Ashland May 2016

Ashland 

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Westboro, MA 

Permit No. 100 

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Vol. 3 No. 10 Free to Every Home and Business Every Month May 2016 

Ashland Garden 

Club Plant Sale, 

Rain or Shine, 

May 7 

The Ashland 

Garden Club 

(ACG) will hold 

its annual plant 

sale on Saturday, 

May 7, 9 a.m. to 

12 p.m., rain or 

shine, in Montenegro 

Square, 

across from the 

library. A wide 

selection of perennials 

and hypertufa pots 

planted with succulents 

will be available. Experienced 

gardeners will 

be on hand to answer 

questions. Come early 

for best selection! All proceeds 

fund plantings in 

Ashland’s public spaces 

and support other AGC 

programs. For more information, 

visit www.ashlandgardenclub.org. 

Town Meeting 

Articles Affect Look 

and Feel of the Town 

By Deborah Burke Henderson, 

Contributing Writer, 

and Cynthia Whitty 

Ashland residents are invited 

to participate in the upcoming 

annual town meeting, scheduled 

over two evenings, starting 

on Wednesday, May 4, and continuing 

on Wednesday, May 25. 

Both meetings begin at 7 p.m. at 

Ashland High School (AHS), 65 

East Union St. 

Town elections will be held 

on Tuesday, May 17, from 7 

a.m. to 8 p.m., at the AHS gymnasium. 

In addition to town 

committee positions, with five 

contested seats, there will be two 

Yes or No questions for a Proposition 

2 ½ override on this year’s 

ballot. 

The town meeting warrant 

articles will be split between the 

two meeting dates, May 4 and 

May 25. So that town officials 

can have the results of the override 

vote from the elections, Article 

7 (Fiscal Year 2017 Budget) 

will be considered on May 25, 

the second night of the town 

meeting 

Warrant Highlights 

A number of articles on the 

town meeting warrant will affect 

the look, feel and affordability 

of the town. According to BOS 

member Steve Mitchell, key 

items for discussion at the May 

4 town meeting include the following 

topics: 

• The creation of a community 

and economic 

development stabilization 

account 

• Amendments to the town 

bylaws regarding water 

operations 

• Proposed supplementation 

of the town’s public 

water supply with a connection 

to the Massachusetts 

Water Resources 

Authority (MWRA) 

• MWRA water use 

TOWN MEETING 

continued on page 2 

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Page 2 Local Town Pages www.ashlandtownnews.com May 2016 

TOWN MEETING 

continued from page 1 

• Purchase of the Girl Scout 

property known as Camp 

Winnetaska, 60 Olive St, 

including 19 acres 

• Amendments to the town’s 

zoning bylaws regarding 

the Ashland Downtown 

District (the “Ashland 

Downtown District” is a 

specific name of one of 

three downtown zones. 

The articles relate to all 

three downtown zones.) 

The first zoning article on the 

warrant seeks to create templates 

that the town can recommend to 

developers to encourage a more 

desirable architecture for new 

construction in Ashland’s downtown. 

In addition to graphic 

representations of the preferred 

architecture, the article seeks to 

specify exactly how high each 

story new downtown buildings 

can be. 

Ashland resident Joel Arbeitman, 

who has been attending 

many of the zoning board meetings, 

said he is generally supportive 

of the first zoning article. 

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“I support the town’s efforts to 

get these templates in place as 

quickly as possible, but only because 

I’ve been assured that the 

public will be able to discuss design 

alternatives and revisit the 

templates before the fall town 

meeting.” 

The current zoning code allows 

downtown buildings as tall 

as three and four stories. In one 

downtown zone, the by-law allows 

the Planning Board to grant 

one additional story. The article 

would define these stories as 14 

feet high for the first floor and 

12 feet for each additional floor 

with another 12 feet allowed for 

the roofing system. Arbeitman 

added up these numbers to show 

that this could potentially allow 

a 74-foot tall building, which is 

almost twice as high as Ashland 

thackeratlaw@aol.com 

town hall. He said he would like 

to see a zoning change that would 

limit all new buildings anywhere 

in Ashland to a maximum height 

of 35 feet. 

Arbeitman said he strongly 

opposes one of the proposed 

zoning changes that would allow 

much greater residential density 

in the downtown. The existing 

zoning by-law allows no more 

than 10 dwelling units per acre, 

sets a minimum dwelling unit 

size of 700 square feet and limits 

the number of bedrooms per 

unit to two. The Planning Board 

is seeking to eliminate all of these 

restrictions on residential development 

in the downtown. 

“We don’t need more residential 

growth in Ashland,” 

Arbeitman said. “Adding more 

residents means more school 

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costs, more traffic downtown and 

more pressure on the town’s limited 

resources.” 

The focus of the May 25 town 

meeting will center on the town 

budget for FY17, which begins 

July 1, 2016. The outcome of 

the override questions on the 

town ballot, May 17, will determine 

possible additional funds 

available for FY17 and beyond. It 

will then be up to residents at the 

May 25 town meeting to sanction 

funding appropriations. 

To review the May 17 warrant 

in advance, visit the Document 

Center on the town 

website, www.ashlandmass. 

com/DocumentCenter/Home/ 

View/1385. 

 

 

 

Ashland’s Proposition 

2 ½ Override 

 

 

 

TOWN OF ASHLAND 

Why a Town Meeting? 

 

Ashland’s town meeting form of government provides 

residents an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and 

act as a legislative body voting on operating budgets, laws and 

other matters that directly affect the community’s operation 

over the next 12 months. 

Prior to town meeting, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) issues 

a warrant, a list of items known as articles, to be voted on. 

At the meeting, town officials will provide all attendees with a 

hard copy of the town meeting warrant with descriptions of 

each article; any proposed amendments and a notation of the 

sponsoring Board or Committee; a guide to town meeting vocabulary 

and a summary of selected town meeting procedures. 

The warrant may also be viewed in the Document Center on 

the town website, www.ashlandmass.com, in advance of the 

town meeting. 

The town moderator officiates the meeting by referring 

to each article by number, adding any brief explanation as 

needed, allowing for public discussion and comment, making 

sure the rules of parliamentary procedure are followed and 

interpreting any voice votes and counting other votes. Unless 

otherwise noted, a simple majority is required to pass a motion. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the May 17 town elections, Ashland residents will see two 

ballot questions: 

1. Shall the Town of Ashland be allowed to assess an additional 

$1,943,400 in real estate and personal property taxes 

for the purposes of funding the school and general government 

operating budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016? 

YES _________ NO_________ 

2. Shall the Town of Ashland be allowed to assess an additional 

$500,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the 

purposes of funding the Community and Economic Development 

Infrastructure Stabilization Fund for the fiscal year beginning 

July 1, 2016? YES _________ NO_________ 

To preview the additional annual financial commitment 

should the override pass, use the Residential Tax Impact Calculator 

on the town website, http://ashlandmass.com/443/ 

Residential-Tax-Impact-Calculator, or call or visit the Assessor’s 

office at Town Hall for the information. 

Overrides, a permanent increase to the tax base for the tax 

year and all future years, require both a ballot vote and a town 

meeting-sanctioned appropriation of funds. 

Proposition 2 ½ is a Massachusetts law passed in 1980 that 

limits the total amount of property taxes a Massachusetts city or 

town can raise each year. The property tax levy is the revenue 

a community can raise through real estate and personal property 

taxes. A community can permanently increase the levy limit 

by successfully voting an override. The amount of the override 

becomes a permanent part of the levy limit base. An example 

follows of the potential financial impact residents would face. 

• If the total override ($2.4 million) passes, the cost for a 

single family home valued at $400,000 is $408 total additional 

taxes per year, or $34 per month. 

• If the $1.9 million operational override passes, the cost is 

an additional $323 per year, or $26.92 per month. 

• If the $500,000 stabilization fund override passes, the 

amount is an additional $85 per year, or $7.08 per 

month. 

For more reading on property tax overrides, see the Massachusetts 

Department of Revenue Levy Limits: A Primer on 

Proposition 2 ½, www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/publ/misc/levylimits.pdf. 

1

May 2016 Local Town Pages www.ashlandtownnews.com Page 3 

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Residents Concerned About Blasting Near Nyanza 

lived through” and her concern 

that it could happen again. 

As a result of the recent 

meetings, Tierrell has contacted 

an attorney “to have the 

abutter’s, those adjacent to the 

Nyanza land and a town citizen’s 

group unite to file an appeal 

against the bylaws citing 

failure to consider the impact of 

peak runoff on the culvert and 

that the construction will disturb 

the Nyanza superfund site.” 

Daniel Keefe, EPA remedial project manager, center, led a tour of the 

Nyanza Superfund site in Ashland on April 12. (Photo/Steve Mitchell) 

By Cynthia Whitty 

The recent tour in April by 

the US Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) was a general 

overview but came about as developers 

Campanelli &Thorndike 

prepare to build 398 

one- and two-bedroom apartments 

(“Rail Transit District,” 

the largest residential development 

in Ashland’s history) on 

200 acres near Nyanza and off 

the MBTA access road. The developers 

plan to break ground in 

early May. 

In a public forum on March 

31, residents expressed concerns 

about blasting that could 

disrupt the containments, the 

possibility of human error and 

the absence of a contingency 

plan. Stakeholders heard emotional 

recounts from Marie 

Kane, mother of Kevin Kane, 

25 years old who lost his life in 

1998 to a rare cancer caused 

by the chemicals released from 

Nyanza, and from lifelong resident 

Cara Tierrell, who spoke 

about “the horror that residents 

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Vote 

Tuesday, May 17 

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Ashland’s Decisions 

at Every Turn 

Coalition 

Keeping Teens Safe during Prom & Graduation Season 

Here are some tips for parents 

to keep their teens safe 

during prom and graduation 

season. 

• Talk with your teen. Be 

clear that you do not 

want your teen to drink 

alcohol. 

• Discuss your expectations 

regarding alcohol 

use, driving, and curfew. 

Make sure your teen 

understands the consequences 

for violating the 

rules. 

• Prepare your teen for 

peer pressure. Encourage 

them to make the right 

choices. Acknowledge 

and praise the good decisions 

your teen has made 

in the past. 

• Practice refusal skills. 

Come up with ideas 

for handling challenging 

situations such as 

being offered an alcoholic 

drink or a ride with 

someone who has been 

drinking. 

• Share in their enthusiasm 

and support them 

during this exciting time. 

For more information and 

parent and community resources, 

visit www.ashlanddecisions.org. 

Decisions at 

Every Turn (DEAT) Coalition 

parent educational tip sheet 

series can be found at www. 

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Ashland’s DAET Coalition 

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with stakeholders from many 

organizations throughout Ashland. 

The group is dedicated 

to creating a safe and healthy 

Ashland by working as a community 

to prevent, reduce and 

solve the problems that can 

lead to youth substance abuse. 

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Meet the Candidates for Town Office 

By Cynthia Whitty 

Ashland residents can learn 

about candidates for town office 

before casting their vote on 

May 17. 

The annual, live Candidates’ 

Forum, to be held on Monday, 

May 9, moderated by Roberta 

Soolman, and Tuesday, May 10, 

moderated by Marcia Reni, is an 

opportunity to hear the candidates 

speak and to ask questions. 

The moderated forums start at 

6:30 p.m. in the Ashland Public 

Library, Community Room, 66 

Front St. 

To date, four committees have 

contested seats: Assessor, Board 

of Health, School Committee 

aånd Board of Selectmen. 

Ashland Local Town Pages asked 

candidates for Selectmen to 

submit up to 400 words using 

the following guidelines: What 

makes you a good candidate? 

Why are you running? What 

do you hope to accomplish if 

elected? Read the candidates’ 

responses below. They are listed 

in alphabetical order by last 

name. 

STANLEY DANER 

for 

SELECTMAN 

• Stop the town 

tax override 

• Fiscal 

responsibility 

• Improved 

representation 

for condo dwellers 

and seniors 

• Support the 

Rail Train and 

Downtown Green 

VOTE Stanley Daner 

Tuesday, May 17th 

Stanley Daner 

My name is Stanley Daner. 

My wife Judi and I have resided 

in the Ledgemere Lands Condo 

area for 19 years. Continuing 

my involvement in community 

affairs, I serve as the vice chairman 

of our condo association, 

Starlight Village, and as vice 

chairman of the Ashland Zoning 

Board of Appeals. 

I was stridently involved in 

the effort to have a traffic light 

installed on Pond Street and 

Algonquin Path. It has been recently 

approved. 

My qualifications include successfully 

starting and running a 

technical engineering company 

from which I have retired after 38 

years. 

I am running for the Board 

of Selectman to favorably influence 

the operations of our town 

and further its attractiveness to 

others who might bring tourists, 

tax and business money to the 

community. I support the expansion 

of our arts community; the 

opening of bike trails to connect 

to adjoining towns, which already 

are a large leap ahead of us; continuing 

the quality of education 

for our students, without busting 

the town’s budget; and helping to 

bring order and equity to furthering 

the development of the town 

center. 

I hope to influence the town to 

be more open about its finances, 

to expand its services in a sane, 

practical manner and to avoid 

making it unaffordable to seniors 

and others. 

In summary, I need your vote, 

and promise to work hard and intelligently 

to accomplish the common 

goals that benefit our town. 

Carl Hakansson 

I am running for re-election 

to the Board of Selectmen. I am 

running because I would like to 

continue assisting in creating a vision 

for the Town of Ashland that 

acknowledges its past, while fashioning 

current policy in a manner 

that creates a sustainable future. 

This will require a balancedgrowth 

approach that ensures 

that growth benefits the community 

and does not simply over burden 

tax payers in the long term. 

Among the issues that I consider 

of primary concern are: 

maintaining competitive schools, 

re-building our infrastructure, 

public safety, support for senior 

programs, continued support 

of the library, preservation of 

historical character and open 

space, support of cultural arts, 

and increasing commercial development; 

all in a manner that 

provides for responsible and equitable 

fiscal solvency over both 

the short and long term. This 

will require a comprehensive examination 

of all possible funding 

sources for both schools and town 

services, while allowing Ashland 

to remain affordable for new 

home buyers, as well as for seniors 

and others who wish to remain in 

their current homes. 

