Ashland September 2018

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Page 16 Ashland Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com September 2018 Committee Proposes Plan to Cover Costs for Clean Water By Cynthia Whitty Warning! Do Not Eat, reads the sign, which is posted at the otherwise idyllic Mill Pond at the Sudbury River—a body of water with a legacy of decades of environmental abuse. “Our environment is precious and delicate,” Doug Small, Director of the Ashland Department of Public Works (DPW), said. “We have learned from society’s previous mistakes on how not to protect our lakes, rivers and streams, and we finally have a chance to prevent these mistakes from happening again.” The chance referred to by Small is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (NPDES MS4), which stormwater people refer to as MS4. Its purpose is to reduce pollution and improve water quality. Pollution poisons our ground water, streams, rivers and lakes. This mandated program is designed to ensure that Ashland has controls in place to minimize the chances of more pollutants being dumped into our precious water bodies. The program also encourages ‘harvesting’ or retaining more of our stormwater, a benefit for our water-short community. The new MS4 permit became effective on July 1, and requires that Ashland has and begins to implement a comprehensive stormwater management plan in this fiscal year. The plan must include public participation, such as creating the Stormwater Advisory Committee, and educating the public about pollution through forums and articles. The intent is to make residents aware of what they must do to reduce stormwater pollution. Another set of requirements is a Green Infrastructure Program, designed to save stormwater, encompasses green-roof designs, water-harvesting and improved street and parking lot designs. Water-barrels that some residents have installed are one small piece TUTORING AND TEST PREP Affordable and Effective! Grades K-12 Reading • Math • Writing Study Skills • Homework Help PSAT • SAT • ACT • ISEE • SSAT ENROLL NOW for ACT & SAT Prep CALL 508-231-8787 TODAY! 15 W. Union Street, Ashland www.KnowledgePointsTutors.com View from Main Street, Ashland, the Sudbury River at Mill Pond (Photo/Rob St. Germain) of this program. New construction must now be done more carefully with regard to pollution, and that will require re-writing and stricter enforcement of the town’s bylaws. In addition, during the permit period, the town must inspect and prioritize all municipal properties for possible retrofitting to improve stormwater management. PLUMBING • AIR CONDITIONING • HEATING Residential and Commercial FREE Estimates Licensed & Insured MS4 also dictates that the DPW must improve ‘municipal good housekeeping’—actions they have done for years, like street cleaning and storm drain cleaning and maintenance, but must now do more, more often and better. MS4 requires the town to identify and remediate the sources of stormwater pollution Annual Residential 1 Stormwater Rates in Other Towns Chelmsford Chicopee Fall River Longmeadow Milton 2 Newton Northampton 2 $40/yr. $100/yr. $140/yr. $27/yr. $32 - 468/yr. $75/yr. $64 – 259/yr. Reading $40/yr. Westfield $20/yr. 1 Commercial and other property fees are based on impervious area 2 Variable based on impervious area JOYCE 508-497-6344 joyceplumbingandheating.com in the town—what the EPA calls Illicit Discharge. The town must identify, map, and keep records on every piece of our stormwater infrastructure. They must test stormwater for pollutants and, once identified, they must reduce the pollution to acceptable levels, what is called the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). A Plan to Cover the Costs “We have a plan that lays out the things we must do in each of the five years,” Small said. “We have estimated the costs, and now we need to figure out how we are going to pay for it.” The Stormwater Advisory Committee has been working closely with Small and the DPW on program cost estimates, which are about $1.5 million over the five-year permit period. As reported in last month’s Ashland Local Town Pages article (“Stormwater Dilemma: How Will Residents Comply With The New Law”), because the town’s budget is capped by Proposition 2 ½, the committee has recommended the creation of a Stormwater Utility called an Enterprise Fund (E-fund). The Stormwater Utility will charge a fee to property owners and commercial enterprises. Non-tax-paying organizations will also be charged. The goal, the committee explained, is to make this fee small, fair and equitable, including a somewhat reduced fee for seniors. This fee would be similar to what other towns and cities in Massachusetts charge (see chart), likely in the range of $40 per year for homeowners. That works out to a little more than $3 per month, or 2 percent of what many of us pay for cable. In the future, the town may offer incentives for green infrastructure items like green roofs, rain-gardens and permeable driveways. Can the town choose to ignore MS4? “Not really,” Small said. “Failure to comply with the mandate can result in fines of as much as $35,000 per day.” Will this stormwater investment pay off ? Once the subject of pollution jokes, the Charles River is now swimmable, and Boston Harbor, once regarded as an open sewer, is substantially cleaner. Perhaps one day the Sudbury River will also be more swimmable.
