director of the
Milford Community School Use Program,
has announced that the April Vacation Kids
Kamp will be held during the week of April
20-24 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for youngsters
attending Kindergarten through Grade 7.
The program will be held at Milford High
School. Age-appropriate activities will be
planned each day and will include recreational
swim time, arts and crafts, games, contests,
movies, quiet/story time and sports.
Space is limited. Children will be admitted on
a first-come/first-serve basis. Registrations are
being accepted by mail or in person daily at the
Milford Community Program Office (located at
the Milford High School). All registration forms
and fees must be received by Monday, April 13.
Any parent with a question concerning the
Kids Kamp may call the Community Program
Office at 508-478-1119 or visit our website at
www.mcs.milford.ma.us.
Free Community Brown Bag Meal
MILFORD-Please join us for a free nutritious
community brown bag lunch / dinner on the
last Saturday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m.
at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Pine St.,
Milford. Please enter by the side door next to the
former Dunkin Donuts. The meal is sponsored
by Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish of Milford. All
are welcome, no questions asked.
Fresh Air Fund Information Session
NORTH GRAFTON-Join the Blackstone Valley
volunteer leaders on Saturday, April 4 at 3 p.m.
at Anzio’s Brick Oven Pizza restaurant, 135
Westborough Road, North Grafton, to learn
more about The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host
Family Program. Volunteer hosts will share their
experiences hosting New York City children and
can answer any questions. Refreshments and
appetizers will also be provided.
Each summer, nearly 4,000 inner-city
children visit suburban, rural and small town
communities across 13 states from Virginia to
Maine and Canada through The Fresh Air Fund’s
Volunteer Host Family Program. Fresh Air
children are boys and girls, from six to 18 years
old, who live in New York City. Children on firsttime visits are six to 12 years old and stay for one
or two weeks.
For more information about hosting a Fresh
Air child this summer, visit The Fresh Air Fund
online at www.freshair.org. To RSVP for this
event, please contact Jerlyn Sponseller at 508839-9642 or via email at jksponseller@gmail.
com.
The Easter Bunny Visits UniBank
UXBRIDGE-The Easter Bunny will be hopping
into UniBank’s Uxbridge branch, located at 25
North Main St., on Saturday, April 4 from 9
a.m. to 12 Noon. Children are invited to come
and join the festivities, and can have a free photo
taken with the Easter Bunny.
In addition to photos, the Uxbridge First
Holiday Night Committee will be offering
refreshments.
Prescription Drugs & Social Host Liability
MILFORD-A Parent Forum on Prescription
Drugs & Social Host Liability led by Amy Leone
from Community Impact and Julie Lesure,
Assistant District Attorney, will be held at the
Milford High School Auditorium on April 14
at 6:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to email
topics of interest concerning drug abuse and
parental liability as a social host for the forum to
parentforum@milfordma.com.
Divine Mercy Sunday
MILFORD-Divine Mercy Sunday will be
celebrated Sunday, April 12 at St. Mary of the
Assumption, from 12 noon until 3:30 p.m. in the
Parish Center’s Chapel. A Movie will be in the
Community Room. All are welcome.
New England Steak
& Seafood Restaurant
Make Your Easter Reservations NOW!
9 SEATING TIMES AVAILABLE:
12:00 noon 2:30 pm
12:30 pm 3:00 pm
1:00 pm
3:30pm
5:00 pm
5:30 pm
6:00 pm
Route 16, Mendon • 508-473-5079
www.nesteakandseafood.com
DRIVERS
WANTED
We are an Ethnic Food Distributor based in
Milford and have immediate openings for
drivers/warehouse personnel for our new location.
The person will help pick orders in the warehouse
and deliver to the area stores and restaurants.
You should be comfortable driving a 20-26 foot
delivery truck. CDC license is not required.
This is a full-time, permanent position.
Starting salary is negotiable. Benefits include
health insurance, paid vacation, etc.
If interested, please apply to:
The Exotic Foods, email pauljaggi@verizon.net
53 Sumner Street, Milford MA 01757
Phone 508-422-9540 | Fax 508-422-9292
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
Is looking for CAREGivers
in your area!
We need CAREGivers for all hours.
Weekday & weekend hours available!
Call: 508-393-8338 or go to:
www.hearthside-homeinstead.com
• Compeve Wage • Paid Trainings
• Flexible Schedule• Referral Bonus
Cerfied applicants are encouraged to apply for
our open Personal Care Homemaker posions
PCAs (Personal Care Assistants)
HHA (Home Health Aides)
CNAs Expired or Current
Non cerfied applicants are encouraged to apply
for our open Homemaker/Companion posions.
(No experience necessary, we provide training)
9
Calendar
Easter Services in Milford
Freedom Life Church - Iglesia Vida Libre
204 Main St.
508-422-9990
Sunday, April 5
Easter Service, 10:30 a.m. Everybody is
welcome. Services are bilingual.
First Congregational Church of Milford
4 Congress St.
508-473-5259
Sunday, March 29
Ecumenical Blessing of the Palms at
Draper Place, 9:30 a.m.
Palm Sunday Service, 10 a.m.
Thursday, April 2
Maundy Thursday Service, 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 5
Easter Service, 10 a.m.
First Unitarian Universalist Church
23 Pine St.
508-473-3589
Sunday, April 5
Easter Service, 10:30 a.m.
First United Methodist Church
39 Exchange St.
508-473-4252
Sunday, March 29
Service of Palms at Draper Park, 9:30 a.m.
Palm Sunday Worship, 10 a.m.
Thursday, April 2
Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 3
Good Friday, Day of Prayer;
Ecumenical Service at Trinity Episcopal Church,
12 to 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 5
Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, 9:15 a.m.
Easter Service and Adult Choir Cantata, 10 a.m.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
5 East Main St.
508-634-5435
Thursday, April 2
Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper, 7 p.m.
Friday, April 3
Good Friday Service, 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 4
Easter Vigil Mass, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 5
Easter Masses, 7:30, 9, & 11 a.m.
Throughout Lent, confession held on Tuesdays
Chapel of the Holy Spouses, Mary and Joseph
from 7 to 8 p.m.
No confession on Holy Saturday
St. Mary of the Assumption Church
19 Winter St.
508-473-2000
Sunday, March 29
Palm Sunday
Mass, English, Upper Church, 8 a.m.
Mass, English and Portuguese,
Large Hall, 10 a.m.
Mass, Spanish, Upper Church, 12:15 p.m.
Mass, English, Upper Church, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1
Mass, 9 a.m.
Lenten “Soups On,” Large Hall, 6 p.m.
Tenebrae with Woman’s Scola, 7:30 p.m.
Followed by the Sacrament of Reconciliation,
Confession
Thursday, April 2
Holy Thursday, Tridium
Passover Services
Lord’s Supper, Washing of the Feet,
Tri-Lingual. 7:30 p.m.
After Mass-Adoration until midnight in the Lower
Chapel
Friday, April 3
Good Friday
Living Stations, Spanish, 11 a.m.
Seven Last Words of Jesus, Trinity Episcopal,
12 to 3 p.m.
Living Stations, Grade 4, English, 3 p.m.
Passion of the Lord, Portuguese & Brazilian,
Large Hall, 6 p.m.
Passion of the Lord, English, Upper Church, 7:30 p.m.
Passion of the Lord, Spanish, Lower Church,
7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 4
Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil, Tri-lingual, (There is no 4 p.m. Mass),
7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 5
Easter Sunday
Mass, English, Upper Church, 8 a.m.
Mass, Portuguese,
Upper Church, 9:15 a.m.
Mass, English, Mary Our Mother Chapel, 9:15 a.m.
Mass, English, Upper Church,10:30 a.m.
Mass, English, Mary Our Mother Chapel, 10:30 a.m.
Mass, Spanish, Upper Church, 12:15 p.m.
Mass, Brazilian, Upper Church, 6 p.m.
(There is no 6 p.m. English Mass)
Salvation Army
29 Congress St.
508-473-0786
Sunday, April 5
Sunday School, 9:45 a.m.
Easter Service, 10:45 a.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church
17 Congress St.
508-473-8464
Trinitychurchmilford.org
Sunday, March 29
Palm Sunday
Holy Eucharist, 8 a.m.
Community Blessing of the Palms at Draper Park,
9:30 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, 10 a.m.
Wednesday, April 1
Holy Eucharist in the Lane Chapel, 9 a.m.
Thursday, April 2
Maundy Thursday
Dinner, Foot washing, Eucharist, Stripping of the
Altar, start of the Vigil, 6:30 p.m.
The Watch – All Night Vigil in the Church, 9 p.m.
Friday, April 3
A Community Service Remembering The Last
Seven Words of Christ from the Cross, 12 to 3 p.m.
Seven Clergy from the greater Milford area
offering meditations
Stations of the Cross, 6:15 p.m.
Good Friday Liturgy, 7p.m.
Saturday, April 4
Easter Egg Hunt, 2 p.m.
Easter Vigil with Baptisms, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 5
Festival Holy Eucharist, 8 a.m., 10 a.m.
Grace Exchange Milford Foursquare
55 Exchange St.
508-478-6642
Friday, April 3
Good Friday Service, 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 5
10 a.m. Service
Chabad House Community Center
34 Cedar St. Milford
508-473-1299
GotChabad.com
Friday April 3, First Seder Night
Evening Services 6:45 p.m.
First Seder 7 p.m., reservations required
Saturday, April 4, First Day of Passover
Morning Services 10 a.m.
Evening Services 8:15 p.m.
Second Seder, 9 p.m., reservations required
Sunday, April 5, Second Day of Passover
Morning Services 10 a.m.
Holiday (1st part) ends 7:58 p.m.
Friday, April 10 Seventh Day of Passover
Morning Services 10 a.m.
No Evening Services
Saturday, April 11, Final Day of Passover
Morning Services 10 a.m.
Yizkor/Memorial Services 11 a.m.
Meal of Moshiach 6:45 p.m.
Shabbat & Passover Ends at 8:06 p.m.
MILFORD MEETINGS
Unless otherwise noted, the activities take
place at Town Hall. Official meeting notices
are posted on Town Clerk’s Bulletin Board. For
additional information, contact the appropriate
Board or official. Monday, March 30
Board of Health, Room 14, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31
Planning Board, Room 03, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1
Middle School E. Reuse Committee,
Room 14, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 7
Town Election, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Board of Health, Room 02, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, April 8
Finance Subcommittee, Room 03, 5:30 p.m.
Finance Committee, Room 03, 7 p.m.
Historical Commission, Memorial Hall, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 9
Zoning Board of Appeals, Room 03, 7 p.m.
Conservation Commission, Room 03, 7 p.m.
MILFORD SENIOR CENTER
The Ruth Anne Bleakney Senior Center, located
at 60 North Bow St., is open Monday through
Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
Contact the center by calling 508-473-8334 or
emailing sclark@milfordma.com. Sue Trotta
Clark is the director.
Friday, March 27
9 a.m. Trip to Stadium Theatre & River Falls
Restaurant, Performance is Jesus Christ
Superstar, Woonsocket, Tickets for show are
$10
12:30 p.m. Free Monthly Movie, Free Snacks
Served
Monday, March 30
10 a.m. Candidate’s Forum, Free Event
Thursday, April 2
11 a.m. Annual April Brunch, $5 per person
Monday, April 6
8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monthly Foxwoods Casino
Trip, $20 per person
Tuesday, April 7
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day, Precincts 1 and 4
Vote at Senior Center
Thursday, April 9
5 to 9 p.m. Senior Prom, Milford High School
Cafeteria, $5
Tuesday, April 14
11 a.m. Free Lunch hosted by Whitcomb House
Monday
8:30 a.m. Game Room
8:30 a.m. Fitness Equipment & Internet.
8:30 a.m. SHINE by Appointment
8:30 a.m. Outreach Services
9 a.m. Silver Sneakers
9:30 a.m. Cribbage
10 a.m. Gift Shop
10:30 a.m. Zumba Gold
1 p.m. Mexican Train Dominos
1:15 p.m. Safe Exercise
Tuesday
8:30 a.m. Game Room
8:30 a.m. Fitness Equipment & Internet
8:30 a.m. SHINE by Appointment
10 a.m. Gift Shop
10 a.m. Tai Chi
11 a.m. Whist
12:30 p.m. Turkey Foot Dominos
1 p.m. Mah Jongg
Wednesday
8:30 a.m. Game Room
8:30 a.m. Fitness Equipment & Internet
8:30 a.m. SHINE by appointment
8:30 a.m. Outreach Services
9 a.m. Silver Sneakers
9 a.m. Zumba Gold
10 a.m. Watercolor Painting
10 a.m. Gift Shop
1 p.m. Bingo
1 p.m. Chess
Thursday
8:30 a.m. Game Room
8:30 a.m. Fitness Equipment & Internet
8:30 a.m. SHINE by Appointment
9 a.m. Knitting and Sewing Class
9:30 a.m. Senior Yoga
10 a.m. Gift Shop
10 a.m. Line Dancing
1:15 p.m. Safe Exercise
Friday
8:30 a.m. Game Room
8:30 a.m. Fitness Equipment & Internet
8:30 a.m. SHINE by Appointment
8:30 a.m. Outreach Services
9 a.m. Silver Sneakers
9 a.m. Hairdresser (by Appointment)
9:15 a.m. Morning Stretch and Balance
10 a.m. Acrylic Painting
10 a.m. Gift Shop
10:30 a.m. Zumba Gold
SUMMER FUN!!!
Advertise YOUR Business! Call for More Information!
Lori Tate: 508-529-0301 • Colette Rooney: 508-922-9674
Susanne Odell: 508-954-8148
School News
BVT Holds Overall Town Assessments to a 2.83% Increase
Working to hold down costs, the Blackstone Valley
Vocational Regional School District has proposed a
$21,317,222 total budget for Fiscal Year 2016. The proposed
budget, which was unanimously approved by the School
Committee on March 5, has increased minimally overall
from FY15 by 1.65 percent and includes a 2.83 percent
increase in the total assessment charged the 13 member
towns in the district.
