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Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

2 chances to meet Wellesley’s town-wide office candidates

February 1, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

You have 2 upcoming chances to meet Wellesley’s town-wide office candidates for the Annual Town Election on Tuesday, March 7:

Sustainable Wellesley’s Conversation With The Candidates: Monday, Feb. 13

​sustainable wellesleySustainable Wellesley is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that focuses on climate and other issues related to protecting the environment.

It will be holding a Conversation with the Candidates on Monday, Feb. 13 from 7-9pm at the Wakelin Room at the Wellesley Free Library. Come hear where candidates stand on issues related to sustainability.

 

 

The League of Women Voters of Wellesley’s Meet the Candidates Night: Thursday, Feb. 16

League of Women Voters of Wellesley

The League of Women Voters of Wellesley’s Meet the Candidates Night will be held virtually on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7pm. Learn about candidates for town-wide office and hear their positions on issues of importance to the town. The event will be live-streamed, broadcast live on Comcast 8/Verizon 40, and will be recorded for on-demand viewing.

The League is a nonpartisan political organization which does not support or oppose candidates.

Voters are invited to submit questions for candidates by email: lwvwellesley2@gmail.com by 5 pm on Feb. 15.  Questions will be screened for lack of bias, relevance, and applicability to all candidates for each office.  Similar questions may be consolidated.

There will be no print version of the League’s Election Guide this year.  The Guide will be posted by February 16 to the League’s Election Guide platform, vote411.org, where voters can also find personalized election information on how and where to vote. Information about The Meet the Candidates Night event, the Election Guide and other election-related material may be viewed on the League’s website, and on the Town Clerk’s website.


Separately, League of Women Voters of Wellesley members Skye Jacobs (Wellesley High ’24, Town Meeting member) and Ivy Wang (Wellesley High ’24, Town Meeting member) organized a voter registration event at Wellesley High School.  Two of the first-time voters will be turning 18 only a few days before the election.

One student said, “I’m too young to vote but my parents rely on me to research the candidates for them.”

students registration
Skye Jacobs (left, standing), Ivy Wang (right, standing). Seated in background: Volunteers Amelia Cookson and Katie Passanisi. Foreground: 2 students registering to vote. (Photo courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Wellesley)

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Filed Under: 2023 Town Election, Environment, Government, Politics

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Wellesley Public Works news: A PFAS warning; Weston Road construction on tap for summer; Wood recycling hot, pricey; Town Meeting article preview

January 18, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The amount of activities handled by the Wellesley Department of Public Works can make your head spin. Even though Mother Nature has taken it easy so far this winter on the DPW, the department has a ton going on, as summarized at the Jan. 10 Board of Public Works meeting (see Wellesley Media recording).

A PFAS warning

To date, Wellesley’s primary problem with unwelcome PFAS chemicals in its drinking water has been at its Morses Pond wells, and that’s been getting treated since the summer. However, DPW Director David Cohen gave a heads up that his team is seeing “discouraging” PFAS numbers at the Longfellow/Rosemary wells, and as of Jan. 10 was bracing for December numbers that could put the town in violation of state thresholds. That would mean the town would need to go through a public notification and education process as it did when its Morses Pond numbers were too high for 3 straight months.

Wellesley gets about 150,000 gallons of water a day out of Rosemary/Longfellow,  whereas it gets about 800,000 gallons a day at Morses Pond, where PFAS treatment is in effect. But the town has also been planning upgrades to the Rosemary/Longfellow site so that it could produce more like 600,000 gallons a day there.

Cohen recommended against going ahead with a $659K well replacement contract for now in light of the PFAS numbers and unclarity on the regulations front. It initially seemed like the replacement would pay for itself within a few years, but the possibility of temporary or permanent PFAS treatment has caused the town to rethink things. One possibility would be putting a contract out to bid for the Rosemary well, but not the Longfellow one, where higher PFAS numbers have surfaced.

The town continues its research into possible sources of PFAS in its water, and while the Morses Pond data is looking inconclusive, there is some indication that Wellesley might be dealing with more of a surface water than ground water situation at Rosemary, which is near Rte. 9.

The town is also continuing talks with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority on building a second connection to it to allow for possibly more use of its water supply. The town relied heavily on MWRA water when the Morses Pond treatment system was down. Wellesley would prefer to rely on its own supply, giving it more control, but the emergence of PFAS has forced the town to consider different options.

This is all happening against a backdrop in which it’s unknown what sort of actions the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency might take regarding PFAS.

