Selectboard to Seek $700,000 Loan for Broadband Project

Selectmen Sept. 25 voted to schedule a Nov. 19 special town meeting to propose borrowing an additional $700,000 for the town's proposed broadband system. Town meeting already approved spending $530,000 to start the project. Chip Bull, who chairs the broadband committee, reported that the Mass Broadband Institute has voted to confirm a state reimbursement for the project after the entire system has been installed, is working and meets five state requirements.

The town will pay National Grid some $900,000 for work to upgrade utility pole to carry new broadband cables -- payment due in advance of the work being done. Matrix Design of New Jersey, which will install the system, is ready to start work putting cables on poles along East Street, South Main and North Main Street for internet connections. Bull said the entire system  should be complete by the end of summer 2019. Bull said residents' interest in the system remains high even as Verizon's Digital Subscriber Line service to town continues to degrade.

Selectman Rik Marsh asked Bull, "What happens if they (voters) say No?". Bull replied," "If they say No, we will have no broadband."

Selectboard chair Nancy Allen, also a member of the broadband committee said, "We can't win if we halt. We have to keep going." And Bull added, "If we can get funding on Nov. 19, the entire town could be connected by late summer of 2019" and the town center connected by (this) winter. Everybody deserves to have all their questions answered."

Town-wide Nichewaug Meeting Scheduled

Town moderator Bart Wendell told Selectmen Sept 25 he is prepared to moderate an open discussion of options for the Nichewaug property at the town hall at 6:30 p.m. on October 17. Wendell suggested inviting all residents with a direct mailing to every home. He said the meeting is to determine a consensus -- an agreement to suggest what, if anything, to do about the complex.

Stephanie Selden of Phillips Drive, who submitted a mixed used redevelopment plan and later withdrew it, said, "This is one thing we haven't tried yet. I really like the consensus building tone of it."

Lynn Shaw of West Road suggested the meeting might explore ideas and work out details later. Ann Townsend of Harty Drive said the middle ground between those favoring demolition and those favoring redevelopment might be that there is no consensus. She also worried that erroneous information, "... things not based on hard facts"  could dominate the planned meeting.

She also worried that only those who have already expressed strong opinions about the future of the property might be the only ones who attend.

Wendell said t he planned meeting will not be "a formal public meeting."

Author Explores How Past Disasters Inform Climate Action

For thousands of years, humans have faced environmental challenges – floods, wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, and more. On September 25, Colorado-based geologist and science educator Lisa Gardiner will present a new book that explores how lessons from historical disasters can help us face climate change, an issue she calls “the catastrophe of our time.”

Gardiner’s presentation, free and open to the public, will be held at the Harvard Forest Fisher Museum in Petersham on Tuesday, September 25, at 7:00 p.m.

The book, Tales from an Uncertain World: What Other Assorted Disasters Can Teach Us About Climate Change, explores a history of human reactions to fast and slow environmental change, from flash floods to species invasions and eroding coastlines.

Gardiner hopes her new book will empower readers to action. “Yes, the whole earth is changing,” she says, “... and we have caused that. But it’s individual decisions that add up to what we’re going to do about it.”

She points out, “In New England, today we can clearly see the impacts of so many trees being cut down during the colonial period. But at the time, you know, you were just heating your house. The examples in the book show environmental change at these really human, individual scales.”

Harvard Forest, founded in 1907 is Harvard University's outdoor laboratory and classroom for ecology and conservation, and a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site funded by the National Science Foundation. Its 4,000-acre property is one of the oldest and most intensively studied research forests in the U.S.  Open to the public year-round, the site includes educational and research facilities, the Fisher Museum, and recreational trails.  Learn more at http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu.

Selectmen Propose Community Meeting on Nichewaug

Selectmen Sept. 11 proposed to call a community meeting in October to try to arrive at a consensus regarding the Nichewaug. Town Moderator Bart Wendell agreed to facilitate the meeting. Final details will be presented at the Sept. 25 board meeting.

Wendell said to reach a consensus, all sides must feel they have been heard, everyone must feel a group meeting has arrived at a best possible solution and participants have to agree not to thwart an agreed consensus. Town meeting has voted once to demolish the complex but failed to approve spending to do that work.

The board recently received a proposal to redevelop the property but that has been withdrawn. Vice chairman Henry Woolsey has said he is hoping to find a "middle ground" between those who want to demolish the complex and those who would renovate it for various uses that might include condominiums, senior housing, accessible town offices and more.

Ann Townsend of Harty Drive asked, "The heat here is pretty high. How do we maintain civility?" Wendell said he would set ground rules for the open meeting.

In other business, the board declined to consider creating a formal Redevelopment Authority that could take over, own and operate the Nichewaug complex. Members said mostly large communities deploy such authorities which operate independently of town government and are exempt from state procurement laws.

The board appointed Lynne Feldman of Hardwick Road to serve on a newly formed school regionalization study committee.

Chair Nancy Allen said the Massachusetts Broadband Institute board of directors has approved a "draft agreement" that could assure that Petersham will receive a long-promised $880,000 grant after the local broadband system is completely up and operating.