School officials noted the 2.83 percent total increase in the
assessment for member towns is lower than the 5.51 percent
increase in the absolute minimum contribution rate as
derived by the state formula.
Each individual town’s assessment differs, depending
upon the number of students from that community enrolled
at Valley Tech as of October 1 from the prior year, the date
of the school’s official enrollment. The FY 16 projected
assessment for Milford is $1,434,567, based on 150 students,
10
which includes $56,539 for long-term debt service. The FY16
assessment is actually lower than the FY15 assessment for
Milford, $1,484,327, which was based on 152 students, and
included $63,702 in debt service.
The FY16 assessment for Hopedale is $223,357, including
$11,097 in debt service, based on 23 students. The FY15
Hopedale assessment, based on 22 students was $211,237,
including $12,503 in debt service.
Valley Tech helped contain increases in the FY16 budget
by refinancing its existing debt and earning an improved
bond rating from Moody’s Investment Services, securing
an 11.15 percent drop in debt obligations for next year. The
insurance line item decrease of 7.37 percent was attributed
to negotiations with healthcare providers, as well as ongoing
efforts to decrease costs by establishing a culture of health
and wellness among District employees.
Superintendent-Director Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick said that
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
many cost reductions were the result of improved efficiencies
in Valley Tech’s facilities, including upgrades to the building’s
boilers, a comprehensive study of the plumbing system, and
the school-wide consolidation of printers and copiers.
In addition to the creative cost containments and minimal
overall increase of 1.65 percent in the total budget, the
District further mitigated the state’s increase in the minimum
contribution rate by authorizing the use of $250,000 in
available reserves funds and incorporating the projected
receipt of grants, gifts, and additional revenue sources.
The proposed FY16 budget is being forwarded onto the
district communities for approval at their individual Annual
Town Meetings this spring. Residents may view the budget at
http://www.valleytech.k12.ma.us/budget/FY16%20BVT%20
Budget%20-%20Electronic%20Version.pdf.
MARCH 27, 2015
School News
BVT Students Win MA Auto Tech Competition
After being named the best in the Commonwealth,
Blackstone Valley Tech Automotive Technology
seniors Jacob Bisson of Sutton (left) and Bryce
DeMers of Uxbridge are on their way to New
York City to compete for a national prize. The
team of Bisson and DeMers won the first place
prize on February 23 at the Massachusetts
Auto Dealers Student Tech. Competition. Each
year, the event features a series of written and
technical competitions designed by leaders of the
state’s automotive industry. In early April, The
Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association,
Inc. will sponsor Bisson and DeMers in the
National Automotive Technology Competition in
New York City. BVT photo
To help people achieve
health for life.
We are currently welcoming new
patients, call or book online now at
MetrowestPhysicians.com.
David J. Harrington, M.D.
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Milford School Committee Approves 2015/2016 Calendar
By Melissa Orff
Staff Reporter
The Milford School Committee has
approved the 2015/2016 School Calendar,
with no major changes from last year
despite the concerns of one School
Committee Member.
The first day of school for Milford
students will be September 1, and the last
day is scheduled for June 20 before any
school cancellations due to weather.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert
Tremblay presented the new calendar to
the School Committee, one that he said was
vetted by Milford’s teachers association.
Although the first day of school has been
in late August for the past several years, the
fact that Labor Day is not until September
7 forced the district to mark September 1
as the first day of school. The contract with
the teachers association states that school
cannot start earlier than one week before
Labor Day.
Tremblay told the Committee that the
June 20 end day still give a margin of eight
days until the district bumps against the
last day school can be in session due to
state mandate - June 30.
School Committee Member Jennifer
Parson expressed concerns about not
starting until September however, with the
amount of snow days that they have had to
contend with in the past few years. “Based
on the way this winter went, to think that
if we have five more snow days, we already
bump up to June 27. That makes me
nervous,” she said.
Parson, who is an Administrator in a
local school district, said that late June
is tough for students and teachers alike.
“Every day of 180 days of learning is really
critical, but August 27 is a better day for
learning in my estimation then June 27.”
Parson asked that the Committee to delay
approving the calendar and research the
potential of an earlier first day of school.
“You get more bang for your buck if you
start in late August when everyone is fresh,”
she said.
Other members, however, had concerns
with holding off on approving the calendar,
stating that an earlier start date would
mean adding the issue into the contract
negotiations with the teachers association,
which could be lengthy. “It might add a
level of complexity we just don’t need,”
said Member Patrick Holland. Several
School Committee Members also expressed
concerns about delaying the schedule as
parents rely on the information to make
decisions about vacations.
Member Joseph Morias inquired if
the Committee could ask the teachers
association to consider a change just for
the 2015/2016 school year because of the
unusually late date of Labor Day. Assistant
Superintendent Kathy Perry responded that
they have already spoken to representatives
of the teachers association, and that they
were not willing to make a change to the
start date. Tremblay reiterated that a change
like that would have to be part of contract
negotiations.
The School Committee then approved
the calendar as proposed by unanimous
vote.
Did You Know????
The Milford Town Crier is mailed free to every household and business in Milford twice a
month—12,800 addresses. Our sister publication, The Upton and Mendon Town Crier is mailed
free to every address in Upton and Mendon—6,000 addresses.
VOTE
JOHN ERICKSON for
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
✓Strong supporter of Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Math (STEM) Curriculum
John
JohnErickson
Erickson
“Please entrust
✓Advocate for improved Information Technology in our schools
✓Well positioned to help oversee the taxpayers’ investment in
me with your
vote on April 7th”
✓Proponent of a healthy school budget within the budget
the new Woodland School project
limitations of the town
969 Main St., Ste 205
Millis, MA 02054
508-794-4211
260 Cochituate Road
Framingham, MA 01701
508-532-7510
Dr. David J. Harrington is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist
at the Milford location of MetroWest Physician
Services where he practices general obstetrics and
gynecology. His special clinical interests include
female incontinence, urodynamic testing, related
surgical procedures and medical management.
Steven Bornstein, D.O.
969 Main Street, Suite 205
Millis, MA 02054
508-203-7943
Dr. Steven Bornstein, a
Family Practitioner and
Doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine, provides
traditional medical services, including routine
physicals and urgent care, with a focus on preventive
health care and a ‘whole person’ approach.
Seung Jae Lee, M.D.
Family Medicine
435 King Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508-203-7944
Dr. Seung Jae Lee
practices Family
Medicine at the
Franklin location of MetroWest Physician Services.
His philosophy focuses on developing and
nurturing the patient-doctor relationship.
Tarek El Sharkawy, M.D.
Internal Medicine
435 King Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508-203-7944
Dr. Tarek El Sharkawy,
specializes in Internal Medicine and speaks both
English and Arabic.
Debra Cohn, D.O.
OB/GYN
969 Main St., Ste 205
Millis, MA 02054
508-794-4211
1 East Main St., Ste. 208
Northboro, MA 01532
508-393-2999
Dr. Cohn specializes in both routine and
atypical gynecological and obstetrical care,
minimally-invasive surgical procedures,
contraception and family planning.
CHOOSE
C
HO
JOHN ERICKSON:
The strength of our town rests on the strength of our schools.
Endorsed and Paid for by The Committee to Elect John Erickson to School Committee
MARCH 27, 2015
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
11
School News
GRADUATE NEWS
Christopher J. Lutfy
Christopher J. Lutfy of Milford received
a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western
New England University, Springfield on
February 15, 2015.
BVT Community
Service Team Launches
Positive Self-Image
Campaign
The Blackstone Valley Tech SkillsUSA
Community Service team announces the
launch of a public awareness campaign to
promote the importance of a positive selfimage. The R.I.S.E. (Respect Individuality &
Self Expression) Above project will promote
the benefits of self-confidence, support
systems, abilities, and positive appearances
to students at Valley Tech and the public via
the distribution of original literature, live
presentations, and visits to local healthcare
facilities and schools. The first stop on the
Community Service team’s campaign was
the recent Student Wellness Conference
organized by Worcester County District
Attorney Joseph Early, Jr., at Anna Maria
College. The BVT SkillsUSA Community
Service Team includes (left to right) Health
Services juniors Hannah Licarie of Millbury,
Samantha Cella of Northbridge, and
Mikayla Corda of Grafton and is seen with
Early. BVT photo
SHOP LOCAL
BUY LOCAL
Support Your Local
Businesses
12
BVT Annual Career Fair Shows Demand for Students
Submitted by Andrew Morrison
Blackstone Valley Tech
Whoever coined the phrase, “Good help is
hard to find,” never attended a career fair at
Blackstone Valley Tech.
Held on March 5, the annual BVT career
fair packed the school’s competition center
with hundreds of current students and the
nearly 30 regional employers who hope to
one day hire them. That day might come
soon for students like Matt Thompson, a
Drafting and Engineering Technology junior
from Northbridge. As a student in good
academic standing entering his junior year’s
third trimester, Matt is now eligible for the
Valley Tech cooperative education (co-op)
program, which allows upperclassmen
to acquire career vocational technical
credits and skills by working off-campus
in their area of training every other week.
Touring the career fair and speaking with
potential co-op employers, Matt said he
believes taking on the challenge of the coop program can pay big dividends for BVT
students.
“It starts us off for the future,” Matt said.
“If we stay in that [co-op] job, or get another
job, we’ll definitely get promoted earlier
because we started working in high school.”
Joining Matt at the career fair was his
friend and fellow Drafting and Engineering
Technology junior Connor Belland of
Mendon. In meeting with potential
employers, Connor said he was proud to
see such high demand for his skills, despite
the fact that he’s barely old enough to get his
Junior Operator License.
“It’s like we already went to college and
have a degree,” Connor said. “But we’re still
in high school.”
As Matt and Connor explored possibilities
for their co-op employment, they received
a firsthand account of the program’s
impact from 2004 BVT graduate Kenny
Giacomuzzi, who attended the career fair
on behalf of medical device manufacturer
Tegra Medical. As the Tool Crib Manager
for Tegra Medical, Giacomuzzi said the
company’s future depends on its ability to
hire employees with both sophisticated
technical skills and the soft skills necessary
to master new technology over the course of
their careers.
“The biggest thing you can come into our
facility with is a willingness to learn,” he told
a group of Valley Tech students.
For Old New England Restoration
President William Hardiman, the BVT
career fair was an opportunity to let
Construction Technology students know
about a rewarding career pathway that
sometimes goes overlooked by seasoned
Health Services sophomore Kyle Martell of Mendon (left) spoke with Dr. Donna Badner,
D.V.M., of the Framingham Animal Hospital. For students like Kyle, the training and skills
acquired at BVT coupled with further training on the post-secondary level can result in a
rewarding career in veterinary science. BVT photo
Brian Connearney (far left), Outreach Specialist for the New England Carpenters Training
Fund located in Millbury, spoke with a group of Construction Technology sophomores about
employment opportunities in carpentry and construction. Students seen here include (left
to right) Paul Facey of Milford, Jake Platt of Millville, Jaden Martinez of Northbridge, Eric
Harris of Douglas, and Allison Perry of Upton. BVT photo
professionals.
“I’m hoping to educate students on the
fact that restoration is an important part of
what we do,” Hardiman said. “It can be hard
to find good carpenters who are interested
in old houses and construction methods.”
At his informational table for the Pawsteps
Veterinary Center of Northbridge, Dr. Sean
D. Sawyer, V.M.D., encouraged Dental
Assisting and Health Services students to
consider their training’s potential application
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
in the veterinary field. Valley Tech is
currently crafting plans to establish a new
program in Veterinary Assisting, which Dr.
Sawyer confirmed would prepare students
for in-demand jobs.
“We need assistants and technicians,” Dr.
Sawyer said of the veterinary field. “We’re
desperate for educated support staff right
now. A program here would be very helpful.”
MARCH 27, 2015
School News
Student Artists Receive Recognition from Boston Globe, Youth Art Month
By Melissa Orff
Staff Reporter
Congratulations go to
eight Milford High School
students for receiving
recognition for their
artwork in the Boston Globe
Scholastic Art Contest.
The annual art and
writing contest began in
1923 and is “an important
opportunity for students
to be recognized for their
creative talents.” Teachers
may submit artwork in 28
different categories for their
students from 7th through
12th grades. To date, the
Awards have encouraged
over 13 million students
and recognized more than
9 million young artists and
writers.
Five of the students
received Silver Key Awards,
a recognition given to
only 10–15 percent of all
regional submissions. Silver
Key winners were senior
Kayla Hipolito for her
charcoal drawing “Stability,”
senior Julia Tempesta for
her prismacolor marker
drawing “Many Hands,”
junior Sara Silva for her
prismacolor marker
drawing “Bad to the Bone,”
senior Adeline Thibeault
for her pencil drawing
“Lily and Me,” and senior
Andrew Salazar for his
acrylic painting “Do you
have the Time.”
Honorable Mentions were
also given to Kayla Hipolito,
Jacob Rossacci, and Alexa
Sanchioni.
Milford High School’s Art
Teacher Marcia Anzalone
said that it wasn’t easy for
the teachers in the Art
Department to choose
submissions, but the pieces
that were chosen to be
entered into the contest had
special qualities that would
stand them apart from
others. “The artwork wasn’t
just about being original,
but something about it had
to show the artists ‘personal
voice’,” said Anzalone.
Artwork was submitted
this past December, and
Anzalone said that the
students were very excited
when they learned about
the awards in March. “It
was a long process, but it
was all worth it in the end
when the students see their
artwork recognized by
someone outside of their
school,” she said.
“There were so many
wonderful pieces; we are
very proud of our students,”
she said.
Do You Have the Time, an acrylic painting created by
Milford High School senior Andrew Salazar was awarded a
Silver Key in the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Contest.
Student artists from Brookside Elementary who will have
their creations on display in Boston through end of April
are, l-r, front row-Henry Baldic and Arianna Kell; back rowMaya Santos, Caroline Song and Chloe Murdock.