Weston Road construction on tap for summer

The next high profile roadway fix-up in town is set to be Weston Road, the high traffic path between Weston and Wellesley Square, with Rte. 9 in between. Weston Road was called Blossom Street back in the day, before being accepted by the town around 1950. The road has taken an expected beating given its heavy use, and the sidewalks overall are in rough condition (fortunately, beneath the road, pipes are generally in good shape). Weston Road was last given a full paving in 1986.

The DPW is already working on the design (funds were set aside for a survey, design and bidding in its FY22 capital plan) for this 3,800-foot-long road, and Wellesley plans to go out for bid on the project this spring. It will look to Town Meeting for funds—construction is estimated to cost $3.5M.

Town Engineer Dave Hickey shared a presentation with the Board of Public Works. Neighbors can expect to hear from the town on this as well, as Wellesley looks to get the project out to bid in the February-March timeframe.

The project has its fair share of challenges, including trees along the sidewalks and narrow rights of way (this, Hickey said, will make adding bike lanes difficult). The big challenge, though, might be that there is no easy way to route detours around this major north-south route that is mostly residential. Roughly 10,000 vehicles head up or down Weston Road each day. “I don’t see a way right now to get this work done without having a significant amount of it be done at night, which we hate to do in residential neighborhoods,” he said.

The hope would be to start construction in June and finish within the season.

Wood recycling hot, pricey

The Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility has seen about a 20% increase (vs. its budget) in wood tonnage for recycling. That’s great, as the wood is being kept out of landfills. The troubling thing is that the cost to recycle it is up 70% vs. what was budgeted. It’s unclear at this point if there’s an increase in any particular sort of wood products being brought to the RDF.

wood

New Water & Sewer superintendent

Steve Olson was introduced as the town’s new water & sewer superintendent, succeeding longtime town employee Bill Shaughnessy, who recently retired.

Going electric

The DPW recently took delivery of its first all-electric vehicle, a 2023 Chevy Bolt partially funded with a $7,500  grant from a state grant program.

The Bolt, boasting a range of 247 miles when fully charged, will largely be used for project oversight and inspections in town.

The DPW is prepping for delivery of another 7 electric vehicles that will replace gas-powered ones.

Four charging stations have been installed at DPW headquarters.

bolt dpw
DPW’s Bolt (Town of Wellesley photo)

Town Meeting articles

DPW leaders will present their FY24 budget proposal and Annual Town Meeting warrant articles (including 1 regarding a stormwater enterprise fund) before the Advisory Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The meeting begins at 6:30 and can be viewed on cable TV and online via Wellesley Media.


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Filed Under: Environment, Government

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Wellesley Lacrosse

Rainbows over the Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility

December 24, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

In between all the rain and wind and scattered tree limbs in Wellesley on Friday, nature took a time out for this.

rdf rainbows
Photo courtesy of Alan Dittrich

 

Alan Dittrich, who captured the scene, wrote: “Nature smiles on the RDF… and heartily approves of recycling… and I think that at the end of the rainbow you’ll find used fluorescent bulbs and old batteries.”


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Filed Under: Environment

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Needham Bank comes up big with $100K for Wellesley Track & Field project

December 21, 2022 by Deborah Brown 4 Comments

The Wellesley Field Fund (WFF) set a goal last September to raise $1.5M in private fundraising for Phase 2 of a project to add expensive upgrades, including lights, to the Wellesley High School track and field. Supporters of the Community Investors-backed 501(3)(c) had hoped fundraising would be completed by Thanksgiving, but there’s still $930k to go before lights, team rooms, and a modern sound system come to fruition.

Now the campaign has gotten a boost from Needham Bank with a matching funds campaign that, if successful, would bring fundraising up to 50% of its $1.5M goal. The bank has announced it will contribute $100,000 in matching donations to the WFF capital campaign. This isn’t Needham Bank’s first fundraising rodeo geared toward Wellesley sports. Back in 2016 when the WFF raised $1.3M to resurface the track and install a larger turf field, the bank served as the effort’s lead community partner and donor.

Wellesley resident and Needham Bank chairman, president and CEO Joe Campanelli said, “Having a track and field complex that allows for night games and extends the uses for our town is a win for everyone, not just the student athletes. It brings people together as players and spectators and creates a safe space for the community to gather. We’re very proud to continue to champion this project with our phase 2 gift of $100,000.”

Specifically, the WFF Capital Campaign funds will be used for:

● Team rooms: Locker rooms and bathrooms for home and away teams.
● Lighting: Aimed at providing safety for athletes and spectators during games and practices at dusk or night, and allowing for more people to attend events. The dark sky-compliant lights would be designed to limit their impact on the surrounding area.
● Sound system: Speakers mounted to direct sound to the immediate track & field area.

