Norfolknet.com Archived Webmaster Notes

Spraying is done by the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project; see this website:

http://www.ultranet.com/~ncmcp/ They have a lot of information, including this:

"Mosquitoes thrive in smaller bodies of water in protected places. Examine your home and neighborhood and take the following precautions:

Dispose of unwanted tin cans and tires.
Clean clogged roof gutters and drain flat roofs.
Flush sump-pump pits weekly.
Stock ornamental pools with fish.
Change water in birdbaths, fountains, and troughs twice a week.
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; when not regularly used, they should be emptied.
Turn over unused wading pools and other containers that tend to collect rainwater.
Cover containers tightly with window screen or plastic when storing rainwater for garden use during drought periods. "

The Project has a spraying schedule listed at: http://www.ultranet.com/~ncmcp/spraysch.htm

Clicking on the highlighted town name produces a .jpg picture of a detailed schedule. Note that a comment on the Needham line says "No party calls", so simply report your high mosquito population. (Well prior to any planned party.)

I have e-mailed them in the past and they have been helpful in spraying an area where

there are a lot of mosquitoes.

There is a recent invention described and available at: https://www.mosquitomagnet.com/orderset.html These devices are reported to be quite effective, and are available at local retailers. Refer to the dealer locator on the site.

- AN

6/23 7:05pm Does any one know if the town is planning on spraying for mosquitoes this year? It seems that in the past the spraying has been sporadic at best, missing some neighborhoods all together. Is it money saving? Or perhaps just waiting for the first frost...? With the recent damp weather the mosquitoes are now at full force and it is impossible to enjoy the yard after 2:00 PM.

- MMB

6/23 6:25pm To HF, Thanks for your interest in Norfolk's historic sites - it's very gratifying that you are displaying an interest in your local town history. The reason I'm including the addresses on the house pictures is so everyone can know where they are located and can drive/walk by if they so choose. This project is very much a work in process and only at its beginning stages. So far I've only written about 25 houses or so but I believe that eventually I'll be documenting over 250 different home sites - we are still determining which sites to include. The commission will be glad to create a map so you can see where all the buildings are located once we complete the project. For now stay tuned because for the last several weeks or so I've been updating the website literally daily and I'll continue at this pace throughout the summer - except for my 2 weeks vacation in July. My plan is to keep adding houses as well as new sections to the site - today I added the section on obtaining Historic House Plaques, for instance. In the meantime you can get a map of Norfolk from the Town Hall and can plot the houses as I add them if you like - kind of like I used to do plotting Don Kent's reports of changing hurricane coordinates, when I was your age. If you drop a note or email the commission I'll be glad to get you a copy of the Town of Norfolk map from 1851 to get you started.

- Bill Domineau, NHC

6/23 4:26pm It would really be nice to have a map of Norfolk with the historic homes starred on it.

- HF, 5th Grade, Freeman Centennial

6/22 7:06pm My compliments to the Historical Commission on their hard work and dedication to the documentation of Norfolk history. Perhaps the Historical Commission can inform the general public about the currrent development threat to the Warelands Property.

- AB

6/22 12:09am We have a new web site [for Norfolk Lions Youth Soccer] www.norfolklionssoccer.com that is up and running. I tis very much in the infancy stages but people can down load the registration form.

- CS

6/21 11:59pm Thanks for the plug Wm. We are currently researching other sites and if anyone has information regarding the history of your house or any other residence in town and would like to see it included on our web site pages - see the historical buildings page - just let me know ...

- Bill Domineau, Chairman, Norfolk Historical Commission (contact info)

6/21 8:44pm Re: recreation complex - According to the Sun Chronicle, Friday 6/21, page 15, ``the recreational complex, located off Pond Street, should open by the end of next week, recreation officials say. And it won't be just the basketball and tennis courts as expected, but also two of the athletic fields.'' The two fields are baseball/softball fields, the article quotes the recreation commission Chairman Noelle Tonelli. (per Sun Chronicle Reporter Stephen Peterson, op. cit.)

Darn! Just when I was going to put up a sign reading:
``GRASS MUSEUM, KEEP OUT!''

P.S.: There was no notice of this on the Municipal Website, http://town.norfolk.ma.us/ which isn't used very much, even for notices of interest to the Townspeople.

- AN
[Mostly true about the municipal page, unfortunately, but the historical commission has been quite active putting up content. For example, check out the historic homes page, currently under construction! - Wm.]

6/21 7:35pm Along time ago the fire department sent kids out to paint them and cut around them, and sometimes the water department would paint them and they looked good. Look at them now, they look good - RIGHT. What I am trying to say, it's not only the highway department, but other departments should look at them too.

- KC

6/21 5:52pm LS - I guess the NO TRESPASSING signs at the complex were for other people and you were exempt from them.

- [Anonymous, to avoid ``big trouble'' - Wm.]
[7:37pm The point of the question is, as I understood it, why is there still a No Trespassing sign on fields that have seen no activity other than grass growing for the past two years now. - Wm.]

6/21 5:50pm To Wm.: I have been waiting all year for the long, long days of summer... now I can look forward to each day becoming shorter. You just burst my bubble.

Still waiting for JD to substantiate the comments.

- ME
[Yes, I'm also curious what happened at the auction. And sorry about the bubble, though tonight may just be the perfect long long day of summer :-) - Wm.]

6/21 4:23pm On the subject of mowing grass ... The Town should mow the corner patch of grass that is getting very high and cutting off the view looking up Park Street from Lawrence Street. It seems it could be classified as a major hazard. And No, I have no intention of doing it myself unless the Town will pay me.

Another Rant ... Any closure on the Pond street recreation complex! This is beyond ridiculous. It's very laughable. I parked my car at the gate and was walking around the fields when a Norfolk cop told me I was trespassing!! I almost told him where to go but didn't feel like making a call to my wife for bail money. When will it open? Anyone ... Anyone ....

Enjoy the weekend!

- LS

6/21 10:30am to JD ... still waiting for a response ... - ME

6/21 8:37am Happy Summer Solstice! Today is longest day of the year. Even though summer's only started, from today on the days will be getting shorter and shorter again, until Winter Solstice in December (12/22). The longer, warmer days have a cumulative effect, however, which is why the hottest days are usually later in the year.

- Wm.

6/21 8:27am Just out of curiosity, were you on some kind of "mission" to seek out each and every hydrant in town? :-)

In most towns, this work usually comes under a heading like regular roadside maintenance, or mowing the grass, and is most often the responsibility of the town highway department. They own the mowers and have the personnel charged with using said mowers to keep the roadside grass within reasonable limits. The fire department folks are charged with other responsibilities. To extrapolate some, or a whole lot, from the tradition and, I think "law", as citizens are responsible for clearing snow from hydrants in front of their homes in winter, perhaps the citizens who find this situation objectionable should trim the green masses from around the hydrants. After all, it only takes a minute, and if the expectation is that the town is not about to undertake the task for whatever reason, it will only get done if the observer does it him/herself, with a lawn mower, weed wacker, hand clipper, or perhaps even scissors. I would think of this in a couple of ways. One, the unsightly circumstance of unmowed grass growing high around the hydrant in my otherwise neatly trimmed neighborhood, detracts from the quaint, and neat-as-a pin appearance that we strive to maintain. Two, in winter, I clear the snow from the hydrant so the fire department can find the darned things if my house has a major problem. Same with the grass. As you suggested, the FD may not see the things through the native flora making up the jungle.

As to the suggestion that kids do the work as some kind of community service, having spent a whole lot of years with the Boy Scouts, I'd rather see the kids performing their community service in ways that give back to the community, not simply doing tasks that others are paid to do.

- TK

6/20 8:13pm I was going around town today and I was looking for hydrants. The ones I found were covered with high grass and brush, some you could not see. I bet the fire dept can't find them. That dept should go around town and cut around them or paint the stake in back of them. I bet there is commuity service kids out there that would be glad to do it.

- KC

6/19 11:07am The weather seems to have warmed up nicely, the yard is full of daisies, and the crickets sure are loud at night. Even saw a firefly the other evening, flying high up at tree-top level. Summer's here.

- AR

6/18 8:16pm OK, JD, I'll bite. What did you see at the auction??

- ME

6/18 8:13pm To JD: Then, I expect that you know that the Town was less than forthright in disclosing information about the properties that were auctioned off.

- PAB

6/18 6:12pm JD, I missed the auction, care to elaborate on what took place?

- MC

6/18 3:52pm Anyone who attended the Town Land Auction knows exactly why the head of the Conservation Commission was ``removed.''

- JD
[I missed that one; anyone willing to fill us in, particularly eye-witnesses? - Wm.]

6/18 1:31pm MH, You are not suggesting that Mr. Perron's dealings are not above aboard ? I could that be? Is he not a law enforcement professional?

- MA

6/18 11:14am OK, I'll be the first to wade in on this subject. What in the world is going on between the board of selectmen and the conservation commission? The rumor mill is going at full power and the selectmen won't even discuss it. I was watching the selectmen's meeting last night and they won't tell the rest of the conservation commission why they removed their chairman. Could it be a continuation of the personal vendetta that Mr Perron discussed in the press last year? Could it be that the selectmen don't like the commission carrying out their legal duties to protect the land and water in our town? Could it be that Mr. Borrelli of Medfield has undue influence on the board due to his "generous" donation of land to the town? Who knows? Also, who is the fellow Mr. Perron does business with that he now wants the town to buy insurance from? The tone of town government is shifting again. Maybe the Board of Health will start their televised boxing matches again?

- MH

6/17 12:46pm ``A Rose is a Rose,'' my sentiments exactly. My little friend is a happy as I am. - JW

6/17 11:13am I had a very frightening morning. I may be scarred for life. When I woke up, there was this eerie silence all around me. It took a while to get the courage to open my eyes. Where was that incessant noise on the roof, where was the gloom, what the hell happened to the world I have come to know? Most of all, I wanted to know what that bright light coming through the windows was. How come I wasn't shivering? Then it came to me, from the far recesses of my memory. Could it be? Could it have really stopped raining? Could that brightness be the sun? Could I be warm? Yes, it was true, the sun, the warmth the glorious hope of summer. I stepped outside, spread my arms toward the heavens and said to myself. "Ouch, what's that pain on my arms and legs? Run, get back in the house, the mosquitoes have replaced the rain." I just knew it was to good to be true. So I sprayed my body with the deadly chemical Off, so I could go to the back yard and make sure I put enough RoundUp on the Poison Ivy that invaded my property this delightful, wet, spring.

- JW

6/17 12:26am I have in the past written to the Sun Chronicle asking Congressman James McGovern to get all the politicians to put pressure on Monsanto to stop selling Roundup which is being used to spray areas in Colombia. No response or in itiative has been forthcoming from McGovern Yet he has made trips to Colombia decrying the absence of human rights. How does he explain the absence of congressional action to outlaw this chemical?

Roundup has residual effects - I would rather use ammonia plus water as well as to smother the plants with leaves. Do not burn the plants as the smoke is toxic. Meanwhile write McGovern to get some action from him or to at least find out the quantity Monsanto is selling for the action in Colombia.

- JO

6/16 11:02am With all the rain we have had, is the ban still on and to what extent? What about washing cars?

- JQB
[The latest we've heard was from this 6/13 post by BD: watering gardens is allowed, and so is restricted car washing. - Wm.]

6/15 11:50pm Well, if you don't want to use roundup or a spray to kill the poison ivy there is another way to kill it.

1. Locate plants.

2. Be sure to wear shorts and short sleeve shirt.

3. Roll on plants like putting out a fire, your body weight will break the stems, and if you roll enough, killing the roots in the ground.

4. Repeat when necessary.

- SW
[This sounds like a job for professionals only. Do not try this at home, kids - Wm.]

6/14 7:57pm Make a Beeline to Vacation Bible Camp! Join us as we embark on a Bug Safari, an exciting Vacation Bible Camp for kids entering grades 1-6. This free adventure will be held August 5-9, 2002 from 9:00am - noon at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 63 Rockwood Road, Norfolk. For more information or to register, call (508) 528-5862.

- SD

6/14 7:36pm Think I'll go with option 3 to get rid of the poison ivy, or I'm going to start playing with mercury again.

- JW
[6/14 7:59pm For those who didn't study the links in DAF's post, here's a summary:
You definitely don't want to get this stuff on you or in you. Although glyphosate is not acutely toxic (ie, it won't kill you overnight), there are serious concerns are about the health of agricultural workers who are exposed repeatedly over a period of time. Glyphosate is highly toxic to fish and water-borne organisms, and any overspray will linger and remain chemically active for a relatively long time (up to a year or more), with possible negative effects on beneficial micro-organisms in the soil. The closing paragraph I found intersting:

Public perception of Roundup has largely been shaped by high profile advertising campaigns of its manufacturer, Monsanto, which has a high economic stake in its continued use. According to The Wall Street Journal (1/2/96) Roundup accounts for one half of Monsanto's earnings. Monsanto's advertises that Roundup can be used, "where pets and kids play" and that it, "breaks down into natural materials when its work is done." But in 1996 the New York Attorney General fined Monsanto $50,000 for these false claims and extracted a promise from Monsanto to never again advertise in the state that Roundup is safe.

