State Could Help with Winter Fuel Bills

State lawmakers have reached out to Governor Charlie Baker asking for more money to help state residents with winter heating bills. The low-income heating assistance program known as LIHEAP, which serves 160,000 households in the state, is running short of federal dollars.

More than 70 House and Senate members are requesting a $30 million appropriation to shore up shortages in heating fuel assistance. They say that most of the nearly 48,000 supported oil heat households have exhausted their fuel assistance benefit and all will have exhausted it by the end of January.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides eligible households with help in paying a portion of winter heating bills. Eligibility, based on household size and the annual income of every adult household member, provides assistance for electric and gas utility bills and other heat sources including oil and propane.

Sen. Ann Gobi said, “This funding is critical to provide heat to our most vulnerable families. “Winter can be the cruelest season, but a commitment for funding could ease the uncertainty and struggle.”

Solar Guidelines for Historic District Discussed

The Historic District Commission Jan. 10 began a review of proposed guidelines for prospective solar panel installations on buildings in the center of town. Changes to buildings in the district, which runs north and south along Main Street from the common, are evaluated by the commission.

Board members said they have been talking about such guidelines for some years and have studied such rules in other communities. The review was prompted when East Quabbin Land Trust, which owns the Country Store building, told the commission it is planning a solar array at the property. Cynthia Henshaw from the land trust said in an e-mail, "We are preparing an application right now. Not sure if I'll have it together for the (January) 17th or the February meeting date." The next meeting is Thursday February 21, 2019 at 7 p.m. at the library.

Chair Nancy Allen said the commission will likely require property owners in the district to demonstrate that they have made other energy-saving improvements before adding solar. Members said the Commonwealth advises cities and towns to allow solar installations in historic properties. Allen said some communities impose no oversight over solar installations, some have added solar permissions to existing by-laws and some have adopted guidelines.  "It seems we might land on guidelines. This is always going to be on a case-by-case basis," she said.

Accessibility Grant Moves Ahead for Town Hall

The Selectboard Jan. 8 voted to sign and accept a state grant from the Massachusetts Office on Disability for $70,000 to install a lift that will connect the upper and lower town halls. The project must be completed in six months and will provide access to both halls and from the outside. It will allow removing a temporary ramp to restore the exterior look of the building to its original classic appearance.

In order to receive the maximum grant amount listed above:

• The work must be completed after the contract execution date, but before June 30, 2019.
• The date that all forms are properly completed, signed, and returned to MOD by the municipality will be considered the contract execution date.
• MOD must receive and approve detailed, itemized invoices showing incurred expenses (between said dates); also, the invoices must represent approved expenditures as authorized
• Invoices should be sent as soon as they are available, and prior to June 30, 2019, or shortly thereafter.

The lower town hall is presently accessible but without an accessible connection to the main hall. Town Hall Access Committee Chairman John Woolsey told the board the committee will reach out to two architects and begin preparing bid documents. The project will be brought to the Historic District Commission on Feb. 17. The main hall is now served by a temporary outdoor ramp donated to the town by Stephanie Selden of Phillips Drive.

A Squirrel in the Stove, an Owl Near the Road

Petersham Animal Control
December 2018

3Dec@7a Resident request for help with known dog that is in yard and will not come in to house. Assistance given.

6 Dec@7p Nichewaug resident reports lost dog. Alerts sent. Assist resident in search. Dog located at 10:30p. Owner to bring to vet, appears fine.

7 Dec@11a Call from motorist with report of injured large bird on Monson Turnpike, caller states owl. Owl located, appeared fine, though not leaving area. Owl flew off several minutes later.

12Dec@3:15p School bus driver and motorist report loose dog on Route 122. En route, another resident call to say they had picked up a dog near 32 and 122. Met finder and retrieved dog. Alerts sent, possible owners called. Owner to pick up dog at 5p.

12Dec@9p Dispatch call regarding dog bite to another dog. Follow up with residents and veterinary hospital.

13Dec Additional follow up regarding above. Quarantine order placed on biting dog (10 day). Reviewed requirements with owner.

13 Dec@8:15a Resident reports cat running between 122 and surrounding roads.

19 Dec@10p Resident call to report dogs ran off. (Early 20 Dec dogs appeared at PPD)

22 Dec@12:15p Owner returned home to find squirrel in unlit woodstove. Attempts to remove failed. Suggested a small trap or contact PAC. Owner will contact PAC agent.

23 Dec@12p Quarantine lifted for dog held for dog bite issue. Paperwork exchanged with owner.

28Dec@10a ACO from surrounding town needs immediate transfer of dog from area to a safe holding zone. Canine moved to shelter for temporary housing.

29Dec@1p ACO from surrounding town to pick up dog housed in shelter.