My family has lived in Ashland 

for four generations and I 

am a graduate of Ashland High 

School. For over 20 years, I have 

worked as an attorney with a specialty 

in environmental and landuse 

law. For 17 years I operated 

a non-profit organization that 

provided legal assistance regarding 

environmental and land-use 

issues to Native American Indian 

tribes across the United States. 

For the past 20 years I have 

also been a professor at Framingham 

State University where 

I teach Environmental Law, 

Municipal Land Use, Resource 

Management, American Legal 

Systems and other law-related 

courses; while also functioning as 

the Sustainable Policies Coordinator 

for the University. I was also 

co-author of their award winning 

Climate Action Plan. 

For the past year I have 

worked diligently with residents, 

town administrators, and my colleagues 

on the Board of Selectmen 

to provide a perspective that 

is wholly representative of town 

needs. We have set the bar high 

in our attempts to move Ashland 

forward while creating a sustainable 

future. 

I am also currently a member 

of the Ashland Conservation 

Commission and chair the Ashland 

Land Stewardship Committee. 

I was also chair of the Green 

Ashland Committee, which attained 

Green Community status 

for Ashland and was the precursor 

of the Ashland Sustainability 

Committee. 

I believe the Board of Selectmen 

must be representative of all 

the diverse groups that comprise 

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our town if Ashland is to remain 

a vibrant community. I also feel 

that my many years of building 

coalitions in both the public and 

private sector, combined with 

my deep roots in the community, 

would continue to make me 

an asset to the town and to the 

Board of Selectmen, and I would 

appreciate your vote on May 17. 

Thank you. 

Peter Kopecky, Jr. 

I am running for the Selectman 

position because I love Ashland 

and its sense of community, 

and I want to play an active role in 

shaping its future. While my opponents 

may be qualified for this 

role, I not only have the relevant 

experience to perform this position 

effectively, but I also bring a 

fresh set of eyes to the table. Additionally, 

I work well with others, 

which puts me in an ideal position 

to learn from the strengths of previous 

leaders while improving on 

areas that have been problematic 

in the past. Ashland’s residents 

have expressed significant concerns 

this election, and this town 

needs someone who is accessible 

to the people and will listen to 

those concerns; I am that person. 

I am the ideal candidate because 

I have proudly served in a 

volunteer capacity in every town 

I have ever lived in for over 15 

years. This opportunity to serve 

my community is not a phase 

or something I take lightly. It is 

something I am passionate about 

and will put all of my time and 

energy into. I am not a politician, 

and my only agenda will be to 

serve as the eyes and ears to the 

town’s residents. I am a proud 

Ashland resident that will do everything 

I can to keep this a great 

and safe place to live. I have held 

positions in law enforcement, fire, 

dispatch and EMS, so I have a 

unique perspective on how various 

departments within the town 

can and should function, and you 

can trust that your tax dollars will 

be scrutinized carefully under my 

watch. My wife is a CPA and former 

auditor, so you can be sure 

she will ask me the tough questions 

about how tax funds are 

used! 

Above all else, I am a family 

man with a daughter who I want 

to keep safe and offer all the opportunities 

that kids in other 

towns have. If elected, I will work 

CANDIDATES 

continued on page 7


CANDIDATES 


for increased public safety and 

additional after-school options 

for our town’s children and identify 

ways to keep taxes at a reasonable 

level. I know that I may 

not always be able to give you the 

answer you want, but I hope that 

you will at least always feel that I 

provided an open set of ears and 

the knowledge that your opinions 

were considered. 

Joseph J. Magnani Jr. 

I am running for re-election for 

the three-year seat on the Board of 

Selectmen. A lifelong resident of 

Ashland, married to my wonderful 

and supporting wife Donna for 

35 years. We have raised our family 

in town, all graduating from 

Ashland High School. We have 

eight wonderful grandchildren. 

I retired two years ago, proudly 

serving this community for 34 

years as a member of the Ashland 

Police Dept. Being retired allows 

Dates to Remember 

For election and voting information, contact the town clerk’s office, townclerkoffice@ashlandmass.com. For 

forum information, contact the Friends of the Library, candidatesforum@friendsoftheapl.com. 

Date 






Activity 

Town Meeting, Ashland High School auditorium (continues on May 25), 7 pm 

Live Candidates’ Forum, Board of Selectmen, Ashland Library, 6:30 pm 

Live Candidates’ Forum, School Committee, Ashland Library, 6:30 pm 

Town elections, Ashland High School gym, 7 am to 8 pm 

Town Meeting (continued from May 4), Ashland High School auditorium, 7 pm 

2016 Ashland Town Elections 

Town elections will be held on Tuesday, May 17. Get to know the 

candidates at the Candidate Forums, 6:30 p.m., May 9 and 10, at the 

Ashland Library, 66 Front St. 

*Indicates contested seats in the table below. 

Committee 

Assessor * 

(1 seat, 3-year term & 

1 seat, 2 year term) 

Board of Health * 


1 unexpired term) 

Housing Authority 


1 unexpired term) 

Library Trustee 

(1 seat, 3-year term) 

Planning Board 


School Committee * 

(2 seats, 3-year terms) 

Selectman * 

(2 seats, 3-year 

terms) 

Town Meeting 

Moderator 


Candidate 

Paul Monaco (3-year term) (incumbent) * 

Sean McKiernan (3-year term) * 

Steve Greenberg (2-year term) 

Mary Mortensen (3-year term) 

(incumbent) * 

Ronald Etskovitz (3-year term) * 

Jon Fetherston (1-year term) 

Daniel Shea (5-year term) 

Eric Gemperline (1-year term) 

Bonnie Mitchell (3-year term) 

Dale Buchanan (5-year term) 

Mark Bennett Larson (3-year term) * 

Paul Kendall (3-year term) * 

Erin Williams (3-year term) * 

Carl Hakansson (3-year term) (incumbent) * 

Joe Magnani (3-year term) (incumbent) * 

Stanley Daner (3-year term) * 

Peter Kopecky (3-year term) * 

Adam Shuster (1-year term) 

me to focus more energy and time 

on the position I currently serve 

and seek re-election. During my 

six-year tenure as a selectman, 

the boards I have been part of accomplished 

many goals: the field 

initiative project for new athletic 

fields set up a field management 

group to support future funding 

for their maintenance. I supported 

funding new programs for 

senior citizens as well as additional 

funds to promote and enhance 

children programs at our public 

library. This past year, I have had 

the privilege and honor serving as 

the Chair of the Board of Selectmen. 

This year the board faced 

many challenges, the departure 

of Tony Schiavi to run for higher 

office set precedent. I had no reason 

to believe we needed to search 

beyond the doors of town hall to 

find Tony’s replacement: Michael 

Herbert. The Board felt the same. 

We are proud to have Michael as 

our new Town Manager. 

As chair, this Board developed 

and adopted challenging 

goals and objectives. Through 

several workshops, we created 

and adopted two very important 

documents; a Mission and Vision 

Statement, the first of their kind 

developed by any Board of Selectmen. 

I have always supported 

a new public safety building for 

the Town and will continue to do 

so. If re-elected, I will continue 

to work on achieving the goals 

we previously established and 

continue to find new sources of 

revenues for the Town. 

As chair, I worked closely 

with Mr. Herbert discussing the 

structural deficit in 2017 budget, 

creating an Override Study 

Committee to determine the 

needs of the entire town. After 

much discussion and review of 

the Town’s deficit, the Override 

Committee proposed a two 

question ballot initiative, providing 

public forums discussing the 

facts. Now it’s up to the voters of 

Ashland to decide what is best for 

the town. 

I firmly believe the leadership 

displayed this past year makes me 

a strong candidate for re-election. 

I have demonstrated the abilities 

and temperament to work efficiently 

and openly with the current 

board, the Town Manager 

other boards and committees 

serving the town. I continue to 

be the voice of the all people. My 

commitment to this community 

is as deep as my family roots in 

town. I will continue to dedicate 

my service to the people of Ashland. 

I ask the residents of Ashland 

for your support on May 17, 

serving on the Board of Selectmen. 

Thank you. 

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A Farm of Her Own: 

Sidway Overshiner Starts 

Upswing Farm 

By J.D. O’Gara, 

Contributing Writer 

Five years ago, Brittany Sidway 

Overshiner (then Brittany Sidway) 

took on the monumental task of 

building a working farm at Medway 

Community Farm (MCF). 

She lived on the property, at first 

in a trailer and later, with her 

husband, Kevin, in a tiny apartment 

created in the renovated 

farmhouse. With nearly no startup 

capital, Sidway Overshiner 

planted crops, seeded educational 

programs, including a school-tofarm 

program serving over 650 

students, built connections to the 

community with a volunteer and 

hunger relief program and grew a 

three-season community-support 

agriculture (CSA) program to a 

240-member group with a long 

waiting list. 

Despite these accomplishments, 

Sidway Overshiner realized 

that, remaining in her MCF 

role, she would never have a farm 

business to call her own. This past 

December, Charlie Nickerson, 

founder of Out Post Farm in Holliston, 

alerted her to an opportunity 

to lease 34 acres of his land 

on Thistle Dew Hill, abutting 

Ashland and Holliston. Brittany is 

calling her new venture Upswing 

Farm. 

“I felt I could not pass up this 

opportunity. This was my dream 

right here, to be able to stay in this 

community and preserve farmland, 

and build my own farm business,” 

Sidway Overshiner said. “I 

love Medway Community Farm, 

but this was a step I needed to take 

for my career and my stability. 

When I came into it, I was young 

and idealistic, but I wasn’t really 

thinking ahead. I love Medway. I 

love that farm. I adore the customers 

and the community I was able 

to work with,” Sidway Overshiner 

said. 

Kevin Overshiner has remained 

as MCF manager, training 

assistant manager Katy Beckel 

during the transition. 

“We’re starting out very small,” 

Sidway Overshiner explained. 

“Our goal is to grow a wide diversity 

of vegetables using organic 

methods, so that we can start trying 

to provide people year-round 

access to fresh produce.” 

Upswing Farm will launch a 

CSA program, in which community 

members invest in shares, with 

an expectation of 10 to 20 percent 

more in return in the form of produce 

from the 60 crops planned. 

“We’ll have 30 spring shares 

and 40 summer shares,” the 

farmer said. 

The spring share will cost $100 

and runs from May 26 to June 16, 

with a pickup day on Thursday. 

The summer share will cost $450 

Brittany Sidway Overshiner left her position at Medway Community 

Farm to make her own mark with Upswing Farm, at 28 South St., 

Ashland (although the majority of the land is in Holliston). 

and run for 16 weeks. This first 

year, some of that produce will 

come from a partnership Upswing 

Farm has developed with White 

Barn Farm in Wrentham. 

“Before I knew I was going to 

be able to rent this land, Kevin 

and I jokingly talked about a 

super farm with our friends Chris 

and Christy Kantlehner, owners 

of White Barn Farm, where we 

pooled our resources and had one 

epic farm,” Sidway Overshiner 

said. At the New England Vegetable 

and Fruit Growers Conference 

last December, the partnership became 

real. 

“So this year, because I have 

a short-term, one-year lease, it 

doesn’t make sense to make infrastructure 

improvements, but Chris 

and Christy have an established 

business and greenhouse space, 

and, in exchange, we are going to 

grow some of the larger crops they 

don’t have space for. As part of the 

CSA, some crops will come from 

White Barn and some will come 

from Upswing. It will be a chance 

for me to learn the soil and put less 

risk on CSA members, and it gives 

me a lot of confidence, too, because 

. . . I can kind of take it step 

by step,” Sidway Overshiner said. 

Although right now, Upswing 

Farm won’t have a farm stand, 

but it will have a presence at the 

Ashland Farmers Market, on Saturday 

mornings at 125 Front St. in 

Ashland, on the grass across from 

the library. 

“I love the Ashland Farmers 

Market, I love the volunteers who 

coordinate it; I love the events they 

coordinate; I love the customers; 

and I love the other vendors. I 

think they are truly unique,” Sidway 

Overshiner said. She built a 

good relationship with the market’s 

coordinators when she was 

with MCF. “[This season] Medway 

Community Farm won’t be 

there, but Upswing Farm will be 

there.” 

MCF will instead “cater to 

the Medway community,” Kevin 

Overshiner, MCF Manager, said. 

The move away from the Ashland 

Farmers Market opened up 

CSA shares for Medway residents 

on the waiting list. He added that 

MCF doesn’t have the infrastructure 

that makes carting produce to 

Ashland viable. 

For now, Sidway Overshiner 

says she is “psyched” to be able to 

lease this property near Ashland 

State Park, land Mr. Nickerson 

notes was part of a farm called 

“Waseeka,” meaning “fertile 

ground,” in the 1960s. Nickerson 

said of Brittany, “I think she’s 

wonderful, and I wish her lots of 

success. It’s a hard life and lots of 

work, but rewarding.” 

For more information, visit 

www.upswingfarm.com or email 

upswingfarm@gmail.com. 

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Ashland Farmers Market Awards 

“Compost” Grants 

Ashland Farmers Market (AFM) is pleased to 

award two mini “compost” grants that support 

its mission and serve the Ashland community. 

The grants, totaling $1,250, are: 

Warren School Kindergarten, Ms. Meghan 

Clark, “Small Kids, Big Impact:” $275. To fund 

literature covering the three Rs – reduce, reuse 

and recycle -- which will be used to help students 

learn to make a big impact on their community. 

The students will work with recyclable materials 

to create artwork and their own reusable tote 

bags to help their family with AFM shopping 

and share what they learn at an all-school assembly 

at the Warren School. 