- Wm.]

6/14 4:37pm I hate to be a pesticide party pooper, but the active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, is nasty stuff (see the writeup at alternatives2toxics.org) -- not stuff you want to be spraying a lot of on your land. Some less toxic alternatives can be found at over at ibiblio.org.

- DAF

6/13 10:40pm Alrighty then, I guess I'm moving. There is enough poison ivy on my property to infect the entire town. I am spraying RoundUp on the plants, they are dying and I was happy, until I read that even dead it is deadly. In this case I think ignorance was bliss cause now I am having nightmares about being snuffed out by the stuff. Oh well, I can't think about this anymore I am going to go back to ignoring it. Yeah, that's better.

- JW

6/13 8:56pm To those cursed with beds of poison ivy: hie thyself to Ocean State Job Lot in Medway, where in the hardware department ye will find welder's gauntlets made of toughest suede. Use thy gloved hands to pull the offending plant out by the roots, but take caution when storing the magic gauntlets lest ye encounter the very oils ye have tried to avoid (put them fingers-down in a labeled plastic bag so that you can slip them on again without touching them!)

- HPK

6/13 2:10pm I response to T.M comments on 6/12 My name is Steve and I live in Norfolk. I may be able to help with your computer issues. You can contact me at 508-520-1489

- SC

6/13 9:39am Wm.: Check out what Concord thought about Huck in 1885: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/nyherald.html

- BD
[The Concord public library threw out the book, declaring it ``trash of the veriest sort.'' Well, that's only 117 years ago, which is not really that far back; no wonder little has changed since. - Wm.]

6/13 9:38am DAF The only other cemetery I am aware of is one for the prison colony. There are also a few private crypts in town, as well. Contact me at the Historical Commission and we'll gladly let you know what information we may have on specific individuals or surnames you're researching.

- Bill Domineau, Historical Commission

6/13 9:37am EB There have been some lifting of water ban restrictions.

1. Watering is now allowed for flower and vegtable gardens.

2. Car washing is allowed from 6-8am or 6-8pm, for odd numbered houses on Mon and Thu, for even numbered houses on Tue and Fri

- BD

6/13 8:16am SH & SW, The Round-Up suggestion is good. But remember that the dead leaves, stems, and roots of the plant ... dead as dead can be ... still harbor the agents and oils that can produce the afflictions for which the plant is so dreaded. Touch not the plant with bare hands ... alive or dead ... do so only with protection, like gloves. Burn not the plant, alive or dead, for the agents and oils that produce the affliction can be carried within the smoke, and if you breath it in ... need I say more? Unfortunately, although spraying with Round-Up will kill the demon, it will still reside where it sits (or lies), and is still something to be wary of. Physical removal will still be necessary to achieve peace and safety in the yard, without worry over the nasty beast. That said ... good luck!!

- TK

6/12 11:06pm If you haven't done so already - Norfolk Lions Youth Soccer will be holding registration Thursday, June 13th at the HO Day School library from 4:00 to 5:30. Forms may also be picked-up at the Norfolk Public Library and mailed in. Don't delay - registration deadline is June 25th. Look on Organizations if you need more information about the program.

- HK

6/12 8:48pm To SH: try Roundup. You don't need to soak the plants, just spray a little on them, and in less then a week they're DEAD. It costs a little more, but works great.

- SW

6/12 3:08pm To Wm, et.al: I am in need of a computer consultant. Having difficulty resolving a problem with Outlook Express 6 that simply will not go away. Use a Dell Inspiron Laptap 4100 (Operating System Windows XP Professional). Telephone support from all the usual places has resulted in frustration, confusion, headaches, etc. Am also looking to graduate from dial-up to broadband and need someone to get me through it all. Will pay going rates. No telephone help. I've had enough of that! I need someone LIVE and on the premises. I live in Norfolk.

- TM
[Yes, I admit it; I do computer consulting. I normally make my living developing software under Unix, but I too have my war stories about Windows. I've done a fair amount of OS installs and setup, some network configuration, and of course my favorite, web page design. Anyone need a web page built? :-) - Wm.]

6/12 11:04am Newsweek has an interesting essay about living in our Politically Correct times. Literature used as part of exams is censored to sanitize it per political sensibilities. References to race, ethnicity, even the word ``slave'' were edited out, supposedly because it ``could cause an emotional reaction in some students that could distract them from the test and affect their performance.'' Personally, I would have a hard time following eg. Huckleberry Finn with references to race and ethnicity removed.

- Wm.

6/12 10:58am JH, my neighbor Gerry Martel is a Master Electrician and has done work for me. He is professional, and his prices are reasonable. He can be reached at (508)-344-4896, or (508)-528-0159.

- CR

6/12 10:54am I'm doing some genealogical history and wondering if there are Norfolk cemeteries other than Pondville, City Mills, and the big one on Main Street? Does anyone know where else I might look?

-DAF

6/11 8:54pm JH - I had some work done the other day by Glenn Saltis of Saltis Electric 508-543-3168. He was professional and prompt, but most of all honest and reasonable with pricing. I would highly recommend his services.

- RH

6/11 7:59pm Does anyone have any news about the water ban? I would think with all the rain we had in May that they would at least drop the ban down to an odd/even ban. This is getting ridiculous.

- EB

6/11 1:33pm Does anyone have any suggestions for removing poison ivy plants? We have lots of myrtle and pachysandra in our yard, and have recently discovered (the hard way) that poison ivy is scattered throughout. Thanks,

- SH

6/11 1:32pm TK Interesting you should point that out - the snapper did indeed look very primitive and dinosaur like - is the alligator species ever found this far North? He did indeed have plant growth on his back. I saw it while taking my son fishing there approx. 5 years ago - so maybe he's still growing ! Meanwhile the swans appear to be doing fine - here some shots from 11:00 AM today.

- BD

6/11 12:36pm Does anyone have a recommendation for an electrician do some in-home projects? Thanks,

- JH

6/11 11:05am BD, Should you see that snapper again, contact Mass Audubon. If he is, indeed, upwards of 4 feet across, that would be about the largest Common Snapping Turtle ever seen in this country, never mind Norfolk. Unless, of course, he's an Alligator Snapper. They get quite a bit larger than the Common, but rarely that large.

- TK
[Apropos alligator snapper - click here (from VR) - Wm.]

6/11 11:03am RP & TMB, Thanks very much for the feedback - I will check both out!

- HM

6/11 8:34am The swans observed at Bush Pond are the Mute Swan, these are easily identified by the orange marking on their beaks. A search of the DEM website did not locate any policy or specific protection guideines for Mute Swans. In fact this website from Maryland http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/mstfpc.html has a detailed discussion on the problems of the Mute Swan. While a very majestic bird, they are considered a threat to other native species of water fowl.

- AB
[The mute swan has a light-colored bill (orange in the adult), with a black band above it and between the eyes; other swans have a black or mostly black bill. Like the pheasant, common sparrow and purple loosestrife, the mute swan is a recently introduced species that is not native to North America. All sorts of interesting information is available through a Google search for ``exotic mute swan''. - Wm.]

6/11 8:32am To HM: If you are looking for a car service, I've used a number over the years and found Bristol County Coach to be the best - most reliable, competitive price (~$75 + tip to Logan?), courteous drivers. 508.222.1773.

- TMB

6/11 12:48am To JW & MG:
Loch Bush
I've seen a lot of snapping turtles over the last 50+ years but none the size of one that lives in the Bush Pond. One day I was peering down into the water while looking over the bridge - staring at the long water weeds bending with the current on the bottom of the pond - when all of a sudden that bottom started to move and swim away - he's got weeds growing on the back of his shell and must be at least 4 feet across - amazing ! Hoping he doesn't have an appetite for those young swans - or at least maybe moves too slow for them.

- BD

6/10 10:23pm To JW: The swans are located at Bush Pond on Lawrence Street [ ... ] Unfortunately, it looks like three of the babies have not survived. Driving to work this morning I noticed that there were only three babies with the adults. This same thing happened last year (or the year before that). None of that litter (?) of six survived. Rumor has it that there are pretty large snapping turtles in the pond, and they may be the culprits. It's a shame because they are beautiful creatures, and the adults take great care of the babies. Wondering if there is a state agency (DEM?) that could do something to ensure the survival of the remaining three?

- MG

6/10 9:49pm To: HM - Depending on your schedule, the Bonanza bus line runs a direct shuttle from the Foxfield Plaza off Rt. 140 in Foxboro directly to Logan Airport in Boston or to T.F.Green Airport near Providence. Check their schedules at: www.bonanzabus.com.

- RP

6/10 3:40pm Hi, I am new in town and was looking for an airport shuttle service. Anyone have a recommendation? Thanks! - HM

6/10 11:28am We set Norfolknet as the home page on our browser - does that inflate your statistics? <teasing>

- HPK
[Inflate is the wrong term ... how about ``improve?'' :-) But yes, every time you start your browser, it registers one additional ``hit'' on the page. But if you then scanned the page for new posts, it would not be inflation, just an (accurate) tally of how often someone checked the page for news. And thank you for your support! - Wm.]

6/9 10:37pm Check out http://www.kids.gov/

- AN
[It's the U.S. government interagency Kids' Portal, run by the Federal Consumer Information Center. It's filled with links to information for kids - Wm.]

6/9 10:31pm Some statistics about visits to this site, for those who're curious. The numbers are culled from the web server logs, which record every visit in a line like the following:
216.243.8.231 - - [05/May/2002:22:48:06 -0400] "GET /norfolk/ HTTP/1.0" 200 29288 "-" "Mozilla/3.04 (X11; I; FreeBSD 2.2.6-RELEASE i386)"

The major fields are, from left to right: the internet address of the visitor (216.243.8.231, a modem in my service provider's dial-up pool), the date and time of the page hit (6:48pm on May 5), the name of the page requested (/norfolk/, the Norfolk page on norfolknet.com), response code (200 - success), number of bytes transferred (29288, low average), referring page ("-", none, since the site is on my favorites list), and the browser identification string (FreeBSD, PC-based).

The last item, the browser identification string, is the source for most of these statistics, since it usually identifies the operating system by name and version, eg. Windows 95 or 98 or NT.

On to the numbers. During the month of May, 2002:

Total visits to the Norfolknet.com front page	:	6196
By Browser:
MS Internet Explorer users	:	4023
Netscape/Mozilla users	:	745
using AOL's browser	:	371
By Operating System:
Windows 95 users	:	457
Windows NT users	:	2362
Windows 98 users	:	2209
Macintosh (PowerPC, every one) users	:	181
Unix, Linux and FreeBSD users*	:	85
Miscellaneous:
Visits that followed a search result	:	521
Number of times google.com updated its directory	:	5
Number of known virus attacks on site	:	2374
Total number of hits to Norfolknet**	:	44738
Total number of hits to the Wm's domains**	:	53776

*: only one reader is using Unix, and all the visits from PCs running the Linux or FreeBSD (and Lynx, a text-only web browser) were by the webmaster :-)

**: total hits count every single downloaded item separately. For example, on the main page, the top image, the little envelope in the introductory paragraph, the signature at the bottom, and all the images shown on the page would each be one hit. Right now, loading the front page with all images would result in six hits, one text page with five small pictures.

- Wm.

6/9 6:34pm While driving home from canoeing, we swung by the horse farm on Miller Street. I pointed out the horses in the paddocks, and observed that horses had been ridden a bit farther down along the road. My daughter's sleepy response: ``Were they nice people?''

That was all. And here I am, several hours later still trying to absorb that brilliant insight into humanity, beauty, and our existence, out of the mouth of a three-year-old.

- AR

6/9 5:25pm We went to Spruce Pond, in Franklin, for ice-cream on Sat. In the pond we watched a couple of families of geese and a family of beavers. They were going back and forth to their den with branches, etc., totally oblivious to all the people around. On the bank we also saw what we believed to be gophers. It was great to see so much wildlife in such a busy place, course the ice-cream was terrific too. I saw a sign at Dunkin Donuts that starting June 15th, they will also be a Baskin Robbins.

- JW

6/9 5:24pm To EK - I have used Angel Foods run by Deb Raymond once and am using her for a bridal shower this month. She has a small operation and what is good about her is that she will serve, clean up and let you use your own food as well as her own. In otherwords it can be mix or match. Her phone number is 508-740-1047.

- BS

6/9 5:22pm We have used Fire and Ice Catering in the past and have been very satisfied. They have servers to help with your function as well. 1-800-355-1522. Penny is the contact person.

- BC

6/8 2:33pm Will be hosting a small bridal shower in early August and need info on caterers in the area. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

- EK

6/7 12:34pm To JH (5/30) - There is a Tri-County Mom's club that serves Norfolk, Wrentham, and Plainville. The contact person is Kathy M. at 508-643-2050.

- RN

6/7 12:34pm Never let it be said that our coast is seismologically inactive. Even if I did sleep through it without noticing, there was a 2.2 quake early this morning. The official record can be viewed here.

- AR
[The epicenter was in South Walpole; the Globe has coverage here. - Wm.]

6/6 10:19pm A reminder - all Norfolk Serve orders must be called in and paid for by June 9, 2002. Thank you.