Massachusetts Youth Art
Month
Not only was art in bloom
at the high school, but
artwork created by students
at the elementary level
has also been recognized
during Massachusetts’
Youth Art Month. Art
students in grades K
through 12, from across
Massachusetts have been
selected to display their
creative works at the State
Transportation Building in
Boston. This multimedia
exhibit is sponsored by
the Massachusetts Art
Education Association
(MAEA) in conjunction
with Youth Art Month, a
national celebration that
emphasizes the value of art
education for all children
and encourages support for
the quality art programs in
Massachusetts’ schools.
Students at Brookside
Elementary School, under
the direction of Visual
Arts teacher, Lisa Duarte
are representing the town
of Milford in this year’s
Youth Art Month exhibit
at the State Transportation
Building. The young artists
are (grade 1): Arianna Kell,
Chloe Murdock and Henry
Baldic; and (grade 2) Maya
Santos and Caroline Song.
A special congratulations
also goes to Arianna Kell
on having her Monet
Water Lilies chosen to
be on display on the
Massachusetts Youth Art
Month Board at the NAEA
National Convention being
held in New Orleans from
March 26 – 28.
The Youth Art Month
Exhibit will be on display
at The State Transportation
Building, Charles and
Stuart St. Boston, and open
to the public weekdays
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through
April 24. Closed Patriots
Day, Monday, April 20.
Admission is free.
Milford Tech Department Updates
School Committee
By Melissa Orff
Staff Reporter
The Milford School Committee received a
report from the Technology Department
during their March 11 meeting on the
status of the district’s help desk tickets and
network mapping.
Milford’s IT Director Paul Blivess
updated the Committee on outstanding
issues from the last time he presented to the
Committee on January 22. Blivess was hired
this past June to oversee the information
technology needs of both the town offices
and the district’s schools.
Blivess first goal, which the Committee
approved during the January meeting,
was to get a “network mapping” of all the
school buildings in order to determine
what upgrades would be needed to improve
the infrastructure. The network mapping
would also be used to help determine the
technology budget for FY16.
Although the network mapping was
scheduled to be completed in early March,
Blivess told the Committee that the
company doing the mapping ran into some
issues but would be completed by the next
School Committee Meeting on March 26.
School Committee Chairperson Scott
Harrison expressed concern with the new
time frame as the district is looking to
firm up their budgets for FY16. “When
will you be in the position to say ‘here is
what we need next’?” he asked Blivess. “I
want to make sure we are giving you the
support you and your team need to move
technology forward.”
Committee Member Joseph Callery asked
Blivess if he thought that there would be
any surprise finds from the mapping that
could affect the budget. Blivess replied that
MARCH 27, 2015
the Tech Department already knows what
is going on in each building, but a true
mapping will give them the “scalability” of
the technology needs for the district in the
future.
Along with the network mapping, Blivess
also updated the Committee on the open
help desk tickets for the district. Back in
January, the open help desk tickets were
over 110, with many over 30 days old.
According to Blivess, those numbers have
been reduced to under 40 open tickets,
with the majority of those from the past 30
days. Blivess credits this with the fact that
the department has been able to increase its
staff in the past few months. “I am excited
about the additions of two people to the
Tech Team,” he said. “Our team is really
hitting the ground running.”
Committee Member Jen Parson asked
Blivess to come back to present his
vision for the district going forward,
including technology in the classroom
and professional development. “It would
be really important to see what all of
this is going to get us in terms of student
outcomes,” said Parson.
Harrison concurred that a discussion
about the future of technology in the
Milford Public Schools was imperative.
“We have a lot of parents who are really
anxious to get that engaged,” said Harrison.
“It’s great that we want to fix these things
today, but we want to make sure we plan for
tomorrow.”
Superintendent of Schools Robert
Tremblay ended by complimenting Blivess
and his team. “They have done a terrific
job,” he told the Committee. “There is much
more work to be done, but I know we are
making progress.”
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MILFORD TOWN CRIER
Additional Location in Hopkinton
13
Senior
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Health Center
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Our Adult Day Health Center is designed to provide a full
day’s worth of meaningful activity for our participants,
while also taking care of each participant’s medical needs.
Some of the Services Provided:
• Person Centered Activities
• Strength training with Nautilus machines
supervised by a Fitness Coordinator
• Transportation to and from the Adult
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• Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack
• Staff assisted showers are available on-site
508-266-2054
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670 Linwood Avenue
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By Michelle Sanford
Staff Reporter/Columnist
“Community.” That’s the word that comes to mind when thinking about Millbury Health Care
Center. That’s because it’s a special community made up of its residents, patients, and a committed
staff whose goal is to make certain those there continue to live and maintain a quality life.
Millbury Health Care Center is a 154 bed accredited facility that offers both long-term nursing
and short-term rehabilitation services.
With its state-of-the-art rehabilitation center, the team at Millbury Health Care Center brings
only the best and progressive therapies to those patients who need assistance recovering from
surgery or an illness. In fact, of the 247 patients admitted to the center in 2013, 70 percent of them
returned home after an average stay of 18 days and 95 percent returned home in less than 25 days. And for those living in the long-term residence, the skilled nursing professionals and loving
staff make certain a homey and safe environment is provided to everyone there. Comforting
for families is knowing their loved ones have access to 24 hour registered nurses, a licensed
nutritionist, social services, and onsite physician care which includes internal medicine, podiatry,
ophthalmology, and dental care. “We can handle almost anything. We’re like a mini hospital,” said
Administrator Trent Guthrie.
In addition, Millbury Health Center provides specialty programs on heart failure, pulmonary
and Parkinson’s disease which are overseen by physician specialists and directors and are offered at
a more progressive level than many skilled nursing centers.
And because staying active is instrumental for those at the facility, a top-notch staff oversees
multiple types of fun activities each day. A wonderful dining area and culinary staff also offers up
fresh, delicious food served a la carte.
According to Guthrie, the Health Care Center also has a vested interest in the community of
Millbury itself, collaborating and partnering with a number of local businesses, organizations, and
programs for the elderly. “That’s very important to us because much of our staff is from Millbury as
well.”
Millbury Health Care Center received a Five Star Rating for health care excellence by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and was named one of the best long-term nursing
facilities by U.S. News and World Report in 2014. Millbury Health Care Center is located at 312
Millbury Avenue. For more information on the Center or for a tour call 508-793-0088. Also check
out their Facebook Page or view www.healthbridgemanagement.com/millbury.
• Medication Reminders
St. Camillus H
By Michelle Sanford
Staff Reporter/Columnist
For more than 50 years, St. Camillus Health
Center has been providing long and short
term quality and compassionate elder care.
The facility’s motto is “Compassionate Care
Committed to the Dignity of Life”; a motto
the loving staff at St. Camillus is dedicated to
fulfilling every day.
“We’ve been doing this for a long time and
we do it very well,” said Administrator Bill
Graves.
St. Camillus Health Center offers its patients
and residents outstanding care on a number
of levels including short-term rehabilitation,
long-term care, adult day health services, and
a secured memory care neighborhood is also
there. And now with a recent $2.5 million
renovation project recently completed those
services are better than ever. A large part
of the renovations incorporated upgrades
to the short-term rehabilitation unit which
included all new rehab equipment and new
flooring as well as upgrading documentation
electronically.
14
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
What makes St. Camillus care unique is
the way it allows residents to feel like they are
home as much as possible. Graves says over the
past several years there’s been a change in the
St. Camillus Health Cente
MARCH 27, 2015
Living
The only Residential Care
Facility in the Greater Milford
Area. Offering Medical and
Social Supports to elders.
Blaire House of Milford
The Blair House of Milford’s new
assisted living facility and memory care
neighborhood.
289 East Street
Wrentham, MA 02093
508-384-3531
www.pondhome.org
inquiry@pondhome.org
An Affordable Option in Long Term Care,
Offering Residential Care &
Supportive Nursing Care since 1902
HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS
By Michelle Sanford
Staff Reporter/Columnist
The word “transition” is defined as a process or period of changing from one state or
condition to another. And for the elderly community, transitions can be a difficult thing
for themselves and their families to go through. What makes the Blaire House of Milford
so special and comforting is that it is able to provide the same special care to its clients as
they transition through various stages of life.
The family-owned Blaire House is unique in that it offers all different levels of care from
adult day health services, rehabilitation services, and long term skilled nursing care—all
at the same location. According to Director of Community Relations Alissa Suitum, LSW,
that is very reassuring as clients and residents’ care needs change. “It’s hard to go from
place to place as needs change. We offer a continuum of care at the same location,” she
said. “And our members receive first preference in placement of those services,” she said.
And now, a beautiful new, state of the art assisted living facility has been constructed
which offers 42 apartments that includes a 19 apartment memory care neighborhood.
The new assisted living residence allows those seniors the ability to continue on with their
independence while also providing them such things as daily activities, laundry facilities,
a private dining room, as well as 24 hour nursing supervision. Shared, studio, and one
bedroom apartments are available. In addition, a safe and secure new memory care
neighborhood offers the best 24 hour care and specialized treatment programs for those
with dementia related illnesses. Respite care is also available.
Yet, even with all the levels of care provided, the Blaire House staff makes certain each
client or resident feels special and will receive only the best care and services. “We have
people who have been working here for years,” said Suitum. “To our staff, you’re not just a
number; you’re a person. And if there’s something we don’t offer—we will help you find it.
We’re senior advocates.”
The Blaire House has consistently received a five-star rating by the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services and has received a deficiency free rating three years in a row by the
state’s Department of Public Health. The Blair House is located at 20 Claflin St., Milford.
For more information, call Alissa Suitum at 508-958-0301 or visit www.elderservices.com/
blaire-house-of-milford.
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way long- term care nursing facilities are run
and viewed. He says allowing residents to make
personal choices on their day to day activities
goes a long way; a movement that St. Camillus
has been at the forefront of. “If they want to
wake up at 9 a.m., then they wake up at 9. They
choose what they want to eat and when. There’s
no regiment here. They are able to make the
same decisions here as they would if they were
home,” said Graves.
And speaking of eating, Graves says the food
served at the facility is truly top notch. “The
food is cooked to order. If it’s supposed to be
hot, then it’s served hot.” In fact, last year, the
culinary staff at St. Camillus took first place in a
local chowder contest beating out multiple area
restaurants.
The staff at St. Camillus is a very dedicated
and loving group who care for those at the
Health Center as if they were part of their own
family. And what’s even more comforting for
residents and their families is the fact that the
same staff members care for their loved ones on
a continual basis.
St. Camillus Health Center is located at 447
Hill St., Whitinsville. For more information,
call 508-234-7306, or log on to www.stcamillus.
com.
er’s new rehab equipment
MARCH 27, 2015
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
15
MEET THE ELECTION CANDIDATES
All candidates in the Milford Town Election were invited to submit an article promoting their candidacy to
The Milford Town Crier. John Erickson and Mike Walsh were the only two candidates that responded.
As in the past, the Town Crier reporter interviewed candidates for the office of Selectman.
William Kingkade
Candidate for Selectman
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/
Columnist
William Kingkade,
39, is running for the
three-year seat on the
Board of Selectmen.
The deputy director
of Automated Fare
William Kingkade Collection for the
Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority, he currently
serves on the Finance Committee, on the
board of Friends of Milford Area Special
Athletes and is a Town Meeting Member.
Kingkade previously served on the School
Committee and Milford Housing Authority.
Kingkade says he is running because, “I
love the town of Milford and I have always
enjoyed serving my community. I hope to
make Milford a better place for the next
generation. I was raised here and my wife,
Lisa, and I made the choice to raise our son
here.”
If elected, Kingkade says his goals
include:
• Continuing to balance the budget
without raising to the levy limit;
• Helping the Building Commissioner
and Board of Health enforce the
town’s occupancy by-laws and deal
appropriately with problem landlords;
and,
• Helping the Highway department with
a capital roads and sidewalks project.
“There’s always room for improvement,
but Milford is a great town,” Kingkade
says. He speaks of taxpayers as the own
government’s “customers,” who deserve
the services they pay for to be delivered as
efficiently as possible.” Milford’s done a great
job of living within the budget,” he says.
Among the issues he sees facing the
town are maintaining the town’s good
financial position, mitigating the effect
illegal immigration is having on the school
system, the re-use of the Middle School
East building and improving the town’s
information technology (IT) infrastructure.
Regarding IT, he calls it “a huge, huge issue
right now. We need to make a sizeable
investment. Not all at once. It can be staged
or phased in.”
Kingkade also would like to help revive
the downtown business area. “We have a
lot to offer,” he says, and wants to look at
whether tax incentives would lure more
businesses to locate on Main Street.
Michael Visconti, Jr.
John Erickson
Candidate for Selectman
Candidate for School
Committee
Candidate for School
Committee
Submited by
John Erickson
John Erickson is
running for election
for a three-year term
on the Milford School
Committee. He
grew up in Milford,
graduating from
John Erickson
the high school in
1986 as a member
of the National Honor Society. Erickson
graduated in 1990 from Worcester
Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Electrical Engineering
and joined his father in the family
business, Erickson Electric. In 2004 he was
appointed Assistant Building Inspector for
the Town of Milford, leading to his current
role as Building Commissioner
“I love the town of Milford and all that
it has to offer,” said Erickson in a written
statement.
“My education and practical experience,
as well as my demonstrated commitment
to the town, make me well suited to serve
as a member of the school committee,” he
added. “I understand the direct impact
the viability of our schools has on the
health of our town. Everything from
property valuations to local investment
opportunities, begin with a strong school
system. A high quality education is
paramount to the development of Milford’s
children, whether entering the work force
upon graduation, or continuing on to
college.”
Erickson continued, “As a Milford
resident, regardless of whether or not you
have children, you should care about our
schools. Taxpayers deserve cautious and
prudent spending that balances necessary
expenditures with fiscal responsibility.
We need to invest money and resources
to improve an outdated IT infrastructure.
We are building a new Woodland school,
which is the largest expense the town has
ever incurred. We need to make important
decisions regarding the re-use of Middle
School East. Teacher Contracts are under
negotiations and are expected to take
months to complete, and the list goes on.
