Hearing tonight on water, sewer rates...

Jun 14, 2021 by

Published in the June 14, 2021 edition. By MARK SARDELLA WAKEFIELD — Tonight’s Town Council agenda includes a public hearing on the proposed FY 2022 water and sewer rates. Public Works Director Joseph Conway will present the new rates as recommended by the Advisory Board of Public Works. The Water and Sewer Divisions are self-sustaining enterprise departments. Their operations are funded by the water and sewer rates and not by the tax levy. The rates recommended tonight will need to be sufficient to fund both operating budgets. The water and sewer reserves need to be sufficient to provide for consumption shortfalls, emergencies and future capital improvements The Water Division serves approximately 8,500 water accounts and the Sewer Division serves about 8,200 accounts. Tonight’s public hearing on the rates gets underway at 7:25 p.m. via...

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Public Safety Building plans fine-tuned...

Jun 11, 2021 by

Published in the June 11, 2021 edition. By MARK SARDELLA The designers of the soon-to-be expanded and renovated Public Safety Building recently went through the building one more time with members of the Police and Fire Departments to look at every single space and fine tune the project plans. Janet Slemenda of HKT Architects reported on that exercise at last night’s Permanent Building Committee meeting. She displayed the existing plans for each area of the public Safety Building, described the recent walk through with public safety officials and highlighted areas of the plans that could be tweaked as well as those that police officials were happy with. She began with the evidence storage space, the evidence processing areas and the women’s locker room. Continuing with the first floor plan, she reviewed the entry sequence,...

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CC&F project seen helping with Lake cleanup...

Jun 10, 2021 by

Published in the June 10, 2021 edition. By MARK SARDELLA WAKEFIELD — The $1.3 million that Cabot Cabot & Forbes has pledged to provide to the town for Lake improvement projects will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal, Town Engineer Bill Renault told the Zoning Board of Appeals last night. CC&F is seeking Special Permits from the ZBA that would allow the real estate development giant to construct 485 apartments in three buildings at 200-400 Quannapowitt Parkway, the former site of American Mutual and later Comverse. If the project is ultimately approved, CC&F has agreed to provide $1.3 million towards an engineering project to help clean up the Lake. In addition, the Friends of Lake Quannapowitt has confirmed that it supports the proposed CC&F project based on the firm’s commitment to improving the Lake...

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Class of 2021 steps into the future...

Jun 10, 2021 by

Published June 11, 2021 MELROSE — Forecasted thunderstorms never materialized on Friday, June 4, allowing for an impressive celebration of Melrose High’s Class of 2021 in front of family and friends at Fred Green Memorial Field. From Ferdinand Eyong Akombi to Marissa Mae Zelten, 232 seniors took one of life’s steps during the annual MHS commencement exercise, which this year was as close to normal as possible. As society emerges from a pandemic, the Class of 2021 seemed happy to be outside and together, finally, for the last time as a group. These past 15 months have been totally unusual and no one knows that better than this year’s graduates. AS THE SUN began to set, Melrose High’s Class of 2021 graduated last Friday night at Fred Green Memorial Field in front of family and friends....

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Weigh in on housing policy, development in Melrose...

Jun 10, 2021 by

Published June 11, 2021 MELROSE – Do you, your family, or your friends face challenges with housing in Melrose? Do you want to help shape the future of housing and residential development? The City of Melrose and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) ask you to join us and plan for a better housing future. We need your help to prioritize specific housing policy ideas and the location of new residential development. Last fall, the City and MAPC began a process to create a new Housing Production Plan, or HPP, which will guide housing policy for the next five years. The process to create the plan has been community driven, with opportunities for the public to weigh in on the plan’s direction. There was a fall engagement campaign that introduced the plan, assessed housing...

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Brodeur plan would make park spaces inclusive, equitable, age-friendly...

Jun 10, 2021 by

Published June 11, 2021 MELROSE — On Wednesday night, June 9, the City Council’s Appropriations Committee was scheduled to discuss an order advancing equity and access to recreation in Melrose by making a substantial investment in parks and infrastructure. Mayor Paul Brodeur’s #MelrosePlays Initiative includes provisions for three projects: an inclusive playground, critical improvements to the girls’ softball field on Lebanon Street, and a designated pickle-ball court. Several community members sat down with Mayor Brodeur to discuss the need for these investments on the most recent episode of “The Brodeur Bulletin.” Joan Bell, Superintendent of Mount Hood and Open Spaces, spoke about the need for an inclusive playground in Melrose. An inclusive playground is a universally-designed, sensory-rich environment which goes beyond minimal accessibility and creates a space where children and adults of all abilities...

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