- PW

6/5 8:46am AW - We have used Prancing Paws (508.482.9860) for several years to walk our two labs. They can't wait each day till she arrives. For doggy daycare or overnight, we have been going to The Red Dog Inn in Mansfield. They're terrific.

- PN

6/4 4:47pm My family and I are moving to Norfolk in July and we need to find a good dog walker. We have a terrific, energetic 2 yr. old male Vizsla that will miss his walker in Newton. Does anyone know a good walker or doggie daycare in the area? Are there any "off leash" dog friendly parks/woods in Norfolk? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

- AW

6/3 9:21pm We received another letter about the Ponds; we excerpt portions with permission:

I live near the Pondville Cemetery in Norfolk, where there are many from the Pond family interred. I took a look there today but did not see a Lewis or a Frank, though some of the stones are difficult to read and I didn't look at all of them. I could look for a particular name, if you wish. Some of the stones do not photograph well and may need to be transferred to paper by rubbing, if you need an image of the inscription.

I enclosed a photo taken today of one stone memorializing a lot of folks.

A quick check for "Lewis Pond" via Google found http://www.rootsweb.com/~manorfol/hd_hses.htm [...]

``Lewis Pond was born in Pondville (now Norfolk), a town that took its name from the prominent Pond family that populated the area. The son of General Lucas Pond and brother of Virgil Pond, he was a shoemaker by trade. He married Mary Fuller December 24, 1844 and they moved into their new home at 21 Baker St. on June 3, 1854. Lewis was practicing his trade on the second floor of his brother's box mill on Gilmore Street. He also earned a considerable reputation raising pears, and had a large orchard on Baker Street. Lewis had a son Frank who was interested in photography and stereoscopic pictures and had a shop on Central Street. Lewis then built Frank his own studio on their Baker Street property, located to the rear of the lot. The building now faces Railroad Avenue. It was used for many years as a photographic studio. Following the death of his wife, Lewis Pond married Anna Capen who retained the property several years after his death. The property was purchased by Harrie Quimby in 1922. A local builder, he erected a bungalow for himself on the north edge of the lot.''

[...]
Best wishes, ...

6/3 8:57pm The Federated Church of Norfolk Sunday Service will be held at 9:00 am starting on June 16 and continuing until September 15, when 10:00 am service will resume.

There will be no Sunday School Classes during the summer, but there will be childcare for children under age 3, whose parents are attending the service.

- KM

6/3 8:54pm The Norfolk Community League announce the disbursements granted to various community causes. Most of the money went to education-related items. The detailed list is here (click link).

6/3 8:50pm The publication for Serve New England is called "Volunteer Ventures" and it is available all over town, or, if you need a copy and cannot find one, please call Pam at 508-528-5884 or Roselle at 508-541-0103. You can pick up a copy at the Norfolk Town Hall, Linda's Variety, Norfolk Food Mart, Martin's Cleaners, Norfolk Fine Wine, Bourque's, Bradbury Insurance, the Library, the Housing Office, and the Senior Center. Thank you for your support.

- PW

6/3 8:48pm I just discovered that I goofed - I missed some posts that arrived in the morning, and posted an afternoon message out of order. My apologies - Wm.

6/3 4:17pm Is the King Philip concert on the town hill Tues or Thursday? I thought the concerts were on Thursday but the KP website says Tuesday. http://www.kingphilip.org/KPHigh/music/spring02.html

- SF
[The school says tomorrow, Tuesday, at 6:30 - Wm.]

6/2 11:35pm Dare I say the weather is looking up? We actually had 2 weekend days with sun and warmth. I've had to mow the lawn twice this week. What drought and who needs to water?

I have been looking for the swans with the babies but can't find them, which pond are they in? I found a deer tick on my cats eye yesterday, first one I've ever seen, they are tiny.

Happy Anniversary Norfolknet. I have really enjoyed looking at you each day. It is one of the highlights of my day; oh brother, tells you what kind of days I have.

- JW

6/2 10:58pm Reply to David C. Pond:

Per your inquiry here are some brief highlights re: the Pond history in our area - hope this helps to add to your search for your Pond ancestors. Contact me at the Norfolk Historical Commission if you want to discuss this further. See our website at http://town.norfolk.ma.us/historical/ or email me at bdomineau@yahoo.com.

- Regards, Bill Domineau, Norfolk Historical Commission
[The detailed writeup was put on a page of its own; it's accessible by clicking this link - Wm.]

6/2 1:15pm Hello,

My name is Dave Pond, and I'm looking for information on family ancestors. I'm from the Philadelphia area and do not have the time to visit your town as yet. I am the great-great-grandson of Lewis Pond. My grandfather was the son of Frank Pond. Any information would be appreciated. Big interest in Civil War participants.

- Thank you, David C. Pond

6/1 10:24pm Happy anniversary! I think that this web page is one of the greatest things about Norfolk - it makes me feel like we really are just a small town. Even when I don't agree with the comments made, I appreciate hearing them and often learn things about the town that I wouldn't otherwise. Thank you so much for creating and maintaining Norfolk Net; I hope you continue to for a long, long time!

- AL

6/1 7:19pm Happy Birthday, Norfolknet!
Tomorrow, June 2, will mark the third year that Norfolknet's been up on the web. For a glimpse back into the past, one of the earliest versions of the page has been preserved through this link.

6/1 7:02pm Re: post of 5/29 about spam: We received an e-mail pointing us to information about the Direct Marketing Association's program on opting out of direct marketing. In particular, on the DMA consumer assistance page is the following:

How to get your name off e-mail lists.
Sponsored by The Direct Marketing Association, this service allows consumers to indicate that they wish to reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail they receive. Consumers register and, for security purposes, re-confirm their individual registration with the e-Mail Preference Service (e-MPS).

In addition, the site has information on how to remove one from mailing and telephone lists. The service is only good for individual, not corporate addresses, is honored by DMA members, and requires two months to take effect.

Of course, just like my e-mail address was found and sold to telemarketers without my permission, it'll be re-discovered and ``opted in'' again, but it can't hurt to try.

- Wm.

6/1 6:24pm TK, welcome to town, I enjoyed your comments and will use the link. We certainly need to contol the use of H2O during peak times so as to maintain the standpipe at a safe level. I heard maybe we are going to build a new standpipe soon ? This should be sufficent backup so as to relax the total ban to allow some weekly usage ? But I'm no expert. Couldn't we as a town change our zoning to double minimum lot size and thereby reduce build out by 50 % ?? This would save a lot of future usage of H2O. But regulating private property seem to be the domain of Town Meeting, not 3 people, who also want to stick their noses into whether or not privately owned resturants can allow smoking or note !

So my politics when it comes to Govt: LESS IS MORE

- MC

5/31 11:30pm Our first registration for Norfolk's chapter of Serve New England will be Tuesday, June 4th, in the Community Room at Hillcrest Village at 9am. All those interested should sign up at the housing office. Hope to see many Norfolk residents. In case you haven't come across one of our newsletters, we have them all over town. There is one in Town Hall, several at the library, some in Linda's Variety, Norfolk Food Mart, Bradbury Insurance, Bourque's Restaurant, Norfolk Fine Wine, the housing office, the senior center, Hamlin Cabinets, Martin's Cleaners, the post office (Norfolk), the flower shop next to Daley's Gas Station; just about everywhere, really. Hope to see everyone June 4th at 9am. For further information contact 508 541 0103 or 508 528 5884.

- RD

5/31 10:21am ``Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.'' - Margaret Mead

- WB

5/30 1:44pm For those seeking information about the legalities of private well ownership vs. the public good, the B.O.H., and whether or not the State or local municipal B.O.H. has jurisdiction over those private wells, this link, http://www.state.ma.us/dep/brp/dws/files/PrWellGd.pdf, may be of interest. While the document is fairly clear regarding jurisdictions and authority over "public" water supply, existing and proposed, and "proposed" private water supply wells, (i.e., health and sanitation), it appears less clear regarding the same over "existing" private water supply (wells).

Of course, as with any state document, the legalese can likely be interpreted to "extend" oversight and regulation by the municipal authority with regards to adequate supply for all, public and private, using protection of the "amount" of subsurface supply as a reason. By that reasoning, the authority would seek the higher moral ground of attempting to protect the adequacy of existing supply for all, for there is no known substitute or additional supply to be tapped during hard times.

Of course, the flip side to that coin is the private well owners stance that having paid for the installation, operation, and maintenance of his well, he "owns" the right to use it as he sees fit, so long as he is not violating existing law pertaining to the health of the groundwater supply. And until the authorities seek to bear that cost themselves, they can jolly well keep their hands of the private well. As we are new to town, we will be watching with interest.

As a side note, a brief Google search for "private wells", and an advanced search using "Massachusetts" as an additional keyword, will reveal that there are state websites out there dealing specifically with the current "drought" conditions and the levels and health of surface and subsurface water supply that might be of interest, also.

- TK

5/30 9:16am Does anyone know if there is a Norfolk MOM's Club? - JH

5/29 11:05pm If you think you as a private well owner are free to decide when and how to use YOUR well, come to the B.O.H. meeting Tuesday 6/4 @ 7:30 pm because they seem to think they can pass a law telling you when and how to use YOUR private well !!!

- MC

5/29 9:21am An update on the downtown moonscape: according to a letter on file with the Town of Norfolk Board of Health, the proposed waste-water discharge facility was found ``technically deficient,'' (meaning not meeting requirements), since the septic system could sometimes discharge above ground. Apparently groundwater elevations as described in the proposal do not match the maps the DEP has on file; a comparison of predicted seasonal water table elevations measured at several monitoring wells ``suggests a high probability exists for a breakout to occur ... For example, the predicted groundwater elevation at MW-7 [monitoring well 7?] will exceed the ground surface elevation by 7.4 feet, resulting in the emergence of effluent downgradient of the system.'' Thanks, but no thanks.

Borrelli has 180 days to respond by proposing engineering modifications to fix the system, or 45 days to continue with the application as it reads; the DEP reserves up to 200 days for their review. Construction may commence sometime in the next 13 months, it seems. Given how long we've already been waiting, I'm sure the time will just fly.

- AR

5/29 8:27am Spam. We're inundated by a flood of unsolicited commercial ``junk'' mail, of late legalized by our well-meaning legislators who decided that an opt-out system is workable. Easy for them to say, they don't handle their own mail. It was bad enough that my personal address was sold by companies I do business with (shame, shame); now the latest twist is automated net 'bots that scour web pages for any contained e-mail addresses, which, once found, are dutifully ``opted in'' in the name of whoever they belong to. Well, gee, thanks a lot.

- Wm.

5/27 2:09pm I have spoken to one of the Water Commissioners about the need to generate an operational manual for the Water Dept as well as the regulations that are applicable.

Despite the decree that the water ban is in effect we are missing what out plan re water is and what the parameters are that are necessary to managing this resource. I would expect the Water Dept to draw on the expertise of the various agencies such as Corp. of Eng. / EPA / MA Depts. / Mapc, etc., so that we have a guideline along with the plan. I would like to know the capacity of the tank/ plans/pressure /Mass. Regulations etc.

I would expect numbers like capacity / pumping rates/limits of growth. What is the capacity of the applicable aquifer in the area? Perhaps we do have enough water in the aquifer but there are other constraints? Is a dam upstrean a solution to stop the runoff to the sea? (Since there isn't a plan, one can imagine all kinds of alternatives - what if we can't support more house influx? Is there some point where we tell buyers "we have a problem?")

I would like to know also if the aquifer is at risk (and I emphasize "if") how could a golf course be considered last year with its million gallon usage?? If it were a problem then skyrockets should have been fired immediately. In any case, we need a plan as well as an operational document that has a quantitative approach to the supply side.

On the conservatation side there are many things that can be suggested. E.g., recommending dishwashers that are water effecient per the government and making it mandatory to install same. (Another winner is recycling the five gallon pails from Mr. Vito's collection station. They can rainwater very nicely as well and usually lids are available to keep mosquitoes out!!)

But what if we find we have enough water in Eastern MA in the aquifer - Hm? Any other blue sky thoughts?

- JO

5/27 1:55pm We're back from an overnight visit to friends in southern New Hampshire. The woods are wonderful up there, with lots of hemlock, birch, maple, beech and oak, but the Boston commuters are arriving in flocks, and the farms, woods and hillsides are changing over to the ever-same homogeneous subdivisions. Took a short walk down to a lovely little lake ringed by steep hills covered in a healthy forest ecosystem. A nice stroll, but probably our first and last - the driveways are already being cut, that fishing hole is getting privatized.

- Wm.

5/25 7:47pm To BH - Thank you for the Civics lesson. I quite honestly had no idea how naive I was about how undemocratic the Town Manager style of government is. I don't know for sure, but I have heard that there are more than a few towns using Town Managers to run their town. Should we do something about this? Turn them in to the authorities or something? Also, I know you have not talked to everyone in town as you admit, because I have talked to folks who have expressed both of the aforementioned positions, as well as many others (remember, that is what democracy is all about)? that I did not mention. And frankly, if all positions have to be "tenable" to be held, who decides that? and isn't that just smite undemocratic thinking? And let's get serious for a moment about "Vision." Does the appropriate Board envision a smoke free town, seeing the issue as a public health issue, or do they envision the town as being whatever the business community wants it to be in regard to smoking? Both positions are tenable to some, and untenable to others. This is not a case of state regulations but rather one of the vision of the town board. I also suppose you meant me (and others I guess) when you lectured about putting in time, becoming informed, being willing to work with others etc. In my own humble way I try to make a contribution. I certainly was not knocking any board or member of any board. I was only noting, from my democratic prospective, that the town was having trouble finding its identity and that perhaps it is time for a change of government style.