Ashland High School (AHS), Ms. Christine 

Graham, “Triple Stream Waste Reduction Program:” 

$975. Funds will be used towards an 

AHS Earth Club waste reduction program for 

the entire student body. To reduce the amount 

of trash designated for landfills, the club plans 

to create a three-part trash-bin system, in which 

there will be one bin for recyclables, one for compost 

and another for trash. 

Both proposals support AFM’s 2016 initiative, 

“Slash the Trash: Help Us Get To Zero Waste.” 

The 2016 AFM is committed to improving and 

expanding on-site recycling to include stations for 

the proper disposal of compost including biodegradable 

plastics, recycling of non-compostable 

materials and trash. 

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER


One Day, One Decision, One Life 

Focus On Fitness Brings Better Health To Ashland 

By Jane Lebak, 


Better health begins with a vision. 

On Saturday, May 7, Ashland’s 

very own Focus On Fitness 

gives everyone a chance to experience 

that vision free at its one-year 

anniversary celebration. 

Focus On Fitness owner Louise 

Boland knows from personal 

experience that one day, and one 

decision, can impact a person’s 

health for the rest of their lives. 

“On April 1, 1978, I decided 

I wanted to run,” Louise Boland 

said. She is eager to tell her story 

and inspire others to make their 

own good decisions. “I put my 

sneakers on. I opened the door, 

and this is the truth, as I stepped 

out the door and ran that first 

mile, I made a promise to myself 

that I would do this for the rest of 

my life.” 

Now she wants May 7, 2016 

to become that day of promise 

for anyone who’s kept saying, 

“Someday.” Someday they’ll get 

fit; someday they’ll take a class; 

someday they’ll start to work out. 

“Only 17 percent of the population 

is active,” Boland said. 

“What about the other 83 percent? 

I think some people feel intimidated. 

Many don’t have time. 

But your health is probably the 

most important aspect of your life, 

especially as you get older.” 

Boland manages Focus On Fitness 

from a tiny office with a chest 

of drawers marked Patience, Mercy, 

Kindness, Hope, Faith, and Love. She 

knows fitness is about the whole 

person, not about using a machine 

or running a long distance. 

Remaining fit is about developing 

a community and staying open to 

personal challenges. 

Thirty years ago, Boland 

opened her first health club at a 

time when women didn’t commonly 

own businesses, and she’s 

outlasted dozens of other fitness 

clubs that have come and gone in 

that timeframe. Since 1978, she’s 

leveraged skills she learned as a 

middle school teacher and continuously 

reinvented her business 

model to meet the needs of the 

community, from single classes 

led in a church basement, to her 

first 1,400-square-foot club, to a 

franchise with The Fitness Company, 

and finally back to Focus 

On Fitness. 

Her newest health club, an 

impressive 15,000 square feet, 

is now one-year old, and she 

couldn’t be happier with it. “I’ve 

always been on the cutting edge,” 

Boland said. “My health clubs 

were the first to have hardwood 

floors, the first to have step, pace 

equipment, slides, and we were 

the second club in the state 

of Massachusetts to have spin 

classes.” 

So in 2015, Focus On Fitness 

evolved again to meet the community’s 

needs. “At first group fitness 

classes got added to gyms,” 

Boland explained, “but then they 

became more specialized, something 

we call boutique fitness. 

People were coming to my club, 

but then they’d go somewhere 

else for hot yoga, another place 

for barre. I wondered, what if all 

those boutiques could come under 

one roof ?” 

Thus the new facility was 

born: a health club with all the 

boutiques under one roof, spinning, 

hot yoga, barre, pilates and 

group fitness. When arriving for 

a workout, you enter into a spacious 

lobby with couches, tea 

and a reception desk. You may 

meet Budweiser, a rescue dog 

who quietly admires the new 

members from a distance. The 

locker rooms are bright and 

clean. Childcare is available for 

parents. The health club has 

been planned with as much open 

space as possible, with airy cardio 

and weight sections, a functional 

fitness room and several studios 

for boutique fitness. 

The staff tailors each member’s 

experience to that individual’s 

goals and specific situation. 

“At Focus On Fitness, we reach 

out and help you,” Boland said. 

“If you’re new, we ask your 

name. We strive to create a different 

atmosphere.” Talented staff 

is a tremendous part of Boland’s 

vision. “We’re extremely lucky 

in that we have such an incredibly 

loyal staff. They’ve been with 

me for a long long time. There’s 

always great instructors, great 

programming and there’s a lot 

stick-to-it-iveness.” 

Boland adds, “I want you to 

become a healthy individual. If 

you’re already healthy, I want 

you in an environment where you 

can boost it a notch. You need to 

come, feel, experience, and don’t 

be afraid.” 

Louise Boland’s journey to 

better health began with a vision, 

and she turned that first mile back 

in 1978 into 26.2 over the years, 

completing 24 marathons and, in 

1994, finishing second in her age 

group in the Boston Marathon. 

This May 7 can become your 

“April 1st.” On Focus On Fitness’s 

first anniversary, Boland 

invites everyone to take that 

same first step and see where it 

leads. For that one day, everyone 

can explore the facility free, with 

classes, raffles, refreshments, and 

vendors. Those who want more 

than just the one day can sign up 

for 30 days for $79, including two 

half-hours with a personal trainer 

and two hot yoga classes. 

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As Boland talks about her 

health club, she smiles. “If you’ve 

thought about it, and you really 

would like to do it but feel intimidated, 

come.” 

Focus On Fitness is located at 

290 Eliot Street in Ashland. You 

can call 508-820-0424 or check 

them out online at http://fofhealthclub.com, 

and be sure to 

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Anatomy of a Budget 

By Julie Nardone, 


As Ashland’s vote for the nearly 

$2.5 million dollar override (a 

permanent increase to our tax 

base) nears, a flurry of budget-related 

conversations have surfaced 

on social media and in other 

public forums. One of the many 

positive outcomes of the discussion 

has been to shed a spotlight 

on our important but often misunderstood 

municipal budget. 

In good or bad economic 

times, Ashland’s budget grows 

every year by at least 2.5 percent, 

sometimes more through new 

growth or enterprise fund fee 

increases. Because the budget always 

increases, it behooves voters 

to take a closer look at how and 

where their tax dollars get spent. 

This year town meeting is 

in two parts: it will begin on 

Wednesday, May 4. The Fiscal 

Year (FY)17 budget will be discussed 

and voted on during part 

two, on May 25, which follows 

the May 17 election to determine 

the passage of the Prop 2 

½ override. 

The Omnibus Budget 

Ashland’s FY16 omnibus 

budget was $61,523,213 million, 

a 2.8 percent increase. (An “omnibus 

budget,” as defined in the 

Ashland town meeting warrant, 

is the collection of the recommended 

appropriations for operating 

expenses from the various 

town departments and boards 

gathered together in one article.) 

The omnibus budget includes 

general funds, like public safety, 

education, health care and capital 

projects, as well as the four enterprise 

funds: water, sewer, trash, 

and field maintenance. (Ashland 

defines “enterprise fund” as a 

separate accounting and financial 

reporting mechanism for 

municipal services for which a fee 

is charged in exchange for goods 

or services.) 

Although it is often stated that 

the school/town division of the 

general fund is 70/30 percent, 

the Town Manager reports it is 

closer to 75/25 percent when 

benefits are included. 

The omnibus budget does 

not include gifts, most revolving 

accounts, most grant monies or 

unappropriated Community 

Preservation Act (CPA) Funds. 

For this reason, the actual monies 

spent to run the Town of 

Ashland may be larger than what 

citizens appropriate at the annual 

town meeting. 

Budget Talks 

At most yearly Ashland town 

meetings, debates surrounding the 

budget portion of the town meeting 

warrant tend to be sparse. It 

might be that voters do not understand 

the budget enough to get 

up at town meeting to challenge it 

or realize they have the power to 

vote against items. During town 

meeting, voters who want to ask 

a question or challenge a cost can 

shout “bye” on any line item in 

the budget. The moderator will 

ask those voters to come down to 

the microphone and speak their 

financial minds. 

Ironically, voters are more 

likely to debate the price of a $10 

item at the supermarket than an 

$85,000 line item at town meeting, 

when both of them have 

been funded out of their financial 

pockets. 

It is important to note that the 

water, sewer and trash services 

used to be part of the general 

fund and subject to Prop 2 ½ 

increases, which limits the total 

amount of tax a community can 

raise each year unless there is an 

override. Over the years, these 

items have been removed from 

under Prop 2 ½ control and resettled 

into enterprise funds, with 

$605,000 transferred back to the 

general fund in FY16 to pay for 

indirect water/sewer costs. Subsequently, 

Ashland’s water rates 

have been able to rise 38 percent 

since 2012, with another potential 

8 percent increase lurking 

quietly in the background until 

the override vote takes place. 

Sewer rates have risen almost 

every year as well. 

Up Close and 

Budget Personal 

Let’s take a closer look at 

Ashland’s FY16 budget. Government 

budgets run from July 1 to 

June 30. Half of the FY16 budget 

took place in 2015 and the 

remainder in 2016. 

Public safety, which includes 

police, fire and animal control, 

had a combined budget of 

$5,362,798. 

Capital projects totaled 

$4,478,658. This figure included 

capital outlays, non-excluded 

debt and excluded debt. 

Employee benefits and insurance 

came in at $8,819,647. It 

increased a million dollars between 

FY 14 and 15, decreasing 

slightly in FY16 after the town 

switched to a different insurance 

system. Cities and towns across 

the state continue to wrestle with 

rapidly escalating retirement and 

health benefit costs. 

Not surprisingly, the largest 

line item in Ashland’s budget 

goes toward education. 

$26,445,264 million for the 

public schools and $1,506,509 

million for Keefe Tech, the regional 

technical school, with a 

combined educational budget of 

$27,951,773. Most grant monies 

and school revolving accounts 

are not reflected in this amount. 

(Ashland defines “revolving account” 

as allowing a community 

to raise revenues from a specific 

service and use those revenues 

without appropriation to support 

the service.) 

These accounts, considered 

assets, include fee-based services 

like adult ed and building rental, 

full-day kindergarten, athletics 

and recreation revolving. In recent 

years, the school balance has 

been as high as $2.4 million and 

the town, $2.2 million. 

Budget Envy 

Now, if we look at some of 

the neighboring town’s FY16 

omnibus budgets, we find that 

Ashland’s 14th Annual Earth Day Event 

Saturday, May 7, 2016 | 9 am – noon 

Green Up Ashland is always the first Saturday in May (rain date is May 8). 

Take pride in Ashland and join the “Green Up” effort! 

Join teams of volunteers to clean up litter in our community. “Adopt” 

a street, public park or riverbank. Register and pick up trash bags at 

Stone Park Pavilion or one of the satellite locations listed below. 

Please bring work gloves and wear bright clothing for safety. 

Join us at Stone Park Pavilion for: 

n 

Hot coffee and refreshments 

n 

T-shirts (while they last) 

n 

Re-usable shopping bags 

FREE! 

Satellite locations for registration 

and trash bag pickup: 

n 

Downtown (near Sunnyside 

Café) 

n 

Encompass Gym, 200 Homer Avenue 

n 

Focus on Fitness, 290 Eliot Street 

Visit our website www.greenupashland.org to learn more. 

Volunteers needed – please contact: 

email: info@greenupashland.org or Ashland Board of Health at 508-881-0100, ext. 7922 

( W H 

BUDGET 


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The “Green Up Ashland” committee works to promote a litter-free environment 

and to encourage stewardship of our lands and waterways. 

Like us on: 

www.greenupashland.org


BUDGET 


Ashland’s omnibus budget of 

$61,523,213 leans toward the 

higher end when compared to 

other nearby Metrowest budgets. 

Holliston has an omnibus 

budget of $57,528,209; 

Hopkinton $77,493,293; 

Medway $52,637,762; Northborough 

$62,764,856; Sherborn 

$25,851,669 and Southborough 

$50,489,327. (Hopkinton adds 

their CPA funds to the omnibus 

budget. That amount was 

$887,685. Not all towns do this.) 

The total cost to live in Ashland 

goes beyond the property 

tax to include the 3 percent CPA 

assessment, the water, sewer, 

fields and trash fees, the excise 

taxes and athletic, bus and other 

service fees. Natick does not have 

a CPA assessment and Holliston 

and Northborough have a 

1.5 percent assessment. Many 

nearby towns do not have trash 

fees and include at least one free 

trash bag per week. 

Borrowing Against 

The Budget 

Unlike Prop 2 ½ operational 

overrides, which are permanent 

tax increases, debt exclusions 

temporarily raise taxes, usually 

for terms of 20 years. Ashland 

voters have passed debt exclusions 

to fund the high school, the 

town hall, the library, the school 

roofs and the Warren School 

renovations. Non-excluded debt 

includes projects bonded against 

general fund budgets, such as 

parts of the athletic field complex, 

the phone system and the 

energy performance contract. 

The Budget 

Moving Forward 

Without an override, Ashland’s 

Town Manager believes 

the FY17 budget will increase at 

least $1.2 million. Some residents 

are advocating for an additional 

2.4 million permanent increase 

to our tax base through a Prop 2 

½ override vote on May 17. 

Resident Melinda Moses said, 

“Ashland’s leadership proves 

daily that they are investing in 

winners. We need to support 

these leaders who are doing all 

they can to keep Ashland afloat 

with schools, social services 

across the community, investing 

in the desirability and livability 

of Ashland, including investing 

in making Ashland center a more 

vibrant and self sustaining neighborhood.” 

Ashland Is One of More than 

80 BioReady Cities in Massachusetts 

Ashland’s Economic Development Director Beth Reynolds accepts 

Ashland’s BioReady Rating Certificate from Robert K. Coughlin, 

President & CEO of MassBio at the MassBio Annual Meeting on 

April 1. (Photo/Sean Browne) 

The towns of Ashland, Clinton, 

Needham and Saugus have 

recently joined the list of Massachusetts 

communities that 

are BioReady®, MassBio announced 

on April 1, signifying 

a commitment and readiness to 

work with biotechnology companies 

interested in locating in these 

communities. 