September 2018 Ashland Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com Page 17 Business Networking and BBQ By Cynthia Whitty Ashland Lions The Ashland Lions are gearing up for a busy year; 2018-2019 led by “King Lion” Paul Ciccolo. September kicks off on the 14th with Ashland Lions night at the High School football game. Then Ashland Day Sept. 15th. Something new will be featured with a Golf Ball Drop. The Ashland fire bucket truck will drop the numbered balls and the one that is closest to the hole will win. Golf ball drop from the Ashland Bucket Fire truck. Take a chance to win, the ball closest to the hole and pin will win. TICKETS 1 for $5.00 and 3 for $10.00 Tickets will be sold throughout the day. Don’t forget the Lions Food trailer will be serving breakfast and lunch. Kidde Fenwal 6thAnnual Car Show, Sept.22nd 9am-5pm. Lions Food Trailer will be serving a delicious lunch. Rain date Sept. 29th The Ashland Business Association joined with other area business associations on August 7 for a Regional Business Networking & BBQ at the MetroWest YMCA Family Outdoor Center in Hopkinton. The event included a ribbon cutting for Ken Erdelt’s new family business, ice cream truck, Refreshin’ Concessions. The free, member-only event was sponsored by YMCA Hopkinton, Metrowest Chamber of Commerce, Ashland Business Adopt a Highway Sept 29, 9: 00am the Ashland Lions will be out in force for the fall roadside cleaning of Cordaville Rd. The cleanup starts at the Southboro line and ends at the Fish and Game Club. If you are interested in volunteering contact Lion Paul. Senior breakfast First one of the year, Thursday, Oct. 4, 9:00am at the Ashland Senior Center; Reservations are required to ensure that the Ashland Lions will have enough for all. Please call the Community Center in advance to reserve your seat. First Meat Raffle of the Year Oct. 6 2018 Our Committee Chairs want to thank all the patrons of the Raffle and TJ’s for their support, and hope to see all our familiar faces, for another great successful year. Proceeds go to the MA Lions Eye Research Fund and to Local Charities and Ashland student’s scholarships. Association, Holliston Business Association, Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce, and Sherborn Business Association, and the businesses, 126 Self Storage, Annemarie’s Dance Centre, Clocktown Liquors, guaranteed Rate, Our Town Publishing—Home of Local Town Pages, and WAITT— We’re All In This Together. ASHLAND LIONS VISIT FARMERS MARKET On July 21 the beautiful new District 33K Eyemobile visited the Ashland Farmers Market where the trained volunteers of the Ashland Lions screened over fifty people. The new vehicle contains all the very latest equipment to do screenings for glaucoma, visual acuity, hearing and blood pressure. Amongst the equipment is a camera called Kidspot which was designed and manufactured for screening children from the ages of 6 months to 7 years. By taking a picture from a proper distance it can detect seven different diseases of the eye. It is portable and can be carried into nursery schools, daycare providers and elementary schools. It also has had great success being used on adults to detect the same diseases. The Eyemobile will be at Ashland Day on September 15 from 9:00 to 1:00 so stop by and check us out. Sha’arei Shalom Invites Community to Services We invite you to share in the unique experience of High Holiday services at Sha’arei Shalom. Our services, which are open to the public, provide a mix of inspiration, spirituality and traditional High Holiday ritual in an environment full of warmth and community. Some of the unique features of our High Holiday observance include: • Open to the public • Purchase of tickets are not required; donations are encouraged • Kids services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur morning service • Services are highly participatory Whether you’re a member of Sha’arei Shalom or the Metrowest community at large, you’ll feel truly welcomed. Come share the holidays with us. please join us for HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES Schedule for Rosh Hashanah Wednesday, September 9 @ 6:30 p.m. – Erev Rosh Hashanah Thursday, September 10 @ 9:30 a.m – Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Friday, September 11 @ 9:30 a.m. – Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Schedule for Yom Kippur Friday, September 18 @ 6 p.m. – Kol Nidre Saturday, September 19 @ 9:30 a.m. – Yom Kippur Morning Service Saturday, September 19 @ 6:30 p.m. – Neilah Service All services held at the Federated Church located at 118 Main Street in Ashland Center. No tickets are required; donations are appreciated. For additional information visit our website at www.shaareishalom.org or call (508) 231-4700. High Holiday Services September 9 th – 19 th for more info: shaareishalom.org 508-231-4700 no tickets required donations appreciated Religious School now enrolling PreK – 7 email: school@shaareishalom.org Open House - September 30th, 10am - noon
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Ashland September 2018

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