- PLG

5/25 3:11pm Re: post of 5/24 5:26pm:

``. . . The problem I have is the lack of uniform vision for the town by the town fathers and mothers. Everyone wants something different for the town, ranging from bringing back the farms to wide open development. The different boards in town reflect this diverse vision and so our government by committee has to be slow, cumbersome and sometimes self defeating. Perhaps it is time to consider government by Town Manager.''

Regarding the last four sentences:

1. Your problem "is the lack of uniform vision for the town". How would you produce a "uniform vision"? We have a democracy, wherein the majority prevails. This is as it should be.

2. "Everyone wants something different for the town, ranging from bringing back the farms to wide open development." I don't know anyone who holds either position, since both are untenable. It is obviously impossible to bring back the farms. Wide open development is clearly undesirable, and I know of no informed individual who wants this.

3. What boards reflect this diverse vision? All of our boards and commissions are constrained by statute. They cannot prevent development if a developer submits a plan which meets all requirements of the statutes, Massachusetts Regulations, and local bylaws and regulations.

4. Government by Town Manager would be getting away from the democratic government that we have now. Certainly we do not need a more autocratic style of government. Our Town Administrator does a lot of managing of Town affairs, but he reports to and is directed by the elected Selectmen, who are responsible to the electorate.

If you see something in Town government that you might like to change, why not study it, confer with the current members of the appropriate board or commission, and consider becoming involved? Our last election showed little interest in Town government. Be aware that involvement takes a lot of time and effort, a willingness to work well with others, and an understanding of the statutes, CMRs (Code of Massachusetts Regulations), local bylaws, and local regulations. Involvement is not just "common sense" and showing up at meetings, but rather a lot of homework and study. Also, some educational and experience qualification for the position is needed inorder to be elected or appointed.

- BH

5/25 2:24pm Coming soon to Norfolk -- Norfolk Serve, a subsidiary of Serve New England, a non profit food co-op. We will be located in the community room at the housing office one Saturday a month. Come hear a representative from Serve New England on Friday, May 31st at the housing office at 11 am.

- RD

5/24 5:26pm Just an added note by way of house valuations. We've been in Norfolk exactly 10 years and recently remortgaged our house. Our house value is twice the value it was ten years ago. I can't say the same about the amount of money we have in the bank. Jack McFeeley is right when he notes that the tax rate increase has been very modest. The problem I have is the lack of uniform vision for the town by the town fathers and mothers. Everyone wants something different for the town, ranging from bringing back the farms to wide open development. The different boards in town reflect this diverse vision and so our government by committee has to be slow, cumbersome and sometimes self defeating. Perhaps it is time to consider government by Town Manager.

- PLG

5/24 8:14am I would also like to thank Selectman McFeeley as well. Perhaps someone could pass this along to the local newspaper for all to see. Real numbers and facts are always helpful in dealing with hearsay.

I would like to add one other issue that many people don't factor into the equation and that is the increase in our house values. On a personal basis I believe the value of our house has gone up between 20% to 30% in the 3 1/2 years we have lived here (this is a modest estimate). Even taking into account the tax increases, this is a positive return which as many of us know has been difficult to attain in these recent years.

If I were in need of the money that I've invested in my home in order to pay taxes, there are products out there such as reverse mortgages that could help me tap into my home investment.

- BS

5/23 3:42pm Thank you Selectman Jack McFeeley for taking the time and effort to explain the structure of Norfolk's tax and water rates so well. From your comment, I take it that the decision has been made to go for upgrading King Philip instead of vote for a new school. Hopefully, more information about this will be coming out soon.

A food co-op: what a very good idea! I look forward to this!

- CR

5/23 3:42pm I was prompted to write this because of the comments last week from KS that ``I'm curious of the tax issue that seems to be a hot topic here on the board.''

To KS: You will find that talking about taxes and many other subjects on this board is always a hot issue especially if your conclusions are not challenged. In reality the alleged large tax increases vanish when you look at real numbers. We have had several override or debt exclusion votes in recent years (to ask for more money) which give the impression of continually increasing taxes when, in fact, they have been offset by taxes coming off the books. The net increase is then much less than people perceive. Please note my response to JM.

To JM: I find your math surprising, if not improbable. If your taxes went up 60% in the last five years and you say you live in Norfolk then the value of your house must have gone up 78.4% in that same period because taxes have not gone up significantly. In fact, in the last five years the tax rate actually declined almost 10%. The assertion that taxes have increased to unaffordable levels (you say ``taxes are increasing and, at this rate, I won't be able to afford it in 5 more years'') is a fallacy.

Let me use my own house as an example. These are the actual numbers for my property tax for the last seven years:

Year	Tax Rate	Property Tax

FY95	$16.69		$4,491.28
FY96	$16.14		$4,343.26
FY97	$15.80		$4,379.76
FY98	$15.97		$4,604.14
FY99	$17.58		$5,173.79
FY00	$15.86		$4,835.71
FY01	$14.69		$5,104.78
FY02	$14.32		$5,342.78

These data show that my property tax rose only 19% in seven years! Coincidentally, that's an average of 2 1/2 % compounded per year. Two and a half percent per year is exactly what Proposition 2 1/2 allows. Most towns in the Commonwealth are significantly above this rate. Unlike your assertion, Norfolk isn't!

Other houses will show increases more or less than this depending how their value is assessed each year. If your property value did indeed go up over 78% in five years, I would hardly consider that a bad thing. Can you imagine the Selectmen being asked not to try to increase a homeowner's property value because their taxes will go up as well? Proposition 2 1/2 is actually a restriction on the town wide average not an individual average. This means that for every house which increases more than the 2 1/2 percent level there is also a proportionate number changing less than that level.

Now let me address your other comment. You say that your water rate has increased 100%. I find that unlikely as well. However, I think I can help you there also. Please note that there is a difference between the term "water rate" and the term "water bill".

If you look at your water bill you will see that it has three rate brackets. The average family of four will fall into the first two (under 50,000 gallons) so I will limit my example to that situation. Most people in town will be within that rate. I presume that you are below 50,000 gallons per each bi-annual billing period since you mention that, ``I do not wash my car, cannot water my lawn, and have one bath''.

Yes, the rates did go up at the Water Department. However, this is the first rate increase that I have received in ten years of being on town water. One rate increase in ten years is darn good considering the capital investments that have taken place at the Water Department.

According to the bill that I received just two weeks ago, the rates are $38.50 plus $3.29 for each 1000 gallons up to 50,000 gallons. Previously, they included the first 7,500 gallons in the $38.50. The only change that took place is the fact that you are now paying for the first 7,500 gallons at the $3.29 rate. Therefore, everyone's bill will show a flat increase of $24.68. The percentage rate increase will then depend on your consumption.

There is absolutely no way your rate could increase 100% on a yearly basis.

I've done some additional math:

Consumption	Before		After		Percent
(gallons)	Increase	Increase	Change

1,000		$38.50		$41.79		8.5%
7,500		$38.50		$63.18		64.1%
10,000		$46.73		$71.40		52.8%
25,000		$96.08		$120.75		25.7%
50,000		$178.33		$203.00		13.8%

If you are an average adult you will use about 2,000 gallons per month and multiples of that number for each additional adult in your household. Teenage children will usually use more. A family of four will then fall into the 50,000-gallon range. However, since you also gave everyone a lesson on bathing in your posting you may fall into a different category. The table above says that an average family of four will see about a 14% increase. This is the first increase in over ten years. Compare that to your cable rates or your electric rates.

Finally, please note also that the Water Department does not send out bills every six months. Meters are usually read in April and then September. Don't ask me why. So if you used exactly the same rate all year long, your April bill will be (7/5) higher than your September bill without a rate increase. That's a forty percent change right there. You might be confusing this bi-annual skewness as a rate increase when it is just a billing cycle anomaly. If so, feel good. You will now see a large decrease in your September bill.

Two other final notes . . .

Unfortunately, despite what I said above, there are large tax increases looming on the horizon and this is another reason why we worked hard to avoid an override this year. These increases will be coming from the King Philip School upgrades. The full impact of the Middle School costs that were voted last year will be hitting the books within the next two years and the High School upgrades, which are likely to be voted this year, will follow shortly thereafter. I don't recall the exact figures, but we're talking about percentage increases initially in the double digits overall with the biggest hit occurring around year four of each project.

The road repair program will go into full speed this summer. There will be over $800,000 spent this year alone. The tentative list of streets and other engineering work are posted (or will be) on the town website at www.town.norfolk.ma.us.

- Respectfully, Jack McFeeley [Board of Selectmen]

5/23 8:12am We're on Highland Lake Drive, just moved in from Medfield. I don't think I ever saw a swan there in all the years we lived there (19). The sight of so many in "V" formation was only part of our interest, though. With each and every stroke of their wings as they went over, they seemed to "squeak", as though they were either uttering some sound of effort or pace, or ... they were in sore need of grease and oil. :-)

- TK

5/22 11:10pm TK - We live on Park Street and there is a lake on the corner of Park and Lawrence Streets that we see a few beautiful swans return to each year. Maybe this is where "your" swans were on their way home to :0)

- NS

5/22 7:13pm Norfolk now has its own chapter of Serve New England! Our Chapter will be called Serve Norfolk. In a nutshell, Serve is a food co-op solely run by volunteers that enables you to buy healthy food packages each month at a great price! Most packages are about $15.00 (plus two hours volunteer work), and include meat, veggies and fruit, however there are meat only and vegetarian packages as well. More info will follow soon, as we are trying to get a page up [on the web].

- SB

5/22 3:41pm Nice picture, thanks. Last night, my wife and I were out and about in the yard when a "formation" of swans flew over, 5 or six of them in formation, just like geese. We'd never seen anything like that before. Anyone know where the swans settle in around town?

- TK

5/22 12:52pm Thought you'd enjoy seeing our new neighbors in Norfolk. - PHM
[11:30pm Update: here is a larger, 116K 1024x768 version of the same image; if someone needs a larger one yet, the original is 600K, just ask - Wm.]

5/22 10:34am To WB: What I was able to glean from the May 20 webcast of the Board of Selectmen meeting and the Town Administrator is as follows. I'm sure some of this is repetition for many of you, but was new to me. The plans for the Norfolk Commons development are two phases: Phase I is the retail location next to the town hall property and is proposed to include a supermarket, bank, restaurant, pharmacy, and office space. If all goes well, building should start this fall (may be affected by the Waste Water Treatment plans you mention). Phase II is proposed to be 36 two bedroom apartment units (900-1200 square feet), which will be age restricted to 55+ and will be located further up the hill (mixture of apartments and condos). 12 of these units will be low income housing. The feeling is this complements the town in increasing the tax base without adding to much to infrastructure costs (schools, etc.). This post is intended for information purposes and not to spur debate!

- PDM

5/22 10:32am The Board of Selectmen have no new information on the development of Norfolk Commons, only the developer's intent which with $4.00 will buy you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. The only real information will come when applications are filed for site development with the Norfolk Planning Board. No occupancy for any building in Norfolk Commons would be allowed by the Planning Board without the Wastewater Treatment Facility (for obvious reasons). The entire site is tied to the treatment facility. The developer is not going to risk application without that approval. I think now it is finally obvious to some (or it should be) why the project is moving slower than other project such as Forekicks.

- Steven McClain, Norfolk Planning Board

5/22 8:47am To PDM: Thank you for your efforts. I guess I need to eat some crow of sorts. I saw the BOH meeting last night and apparently the DEP has rejected the general design of the Waste Water Treatment for Norfolk Commons. The redesign will require new hearings with the Board of Health at least, and depending upon if relocation of the plant is required, maybe other boards as well. At least the redesign is not being paid for by the Town, we just pay for it in other ways ; ).

- WB

5/21 9:25pm Norfolk Community Day [town fair] is coming! One of the new features [is] community service program called CHIP, Child Identification Program, offered from 10 to 2 [in] the Holmes Transportation Building. Read about the details here.

- Wm.

5/21 1:34pm WB: Thank you for the information. I didn't mean to cast any criticism, only to get information to find out what was going on. Per your suggestion I have requested an update from the Board of Selectmen and will post any information they are able to release. Thanks again.

- PDM

5/20 6:36pm To PDM: Regardless of what you hear, there are no town boards that are holding up this project. I assume that the Planning Board waiting on Department of Environmental Protection is just academic. The DEP review is out of their hands. As noted earlier on this board, the Department of Environmental Protection is currently reviewing the design of the wastewater treatment system. This particular wastewater treatment system is known as an "Amphidrome Process." Information on the system and the current DEP pilot program for this process can be found at the website: http://www.state.ma.us/dep/brp/wwm/t5it.htm#Piloting Scroll down to: "Renewal of Piloting Approval for the Amphidrome Process."

