Bullet shuts down Prouty - Southbridge Evening News
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2 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, November 4, 2011<br />
Nine requests on agenda for Leicester Town Meeting<br />
VOTERS TO DECIDE ZONING BYLAW CHANGES FOR SOLAR PANEL FARMS<br />
BY DAVID DORE<br />
NEW LEADER STAFF WRITER<br />
LEICESTER — New rules for socalled<br />
“solar panel farms” and<br />
monetary requests will be decided<br />
at a Special Town Meeting to be<br />
held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 in the<br />
Town Hall auditorium.<br />
Five of the nine articles would<br />
add language to the town’s zoning<br />
bylaw regarding ground-mounted<br />
solar photovoltaic installations.<br />
Article 5 defines large-scale and<br />
small-scale installations and<br />
explains the process developers<br />
must follow for building and dismantling<br />
a solar panel farm in<br />
Leicester. Articles 6-9 would update<br />
existing sections of the bylaw to list<br />
the zoning districts where solar<br />
panel farms require a special permit<br />
from the Planning Board, and<br />
the districts where they are allowed<br />
following a review by town officials<br />
or engineers.<br />
Under the proposal, large-scale<br />
ground-mounted solar facilities<br />
(which produce at least 250 kilowatts<br />
of electricity) would need<br />
special permits in the Residential 1,<br />
Residential 2 or Central Business<br />
districts, or the Greenville Village<br />
Neighborhood Business District<br />
along Pleasant Street. In other districts,<br />
Town Planner Michelle Buck<br />
said last month, they would be<br />
allowed “by right, with site plan<br />
review.”<br />
Applicants would be required to<br />
present the Planning Board with<br />
evidence they have let National<br />
Grid know they want to connect the<br />
system to the electrical grid.<br />
Systems that will operate off the<br />
grid would be exempt.<br />
“Reasonable efforts, as determined<br />
by the Planning Board” are<br />
to be made to place utility connections<br />
underground, the proposal<br />
states.<br />
The solar panel farm would<br />
require a sign stating the owner of<br />
the system and a 24-hour emergency<br />
contact number. The system<br />
would not display any advertising<br />
except for a “reasonable identification”<br />
of the company that made or<br />
operates it, according to the proposed<br />
bylaw. The owner or operator<br />
of the system would have to provide<br />
copies of plans to local emergency<br />
service agencies.<br />
The amount of vegetation to be<br />
cut <strong>down</strong> would be limited to what<br />
is necessary to install, operate and<br />
maintain the system.<br />
Systems that are abandoned or<br />
decommissioned would need to be<br />
removed, the proposed bylaw<br />
states. The system owner or operator<br />
would have to notify the town by<br />
certified mail when the system will<br />
be taken offline and what the plans<br />
are for removal. The system is to be<br />
removed no later than 150 days<br />
from the date it was decommissioned.<br />
That would mean getting<br />
rid of the solar panels themselves<br />
and their associated equipment,<br />
structures, fencing and transmission<br />
lines; disposing of solid and<br />
hazardous waste; and “stabilization<br />
or re-vegetation of the site as necessary<br />
to minimize erosion.”<br />
The proposed rules also state any<br />
system that fails to operate for at<br />
least one year without written permission<br />
from the Planning Board<br />
would be considered abandoned.<br />
Meanwhile, ground-mounted systems<br />
that produce under 250 kilowatts<br />
of electricity would be<br />
allowed in all zoning districts without<br />
a special permit, and without<br />
the need for site plan review.<br />
The original draft of the bylaw<br />
stated developers would have to<br />
“provide evidence of liability<br />
insurance in an amount and for a<br />