New dump stickers will be for sale at the transfer station on September 15 and September 22 and are now available at the Selectboard office as well. They are yellow.

Cultural Council Seeks 2019 Funding Applications

Proposals for community-oriented arts, humanities, and science programs due October 15th. The Petersham Cultural Council has set an October 15th deadline for organizations, schools, and individuals to apply for grants that support cultural activities in the community.
According to Council spokesperson Linda Paquet, these grants can support a variety of artistic projects and activities in the Quabbin region -- including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies, or performances in schools, workshops, and lectures. The PCC also gives grants for funding projects in the sciences and the humanities, such as historical or environmental education.

The Petersham Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. Previously funded projects include: Petersham Friday Market music, a first grade field trip to a “plant life” program at Mass Audubon, and free Ukelele lessons.  Applicants may apply for grants for programs that take place during an 18 month window of eligibility between July 1, preceding the application deadline in October, through December 31 of the following year. This means that applicants may apply for projects that have already happened or which happen prior to LCCs' grant announcements, with the knowledge that funding is not guaranteed.

Application forms and more information about the Local Cultural Council Program are available online at www.mass-culture.org and find Petersham after clicking on the applicants tab, follow the directions under “apply. Please submit applications online, if this is not possible then paper applications will be accepted by sending mail to the Petersham Cultural Council, Petersham Town Hall, PO Box 486, Petersham MA 01366. If you have questions about the application process contact Jeannette Martin at jeannettemartin326@gmail.com or Linda Paquet at lpaquet60@verizon.net

Walk-In Medical Care Center Opens in Athol

Heywood Healthcare has opened a Walk-In Care Center in the North Quabbin Commons Plaza at 81 Reservoir Drive, near Market Basket in Athol.

The new center offers walk-in treatment for everyday illness and injury, including cuts, sprains, fever, sore throats, ear aches and cold symptoms, with no appointment required. Tully Walk-In Care, shares an office with Tully Family Medicine to provide quality care and convenience seven days-a-week. As an urgent walk-in care center Tully Walk-In Care will help patients who may not be able to see their primary care physician, who don't have a primary care physician or who don’t need true emergency treatment.

Tully Walk-In Care operates 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. For more information, please call (978) 248-8558.

Nichewaug Proposal Withdrawn for Revisions

Proponents of a plan to renovate the Nichewaug property withdrew their proposal to Selectmen on August 14. Speaking for the group, resident Stephanie Selden of Phillips Drive said, "We will try to collect more information, to resolve issues that have been raised ..." about the proposal for a mixed use complex that includes condominiums and senior residences. There is a hope that we can find a compromise, that we can actually do something with that property."

The Friday Market  -- MORE

ACO Call Log
August 2018

08/01@noon	Call for dog running at large on 122. Dog located and returned 				to owner.

08/04@2p	Call for loose goats running. Animals secured, owner located.

08/04@3p	Report of cat dropped on side of road. Responded, cat to shelter.

08/05-08/11	National Veterinary Response Team deployment in CA.

08/08	3p 	Call from owner of lost dog. Advised of steps to take. Dog found in yard at 8p. Owner aware 
		ACO out of state and given additional contact info.

08/11@11p	Lost dog report. Dog found at 12a and returned to owner.

08/12@9a	Resident reports a dog in swimming pool that has no water in it. Worked with resident, dog out at 
		11a. Suggestions given to owner to prevent further escapes.

08/12@11a	Quarantine issued

08/13@2p	Report of cows loose in road. Cows secured, owner on site. 

08/15@7a	Cat in shelter transported to Second Chance AS

08/15@4p	Cat picked up from Second Chance AS and transported to Petersham AS

08/16@7a	Resident reports deceased opossum in trash barrel and requests removal. Task completed.

08/17@8:30p	Several calls regarding dog running at large.	At 10p, dog secured safely and brought to shelter. 
		Outreach to three potential owners. Dog sheltered for night.

08/18@8a	Above dog returned to owner. Fence torn down by dog during storm.

08/18@12:15p	Cat in shelter re-homed to secure location.

08/19@12:15	Report of crow acting oddly near center of town. Animal removed from scene, observed, 
		humane euthanasia performed by local veterinarian. MA Wildlife contacted.

08/24@1p	Resident call for deceased crow in yard. Removed. MA Wildife contacted.

08/25@10:15p	Report of barking dog(s). Site visited. Notice left for owner. F/U at 11:30p, barking still heard. 
		Additional notice left with requirement for contact.

08/26@7a	Resident report of deceased crown in front yard. Retrieved. MA Wildlife contacted.

08/31@3p	Resident call that dog ran from yard. Instructed regarding procedure and met with owner. 
		Dog safe at 5p.

Notes:
With the increase of reported cases of West Nile Virus in crows, homeowners should contact ACO regarding removal 
and/or disposal of birds. Direct contact should not be made with these avians. The State is not currently testing crows, 
but logging cases.  Contact ACO immediately if deceased or ill cormorants are seen.