A groundwater discharge permit application was submitted to DEP almost 10 months ago, (anyone who wishes to discharge more than 10,000 gallons per day into the ground must get a permit from the DEP). This review and the separate review of using an "innovative technology" for treating wastewater equals a while more, probably a long while too. Regardless of that fact, parts of the development that are not serviced by the wastewater treatment plant could have been built already. Maybe the Board of Selectmen should ask for and then make public a status update from the developer and a time table for the project.

- WB

5/20 1:42pm Is there any information on this site or elsewhere about the current plans/timelines for the center of town? I'm tired of looking at a big pile of dirt being pushed around!

- PDM

5/19 7:18pm Clearly, Wm has TMTOHH (too much time on his hands).

- VR
[I was just helping out! It took me some time to figure that one out! - Wm.]

5/19 7:18pm HPK, I hope the Island slows folks down coming and going from Main onto Boardman and from Boardman onto Main. Getting out of my driveway is a real test of patience almost any time of day, but especially with the morning and in the evening train traffic. Most folks think that the sign on the corner of Main and Boardman says "glance down Main and roar thru." On the other end, getting into the driveway from the center on Main St. is almost suicidal. If you put your blinker on before you reach Boardman, drivers think you're turning down Boardman; if you wait 'til you're almost even with Boardman they are too busy "GDMART" to realize you're turning into the drive. Those maneuvers put a different meaning to the phrase "Taking your life in your hands." For years we used to watch folks try to get through the turn in the winter without going into Cliffs for an unscheduled stop, but alas the new braking systems on cars have almost put an end to that. You're probably not grumpier than any other resident in Norfolk lately but a cup of tea will probably help.

- JW
[GDMART 1. vi Behavior of some car drivers, observable at the Main / Boardman corner, characterized by mis-reading the STOP sign to mean ``hurry through if there is a chance you can beat the cross-traffic'' 2. adj Term used to describe the behavior of drivers that do not exercise due caution. See also TYLIYH. [regional acronym] - Wm.]

5/19 7:15pm Re: 5/19 9:11am Does anyone happen to know if the head of the highway Department is an elected or appointed position? - TMB

Appointed. The head of the Highway Department is the Superintendent of Streets. The position of Superintendent of Streets appears in the Norfolk Town Report, 2001, page 10. That is under the Town Administrator which appears on page 9.

- BH

5/19 6:48pm Today was a gorgeous day for a walk in the woods, and as it turns out, a pretty good day for green shoots, young hazelnut leaves, and flowers, too!

Apropos ladyslippers, they're a type of orchid, and they trap and digest insects. They seem to be fairly common in town. I'm told they're "protected but not endangered", and they may not be picked (bulldozing them for development seems to be ok, though, so if you want some, you'll have to scoop them with a backhoe :-).

- AR

5/19 9:11am Does anyone happen to know if the head of the highway Department is an elected or appointed position?

- TMB

5/18 6:32pm Actually, AR, what Boardman St. needs is a "local traffic only" sign, and the darn motorists from Franklin can drive through the center of town instead. Not to mention the large earth-moving vehicles, landscaping trucks, tractor-trailers...

I was the only Boardman St. resident to attend a public meeting on this intersection about a year ago, and Butch Vito from the Highway Dept. said that the island and the reconstruction should slow traffic down as they're turning from Main St. onto Boardman. I hope so, since sooner or later they're going to encounter my blind driveway.

- HPK, grumpy Boardman St. resident, needing a cup o'tea

5/18 1:16pm So what's the deal with the Boardman/Main St. intersection? Since I've lived in town, there were ``realignments'' at 115/Pine St. and 115/Union, and both are more difficult to navigate now than before they were ``fixed.'' Looking at the proposed redesign for Boardman/Main St., it's going to be 3 for 3. What that intersection needs is separate left and right-turn lanes out of Boardman, and a traffic cop at rush hour. What it is getting is an island. Gee, how pretty! but paying for a wider road without additional usable lanes seems pretty pointless. So, what is going in there?

- AR

5/18 12:14pm Also to RP: Dave's Pump Company in Wrentham (508-883-7959). They've been around for years and are reliable, experienced, and reasonably priced.

- TEM

5/17 10:07pm To RP - Try Crystal Pump Company in Millis. The owner/operator is Joe. He has been very responsive with issues we've had. I'm not sure he can help with a leaky well but presumably he can steer you in the right direction. We had problems with unbelievable amounts of dirt in our well and he came out twice at no charge. In the end, he truly believed the problem had to do with area blasting and would not check our pump, etc which would have cost us - he was right.

5/18 11:47am Crystal Pump is actually here in Norfolk - 508-528-8959.

- BS

5/17 9:12pm Greetings.....I'm in need of service for my home water well. Can you recommend a reliable company who will repair a leaky well? (Anyone except Wyllie - he won't answer my phone messages). Thanks.

- RP

5/17 4:06pm To CP and MD: the area downtown next to the library (aka the moonscape/pebble beds/Norfolk Commons) is privately owned. 5 years ago, there was a large hillside there, much of which was hauled away after site approval for stores was granted. No specific lot plans have been approved, and nobody's quite sure what might be built there. At Town Meeting this week, the Planning Board indicated that the developer's waiting for DEP to approve plans for a wastewater treatment plant. Previous website discussions about this location are at [collected here].

To KS: the tax issues are pretty much the same across this region of MA - lots of residential growth places more of a burden on the infrastructure than is supported by property taxes, leading to either cuts in services or Prop 21/2 overrides.

- VR

5/17 3:16pm Looking for homes in Norfolk area... drove thru the other day and was curious what is getting built next to town hall... strip mall? grocery? Are there any development plans for the center or surrounding area that have been approved haven't begin? what are they? Thanks!

- MD

5/17 12:47pm Last night the was the final chapter of the proposed golf course on Lawrence St. Although I was not a proponent of a golf course at that site, I would like to say that Joe Byrne deserves the respect of every citizen in Norfolk for having the tenacity to pursue his passion of building a golf course in Norfolk. Joe, I truly hope that someday, somewhere you have the opportunity to see your dream come true and are able to play on a course you were instrumental in building.

- MA

5/16 8:55pm To CP: The moonscape is the area around the Town Hall, which is the building that looks like a hotel. To KS: Move to Medfield where you get more bang for your buck.

- MSH
[That's pretty funny; I laughed :-) And since apparently not all people recognize it on sight, I linked to a photo of the new Town Hall building. Click on the picture for the larger view. - Wm.]

5/16 8:45pm The Norfolk Lions have more details about the upcoming (June 8) Norfolk Community Day (ie., town fair). This year will be the first time that Hip Hop dancers will be part of the festivities.

- Wm.

5/16 4:20pm VR - I'm new to the town can you tell me where (or what) the downtown moonscape area is? Thanks,

- CP

5/16 4:20pm Hi everyone, I'm in the midst of a home purchase in your beautiful town and I'm curious of the tax issue that seems to be a hot topic here on the board. Can somebody shed a little light on what is going on (or not going on)? Thanks, I appreciate it.

- KS

5/16 2:04pm What is going to be done with the $$ that was raised by the auction for the parcels of land? Who gets to decide?

- PR

5/16 11:28am Random bits and pieces of news from town meeting, with apologies in advance for any incorrect terminology:

- Yesterday's town-held auction reportedly grossed $575,500 from the sale of 32 parcels at 22 locations.

- The Pond Street recreation complex is expected to open for tennis in the summer and for soccer/baseball in the Fall.

- The activities in the downtown moonscape area are related to utility work by the developer. DEP has to approve their planned wastewater treatment plant; the Planning Board has closed a hearing about proposed site plans and will probably render their decision after DEP.

- The Community Preservation Act (CPA) articles were deferred because the CPA funds have to be certified after June 30, 2002.

- The Advisory Board and Board of Selectmen opposed article 17 [see post of 5/9] for a variety of reasons - too divisive, too complicated to do, the information's already readily available (yes, these *were* mutually contradictory statements); too many lines requiring too much paper (!); too confusing. Bottom line, they didn't want to list the overrides that have been passed. However, the BOS did volunteer to put the information up on their website, and there was a suggestion that some other version of the article could be presented at a later town meeting.

- There was interesting discussion about the relative roles and responsibilities of the various town board and their authority vis-a-vis each other and town government, and more than one suggestion that it may be time to revisit some of these roles.

- VR

5/16 10:17am No JW, I've lived here for 5 years and moving because my taxes are increasing and, at this rate, I won't be able to afford it in 5 more years. Resale ... shmeesale, I KNOW my property value has increased (it doesn't take a new library or a rocket scientist to figure that out) and I would love to stay in Norfolk. It is a beautiful town and the people are great and I love my house and planned on adding on instead of moving (as our family grows!). I know of many people who live in our town much longer than I have who are considering the same unfortunate fate ... move from somewhere you love because you cannot afford it. Inept decision-making is forcing this upon many of us. TMB is so right ... no accountability for the ridiculousness of projects or lack thereof. As for nothing to show for it ... I speak of the increases themself. We are promised new roads ... they have marked our street every year for repaving (which it so desperately needs) and never gets done. And just what, pray tell, will increasing the water rates 100% do to increase the supply available to EXISTING RESIDENTS???

- JM

5/15 10:28pm My goodness, I really rattled your cage JM didn't I. You can be sure that anytime you are sitting next to me on a subway or any place else, you won't get a foul odor. You've lived in town for 5 years and are moving, gee, big surprise. Resale value must mean a lot to you, for me and mine it doesn't even own a small space in our vocabulary. This family has been here for nearly 50 years and we still aren't considered townies, but I wouldn't trade my space in this wonderful little town for anything. As far as nothing to show for it, look around, what else could you want. You travel to the city (I assume to work) and see what it is like there, most of my family works in Norfolk so we spend most of time right here.

- JW

5/15 3:56pm TO JT: Those who are only interested in property values and not the fiscal well being of the town, show selfishness and not pride in the community.

- MSH

5/15 3:35pm In reference to the low voter turnout in the recent election, my husband and I would have voted had we been aware that there was an election! We didn't see any signs (uncontested seats), and didn't receive any reminders that we could think of.

In reference to water conservation, I think it's a good idea, and everyone's responsibility. I live on a street where half the homes, built in the 1960's, are on wells, and the newer ones, built in the 1990's, are on town water. I have sensed a different attitude among neighbors who have wells, they must think they have an unlimited water supply. One just installed an underground sprinkler system! I recycle my pool cover water, and am with the train of thought to run only full dishwashers and washing machines.

- CR

5/15 12:21pm To MSH [ref]: You're right. A library alone does not help property values. As to the reference to Dover, they have one of the best school systems in the state. They must be putting money into it wisely. Perhaps we should follow their example?

- JT

5/15 11:07am To JW: Please!!! We all know that water is a precious commodity but when it comes to general hygene you're taking this a bit too far. Let me ask you; have you ever sat on the commuter rail or the MBTA on a HOT summer day and felt sick from the smell of those around you? Well I have ... it is just plain gross, the stagnant smell of uncleanliness. Humans sweat, it is a biological fact ... and it must be counteracted by a thorough cleansing ... DAILY!!!

Having said that, I will agree there are ways in which to conserve our water supply. Some can be accomplished by the citizens and some can be accomplished by our (ahem) elected officials ... Has the idea that all of these new houses in town with 2 1/2 or 3 baths and sharing EQUALLY the cost of water with Franklin concerned you? Franklin ... ripe with corruption of overdevelopment in the 80's is usurping most of the water from our supply, yet we (Norfolk residents) suffer!!! Hike their rates 100% see how they like it (I just received my bill and that was the increase from last year and I do not wash my car, cannot water my lawn, and have one bath!!!)

I have lived in Norfolk only 5 years and have seen my taxes increase almost 60% and now water increasing 100%. You can empathize, having lived here 50 years, your taxes, I am sure, have increased many hundred times over. We are now looking to relocate to another part of the country with the fear of the elimination of Prop 2 1/2, constant increases in taxes with nothing to show for it, and now a suggestion that we carry a bucket into the shower with us!!! Too much.......

Hey, here's a great idea for the town ... corporate taxes generate income...!!!!!!!!!!!

- JM

5/15 9:01am I hear that even with all the rain we have had, there is still a water problem in our town. They have even discussed banning people with wells from using their water outdoors. "Well," we used our well until about 4 yrs. ago. Then we decided to get town water. We kept one outside faucet hooked up to the well for outdoor use. I just wanted to share a few ways that our family has conserved water since coming to town in 1953. Until recently, we had a saying, "Don't flush for everything." We have never owned a dishwasher, I do have a husband that does a decent job of doing the dishes and while doing the dishes we turn off the water between items being scrubbed. We do not take showers everyday and then they are only long enough to get clean. I can shower and wash my hair in less than 5 minutes. My family is a little more pampered their showers may last 7 to 10 minutes. Only very little children get baths. Oh that probably had a few of you swooning. When we brush our teeth, we shut off the water during the actual brushing. My washing machine has never seen anything but a full load. We have always conserved water and continue to do so with town water. Our water bill is a fraction of some other folks I know. So I guess what I am trying to say, is that everyone in town, well or town water, can and should do everything they can to preserve this precious commodity.

