Sept. 2 is the target date, according to the Library Board of trustees. The Fells and Hills branches shut down in 2006 for lack of funds, but private fundraising is bringing the branches back into action.
Speaking of libraries and money, Wellesley Free Library has a great new web site design, including a calculator to show you how much the library services are worth to you, individually, based on your borrowing habits.
Wellesley Deputy Police Chief Bill Brooks is among those pushing for legislation that will make it harder for crooks to steal metal from cars, buildings and elsewhere and then pawn it off. From the Daily News Transcript:
Wellesley Deputy Police Chief William Brooks, a former Norwood police officer, has worked with lawmakers on the legislation for the past two years and is anxious to see it pass before the Legislature closes formal sessions on July 31.
“I wish it was moving more quickly, it seems like a fairly simple thing,” he said. “I don’t think it would cost the state anything (to set up a database), because you could either put a surcharge on (pawn shop) transactions or you could use a percentage of transactions (to pay for the database).”
Adam Bossi recently joined the town as Conservation Administrator. We caught up with him to find out how he’s going to help save the planet, starting with Wellesley.
What are your hopes/dreams in this new job?
My friends joke that I’m “the guy who hugs trees for ‘the man’”. In a way, I suppose it’s true!
There are a lot of reasons why I choose to work in environmental protection - the biggest is that I find the interactions between people and places/man and nature to be very interesting. Since the industrial revolution, people have been able to greatly impact the landscape and natural systems at a speed and scale not possible without mechanization and the development of lots of “helpful” chemical compounds. In recent decades, advancements in our understanding of the world’s ecology have shown that many of the great things people learned to do had and continue to have negative impacts on natural systems and the environment as a whole. I believe that with our improved (and constantly improving) understanding of ecology and better understanding of the impacts of our actions on them, we should be making the best decisions possible in terms of why and how we alter the landscape.
My role as the Conservation Administrator for the Town is to ensure that the Wetlands Protection Act, a state law, and Town Bylaw for Wetlands Protection are adhered to when projects are proposed to alter the existing landscape near wetlands, rivers, lakes and other sensitive natural areas. These areas provide a number of functions that are important to human health and safety and the overall health of the local environment. As far as hopes and dreams with this job, it is my hope to do the best job I can to protect these areas to the maximum extent possible in accordance with the laws.
I’m excited to be doing this work in Wellesley. I really value the public benefit that my job provides and in Wellesley, the public is very concerned and in touch with environmental issues. Residents elected a Natural Resources Commission (NRC) who, among many great things, has implemented a town-wide pesticide-free approach to managing parklands, playing fields, etc. Most town’s do not have such a board. It’s progressive and a model for other towns to look at.
I understand you were doing something similar in Lexington, but could you clarify what you were doing previously and highlight the project you worked on there that you were most proud of?
My title in Lexington was the Conservation Assistant. My role there was very similar to here but had broader responsibilities in terms of managing that town’s expansive network of conservation lands. Here in Wellesley, land management issues are addressed primarily by the NRC and DPW. There were a number of projects that I was excited to be involved with in Lexington. The one I was most excited to be a part of was the Master Plan for the West Lexington Greenway. This was a true grassroots project being driven forward by a group of hardworking and enthusiastic conservation and recreation groups. Ultimately, the goal of the plan is to construct a 2+mile long “connector”bike path from the existing Minuteman Bikeway (which runs from Cambridge to Bedford, straight through Lexington) to the Minuteman National Historical Park. There is a lot of town-owned conservation land in the “connector” corridor. Part of the plan was to link up as much of the open space in that part of town. Its a project I’ll be keeping an eye on as it develops.
What are your favorite/least favorite wetland creatures and things?
Least favorite - ticks, mosquitoes, poison ivy and horseflies.
Most favorite - anything that usually doesn’t sting, bite or cause rashes if you come in contact with it.
What’s your biggest hot button regarding wetlands protection?
Ignorance and purposeful violations of the wetlands protection laws.
Anything else worth noting?
I often claim not to be an expert in anything. My job requires me to be a generalist, so to speak. I’m part scientist, part civil engineer, part architect, part landscape architect, part project manager, part attorney, part mediator… So to say the least, my role is very dynamic and interdisciplinary, which I love. I have to be able to talk turkey regarding the wetlands laws with all kinds of professionals and lay persons and effectively communicate how the laws apply to whatever it is they are hoping to do - which can range from planting trees to redeveloping industrial sites.
My educational and professional background is in Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Management and Construction and Ecology. My most recent degree is an MA in Landscape Design and my studies focused on Sustainable Design.
Antiques at Elm Bank Estate takes place this weekend at Elm Bank Reservation on Rte. 16 near the Wellesley/Natick line. 9am-5pm Saturday, 10am-4pm Sunday. Also check out the Manor House. More info here, including discount coupons.
A new guide from the town to get you away from your computer and off your butt. Includes info on resources for making your body and mind healthier. Shockingly, we’re not listed as a resource.
The Composers Concert is being held at Wellesley College this week and next, and a series of free concerts are being held several nights between now and Aug. 2 at 8pm at Jewett Auditorium. Here’s the schedule.
ABC News reports on how the flavor of breast milk — based on a mom’s eating habits — can affect feeding. A Wellesley mother of two and lactation consultant chimes in with her thoughts:
“It’s sweet. The one time I tried it, it was maple syrupy, but not overly sweet,” said Morgan Kennedy Henderson, 43, of Wellesley, Mass. about her breast milk.
Remember a few years back when Wellesley cut Spanish language classes at its elementary schools? Here’s one way to make up for it: Hire an Au Pair who speaks the language you’d like your kids to learn. A Wellesley woman talks about this with Channel 7 news.
We recently offered up our blooming gardens as a possible painter’s delight to Mass Hort for its Paint! Plein Air Painting event planned for September, but sadly, we were told recent job cutbacks wouldn’t allow the group to support the event this fall. In the past, painters have plopped down around Elm Bank Reservation and painted landscapes out in the open, then auctioned off the paintings at a gala affair.
A reader recently asked us about the condition of the Duck Pond at Town Hall, suggesting that it was looking a bit shabby. Took us a little while to get over there, but finally did the other day, and while I’ll wouldn’t exactly eat my lunch off the wood chips there and the water is pretty darn stagnant, I’ve seen worse. We even got to see a few goslings (or ducklings?).