(Funding for a combo bathroom and concession stand facility would largely be covered by money appropriated at the 2018 Annual Town Meeting.)

Estimated Phase 2 costs, as of July 2022

Wellesley Track & Field Project

 

More here on the Hunnewell Track & Field Project 

Not everyone in town is thrilled about the progression of the Track & Field project. Field neighbors and others have spoken out vociferously against the proposal during public meetings for a variety of reasons, including concerns about noise, environmental impact, and traffic. They appealed to the NRC to stick to its policies related to land stewardship when making a decision.

A Friends of Hunnewell Fields proponent cited proximity of a residential neighborhood to the project. In a letter to the Swellesley editors, Cliff Canaday said, “The closest homes to the track & field are just 34 yards away. Research shows that light at night—especially combined with noise—negatively impacts human health. It is especially harmful to children, and children live directly across the street from the track & field. If this was your neighborhood, if these were your children, what would you do? What should you do, as a neighbor?”

A tipping point occurred during the 2021 Town election, when Natural Resources Commission incumbent Raina McManus lost her seat to challenger Lisa Collins. Many observers predicted that this change in the board’s makeup would result in an NRC vote to allow lights to be installed at the Track & Field. Last July exactly that happened when the NRC voted 3-2 in favor of the School Committee’s proposal to allow the lights on the NRC property.

Going forward

During the Dec. 6 School Committee Meeting, SC member Linda Chow delivered a presentation on key updates of the project. Chow said that the School Committee and the Natural Resources Commission, co-sponsors of the project, have been able to accept the first infusion of money from Phase 2 to support the design and permitting process for the team room, lights and sound system. However, the town won’t permit construction to begin until all the funds are secured.

Until that point, there’s still plenty of process to wade through. The School Committee has been meeting with the Health Department to address sanitation concerns about the bathrooms and concession stand area. Roaches, their insidious ways, and how to stop them have been discussed at length. There have also been meetings with the Department of Public Works regarding the potential impact on surrounding plantings, and how replacement trees and vegetation will be handled. In addition, color choices and texture for the structures must go before the Design Review board. The NRC will review plans along the way.

Wellesley Track & Field project

Even with fundraising challenges and a multitude of steps to take, Chow said the target time for the Track and Field bathrooms is summer 2023.

Assuming funding is available by end-of-year 2022, team rooms, lighting, and sound could be a reality by fall 2023.


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Filed Under: Construction, Environment, Fundraising, Wellesley High School

Decarbonizing Wellesley’s electrical grid: Here’s the plan and how you can help

November 22, 2022 by admin 1 Comment

Special to The Swellesley Report by Howard Xu, Wellesley High School ’23

Concern about climate change is everywhere—you hear it on TV, read about it in the news, and seen it on the signs of the Fridays for Future group here in Wellesley as you pass by town hall. Fortunately, the federal government is finally pouring the necessary investment into addressing climate issues with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act over the summer. As a local high schooler, I was curious about what was going on in Wellesley to tackle our emissions.

wmlpI quickly learned that Wellesley gets electricity from our town-owned Wellesley Municipal Light Plant, the WMLP, which buys bulk electricity and distributes it to residences. This makes it unlike most other Massachusetts communities, which get their electricity from large
investor-owned utilities such as Eversource and National Grid. Among many other benefits, the WMLP provides residents with electricity rates 50% below the state average. To my delight, another benefit is that it was quite easy for me to find out what was going on in the
Wellesley energy ecosystem.

Already, the WMLP is in the process of decarbonizing Wellesley’s electricity supply. Our town currently has a decarbonization goal of 2050, which is in line with the overall goal for Massachusetts. Lisa Wolf, the WMLP’s Sustainability Coordinator, told me that Wellesley’s
electricity supply is 58.6% carbon-free. For reference, that positions our town among the leaders in decarbonization. Wolf did acknowledge that around “30% or 35% of our total supply is from nuclear,” which is considered carbon-free but not renewable. Still, Wellesley is significantly greener than the average municipal provider in Massachusetts, where only 2.43% of electricity comes from renewable sources. That’s compared to 23% of the WMLP’s electricity portfolio. That’s compared to 23% of the WMLP’s electricity portfolio. Additionally, the WMLP has helped cover the cost of the rooftop solar installation on the Boston Sports Institute, which has already begun producing electricity.