- JW

5/15 8:48am To JO: The property on Seekonk Street is the Meadowbrook Farm. The new property owner will be pursing plans to develop up to 12 house lots. A hearing has been scheduled with the Zoning Board of Appeals for May 22nd. Alas, more local history soon to be gone.

To JN: I urge caution with the use of the "scorecard.org" data base as the information is over 3 years old from 1999. Realize that a majority of the chemical usage in Norfolk is attributed to one location - Camger Chemical. Is this information correct, I'm not completely sure; is the information complete, I'm sure it isn't.

- AB

5/14 7:59pm Wow, what an awesome double rainbow! Full 180 degree arc, though I couldn't get a clear view in its entirety. The picture was taken less than an hour ago in the front yard, just minutes before the rain stopped altogether and the skies turned clear and blue.

- AR

5/14 2:46pm Norfolk Lions fall soccer registration will be on Sunday, June 2nd, 1:00 to 3:00 at the Freeman Centennial School field (raindate June 9th) and Thursday, June 13th, 4:00 to 5:30 at the HOD School Library. Registration forms are also available in the Norfolk Public Library lobby and at Norfolk Community Day. Players must be at least 3 years old and no older than 13 years old as of August 31, 2002 to be eligible to play. Registration deadline is June 26th. For more information call Helen at 508-520-0163 or e-mail kpsoftball@gis.net.

5/14 2:37pm Wine information! Are you ever snowed by the descriptors for wine? Now you can send away to UCDavis for a Wine Aroma Wheel that tells you everything you ever wanted to know! Or you can download a PDF file for your own printout! Now you can impress your guests with elaborate descriptions of wine and the esoteric aromas emanating therefrom! See: Jabberwiney at http://slate.msn.com/?id=73250 (click or paste in your browser) Check out the links, including this one form UCD, for more information, Aroma Wheel T-shirts (!), etc.

- BH
[U.C. Davis is renowned for its rather rigorous and scientific majors in enology (winemaking) and viticulture (growing grapes). I once read how the students who signed up expecting easy As were rudely surprised at the amount of chemistry they had to learn. - Wm.]

5/14 10:17am In the Sun Chrono today there is a real estate notice of land being sold for $1 million on Seekonk St. Is this the area at the beginning of Campbell St.? - with a large outcropping of rock? How many homes are proposed for this area?

- JO

5/14 10:10am I found an interesting web site, www.scorecard.org, about pollution. You can type in our zip code and you will get a lot of information about who, what, when and where our community has been polluted.

- JN
[The site is run by Environmental Defense, a New York-based not-for-profit, (and which apparently changed its name from Environmental Defense Fund). - Wm.]

5/14 10:09am I am concerned about article 39 of the Warrants for the Town Meeting, pertaining to Wireless Communication Towers. First I am concerned with the potential health risks to those of us that live within a few miles of the proposed cellular tower site. Studies have shown associated health risks. Second, this could hurt property values in the area for the same reason.

- CP

5/13 6:44pm To JT [ref]: People who are only interested in the resale value of their home and not the fiscal well being of the town will probably only live in Norfolk five years or less and move out leaving the rest of us to solve the fiscal mess they and others leave us. By the way Dover has a much smaller library than the one Norfolk is going to build and I don't see home values dropping in Dover. Do you?

- MSH

5/13 10:46am It's easy to blame town officials for the current state of Norfolk. And certainly, voter apathy is an easy and accurate target. For me, it is not whether there should be investments in town projects. Improvements to the town increase resale value as JT points out. What concerns me is the lack of quality in recent projects. Projects are started, but then corners seem to be cut & nobody is happy. Either that or the planning wasn't adequately done at the beginning. The town Center is of course the obvious example. But drive around town and you see many more. The intersection of Rt. 115 and Union Street? Somebody actually designed that? We built a new elementary school and within just a few years needed a prop override to expand it! The extensive (& costly?) planning that went into attracting businesses to Rt. 1A - resulting in 2 after several years. "Norfolk" Power Equipment? Water well #3 discussed on these pages? Drive 1A - compare Wrentham, Norfolk & Walpole.

A small, but I suspect common example, of how good intentions without adequate planning & an expectation of quality end up producing results that hardly add value for any of us: I live near Union & King Streets and for FOUR years there has been a relatively minor re-layout of a section of Union & King street. The last steps? Pave the road - then dig a trench across the new pavement and unevenly patch it; place the intersection at such an angle that cars & school buses drive across the edges; stack stones for a rustic stone wall so some are already falling down; end the new pavement without evenly patching the old road where water lines were put in at the beginning of the project (4 years ago); dump loam and grass seed on the street corners - on a slope so the seed washes away & the soil runs off. If I produced this kind of "quality" in a project at work, I'd be fired.

We have the potential for a beautiful town where it should be a delight to live & raise a family. Our tax burden is outrageous for what we have. And we continue to make investments but don't ever improve the core of the town. My suggestion? It is time to do the hard stuff. Should the library be expanded? Sure. Can we afford to? I'd say let's finish some of our other "projects" first. The same should be true for every budget line item. Show me the plan to finish the existing projects & we can talk about the next ones. The Town Center must be resolved - that will increase resale value. Business must be attracted (preferably to the Rt1A area) - that will ease some tax burden & increase resale value. I'm sorry, but if I couldn't manage my budgets at work, they may find somebody who could, but they certainly wouldn't increase and give me more to manage.

- TMB

5/11 9:59am I have been trying to come up with something witty and introspective about the small voter turn-out and the recent Town elections and a comparison to the recount in Florida (that's always good for a few chuckles) and the fact that some candidates had a few more votes as there were blanks, and then I starting thinking about Florida again then thought maybe a recount could improve on the number of votes, and then, I saw the ad about the land auction in Town and then it hit me. You don't have to go to Florida to buy (swamp) land cheap, you can get it right here in Norfolk. Puleez... Somebody set me straight, if this land is now being marketed as "valuable" then why was the land allowed to be taken for nonpayment of taxes? Oh, oh, oh I'll answer that, because it couldn't be built on then and it can't be built on now!

Signed - Frustrated to my wits end in Norfolk or, Am I missing something? (yes that is an opening for ridicule).

- a WB

5/10 10:11pm Soccer was good today - warm, well-attended, and fun. On the way biking back home a wall of scent hit me - it was the blooming hedge of lilacs by the road. A balmy evening, flowers everywhere, and a delighful scent accompanying me home. Lilac season is a nice time of year.

- AR

5/10 5:20pm To MSH [ref]: How can you call the Library Expansion "drunken sailor syndrome"? Expanding the library is a much overdue, necessary INVESTMENT in the town. It is right up there with putting money into the schools. Can you say "resale value"? ....

- JT

5/10 4:37pm To TEM [ref], a few of the most recent examples of the drunken sailor syndrome are the library expansion, burying the utilities in the center of town, and 10% increases in certain town department budgets when the inflation rates are less than 2%.

- MSH

5/10 8:24am Okay, MSH [ref], to borrow your metaphor, fire up the oven. Just what are and what have been those "unnecessary town projects" you speak of? This may be somewhat of an unreasonable request considering the space limitations of this forum, but your statements do require a few specifics, at the very least.

- TEM

5/10 8:21am I also viewed the latest Water Dept meeting and I agree with NS. There were comments that were not germane to the issue. Putting a bucket in the shower as a conservation effort is beyond belief especially if one has to lug it two flights down. (My arthritic knee is already objecting.)

What came out of the meeting is the lack of data (numerical) as to where we are, what is the supply on hand, limits of growth, etc. Perhaps we should be issuing a pamphlet to prospective buyers that we face some water problems in the town that they should be aware of.

Let's push for a template that is meaningful and devote our effort to analyzing our base system.

I am willing to devote time to this if we can compile what the current concerns are and the sources that promulgate the requirements

- JO

5/9 8:13pm Norfolk Community Day is coming up (the town fair, aka Olde Tyme Day), and the Lions have provided two informative articles, one with general background information and one that includes the schedule of activities. Held in conjuction with the fair is the annual Road Race; more information on that later.

5/9 3:41pm The reason that the advisory board is reluctant to show the impact of the overides, is they are rubber stamps for all of the excessive spending on unnessary town projects. Instead of being the financial watch dog for the town's fiscal health, they never saw an expensive project they didn't like. They are afraid to say no because they don't want to have to stand behind an unpopular decision. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen!

- MSH

5/9 1:10pm Would anyone like to discuss some of the warrant articles? My eye was caught by article 17, which was apparently submitted by petition and states:

That each year the Advisory Board will include with its recommendations for the annual town meeting a list of all the current tax overrides that the voters have approved. The list should show amount, duration, and impact per $1,000 assessment; or take any other action relative thereto.

In their recommendations, the Advisory Board recommends Indefinite Postponement of this article. I was wondering why? The numbers should be readily available, and it would certainly be informative. Does anyone know the background, or the possible reason for tabling the article?

- VR

5/9 10:02am If you haven't checked the Bulletin Board at the bottom the page lately, there is a summer cottage in Chatham available in July, and volunteers are sought to assist sight-impaired Norfolk residents.

- Wm.

5/9 9:55am Nothing related to Norfolk and I thought worth brining up-not to jinx them either-the Red Sox are smokin'. Let's hope it keeps going!

- PR

5/9 9:48am Water Commissioners Meeting

Just finished viewing the meeting on local access; it was a very informative meeting about water issues in Norfolk. The main issue that I came away with is that the Town would still have a water supply issue even if had rained every day for the last year. It seems that based on existing infrastructure we plainly cannot keep up. New housing does not help matters. I also learned that the town has had issues with permitting a new pump station that has been ongoing for ELEVEN years. I would like to find out more about that. We need to come up with long term solutions instead of band-aid approaches to this problem. Some band-aid solutions mentioned at the meeting were to introduce zoning for new housing to limit the size of a new lawn, another was complete ban on new private irrigation wells, and another was ban all watering even if you have a private well. They bantered about allowing landscapers and builders to only plant certain drought resistant species. What's next? Why limit it to that. Have the town tell us when and how long we can take a shower, what type of gas guzzlers we can drive, how many baths for your kids each week (insert sarcasm). My main point being is that its an infrastructure problem and a State Metering allotment problem. Band-aid approaches may or may not help. The water is there; let's focus on getting the long awaited station permitted. I'm in complete favor of water savings and by no means want this post to sound otherwise but the water problem in Norfolk has existed long before there was a lack of rain. We should all have low flow shower heads, (very cheap $$) shut off water while brushing teeth, shaving, washing pans. I have a private well and conserve every day, not because of water issues but because of electricity issues and the ever increasing skyrocketing bill I receive due to the fact the my well is very deep and need a high horsepower pump to operate. (not to mention deregulation). Let's do a rain dance :))

- NS

5/8 11:49am To BH: In response to your post about my post. My comment was simple that there is a need for change in the direction of this Town, which you and I will disagree upon. If you use this board as a gauge for discontent in Town, I stand by my comments that there is a need for change. Granted it may be a small population that has internet access... Regardless that there were many uncontested seats up in this election, a choice of a write-in vote sends a powerful message for change. If, for example, there were 200 votes cast and there were 95 write-in votes, this should send a message to each of the unopposed candidates that they were not the unanimous choice. These unopposed candidates should view even one write-in vote as a sign. You implied in your post that long-term service to the Town makes one qualified to be in an elected position; I agree to a certain degree that the experience is certainly useful, but on the other hand I can see that complacency also grows. If you are 100% happy with the current state of the Town and the future of the Town, please share your thoughts.

- WB

5/8 9:55am I always do my civic duty and vote but I was completely unaware of any election going on. Where was information provided? The Country Gazette?? Signs downtown??? I've been through many towns that hang large banners reminding people to vote. I don't recall seeing or hearing anything about this one. Otherwise, I would have been there. People complain about the low voter turnout but if people don't know about it then whose fault is that?

What were the issues voted on anyway?

- JP

5/8 9:53am Regarding: [5/7 7:58pm post about low turnout]:

Unless I missed something when I voted, there was no need or opportunity to "set the wheels of change in motion" at this election. There were no hotly contested offices in this election. There were no issues to be decided. For instance, the office of Moderator was not contested, and it was won by the only candidate, Frank Gross, who has done an excellent job for years. Likewise, the Selectmen position was won by the only candidate, Dr. John McFeeley, who has served the Town very well as Selectman and in other positions including Capital Outlay Committee and Advisory Board. I for one am grateful for the many hours that our elected officials provide to the Town, and I see no need or desire to change these very competent elected Town officials at this time.

- BH

5/7 7:58pm I just returned home from the polls and found it depressing that only a few hundred registered voters had cast votes. If there ever was a time to set the wheels of change in motion this was clearly the time. A grand opportunity missed.

- WB

5/7 11:59am The following letter is intended to inform the Norfolk elementary school staff and parents, as well as the Norfolk community about the FY03 elementary school budget and its impacts on the school system.

Dear Staff, Parents, Guardians and Community Members,

This budget year has been, and continues to be a very difficult one. As the state legislators continue their budgeting process, news from the state has been continually changing. There has been a great deal of concern and speculation both at the state and town levels about how the present state budget crisis will impact the schools. I want to take this opportunity to tell you about our progress to date and where we are today in the budget process.

