Now you apply for your Wellesley RDF permit online

January 20, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley has increasingly been offering various permits online, and now has added Recycling & Disposal Facility permits to that list.

When we checked in on this last week, a couple of people had already used the new system, which allows residents to get permits that let them use the RDF.

The RDF, in an effort to encourage use, is also readying a welcome package for new residents, and the Department of Public Works is planning surveys to understand why those using third-party services are opting for that over (or in addition to) the RDF.

Wellesley’s online permitting push, for everything from building permits to dog licenses, actually preceded the pandemic. But it’s been a key tool for the town to use in serving residents in light of COVID-19 protocols.

Natick’s boil water order lifted, affected Wellesley residents can drink up

January 15, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The boil water issued by Natick on Jan. 13 after E. coli bacteria was detected in the town water supply has been lifted, and the water is now safe to drink for Natick residents as well as at some 80 Wellesley homes that were affected.

This is a notice from the Natick Department of Public Works Water/Sewer Division:

The Boil Water Order issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has been lifted for all areas in the Town of Natick. After conducting two consecutive rounds of sampling throughout the drinking water system, the lab tests showed no E. Coli bacteria in any repeat samples. As such, per the State’s review, the water is safe for consumption without further treatment or flushing in your homes and businesses.Our investigation continues as to the cause of the positive lab results.

Again, we are informing you that the water within the drinking water system and your homes and businesses is safe for consumption according to all MassDEP drinking water standards. The Town of Natick’s website has been updated to reflect this change in our drinking water status.

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Natick issues boil water alert due to E. coli, some Wellesley homes affected

January 13, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Natick’s Department of Public Works issued an alert to residents on Wednesday that they should boil water for at least a minute before consuming it in light of E. coli bacteria being discovered in drinking water samples collected on Jan. 12.

The issue also affects around 80 homes in Wellesley. The Town of Wellesley’s Department of Public Works warns that “This order DOES AFFECT some Wellesley residential addresses that receive water service from Natick, although you pay a Town of Wellesley utility bill. You may not be aware that your water is actually provided by Natick.”

Water should also be boiled before using it in food preparation, brushing teeth, and washing dishes, or use bottled water. E. coli bacteria can make you ill, and is a particular concern for those with weakened immune systems.

This warning applies until further notice.

According to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, “Pets:The same precautions to protect humans apply to pets. Do not expose aquatic organisms (e.g., fish) to water containing elevated bacteria levels. If you need to refresh the organism’s water, use appropriately boiled or bottled water.”

Natick has removed water sources that tested positive and has increased water disinfection treatments.

“The town hopes to resolve this inconvenience within the next few days,” according to a Natick recording.

When the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issues a public health order, public water suppliers are required to notify customers.

Wellesley to test out Uber-like bus service

December 28, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley’s Mobility Committee is working with the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA), the outfit that operates those small buses with stops around town, on a pilot for “microtransit” services that like Uber and Lyft focus on on-demand service calls.

The MWRTA will use accessible vans that seat up to five people for transportation mainly within town, but also to Riverside T station, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and possibly Stop & Shop and other medical facilities. The service would supplement existing services, such as the Council on Aging van and The Ride from the MBTA, but also potentially be attractive for younger people.

A soft launch in January will include MWRTA’s Route 8 bus, which had very low ridership even before the pandemic. Expect more from the town soon on a broader pilot in February, Wellesley Executive Director Meghan Jop said during a briefing at the end of the Dec. 21 Select Board meeting. The hope is that electric vehicles will become part of the mix, too.

Select Board member Colette Aufranc initially reported on the microtransit effort in early November, and said that this offering for the general public could lead to the regular Route 8 bus being phased out. Existing Route 8 users would be targeted as possible users of the new service and would be informed about how to use the new Catch app to reserve a ride.

Details on pricing, how far in advance you can call for a ride, etc., are all issues to be sorted out as the pilot unfolds. MWRTA bus fares are currently $1.25 or $1.50 for adults depending on whether you have a Charlie Card, and other discounts apply to different customer groups. “This has the potential to be a very different way of doing transit” than the current Route 8 bus, which has had just a handful of riders a day, Aufranc said. It could lead to a service that is more nimble, modern, and popular, she says.

In other Wellesley transportation news, the town’s Mobility Committee has selected Environmental Partners to conduct a $50K sustainable mobility study to come up with a plan that would focus on various modes of transportation, including use of the Crosstown Trail.