As for what the WMLP is working on right now, Assistant Manager Francisco Frias explained that they are focusing on a couple local initiatives. The first is installing one or more 5- megawatt batteries to be online around the middle of 2024. These will help stabilize
our electrical system during peak usage hours and then recharge when electricity consumption is low during the night. Moreover, they will allow the WMLP to “power up critical loads such as the fire department, the Department of Public Works, and the MLP building” in the event of a major blackout. Furthermore, the WMLP “will be installing solar at the Library, the new Hunnewell school and the new Hardy School” to complement the array that they’ve installed on the high school. Of course, Frias also recognized that they will “have to be diligent in securing good power contracts,” and according to Wolf, they are already considering “long-term contracts for offshore wind and large solar fields.”

However, Wolf also emphasized that part of the burden of decarbonization lies on residents. She predicted that the biggest challenge would remain “educating individuals about the importance of change.” She urged residents to “add more renewable devices to their homes, like heat pumps, or batteries, or electric vehicle chargers, spread the word about how to do this with friends, neighbors and family, and voice their support for WMLP to set a decarbonization goal earlier than 2050.” Given that indoor heating and transportation are responsible for well over half of Massachusetts’ emissions, a switch to heat pumps and electric vehicles will eventually be necessary to hit net-zero carbon emissions. If possible, Wolf also recommended “shifting electricity use from times of high use to low use,” which would help the WMLP avoid reliance on inefficient gas peaker plants. Finally, she suggested enrolling in the town’s WECARE electrical program if you initially opted out. The program gives residents the option to buy 100% renewable electricity or contribute towards local sustainability efforts such as solar installations or creating incentives for green appliances.

The path towards decarbonization won’t be easy. When I asked Andy Stone, a staff member at the University of Pennsylvania’s Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, about the future of the US grid, he was confident “that [the necessary shift] will happen” but
“uncertain about whether it will happen in time.”

Joanna Troy, the Director of Energy Policy and Planning for Massachusetts, had similar feelings about the state grid. Overall, she described
herself as a “cynical optimist.” She explained that while “it can get done, it’s going to be real hard, really hard, and there’s a chance we won’t get it done”.

Robert Kievra, a representative for National Grid (the investor-owned utility which provides electricity for most of central Massachusetts) agreed that “none of [the necessary changes] will be easy,” as National Grid understands that “it’s critical [for the company] that we provide a solution that is affordable for all our customers.

Still, when I ask how the MLP’s Wolf feels about the challenges that the Wellesley organization faces, she replies: “very optimistic”.

“Renewable energy in a variety of forms—wind, solar, hydro, geothermal—is becoming competitive with natural gas, the cheapest of the fossil fuels.” Wolf says. She also cites the fact that “some towns are adopting much more aggressive decarbonization schedules, such as Shrewsbury (2032) and Concord and Belmont (2030), and I think WMLP might be able to accelerate its goal as well”.

Perhaps, the answer to our national climate plight is to face the challenge citizen by citizen, town by town. In Wellesley, at least, we are in good hands.


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Filed Under: Environment

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Wellesley RDF Reusables area closing Saturday, Dec. 3

November 14, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility’s Reusables area will be closing for the season on Saturday, Dec. 3. So you don’t have much time to drop off and pick up treasures at the local in-person give-and-take area. The volunteers staffing the Reusables area may be limited in how many drop-offs they can take toward the end.

Thanks to all the volunteers and patrons for keeping the swap area lively.

If you’re looking for an RDF Reusables alternative, a private Facebook group called Wellesley Give & Take is one option.

rdf couch
Reusables area’s favorite model

 

Sunday hours at the RDF also end soon—Nov. 27—for the season.

The RDF also reminds you that new state rules require recycling of mattresses and textiles, and that the RDF has expanded areas for both at its facility.


More: Upside down day at Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility

Filed Under: Environment, Government

Natick Select Board chooses removal over repair at Charles River dam & waterfall

November 12, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Upriver from Wellesley, the Natick Select Board this week voted 4-1 against repairing the Charles River Dam & spillway (aka, waterfall), and instead removing the spillway to allow the river to run unimpeded.

The fate of the spillway has been under discussion for years, and the Board made its tough choice based on financial, environmental, and cultural reasons. While there has been a national and regional trend toward removing dams and spillways, Natick’s decision was complicated by the fact that this 1934 structure is beloved by so many. It is undeniably the most iconic site in the town, often the backdrop of wedding photos and a daily attraction for those seeking recreation and relaxation.

Learn more in our Natick Report account.

south natick charles river dam

Filed Under: Environment, Government

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