Happy 15th birthday to us: The Year in Swellesley

January 2, 2020 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Nothing ever happens in Wellesley. Except it does.

We’ve enjoyed another full year of sharing your stories, breaking news and watching it go viral, and weaving in our personal adventures.

With the Swellesley Jrs. aging out of the Wellesley Public School system, Mrs. Swellesley turned her attention to The Swellesley Report as her full-time job. Our goal for 2020, our 16th year publishing, is to have Mr. Swellesley do the same.

Thank you to everyone who sent news tips and financial contributions to Swellesley in what has by far been our top year for readership and reader support. And huge thanks to all of our advertisers, who help to make Swellesley possible from a financial standpoint.

Swellesley highlights this year included:

The silly but sensational tale of people swiping the Old Town Road signs in Wellesley, and the town deciding to stop replacing them until singer Lil Nas X fever dies down. Yes, this went viral, with everyone from CNN to the New York Times picking it up from here.
Old Town Road sign (Google Maps)
Answering your questions about stinky streets, harder-to-use mailboxes, EEE mosquito spraying, measles, an abandoned $6.5M home, political signs, and Truly Yogurt’s change in ownership.
The opening of the Boston Sports Institute, which generated one of the year’s feel-good stories–the introduction of sled hockey to town. Plus lots of new or refurbished sports fields in town, big upgrades on the way for the softball fields, and a brand new boardwalk with a vernal pool view.

Wellesley boardwalk — Wellesley Ecocampers make use of the vernal pool overlook.

The ongoing school building plans, town hall renovations, possible Wellesley Square re-imagining, possible changes at Morses Pond, and all those housing developments. Plus the comings and goings of Wellesley town officials, including Wellesley Public Schools’ hiring of its first diversity director. Not to mention, Wellesley now has a Unified Plan.
The Wellesley Veterans’ Parade, fireworks and other Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend activities.
Celebrating residents’ accomplishments in academics, the arts, business and sports. We tracked police and firefighter activity (including a fire at Hunnewell Elementary School). We helped to get the word out about community events and charitable endeavors. We mourned the loss of residents we loved or knew of and respected.
The ins and outs for local businesses, with White’s Bakery, Loyal Companion and The Shade Store among newcomers, and Upper Crust, Village Market and Florijn among those leaving.
More automation coming to town, including at Roche Bros. in the form of self-checkout lanes, and at Wellesley Free Library in the form of an automated book handling system. Town Meeting members even voted electronically the last time around. Based on what we saw at the excellent, every-other-year STEM Expo, more automation is on the way.
Entertainment news, from a Wellesley resident being chosen to appear on “The Bachelor “TV show and to the release of “Knives Out,” a movie shot in part in Wellesley in 2108. And watch out Elton John.

lynne smith elton john — Lynne Smith: Wellesley’s Rocket Woman

Babson College scoring a $50M donation, and moving its giant renovated globe to a new park as part of the school’s centennial celebration. Anita Hill spoke at Wellesley College.
Bowing down to 2019 WHS seniors for pulling off a brilliant year-end prank designed to grab attention but not land anyone in jail or off a college’s acceptance list.

wellesley high senior tailgate — WHS surprise tailgate

We enjoyed the general weirdness and wonderfulness around here, from a reed pump organ being left at the Wellesley dump to the Thanksgiving Day football game skirmish that grabbed more attention than the Raiders’ strong season to a unique buck carving from a diseased tree on a residential lot.

organ wellesley — Estey organ left at Wellesley RDF (photo courtesy of Hilary Prus)

Wood carving, Overbrook Dr., Wellesley

On a more personal note:

Mr. and Mrs. Swellesley followed their true calling as supermodels for a Wellesley Free Library photo exhibit.

Wellesley Wednesdays, Beth Shedd — The Swellesleys made the cut for Beth Shedd’s Wellesley Wednesdays by Beth Shedd

Mr. Swellesley and one of the Swellesley Jrs. educated and entertained throngs of students with their yo-yo spectacular at Wellesley High Seminar Day.
Things got tense after Mr. Swellesley mistakenly brought library books to the dump.
Mrs. Swellesley spoke or held court at locations including the Council on Aging.
We were fortunate to have intern Lara Smith contributing throughout the summer.
Mr. Swellesley showed his artistic side with an exclusive Pollen Art Exhibit.
Mr. and Mrs. Swellesley melded minds with fellow independent online news publishers at a conference in Nashville, where the Grand Ole Opry gave us a shout-out.
Mr. Swellesley survived a flying shovel.
Mrs. Swellesley listened to her inner Marie Kondo, and our kitchen will never be the same (for a few months).
Beyond Wellesley, we took you to Boston Calling, the Woods Hole Film Festival, and more.