The BioReady Community 

designation from MassBio signifies 

that a municipality has biotech 

and life sciences friendly 

zoning, has a streamlined permitting 

process and has robust 

infrastructure in place. The 

designation serves to showcase 

Massachusetts communities 

that are ready to host new life 

sciences research and manufacturing 

facilities. 

Others have suggested making 

the current budget work. 

Resident John Kirwan said, 

“The town needs to move past 

the current school versus general 

government split. The budget 

has three areas: Operations, Benefits 

and Enterprise Funds. The 

focus should be cost efficiency or 

benefit efficiency. The taxpayers 

cannot sustain the burden of 

these skyrocketing costs. Moreover, 

operating costs needs to be 

classified as such. For example, 

we need to get away from billing 

things such as water and sewer as 

a percentage of the town manager’s 

salary. That is an override 

not approved by the voters.” 

Perhaps, now that residents 

have familiarized themselves 

more with the budget, they 

might consider attending the 

May town meeting and speaking 

up about the financial decisions 

that will affect their community 

in the future. 

For Further Reading, see the 

Ashland Town Meeting Warrant, 

www.ashlandmass.com/ 

DocumentCenter/Home/ 

View/1385, and the Ashland 

Budget Book (Operating Budget 

and Capital Plan), www. 

ashlandmass.com/207/Budget- 

Documents. 

MassBio rated the Needham 

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Community, and recognized 

Ashland, Clinton and Saugus 

as Bronze BioReady Communities. 

Meanwhile, the City of 

Malden adopted the National 

Institutes of Health (NIH) 

guidelines on rDNA activity 

as part of its regulations and 

identified a building already 

permitted for biotech uses with 

at least 20,000 square feet of 

available space, earning them 

an upgrade in their ranking 

from Gold to Platinum, Mass- 

Bio’s highest rating. 

The new and upgraded 

BioReady ratings were announced 

in April at the 

MassBio Annual Meeting. 

Representatives from the communities 

accepted award certificates 

during a ceremony at the 

event, held at the Royal Sonesta 

Hotel in Cambridge. 

MassBio and partner organizations 

across the state began the 

statewide BioReady Communities 

Campaign in 2008 to provide 

background to municipal officials 

about the biotech industry and 

offer guidance on how to position 

municipalities as destinations for 

biotech laboratory and manufacturing 

facilities. To date, there are 

81 BioReady rated communities 

in the state. 

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Ashland’s Historic Stone Walls 

By Greg Wands, 


Winter is finally over and, according 

to the meteorological experts, 

the 2015-16 winter has been 

the warmest on record. For those 

who appreciate back-country skiing 

and snowshoeing, last season 

was certainly a bust. However, the 

mild winter turned to be terrific 

conditions for hiking the numerous 

nature trails that are found in 

Town Forest, the State Park and 

Warren Woods. Bare ground and 

lack of foliage allows visitors to see 

deep into the forest and appreciate 

the lay of the land. Under 

these open settings, what becomes 

obvious about our open spaces is 

that they are laced with stone walls 

that have been there for a long 

time. The people who constructed 

them, when and for what reason, 

are fascinating topics to explore. 

Last summer, the Ashland 

Open Space and Recreation 

Committee sponsored an archaeological 

field tour within the 

Town Forest, led by Curtiss Hoffman, 

professor of Anthropology 

at Bridgewater State University. 

As an expert in New England 

pre-European stone structures, 

Dr. Hoffman kindly shared with 

us his knowledge regarding the 

types of purposely place stones by 

aboriginal inhabitants that once 

occupied the area. To everyone’s 

astonishment, it was revealed that 

there are four pre-historic Native 

American archaeological sites 

within the Ashland Town Forest. 

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These sites include a serpentine 

stone wall that disappears into a 

swamp, and several huge boulders 

strategically placed between naturally 

occurring fissures within the 

earth. Each of these stone features 

is thought to possess deep spiritual 

significance. 

Stone structures and stone 

walls in our region are not entirely 

a phenomenon of Native 

American or early European colonial 

activity. University of Connecticut 

geologist and stone wall 

expert, Robert M. Thorson points 

out that at the beginning of English 

settlements in Massachusetts 

during the early 1600s, much of 

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the land was covered with a heavy 

mantle of fertile loam and old 

growth trees with few exposed 

rocks. Wood was abundant, 

American chestnut and cedar 

were the preferred material for 

use by farmers as fencing to separate 

agricultural fields and to keep 

livestock penned in. The use of 

stone for fencing came much later. 

The peak of stone wall building 

in New England lasted only 

for a few generations and mostly 

occurred during the later years 

of the American Revolution and 

continued up until the late 1820s. 

After the War of Independence 

with Great Britain, the newly 

formed United States of America 

experienced a huge population 

surge and a period of rapid economic 

expansion. Intensive timber 

harvest for use as fuel and building 

material, a sharp increase in 

soil tilling and livestock grazing for 

food production all lead to a massive 

loss of fertile top soil through 

the process of erosion. The thinning 

topsoil allowed water to seep 

deeper into the ground and seasonal 

freeze-thaw cycles “heaved” 

billions glacially deposited stones 

up to the surface within a relatively 

brief period of time. 

Old fence lines were the logical 

dumping site for newly exposed 

field stones, since those portions 

of the land were not used for 

production. Loads of stone were 

skidded to edges of fields on 

stout wooden sleds by draft animals. 

Large boulders were rolled 

into position and smaller stones 

were tossed above and between 

them. The ergonomics of moving 

heavy material by hand meant 

that stones were typically stacked 

only as high a man’s upper thigh. 

Primitive stone walls began to rise 

up and replace the lower tiers of 

wooden fencing by the thousands 

of miles in New England. 

Write in the Wild: Nature Writing 

Workshop Offered at Warren Woods 

“I love nature, I love the landscape, because it is so 

sincere. It never cheats me. It never jests. It is cheerfully, 

musically earnest.” Henry David Thoreau 

Local writer Giulietta Nardone will lead a 

workshop, “Nature Writing at Warren Woods,” 

on Saturday, May 21, 9 to noon. The workshop 

is free of charge and funded in part by a grant 

awarded by the Ashland Board of Selectmen 

from the Boston Athletic Association gift fund. 

“Nature Writing” is limited to 15 participants 

and open to anyone over 12 years of age; children 

under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Participants are asked to bring a notebook, pens, 

a folding chair, a beverage to drink and sun/bug 

protection. Pre-register by calling Nardone at 

508-380-8799 or emailing giulietta@giuliettathemuse.com. 

Participants will meet at the entrance of Warren 

Woods, read nature essays, discuss their relationship 

with nature and write, inspired by the 

surrounding beauty. Light refreshments and a 

list of places that publish nature stories will be 

provided. 

This program is inspired by two important 

local Henrys: Henry Thoreau of Concord and 

STONE WALLS 


Henry Warren of Ashland, Nardone explained. 

“Henry Thoreau was considered the father 

of the personal nature essay,” Nardone said. “To 

this day, his method of direct field observation, 

passionate voice and love of nature influence the 

nature writers that have followed. Henry Warren 

was the father of Ashland’s open space and 

the long time owner of Warren Woods, where 

we will meet. His quote: ‘Life outdoors in the 

beautiful country half way between Boston and 

Worcester in the Town of Ashland is the nearest 

approach to heaven that I know.’” 

“Experiences with nature reawaken the 

human senses dulled by overdomestication,” 

Nardone said. “Nature writing celebrates that 

reawakening by giving us the time and space to 

record, observe and reflect on our encounters 

with wild things.” 

Nardone has been leading local and on-line 

writing programs since 2008. Her columns and 

stories have been published in places such as 

The Christian Science Monitor, Chicken Soup 

For The Soul, Boston Globe, Skirt! Magazine, 

Common Ties and Metrowest Daily News and 

broadcast on NPR.


Tiny Library Sprouts Community Roots 

By Deborah Burke 

Henderson, 


STONE WALLS 


The famous natural history 

writer, Henry David Thoreau 

once wrote in 1850 about stone 

walls in Massachusetts: “We are 

never prepared to believe that our 

ancestors lifted large stones or built 

thick walls. How can their work 

be so visible and permanent and 

themselves so transient? When 

I see a stone which it must have 

taken many yoke of oxen to move, 

lying in a bank wall . . . I am curiously 

surprised, because it suggests 

an energy and force of which we 

have no memorials.” 

The latter half of the 19 th century 

witnessed a decline in New 

England agriculture due to poor 

soil management practices as well 

The Power family hopes to instill kindness and encourage reading 

by bringing neighbors together. Take a book, leave a book or simply 

borrow a book. It’s free and open to everyone. 

Searching for some way to 

help teach her two-year-old son, 

James, about compassion and giving 

back to the community, Ashland 

resident Abby Power fell in 

love with an idea she saw on the 

Internet that has become a growing 

grassroots movement: a Little 

Free Library. 

According to the Little Free 

Library website, its mission is to 

promote literacy and the love of 

reading by building free book exchanges 

worldwide and build a 

sense of community to share skills, 

creativity and wisdom across generations. 

Today there are over 36,000 

Little Free Library book exchanges 

around the world—in all 50 states 

and in nearly 80 countries—bringing 

curbside literacy home and 

sharing millions of books annually. 

“We are the first official Little 

Free Library in town,” Power 

remarked in a telephone interview. 

“It’s a simple idea—Take A 

Book, Leave A Book, Borrow A 

Book’—that we hope will inspire 

kindness and encourage reading 

while bringing neighbors together 

in a creative, new way. People 

on our street [93 Hilldale Road] 

have been so supportive already 

and visited our little library many 

times.” 

This has truly been a family 

project. Power asked her father, 

Dan Brennan, who lives in her 

hometown in Pennsylvania, to 

build the Little Free Library structure, 

“since he’s handy and has all 

the tools,” she said. He even used 

recycled metal from home for the 

small roof, which brings a smile to 

Power’s face every time she looks 

at the tiny library. Last August, 

Brennan brought the structure to 

Ashland by car and helped install 

it in the family’s front yard, with 

help from son James and son-inlaw, 

Gerald. 

The tiny library includes a 

cross-range of 15 to 20 books for 

children, teens and adults. Current 

titles include Charlotte’s Web, Tom 

Sawyer, Julie & Julia, and The Perfect 

Storm, but the collection changes 

every time someone stops by. 

“It’s a lot of fun to see what 

new titles arrive and watch adults 

and children gather to check 

out what’s available,” Power 

added. “This experience has really 

taught the whole family that 

small things can make a big impact. 

We hope others will be inspired 

to set up their own Little 

Free Library, or come up with 

other ways to do great things for 

the community.” 

This summer, if you stop by, 

you will notice a wooden bench 

to encourage lingering, some attractive 

landscaping, a basket of 

additional book titles and maybe 

even little James selling lemonade 

to help raise funds for Boston Children’s 

Hospital. Although born 

as westward population shifts. 

Gradual abandonment of upland 

fields and pastures led to the 

return of white pine and mixed 

hardwood forests. Wooden fences, 

which were much more common 

than stone ones simply decomposed. 

The straight stone walls 

we now see in our public woodlands 

amongst the new growth 

are the remnants of a 24,000 mile 

network of early American rural 

fencing that used to dominate the 

landscape. How fortunate we are 

to have fine examples of historic, 

complete walls that in some instances 

stretch hundreds of yards 

deep into the woodlands. 

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Abby, James and Gerald Power hope you’ll stop by their Little Free 

Library. It’s open year-round. 

with a neurological condition that 

affects his speech and motor functions, 

James is a happy, resilient 

child who has definitely learned 

about the gift of giving back. 

To learn more about Ashland’s 

first Little Free Library, visit 93hilldale.weebly.com 

or just stop by. 

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Spotlight on Eric Zhou 

By Neha Shabeer, 

Student Writer, Freshman, 

Ashland High School 

This month I am interviewing 

one of my inspirations and 

a genuinely wonderful human 

being, Ashland High School 

(AHS) Senior Eric Zhou. I am 

lucky to call Eric my friend 

and am constantly awed by his 

achievements and talent. I decided 

that with his graduation 

looming in the near future, he 

deserved a little spotlight in Ashland 

before he goes on to take 

the world by storm. Below is my 

interview with him. 

Q: You got accepted into 

Harvard and that is a pretty 

incredible achievement. 

Do you have any advice for 

students currently going 

through the college application 

process? 

A: Well, as to getting into 

Harvard, I have next to no clue. 

As far as I know, college admissions 

can be pretty random because 

it depends on who reads 

your application. The people 

who read your application have 

personalities and opinions, too. 

For the record, although I got 

into Harvard, I was also waitlisted 

by Columbia, Yale and 

Princeton. This just shows you 

that a lot of stuff is beyond your 

power. They’re looking for stuff 

beyond grades in those upper 

level schools, but you can’t tell 

exactly what they’re looking for. 

My advice is don’t stress about it 

too much and just do what you 

have to do. Do your essay, do 

your interviews and something 

will work out. 

Q: How would you define 

“success”? 

A: Well, I’m gonna quote 

one of my conductors in tenth 

grade. Success, he said, is contribution. 

That is something I have 

really taken to heart. When you 

are in a big group or classroom, 

it’s really easy to worry about 

where you’re ranked in that 

group. Things like, he’s so much 

better than me, I’ll never be that 

great or I’m going to practice really 

hard so I’m as good as her 

or he’s never going to be as good 

as me . . . those sort of rankings 

really detriment the group. That 

can all be changed by thinking 

success is measured by contribution, 

while another type of 

success means competition. 

Contribution can also be applied 

to the larger world; you can contribute 

to your community and 

people around you—that is how 

I define success. That is also 

what Harvard and most upper 

level schools look for, contribution 

to the community—not just 

good grades. It’s cliché, but true. 

Q: You are definitely one of 

my role models. Who would 

you say your role model is? 