 State Broadband Repayment Details Not Yet Settled

After updating the Selectboard on Dec. 18, members of the Broadband Municipal Light Plant voted Dec. 19 to make a $40,850 payment to Verizon and National Grid from available funds that is intended to keep utility pole "make-ready" work on track for now. The committee plans to spend more than $1 million to have the utilities upgrade about 25 percent of the town's 1966 utility poles to carry fiber optic cables for  the broadband system. The cost of the make-ready work is higher than expected because a detailed survey of the poles found almost 600 more poles than originally counted by an earlier state survey.

Chip Bull told the committee that work to install an equipment room in town hall is nearly done.

Bull, chairman of the town's broadband project, told Selectmen Dec. 18 that final details of the state's promised $880,000 repayment to the town for broadband are still in the hands of the lawyers. But he said he has a verbal commitment from a top state official to sign the agreement soon. "I don't think it can be derailed," he said.

Bull urged the town to move ahead with an $800,000 loan for the project to prevent the town falling behind  on payments due to utility companies for their pole work. Town meeting voters approved borrowing the money on Nov. 19 only after the state signs an agreement to pay the town. That means the borrowing -- and more payments for utility work -- cannot proceed until the agreement is signed.

Selectboard chair Nancy Allen said the repayment agreement is with Town Counsel for final review and should be in hand soon. Town Treasurer Dana Robinson is talking with banks about the proposed borrowing, she said.

Reading to Selectmen from a prepared statement, Bull said, "...we have become seriously past due in our Pole Application payments to our two utilities, Verizon and National Grid.  I urge the Selectboard tonight to vote to immediately request the Petersham Town Treasurer to begin the process  of completing the short-term borrowing..." Asked how overdue the utility payments are, Bull was not able to offer specifics. He said he worries that the utilities could derail the planned work as winter closes in if the payments are not made. They could require the town to restart the entire application process, he said.

Once the payments are made, the utilities' schedule calls for completing all make-ready work by April, 2019. Current schedules call for finishing system installation and applying for the state reimbursement "... by this time next year," he said.

The broadband group also discussed ways to keep town residents up to date on broadband progress through its website and by circulating handouts and flyers.

The Selectboard board meeting was the last one in 2018. The next scheduled meeting is set for January 8.

Take Care: Bears Love Chickens for Lunch and Dinner

The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is alerting poultry owners and related groups about the need to protect their birds and coops from hungry bears. Black bears killing chickens and damaging chicken coops is becoming one of the most frequently reported human-bear conflicts in the state. Common in central and western Massachusetts, black bears are expanding their range east to Route 495. Poultry loss, coop damage, and other bear conflicts have been reported in all of these regions and calls have increased lately as bears fatten up before winter hibernation. Many poultry owners have no idea their birds and coops could be at risk. Protect your livestock from black bears webpage here.

Help spread the word to poultry owners or related groups and individuals by sharing  tips and resources for protecting birds and coops from bear damage. Consider using newsletters, email blasts on distribution lists, local newspapers, social media, and relevant meetings to help reach poultry owners.  If possible, please let the division know what action you were able to take; contact David Wattles at david.wattles@mass.gov or Marion Larson at marion.larson@mass.gov.

Rotary Funds Heywood's Weekend Backpack Lunch Program

The Gardner Rotary Club presented Heywood Healthcare with a check for $3,500 to support the Weekend Backpack Food Program on Friday, January 4. These funds were raised by the Rotary Club through community support of Rotary’s Annual Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Event.

Held in September, the Wine, Cheese and Chocolate event features restaurants, food service companies, pastry shops, and cheese and chocolate vendors from throughout the North Central Massachusetts Area. Anthony’s Liquor Market was the featured wine vendor in 2018.

Heywood Healthcare, the Gardner Rotary Club and the Athol/Orange Rotary Club in partnership the Gardner and Athol Royalston Public School Districts, and with support of the community, provide backpacks filled with nutritious foods to eligible third and fourth grade students every Friday, helping students and their families with food security issues over the weekend, when students are not receiving free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunches.
Currently, the Heywood Healthcare Weekend Backpack Food Program supports more than 275 food-insecure youth in the Gardner and Athol-Royalston Public Schools.

Voters Greenlight More Broadband Borrowing

On Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 voters approved borrowing an additional $800,000 to build a town-wide broadband internet system in advance of a promised state reimbursement by a vote of 141 to 1. The borrowing also requires a Dec. 10 ballot to exclude the amount from Proposition 2 1/2 limits.

Broadband committee chair Chip Bull said the town has already spent about $500,000 to pay utility companies to make their poles ready for new fiber optic cables. He said the new loan could cost the town $40,000 for one year and will be repaid with an anticipated $880,000  reimbursement from the Commonwealth. That repayment will not materialize until after the broadband system is built and operating, he said.

The Friday Market  -- MORE