We finished the year by ringing the Salvation Army bells in Linden Square to help raise funds for local initiatives. We saw dozens of people we knew during our shift, and thanked many we didn’t know, but they all reminded us of the magical stuff we have here.

elsa in wellesley square

Tensions rise over Wellesley elementary schools’ future

December 18, 2019 by Deborah Brown 8 Comments

If you left or tuned out of this past Monday’s epically long Board of Selectmen’s (BoS) meeting early, then you missed an informative and often tense discussion over the town’s elementary school plans.

The penultimate agenda item focused on whether the BoS would support a Citizens Petition for a non-binding referendum about keeping Wellesley a 7-elementary-school town rather than eliminating one under the Hardy-Hunnewell-Upham plan that’s been taking shape for years. Backers of the petition are looking to get the referendum on the March ballot.

The petition text was proposed as follows: “Do you believe the Town of Wellesley should keep our current seven neighborhood elementary school model by rebuilding and/or renovating the Hardy, Hunnewell and Upham Elementary Schools, instead of closing one school and redistricting all of our elementary students into six schools? Please vote YES or NO.”

The BoS voted 4-1 against the petition as worded, which means that as things stand, this question will not appear at the polls on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

However, should the request receive signatures from 10% of Wellesley’s registered voters (approximately 1,800 signatures) by Feb. 4, 2020, the ballot question must by law be permitted to appear.

Pointed words

During Citizen’s Speak, Wellesley resident Mari Passananti, said that the plans for a new Hunnewell School represent an “extravagant, ludicrously priced plan” which “eliminates green space.”

“By 2021 I’m highly confident that every registered voter in this town will understand that a vote for the massive tax hike will also equal a vote to close the Hardy School, and that is what I think many people at Town Meeting didn’t totally grasp,” Passananti said. “That vote for a big Hunnewell was a vote to close Hardy…Don’t let a School Committee and a Superintendent with a Father Knows Best attitude push through a contentious proposal.”

BoS Secretary Jack Morgan in comments addressed to Passananti said, “You are casting aspersions on our Superintendent as well as our School Committee. We have talked about the decline in civil discourse here in Wellesley. You are disrespecting the School Committee, this Board, and the 80% of Town Meeting members who voted in a way that you didn’t want.”

After some more back-and-forth, Passananti said, “If you turn us down, we’ll get the signatures we need and the question will appear on the 2020 ballot. You have a chance to stand up for democracy. Please do so. The citizens deserve a vote.”

[Read more…]

Wellesley Special Town meeting votes ‘Yes’ on Hunnewell question

December 10, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Hunnewell Elementary School in Wellesley The Board of Selectmen (BOS) on Monday, Dec. 9 convened a Special Town Meeting (STM) at the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium. The 199 STM members in attendance voted on whether the Town should allocation $5 million for design development funds for the Hunnewell Elementary School construction project.

162 members voted Yes to allocate the design funds. 35 voted No. There were 2 abstentions. Therefore, the two-thirds vote needed for the article to pass was achieved, and the design process for a new Hunnewell School will go forward. (Wellesley Public Media recording of meeting embedded below.)

Town Meeting is made up of 240 elected voting members in eight precincts.

For the first time, electronic voting devices were used to tabulate votes. Town Meeting members took a test run with the devices by doing some practice voting ahead of time. One of the practice questions was whether the Patriots would be one of the two teams in the Super Bowl. That question passed by a yes majority, but not by as wide a margin as the Hunnewell Design Funds vote.

Superintendent David Lussier in a tweet said, “Thank you to Wellesley Town Meeting for your overwhelming vote of support tonight to move forward with the detailed design of a new Hunnewell School. One more important step in bringing much-needed, new elementary schools online in Wellesley.”

Wording of Article 2:

“To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, or borrow a sum of money, to be expended under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee, for architectural and engineering designs, plans, and other specifications, bid documents, permitting, and any associated costs related to the reconstruction or replacement of the Hunnewell School located a t 28 Cameron Street, and for any other services in connection therewith and, for the purpose of meeting such appropriation, to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow said sum in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 7(7) of the Massachusetts General Laws, or any other enabling authority and to issue bonds or note of the Town therefor, and that any premium received by the Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of the issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to payment of costs approved by this vote in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 20, of the Massachusetts General Laws, thereby reducing the amount to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount; or to take any other action in relation thereto.”

Special Town Meeting to answer $5 million Hunnewell question

Special Town meeting to answer $5M Hunnewell school question

December 8, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) will convene a Special Town Meeting (STM) on Monday, Dec. 9 at the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium, 50 Kingsbury St., at 7pm. The major topic: to discuss the Hunnewell School building project. The warrant was posted on Nov. 6 at Town Hall.

Town meeting members will be asked to vote on whether to allocate $5 million for design development funds for the Hunnewell Elementary School construction project.