A: Probably the various conductors 

I’ve had through the 

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years. Their ability to lead hundreds 

of people towards a common 

goal and create something 

remarkable. Also, their ability to 

inspire others. Professional musicians 

are actually some of my 

favorite type of people because 

they do it because they are passionate 

about it. I’ve never met 

a musician who goes into it for 

money or to live a luxurious life. 

They go into it because they love 

it. Every single professional musician 

I’ve met spreads that passion 

to everyone else. 

Q: What were your best 

experiences as part of AHS? 

A: My best experiences, actually 

a lot of them happened 

this year, especially with Academic 

Decathlon. AcaDec was 

so involved this year, I think it 

was absolutely great. I think 

that first competition, going to 

Wilson’s restaurant (shoutout to 

Mandarin Café in Natick), Bollywood 

parties, they were the 

best memories of high school. 

Also, this year’s swim team was 

also my best year. The groups 

I’ve been part of this year have 

been really memorable. 

Q: Personally, I think you 

are a very strong leader, 

especially in Academic Decathlon. 

What would you say 

are the qualities for a great 

leader? 

A: Someone who genuinely 

cares about what they’re 

leading. I honestly don’t think 

leadership requires any skills 

because when I started leading 

AcaDec, I was very reluctant 

since I’m generally an introvert. 

I was very unconfident in myself 

when I started leading AcaDec, 

but all that really mattered was 

that I really cared about making 

the club better. If you have 

that genuine ambition to make 

whatever you are leading a better 

organization, I think that’s all 

it really takes. 

Q: What are your hobbies? 

What do you like to do 

to relax and have fun? 

A: If you were my college interviewer, 

I would say I like to 

play piano for fun. Which is true 

because it helps me diffuse myself 

when I’m feeling emotional 

or fatigued; the piano helps me 

have a vent for those emotions 

and really helps me energize 

myself. But what I actually do 

for fun is watch Japanese anime! 

Q: How do you balance 

school along with all your 

extra-curriculars? In other 

words, how do you manage 

the stress that a lot of high 

schoolers feel piling on? 

A: I definitely feel it piling 

on, too. But what I do when I’m 

stressed is just do my work. If 

you think about it scientifically, 

you have all these hormones 

going off in your body which 

will stress you out. I think of my 

time as something very fluid. 

My time is allocated not only 

for schoolwork - it just depends 

on what I am in mood for. I also 

spend it playing video games or 

doing AcaDec or writing newspaper 

articles. My free time, I 

keep it flexible and if I am feeling 

stress from schoolwork, I 

subtract from that. In short, I’m 

just really good at getting work 

done when I need to get it done! 

Q: What are your goals for 

the future? Where would you 

see yourself 10 years from 

now? 

A: I can’t really say anything. 

I’m the type of person who can’t 

see that far in the future. I really 

have no clue. For long-term 

goals, I don’t have any clear idea, 

but for the short-term, I am very 

clear. I have a lot of short-term 

goals that may or may not be accomplished. 

I want to compose 

music, learn computer science, 

sociology, there’s a whole list of 

random things that I want to 

pick up on. For a career though, 

that’s a good question—I’ll figure 

that out in college! 

Q: What is the achievement 

you are most proud of? 

A: I’m actually most proud of 

our AcaDec team this year. Just 

how far we’ve gotten since I was 

a freshman, not just the physical 

achievements—the trophies, of 

course—but the vibe has totally 

changed. In freshman year, people 

were just there because they 

had to be there, but this year we 

have done so many extra things 

and people are genuinely enthusiastic 

about AcaDec and what it 

represents. I think changing that 

whole atmosphere and the mission 

of AcaDec, driving home 

the message that learning can 

be fun is something I’m very 

proud of. 

Special thanks to Eric for taking 

time out of his busy schedule 

for this interview! I wish him all 

the success with his endeavors in 

the future. For more about the 

happenings at AHS, tune into 

my monthly column :)


Art in the Library 

“Mysteries of the Deep” by Patricia Romeo 

UPSTAIRS DISPLAY CASE 

“Wood Working: A Way To 

Recovery” 

by Robert Mark 

May 3 to June 11 

Ashland resident Robert Mark 

used to work with a lathe creating 

lovely wood objects. On Jan. 19, 

2012, Mark had a massive stroke, 

loosing his speech and the movement 

of his right arm and leg, and 

he suffered aphasia as well. After a 

long rehabilitation process, he can 

now walk independently with the 

use of a cane, but his right arm 

is still impaired. Mark did not recover 

his speech; he still has severe 

aphasia. However, with the help 

of Aaron Tardiff, Mark has been 

able to return to one of his favorite 

hobbies: wood turning. Guided 

by Mark’s creativity, Tardiff, with 

patience and expertise, has helped 

him regain some of the skills he 

once had and create beautiful 

pieces again. This is a special exhibit 

of one man’s courage and 

determination and the support of 

those close to him. 

DOWNSTAIRS GALLERY 

“The Essence of Memory & Time” 

by Patricia Romeo 


Ashland resident Patricia 

Romeo is a full time artist working 

in paint, printmaking and drawing. 

She has been studying art 

at the School of the Museum of 

Fine Arts, Boston, since 2010 and 

is currently finishing a post-baccalaureate 

program at the MFA 

School. 

Romeo says of her work: “The 

effects of time leave lasting impressions 

on our memories. As a 

painter and printmaker, I create 

art that is influenced by personal 

experiences, memories and my 

surroundings. I am inspired by the 

changing seasons, and use color 

and shape to represent a new view 

of the world. Through the layering 

of color, I develop abstract imagery 

that reveals a sense of unity, 

energy and a multi-faceted surface 

that mirrors the richness of life.” 

A reception for the artist will 

be held on Saturday, May 21, 2 to 

4 p.m., in the Downstairs Gallery. 

The public is invited to attend. 

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Politics and Religion 

By Rev. Larry Iannetti, 

Pastor, Federated Church 

of Ashland 

We have all heard the adage 

that in polite conversation you 

should never discuss politics or 

religion. Of course, the premise 

for that advice is that both 

subjects are likely to result in a 

heated exchange of opinions. In 

order to keep the peace, we are 

advised to avoid such discussions. 

As a minister, I am additionally 

cautioned to protect the tax exempt 

status of the church and, 

therefore, I am prohibited from 

using the pulpit to promote any 

political candidate, party or political 

agenda. Under such constraints, 

it would seem that I and 

other religious leaders must either 

remain silent when it comes 

to political discourse or limit our 

speech to religious issues. 

If we turn the tables for a moment, 

I wonder if we should be 

asking whether politicians and 

political parties should be promoting 

religious ideologies and 

agendas. When politicians talk 

about deporting undocumented 

immigrants, excluding Moslems 

or building walls, my thoughts 

turn to the admonition in the 

Bible that we must welcome and 

provide hospitality to strangers. 

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When the political discourse 

turns to repealing healthcare legislation, 

my thoughts turn to the 

parable of the Good Samaritan 

and the admonition to care for 

our neighbor. Isn’t (affordable) 

access to healthcare really a political 

mandate, like life, liberty and 

the pursuit of happiness anyway? 

When state legislatures pass laws 

under the guise of religious freedom, 

aren’t they seeking a way to 

allow for discrimination against 

LGBT persons in the name of 

narrowly held evangelical religious 

beliefs? 

It seems rather hypocritical, 

at a time that we are battling 

extremists who seek to establish 

a religiously, fundamentalist, caliphate 

in the region of Syria and 

Iraq under the flag of ISIS, or 

the application of sharia law in 

Afghanistan by the Taliban, (all 

who seek to impose their beliefs 

on others), that the battle ground 

here at home, is between political 

extremism in opposition to religious 

principles of tolerance, 

compassion, mercy and justice. 

When I speak with young 

couples who come to join our 

church and have their young 

children baptized, I have noticed 

a common trend as to the 

reason they give for choosing 

the Federated Church. In their 

Milford • Whitinsville • Woonsocket 

own words they tell me of their 

desire to raise their children in 

an environment that is diverse 

and welcoming, and one where 

their children might be offered a 

moral foundation upon which to 

base their own values. Religion is 

not limited to our view or outlook 

toward the divine but also encompasses 

our outlook and treatment 

of one another under the 

watchful eye of the divine. The 

mandate of politics is to ensure 

domestic tranquility, promote the 

common good and restrain the 

impulse to impose a religious one 

point of view over another. 

Join us at the Federated 

Church any Sunday morning at 

10 a.m. where we welcome all 

and promote belief in a loving 

God and the values of diversity, 

tolerance, compassion, mercy 

and justice. We are located at 118 

Main St., in Ashland. Plenty of 

parking is available behind Town 

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Ashland Education Foundation Gala, a Huge Success! 

The 13 th Ashland Education 

Foundation Inc. (AEFI) Awards 

Gala took place on April 1, at the 

Sheraton Framingham Hotel. 

Three hundred people from 

Ashland attended, including 

teachers, school administrators, 

local town and state government 

officials, and parents. This year, 

teacher innovation grants totaling 

$27,834 were awarded for 

projects at the Henry E. Warren 

Elementary School, Ashland 

Middle School and Ashland 

High School. Core infrastructure 

grants were awarded to the 

Ashland Middle School for the 

purchase of Chrome books to be 

used throughout the school and 

to the Henry E. Warren Elementary 

School for the purchase of a 

new kiln to support the school’s 

art program and new projectors 

to support the school’s enVisionsmath 

program. 

In addition to honoring the 

teachers who were awarded 

grants this year, AEFI recognized 

its major donors from 

the past year and awarded its 

Donor-of-the-Year Award to 

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Gas, Oil and AC Equipment Sales & Service 

888-818-2028 www.coanoil.com 

*Rebates and financing provided by and subject to Mass Save restrictions and limitations 

Middlesex Savings Charitable 

Foundation. 

The Gala was co-chaired by 

Deborah Kriegsman and Diane 

Bechard and the Silent Auction 

was co-chaired by Heather Riva 

THRIFT 

SHOP 

FEDERATED CHURCH 

OF ASHLAND 

118 Main Street 

Wednesdays, 10 am-4 pm, 

May-June 22. 

Saturdays, 10 am-2 pm, 

June 11-October 8. 

Saturday hours coincide with 

the Farmers Market! 

CLOTHING 

BOOKS • TOYS 

HOUSEHOLD GOODS 

[enter thru right rear door] 

and Meredith Rosoff. The event 

raised over $41,000, which will 

be used by AEFI to help fulfill 

its mission, Funding Innovative 

Education, during the 2016-17 

school year. 

In Memory of 

Elka Troutman 

Elka (Stokar) Troutman of Ashland lost her battle with 

cancer on April 6. According to her obituary, Troutman 

loved to read and was particularly passionate about promoting 

children’s literacy. She served as the coordinator for 

the Ashland Summer Reading Program for many years and 

loved encouraging kids to embrace books as a window to 

their own imaginations. Above all she loved and was loved 

by her family. A self-described “bookworm,” she nevertheless 

learned the finer points of several different sports so she 

could cheer on her sons with fierce loyalty. Her bond with 

her husband Jeff was unbreakable, and her daily phone 

calls with her mother and her sister Faith were often short 

but rarely missed. She will live on in the hearts of many 

who cared deeply for her. In lieu of flowers, remembrances 

may be made to The Friends of the Ashland Public Library, 

66 Front Street, Ashland, MA 01721. 

You are invited to the 

Friends of the Ashland Library 

Annual Meeting! 

Thursday, May 26, 2016 

7:00 to 8:30 pm 

Ashland Library 

Community Room 

Join us for light refreshments & 

entertainment! • Meet new friends! 

• Learn more about our many 

programs & events! 

www.friendsoftheapl.com


Living Healthy 

Wi-Fi Radiation Meter Available 

From Ashland Library 

By Cece Doucette, 


The Ashland Public Library 

now offers a radiofrequency (RF) 

Acoustimeter for residents to borrow. 

Users can measure microwave 

radiation emissions from 

common wireless devices, such as 

routers, cell phones, DECT cordless 

phones, laptops, tablets, baby 

monitors, gaming devices, Google 

Chromecast, Roku, soundboards, 

wearables and more. 

This spring the Ashland Board 

of Selectmen awarded a Boston 

Athletic Association (BAA) Invitational 

Numbers Grant to fund 

the easy-to-use $400 scientific instrument, 

and the Library Board 

of Trustees voted to place the 

meter into circulation. 

The meter may be checked out 

to Ashland residents for seven days 

with a valid Minuteman library 

card. To obtain a readout on the 

screen, turn on the meter near the 

devices you want to measure. This 

can help determine how much 

radiation you can reduce by turning 

off, hard-wiring or putting devices 

in airplane mode when not 

in use. To check the availability 

of the meter, search the Minuteman 

catalog (www.mln.lib.ma.us) 

for “Acoustimeter,” or contact the 

adult circulation desk at 508-881- 

0134, 2. 

Recently, WACA TV produced 

a public service video, 

“Measuring Wi-Fi Radiation with 

the Acoustimeter,” which is now 

Holliston Vision Center 

Welcomes our newest 

family eye doctor 

Lauren LaPaglia O.D. 

Available Tuesday & Thursday 9:00am-4:00pm 

The Acoustimeter verifies that radiation exposure is greatly reduced 

by using an Ethernet cable and turning off the wi-fi antennas. 

airing on local cable. The video 

also can be viewed anytime at 

https://vimeo.com/159873631. 

Residents may borrow the meter 

then view the video for a demonstration 

on how to use the device. 

The program also suggests simple 

ways to use today’s technology 

more safely. 

Accepting New Patients 

WHO and UN Appeal 

On May 11, 2015, Dr. Martin 

Blank of Columbia University, 

representing 220 scientists 

worldwide, made an international 

appeal to the United Nations 

(UN) and the World Health 

Organization (WHO) calling for 

public protection from wireless 

technology’s electromagnetic 

fields (EMFs). Read the appeal at 

https://emfscientist.org. 

