Town Sued Over Cell Tower 'No' Vote

TowerNorth Development, which was denied a cell tower permit by the local Zoning Board in January, has filed suit in federal court seeking to overturn the decision.

The court filing says the town's vote violates the federal Communications Act and was not based on evidence. The act guarantees that cell companies can build towers designed to fill gaps in service and coverage. The board voted 2 to 1 to allow the company to extend its approved tower from 90 to 160 feet but only one dissenting voted is needed to block the motion when  a zoning    Board has just three members.

The suit asks the court to undo the board vote and allow the tower project to proceed. The tower is meant to fill a "gap in service" in the area.

Denying the permit prohibits area cell service in violation of federal law and  causes TowerNorth  irreparable harm, the court papers assert. The company is seeking court costs and legal fees.

Final Interviews Set for New Mahar Superintendent

Four of 11 applicants have been selected for final interviews for the position of Mahar Regional Superintendant of schools

Applications closed on January 17. Search Committee members received the confidential applications electronically and reviewed them. The Committee met on January 22 to discuss interview questions. They then selected semi-finalists.

The committee interviewed six semi-finalists on Tuesday, January 28 and Wednesday, January 29. The committee then voted on the following four individuals as finalists:

Janelle Pearson, Ed. D., Assistant Director of Special Education, Waltham Public Schools
Mary Jane Rickson, M. Ed., Interim Superintendent, Maynard Public Schools
Phillip Saisa, Ed. D., (most recently) principal, Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District
Elizabeth Zielinski, Ed. D., Superintendent, Oxford Public Schools

Members of the School Committees will visit the home districts of each finalist.
Interviews with each finalist will take place at Mahar Regional on Tuesday, February 25 and Thursday, February 27, after which the School Committees will make its selection.
Superintendant Tari Thomas is retiring at the end of this school year...

Town Making Progress on Broadband System Installation

Nearly 70 residents attended an information meeting at town hall Jan. 25 to get a good news update on broadband progress.

Broadband committee chair Chip Bull said, "This is exciting. We are actually building our network." The town committee has been working and planning this system for a decade. Since   early this month, some 16.4 miles of fiber optic cable has been hung on utility poles. When fully wired, the system will be capable of reaching all the town's homes and businesses. Some 411 customers or 70 percent of the town have already signed on as paying customers.

When done, Bull said, Petersham will have internet connectivity better than 95 percent of US cities and towns.

01/06 @2p Report of roaming dog near center of town. Dog located and returned to owner

01/08 @11a Resident reports repeated sightings of what appears to be a single coyote. Information provided and advised to not approach

01/10 @4p Resident reports a missing dog. Dog returned home at 8:30p

01/12 @9a Athol resident living near the Petersham line reports missing cat. PAWS alert and FB post completed

@11a Report of two wandering dogs on the east side of town. One dog located at 1p, second at 4p

01/15 @9a Resident call regarding deceased wildlife in yard/driveway, HBC animal removed

01/16 @1p PPD call for injured red tail hawk that flew into vehicle. Driver on scene with officer. EPO contacted. ACO on scene with transport carrier and recommendation to observe since bird was improving. EPO arrived at 2:15p, agreed to transport to Tufts Wildlife

01/17 @12p Resident request for help with their dog

01/23 @10a Assist resident with pet issue
@11a Resident report there is a loose dog and feels owner is away. Additional conversations with resident during the day

01/24 Additional conversation with resident regarding above

01/25 Annual Petersham Rabies Clinic 10:15-12:30p

@1p Call for loose dog near center, dog returned to owner
@3:45p Call for found dog located at Country Store, dog returned to owner

01/28 @3p Assist resident with cat issue

01/29 @11a Notified by PPD of two missing dogs on the Barre/Petersham. Owner contacted, as well as Barre ACO. One dog located in Petersham at 2p. Worked with owner to search and cover areas in Petersham and contact with homeowners in area.

01/30 @8a Second dog from above located in Greenfield
@6p Resident call for dog running in road, east side of town. No sighting when in area

Heywood Holds Annual Meeting in Town

Heywood Healthcare held its third annual meeting Jan. 23 at the former nuns' facility at 211 Main Street, More than 100 people attended.

Win Brown, president, reported a $5 million improvement in financial results in 2019 "We want people to know what their healthcare system is doing" Brown said. With 1400 employees, Heywood is Gardner's largest employer.

Besides Athol Hospital the, group has facilities in Gardner, Orange, Winchendon and an addiction recovery center in Petersham, "People have a choice where they get their health care. We want people to choose us," Procedures in Athol's Surgical Services increased 24 percent last year, Brown said.

Brown said a capital campaign to pay for a new addition at the Athol campus has just wrapped up.