Wellesley seeks to weed out worn-out Morses Pond harvester

December 21, 2020 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Wellesley’s Natural Resources Commission is looking to replace a 15-year-old weed harvester it uses to clean up Morses Pond and other bodies of water around town, and it looks like funds for the $315K purchase could be within reach despite the town’s overall financial crunch.

Natural Resources Commission Director Brandon Schmitt made his pitch at the Dec. 9 Community Preservation Committee meeting (start at about the 4o-minute mark of the Wellesley Media recording), explaining that while the current harvester made it through this year, it wasn’t without the corroding machine going out of service a couple of times. “It is at the end of its useful life,” he said, noting that a smaller harvester, plus spare parts, have enabled the town to muddle along in recent recent years.

“The fear is that without a functioning, reliable harvester the pond will still exist, but we are not able to offer the enhanced recreational passive and environmental space quality that people want, enjoy, and expect,” Schmitt explained, citing fishing, swimming, and boating among those uses.

If you’ve ever gone swimming at Morses Pond and seen the giant mechanical contraption floating by, it can give you a fright. But the weeds lurking beneath or above the surface are even scarier.

harvester morses pond (1) — The big blue harvester at rest to the right of Morses Pond beach

The NRC has had a request for a new harvester in its capital budget for five years, and has been asked by the town’s finance department to explore other options. So that’s why Schmitt made his pitch to the Community Preservation Committee, which gets funding through a 1% surcharge on local property taxes and state matching. Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds typically support open space, historic resources, and community housing needs.

Without funding for the harvester, Schmitt warns that we are “then looking at a vulnerable situation…” As NRC Board Chair Raina McManus added, climate change and warmer winters have only exacerbated the growth of invasive species within Morses Pond.

The NRC presented this photo of Morses Pond not looking its best due to weeds growing like weeds

Such sentiments are being aired by Morses Pond neighbors and patrons, too. They are simultaneously circulating an online petition to encourage the town to invest in a harvester to preserve what they call “a jewel at the heart of Wellesley’s natural resources.”

The last time the town invested in a big harvester was via CPA funds at the 2006 annual Town Meeting. If the CPC okays funding this time around, the process would again involve Town Meeting approval in the spring. Because the harvester was part of a preliminary discussion on the Dec. 9 CPC meeting agenda, the committee was unable to take a vote. They likely will do so in January.

Harvesters like the one Wellesley is eyeing are not off-the-shelf products, so if the purchase does get approval, it could be several months before the machine is delivered. The NRC and CPC may coordinate a plan to try to get the machine’s custom plans in the works so that if approved by Town Meeting, the town can get the harvester in time to help with pond cleanup next summer.

Schmitt emphasized that even if approval for the harvester goes through, getting the machine “is certainly not a cure-all, and we continue to stress the importance of reducing, or better yet, eliminating the use of fertilizers on lawns and other watershed protection measures to avoid pond Eutrophication.” The town offers more information about ways to preserve Morses Pond.

Sustainable Wellesley looking for artsy type to redo its logo

December 8, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Sustainable Wellesley says it’s time for a new logo and invites Wellesley residents (students, too) to submit entries. Artsy types can submit up to three entries in .png, or .jpg format. Submissions will be accepted until December 31, 2020.

An entry from acceptable entries will be selected and announced in January. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to a local establishment and publicity, not to mention the prestige.

Check out their mood board, filled with nature images and messages about the climate.

Here are the guidelines for creating a new Sustainable Wellesley logo:

[Read more…]

Environmental group profile: Who are the Red Rebels?

November 7, 2020 by admin 2 Comments

Thank you to environmentalist issues writer and guest columnist Ronda Yeomans for the following post on the climate change demonstration that recently took place in Wellesley.

It was a warm and humid afternoon in Wellesley, with dark skies threatening rain which never arrived. At the top of the hill in front of Town Hall, 10 mysterious figures, cloaked entirely in blood-red, appeared like a line of avenging angels in stark relief against the brownstone, green grass and trees. Their monk-like robes and scarves were strangely complimented by Victorian-era gloves, veils, and headdresses adorned with red roses. Red masks had been added due to the pandemic, so only their eyes and foreheads could be seen, and those were covered in clown white makeup, their eyes and brows accented in black. Slowly, silently, the grim, Greek chorus moved as one, effecting gestures and expressions of intense grief, deep love, forlorn despair, defiant rebellion, and steadfast resolve. Passersby could not help but be mesmerized and mystified by this very odd and disturbing sight. The “Red Rebels” moved in silent, expressive, and unified formation down the hill and across the lawn…

Wellesley climate change demonstration — A local chapter of Red Rebels demonstrates in Wellesley on to call attention to environmental issues.