The Acoustimeter and 

WACA video support the Advisory’s 

request that “the public be 

fully informed about the potential 

health risks from electromagnetic 

energy and taught harm 

reduction strategies.” 

IEEE Revises Stance 

The Institute of Electrical and 

Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 

helped to set the 1996 Federal 

Communications Commission 

(FCC) standards, which address 

only the thermal or heat effects of 

microwave radiation exposure. In 

March 2016, the IEEE Power Electronics 

Magazine published, “Weak 

Magnetic Fields on Biological 

Systems: RF fields can change 

radical concentrations and cancer 

cell growth rates.” The article 

acknowledges what the world’s 

scientists are conveying to the 

WHO and UN, that there are 

serious biological effects at the 

much lower non-thermal level. 

As the appeal states, current standards 

“are insufficient to protect 

public health.” 

Lauren LaPaglia O.D. 

Roselyn Jeun O.D. 

owner 

508-429-1330 • 841 Washington Street, Holliston • HollistonVisionCenter.com 

Acne Angst… 

Not just for Teens 

By Lisa Massimiano, 

Esthetician, Acne Specialist, 

Owner Skin Smart Salon 

Most people think acne is a 

teenage condition. The truth is, 

many people continue to experience 

acne well into adulthood. 

Acne is mostly an inherited 

genetic condition that is caused 

by too much oil and excess shedding 

of skin cells inside the pores. 

Many acne prone individuals start 

to experience break outs during 

puberty when the follicles mature. 

Acne often occurs in males 

during adolescence because of 

surging testosterone, an oil producing 

hormone, but women can 

experience acne for the first time 

in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s without 

ever having had it as a teen. 

Several factors can contribute 

to adult acne: 

Hormonal Fluctuations. 

Hormones stimulate oil production. 

Women’s hormones fluctuate 

throughout their lives with 

ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy 

and menopause. 

Achieve Clear Skin 

Before 

Medications. Adult acne can 

occur with the use of medications 

like anabolic steroids, thyroid 

medications and some brands of 

birth control. 

Stress. It stimulates the adrenal 

glands which release testosterone 

stimulating oil production. 

Pore Clogging Ingredients. 

For those who are acne prone, 

some ingredients found in cleansers, 

moisturizers, shaving creams, 

make-up and shampoos can aggravate 

acne. 

Environmental Influences. 

Poor diet and certain work environments. 

There is no quick fix for acne, 

but it can be controlled with 

proper home care, professional 

treatments and modified lifestyle 

habits. 

Questions about acne? Call (508) 

881-1180 or email me at skinsmartsalon@aol.com. 

Visit my website 

skinsmartsalon.com for information on 

my acne program and other services. 

after 

ACNE CLINIC - for all ages 

Take control and manage your acne with a customized treatment program 

designed to clear your unique skin. 

Education. Coaching. Support 

I went to Skin Smart a little over a year ago as my last ditch effort to 

treat my acne. I had tried almost every acne treatment out there and 

was still struggling. When I went to Skin Smart my acne was at the 

worst it had ever been. I was a little reluctant that anything was going 

to help but within a few months I started seeing improvements. 

A year later and my skin has neverlooked so good! I am so grateful 

for Skin Smart and their products! – Jennifer 

Lisa Massimiano - Licensed Aesthetician, Acne Specialist 

508-881-1180 

44 Front Street, 2nd Floor • Ashland 

www.skinsmartsalon.com


Three Is His Magic Number 

Porter’s Leadership Key to Clocker Nine’s Playoff Hopes 

By Ken Hamwey, 

Staff Sports Writer 

Ashland High’s Mitch Porter 

knows how to turn a triple 

play—on or off the field. 

The Clockers’ starting shortstop 

has been a dependable 

three-sport athlete, he’s been a 

captain in three sports (football, 

basketball and baseball), and he 

hit .300 last year. He’s also one 

of three children. 

For Porter, good things seem 

to happen in three’s. 

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing 

three sports and I consider 

being a captain in all three an 

honor,’’ Porter said. “I take pride 

in leadership and try to live up to 

the responsibility of being a captain. 

Leading by example and by 

encouraging others is what’s important.’’ 

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound 

Porter, whose Ashland athletic 

career is fast approaching the 

finish line, is hoping to conclude 

interscholastic competition 

with another playoff berth. The 

18-year-old senior experienced 

post-season play by directing the 

Clockers’ grid squad to its first 

playoff berth in 19 years last fall 

and he’s been in tourney action 

in basketball and baseball. 

“My first goal in baseball is 

for us to improve on last year’s 

10-10 record that got us a playoff 

appearance,’’ Porter noted. 

“Improving our record could 

help us with a home game in 

the playoffs. A tourney berth is 

our main priority and we’d also 

like to be a contender for the Tri 

Valley League title. Individually, 

I’d like to hit close to .400, steal 

more bases and be as flawless as 

possible at third base.’’ 

Porter knows what it takes 

to excel at a high profile position 

like shortstop. His positions 

in football and basketball were 

also high-profile and pressurepacked. 

He was a two-time TVL 

all-star at quarterback and he 

handled the point guard chores 

in basketball. 

“Mitch is solid at shortstop,’’ 

said head coach Matt Messer. 

“He’s got good range and a 

strong arm. His speed is very 

good, leading us in stolen bases 

last year. He’s also very capable 

at the plate and versatile, able to 

play anywhere—third, second, 

shortstop, catcher or pitcher. 

As a captain, he’s a quality role 

model and a great influence on 

our younger players.’’ 

Porter no doubt likes what his 

coach says but he’s acutely aware 

that he can be better in the field, 

on the bases and at the plate. “I 

Sports 

want to improve charging a slow 

roller and making an accurate 

throw to first,’’ Porter said. “As 

a hitter, I’d like to develop more 

power and have quicker hands 

when dealing with inside pitches. 

I like going after a fastball because 

it doesn’t move as much 

as a curve. Stealing more bases 

means getting a split-second advantage 

on the jump.’’ 

Porter believes Ashland, 

which had a 2-0 record at Local 

Town Pages deadline, will be in 

the playoff mix because seven 

starters are back and there’s experience, 

versatility and depth. 

“Players like centerfielder Filip 

Cooper and Luke Gustavson and 

Miles Dasoni, who play first base 

and pitch, are quality players,’’ 

Porter emphasized. “Filip is our 

best hitter, Luke has good control 

and a good curve and fastball, 

and Miles has a commanding 

fastball and can hit for power. 

Another plus is coach Messer. 

He’s a great motivator who leads 

by example.’’ 

Porter, who was hitting .400 

after Ashland’s two wins, says his 

best game in baseball last year 

was a 3-2 victory in extra innings 

against Foxboro, a game the 

Clockers had to win to qualify 

for the tourney. “I went 3-for-4, 

knocked in a run and turned in 

some good plays at third base,’’ 

Porter said. “My top thrill overall 

was winning a playoff game in 

football last fall. We beat Bishop 

Stang by three TDs and I was 

able to connect on three touchdown 

passes. I was humbled to 

be part of that.’’ 

A National Honor Society student, 

Porter will enroll at Bentley 

in the fall and attempt to play 

football as a walk-on. Calling 

Staying Healthy Together Fun Run, June 4 

The Ashland Sporting Association 

(ASA) and the 

Massachusetts Veterinary 

Medical Association 

Charities (MVMAC) 

in collaboration with 

the Metrowest YMCA is 

pleased to announce their 

first annual Metrowest K9 

5K “Staying Healthy Together” 

run on Saturday, June 4. 

The run includes a 5K 

run for individuals and 

a 5K run/walk with 

your dog through the 

woods at the Metrowest 

YMCA outdoor facility 

in Hopkinton. 

Proceeds from the 

event will be donated to 

MVMA Charities to sustain and 

develop programs that serve all communities 

in Massachusetts. This new and 

exciting event is family and pet friendly 

and has festivities that will draw from 

the Ashland, Holliston and Hopkinton, 

Metrowest, Greater Boston and Western 

Massachusetts communities. 

For more information and to register, 

sponsor, donate or volunteer visit www. 

metrowestK95K.com or contact cochairs 

Steve Greenberg, 508-641-1222 

or steveg@metrowestK95K.com, or 

David Schwarz, DVM, 508-561-7167 or 

dschwarz@metrowestK95K.com. 

MVMA Charities is the charitable 

arm of the Massachusetts Veterinary 

Medical Assn (MVMA), which provides 

financial assistance for emergency care 

of un-owned or unclaimed stray animals 

in an effort to get these animals rehabilitated 

and into new homes. MVMAC 

also helps through education and training 

with animal issues that may arise in an 

emergency or disaster situation. 

Messer, Andrew McKay (football 

coach) and Mark Champagne 

(basketball coach) role models for 

their leadership and encouragement, 

Porter’s competitive philosophy 

focuses on winning and 

reaching one’s potential. 

“Winning equals fun, and 

practice is the place where you 

improve your ability,’’ he said. 

“Another key when competing is 

to learn life’s lessons. Sports are 

like a laboratory; it’s where you 

learn to set goals, work as a team 

and overcome problems. That’s 

where a group of players work as 

one to achieve a team goal.’’ 

Mitch Porter is a top-caliber 

student-athlete whose mature approach 

and attitude make him a 

breed apart.


Ashland Girl’s Tennis 

Sports 

By Christopher Tremblay, 

Staff Sports Writer 

After missing the tournament 

by a single match last year, the 

Ashland girl’s tennis team is looking 

to turn things around and 

advance into the tournament this 

spring and hopefully make some 

noise. The Clockers went 7-9 

last season and, with five of their 

seven starters back for another 

season, Coach Kellianne Erath is 

hoping for the best. 

captain, but will lead this team 

with her play at the number one 

singles position; she’s a great role 

model to the younger girls on the 

team.” 

One of the three tri-captains 

on this year’s squad is Abby 

Dinerman, who will play next to 

Osterhout on the second court. 

Although primarily a second 

singles player, Dinerman did fill 

in on a few occasions last spring 

at first singles but is more of 

a second singles player for the 

Captains (l to r) seniors Abby Dinerman, Erika Kane and Kelly 

Hampson. 

“Our goal is to go .500 and 

earn that spot in the tournament,” 

the Ashland Coach 

said. “To do so we have to play 

competitive tennis against the 

top teams while taking care of 

business against the rest of the 

league. I’ve been telling the girls 

that anything can happen on any 

given day, so we must always be 

prepared.” 

Junior Heidi Osterhout will 

lead the Clockers onto the court 

playing in the number one singles 

spot, a position she’s held since 

her freshman campaign. Last 

season as a sophomore playing 

at number one singles, she went 

an impressive 10-3 while giving 

her teammates the opening they 

needed to be successful. 

“Heidi is a very solid player 

with a beautiful stroke. She has 

great mental toughness on the 

court with a little bit of an attitude,” 

Erath said. “She’s not a 

Clockers. Freshman Neeharika 

Chanda, the team’s one and 

only first-year player to make the 

squad, will hold down the third 

singles position. According to her 

coach, the freshman has a nice 

baseline game and is very patient 

on the court. 

“It’s still really early and I’ve 

only seen her play in a couple of 

matches so far this season, but she 

definitely can play and should be 

an asset to the team,” Erath said. 

B3 Elite Basketball Camp 

6-8th Grade boys and girls 

June 11 & 12 

8am-3pm 

Ashland High School 

Last year Erath rotated Kelly 

Hampson and Sierra Smither in 

and out of the third singles spot; 

this year the duo will be paired 

to play together as the Clockers 

first doubles tandem. Hampson, 

who is left-handed, is the second 

of the team’s three captains 

and an aggressive player who 

fits right into playing doubles. 

Smither, her partner, is a strong 

player who should be able to set 

Hampson up to put their opponents 

away. 

“Having shared the number 

three singles position last year, 

it’s going to be nice to see them 

playing together this year on a 

consistent basis,” the coach said. 

Rounding out the starting 

seven will be final tri-captain 

Erika Kane and sophomore Sabrina 

Weiner. Last season Kane 

found herself watching from outside 

the court; during the offseason 

she worked hard to improve 

her game and is now playing 

second doubles for Ashland. 

Weiner did see action last year as 

Sign up at B3EliteBasketballCamp.Shutterfly.com 

508.308.8641 • B3EliteBasketball@yahoo.com 

a doubles player and will bring 

her aggressive net game to the 

court once again. Weiner, along 

with Hampson and Dinerman, 

give Ashland three lefties in their 

lineup which should give opponents 

fits. 

“It’s very hard to play against 

a lefty, never mind having three 

of them on the team,” Erath 

said. “Opponents are use to a 

right-handed back hand and a 

left-handed one will definitely 

confuse them, not to mention 

the spin coming off the racquet 

is totally different.” 

Erath and her squad are hoping 

that they can go out and play 

their game on a regular basis, 

while making it into the tournament. 

From there, “anything can 

happen on any given day.”


Free Events at The Residence 

The following events are free 

and open to the public and held at 

The Residence at Valley Farm, 369 

Pond Street, Ashland. For all events, 

please sign up in advance by calling 

508-532-3197. 

Free Blood Pressure Clinic 

A complimentary Blood Pressure 

Clinic will be offered on Monday, 

May 2, 11:30 am to 12:30 p.m. 

Tai Chi 

Looking for a new way to exercise? 

Join us every Friday at 10:00 

a.m. The experts agree that this 

form of exercise has value in treating 

or preventing many health 

problems. 

Lifelong Learning Series 

Professor of Sociology Ira Silver 

from Framingham State University 

discusses “Sizing Up Size 

Discrimination: Why Combating 

Obesity Can Be Detrimental to 

Our Mental Health”. Thursday, 

May 5, 1:30 p.m. 

Brain Health 

What exactly is Brain Health? 

Join us on Wednesday, May 11 at 2 

p.m. with Dr. Coreyann Poly, PhD, 

RDN, LDN, CDE, Clinical Nutritionist 

+ Diabetes Educator who 

will present “Brain Health,” along 

with complimentary food pairings. 