Petersham Partners Group Delivers an Update

Nearly 30 residents stopped in at the Country Store on Jan. 17 to hear members of Petersham Partners report on progress to create a volunteer group that supports services for town seniors.

Committee members said they have been recruiting volunteers and identifying service providers and hope to launch their service later this year. The Partners committee comprises Sandy and Marc Page, Deborah Bachrach, Karen Davis, Lynn Shaw, Jim Regan and Kathleen Geary.

Members said the service will be modeled after the growing "village" movement that works to keep   seniors living in their homes by providing volunteers and needed services. The groups will focus on transportation to appointments and shopping, home support,  wellness checks and on connecting residents to necessary services in the region.

The group plans to launch the service in late spring or early summer with a social event.

Taller Cell Tower Rejected by Zoning Board

Zoning Board members January 9 said "No" to a request from Tower North Development to allow an increase in the permitted height of a proposed cell tower at 41 Hall Road.  A 90-foot tower was approved previously but has not been built. Tower North Development applied to modify the height saying that a 160-foot tower would provide more and better cell service and could allow up to four cell carriers and state emergency communications to share the cost of the tower.

A local zoning bylaw limits the height of cell towers to 90 feet. The developer was seeking a waiver of that limit. Tower North had told the board that a tall tower with several service providers on it could help prevent other developers from considering Petersham tower locations. Nearly 20 residents attended the meeting even though a public comment period closed last month.

Board member Maryanne Reynolds opposed allowing a taller tower. She said, "There is an interest in having a cell tower here but not with consequential adverse impact."

Board Chairman Don O'Neil and member Brian MacEwen both said the board could waive the 90-foot height limit set by  a  local bylaw and would vote for a 140-foot tower. Reynolds said she would vote No. The local zoning bylaw and state law require unanimous votes to waive restrictions when a town has a three-member zoning board

Michael Dolan, a lawyer for Tower North, did not respond when asked if the company can     appeal the board's decision.

Mahar Supt. Search Committee Selected

The School Committee Chairs for Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District, Orange Elementary School District and Petersham Center School District met and determined that the Superintendent Search Committee would be comprised of the following people:

Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Committee – Sunday Lefevre
Orange Elementary School Committee – Alex Schwanz
Petersham Center School Committee – Lynn Peredina
Petersham Town Official – Nancy Allen
Orange Town Official – Gabe Voelker
Administrator from one of the 3 Districts – Eric Glazier
Director of Finance and Operations – Michele Tontodonato
Director of Curriculum or Special Education – Marie Cole
Ralph C. Mahar Faculty member – Kelley Allen
Orange Elementary Faculty member – Ben Herk
Petersham Center School Faculty member – Nichole Ruggles
Parent from one of the 3 Districts – Sharon Gilmore
Student Representative from Ralph C. Mahar – Kylie Hedges
Representative from New Salem/Wendell –

Supt. Teri Thomas is retiring at the end of this school year.

Annual Town Election March 30

The Petersham Town Election will be held on Monday, March 30, 2020 from 10 a.m.
– 8 p.m. at the Petersham Town Hall – Lower Level.

The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, March 10. Incumbent candidates for re-election wishing to sign the blanket nomination paper must sign by Monday, February 10th at 5 pm.

Anyone wishing to take out nomination papers must take out and return papers by Monday, February 10th at 5 p.m. from the Town Clerk.

Offices to be filled are Moderator – currently held by Bart Wendell, Board of Selectmen – currently held by Fredrik Marsh, Treasurer – currently held by Dana
Robinson, Board of Assessors – currently held by Ellen Anderson, Board of Health
– currently held by Stephen Loring, Petersham School Committee – currently held
by Angela Danielson, Planning Board (2 seats) – currently held by John Lawson
and Fraser Sinclair, Trustees of Public Library – currently held by Kent Byron. All
the seats are 3 year positions.

Mahar Regional School Committee has a 2-year vacant seat. Anyone wishing to run for this seat should see the Town Clerk to take out papers.

State Grant Approved for Town Hall Lift System

The Massachusetts Office of Disability has approved the town's request for $140,000 to install a handicap lift system in Town Hall. Selectboard chair Nancy Allen announced the grant award.

The Selectboard accepted a low bid for the work from Clearview Contracting of Petersham.opened project bids on December 16. Clearview Contracting of Petersham was the lowest of three bidders with two versions of the proposed work. Clearview Contracting bid $139,000. Vs. 1– Re-use of existing concrete foundation for exterior pathway and $148,500. Vs. 2 – Construction of new footings for exterior pathway. The work must be complete by June 30 to comply with grant terms.

The project design calls for installing an interior lift system at the south front side corner of the building that will connect the main floor to the lower town hall and allow access to the building from outside as well. Total budget for the project is $160,000 and that includes alteration to exterior parking spaces.