“I am so passionate about Milford’s
future,” concluded Erickson, “And I ask
local voters to show up and cast your vote
for me on April 7.”
Submited by Mike Walsh
Mike Walsh, a candidate
for a three-year term
on the Milford School
Committee running for
re-election, has lived and
worked in Milford for the
past 26 years. He and his
wife Nancy are the proud
Mike Walsh
parents of two children,
Jessica and Michael Jr.,
educated in the Milford School System, and
their new daughter-in-law Courtney Walsh.
Said Walsh in a written statement,
“As a candidate, I believe that I offer our
residents a unique combination of 30 years
of management experience in the private
sector, along with the experience of serving
as Vice Chairman of the Milford School
Committee, Chairman of Milford Catholic
Elementary School and Milford Youth
Commission. This learning process has
been invaluable to me, providing me with
a clear understanding of what is necessary
to provide quality education in the Milford
Public Schools. In these difficult economic
times, my daily responsibility of managing
a multi-million dollar budget will serve our
community as we strive to provide a superb
education with less funding.”
“The most common question people
ask me is ‘Why are you seeking re-election
for the Milford School Committee?’” said
Walsh. “My family and friends know that
there is no place in my lifestyle for apathy.
I sincerely enjoy working and volunteering
my services for the community, especially
for our youth. What better way to fulfill
this desire than servicing all children in
Milford.”
Walsh added, “My pledge to you is that
I will continue to work with the same
dedication and zeal if re-elected as a
member of the Milford School Committee.
On April 7, 2015 I ask you to cast your vote
to re-elect me as a member of the Milford
School Committee.”
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/
Columnist
Michael Visconti,
Jr., 66, is running
for the three-year
seat on the Board of
Selectmen. A selfMichael Visconti, employed management
consultant, he served
Jr.
on the Zoning Board of
Appeals for 20 years and has been a Town
Meeting Member for more than 30 years.
Visconti is running for selectman
“because I believe everyone who can,
should contribute to the wellbeing of the
town and its taxpayers. I want to help move
our town forward without overburdening
the taxpayers.”
If elected, he hopes to accomplish the
following:
• Introduce private sector ideologies;
• Keep property taxes in check while
casting well-informed, totally objective
votes;
• Preserving the historical character of
the town;
• Eliminate nepotism; and,
• Deal swiftly with the illegal
immigration situation.
“I have a streetwise education, which I
think is very important,” Visconti says. He
adds, “I am, by nature, a very conservative
spender. I am an independent thinker.”
Visconti does not believe that the town
should spend up to the levy limit allowed
under Proposition 2½. “I believe there’s
no way we need to tax to the levy limit,”
he says. Proposition 2/12 was not an
invitation to tax to the limit, he explains,
but rather should be considered as a “fail
safe” measure that puts a limit on spending.
“There is no reason to increase taxes and
spending just because we have it,” he says.
Expounding on his fiscal views, Visconti
says tax hikes hurt seniors and others living
on fixed incomes. He asserts, “I will not
support any increase in taxes. The budget
has to be kept in check.” Visconti adds the
prevailing view is, “We have the money so
we look for areas to spend it in.” He notes
over the 10 fiscal years beginning in 2003,
property tax bills went up by 50 percent
while inflation rose by only 30 percent.
Town department heads should be told,
“Rein in your spending. It can be done.”
Mike Walsh
SHOP LOCAL
BUY LOCAL
Support Your
Local Businesses
Milford Rotary Club
Your Mortgage
Originator for Life..
Here to Help
Michael Shain
Senior Loan
Originator
NMLS #776638
VMC- CT/RI/NH #6331 | ML6331
16
Now
Offering
VA Loans
9th Annual Wine, Food & Craft Beer Tasting!
Saturday, March 28
The Crystal Room, 49 Cedar St, Milford
7 - 9:30 pm
tgage
Village Mortgage
it 4,
4 Milford
Milf d
154 West St., Unit
Cell: 508-330-8487
Email: mshain@villagemtg.com
www.mikeshain.villagemtg.com
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
Wine & Beers Showcased by
Gateway Liquors in Bellingham
Purchase wines & beers at a discount
FOOD TASTING
by Area Caterers and Restaurants
Many Exciting Auction Items
Tickets $35 per person
www.milfordrotary.org
Proceeds of this event will support Milford Rotary sponsored Youth Scholarships and
Programs, such as Leadership Academies, Swim Programs, and Career Days.
MARCH 27, 2015
SCOUT NEWS
Public Safety with Officer Tusino
Members of Milford Boy Scouts Pack 67, Den 3 met with Milford Police Department, Officer Robbie Tusino, to learn
about Public Safety a few weeks ago. The Scouts pictured behind Tusino are, l-r, Liam Blackwell, Ryan Straight, Nathan
Lawrence, Bryce Harper, Andrew Morais, Conner Reidt, Brandon Reidt and Benjamin Kinsella. Contriubted photo
Blue and Gold Ceremony
Members of Milford Boy Scouts
Pack 67 are pictured with State
Representative John Fernandes,
D. Milford, at the Blue and
Gold Ceremony on March 7.
Contributed photo
We’ve got a new logo!
And a new office at:
291 Main Street, Milford
Domestic Violence Affects Everyone.
New Hope Can Help.
Are you in a controlling or
abusive relationship?
You are not alone. Help is available.
Call New Hope’s
TOLL-FREE, 24-HOUR HOTLINE
1-800-323-HOPE (4673)
Gentleman, Get Your
Racecars Ready!
To view more photos of the 2015 Milford Pinewood Derby by
Harry Platcow visit TownCrier.us and click on Photo Galleries.
Want to learn more or
get involved?
Phone 774-462-3202
Website www.new -hope.org
Welcoming new patients in Milford | 176 West Street | reliantmedicalgroup.org/newpatients | 844.699.0266
Dr. Michelle Dalal
is welcoming new
patients to her
Pediatrics practice.
he Annual Milford Pinewood Derby
Championship Race, hosted by Pack 32, was
held on Saturday, March 14. Members of
Milford’s three Cub Scout Packs – 4, 32 and
67 – all participated in the race. Hoisting
the Pinewood Derby Town Championship
trophy are, l-r, Domineco Cantrambone,
James Comisky and William Naff, members
of Pack 4. Harry Platcow photo
Dr. Mary Medeiros
is welcoming new
patients to her
Internal Medicine
practice.
“My Reliant healthcare team in Milford is expanding
to meet my family’s growing needs.”
Bringing healthcare to life.
MARCH 27, 2015
15-162 Milford Brand Ad Two Docs Accepting.indd 1
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
3/10/2015 4:43:14 PM
17
Spring Spruce-Up
Making a Record
Snowfall a Lot More Fun
The Sullivan family of Milford turned the
proverbial lemons and made them into the
lemonade this winter. Substitute the words
record snowfall for lemons and igloo for
lemonade and you have an idea of how they
made a rotten winter a lot more fun. Paul
Sullivan was the architect and builder of the
igloo that graced the family’s Reservoir Road
property. Sheryl Sullivan reported that the
family had fun in the igloo before some long
awaited springtime warmth started melting the
structure. Sullivan Family photos
Greenleaf Garden Club Members Create
Magic in Boston
Think Spring!
Above Ground Pools
SaleS
&
Service
Inground Pools
liner SaleS & inStallation
Service & Maintenance
Pool and Spa Chemicals
508-966-1322 • cRyStalpoolStoRe.coM
95 Mechanic St, Rte 140, Bellingham
tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00-5:00
thursday 9:00-6:00 • Saturday 10:00-2:00
Four members of the Greenleaf Garden Club of Milford joined 104 floral
designers at the Boston Flower and Garden Show to create Seasons of
Enchantment, using their design talents to interpret tales of enchantment.
Anne Sarkisian’s creative design Bursting Out celebrated the enchantment of
Beginnings, the Division 1 theme and won third place.
Gail Reichert used small red slippers to introduce a note of whimsy into her
mostly green interpretation of the Wizard of Oz Emerald City.
The theme of Carol Burke’s Division 2 creation was the Nightingale, an Asian
inspired design using color as her medium.
June Donnelly used clear glass blocks as the base for her stretch design in the
class Frozen capturing the feel of ice which was accented by calla lilies and won a
third place. She also entered June Donnelly Design Studio in the Invitational Tools
of the Trade: Wizard Hats and Wands. Using ranunculus and orchids, she designed
a whimsical wizard hat and wand to express Seasons of Enchantment.
The show brought a taste of spring enchantment to March.
The Greenleaf Garden Club of Milford is a member
Gail Reichert uses whimsy to create a design
of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the Garden Club
interpreting the Wizard of Oz Emerald City at
Federation of MA, Inc. New members are always welcome.
the Boston Flower and Garden Show.
For information, call Jean DeLuzio at 508-473-6183.
Contributed photo
Giatas Landscaping Inc.
The Art of Fine Landscaping
Boucher Energy Systems, Inc.
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Est. 1984
Protect your home and family - everyday,
whether you are home or away.
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• Design and Site Planning
Firepits, Outdoor Kitchens
• Planting • Water Features
• Landscape Maintenance
• Outdoor Rooms, Fireplaces,
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matter most—remain protected
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installation of a Honeywell standby
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that ensures necessities, conveniences and amenities are always
available, automatically backed up when the power goes out.
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CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE:
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Ask about our lifetime transferable warranties (product and installation)
on concrete paver patios, driveways, walkways, and pool decks.
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Spring!
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a minute of spring outdoor living enjoyment,
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• Fireplaces & Hearth Products
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• Insect Control
Like Us on Facebook!
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18
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
MARCH 27, 2015
Spring Spruce-Up
Volunteers Needed for Earth Day
Cleanup
In celebration of Earth Day, the Blackstone River Watershed
Association (BRWA) is sponsoring its annual river cleanup on
Sunday, April 19 from 1 to 3 p.m. The cleanup will take place in
conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation
and Recreation (DCR) Park Serve Day being held throughout the
state.
The BRWA will work with volunteers in, and along, waterways
in Millbury, Grafton, Upton, Sutton, Northbridge, Uxbridge,
Douglas, Hopedale, Mendon, Millville, and Blackstone. Have fun
outdoors while protecting your local water resources. You can
make a difference by volunteering just a few hours of your time.
This project also meets community service requirements for many
organizations.
After the cleanup, volunteers will meet at River Bend Farm
Visitor Center in Uxbridge at 3 p.m. for pizza and drinks.
Alternatives Unlimited, Inc. will be sponsoring it’s annual
Clean and Green Fair from 2:30p.m. - 4:00p.m. at the Visitor
Center with environmental demonstrations and children’s
activities. Events will be held rain or shine.
For more information, to let us know of a local site that needs
cleaning, or to register for the cleanup, contact the BRWA at 508278-5200 or events@thebrwa.org.
Watershed Group Seeking
Volunteer Monitors
The Blackstone River Coalition (BRC) is in need of volunteer
water-quality monitors in Massachusetts to collect data at three
sites in the watershed. In the headwaters region, volunteers are
needed in Millbury for Singletary Brook on Sycamore Circle, and
in Boylston for Sewall Brook on School Street off Rt. 140. In the
midreach region, a volunteer is needed in Uxbridge for Bacon
Brook off Rt 146A. The BRC is also in need of trained monitors who
can serve as “floaters” to cover sites on an “as needed” basis.
The BRC recruits and trains citizen volunteers to participate
in the Blackstone River Coalition watershed-wide volunteer
water quality monitoring program. The goal of this long-running
program is to gather information about the current status of, and
long-term changes in, the health of the Blackstone River watershed.
This information helps policy makers, state officials, and concerned
citizens in their actions to make the Blackstone River cleaner.
The BRC has over 70 volunteers sampling 75 sites throughout
the watershed from Worcester to Pawtucket. Volunteers sample
their sites on the second Saturday of the month from April through
November. Volunteers are trained to test for dissolved oxygen
at the site, record physical and aesthetic parameters, and collect
a water sample, which they drop off at a testing lab between 9
a.m. and 12 p.m. on the Saturday of testing, to be analyzed for
nutrients, conductivity, and turbidity. The headwaters lab is at Broad Meadow Brook Audubon
Sanctuary on Massasoit Rd. in Worcester. The midreach lab is based
at the TriRivers Medical Center on Oak Street in Uxbridge.
To volunteer, contact Susan Thomas, Coordinator, BRC Volunteer
WQM Program at 508-839-9488/ acadia94@verizon.net.
Room Re-Design and Home Staging
Classes
The Milford Community School Use Program will be offering
two home design classes, Room Re-Design Wednesday, April 1 and
Home Staging Wednesday, April 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Milford High
School, room A-1. Wendy Ryder, owner and designer of Castle Hill
Designs, will be teaching these two courses.
In Room Re-Design: participants will get tips on how to transform
a tired room by working with color, window treatments, and things
you already have at home. Leave the night inspired with ideas for a low
budget renovation, room by boom. Bring a picture of a problem room
and walk away with fresh ideas.
In Home Staging: learn how to make the your home more
appealing to the potential buyer, thereby selling a property more
swiftly and for the optimum selling price.
For class fees and registration information visit www.mcs.milford.
ma.us. Please use the adult registration form.
Senior Citizens (65 and older) pay 10 percent discount of fee listed.
Checks should be made payable to the MILFORD COMMUNITY
PROGRAM and sent to: Milford Community School Use Program,
c/o Milford High School, 31 West Fountain St., Milford, MA 01757.
For further information, please call the office at 508-478-1119 or
check our web page at www.mcs.milford.ma.us.
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Spring Hikes at
West Hill Dam
In respect for wildlife, so they and the
people taking part are not injured at night
in deep snow, the Flashlight Night Hike
at West Hill Dam, 518 East Hartford Ave.,
Uxbridge will be held on April 11from 7:309:30 p.m. Meet at the dam office.
Also the Annual Vernal Pool migration
and night hikes to see the wonderful
reproduction phase in these incredible
seasonal wetland habitats will be held rain
or shine on April 11 and 18 from 7:30-9:30
p.m. No nets or moving of animals are
allowed. All the hikes are great for science
requirements, Scout badges and for all to
learn to protect these vital habitats and
amphibians.