duration sufficient to cover loss or<br />
damage to persons and structures<br />
occasioned by the failure of the<br />
facility.”<br />
Buck said at an Oct. 19 public<br />
hearing the section was removed<br />
because “this level of specificity”<br />
was not in the model bylaw from<br />
the state used to craft Leicester’s<br />
rules.<br />
Based on suggestions made at an<br />
Oct. 4 hearing, Buck also amended<br />
the proposal to state a large-scale<br />
solar panel farm must have at least<br />
50 feet of frontage along a town<br />
roadway. Otherwise, developers<br />
must follow existing rules on the<br />
size of the lot and how far the panels<br />
must be from the property line.<br />
The bylaw is aimed at commercial<br />
solar panel installations that<br />
produce electricity to sell to power<br />
companies such as National Grid.<br />
Residents and businesses wanting<br />
to install solar panels on the roof of<br />
their buildings for their own use<br />
could do so without Planning Board<br />
approval.<br />
If Town Meeting voters sign off<br />
on the zoning bylaw changes, the<br />
Planning Board will update its site<br />
plan review rules and regulations<br />
accordingly. Board members voted<br />
Oct. 19 to both recommend<br />
approval of the bylaw changes and<br />
change their rules and regulations<br />
based on the Town Meeting vote.<br />
Leicester is facing an unofficial<br />
deadline of Dec. 31 for the bylaw<br />
changes to be approved because<br />
that is when tax incentives for<br />
developers are set to expire.<br />
MONEY ARTICLES<br />
Also on the Nov. 8 Town Meeting<br />
warrant are requests to pay bills<br />
from prior fiscal years, fund the<br />
town’s stormwater management<br />
obligations and pay for the study<br />
and repair of town-owned dams.<br />
A copy of the full Town Meeting<br />
warrant is available on the town<br />
website, www.leicesterma.org.<br />
David Dore may be reached at<br />
(508) 909-4140, or by e-mail at<br />
ddore@stonebridgepress.com.<br />
AROUND THE REGION<br />
Tornado Relief Holiday<br />
Decoration Drive<br />
The Girl Scouts of Central Western<br />
Massachusetts are currently sponsoring a<br />
Holiday Decoration Drive for the Victims of<br />
the June tornado in the<br />
Sturbridge/Springfield area.<br />
The Girl Scouts are working on their Spirit<br />
Alive project, which is the highest of the Girl<br />
Scout religious awards. The last part of the<br />
badge involves a service project of their<br />
Craig’s Barber Shop<br />
is pleased to announce<br />
that Chris Menard,<br />
formerly of<br />
“Chris & Gordie’s” in<br />
<strong>Southbridge</strong> is now at<br />
Craig’s Barber Shop<br />
in Spencer.<br />
Walk-ins welcome.<br />
Chris’ hours are Tues,<br />
Thurs, & Fri from 9-6.<br />
Stop by and welcome<br />
Chris to our barber shop!<br />
Craig's Barber Shop<br />
110 Main Street<br />
Spencer, MA 01562<br />
508-885-2414<br />
Your Local Roll-Off Specialist<br />
Homeowner Special<br />
Weekend Rental $<br />
245<br />
10 Yd. Container • 1 ton<br />
10-15-20 Yd.<br />
Roll Off Containers<br />
Weekend Dumpsters<br />
for the Homeowner<br />
Houses • Attics • Cellars<br />
Construction Sites<br />
508-892-4193 • 508-769-6603<br />
Leicester, MA<br />
Fully Insured<br />
choice.<br />
We are setting up a drive to collect decorations,<br />
etc. to make Christmas/Holiday boxes<br />
for families in the Brimfield and Springfield<br />
area who were affected by the tornado this<br />
past year. With the Holidays fast approaching<br />
we don’t want anyone to be left out of the celebrations.<br />
New and gently used items will be<br />
greatly appreciated.<br />
Drop Off Locations are as follows: East<br />
Brookfield Baptist Church, Route 9, East<br />
Brookfield, The Clam Box, Route 9,<br />
Brookfield, East Brookfield Elementary<br />
School, Route 9, East Brookfield, Klem’s,<br />
Route 9, Spencer, Spencer Public Library,<br />
Pleasant Street, Spencer.<br />
For more information, please contact:<br />