Continued . . .

- Marcia A. Lukon, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools

5/7 10:24am Today is Election Day. Polls are open until 8pm in the H. Olive Day school auditorium.

5/7 10:19am Hello . . . I will be returning to work after an extended maternity leave this coming fall. We have looked into several child care programs for our two daughters and think we have found one we are happy with. It is called Jolly Farm Learning Center and is located in Walpole center in that older, light green church on the corner of the common area. We are looking for any feedback on this program - positive or negative. If you know anything about it please let us know. We'd appreciate it!

- NS

5/6 11:22am To TK: Hi, and welcome to town! In addition to the annual fee for using the transfer station, there's a sticker required for each bag of trash. The stickers can be bought in town at Main Street Hardware or Norfolk Food Mart (both downtown), Tedeschi's at the corner of 1A and 115, Roche Brothers in Millis, and Star Market in Franklin.

There are no additional charges for recycling cardboard, paper, plastic, cans, glass, etc, but there is a small charge for disposal of large items like tires, furniture, etc. The transfer station mails out a brochure listing all their fees and services; you can get a copy from them, or check out last year's brochure. The cost information is no longer current, but the rest of the brochure is informative.

If you miss the listed dates for getting a permit, you can get one at any time that the transfer station is open.

- VR

5/6 10:31am We've just moved to town, and have a multitude of questions about what, where, and when. But let's start with our question regarding the Transfer Station and the notice posted below. Are the fees listed the "only" fees for use of the facility? Is there a per-bag fee for trash? Are there any fees for things that can be recycled? And, are the dates and locations listed below the only dates and locations where permits for use of the facility can be obtained?

- Thanks, TK

5/5 10:38pm Planning Board Agenda for Thursday, 5/09:

8:00 Canterbury Etates II (continued from 3/28)

likely to be continued w/o new information again

8:01 Presubmission meeting with Atty. Eliz. Maitland

8:15 Daley's Gas Station (continued from 4/11/02) may also be continued w/o new info

8:20 Ed Graham - adding structure at Freeman/Centennial School football fields

8:40 ForeKicks - re: erection of lighting for golf course

- TF

5/5 10:38pm Ok, the wedding is over, we're all home again. The trip to Virginia went well, it was nice seeing everyone, and we all had a good time. Even the driving was pleasant (all 1201 miles).

- Wm.

5/4 1:24pm Don't y'all stop writing all at once, now! This was my first chance to catch up on my e-mail,

The boonies of Northern Virginia (Loudoun County, close to Harper's Ferry) are beautiful, with rolling farmland and only a bit of new construction. Lots of horses, some goats, and a cow or two. The weather is great, warm days with cool nights. Spring is gone, even the lilacs are all over; summer is just around the corner.

4/30 9:39pm The Norfolk Community League will be hosting its 6th annual 5K charity run/walk on June 8. For details, see the Calendar. - Wm.

4/30 8:13pm The Stony Brook Nature Center is hosting a free slide show next Monday (Monday, May 6, 7:00 pm) about a new computer-generated map of the ecological zones of the Commonwealth titled BioMap: The Map Without Roads. ``Jessica Patalano, a project specialist with the state Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, will present a slide program and discuss how our towns can help identify additional areas of valuable habitat.'' For more details and contact information, click through to the press release.

- Wm.

4/30 10:36am Thank you AB for the information about our aquifers. We also have experienced brown water intermittently. The last bout was last Thursday - Friday, the toilet bowls looked as if they were filled with coffee. The answer I received from the water department was that it was manganese caused by a pump system that had been shut down and restarted, thereby shaking the pipes. Who knows if that is true, but I was disappointed by the lack of info from them. They couldn't really answer me when I asked if we should use the water. It would also be helpful if they would sent out a letter informing us of what is going on.

- The other PR

4/29 11:48pm The Norfolk Education Enrichment Foundation is having its annual meeting on Monday, May 13, 2002 at 8:00 PM - Room 25 - Town Hall. NEEF does fundraising and provides grants for educational enrichment activities in the Norfolk schools.

- RL

4/29 12:52pm To BH: Thank you for information about the Water Dept. Do you work there? If so, care to comment on the brown water problem that we, too, are experiencing? (vicinity of Needham St.) Also, thank you AB for your insight.

We are still anxiously awaiting the opening of the Pond Street Recreation Fields ... this is, by far, the longest "grow in" period I have ever heard of!!! The golf course at ForeKicks will be open before these fields are! Maybe it is going to be a Grass Museum.

- JM

4/29 10:46am

Town of Norfolk
Recycling/Transfer Station
2002 Vehicle Permits will be issued at the Highway Department on the following dates:
Saturday, June 1, 2002 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday, June 8, 2002 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday, June 15, 2002 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
The cost is $45.00 for the first permit, $5.00 for the second and replacements. Only two permits per household.
Senior citizens will receive a $10.00 discount off the cost of the first permit. Checks should be made payable to the Town of Norfolk.
Vehicle and registration are required at the time the permit is issued. To obtain the second permit, you will need your original receipt, vehicle and registration. New residents will need a vehicle registration and information verifying tax-payer status.
For residents unable to utilize these times, permits will be made available at the Recycling/Transfer Station during the hours of operation after June 15, 2002.

. . . from a handout at the Recycling/Transfer Station

- BH

4/29 10:13am [Re: why brown water]

I can't speak directly for the Norfolk Water Department, but my background in hydrogeology may offer an explanation for the recent occurrences of brown water in the Norfolk water supply system. My theory is that the water supply system may be experiencing the negative effects of the lack of precipitation. An overburden (non-bedrock) groundwater aquifer that serves as a water supply can be divided into three distinct horizons or zones - upper zone, intermedia te zone and lower zone. The upper zone is characterized by active groundwater movement due to pumping. Scientific studies conducted in New England have shown that this zone is low in dissolved solids and a pH value around 6.5 to 7.2 (7 being neutral). The two lower zones are characterized by decreasing groundwater movement, an increase in dissolved solids and pH values of 5.7 to 6.5 (slightly on the acidic side). For comparison vinegar has a pH value of around 2. Due to the lack of rainfall, water is drawn from these lower zones of the aquifer, since the upper zone has decreased in thickness due to the lack of precipitation. The lower pH and increased dissolved solids in the groundwater will cause the groundwater chemistry to change. Even a slight lowering of the pH will result in the accumulations in the water supply system piping to be liberated off the interior of the piping walls. The accumulation of materials in the piping is normal. Periodic flushing of the system is one solution to remove accumulations in the piping. As for what is in the brown water - without testing it, my best guess it is more than likely iron, manganese, some calcium, and minute amounts of silica, chloride and some potassium. The standards for these compounds can be found at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection website. Only chloride, iron and manganese have established standards, and these are regulated as a Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level. These standards are developed to protect the aesthetic qualities of drinking water and are not health based and are not legally enforceable.

- AB

4/29 9:56am Re: post of 4/28 10:21pm, why isn't the Water Department listed: Refer to the Water Department page

The Water Department is under the direction of the Board of Water Commissioners, an elected board. By statute, the Water Department is controlled by this elected board. Statutory authority is described here.

The statute reads, in pertinent part:

Chapter 41: Section 69B. Water commissioners; powers and duties.
Section 69B. The water commissioners, or the selectmen authorized to act as such, in a town establishing a water supply or water distributing system under authority of section thirty-nine A of chapter forty shall have exclusive charge and control of the water department and water system, subject to all lawful by-laws and to such instructions, rules and regulations as the town may from time to time impose by its vote. (etc.)

- BH

4/28 10:21pm We all know the Town Administrator is the Chief Administrative officer for 3 years and he appoints the Police Chief/Fire Chief/Highway Sup/Finance Dir/Bldg Com/Director of Emerg Managment - (see the town website page) - why isnt the Water Dept listed? Is there some other criteria that excludes certain depts?

- JO

4/28 4:36pm To KM We have had no problem (knock on wood) with our water. What part of town is this happening in? This is not a fun problem to deal with!

- PR

4/28 4:28pm We would like to thank all those who came out for the Water Cooler 5K Run/Walk last Sunday. The race was a great success! With just under 200 runners, we exceeded our greatest expectations. The Senior Center will soon be receiving their handicap accessible water fountain. Some of the Norfolk participants who walked away with a trophy include Glenn Horner, Juli Nievergelt, Tim Huth, Holly Cain, Lisa Connolly, Tyler Huth, Jessica Allen, Nancy Flynn, and Shirley Cronin - Congratulations!

- Water Cooler 5K Race Committee

4/28 11:39am To KM: I'm glad you wrote about the brown water, we have noticed it intermittently since last Fall. It was so bad that when we ran water in the tub, it looked dark brown and left a black residue in the tub when water was released. We called the water dept and they came and flushed out the hydrant across the street from us. I hate to tell you but it took over a half hour to turn clear. The toilets are also quite stained constantly because of this. It has been happening quite frequently lately. Are we supposed to drink and cook and clean with this water? We are paying enough for it. We bought a gallon container that filters out the drinking water but how long is this going to go on. We need help. Anyone have any answers??

- JJL

4/27 3:08pm This may seem like trivial point, but if we are supposedly in the midst if a water crisis why were the in-ground lawn sprinklers running on the Town Green at 7 am last week? I understand that they are supplied by well water, but the Water Department was requesting that individuals with wells not water their lawns. Secondly, at this time of year and with the recent rains there is no reason to water. My lawn has not been watered and is as green as ever. Thirdly, by running these sprinklers at a busy time like 7 am the Town seems to be sending a message that it is ok to water lawns.

- TW

4/27 2:12pm I submitted last Thursday's Planning Board agenda for publication on this site but, for some unknown reason, it did not make it to the Notes. Due to recent interest demonstrated on this site, it is my intention to post the items to be heard at the weekly meeting on this site. For May 2, the following items are currently on the agenda:

8:00 - Village at Pine Creek Subdivision

8:15 - Recreation Commission, Pond St. Rec Complex

8:35 - 220 Main Street

8:40 - Norterra Public Hearing (continuation) - Age restricted housing

9:00 - Scott Colwell - Maple Park Estates

9:15 - Sharons Ave.
The next planning session, for which DAF has scheduled an appointment, is May 30th at 8:00.

- TF
[We never received the last agenda; don't know what could have happened - Wm.]

4/26 11:09pm Today was the first chance I had to go to pick-up soccer. Five people showed, which is much better than last week, when apparently only two were present. We had a good, vigorous game and a fun time, though very few of the rules of regulation soccer were followed. Temperatures were in the high 40's, with blustery winds, and it snowed overnight, but it felt good to be outdoors.

Why a picture of a sunset? Well, you see, that was going to be a picture of the moonrise. As we finally stopped, a huge full moon was rising from the woods behind the field. It was a spectacular sight, and I wanted a photograph. But by the time I got to my camera it was too dark and the moon rather ordinary, so I'm making due with the remnants of the pretty sunset instead.

- AR

4/26 4:09pm Does anyone know why the town water is currently (or, more accurately, intermittently) running a brown color?

- KM

4/25 10:17am The public auction of foreclosed properties has been moved up by a day to May 15. Also, there is a revised list of properties available here [PDF document].

- Wm.
4/26 10:08am Update: Beware that the default display size of 60% may cause some versions of Excel to incorrectly display the document and not show all digits properly. I've also just converted the spreadsheet to PDF format, here, which does not require Excel to view.

4/25 10:37am I see someone's been playing with the stoplight downtown. Cute! - AR

4/23 9:36pm For anyone who is saving for college for their children or grandchildren, there is an excellent website [here] which tells about "Section 529 Plans" and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, both of which offer significant tax advantages. The 529 plans are run by various investment firms, such as Fidelity in MA and NH; TIAA-CREF in CT, etc.

- BH

4/22 7:25pm My husband, grandson and I enjoyed ourselves very much Sat. night at the hockey game. It was so great to see the old timers play, it was good to see the Bruins also, just kidding. The pace of the game was fast and furious, our guys did a great job. My 2 yr. old grandson was given a hockey puck by one of the refs. He doesn't have a clue to what it is, but my husband loves it.

- JW

4/22 7:17pm When is the Pond St. recreation site going to be opened? How large is the parcel in acres and how far is the walking trail around the circumference in distance? Thanks,

- PL

4/22 12:29pm To WB/DAF - Count me in - VR.

4/22 12:28pm Follow-up to JO: According to town officials, the warrant for the May 14 Town Meeting has an article which would establish an "overlay" district to permit cell towers. If the article passes, it would allow cell towers on Water Department property within the district

- VR

4/22 12:27pm Follow-up to JJL: According to the town administrator's office, the town received $991,000 in lottery money via the Cherry Sheet in fiscal 2002. Those funds get rolled into the General Fund to support general government operations in Norfolk. The Governor has requested a 10% cut in lottery funds for the upcoming year, but it's not certain whether this will pass.

- VR

4/22 9:47am Just wanted to say what a great time my daughter and I had at the Norfolk Firefighters hockey game Saturday night. They played an excellent game and it was fun seeing that some of the past Bruin greats still have a lot in them - speed, skill, and most importantly sportsmanship.

Now, who's been playing with the thermostat?