Taming of the Yew
MILFORD-The Greenleaf Garden Club
will feature landscape designer and
horticulturist Tom Strangfeld speaking
on Taming of the Yew on April 13. The
meeting will take place at the Ruth Anne
Bleakney Senior Center, N. Bow St., Milford
beginning at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments
followed at 7 p.m. by the program.
Strangfeld, who worked for 28 years at
Weston Nurseries, designed for the Boston
Public Garden and created exhibits for
the Boston Flower and Garden Show, will
present a “tongue in cheek” look at the way
suburbia prunes, “protects” and punishes
the plants in their care. He will share his
view of the landscape with horticultural
humor.
The Greenleaf Garden Club is a member
of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the
Garden Club Federation of MA, Inc. For
information, call Jean DeLuzio at 508-4737790.
Steeves Home
Improvement
Please support
our advertisers
- tell them you
saw their ad in
The Town Crier.
Spring Furnace
Cleaning is in
Full Swing
steeveshomeimprovements@yahoo.com
Painting
Carpentry
Windows
Doors
Finished
Basements
Water Damage
Bathrooms
Sheet Rock
Decks & Sheds
Demo
Cleanouts
Licensed & Fully Insured
508-922-2752 - cell
508-883-8665 - office
Now is a good time to
evaluate your heating
and hot water needs.
• That old boiler giving you trouble? Why not consider
a more fuel efficient and reliable replacement?
• Not getting enough hot water? We can provide you
with an indirect water heater that doesn’t use any
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• Putting on an addition or finishing a basement? Call
us to install heat for you.
Why not give us a call? Your neighbor just did!
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508-473-9566
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MARCH 27, 2015
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19
JOE HYDER
Q. If you weren't doing what you are
ROVING REPORTER doing now, what would you be doing?
Larry Joe
Susan Clark
Rob Minor
Owner, Larry Joe’s New England FirePit
Director Ruth Anne Bleakney Senior Center
Owner, RJM Autobody
If I wasn’t doing this what would I
be doing? This is a great question. I
have done lots of different jobs in my
life but none can compare with what
I currently do. Being appointed as the
Director of the Senior Center has been
a blessing. If you had asked me when I
was younger if I saw myself doing this
I would have probably said no thanks.
I have worked in Banks, High Tech
Companies, Private Industry and
finally Municipal Government. When I was younger I didn’t
really have a plan; I knew I had to work, and I also knew, if I
really enjoyed what I did for work I would never work a day in
my life. None of these past jobs made me feel that I was doing
something worthwhile.
When I came to work for the Town over 20 years ago as the
Director of the Community Development Office I finally felt
like I was doing something worthy. I enjoyed helping people
through the Housing Rehabilitation Program, or by providing
a social service, or working in neighborhoods improving the
infrastructure. I came to realize that I liked helping people in my
Town and I especially liked helping Senior Citizens.
I truly believe now, that this is what the plan was for me. I
couldn’t think of a better career then the one I now have. I love
coming to work every day, I love spending time with the seniors,
hearing their stories, helping them with problems and celebrating
holidays and special occasions with them.
What would I be doing if it I wasn’t doing this? I don’t know
but I do know that I wouldn’t be as happy as I am today.
Mr. Hyder, it
might surprise
you to know
that years ago
when in grade
school I always
wanted to study
law. Being a
lawyer, as seen
on TV, really
impressed me.
I told to my
parents, who encouraged me to study
hard and perhaps I could make it happen.
But, and this is a big, my dad told me it
was necessary to work during summer
vacation when in high school. Not only
was I looking for summer work, but also
he made sure I got a job, by looking for
me. No fool, my dad. So I went to work
for a nearby auto body shop, doing odd
jobs. Eventually I picked up some skills by
seeing the others work and fix dents and
stuff as needed. The boss liked my work
and it made me proud. So I stayed on in
the auto body business. I am now proud to
say that fate stepped in and said to leave
lawyering to other men and women, and
you continue with the business that was
meant to be. Guess you would call it
kismet! Now the owner of Larry Joe’s New
England FirePit, 30 Cape Road (Rt.
16) Mendon, I was in power plant
operations engineering specializing
in nuclear plant regulatory and
operations management for 24 years.
Thinking about what else I might
have done I reflect on my eight years
of U.S. Navy nuclear submarine
engineering experience. Pushing
holes through the Pacific Ocean was
a memorable wild ride!
An avid high-speed recreational ocean sailor and lover of life,
I tried sport sailplanes, made several offshore catamaran sailboat
voyages, and skied the summits of many prominent mountains
in the United States. I grew up in Arkansas and have traveled to
48 states, a couple of territories and a few Pacific Rim countries.
I am now channeling my energy and passions to street vending
with our Olde-Fashioned mobile kitchen. Singing and playing
an assortment of rhythm and blues tunes on a piano keeps me
nearby. I admit to owning several other musical instruments
but have fond memories of my first music scholarship playing
classical and blues Trombone.
Reflecting on what else I might have done, I realize I have
always been challenged with choosing which of these fun
endeavors upon which I should focus.
My fun and passions have clearly come together at the FirePit
with its constantly growing group of returning friends and self
identified ‘Fanatics’. I invite everyone to view the restaurant’s
seasonal schedule, which is posted on ‘YELP.com’ and the
changes noted daily on the ‘facebook’, ‘Fanatics’ page.
M-F: 8am - 7pm
Sat: 9am - 4pm
BEST PRICES AROUND!
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Now Serving Breakfast On
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Organic Dry Cleaning (most items): $3.50
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508-966-1800
• Holiday Gift Cards • Take-Out Available • Catering
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Water Street
Meat Market
Celebrating
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Civil Engineer & Land Survey Consultants
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508.473.6630
508.473.8243 (fax)
Franklin, MA 02038
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Fine Meats, Portuguese and Brazilian Foods
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GO GREEN
Pay online 24/7 at:
www.MilfordWater.com
Save a Stamp (it’s free to
pay online)
Less Clutter,
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Environment!
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Email Milfordwater@milfordwater.com
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Would You Like
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Joe Hyder
Roving
Reporter?
Contact Joe at:
508-473-1922
or
508-259-6932
MARCH 27, 2015
Sports
Heart of the Order
Returns for Milford
Baseball
By Chris Villani
Sports Reporter/Columnist
The Milford High School baseball
team figures to have a potent lineup
this season with Paul Pellegrini’s Scarlet
Hawks returning the two, three, and
four hitters in the 2014 batting order
back again this spring. The head coach
is hoping Drew Wilde, Jeff Besozzi, and
Blake Hill pick up right where they left
off last season.
“We saw progress last season from
beginning to end and these guys worked
hard in the off-season to be better,”
Pellegrini said. “They helped organize
captain’s practices and I know they want
to compete and be better.”
Wilde will likely play in the middle
infield, either at second base or
shortstop. Last year’s team MVP, the
senior will serve as co-captain along
with Besozzi, who will see time at first
base and third base. Hill, despite being
just a sophomore, is expected to be a
force in the Scarlet Hawks’ lineup.
“[Hill] put on some muscle and some
good weight and he’s the type of hitter
who is going to intimidate opposing
pitchers,” Pellegrini said. “Last year, we
only hit around .240 as a team and that
is not going to win you ballgames at the
high school level. I think if we find our
pitching, we will do pretty well.”
In addition to hitting cleanup,
Hill will take the reigns of a pitching
staff that lost nine of its 10 wins to
graduation last spring. Seniors Alex
Croteau and Griffin Lynch will also see
significant time on the mound. Croteau
pitched for the state championship
Milford Legion team in 2014, and Lynch
lead the staff for the Milford Sr. Babe
Ruth squad.
“Alex worked his tail off to get better
and it shows, I can tell from his first
couple bullpen sessions how much
he has worked on his mechanics,”
Pellegrini said. “Griffin had a very
good summer with the Sr. Ruth team.
I think they can do it, these guys have
competed at the varsity level in a few
different sports.”
Pellegrini says he has a number
of players who could potentially fill
multiple roles on this year’s team.
Anthony Mazzini can catch and play
anywhere in the field. Freshman Aidan
Wilde can also catch, play the infield,
and pitch and will likely step in and play
right away. “Aidan is a natural athlete
who can do it all,” Pellegrini said. “He
doesn’t look like a freshman. I expect
him to play a big role.”
Milford won 10 games last season
and Pellegrini says he’s hoping to bump
that total up to at least 15 this year. The
Hockomock League appears strong,
with teams like Oliver Ames, Stoughton,
Franklin, and King Phillip all returning
standouts from their 2014 rosters. But
the head coach remains undaunted as
the season nears.
“I expect us to compete with everyone
this year, this is a baseball-minded
squad,” he said. “I think we are going to
see a bump in run scoring and I think a
lot of people are going to be surprised at
what a difference a year can make. This
is a good group and I think we are going
to hit.”
MARCH 27, 2015
How you hurt your
back is your business.
◆ Griffin Lynch from front page
this winter. Lynch said he did his best to help out his teammates
in all aspects of the game. “I think I try to set a good example for
the underclassmen and for my fellow seniors,” he said. “I try to go
about things the right way and try to play the game with class. This
season was definitely a memorable one. To win that playoff game was
awesome and a huge boost for our program.”
Lynch will finish up his high school sports career with the Milford
High baseball team this spring. He’s expected to be one of the squad’s
starting pitchers. He will attend Michigan State University in the fall.
Lynch has not decided whether he will participate in sports at the
club level in college. He plans to focus on his studies and a major in
marketing.
“I wanted a big school with big time school spirit,” he said. “I went
out to visit a couple of weeks ago and I really liked it. I just recently
committed and I can’t wait to get out there.”
Fixing it is ours.
Dr. Laura Hodne
508-482-0642
189 Main Street,
2nd Floor, Milford
Milford Softball Returns
Experienced Roster
By Chris Villani
Sports Reporter/Columnist
The Milford High School softball team exceeded the expectations
of many last spring when the Scarlet Hawks qualified for the sectional
tournament and captured the Hockomock League’s Davenport
division championship. Second-year head coach Steve DiVitto is
hoping the experience gained will prove beneficial with nine returning
players this spring.
“I told the girls ‘we are no longer the hunters, we are the hunted,’”
DiVitto said. “We graduated a lot of great talent two years ago and
expectations going into last year were not as high, but this group
won the league and nearly advanced in the tournament. Now the
expectations are much higher.”
Seniors Allie Piergustavo and Taylor LeBrun will anchor the MHS
lineup. Piergustavo, who is headed to St. Bonaventure on a softball
scholarship, hit .413 with four home runs and 23 runs batted in last
year. She earned team most valuable player honors and garnered votes
for Hockomock League MVP. Piergustavo played club softball last
summer and hit double-digit home runs for her team.
“She is the type of talent that, when she comes up to the plate, it’s
scary for the opposing team,” DiVitto said. “She lives, eats, and sleeps
softball. She loves the game and has a passion for it. We are excited to
see what she can do.”
LeBrun returns to the team fully healthy after missing most of
last year with a broken wrist suffered during the season opener. She
returned for the final eight games and hit a blistering .481 in 27 at bats.
She will handle the catching duties for the Scarlet Hawks. “Having her
healthy and ready to go right away is a big boost,” DiVitto said. “She
caught for two state title teams and she is a true catcher and a leader.”
LeBrun will handle a pitching staff that will be lead by sophomore
Ali Atherton. In her freshman year, Atherton paced the team in most
categories in the circle, including 63.2 innings pitched, an 8-1 record,
and a 1.54 ERA. “We are hoping Ali can build off her success from
last year and continue to progress and get better,” DiVitto said. “She
was outstanding last year and to get the type of experience she did as a
freshman is invaluable.”
Sophomore lefthander Maggie Farrell and junior Jenny Levine
will also pitch for the Scarlet Hawks in 2015. Milford will also lean
on juniors Megan Jacques, Jill Powers, and Sydney Pounds and
sophomore Kaitlyn DeCapua, all of whom have varsity experience
coming into this season.
“That’s the biggest advantage we have, all of these girls on the team
have a lot of experience over the past couple of years,” DiVitto said.
“That will go a long way.”
42 Congress Street, Milford
508-473-5511
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Jewelry Engraving
508-478-8043
258 Main Street •Room 303
Across from Milford Post Office
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quartz, repaired and serviced.”
Where’s George?
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74 South Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748
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MA Mortgage Loan Originator #349109
MA Mortgage Broker License #4948
In Loving Memory
DORIS QUIRK & CHRISTINE GUIDI
March 24, 1986 - 2015
Dear Mother and Grandmother,
I can’t help thinking about you. It seems you are
always on my mind. I think of you often when I am
at work, hoping that the achievements we’ve made
would please you both. In silence I often think of
you, and speak to you, I speak your names to friends
and family that knew you. Somehow it keeps you
alive in my heart. I often say that you both are my
true north --- a guiding light that keeps me on course,
keeps me striving for all that would make you proud.
I am who I am today because of you. I’m so lucky to
have had you in my life, as short a time as it was. All
I have are memories and pictures. Your memory is
constantly with me ... a keepsake ... from which I’ll
never part. God has you in his arms, I have you
in my heart ...
Sadly Missed
John Quirk, Jr.
James Quirk
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
21
Sports
SPORTS FLASH
By Chris Villani
Local Teams Set
Back by Snow
Warmer temperatures and some March rain
showers have helped melt the record snowfall that hit
Massachusetts this winter, but area athletic directors
are still scrambling to plan for a spring season and
the extra challenges Mother Nature has presented.
“In the Hockomock League, we voted to push
back the first week of competition,” Milford AD
Peter Boucher said. “That gives us an extra week of
preseason so that will help out a little bit. We will not
as pressed into competing right away.” The MIAA
voted to extend the spring season an extra week to
May 31, giving the spring teams some extra time on
the back end of the schedule as well.