Hunnewell School, Wellesley — Hunnewell Elementary School

In June 2018, Town meeting members voted to OK $1 million for a Hunnewell feasibility study put together by Compass Project Management. The study examined the question of whether the 80-year-old school could be renovated. The study was completed in March 2019 and determined that a renovation was not feasible due to structural problems with the school. Specifically, the study found that the HVAC systems are beyond their life expectancy; code deficiencies exist throughout the facility; and an antiquated and inefficient control system can’t maintain temperature appropriately throughout the building.

Hunnewell Elementary School is a 36,000 square-foot, one-level, 15-classroom building that currently holds 260 students. If Town Meeting approves the design development funds, a plan will be put together by Compass for a new 75,000 square-foot, two-story, 19-classroom building that will educate 350 – 375 students, with a maximum capability of 400 -425 students.

Not everyone agrees that the design should go forward

A ballot question proposal for the 2020 annual Town election has been submitted to the BOS. The proposed text reads, “Do you believe the Town of Wellesley should keep our current seven neighborhood elementary school model by rebuilding and/or renovating the Hardy, Hunnewell and Upham Elementary Schools, instead of closing one school and redistricting all of our elementary students into six schools? Please vote YES or NO.”

Wellesley’s seven elementary schools are: Bates, Fiske, Hardy, Hunnewell, Schofield, Sprague, and Upham.

The following schools are not currently under discussion for closing or for major renovation: Bates, Fiske, Schofield, and Sprague.

If the BOS agrees that this question should be put to voters, it would appear at the polls on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Wellesley Special Town Meeting warrant

November 6, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Board of Selectmen will convene a Special Town Meeting (STM) on Monday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 10, 2019 to discuss possibly choosing a Moderator, the Hunnewell School building project and the Council on Aging governance.

Wellesley Town Constable — Constable Phil Juliani posts the warrant for STM on the bulletin board in front of Town Clerk K.C. Kato’s office in Town Hall. Photo: Town of Wellesley

The Special Town Meeting will be held in the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium, 50 Kingsbury St., at 7pm.

The list of issues (called articles) to be discussed by Town Meeting representatives is known as the Warrant.

Article 1 — Moderator, yes or no

Article 1 states: “To see if the Town will vote to choose a Moderator to preside over said meeting and to receive reports of town officers, boards and committees, including the Report of the Advisory Committee; or to take any other action in relation thereto.”

Article 2 — Money for Hunnewell School reconstruction or replacement

Article 2 states: “To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, or borrow a sum of money, to be expended under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee, for architectural and engineering designs, plans and other specifications, bid documents, permitting, and any associated costs related to the reconstruction or replacement of the Hunnewell School located at 28 Cameron Street, and for any other services in connection therewith and, for the purpose of meeting such appropriation, to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow said sum in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 7(7) of the Massachusetts General Laws, or any other enabling authority and ti issue bonds or note of the Town therefor, and that any premium received by the Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of the issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this vote in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 20 of the Massachusetts General Laws, thereby reducing the amount to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount, or to take any other action in relation thereto.

Article 3 — Citizen Petition, Council on Aging

Article 3 states: Town Meeting is being petitioned to authorize the Moderator to appoint and facilitate a Committee to evaluate the governance at the COA, including the treatment of the COA employees by the COA Board, and to report back to Town Meeting with the Committee’s recommendations for governance of the COS going forward. The COA Director will report to the Executive Director of General Government Services until the Committee makes its recommendations and further action is taken by Town Meeting.

My wander in search of the warrant

When the Town serves a warrant, by law a physical copy of the warrant must be displayed in at least two conspicuous places in town at least 14 days before the meeting is held. My go-to spot to check out the document has always been the bulletin board in Wellesley Square near the post office.

Wellesley bulletin board — Here’s the spot where warrants have been posted for many years, with Town Hall in the background. But where’s the bulletin board? Where’s the warrant?

I asked Communications and Project Manager Stephanie Hawkinson for the lowdown. She told me, “At STM in May, Town Meeting members voted to change the posting location from the bulletin board to the bulletin board in front of the Clerk’s office and at the Wellesley Police Dept. As the bulletin board had been damaged and defaced after so many years outside, I think DPW took it down.”

So there we go. The STM warrant has been posted according to the process. Copies of the warrant are also available in the Selectmen’s Office.

Learn more about the STM articles:

A public hearing on the Special Town Meeting articles is planned for Wednesday, November 6 at 6:30pm during the Advisory Committee meeting. Residents are invited to attend to ask questions and share their thoughts.

Whatever happened to the idea of Indigenous Peoples Day?

Wellesley Board of Selectmen in April 2019 held a public forum to begin consideration of a request from the World of Wellesley (WOW) organization to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in town. At the meeting, the public had the opportunity to speak about the WOW request. BOS Chairman Jack Morgan at that time said that the role of the BOS at the meeting would be as listeners, and that no immediate decision would be made as a direct result of this one meeting.