Wellness Wednesday Talks 

Explore how to maintain a 

healthy brain with Dr. Amy Strong, 

Wednesday, May 18 at 11 a.m. 

Framingham State University 

Acquires Warren 

Conference Center and Inn 

The Massachusetts State College 

Building Authority (MSCBA) 

officially acquired the Warren 

Conference Center and Inn in 

Ashland, on behalf of Framingham 

State University and the 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

on April 13, according to a 

press release. 

The 65-acre property, which 

had been owned by Northeastern 

University, will be used by 

Framingham State to support 

new athletic programs and current 

academic offerings, and to 

explore development of a new 

hospitality major. 

“This is a beautiful property 

that has the potential to greatly 

benefit our students,” Framingham 

State University President 

F. Javier Cevallos said. “Not only 

will it allow us to enhance current 

offerings, but it will provide 

us with space to explore new programs. 

We are very grateful to 

State Senator Karen Spilka for 

advocating for this purchase and 

to the entire state legislature for 

supporting the proposal.” 

The Conference Center & 

Inn is managed by Flik Hotels 

& Conference Centers and hosts 

corporate events and social gatherings 

throughout the year. The 

site also includes hotel accommodations 

and several conference 

rooms. 

The University will continue 

to operate the facility as a conference 

center. 

MSCBA spent $6.5 million 

state money and bonded another 

$1.5 million to complete the $8 

million sale. 

The land has the potential to 

benefit several current academic 

programs on campus, including 

environmental science, biology, 

food & nutrition, and marketing 

and management. 

The development of a hospitality 

major would be the first of 

its kind for the state college system, 

the University said in a press 

release. 

School Menus 

May 2016 

Ashland Elementary Schools 

Ashland Elementary Schools May 2016 

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 

2 3 4 5 6 

Hamburger 

on a Bun 

Potato Salad 

Spain Paella 

Seasoned Chicken, 

Chorizo, Ham and Rice 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 

Pizzas “V” 

Garden Salad 

Mediterranean Cheese 

Tortellini Primavera “V” 

With Garlic 

And Fresh Herbs 

Ashland Secondary Schools 

Caribbean Fish Taco 

Tropical Salsa 

Sweet and Tangy 

Orange Rice 

9 10 11 12 13 

Surf and Turf 

Salmon Slider 

Chicken Nuggets 

Lemon Zest Broccoli 

USA Southern BBQ 

Chicken 

Honey Carrots 

Cornbread 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

Mucho Nachos “V” 

Tortilla Chips with Seasoned 

Beef 

Cheese, Lettuce & Salsa 

Seasoned Corn 

Clocker Pancakes “V” 

With Warm Blueberry 

Compote 

Breakfast Sausage 

16 17 18 19 20 

Marvelous Mac and 

Cheese “V” 

With a side of 

Peas 

Asia Teriyaki 

Chicken and Vegetable 

Lo Mein “V” 

In a Box 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

Chicken or Cheese 

Quesadilla “V” 

Refried Beans, Lettuce, 

Shredded Cheese and Salsa 

Kayem Light 

Hot Dog 

On a Bun 

Vegetarian Baked Beans 

23 24 25 26 27 

Chicken Caccatorie 

Over 

Spaghetti 

Mexico Mucho Nachos 

Tortilla Chips with “V” 

Seasoned Beef 


Seasoned Corn 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

BBQ Pork 

Sandwich 

Cole Slaw 

Cornbread 

Classic Tomato 

Soup “V” 

Grilled Cheese 

Sandwich 

30 31 PLEASE NOTE: Breakfast Anyone? Questions or Comments? 

No 

School 

Memorial 

Day 

Ireland Fish IN Chips 

Local Redfish Coated 

In Cape Cod Potato Chips! 

Roasted Roots 

If you have a food allergy 

please contact the Nutrition 

Services Department before 

purchasing a meal “V” is or 

can be made vegetarian 

You know it is the most 

important meal of the day so 

don’t skip it! We serve 

breakfast every day at all 

schools. Check it out! 

Breakfast $1.25 Reduced $ .30 Lunch $2.50 Reduced $.40 Milk $.50 

Alternate lunches available daily: A Wide Variety of Sandwiches, Salads and Veggie Plates “V” 

Mon Pizza, Tues Pasta, Wed Chicken Caesar Salad, Thurs Warm Bagels, Fri Pizza 

Served Daily: Assorted Cold Milk, 100% Juice Cups, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables 

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer 

Ashland Secondary Schools May 2016 

Contact 

Lisa Beaudin, Director of 

Nutrition Services 

(508) 881-0165 

lbeaudin@ashland.k12.ma.us 

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 

2 3 4 5 6 

Buffalo Chicken 

Sub 

Celery and Carrot 

Sticks 

Paella 

Seasoned Chicken, 

Chorizo, Ham and Rice 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

Mediterranean Cheese 

Tortellini Primavera “V” 

With Garlic 

And Fresh Herbs 

Caribbean Fish Taco 

Tropical Salsa 

Sweet and Tangy 

Orange Rice 

9 10 11 12 13 

Savory 

Salmon Burger 

(your choice of topping) 

Lemon Zest Broccoli 

Southern BBQ 

Chicken 

Honey Carrots 

Cornbread 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

Mucho Nachos “V” 

Tortilla Chips with Seasoned 

Beef 


Seasoned Corn 

Clocker Pancakes 

With Warm Blueberry 

Compote 

Breakfast Sausage 

16 17 18 19 20 

Marvelous Mac and 

Cheese “V” 

With a side of 

Peas 

Teriyaki 

Chicken and Vegetable 

Lo Mein 

In a Box 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

Chicken or Cheese 

Quesadilla 

Refried Beans, Lettuce, 

Shredded Cheese and Salsa 

Kayem Light 

Hot Dog 

On a Bun 

Vegetarian Baked Beans 

23 24 25 26 27 

Chicken Caccatorie 

Over 

Spaghetti 

Mucho Nachos Tortilla 

Chips with “V” 

Seasoned Beef 


Seasoned Corn 

Pizza Party! 

Assorted 


Garden Salad 

BBQ Pork 

Sandwich 

Cole Slaw 

Cornbread 

Classic Tomato 

Soup “V” 

Grilled Cheese 

Sandwich 

30 31 PLEASE NOTE: Breakfast Anyone? Questions or Comments? 

No 

School 

Memorial 

Day 

Fish IN Chips 

Local Redfish Coated 

In Cape Cod Potato Chips! 

Roasted Roots 

If you have a food allergy 

please contact the Nutrition 

Services Department before 

purchasing a meal “V” is or 

can be made vegetarian 

You know it is the most 

important meal of the day so 

don’t skip it! We serve 

breakfast every day at all 

schools. Check it out! 

Breakfast $1.25 Reduced $ .30 Lunch $2.75 Reduced $.40 Milk $.50 

Alternate lunches available daily: A Wide Variety of Sandwiches, Salads and Veggie Plates “V” 

Mon & Fri Pizza, Tues Chicken Patties, Thurs Burgers. 

Served Daily: Assorted Cold Milk, 100% Juice Cups, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables 

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer 

Menu subject to change without notice 

Contact 

Lisa Beaudin, Director of 

Nutrition Services 

(508) 881-0165 

lbeaudin@ashland.k12.ma.us 

“Building a Brighter Tomorrow Out of a Healthier Today”


Every Fourth Tuesday 

7 pm: The Front Street Readers 

book discussion group meets 

at the Ashland Library, 66 Front 

St. The group will discuss Elizabeth 

is Missing by Emma Healey 

Every Wednesday 

10 am to 4 pm: Thrift Shop at 

the Federated Church, 118 Main 

St., 508-881-1355, www.federatedchurchofashland.org. 

Every Third Wednesday 

5:30 to 6:30 pm: The Residence 

at Valley Farm, 369 Pond 

St. hosts a Dementia Caregiver 

Support Group and free memory 

screenings, , 9:30 am to 5:30 

pm. Contact Emily Beauchemin, 

508-532-3197, ebeauchemin@ 

residencevalleyfarm.com. 

Every Third Thursday 

5 to 6 pm: Golden Pond Assisted 

Living and Memory Care, 

50 West Main St., Hopkinton, 

hosts an Alzheimer’s and Dementia 

Support Group in The 

Lodge. The group focuses on individuals 

who care for people in 

the mid to late stages of Alzheimer’s 

and related dementias. This 

support group is an Alzheimer’s 

Association-Approved Support 

Group in New England. Light 

refreshments served. Free and 

open to the public. To register, 

call Liz Kemp, LCSW, 508-435- 

1250 ext. 29. 

Every Friday 

7 pm: Friends’ Friday Night 

Film Series shows predominantly 

independent or foreign films. 

Many of the films are shown 

with subtitles in English. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St. www.friendsoftheapl.com, 

508-881-0134. 


Art in the Library: The Essence 

of Memory and Time” by 

Patricia Romeo, Downstairs Gallery, 

and “Wood Working: A Way 

to Recovery” by Robert Mark, 

Upstairs Display Case. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St., www.friendsoftheapl.com, 

508-881-0134. 


5:30 to 7:30 pm: Ashland 

Business Association Meeting 

at Ashland Library, 66 Front St. 

A panel discussion with the four 

business coaches. Business Spotlight: 

Rob Levine of Bird’s Eye 

Ashland. At the home-based 

table: Tricia Kendall, architect. 

Open to the public. www.ashlandfirst.com, 

508-735-9473. 

7 pm: Ashland Parent Advisory 

Council (ASHPAC) Monthly 

Meeting. All are welcome. Ashland 

Middle School (AMS) Activity 

Room, 87 W. Union St. www. 

ashpac.org 

Community Events 

Saturday, May 7 

9 am to 12 pm: Ashland 

Garden Club Annual Sale, rain 

or shine, Montenegro Square, 

across from the library. All proceeds 

benefit public plantings to 

beautify the town. www.ashlandgardenclub.org 


7 pm: ASHPAC Workshop: 

Parent Relaxation Tips and 

Techniques with Certified Yoga 

Instructor Mary-Ellen Kramer. 

Please bring a yoga mat and 

wear comfortable clothing for this 

workshop. AMS Activity Room. 

Thursday, May 12 

7 to 9 pm: Ashland Documentary 

Film & Discussion Series 

presents The Brain: Who is in Control? 

How the unconscious brain 

controls much of who we are and 

what we do. Ashland Library, 

Community Room, 66 Front St. 

www.friendsoftheapl.com, 508- 

881-0134. 


12 pm: The Beat Bus, music 

workshop and performance for 

all ages. Experiment with real 

percussions instruments and the 

latest music technology while 

learning about rhythm and creating 

original music. Sponsored by 

Arts! Ashland Alliance and the 

Friends of the Library. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St., www.friendsoftheapl.com, 

508-881-0134. 


9 to 12: Family Fun Fest 2016 

hosted by the MOMS Club of 

Ashland at Kidspot Playground, 

Stone Park, Ashland. Free. An 

opportunity for Ashland families 

to get out and enjoy themselves 

while getting to know the 

MOMS Club of Ashland and 

other local organizations and 

businesses supporting local families. 

Activities include ice cream, 

music, dancing, crafts, photo 

booth and more! Contact Serena 

Lillie, serenalillie@gmail.com. 

Monday, May 23 

9 am: Ashland Lions, 9 th 

Charity Golf Tournament, 

Highfields Golf and Country 

Club, 150 Magill Dr., Grafton. 

All proceeds benefit eye research 

and local charities. Tom Heguy, 

508-881-1122 or Paul Ciccolo, 

508-881-2397. 


7 to 9 pm: Ashland Documentary 

Film & Discussion Series 

presents The Brain: What Makes 

Me Me? How the brain navigates 

the myriad of conscious and 

unconscious decisions we make 

every day. Ashland Library, Community 

Room, 66 Front St. www. 

friendsoftheapl.com, 508-881- 

0134. 


7 to 8:30 pm: Friends of 

the Library Annual Meeting. 

Opened to the public. Entertainment, 

refreshments. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St. www.friendsoftheapl.com 

Town Committees 

and Boards 

For times and dates, visit the 

town website, www.ashlandmass. 

com, and click “Public Meeting 

Calendar.” 

Email your event, with 

“CALENDAR” in the subject 

line, by the 15 th of every 

month to editor@ashlandtownnews.com. 

Events will 

be included as space permits. 

Sha’arei Shalom Community Announcements 

Sha’arei Shalom is a member-driven, 

diverse congregation 

offering the warmth of a 

small community. We recognize 

the wide range of views in our 

congregation and provide both 

tradition and innovation, giving 

us the opportunity to learn and 

grow as a community. 

Religious School Open 

House 

Sunday, May 1, 10 am to 12 pm 

We offer pre-K to 7th grade 

and Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation. 

Give your child the gift of 

religious and cultural identity, 

a sense of community and an 

appreciation of Jewish tradition 

and heritage. Ashland Middle 

School, 87 W. Union St. 

Yom Hashoah/Holocaust 

Memorial Day 


The internationally recognized 

date for Holocaust Remembrance 

Day corresponds 

to the 27th day of Nisan on 

the Hebrew calendar. It marks 

the anniversary of the Warsaw 

ghetto uprising. 

Shabbat Kids Service 

Friday, May 6, 6:45 to 7:30 

pm 

Join us for this interactive, 

musical service for young children 

and their families. We will 

celebrate Shabbat together with 

stories, dancing and singing. 

Geared to children ages 3-7 

(older siblings are always also 

welcome). Ashland Community 

Center, 162 W. Union St. 

Shabbat Services 

Friday, May 6, 7:30 to 8:30 pm and 

Friday, May 20, 7:30 to 8:30 pm 

Experience the warmth of 

the Sha’arei Shalom Community. 

Join us for a traditional 

Friday night service with Rabbi 

Margie. A community Oneg 

Shabbat will follow. Ashland 

Community Center, 162 W. 

Union St. 