“I don’t think there is much of an option, I think
we have to [extend the spring season],” Blackstone
Valley Tech AD Michelle Denise said. “I just wish the
decision was made sooner so we could have started a
week later. In a week, a lot of us might be looking at
a different situation.”
Indoor facilities have also been a challenge for
Milford. Fortunately for Boucher, the other schools
in the system have been willing to open their doors
to the MHS squads.
“We are supremely fortunate with the amount
of space we have and we have been able to use the
wrestling room, the cheering room, and rotate teams
through the pool deck running laps to help them get
in their cardio workouts,” Boucher said. “The other
schools have been very helpful. We have our softball
team working out at Stacy and some nets set up at
Middle East for the tennis teams. The elementary
schools have bumped their physical education
schedule around to accommodate our lacrosse
teams.”
In addition to using her own indoor facilities,
Denise has a plan to get her athletes ready for the
season. “We are holding tryouts this week as we
always have, but we are going to tell the JV and
freshman programs to hold off until we can be
outside,” she said. “We want to focus on getting the
varsity programs ready to go and we might go a bit
later with the freshman and JV schedules than we
usually do. I think that’s a strategy that will work.
It makes me feel a little better than trying to put 60
kids in the gym chasing after one ball.”
Once the fields are clear, the schools will have a
brand new challenge; the mud.
“We can’t just get out there Day 1 and dig into the
surface three or four inches,” Boucher said. “It’ll take
a little time for it to dry out and we are asking people
to be patient. We are working with plans A, B, C, and
D and we will try to be prepared for everything.”
“Our fields drain really well,” Denise said. “At some
other schools the fields are sunken down and they
will struggle maybe to play any home games. We will
play,” she added. “I just don’t know when.”
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Woodworth Takes over BVT Boys LAX
By Chris Villani
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Four years ago, Steve Woodworth didn’t know much about
lacrosse. He had never coached the sport. In fact, he had
never even played the sport. After four years of immersing
himself in a sport he’s fallen in love with, he will take the
reigns as the head coach of the Blackstone Valley Tech varsity
program this year.
“I was a teacher at BVT and I was the JV hockey coach,”
Woodworth said. “I had coached hockey for many years
and one year [Athletic Director] Michelle Dense didn’t have
anyone to coach the JV lacrosse team and asked if I would. I
picked it up quickly and I really love the sport.”
Woodworth wasn’t about to pursue his new gig
halfheartedly. He studied the game and relied upon his
experience as a teacher to impart information to his players.
He called his niece, a former lacrosse player at St. Michael’s
College in Vermont and his brother in law, a lacrosse official
who grew up in a lacrosse hotbed in Connecticut and picked
their brains. He even joined a recreational lacrosse league to
learn the sport from the perspective of a player.
“I have played hockey for a long time, including at the high
school and college level, and I never had anyone coach me
that had never played before. There was some adjustment,
but I was able to develop a great rapport with the kids and it
worked out well.”
So well, in fact, that when the varsity position opened
this season, Dense again turned to Woodworth. The
circumstances were made even more challenging due to the
fact that Woodworth was laid off as a teacher at BVT last year
through no fault of his own. He is now teaching at Dighton-
MHS Volleyball Boasts Versatile Roster
By Chris Villani
Sports Reporter/Columnist
Milford High School boys volleyball
head coach Linda Zacchilli knew
replacing Michael Antonellis would be
the team’s tallest task headed into the
2015 season. What the Scarlet Hawks
lost in star power, however, they may be
able to make out with versatility.
“Most of our top players have varsity
experience and most of them can play
anywhere across the net,” Zacchilli said.
“I am not sure exactly where everyone is
going to play, but I feel having guys who
are capable of playing different spots on
the floor makes us a stronger team.”
Senior captain Stevan Luna is one player
who could fill multiple roles. He will
return as the team’s starting setter, but
could also be called upon to hit when
needed. Fellow senior Erik Vega is the
only three year starter on the floor,
having been brought up mid-season in
2013 as a sophomore.
“They are leading the way for us and
doing a great job,” Zacchilli said. “We
played a jamboree in Andover last
weekend and faced some strong teams. I
thought we held our own and these two
are a big part of the reason why.”
An additional quartet of seniors will
fill many of the remaining spots on the
floor. As is the theme with this year’s
squad, they seem to have the ability to
fill more than one spot. Earl Bassett can
play any of the three spots across the net,
but Zacchilli says he may be strongest on
the right side. He also has good hands,
and may set when Luna is pressed into
service on the attack.
Middle hitter Devin LeMotte will be the
primary middle blocker. Lucas Bentes
may help out at the libero position as
well as across the net and Seth Little
is expected to provide depth on the
outside.
“All of these guys saw the court last
season and they are all coming back with
quality experience,” Zacchilli said. “The
majority of kids played out of season
and they are comfortable playing with
each other. Last year, Antonellis handled
80 percent of the hitting, this year all of
our guys will hit. It opens things up and
allows us to move things around if we
are facing a team with a strong block.”
Junior Paulo Xavier will play both
middle hitter and right side and
classmate Michael Haver will see time in
the middle as well. “Both of these boys
are good sized and should see a lot of
playing time,” Zacchilli said. “One or the
other, or both, will round out the core
players on the court.”
Sophomore Jack Winship is also
expected to see the varsity floor.
Zacchilli said he is one of the stronger
servers in the group. Junior Ryan White
will set for the junior varsity team and
serve as the primary backup behind
Luna.
As usual, Milford will play a tough
schedule and Zacchilli says this may be
the strongest she has ever been able to
put together. Milford will battle Eastern
Mass powers like Andover, Lawrence, St.
John’s Prep of Danvers, and Haverhill.
The Scarlet Hawks also face some of the
best teams in the southern part of the
state like New Bedford Vocational and
Brockton and one of the best in Western
Mass with a match against Chicopee
Comp. Milford opens up on Monday
against Central Mass powerhouse St.
John’s of Shrewsbury.
“No question, we will have our work cut
out for us,” Zacchilli said. “But I think
we are up to the task.”
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Rehoboth and admits coming back to Valley Tech wasn’t easy.
“I didn’t know how I would feel going back, and when I
went back to the school to talk to Michelle about the job, it
was hard,” he said. “I don’t blame them for what happened,
they just added an engineering shop and I teach drafting. It
was just tough, almost like being divorced and seeing your exwife all the time. But once I had a couple of kids come up and
hug me in the hallway, all that went out the window.”
Woodworth says adjusting to the varsity level means
a different kind of teaching. Rather than spending time
focusing on developing skills and getting players ready for the
next level, he will be tasked with marshalling success during
the games as well.
“These kids know the game, it’s not as much of a focus on
the fundamentals,” he said. “It’ll be a bit of a challenge.”
BVT grad Andrew Barksdale, a lacrosse player at Nichols
College, is going to take over the junior varsity program and
Woodworth will be looking to him to pitch in considerably.
“He has been playing the game a long time and he might be
able to catch some of the things I’d miss,” Woodworth said.
“He knows a lot about the game and when you play at the
college level, you learn the game in a different way.”
Woodworth says his biggest concern on the field headed
into the new year was in goal, but that fear has been alleviated
somewhat by the fact that several younger goalies have shown
up to try out for the team. He’s setting a high bar for his team
in his first season at the helm.
“I would like to get to the districts,” he said. “But most of all,
I just would like them to have fun and have a good season. I
think we will do well.”
NATHANS’
Jewelers
508-473-7375
157 Main Street
MILFORD
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
MARCH 27, 2015
Sports
Third Annual St. Camillus Golf
Tournament
UXBRIDGE-Third Annual St. Camillus Golf
Tournament will be held on Tuesday, May 19
at Blissful Meadows Golf Club, Uxbridge. The
fee is $150 per player. The event begins with
registration at 8 a.m. followed by a Shotgun
start at 9 a.m. for the scramble format golf
tournament. The golf is followed at 3 p.m. by a
cocktail hour and then a buffet dinner complete
with an awards presentation and raffles at 4 p.m.
A variety of sponsorships are available. All
proceeds benefit the non-profit nursing home.
For more information or to register contact
St. Camillus Health Center at 508-234-7306 or
visit StCamillus.com.
Water Aerobics
Boston Tune-up 15K
UPTON-The 35th Annual Frank Nealon Boston
Tune-up 15K sponsored by the Tri-Valley
Runners will be held on Saturday, April 4
beginning at 10 a.m. at Nipmuc Regional High
School in Upton. The race is a perfect tuneup for those running in the Boston Marathon
or any runner, who enjoys a scenic road
racecourse. Pre-entry registration is $25 or
$20 for those under 19. Post entry registration
begins at 8:30 a.m. the day of the race at Nipmuc
and is $30 or $20 for those under 19. There is no
fee for races 70 and older. To pre-register send
a check payable to Tri-Valley Front Runners
to Tri-Valley Front Runners, PO Box 708,
Framingham, MA 01701. For more information
visit Tri-ValleyFrontRunners.com/Tune-Up.
MILFORD-Water Aerobics is one of the
best-kept secrets of the Milford Community
Program’s Adult Recreation program. From
6:15 to 7:15 pm on Mondays, the Milford
High School indoor pool hosts the hour-long
program taught by instructor Susan Antonellis.
In chest-deep water, instructor Susan
Antonellis leads Supported by the chest-deep
water which helps protect joints and offers
resistance, participants go through a series of
exercises that are similar to walking, jogging
and cross-country skiing. This program is ideal
for anyone recovering from injury or surgery.
No experience or swimming skills are needed.
All exercises take place in the shallow end of
the pool and a ramp allows for easy access into
and out of the pool.
Start anytime, this is a drop in program
that runs year round. Open to all adults in the
greater Milford area, participants pay $5 at the
door.
For more information, please visit www.
mcs.milford.ma.us or call 508-478-1119.
Scarlet Hawks Post Season Boot Camp
Athletic Based Training Boot Camp
Swim Lesson Registration
MILFORD-Milford Community School Use
Program will offer the Athletic Based Training
Boot Camp (ABT) for adults on Monday and
Wednesday mornings from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m.
starting Monday, April 27, and ending Monday,
June 29 at the Milford High School track. ABT
Boot Camps are fun and highly energizing
while forcing your body to constantly adapt
and change. This is the secret to losing body
fat and achieving fast results. All fitness levels
are welcome as everyone is encouraged to go at
their own pace. This program will be held at the
Milford High School Track.
Please send an Adult Recreation registration
form – found at www.mcs.milford.ma.us and check or money order to the Milford
Community Program, 31 West Fountain
St., Milford. Registration forms along with a
payment may be dropped off at the office located
in Milford High School. For more information,
please visit the website or call 508-478-1119.
Sports Mania
MILFORD-The Milford Community School
Use Program will offer Sports Mania, instructed
by the F.A.S.T.Athletics Staff on April 21-23 for
girls and boys in grades Kindergarten through
4 at the Town Park/Softball Field from 9 a.m.
to noon. It includes a ton of games – some
traditional and some wacky plus the opportunity
to meet new people. Each day will include
tournaments of soccer and wacky baseball/
softball games. Class limit is 24 children.
For additional program information and
registration forms, please visit the Milford
Community Program website at www.mcs.
milford.ma.us. Please call the office at 508-4781119 with questions. All registration forms
and fees must be submitted to the Milford
Community Program office located at 31 West
Fountain Street, Milford MA 01757 prior to the
start of the program.
Visit towncrier.us
and click on SPORTS
to read about all the
sport's teams!
MARCH 27, 2015
MILFORD-The Milford Community School
Use Program is sponsoring the Scarlet Hawks
Post-Season Boot Camp, a basketball skills/
conditioning camp for boys and girls in grades
3 through 12 at the Middle School East Gym,
Winter St on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April
14 through May 21. Instructors are Paul Seaver,
MHS Boys Varsity Basketball Coach, TJ Dolliver,
MHS Boys JV Coach, and Chris Trafecante, MHS
Boys Freshman Coach.
Boys and girls in grades 3 through 6 will attend
from 6 to 7 p.m. and those in grades 7 through 12
from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
All program information and registration
forms may be found on the Milford Community
Program website at www.mcs.milford.ma.us or
by calling508- 478-1119.
Forms and fees must be submitted to the
Milford Community Program office located at 31
West Fountain St., Milford MA 01757 prior to the
start of the program.
MILFORD-Lenny Morcone, Director of the
Milford Community School Use Program, has
announced the registration date for Session 4
of Swim Lessons of the American Red Cross to
be held at the Milford High School Pool. Swim
Lessons are offered to all skill levels and all age,
starting at two years of age. Sessions run five
weeks for Levels 1 – 6 and five weeks for children
ages 2 through 5. Classes for Levels 1-6 are held
on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning April
14 and ending May 21 from 6 to 7 p.m. Classes
for Tiny Tonkers, ages 2 and 3, are held 10 a.m.
and for Mini Wheats, ages 4 and 5 at 11 a.m. on
Saturday, April 11, 18 and May 2, 9, and 16.
Space is limited and registration is accepted on
a first-come, first-serve basis with the registration
date for Milford residents only is Monday, April
6 at 6 p.m. in the lobby of the Milford High
School Pool. Residents must show proof of
residency. Non-Milford residents are welcome if
space is available. On the day following Milford
registration, level openings will be posted on
the message board of our website at www.mcs.
milford.ma.us or you may call 508-478-1119.
Any parents with any specific questions regarding
Swim Lessons may call the office or visit the
website.
Sports and
Reading Mix at
Woodland School
The Milford High School Athletes took
part in a Reading Night with Woodland
Elementary School students on Thursday,
March 12. First the athletes read to the
students and then they all met up in
the gym for a pep rally. Afterwards the
athletes signed all the students’ autograph
booklets. It was a fun way to start the
spring season for the high school athletes
and a super fun night of reading and
cheering from the little fans of Milford.
The third and fourth graders loved it all….
the reading, the Scarlet Hawk mascot, the
pep rally and the autographs!
Young Ryan Atherton, age 4, was excited
to get an autograph from Clarissa Myers.
Contributed photo
Jake Tamagni, left, and Mike DaSilva share a book with third graders Josh Maillet.