Spirit Alive Candidate, Mikaela Lachapelle<br />
at 508-885-6549.<br />
Hill to trek to D.C. with<br />
notes to Obama<br />
BOSTON — BJ Hill, the 35-year-old<br />
Massachusetts man who walked across<br />
America in 2008 to collect messages for the<br />
incoming President of the United States, will<br />
walk 450 miles to the White House to present<br />
the notes to President Barack Obama on Dec.<br />
1.<br />
Hill set out from San Francisco in March<br />
2008 and walked 4,250 miles through 24 states.<br />
He carried a blank leather-bound journal and<br />
asked people he met write their personal<br />
message for the soon-to-be-elected President<br />
of the United States. By the time he finished<br />
in Boston ten-and-half-months later, he had<br />
collected thousands of handwritten missives,<br />
from welfare recipients to business owners to<br />
teachers and farmers, on topics ranging from<br />
the economy, the environment, UFO<br />
research, to the War on Terrorism, even<br />
notes of congratulations and advice for marital<br />
bliss.<br />
“When I returned home I tried to contact<br />
the White House several times, but was<br />
repeatedly told the president was too busy,”<br />
Hill said. “Eventually I started writing a<br />
book, found a job with a social service agency<br />
in Worcester, volunteered in Haiti and<br />
Alabama, and gradually laid the journals<br />
aside. But last month I picked up the project<br />
again and, with the help of Sen. John Kerry’s<br />
staff, managed to arrange an appointment.<br />
The goal of the walk was always to carry the<br />
voice of the people directly to the president<br />
and now I’m proud to deliver your writings<br />
into his hands.”<br />
In keeping with spirit of the historic walk,<br />
Hill will hike the 450 miles from Boston to<br />
Washington, D.C., again collecting notes<br />
along the way. “It will be interesting to see<br />
how the themes and concerns have changed<br />
since 2008,” he says. He plans to leave the<br />
Massachusetts State House on October 30th<br />
and cover 15-20 miles a day.<br />
More information can be found at<br />
www.walktothewhitehouse.com.<br />
Teens asked to name<br />
library space<br />
SPENCER — Teens are invited to name<br />
and create a logo for the Richard Sugden<br />
Library’s “Teen Space.” The teen space at the<br />
library is a great place for any teen to go for<br />
information, to hang out with friends, work<br />
on homework, use technology, and more. The<br />
only thing we are missing is a great name for<br />
this space. This is YOUR space and we want<br />
the name to reflect that!<br />
To enter: please complete the entry form<br />
available at the library. Don’t forget to<br />
include your name, phone number, and/or<br />
email so that we are able to contact winners.<br />
You just may win a $25 Gift Card!<br />
Contest Guidelines:<br />
* You must be in grade 6-12<br />
* You may submit more than one entry<br />
* The library has the right to disallow<br />
entries due to inappropriateness<br />
* A drawing will take place in the event<br />
that multiple entries contain winning name<br />
* The winner will be decided by the staff<br />
and trustees of the library<br />
The deadline is Dec. 31. Any questions?<br />
Call 508-885-7513.<br />
Coats needed for third<br />
annual Coat Giveaway<br />
SPENCER – The need for warm coats is<br />
always a concern, but it is especially noticeable<br />
in difficult economic times.<br />
The congregation of Hillside Baptist<br />
Church is gearing up for its third annual<br />
Coat Giveaway, to be held from 10 a.m. to 2<br />
p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Depot Village<br />
Senior Center, Wall Street, Spencer.<br />
Coat and jacket donations may be made by<br />
bringing them to Hillside Baptist Church, 472<br />
Main Street, Spencer<br />
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5;<br />
from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 and<br />
