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PAGE 4 A Turley Publication • www.turley.com I Thursday, February 9, 2012 - opinion - editorial Raving about Durant’s rant It was quite refreshing to hear our newest local legislator, state Rep. Peter Durant (R-Spencer), openly call for an investigation last week into public funding of the nonprofi t hybrid, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy in Boston. As previously reported in the Boston Globe, the Conservancy is responsible for oversight of the 15acre public park linking the North End to downtown Boston. It has been reported that fi ve executives of the Conservancy each now make well in excess of $100,000 annually, with hefty bonuses and vacation time, too. With so much scrutiny and almost liturgical calls for ethical and fi nancial reforms atop Beacon Hill after a slew of House Speaker scandals – as well as incredibly tight municipal state aid projections - one would think this type of fat cat patronage would be a thing of the past. And this is the same Conservancy that is attempting to create a voluntary tax among abutting business owners to help boost park revenues. It makes this page wonder how many other examples of shady state budget meets non-profi t partnerships exist like this? When pushed by the media, the Conservancy’s Executive Director Nancy Brennan – who received a whopping $20,000 raise to her $185,000 salary last July - refused to release the salaries of her fellow minions, forcing Transportation Secretary Richard A. Davey to seek them through more forceful means. Given the urban park is just 15 acres, what the hec do the fi ve executives actually do each day to justify their earnings? They aren’t out there cutting grass, planting fl owers, and sowing the seeds of summer programming. The Conservancy already has a $5.5 million budget for that - $2 million of which comes straight out of the Department of Transportation budget and your state withholding taxes. “I understand the economic benefi t this park provides for North End businesses, and if it was a completely privately-funded entity, as was originally intended, the amount the Conservancy pays its personnel wouldn’t be an issue,” said Durant. Our state representative makes an excellent point. The fact is this organization relies heavily on public funding and has the audacity to believe there should be no oversight or accountability of how the public’s money is spent. As Durant stated, oversight alone of this parcel totals almost $45,000 per acre and that does not include the salaries of the other 35 employees of the conservancy employed in the maintenance of the park. Those are the ones who actually do most – if not all – of the work there. Durant deserves high marks, as a new legislator who does not walk in the inner circles of Beacon Hill – yet – to push for a full investigation and seek additional copies of the fi nancial statements of the Rose Kennedy Conservancy. Not surprisingly, the park sits just above the now submerged Central Artery tunnel – another fi tting example of pork barrel spending. Make no mistake: the Greenway park – once a controversial argument among politicians about who would actually run it - is a beautiful component of downtown Boston. However, the only real green in this oasis is lining the wallets and purses of overpaid and underworked executives who scoff at the notion of public scrutiny. The park’s overall management should be shifted to the domain of the city parks department, or state Department of Conservation and Recreation. Otherwise, the park’s public funding arm should be severed. When we talk about fi nancial abuses and overextended privileges to non-profi ts at the state level, this is exactly what we mean. @QuaboagCurrentTownCommonNewspapers.com Letters to the Editor Hearts for Heat warmed by your generosity TO THE EDITOR: Community Helping Community; that was the dream of Cindy Shea, founder of the original Hearts For Heat organization several years ago. Support from North Brookfi eld residents and local businesses exemplifi es this most fundamental and compassionate premise. When asked, North Brookfi eld Savings Bank, Quabaug Corporation, Berthiaume & Berthiaume, the NB Teachers Association No. 406, McGrath Insurance, Country Auto Body, Lamoureux Ford, Thomas Cahill DDS, Robert King DVM, and Country Bank provided substantial donations. And as a result of the annual appeal mailing, charitable giving from individuals has exceeded expectations. Our 4th annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser was the best ever – again because of the support of the community. The Hayden Masonic Lodge co-sponsored the dinner; their team of volunteers knows exactly how to put on a spectacular meal. “How can we help” is Hannaford Supermarket manager Dianne Lincoln’s recurrent response to every request for assistance. The store donated the food and paper items essential to this event. National honor society students lent a hand selling raffl e tickets, pouring drinks, and cleaning up. The PTO helped with advertizing and held their annual Movie Night immediately following the dinner. The raffl e table was bursting with offerings donated by the following organizations and businesses: Brookfi eld Orchards, Cormier Jewelers (Southbridge), Jim’s Pizza, Lamoureux Ford, N. Brookfi eld House of Pizza, Salem Cross Inn, St. Jean’s Package Store, Statz Sports Pub, Shawn Adams/Peter Glanville, and