Contributed photo
New Hope 5K and Family Fun Walk
FRANKLIN- Save the date of Saturday, June 6
for the New Hope 5K and Family Fun Walk. The
walk will be held at Remington/Jefferson School,
628 Washington St., Franklin, beginning at 7:45
a.m. with registration and followed at 9 a.m.
with the 5K Run and Family Health Fair. The fair
includes free face painting, games, music and a
community clothing drive drop-off. The Family
Fun Walks starts at 9:30 a.m. and costumes are
encouraged.
Awards will be presented at 10:30 a.m. for
Overall Fastest Female and Male 5K runners,
best 5K times in age categories and best costume
for walkers. Registration for the 5K is $25 for
adults, $15 for students and $10 for children 12
an under; Family Fun Walk is $10 per person,
$25 for a team of five and $250 for a corporate/
social team of 10.
All proceeds benefit New Hope a non-profit
organization with the mission of Ending
Domestic and Sexual Violence in Our
Community.
Visit New-Hope.org/5K for more information or
to register.
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
23
Most Commonly Found
Food Service Violations
Last Year
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Health Agent Paul Mazzuchelli has released
a list of the most commonly found violations in
food service establishments during last year’s
inspections by the Milford Board of Health:
• Floors, walls and ceilings kept in good
repair to prevent vermin from living there
and to make cleaning easy
• Outer openings properly sealed to prevent
entrance of vermin
• Toxic Items: necessary, properly stored and
labeled
• Plumbing: installed and maintained, such as
hot and cold running water and free from
leaks
• Hands washed and cleaned, good hygienic
practices, employee hand-washing signs
• Original containers, properly labeled
• Potentially hazardous food meets
temperature requirements
• Thermometers required in all coolers and
freezers
• Food must be covered and stored off the
floor in all coolers and freezers
• All food contact and non-food contact
surfaces of equipment and utensils must be
kept clean/repaired at all times
The list is contained in the spring edition of
the electronic newsletter which Mazzuchelli
and the Board of Health send to all food
service establishments in town as a way of
“strengthening our partnership with you and
your food business.”
All food service establishments in Milford are
inspected routinely several times each year “to
ensure that the high standard of food safety and
hygiene practices continue to be maintained,”
according to the newsletter. When violations are
found, repeat inspections are held to ensure the
violations are corrected
Reliant Medical Group Adds
Third ReadyMED Site
After opening its second ReadyMED location in
Auburn less than two years ago, Reliant Medical
Group has opened a third state-of-the-art walk-in
medical facility at 340 East Main St. (Rt. 16 across
from Acapulcos Restaurant) in Milford. Opened in late
February, the site is accessible to Reliant patients and
non-patients who carry any number of major health
insurance plans. “We opened our Auburn location in response to
the overwhelming demand for our walk-in services in
Shrewsbury,” says Raj Hazarika, M.D., Reliant’s chair of
same day services. “Less than two years later, we’re still
seeing enough demand to warrant the opening of more
locations, starting with the site in Milford.”
The new site, which will be staffed by advanced
practitioners and physicians along with other medical
staff, will be open seven days per week, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
The only two days per year ReadyMED is not open are
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“Our services at ReadyMED are designed to treat a
wide range of minor illnesses or injuries that may not
require emergency room care, but should be addressed
before a patient’s regular physician is available the next
day or after the weekend,” adds Hazarika.
The new facility, which occupies 5,500 square feet in
a newly constructed building, features a reception area
with self-service check-in kiosks, a lab for performing
basic tests, multiple exam rooms, a procedure room
and a radiology room, all of which will allow the staff
to handle minor illnesses and injuries ranging from
the flu to earaches to fractures and sprains.
“Reliant has offered primary and specialty care
in the Milford area for some time now,” says Leon
Josephs, M.D., Reliant’s CEO and Chairman of the
Board. “The next logical step for us, especially in a
thriving community like Milford, is to expand our
services to include offerings like ReadyMED. We’re
seeing a demand for convenient walk-in care, and
Milford provides us with the perfect opportunity to
deliver that high quality care.”
For more information about ReadyMED, including
a list of accepted insurance plans, please visit
ReadyMED.org.
Home Instead Senior Care Raised
Funds for Animal Rescue League
Hone Instead Senior Care of Greater Worcester County and MetroWest
donated $1770 to the Worcester Animal Rescue League from a Facebook
fundraiser. Contributed photo
Home Instead Senior Care of Greater Worcester County and MetroWest
held a February Facebook Fundraiser event that raised $1177 for the
Worcester Animal Rescue League (WARL).
Home Instead Senior Care, a private-pay agency that has been serving
the Worcester County and Metro West areas since 1997, chooses several
non-profit organizations each year to run a Facebook Fundraiser. For
the month of February, Home Instead ran a fundraiser that encouraged
readers to “Like” their Facebook page and in turn, Home Instead
would donate to the Worcester Animal Rescue League. “It’s a winwin situation,” says, Laurie Bender, Owner, of Home Instead. “We are
fortunate that we are able to give back to the community and this year
we got the confirmation from Allie Tellier at the Worcester Animal
Rescue League.”
Home Instead Senior Care caregivers will go into a senior’s home
providing companionship and support in all types of household chores
and activities of daily living allowing them to safely stay in their home
and remain independent. According to Bender, “It was a natural fit for
the organizations to work together as pets can play an instrumental role
in the well-being of a senior. Many times a senior can benefit by having
the companionship and a reason to care about something. What was
unique about WARL was the Senior for Senior program. WARL waived
the adoption fee if a Senior was adopting a “senior” pet.”
Government
ZBA Allows “Teacup” Pig on Cornell Drive
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
voted unanimously on March 12 to allow
Leah Reynolds of 21 Cornell Drive to have
a “teacup” pig for a pet for a one-year trial
period to see how big the animal becomes
and whether it becomes a neighborhood
nuisance.
Reynolds told board members the eight
week-old piglet she plans to adopt – “Pork
Chop” – will be an “indoor only house
pet” that will grow to 40 pounds over the
next three years. “He wouldn’t be outside
unattended,” she said.
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to participate in training.
Chairman David Consigli – reading from
information provided to board members by
Reynolds – said the pig can be trained to use
a litter box, has a 10 to 15-year life span, has a
docile temperament, and can grow to the size
of a medium-sized dog.
But, Linda Halloran – speaking on behalf of
her mother, Rosemary Thomson of 15 Cornell
Drive, disagreed. Her Internet research found
there really is no breed known as a “teacup”
pig and they often grow to a much larger size.
“I grew up in that neighborhood. Yards are
very small. I don’t think it’s feasible,” Halloran
said.
In response, Reynolds repeated, “The pig
would be kept indoors.” In terms of potential
size, “It’s just a matter of who you got the pig
through,” she added. Earlier, Reynolds said
that Pork Chop’s parents weigh between 30
and 35 pounds. Technically, the breed is a
miniature pot-bellied pig, she said.
Alternate ZBA member Mark Calzolaio
suggested giving the board grant a special
permit for one year and then look at how
Pork Chop has adapted to the neighborhood
before renewing it. “It kind of gives you a
trial and error period,” Consigli said, adding
neighbors could use the year to evaluate
whether the pig poses a problem.
Citizens for Milford to Host Police
Chief, Highway Surveyor
Citizens for Milford will host Police Chief Thomas O’Loughlin and Highway Surveyor
Scott Crisafulli at its next meeting, to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, in the
Granite Room of the Milford Town Library. The agenda will include time for attendees
to ask questions to both officials.
Other items to be discussed are plans for “Milford Beautification Day,” which will be
held on April 25; the status of ongoing projects; and, an open discussion in which all
attendees are invited to share their concerns and ideas for other projects.
Citizens for Milford is a volunteer, non-partisan, grassroots organization, which
includes a diverse group of citizens who care about our community. In its inaugural
year, Citizens for Milford hosted two candidate forums, organized volunteers to help
plan new decorations for Main Street and researched and published information
critical to area voters on its website. Participation in its projects and events is open
to everyone in Milford. More information is available on the group’s website, www.
CitizensforMilford.com.
Wayside does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, class or disability. Funds for services provided by MA Dept. of Public Health and Office of Victim Assistanc e
24
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
MARCH 27, 2015
Government
◆ Town Budget from front page
budget, Taylor said. He and Interim Town Accountant
Kelly Capece predicted a 20-year bond would come in at
about a three percent interest rate.
Since the state-run Massachusetts School Building
Authority (MSBA) is reimbursing the town for preliminary
costs for the new Woodland Elementary School
construction, Taylor said he plans to roll-over the $6
million BAN taken out for that project. There should be
sufficient funds from that BAN to get through the next
fiscal year, he said. “We’re getting reimbursed from MSBA
as we go,” which helps the town’s cash flow, Taylor said. The
only costs the town will have to pay in FY16 will be the
$40,000 to $42,000 interest cost on the BAN, he explained.
Withdrawals from the town’s Stabilization Fund to help
pay for the new school will probably start in Fiscal Year
2017, Taylor said. The $13.7 million in that account will
then be drawn upon as needed, he said.
While the town has $1.4 million in its free cash account,
it will probably be used at the May 18 Annual Town
Meeting to pay for the town’s share of grants to repair two
Godfrey Brook culverts, he said. “This [fiscal] year, we’re
probably going to use most of it,” Taylor said.
The deficit in the town’s snow and ice removal account
was $418,599 at the end of February and $625,000 by
March 9, Taylor said. Those funds will be made up later in
the calendar year, he said.
Basically, with two-thirds of FY15 finished, only about
60 percent of the overall budget has been spent. Taylor told
board members. “We’re in excellent shape,” he said.
In terms of spending on major items next year and
beyond, Taylor said he was developing a comprehensive
policy on capital spending and will include the Finance
Committee and Capital Improvement Committee in
that work. Then, he added, a comprehensive capital
plan will be developed. “It should be done, but it should
be done properly,” Taylor said. By the October Special
Town Meeting, he noted, all department heads and town
committees will be trained concerning the process of
turning a capital spending request into a warrant article.
Selectmen Brian Murray praised Taylor’s work, saying
that – for the first time – he felt there was a “comprehensive
organization” for all aspects of the budget. “I feel very
comfortable going into the budget cycle this year,” Murray
said.
Taylor said that Governor Charles Baker’s initial state
budget provided Milford with an additional $700,000
in state aid, calling that “a really good number.” “I’m
encouraged by the governor’s budget as well,” said
Selectman William Buckley. Noting that the state House
of Representatives and Senate still need to add their
voices to the budget, he added, “While there’s reason to be
optimistic, it’s not time for back flips yet.”
Buckley asked that his board be included in the review
process for Taylor’s proposed capital spending process and
plan. “That’s definitely the plan,” Taylor said.
ZBA Overturns Planning Board Decision on
O’Reilly Auto Parts
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
voted unanimously on March 12 to void
the Planning Board’s recent denial of an
amended site plan submitted by O’Reilly
Auto Parts, paving the way for the
Springfield, Missouri-based chain to open
a retail/wholesale outlet at 150 East Main
St. (Rt. 16).
Last June, the ZBA granted a special
permit allowing O’Reilly to build, provided
that it have only one entrance off oneway Hamilton St. – with that entrance to
be used primarily by delivery trucks or
vehicles picking up wholesale parts. An
exit matched with that entrance would
let the cars out on Free St., and a Free St.
entrance/exit would allow people to park
in a front lot designed for use by retail
customers.
But, when O’Reilly came before the
Planning Board earlier this year to gain
approval for its amended site plan – the lot
was last used as an overflow display car lot
by Milford Nissan – that board refused to
approve the plan unless there was another
entrance/exit on Hamilton St. O’Reilly
appealed that denial to the ZBA.
Representing O’Reilly, attorney Joseph
Antonellis said O’Reilly relied on the ZBA’s
decision when it bought the property
and developed a plan for the site. “At the
Planning Board, we hit a roadblock,”
Antonellis said. “The Planning Board
chose to deny the plan.” That left him in
the “unique position” of having to appeal
the Planning Board’s denial to the ZBA,
with such an appeal happening only once
before during his 30 years practicing law.
Antonellis said the appeal came down
asking the question of whether the ZBA
members believed that the safety standards
they decided on last summer were the
correct ones or whether the Planning
Board’s were correct. The boards’ different
opinions made him feel like he was dealing
with “dueling experts,” the lawyer said. He
also cited a letter, which he asked for from
Police Chief Thomas O’Loughlin. In the
letter, the chief favored the ZBA’s opinion
of limiting access on Hamilton St.
ZBA Chairman David Consigli noted
the ZBA and Planning Board operate
independent of each other. “It was more
about life safety,” he said about his board’s
decision last summer. “It is a site that needs
the [Hamilton St.] restriction.” Added ZBA
member Mary Carlson, “It’s a very small
piece of property that we didn’t feel needed
[the two entrance/exits on Hamilton St.].”
Board member John Dagnese – who
lives on Hamilton St. but did not attend the
ZBA meeting last year when the O’Reilly
request was heard – said people frequently
drive the wrong way on his one-way street.
He also noted that a much larger site on
West St. (Rt. 140) where a plaza with 14
businesses is located has only one entry/
exit point onto that “extremely busy road.”
Planning Board member Joseph
Calagione attended the hearing and told
ZBA members that his board felt “the overriding concern was safety.” Both Hamilton
St. and Free St. are about the same width,
and “I don’t think we should be impacting
Free St. any more than Hamilton St.”
He envisioned traffic turning left out of
the site onto Free St., left onto East Main
St. and left onto Hamilton St. to go out to
Cedar St. (Rt. 85). Or, traffic would turn
right onto Free St., right onto Florence
St. and left onto Hamilton to go out to
Rt. 85. “We’re still putting that traffic on
Hamilton,” Calagione said.
He also noted that several proposals for
the site approved by the Planning Board all
had two entry/exit points on Hamilton St.
and two on Free St.