Yom Ha’atzmaut/Israel 

Independence Day 

Wednesday, May 11 

Yom Ha’atzmaut is the national 

day of Israel, commemorating 

the Israeli Declaration of 

Independence in 1948. 

For more information, call 

508-231-4700, email info@ 

shaareishalom.org, or visit www. 

shaareishalom.org. 

VOTE NO! 

on Ashland Overrides 

A S H L A N D V O T E R S 

Have YOUR FREE lawn sign delivered. 

Call 774-432-3703 

Vote (no) Tuesday, May 17


Role Model for the Remodeling Industry 

Masters Touch Design Build Wins 3 Prestigious Awards 

Masters Touch Design Build, 

located in Holliston, MA, has 

become a role model with the remodeling 

industry as evidenced 

by the three awards received at 

the 2016 Contractor of the Year 

(CotY) Awards. 

Masters Touch Design Build 

came away with one gold and 

two silvers. 

The first award was recognition 

of a kitchen design and 

remodel for a busy family in 

Walpole, Mass. that wanted to 

The Contractor of the Year 

Awards recognize the work of the 

region’s finest remodeling professionals. 

The Eastern Massachusetts 

Chapter of the National 

Association of the Remodeling 

Industry (EM NARI) members 

compete for awards across 20 categories. 

Entries are carefully evaluated 

by a panel of independent 

judges with industry expertise. 

update their space to reflect their 

contemporary styling while improving 

efficiency and storage, 

all on a modest budget. The second 

award touted Masters’ work 

in taking a small addition off the 

back of a modest Cape/Colonial 

in Wellesley, Mass. that added a 

much needed second bathroom to 

the home and a newly remodeled 

bright open kitchen. The third 

award recognized the innovation 

involving a major kitchen renovation 

that utilized two unused 

rooms on the back of the house of 

a family in Milton, Mass. and removed 

the entire back wall of the 

former kitchen and completely 

reconfiguring the layout to create 

an open concept kitchen ideal for 

cooking elaborate meals and entertaining 

guests. 

“Our focus is on customer experience,” 

noted Doug Masters of 

Masters Touch Design Build. He 

continued, “Industry and professional 

peer recognition is a true 

reflection of the hard work and 

dedication of our design build 

team.” 

Masters Touch Design Build 

was founded by Doug Masters in 

1997. 

From high-end design build 

projects; kitchen and bath renovations; 

to additions and custom 

homes, Masters Touch Design 

Build caters to homeowners 

throughout eastern Massachusetts. 

With a team of more than 

50 including home designers, 

interior designers, and master 

craftsmen, Masters Touch Design 

Build can handle virtually any 

new home construction project or 

design build renovation to existing 

homes. 

Masters Touch is located at 24 

Water Street, Holliston, MA For 

more information contact (508) 

359-5900, e-mail info@MastersTouchWeb.com 

or visit www.MastersTouchWeb.com. 

Expanding Your Living Space – Outside 

By John Szolomayer, Realtor 

Whether you are looking to improve 

the value of your home from 

a real estate standpoint or for your 

own personal enjoyment, expanding 

your living space is a safe bet. 

But, adding square footage can 

be costly and time consuming, so 

think beyond the walls to get that 

❖ Countertops 

❖ Backsplash 

❖ Shower Walls 

❖ Bathtub 

❖ Steps ❖ Fireplace 

❖ Soapstone 

❖ Marble ❖ Granite 

❖ Quartz 

774-233-1973 

275 Hopping Brook Rd ❖ Suite 4 ❖ Holliston 

Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm ❖ Saturday by appointment 

additional room and comfort. Outdoor 

living helps you connect with 

the world around you and creates 

a great escape for everyone. Here 

are some big and small decorating 

ideas to incorporate the outdoors 

in your home: 

Conversation Space - By 

using a deck, porch, patio, or 

space in the yard to position outdoor 

furniture, you can match 

your indoor tastes to carry the 

conversation outside. Covered 

spaces such as a simple umbrella 

or a custom Pergola make for 

comfortable conversation areas. 

Open, sunny spaces with items 

such as Adirondack chairs or a 

swing next to fragment plantings 

can be just as inviting. 

Al Fresco Dining - Everyone 

always hangs out in the kitchen! 

An outdoor cooking space can be 

as simple as a grill or as luxurious 

as an expansive outdoor kitchen. 

Make sure you have space for 

preparation and nearby seating 

to continue the conversation. 

A bistro table with tall chairs 

is great for a party of two. For 

larger groups, include the umbrella 

to ward off the hot sun. 

Children also love a blanket in 

the grass under a shady tree. 

Gaming - To provide fun for all 

ages, create an outdoor area with 

activities. If you’re not ready to integrate 

a pool complete with a diving 

board, Cornhole is a popular 

game that doesn’t need anything 

more than beanbags and two 

goals. If you want something in 

between, build a semi-traditional 

bocce ball court using crushed 

seashells, pea gravel, or sand. 

Night Life - Your conversation 

area can turn into a fun place to 

gather around a fire. You can build 

a fire pit using bricks or natural 

stone, but commercial braziers are 

also available at all price points. 

Using Tiki torches or fun lighting 

can add to the experience, just be 

sure you have sticks available to 

roast marshmallows. 

By carrying your indoor tastes 

to these outdoor areas through 

the use of outdoor fabrics and 

furniture, your living area will feel 

significantly expanded. Outdoor 

living is not exclusive to those living 

in tropical climates, but be sure 

to purchase protective covering for 

your investments during the winter 

months. 

Information provided by John Szolomayer 

from Hallmark Sotheby’s International 

Realty in Hopkinton. Each office 

is independently owned and operated. 

John can be reached for more information 

at (508) 259-4788 or at johnszolomayer.com.


REAL ESTATE Corner 

Todd Zukowski 

at Prospect Mortgage 

Branch Manager 

NMLS #20384 

www.ToddZukowski.com 

Todd.Zukowski@prospectmtgcom 

Todd Zukowski has been a strong member of the mortgage industry 

since 2000. He serves Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire 

and can originate a variety of loans including: FHA, VA, 203(K), 

conventional, jumbo, and refinance. 

He was recently named, in Mortgage Executive Magazine, as one of 

the Top 1% of Mortgage Originators in the nation for 2014! 

Todd loves being a Loan Officer because it is a win-win situation for 

him. He gets to be an instrumental and helpful part of one of the most 

important transactions in his clients’ lifetime. He truly enjoys his work 

helping buyers to get a home that they want. 

He works with a team of local underwriters and closers who are 

extremely responsive and efficient. He and his team are very enthusiastic 

about what they do, and they are happy to help clients find a perfect 

loan for their unique financial situation. 

He consistently remains in the list of Top 25 Mortgage Originators 

at Prospect Mortgage, and his dedicated team closes loans within 

30 days on average. 

Headquartered in Sherman Oaks, CA, Prospect Mortgage is one of the 

largest independent residential retail mortgage lenders in the United 

States. It is backed by Sterling Partners, a growth-oriented private equity 

firm with approximately $5 billion in assets under management and 

offices in Chicago, Baltimore and Miami. 

In 2011, Prospect Mortgage was ranked number 2 on Mortgage 

–Executive Magazine’s list of the Top 100 Mortgage Companies in 

America and was a top 10 national home purchase lender in 2012. 

What are his clients saying? 

“Very easy to reach. Responds quickly and does 

a great job explaining all the details. Has kept 

process moving forward.” — Garth F., Holliston 

“We were kept informed throughout the loan 

process.Todd made it very easy to get the 

forms done and into the risk department on 

time. Adjusted the criteria of the loan to fit 

our circumstances.” — David L., Raynham 

(508) 543-5281 

30 Mechanic Street 

Foxboro, MA 02035 

Branch NMLS #320399 

“Working withTodd is always a great experience.The 

process is smooth, clear and expectations are met. 

Thanks for all of the efforts!” — Aaron B., Hopkinton 

“Todd Zukowski went out of his way to come to my 

home to retrieve documents from me and to get my 

signature. He was extremely responsive and made the 

transaction go very smoothly.” — BethW., Natick 

I am licensed to originate mortgage loans in the following state(s): MA, NH, RI. Loan inquiries and applications in states 

where I am not licensed will be referred to a Loan Officer who is licensed in the property state. Equal Housing Lender. 

Prospect Mortgage is located at 15301 Ventura Blvd., Suite D300, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. Prospect Mortgage, LLC 

(NMLS Identifier #3296, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is a Delaware limited liability company licensed by MA Mortgage 

Lender/Broker License #MC3296; licensed by the NH Banking Dept.; and licensed by RI Licensed Lender #20021343LL, Loan Broker 

#20041643LB. This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. Rev 4.15.15 (0415-2055) LR 2015-229 

SINGLE FAMILY 

Recent Sales in Ashland, MA 

SALE PRICE 

84 Concord St. . . . . . . . $169,000 

145 Eliot St . . . . . . . . . $191,000 

34 Cedar Hill Rd . . . . . . $289,000 

45 Prospect St . . . . . . . $295,000 

7 Wilbur Dr . . . . . . . . . $362,000 

17 Birch Hill Rd . . . . . . $410,000 

42 Whittemore Dr . . . . . $630,748 

Staying Healthy Together Dog people. Either you 

are one, or you know one. They’re the folks who are just as likely to 

be walking Buster around the neighborhood in sub-zero temperatures 

as they are to be taking a stroll on a warm spring day. They’re 

our clients who ask about the closest doggie day care and request a 

fenced-in yard when house-hunting—because their four-legged 

friends are family, too. 

We hear you. We ARE you. And our local associations hear you as well. 

That’s why our good friends at the Ashland Sporting Association, in 

conjunction with the MetroWest YMCA Family Outdoor Center, will 

be holding a dog-friendly 5K and health & fitness fair to benefit 

the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical 

Association Charities on Saturday, June 

4th. "Staying Healthy Together” is a 

unique 5k run/walk with your dog 

through the woods at the MetroWest 

The Right Move. 

508.309.3538 

158 Pond Street, Suite A 

Ashland, MA 01721 

OakRealtyMA.com 

CONDOMINIUMS 

SALE PRICE 

40 Algonquin Trl . . . . . . . $268,000 

6 Driftwood Way . . . . . . $263,000 

43 Half Crown Cir . . . . . . $350,000 

161 Captain Eames Cir . . $322,500 



Join us on 

Saturday, June 4, 2016 

at the Metrowest YMCA 

Family Outdoor Center 

YMCA’s Family Outdoor Center in Ashland/Hopkinton. Two-legged 

solo runners are welcome as well. And teams are also encouraged— 

a little friendly competition always helps to pick up the pace! 

There’s probably a grain of truth in the old saying: “If your dog is overweight, 

then you’re not getting enough exercise.” Increased physical 

activity improves everyone’s health: parents, kids and pets alike. So go 

to www.metrowestk95k.com for more information or to register 

for this exciting new event. 

And if you are searching for a new home, you can call us or go to 

www.oakrealtyma.com. Watch our latest episode of REAL ESTATE 

01721, search for a home right away, or create an account to get daily 

listings. Remember us when you and your family are searching for a 

place to land—dog house included. We’ll help you find your way home. 

Buying? Selling? Not sure, but need to know more? 

Call us anytime. We welcome your questions at 508 309 3538 

or info@oakrealtyma.com.


Ashland Cub Scouts 

Have Adventures 

Spring has sprung, and the Cub 

Scouts have been keeping busy with 

all sorts of activities and adventures, 

including presenting escape plans to 

fire officials at the Cedar Street Fire 

Station, preparing for outdoor adventures 

by making first aid kits and trail 

mix, designing marble and domino 

mazes, participating in their own version 

of a marathon (completing 26 

exercises and trivia tasks), and honoring 

the fifth grade Webelo II scouts 

as they cross over from Cub Scouts 

to Boy Scouts. This month the Cub 

Scouts will cheer on the Paw Sox, 

then camp overnight on their baseball 

field. To learn more about scouting, 

visit www.pack1-ashlandma.org. 

Give the gift 

of style 

• No Appointments Necessary 

• Open 7 Days a Week 

• Costcutters.com 

SHAW’S PLAZA 

330 Pond St (Rte 126) 

Ashland 508-881-1175 

Tigers Scouts in Den 6 prepare for outdoor adventures by creating first aid kits. 

Left: Webelo II Scouts cross over from Cub Scouts to 

Boy Scouts at the annual Blue and Gold Dinner. 

Camp Bailout Program 

for Girls Runs in July 

Camp Bailout Summer Program 

will be held for the sixth consecutive 

year, July 11-15. Camp 

Bailout is a week-long program 

designed to educate girls in a dynamic 

and fun environment on 

firefighting and emergency service 

skills. The curriculum is interactive 

and physically challenging. Girls 

will gain strength and knowledge 

while building confidence and 

leadership skills. The program 

is sponsored by the Ashland Fire 

Department and the Board of Selectmen. 

During the week, the girls will 

learn basic skills, such as rappelling 

from the training tower; motor vehicle 

extrication with the Jaws of 

Life; search and rescue; CPR certification; 

live fire extinguishment 

and more. Girls should possess a 

positive attitude, be in good physical 

condition and be prepared to 

have fun! 

The Camp is limited to 16 girls 

between the ages of 14 and 19. 

Girls from any town can apply, 

but Ashland residents will be given 

first preference. For more information, 

call the Ashland Fire Department, 

508-881-2323. Download 

applications from the website, 

www.campbailout.org. 

BAY STATE COMMONS 

600 Union St 

(next to Panera) 

Westboro 508-366-9300 

$ 

1 00 

OFF 

Reg. $16.95 and $14.95 

No appointment necessary. 

Valid with coupon. 

Expires 5/31/16 

HAIRCUT 

Adult or Kids 

ASH 

20 % OFF 

Professional 

Products 

All Major Brands 

Excludes special packaging. 



ASH 

$ 

3 00 

OFF 

Shampoo 

Cut & Style 

Reg. prices start at $31.95 

No appointment necessary. 



ASH

Ashland May 2016

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