At this time, the BOS says that the question of whether to abolish Columbus Day and instead observe Indigenous Peoples Day should not be decided by an elected Board of five, but should be put to the largest elected body in Wellesley, Town Meeting.

Stay tuned for further upcoming public discussions. The next annual Town Meeting is scheduled for March 30, 2020.

Wellesley League of Women Voters to host meet up on October 17, 2019

October 10, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley League of Women Voters The always-popular League of Women Voters (LMV) Meet-Up will take place on Thursday, October 17, 7pm at the Wellesley High School cafeteria. Come talk to your elected officials and find out what’s happening in town.

Who makes the decisions for our community?
What do those acronyms — PSI, HHU, SBC, HPP, 40B — mean?
Where do you get a free flu shot?
Is your house addition subject to Large House Review?

The LWV Wellesley has heard from residents who feel that there are not enough opportunities to discuss issues with their elected officials. Attendance at scheduled board meetings and Town Meetings is seen by many as an opportunity for statements rather than discussion, requiring a certain amount of preparation and courage. Additionally, we’ve observed that Citizen Speak and resident participation at board meetings is handled differently across the boards.

Come meet members of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Library Board of Trustees, Natural Resources Commission, Planning Board, Board of Public Works, Board of Health, Town Moderator, and more. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

WHEN: Thursday, October 17, 2019 , 7pm

WHERE: Wellesley High School cafeteria, 50 Rice Street

CONTACT: Ann-Mara Lanza, Vice President, Program Planning and Development
7817108555
[email protected]

Wellesley schools Director of Diversity: the search continues

July 11, 2019 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

Wellesley Public Schools offices The Wellesley Public Schools has re-opened its search for a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In May 2019, the field had been narrowed to three finalists, but none of those candidates has been hired for the position. Funding for the new job was approved by Town Meeting in March, and Superintendent Dr. David Lussier informed the Wellesley School Committee that he hoped to appoint a director by the end of the recently completed school year.

According to the job listing for the Director of Diversity, some of the responsibilities will include formulating a strategic plan to support district diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; deepen community awareness, understanding, and respect for diversity, equity and inclusion; oversee the METCO program; and work collaboratively with the A Better Chance program. You can see the complete listing here (and please let WPS know that you heard about it on Swellesley if you apply).

The initial search yielded three candidates:

Dr. Roland Davis, a consultant with college and high school administrative experience. He served at Harvard as Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, but stepped down after one year for personal reasons, according to the Harvard Crimson.
Kimberlee Henry, an administrator whose most recently listed job on her resume was that of school principal in Oxford, Massachusetts. According to Worcester news source telegram.com, Henry was in October 2018 put on paid leave from that position.
Wellesley High School Social Studies teacher Jackie Katz, who was one of the speakers at May’s WHS graduation ceremonies.

You can see their cover letters and resumes here.

Davis in an email said, “I was offered the position with WPS but declined it because I was also offered a position with an educational non-profit in the area and elected to accept this position instead.”

Katz in an email said that she was not offered the position.

It is unknown at this time whether Katz or Henry was offered the job.

Superintendent Lussier said in an email, “Our search is still ongoing for a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” He had nothing further to add regarding whether the job had been offered to any of the candidates.

The Wellesley community had opportunities to meet and comment on each of the candidates during afternoon and evening meetings in late May.

Wellesley Special Town Meeting: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes

May 11, 2019 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley Special Town Meeting blew through its agenda Monday night, with all 9 articles voted on getting “yes” votes, 4 of them unanimously. The meeting was dissolved, so it won’t stretch into Tuesday.

Town Meeting members approved zoning changes that pave the way for a couple of onetime 40B projects at Delanson Circle and Weston Road and one 40R project at Wellesley Office Park on William Street to proceed. “No” votes on the 4oB projects could have undone months of negotiations that have scaled down those real estate developments that in part will increase the town’s affordable housing stock.

The town also okayed $175K from free cash to be used for additional mental health and social services. The Town Meeting scorecard is below.

Download (PDF, 22KB)

League of Women Voters to present Special Town Meeting prep session

May 4, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters of Wellesley will sponsor a Special Town Meeting prep session on Wednesday, May 8th, at the Wellesley Free Library Wakelin Room, from 7pm to 8:30pm. This will be the only prep session offered for the May Special Town Meeting.

The Wellesley Board of Selectmen will convene a Special Town Meeting at the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium, 50 Kingsbury Street, on Monday, May 13, 2019 at 7pm.

The Advisory Report, Advisory Chair Letter and Motions are available online and in the mail to all Town Meeting Members. Additional informationis available on the website.

The Special Town Meeting will continue on Tuesday, May 14 if two nights are needed for discussion.

The public is invited to attend.