Calling O’Reilly a “low intensity use,”
Antonellis said that only 10 or 12 cars a
day would be using Free St. and his client
felt the ZBA’s conditions would not prevent
it from doing business there. “If this was a
restaurant,” the ZBA’s decision might have
been different, Consigli said. Calagione
noted that the ZBA’s decision will be in
place, no matter what business occupies
the site.
Saying he had consulted with Town
Counsel Gerald Moody, Consigli said the
only matter the ZBA could vote on was
whether to uphold or reject the Planning
Board’s denial of the amended site plan.
“We cannot change the decision that we’ve
already rendered [last summer],” he said.
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A Fundraising Project by The Salvation Army in Milford, Ma
The Salvation
Salvation Army
Army hashas
a goal
to place
over
10001000
flagsflags
throughout
Milford,
Hopedale
and Mendon
in 2015!
The
a goal
to place
over
throughout
Milford
and Hopedale
in 2015!
The “Fly the Flag” project is presented as an opportunity for communities to show their patriotic spirit as
The “Fly the Flag” project
is presented as an opportunity for communities to show their patriotic
one nation. The flags will be placed out on the following five national patriotic holidays.
spirit as one nation. The flags will be placed out on the following five national patriotic holidays:
MEMORIAL DAY
FLAG DAY
4 th OF JULY
LABOR DAY
VETERAN’S DAY
The Salvation Army of Milford, with the help of many volunteers, will place a flag in your front yard
for each holiday weekend and pick it up the following week. A plastic pipe will be buried in your front
yard permanently, flush with the ground, to hold the flag staff. A plastic cap will cover the pipe when
not in use. A 3’x 5’ flag on a 10’ staff will be placed in the holder.
The cost for this service is a donation of $35.00 per calendar year!!
All proceeds will be used to support the many youth and adult programs and projects, as well as the
social agency assistance programs run by The Salvation Army.
REGISTER NOW
NAME_________________________ADDRESS________________________________________
Home Phone______________________ Cell Phone_________________________
E -Mail: _____________________________________________________________
Order
Individual Flag Order for Home
Please check this box if you wish to sign -up for
an individual flag for your home. $35.00
Make checks payable to: The Salvation Army
We Don’t Just Talk, We Deliver! In Your
Mailbox and on Your Computer:
www.towncrier.us
Send application with check to:
Fly The Flag Project
c/o The Salvation Army
29 Congress Street
Milford, Ma 01757
OR
Corporate Special
Home owners and companies who wish to
place a line of flags in front of their home or
business can do so at a discount price.
Please check the appropriate box below:
4 Flags - $100
8 Flags - $200
12 Flags - $300
16 Flags - $400
Questions? Call Captains Dave & Jessie Irwin: 508-473-0786
508
-473 -0786
**The flag and staff will remain the property of The Salvation Army in Milford
and will be removed at the end of each holiday.
*Please return the entire application form*
MARCH 27, 2015
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
25
Government
Town Employees’ Health Insurance to Rise by 7.3%
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Following the
recommendations of the town’s
Insurance Advisory Committee
and Insurance Consultant, Milford
Selectmen voted on March 9 to
accept health insurance plans
for current and retired town
employees that will increase by
7.3 percent beginning in May.
Dental insurance plans will see no
increase, but life insurance costs
will rise by 14.0 percent.
Insurance consultant Brian
Boyle said the increased health
insurance premiums were based
on eight months’ worth of claims –
May through December filed with
Blue Cross Blue Shield. During
that period, 11 active or retired
employees filed claims amounting
to $900,000, he said. A second
factor in the increase was paying
$226,000 in fees associated with
the federal Affordable Care Act –
better known as “Obamacare” – he
said.
Communities using the
Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance
Association’s (MIIA) health care
plan are seeing increases between
three and 10.9 percent, with
the average increase being nine
percent, Boyle explained. Cities
and towns belong to the state’s
Group Insurance Commission
(GIC) plans are seeing an average
increase of about seven percent,
he added. “On average, I’m seeing
between 12 and 14 percent,” Boyle
said.
With the increased rates,
employees and retirees using the
HMO Blue New England plan
will see individual plan costs rise
to $238.96 per month and family
plans rise to $626.80. For those
using the Blue Care Elect PPO,
individual plan monthly costs will
be $614.21 and family plan costs
will increase to $1,611.09.
Addressing the increase in life
insurance premium rates, Boyle
noted that Boston Mutual had
a "loss ratio” of $1.52 last year,
meaning the company paid out
$1.52 for every $1 paid in from
Milford. Interim Town Treasurer
Kelly Capece explained that the
life insurance increase is the first
in five years and was due to what
she termed “heavy utilization.” In
non-insurance terms, there were
a larger number of deaths than
normally expected to occur in a
given year. More people passed
away in the past six months than
usually do in a year, Capece said.
Boyle said the ideal situation
is to have more active employees
than retirees taking part in the
life insurance program. But,
Milford currently has more
retirees enrolled than active
employees and 200 employees
are not participating in the plan
at all. Capece’s office plans to get
signatures in May indicating if
each person either wants to join
or not join Boyle said. “Right now,
we’re missing 200 people and half
the base is retired,” he said. Capece
added, “Our retiree base is aging.”
The town pays half the premium
costs for the $15,000 life insurance
policies, Boyle said. In May, active
employees will see a 13.5 percent
increase that raises their share
to $7.58 each month and retired
employees will face a 14 percent
increase that brings their monthly
cost to $3.68.
“That’s a lot of money,”
Selectmen Chairman Dino
DeBartolomeis said regarding the
health insurance increase. “I think
it’s a no-win thing, this insurance
thing,” he added. “I say it every
year,” remarked Selectman Brian
Murray. “It’s just so difficult to
be happy and cheering that it’s
only going up seven percent.”
Responded Boyle, “This health
care thing plagues everyone.”
Selectman William Buckley
questioned how much money
the Affordable Care Act costs
the town. Boyle clarified that it
is $226,000 out of the total $11.9
million the town spends on health
insurance, or about 1.9 percent.
Buckley also asked Boyle if –
because of employee comments
– he could make a comparison
between what Milford offers and
what similar GIC plans cost. “It’s
not that difficult to do at all,” Boyle
said, promising the comparison
within several weeks.
DeBartolomeis asked what
would happen if an active or
retired employee could not afford
the health insurance. Capece said
that situation has not happened
yet, but if it did, people would
be referred to the Massachusetts
Health Connector program.
Finance Committee Calls for IT Plan
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Members of the Finance Committee
this month called for the creation of a
comprehensive plan detailing the direction
of the town’s information technology
(IT) efforts before they could support
appropriating $300,000 dollars at a future
town meeting.
“There is no plan yet that is written
down,” commented Alberto Correia,
Finance Committee vice chairman and
chair of its Capital Spending subcommittee.
At the committee’s March 11 meeting,
Chairman Marc Schaen asked Correia to
review where capital spending requests
stood to date.
The Finance Committee has been
setting aside $1 million each year for such
requests, with Town Meeting Members
typically considering them at the October
Special Town Meeting. “At this point, we’re
in good shape as far as the process,” Correia
said. “ But the numbers are nowhere where
we need them.” He said $1.8 million in
spending requests had been received.
Responding to a question from Schaen
about the $300,000 for IT on the capital
spending request list, Correia said the IT
subcommittee had received what he termed
“a spending list.” “Until I see a real plan, I
can’t speculate where it belongs,” he added
referring the funding request.
He called for a plan that states, “This is
what we’re building the infrastructure to.”
Such a plan would list goals, objectives,
strategy, priorities and actions, Correia
said. It would include information gathered
from each department head outlining a
direction they want for the town’s IT. “Once
I understand the view, then I can look his
[IT Director Paul Blivess’s] interpretation
of how we’re going to get there,”
Correia said.
“We need a big plan,” echoed
committee member Robert
DeVita. Correia added, “If there’s
no plan, I recommend that we
don’t support more funding until
there is.With no plan, I can’t tell
you what they’re looking at.”
Schaen responded,“You’re absolutely
right. We need a big plan.”
In other business at the March 11
meeting, the Finance Committee reviewed
subcommittee reports on the current fiscal
year and projected FY16 spending by the
Milford Youth Center, Sewer Department
Milford Town Library, Police Department
and Fire Department. The financial closeout of the Community Fields project also
was discussed.
Schaen noted that the concession stand
at the high school field complex does not
have an outside grease trap installed, which
means no cooking can take place within the
building. The Boosters Club is now cooking
outside and bringing food inside to sell,
Schaen said. His personal view is that the
grease trap should have been installed, he
said.
Republic Services Pays for Seniors’
St. Pat’s Day Meal
Republic Services, the town’s trash hauler, donated $400 to pay for the corned beef
and cabbage St. Patrick’s Day luncheon enjoyed by about 140 people at the Ruth
Anne Bleakney Senior Center. Seen (left to right): are Johnna O’Loughlin, Senior
Center program manager; District Manager Mike Sczcepan of Republic Services;
John Clifford, Area Municipal Services manager for Republic Service; Kenneth
Evans, Board of Health chairman; Senior Center Director Susan Clark; and, cook
Brenda Needleman.
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26
MILFORD TOWN CRIER
MARCH 27, 2015
Government
Recent Actions by Milford
Town Boards
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Board of Selectmen
• Transferred the Common Victualler license held by the Hunan
Gourmet Restaurant at 130 Main St. (Rt. 16) to new owner Xia Lin
of 80 Congress St. (March 9)
• Reviewed a report by Town Administrator Richard Villani
detailing a February 19 meeting held by Selectmen Chairman Dino
DeBartolomeis with various downtown business and property
owners. (March 9)
• Appointed Brandon Vandal of Milford as the town’s network
Administrator at an annual salary of $62,316. He previously was a
technology support technician for the town. (March 9)
• Reviewed a proposed five-year lease renewal on the former Purchase
St. School with sole bidder Alexandrea Alves, who operates the Little
Stars Daycare center at the site. (March 9)
• Voted to increase the salaries of elected officials by two percent, as
recommended by the Personnel Board. (March 9)
• Remanded five Zoning By-law amendments proposed by the
Planning Board for inclusion on the May 18 Annual Town Meeting
warrant back to the Planning Board for its required public hearing
on them. The proposals involve obstructions permitted in required
yards; completion of plantings; grading and drainage on individual
lots; rezoning 8.7 acres on Medway Road (Rt. 109) to commercial
zoning; and, allowing farmers markets (March 9)
• Referred a request to accept Roland Way as a town road to the
Planning Board for its review. (March 9)
• Referred a request to accept Woodland Court as a town road to the
Planning Board for its review. (March 9)
• Voted to allow the Milford Commission on Disability to use fines
collected for handicapped parking violations “for the benefit of
persons with disabilities.” The town collected $9,500 in such fines in
2011; $12,250 in 2012; $15,875 in 2013; and $6,350 in 2014. Town
Meeting Members will have to vote to accept Massachusetts General
Laws Chapter 40, Section 8J in order to allow this to happen (March
9)
• Appointed Keith Gattozzi, Elias Giokas, Geoffrey Iadarola, Michael
Martell, Kevin O’Loughlin and James Sanchioni as members of the
Auxiliary Police. Because Chief Thomas O’Loughlin had a conflict
with his son being appointed, Sergeant Michael Jones, commanding
officer of the Auxiliary Police, made the request. (March 9)
Planning Board
• Voted to provide a favorable recommendation to Town Meeting
Members on a request to accept Roland Way and Woodland Court
as town roads, provided that as-built plans are received prior to the
May 18 Annual Town Meeting. (March 17)
• Voted to give a favorable recommendation to the Zoning Board
of Appeals on a special permit request by CMRK, Inc. to continue
keeping two potable storage containers to collect used clothing at the
gas station located at 146 South Main St. (Rt. 140). (March 17)
School Committee Candidates Support IT Investment
School Committee candidates (left to right) John Erickson, Scott Harrison, Scott Vecchiolla and Michael
Walsh participated in the Candidates Forum co-sponsored by Citizens for Milford and the Town Crier.
By Kevin Rudden
Staff Reporter/Columnist
Three of the four candidates to serve on
the School Committee cited investing in the
information technology (IT) infrastructure as the
top issue facing that board during the March 19
Candidates Forum co-sponsored by Citizens for
Milford and the Town Crier. Michael Walsh was the
lone dissenter.
The four School Committee candidates spoke
of their reasons for running and then answered
questions from the 50 people in the audience. “I
will always ask myself, “What is in the best interests
of the children?’ said candidate John Erickson. “We
have a lot on the horizon in the town of Milford,”
said incumbent Scott Harrison. “I run because I
want to be the people’s voice,” said candidate Scott
Vecchiolla. “Through education, as you know, all
things get better,” commented incumbent Michael
Walsh.
Walsh was the candidate who did not cite IT
improvements as the biggest issue facing the school
board. Rather, he said improving the English
Language Learner (EL) program was his top
priority. “I want to keep the success going,” he said.
Jennifer Demanche Yohn – a candidate for
library trustee – was the only unopposed candidate
appearing at the Candidates Forum. She called the
Milford Town Library “a true cornerstone in the
Milford community.” Kenneth Evans spoke alone
in the Board of Health race because challenger
Thomas Harmon was dealing with a death in his
family. Evans listed all the services provided by his
board.
“I would like to support and stand up for the
taxpayers of our town,” stated Board of Selectmen
candidate Michael Visconti. “Thank you, taxpayers
of Milford,” he shouted out to the audience.
Visconti said his election would bring “balance” to
the three-member board. He closed his remarks
by pledging, “I will not drink the Kool-Aid. I will
stand up for you.”
William Kingkade, his opponent, talked about
the concept of “Milford Pride,” which he defined as
“a love of our community and a desire to make it
better.” Becoming a husband and father has helped
him look at the town in new ways, he said. “My
son, Caleb, has helped me to understand the things
that are really important in life,” he said. “What you
care for makes you who you are. I’m for Milford.”
Kingkade admitted he and Visconti share many
of the same viewpoints. “It’s tough to campaign
against Mike when we agree on so many things,”
he said. Both men agreed the federal government’s
forthcoming stormwater management regulations
would be very costly to implement.
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