Voters Approve Broadband Borrowing in Landslide

A special election to decide whether to exempt borrowing $800,000 from Prop 2 1/2 limits and continue the town's broadband project passed Dec. 10 in a landslide with 25 percent of the town's 968 voters casting ballots.

The vote was 231 in favor with only 18 voting No. The measure was approved earlier at a special town meeting 141 to 1 if voters agreed to exempt the borrowing from Proposition 2 1/2 limits.

Voters approved the measure at a special town meeting by a vote of 141 to 1. The broadband committee believes that the state will reimburse the town when the system is completed late in 2019.

Thirty members of the community met informally in town hall Dec. 28 to review suggestions for the Nichewaug property on the common. Submitted by residents, the proposals ranged from demolition to senor housing to a description of a phased,  low density redevelopment including accessible town offices, senior housing and more. It was the third such meeting.

Moderator Bart Wendell has asked residents to present their favored one-page plans for the property. Fifteen submitted their ideas and Wendell asked residents to focus on benefits of each. Negatives will be taken up at a later meeting,  he said. The meetings are informal and conversational. All three Selectboard members attended to listen in.

The vacant property has been town-owned for a decade. Previous efforts to attract a developer have come to naught. Demolition has been estimated to cost $500,000. A like amount has already been spent to remove asbestos floor and ceiling tiles from the property.

High on the list of concerns are f ire safety and a desire to preserve the historic nature of the town common area. Wendell said he hopes the group can come up with a proposal for the property that could be taken to a town meeting for approval. He said he hopes the group can work together to improve each other's proposals.

A follow-on open meeting to discuss the proposals is set for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12 in the lower town hall.

Roy Nilson, who publishes this web site, is a Nichewaug neighbor.

Unitarian Church Holiday Programs

Here are our December services. All services except Christmas Eve are at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by coffee, tea, treats and conversation.

December 2nd in the Dining Room - "Building Community Resiliency in Response to the Opioid Crisis and Other Dependencies" - Morgan Ban-Draoi, Substance Use Treatment Program Manager, Quabbin Retreat. This is part of our continuing series of discussions about the challenges to our community in our present circumstances and what we can do now and in the future to counter those challenges. It follows up on an earlier presentation by Rebecca Bialecki on the history of the opioid crisis and will provide an update on the programs offered at Quabbin Retreat.

December 9th in the Sanctuary - "We Need a Temple?" - Rev. John Pastor - The story of Hanukkah is about the restoration of the temple as the central place of worship in Ancient Israel. This sermon speaks to the temple tradition and reflects on the need for a temple today. (Marc Erwin, music)

December 16th in the Sanctuary - "Winter Solstice" - Rev. Inanna Arthen

December 23rd in the Sanctuary because it's decorated! Come share your favorite childhood holiday stories and feel free to bring props, act it out or sing about it.

December 24th at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary - "Christmas Eve Candlelight Service" of love, hope, peace, song and community with Rev. John Pastor and Organist Cathy Tyng.

December 30th in the Sanctuary - "How to Get Psyched Up for 2019" - Rini Kilcoyne

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.

"We have to spend it to get it back," Bull said. "Your affirmative vote will enable the Petersham broadband project to move to a completion date in the fall of 2019, he said.

Bull said National Grid and Verizon expect to be paid in advance for work to upgrade their poles. Selectboard chair Nancy Allen said State Rep. Susannah Whipps, Sen. Anne Gobi and the governor are all working to assure the reimbursement is paid.

Finance Committee chair Ross  France said his committee would only recommend the measure as a debt exclusion measure because of the "lack of certainty" that the state will reimburse the town. If no state payment comes in, the load will raise the local tax rate by as much as $.80 per thousand of assessed valuation, France said. The current tax rate is $16.93 per thousand.

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Mass Department of Revenue has certified the town's fiscal year 2019 Tax Rate at $16.93 per thousand. The 2018 rate was $16.37 per thousand of assessed value. The increase is .56 cents per thousand of value.