Charlotte Hoogasian. Always a big draw, Bose Corporation once again donated a Wave Radio. This year brought additional excitement with the gift of “Opening Day” Red Sox ticket from Wally and Michele Connor, founders of Socks for Siberia, a nonprofi t organization that supports orphaned children in Siberia. Christine Kiraly transformed the cafeteria into a delightful eatery and with the addition of live music by local favorites “The Otters,” the evening was magically transfi xed; no one wanted to leave. We are most grateful that the band has offered their service, again free of charge, for next year’s fundraiser. Personally, I am most grateful for fellow NB Hearts for Heat board members Michelle Petraitis, Ellen Smith, Judy Manning, Louise Bouchard, Tom Lewandowski, Joe Zegarra, and Patricia Zegarra, whose dedication allows the organization to exist. Then Bob LaFlamme and Crowley Fuel completes our efforts with their commitment to helping residents in need. Yes, this is truly community helping community; together we can make a difference. We raised $2,600; every cent will be used provide emergency fuel assistance to North Brookfi eld residents. Thank you all. Suzanne Lewandowski President-Founder NB Hearts for Heat All aboard the Arc! TO THE EDITOR: The Center of Hope (now, with our new name, Center of Hope Foundation, Inc. and a nationwide campaign branding the 732 Arcs in the country with the same logo) would like to take this opportunity to thank our surrounding communities for the fantastic support given to our agency for our 55th anniversary year. People from all walks of life used our many services and businesses, donated to our causes and participated in our fundraisers. When everyone is so busy, it is heartwarming to have the support of so many. As you know, with hard economic times, we have to advocate for every dollar we get towards supporting our individuals and families to have the most independent and fulfi lled lives possible. Our folks are becoming vital parts of our communities, giving back through their work and volunteerism. Members of our communities are always welcome for a tour to This newspaper is published every Friday by Turley Publications, Inc., 24 Water St., Palmer, Mass. 01069. Telephone (413) 283-8393, Fax (413) 289-1977. PATRICK H. TURLEY Publisher KEITH TURLEY Executive Vice President DOUGLAS L. TURLEY Vice President of Publications EDITOR Tim Kane ADVERTISING SALES Jacky Haesaert, Tim Mara and Jeanne Bonsall SPORTS EDITOR Dave Forbes SOCIAL MEDIA @QuaboagCurrent TownCommonNewspapers WEB www.quaboagcurrent.com www.tantasquatowncommon.com www.turley.com Turley Publications, Inc. cannot assume liability for the loss of photographs or other materials submitted for publication. Materials will not be returned except upon specific request when submitted. See LETTERS I PAGE 5 OPINION PAGE/ LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should be 250 words or less in length, and guest columns between 500 and 800 words. No unsigned or anonymous opinions will be published. We require that the person submitting the opinion also include his or her town of residence and home telephone number. We authenticate authorship prior to publication. We reserve the right to edit or withhold any submissions deemed to be libelous, unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks, or defamation of character. Send opinions to: Letters to the Editor, 80 Main Street, Ware, MA 01082 OR e-mail to tkane@turley.com. Deadline for submission is Monday at noon for the following week’s edition.
Letters to the Editor Generous donors not put on ice TO THE EDITOR: Recently, the Brookfi elds’ Lions Club was to hold its 23rd Annual Ice Fishing Derby. Unfortunately, due to adverse conditions we were forced to cancel. The decision was easy as our number one concern is the safety of everyone involved. Unfortunately, due to this cancellation we also did not raise the monies that individuals, groups and organizations come to rely on us so heartfelt for. This is not to say our effort or commitment to our event is any less than our profi table year. Many indi- www.fancythatantiquesandart.com BRING IN YOUR jewelry old watches sterling silver gold coins antiques EARN AN EXTRA 12% WITH THIS coupon p 413.599.4705 2805 Boston Road Wilbraham, MA 01095 Contact Christian Lund He’s nice too! Propane Usage is Soaring to New HEIGHTS The AmeriGas Difference. Guaranteed. PROPANE EXCEPTIONAL ENERGY See DONORS I PAGE 6 LETTERS I FROM PAGE 4 see how we support the 600 families who have a family member with a disability in our 61-town area. We are also holding an Annual Statewide Campaign including the 17 Arcs in Massachusetts called “All Aboard the Arc!” to conclude this year in a bus ride on April 29 to a show at the John Hancock building in Boston, with a program including Justin Hines, a world famous pop-folk style singer/songwriter (www. justinhines.com ). We would like invite members of the community to join our ad hoc committee in the planning of this event. Family members, business people, service providers, other non-profi ts, legislators, advocates and all those who appreciate our role in our communities are invited to help us make this a very successful event and means to provide more services for people with disabilities and their families. Please call Marie Barse at 508-764-4085 or go to www.allaboardthearc.org to help us in whatever way you can. Again, thank you to all who have