Parade Returns on the 4th of July


WANTED:

Petersham is pleased to bring back a favorite tradition—the July 4 Parade on July 4. It is the first since the pandemic began in 2020. The parade begins at 10 a.m., Breakfast snacks and beverages will be available on the Common beginning at 9:30 a.m. Live music by Drew Paton also is featured from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on the town’s bandstand.

The parade route begins at the historic and picturesque Town Common and travels the “Old Maid’s Mile,” a one-mile residential loop that circles back to the town center.

The parade line-up includes a color guard, Grand Marshal “Smilin’ Ernie” Richards, decorated horses and members of the New England Equestrian Center of Athol, Petersham historical figures, participants from the Petersham Grange and the Orthodox Congregational Church, Candidate for State Representative Aaron Saunders, antique cars, ATVs, motorcycles, and fire trucks for the conclusion.

Town Meeting Voted Nichewaug Demo Loan

Town meeting easily met a 10 percent quorum requirement and voters agreed to borrow $621,000 to tear down the former Nichewaug property on the common. No estimate of the borrowing cost was provided. The vote included using $100,000 of Covid relief cash for a total of $721,000.

In other business:
Voters passed a $4.7 million budget for fiscal 2023
Covered a $437,000 Center School deficit
Revised bylaws to eliminate "Selectmen" in favor of "Selectboard"
Favored a citizen petition to revise the state flag
Provided $1,800 for 6 Sunday brass band concerts and $1,000 for Friday Market music.

A Plan to Cover $437K Budget Gap

The Advisory Finance Committee  recommended steps to cover a $437,000 budget gap created when the last town meeting failed to include state reimbursements in a vote to appropriate money for the Center School budget.

The Committee plans to use money ordinarily set aside for property tax abatements ($73,923) and draw down the town stabilization fund to 2.4 percent of the total budget from its customary 8 percent level ($276,041) and also apply $87,559 from free cash to fix the problem.  Selectboard chair Nancy Allen said the budget "glitch" occurred when she neglected to include state money with the $1.2 million in the local taxation vote that pays for the Center School budget, creating a deficit for the school.

The committee said other effects of the mistake will be dropping a request for a new police cruiser ($89,000) from consideration and cutting $10,000 for  preservation of town documents. The committee also asked Selectboard for assurance that a proposed Nichewaug Inn demolition - also delayed when bond counsel  rejected the town's borrowing due to procedural errors - will not create principal or interest charges in fiscal year 2023 which begins in July.

ogs Loose Cows and a Hurt Turtle

Animal Control Call Log Summary

May 2022

5/3 @9a Resident call regarding loose dogs on the west side of town, owner contacted and dogs secured until owner arrived

5/6 @9a PPD contact regarding likely hit by car, deceased possum on the west side of town, to area, animal removed from area and buried

5/9 @11a Resident call for lost dog, new adoption, reviewed tips for safe recovery with owner, to area to assist

5/10 @7a To area to set up feeding station for lost dog

@5p Trap and cell transmission camera set for lost dog

@6:45p PPD call for injured porcupine, to area, porcupine determined to have life limiting injuries, call Tufts Wildlife to discuss, PPD dispatched animal, ACO removed and buried

@10p To area for lost dog to rebait trap

5/11 @10p Lost dog safely trapped, to area to assist owner in bringing dog to house in trap, dog assessed and no injuries noted, owner to call vet

5/12 @1p Email and subsequent follow up call with resident regarding ongoing issue with barking and loose dogs in neighborhood. Caller reports dogs from two different households have been in his yard today.

@2p Meeting with owner of one set of the above dogs

5/14 @2p Call from North Quabbin Animal Control regarding found dog that was picked up near Petersham town line, photo sent. Outreach to Petersham resident and confirmed dog was missing, dog safely returned to owner at 7p

5/22 @3p Call regarding loose cows, advised owner neighbors would be notified with a number to call if sighted

@5p Caller reports loose dog in the northern section of town, to area, no contact made

5/25 @7:15a Resident call regarding two coyotes in yard that are not leaving, advice given

5/27 @9:30a Resident call regarding dog bite that occurred while playing with owned dog, protocol reviewed, owner to contact MD, dog eligible for 10 day home quarantine

5/29 @6:45p Dispatch call for injured turtle, advised dispatch rehab facilities would be contacted, to area to move to rehabber

@8:30p Resident call for found dog, caller states the dog must be picked up immediately, dog move to shelter, owner identified, dog safely returned to owner at 9:30p

5/30 @2:45p Resident call stating dog is not in yard and appears to have wandered off and they are unable to locate, advice given

@3:15p Out of town motorist call for a found dog, connected finder with owner of above, dog safely returned home

5/31 @1p Follow up phone conversation with owner of dog that is repeatedly out of home unattended, action plan discussed

Nichewaug Demolition Project Update

The Capital Improvement Planning Committee April 21 approved sending a $721,0000 Nichewaug property demolition proposal to town meeting. The committee is the last stop to review large spending items on the way to town meeting.

The committee took no action on a request for funds to replace wooden rain gutters at the center school and a police department request to purchase one or two new police  cruisers and will get more information on those items in a week. One cruiser could cost $59,500 -- two $119,
051.

Committee member Jim Dowd asked Police Chief Peter Buck if the department could get along without one or two new vehicles this year since the upcoming budget could force a $200,000 Proposition 2 1/2 override due to increased regional and local school appropriations. Buck said the department could make due if necessary.

Town Treasurer Dana Robinson told the Selectboard April 13 that an error and an oversight will prevent the town from borrowing for Nichewaug demolition until the loan is approved at our next town meeting.  He said bond counsel noticed that voters were not informed about the Dec. 6 meeting as required by local bylaws and the proposal was never sent to the Capital Improvement Planning Committee - also a bylaw requirement.

Committee chair Nancy Allen said she would inform the contractor about the problem on April 13. Robinson also said any delay could raise borrowing costs as the Federal Reserve will be raising interest rates again soon.

Should Petersham Take Online Payment for Taxes?

More than 300 small and large communities across the state have easy systems to accept online payments for town fees (dog licenses and dump permits, etc.) and for tax payments (excise and property taxes). Should Petersham offer this convenient service to residents? Tell us what you think.

Send an email to roynilson@verizon.net with a subject line "E-Payments" stating simply Yes or No or include more thoughts.