from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays during the Bible<br />
Study.<br />
If a church or business chooses to conduct<br />
a specific on-site collection for the Giveaway,<br />
call Rosemary Reed at (508) 885-4673 and<br />
arrangements will be made to pick up the<br />
donations.<br />
This year the folks at Hillside are conducting<br />
a community-wide coat drive in an effort<br />
to gather even more winter coats and jackets<br />
for the Giveaway than in previous years.<br />
They are specifically looking for clean, gently-used<br />
children’s, women’s, and men’s winter<br />
coats and jackets.<br />
Anyone who needs a warm coat for themselves<br />
or their children is welcomed to come<br />
to the Coat Giveaway on Nov. 12 and choose a<br />
coat. The coats are, as always, free and available<br />
on a first-come, first-served basis. While<br />
there may not be coats available in every size,<br />
the goal is to collect and distribute as many<br />
coats and jackets as possible on that day.<br />
RRI to hold voter<br />
registration drive<br />
STURBRIDGE — Rehabilitative Resources<br />
Inc. (RRI), one of Central Massachusetts’<br />
leading providers of services for people living<br />
with developmental disabilities, will hold<br />
a voter registration drive on Veteran’s Day,<br />
Friday, Nov. 11 at its headquarters, 1 Picker<br />
Road in Sturbridge.<br />
“Voting is one of the rights we as<br />
Americans hold so precious and dear,” said<br />
Bonnie Keefe-Layden, RRI’s chief executive<br />
officer, and a retired Army colonel who<br />
served during the Iraq War. “Our voter registration<br />
drive will enable all citizens over the<br />
age of 18 to sign up to vote, and come Election<br />
Day, have their voice be heard.”<br />
To register, you need to simply come to RRI<br />
between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. with a valid identification.<br />
The next scheduled statewide<br />
Election Day is March 6, 2012, when candidates<br />
for president from all qualified parties<br />
will be on the ballot.<br />
For more information, please contact Evan<br />
Brassard<br />
at<br />
ebrassard@rehabresourcesinc.org, or (508)<br />
347-8181, ext. 134.<br />
HOW TO USE<br />
A STONEBRIDGE PRESS<br />
PUBLICATION<br />
STAFF DIRECTORY<br />
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER<br />
FRANK G. CHILINSKI<br />
(508) 909-4101<br />
frank@stonebridgepress.com<br />
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER<br />
RON TREMBLAY<br />
(508) 909-4102<br />
rtremblay@stonebridgepress.com<br />
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TO PLACE A<br />
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TO FAX US:<br />
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STAFF DIRECTORY<br />
SENIOR STAFF WRITER<br />
DAVID DORE<br />
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(508) 909-4062<br />
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GOT A NEWS TIP, AND IT’S AFTER 5 P.M. OR A WEEKEND?<br />
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MANAGING EDITOR<br />
ADAM MINOR<br />
(508) 909-4130<br />
aminor@stonebridgepress.com<br />
ADVERTISING MANAGER<br />
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(508) 909-4104<br />
jashton@stonebridgepress.com<br />
PRODUCTION MANAGER<br />
JULIE CLARKE<br />
(508) 909-4105<br />
julie@villagernewspapers.com<br />
The Spencer New Leader (USPS#024-<br />
927) is published weekly by Stonebridge<br />
Press, Inc., 25 Elm St., <strong>Southbridge</strong>, MA<br />
01550. Periodical Postage paid at<br />
<strong>Southbridge</strong>, MA 01550.<br />
POSTMASTER: Send address<br />
changes to Spencer New Leader, P.O. Box<br />
90, <strong>Southbridge</strong>, MA 01550<br />
“We just want them<br />
to know that everyone<br />
is thankful for<br />
all that they’ve<br />
done.”<br />
- West Brookfield Board of Selectmen executive secretary<br />
Johanna Barry, commenting on upcoming Veterans Day<br />
events.<br />
Theheartof<br />
massachusetts.com