supported our agency and those who will continue that support in this coming year. Cindy Howard Southbridge “Visit Our Showroom!” PARK SAW SHOP LOGGING • ARBORIST • SAFETY 1292 PARK ST. 1-800-232-6132 PALMER, MA 01069 (413) 283-2939 Mon-Fri 6am-5pm • Sat 7am-Noon Shipping Can Be Arranged RENTALS AVAILABLE p [ Laundries…restaurants… hotels…schools… No matter where you are, propane is the fuel of choice for more than one million commercial businesses nationwide. As the nation’s leading propane supplier,AmeriGas understands the importance of running your business efficiently and seamlessly. Customers value our flexible delivery schedules, emergency service and complimentary safety training program. Our customer satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Call today. Discover how propane can work for your business. Amerigas Propane 413-283-7674 • 1-800-331-4471 1162 Park St., Palmer, MA 01069 www.amerigas.com Member FDIC A Turley Publication • www.turley.com I Thursday, February 9, 2012 PAGE 5 Petition to revoke the Community Preservation Act TO THE EDITOR: A small group of residents has started a petition to revoke the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in Sturbridge. Many worthwhile projects have been completed as a result of passage of the CPA in 2001; however, it is apparent that in these tough economic times, residents are struggling to make ends meet and we feel it is inappropriate to spend money on new projects, especially given the amount of existing longterm CPA debt, the declining state- matching funds, and the town’s current budget situation and last year’s natural disasters. We invite residents to sign this petition. We need 485 signatures on the petition so that we can place a ballot question on the April 9, 2012 Town Election. At the least, we hope to raise awareness about the current situation with CPA in Sturbridge; at the most, we hope to revoke the Act, knowing full well that the CPA can be brought back in the future after the debt is paid off. Please come to the Sturbridge Recycling Center on Saturday, Feb. 11 and 18, and sign the petition. Or contact childresscarol@rocketmail.com to arrange to sign the petition or to help get signatures. Here are some reasons why residents may want to consider revoking the CPA: • Sturbridge is currently $4.3 million dollars in long-term CPA debt due to the completion of four very worthwhile but expensive CPA projects. Final payoffs on that debt are the years 2017, 2026, and 2030. The 3 percent surcharge cannot be revoked; it must remain in place until all the debt is paid. However, the Act can be revoked to ensure that no new projects that require long-term borrowing are brought forward. • The 3 percent CPA Surcharge is on top of the current tax rate of $17.63 (less the fi rst $100K of property value.) The chart below puts it into perspective: our town has the second highest property tax rate in comparison to nine surrounding communities. From a homebuyer perspective, Sturbridge’s property taxes Each depositor is insured by the FDIC to at least $250,000. All deposits above the FDIC insurance amount are insured by the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF). are off-putting. • Currently, our annual CPA debt service exceeds our annual CPA Surcharge Revenue: the anticipated 2012 Surcharge Revenue is $360,000; the annual debt service is $413,482. *The Massachusetts Department of Revenue has opined that when communities consider borrowing for large CPA projects, the debt service should not exceed the surcharge levels, but Sturbridge’s does. • In addition to the annual 3 percent Surcharge Revenue, the town relies on other Community Preservation Fund balances that are carried forward each year to pay down the debt service; but those funds are also being spent on smaller projects. For example, at the June 2011 Town Meeting, voters approved $58,000 consisting of four small projects, including $15,000 for administration. Should that money be saved for when the state-match is further reduced or depleted? Or can it be used to more quickly pay down the long-term debt principal and interest? • When the CPA was adopted, the state match was at 100 percent. Now, the match is 23 percent; as more towns adopt the CPA, the percentage of state matching funds declines. • Taxpayers need a break! We cannot revoke the 3% surcharge until the debt is paid; but we can revoke the Community Preservation Act and stop new projects from coming forward. We can stop further debt build-up, and we can stop using funds on new, smaller projects that deter funds away from our current debt. Please watch for more information about the Community Preservation Act in the coming weeks. Please contact us to sign the petition so that voters can decide whether to keep or revoke the CPA at the April 9, 2012 Town Election. Great Rates Within Reach Purchase, Refinance, Renew Whether you’re buying your first home, building a new one, need an addition to your existing home, or you want to refinance at a lower rate, we have the loan you’re looking for at the rate you need. Visit spencersavingsbank.com, call or stop by today. Dave Holland Barbara Search Carol Childress Sturbridge Spencer Main Office 508-885-5313 Spencer Fair Plaza 508-885-9707 Leicester 508-892-4100 Rutland 508-886-2291 Warren 413-436-7726 Business Banking Center, Worcester 508-849-3933 spencersavingsbank.com
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