- SF

4/21 10:26am I think that the recent discussion on this site regarding development pressures in Norfolk, and the Planning Board's plan for dealing with them, illustrates the need for a very public debate on the question of how we should go about attacking the problems being brought to us by escalating residential development. Mr. Fitzpatrick seems to suggest that his strategy is to "build our way out of it," by encouraging more commercial development. While there have been some successes so far in this regard, I think it is fair to say that the town center project is a dismal failure at this point, and the limited commercial development that has taken place has provided little restraint on the rapid rise of our tax bills. Also, encouraging commercial development obviously does nothing to alleviate the environmental and aesthetic impacts of residential growth. The other approach is to attack the growth itself. Can anyone tell me honestly that our existing laws and regulations restrain residential development to the greatest extent legally possible? If not, then this is a debate we need to have. I think NAGS is a great idea, and can serve as a catalyst for involving the broader community. As the process gets moving, various people involved in the effort may indeed choose to run for office, as Mr. Fitzpatrick suggests. We need at least a dozen volunteers to get this off the ground. Who will volunteer?

- WB

4/20 3:31pm It's time for spring cleaning, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging Americans to join its "recall round-up" of 12 hazardous products still found in millions of homes. Most of these have beeninvolved in children's deaths. The goal of this recall round-up is to convince consumers to throw away, repair, or replace these hazardous products. Despite recall notices and public warnings, CPSC believes that many products with the potential to seriously injure or kill are still being used by consumers. See this page.

- BH

4/20 3:29pm To TF: To say that meetings are held every Thursday evening is a typical response from members of the town boards. My experience is that board meetings have pre-set agendas and the topics may or may not be of interest to someone popping in. I would like to see the boards post their agendas so that town residents can attend those meetings which capture their interest. For instance, a person may attend a Planning Board meeting one week and a Board of Health meeting the next night or week. This post is not a criticism of TF or the Planning Board, but a request for all boards to post their agendas so that all citizens have an opportunity to share their thoughts on issues of particular interest to them.

- RN

4/20 8:48am Well, just to be sure, here are some more signs that spring is here. The violets are growing wild next to the highway department, while the maple leaves are next to the post office. Both pictures were taken yesterday, 4/19. (Apropos violets, it's neat how many different kinds there are around here. One year I counted half a dozen types growing around our neighborhood, none of them in flower beds. Some look like violets, some like small pansies, and the others run the gamut in between.)

- Wm.

4/20 8:40am To RN: Planning Board meetings take place Thursday evenings at 8:00 PM in the Planning Board office in Town Hall. In anticipation of larger crowds at hearings for new developments, meetings are sometimes relocated to the Board of Selectmen's meeting room.

- TF

4/20 8:09am I have to comment with credit given to DAF about "the patriotism angle." What PR stated is certainly true, that as a land owner you have certain rights to develop a property. However, as I have experienced first hand, there is a wide and blurry line between property rights and the land owner's "claim of entitlement." The last time I checked these two are mutually exclusive. When a developer has a desire to balance development with common courtesy and a willinginess to work with a Town Board, what may be viewed as common sense development is really a Board and developer finding a middle ground where the property owner is flexible in his expectation of "entitlement." When someone wishes to wipe every single piece of vegetation off the entire limit of his development, entitlement becomes a point of contention and the general lack of common courtesy is evident by the seemingly defiant nature of a developer that he is going to do whatever he wants. If a Board denies the project as proposed, the Town gets sued. The question is who is out of line? Instead I'll pose a question to that question - If some developers can plan a development that is aesthetically pleasing and meets the requirements of a Town Board then why can't all of the developers? With more credit to DAF the point about ForeKicks is a great example of how things can work. The people and development team for ForeKicks had a good, solid plan in order to meet their goal of building this facility. They knew what they could compromise on and what they needed. If my memory serves me correctly, the total time to review this develoment by the Town Boards was less than 4 months. This development broke ground after CMGI Field and will be 100% complete before CMGI field (including the parking and other infrastructure improvements) is finally finished...in the mean time we still has a dust bowl in the center of Town.

- AB

4/19 11:32am Response to Tony Fitzpatrick, Chairman, Norfolk Planning Board: Thank you for making us aware that the board has planning sessions open to the public. Could you post the time and place of these sessions on this website? It would be more efficient than having every interested person contact Lois.

- RN

4/18 8:54pm According to this article in the Boston Globe:

Since this is a drought year, don't fertilize lawns, trees, or shrubs this spring, except for roses. Sprinkle bulbs and perennials lightly now with an organic fertilizer such as bone meal, soybean meal, or seaweed extract that will feed the plants without forcing too much growth.

Perhaps my lawnmowing task will be easier this year.

- BH

4/18 8:54pm The NOAA weather broadcast (162.475 MHz) mentioned this coming event at the famous Blue Hill Observatory:

Open House & Kite Festival

Saturday, May 4, 2002

10 AM - 4 PM
Enjoy the amazing view, fascinating history and fun activities at the oldest continuously operating weather observatory on the continent.

Activities include: Rooftop viewing, Kite making and kite flying, Self-guided tours of the Weather Observatory, Guest lecture by Miles Lawrence from the , National Hurricane Center (11 AM and 2 PM), Easy and breezy activities for kids, Weather Demonstrations, Exhibits and displays, Summit nature walks.
All activities held at Blue Hill Weather Observatory at the summit of Great Blue Hill. Event is free. Nominal supply charge for some activities.

To access the activities at the Observatory: Walk/hike the l mile route or take the chair lift to and from the summit. Shuttle vans available for seniors and special access to summit. No private vehicles allowed.

Check out the interesting links and photos on the website. Memberships are available. Be sure to check out the membership page.

- BH

4/18 8:14pm A fellow goes out of town on business for week and look what happens.... Where to start. Basically, VR's post in my defense, was pretty much what I'd say. Maybe I should go away more often. :-)

A couple of additions. I'm not sure if Tony was trying to draw me out of anonymity or if he was just jumping to conclusions, but as it so happens, I already volunteer for two town committees, although it shouldn't really matter, frankly. As a citizen I should be able to get straightforward answers to my questions about the Planning Board's intentions for our town. I definitely understand the defensiveness though - here you fellows give up your time trying to do what you think is right for the community and the darn community seems to be full of complaints. Been there.

PR's argument is, I'm sorry to say, kind of shallow. What should I do if I don't like some aspect of a decision (or lack thereof) made by the School Committee or the the Board of Health, or the Council on Aging, or the Historical Commission? I should just join all of the boards? Isn't that something people in town have complained mightily about - that there are too many of the same people involved in the various aspects of our governance?

As for the patriotism angle PR rolls out - it always surprises me when conservatives forget about the "conserve" part of their chosen ideological perch. Teddy Roosevelt, that dear old Republican, established the U.S. Forest Service and the 1906 Antiquities Act under which he proclaimed 18 national monuments. He also obtained Congressional approval for the establishment of five national parks and 51 wildlife refuges and set aside land as national forests. Tree hugger, I guess. Preservation law is a lot more of a grey area than the stuff you'd find on Law and Order or Judge Judy. It's often about interpretation.

As for the NIMBY comment... if people used half of the energy they expend in coming up with derogatory names for people they disagree with and applied it to actual problem-solving, the town, and the world, would be a better place. How can a town with 2 and a half prisons be accused of NIMBYism? NIMBY originally was a name for people who seek to exclude housing developments because the residents would be homeless shelter clients, prisoners, poor, disabled, or because of their race or ethnicity. Well, that certainly isn't what NAGS is about. NAGS wants growth - just smarter growth. Growth with a plan.

It all depends on where you start out. NAGS says we want to keep the best parts of our natural and historic environment and then fit the growth around that. Fore Kicks, which Tony raises, is a great example. I didn't hear a peep out of anyone arguing against Fore Kicks. Why? Because the project made sense -- it was using space that was essentially a "greyfield" and putting it to good use. That project zipped through the town boards and committees like Ex Lax through a frog.

I'll call Lois this week and get NAGS put on the Planning Board agenda as soon as they can fit it into their busy schedules. Then I'll post here asking any fellow NAGS to show up.

- DAF

4/18 12:56pm To DAF:

I am glad to see that my reply to your note has evoked some response by the people who visit this site. I got involved with the Planning Board four years ago despite a busy law practice and having four young children because I viewed many areas of town to be a blank canvas. We have long had a need for commercial development and other sources of revenue that would not bring tax dollars with little impact on our schools, etc., such as age restricted housing, and the lure of being part of the process was just too strong.

I hope that many of you will feel the same way about our little town. It's a great place to live and raise a family, but it cannot remain that way if the burden of town services continues to be placed solely upon its residents. The Planning Board has put considerable effort into zoning changes designed to make Norfolk more friendly to commercial development. So far these efforts have yielded Jofran, Fore Kicks, and two 55-plus developments that are presently before us. We continue to push hard for action in the town center and look forward to seeing other suitable projects as well.

Norfolk continues to evolve. I encourage your attendance at our meetings and those of the ZBA, PBC, Board of Selectmen, Board of Health, etc. They are all public meetings which, unfortunately, only seem to be attended by immediate abutters of new projects. Even more importantly, the same faces (and very few faces, i might add) show up at town meeting. The result is that 10,000 people end up living with the rules set for them by 100 or less! By the time Town Meeting is in its latter stages, most of the people there are those who serve on town boards! Not everyone can find the time to be on town boards, but we owe it to ourselves to participate in the process. Norfolknet is a great place to start, but I urge everyone to talk to their neighbors and friends on the street, at the Post Office, Dunkin Donuts, wherever. Come to a meeting. Put Town Meeting on your calendar or your Palm Pilot... and get there. If you plan on staying in town, we need to hear from you. Thanks, DAF, for getting this started.

- TF

4/18 11:04am On April 1 the SunChronicle carried an excellent article on Water Rates for the surrounding towns.

Norfolk was cited as having the highest rate due to the funding needed for the new water tank as well as to encourage conservation ... Yet, yesterday's Sun Chronicle (April 17) carried an article that the Water Commissioners had raised the rate.

When I compared the two articles I found the rate to be the same. Question - If it is the same rate how does the newspaper get the info before it is voted on?

- JO

4/18 9:00am The suggestion regarding NAGS (love the name) is an excellent one, perhaps one of those ideas whose time has come. Over the years, I have also heard how "hard" it is for developers to crack this town, yet, it seems to me, that every time I turn around another development or new house appears. Growth is a crucial issue and it's good to see that there are folks on norfolknet who are becoming more and more concerned. Has DAF's intention to meet with the Planning Board to discuss town development been scheduled? If so, I would like to tag along. Please advise regarding date and time. If it has already taken place, please let us know what was accomplished.

- TEM

4/17 5:06pm Don't forget - This Sunday, April 21st are the Water Cooler 5K Run/Walk & Kid's 1K Fun Races. The race begins and ends at the Senior Center on Medway Branch Road. The start gun goes off at 11:00. All proceeds from this race, to The Tom Daley Foundation, will be used to purchase a handicap accessible water cooler for Norfolk's new Senior Center. This promises to be a great fundraising event for our community! There are many great raffle prizes up for grabs. So whether you are participating in the race or just out to cheer on the runners, hope to see you there! For more information about the race email us.

- CK, Race Committee

4/17 10:40am Watch it Wm, if it snows soon I will hold you personally responsible. Anyone remember the May 9 storm back in the 70's? We were without power for 5 days and it wreaked havoc on the trees. We lost our new screen houseand nearly my hubby when he went out to get the snow off the top of it. The trees all around were cracking and breaking due to the weight of the snow on the new leaves. The damage was extensive all around town.

- JW

4/17 8:19am In case you missed the weather forecast for today, it's ``hot with highs in the lower 90s.'' Now could somebody make it go away, please? I'm not ready yet!

- Wm.

4/16 2:46pm There's a place in society for volunteer groups - and in the best of all possible worlds, it's a place that complements the work of elected officials. One does not, after all, say to members of the Red Cross that they should run for elected office in order to make a difference in the world. Nor does one say that to members of the ADL, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, or a host of other groups whose members donate their time to further a cause that's important to them and to what they see as the general welfare of society.

Some of us may have served town government before, and some may run for elected office in the future, but we may not be able to make the significant time commitment required of a board member at this time in our lives. That does not mean that we do not care about our town, or that we're unwilling to work for its betterment. And a citizens' group of like-minded people may offer a vehicle for some to do just that.

It's interesting, too, that the mention of a group is automatically seen as a challenge to the existing boards. Perhaps it's the acronym, which I assumed was set up in jest, that triggered this response. Otherwise, reading the posts that led up to discussion of forming such a group, one sees simple concern about where the town is headed, with a few basic questions repeated over and over again: What is going to happen downtown? What process allowed the development of the moonscape? What, if anything, can be done to prevent it from happening again? What's being done about the rate of residential growth in town and its attendant impact on our water and schools? What controls, if any, do the town by-laws place on such growth? Yet there's been no response by town officials, even in response to a direct request for comment via this webpage, leaving residents to wonder just what their position is on these matters.

DAF and Mr. Fitzpatrick are both right - any concerned residents should first go to the Planning Board meetings to get a sense of where they're headed. Given the interest in these issues, it may well be that more than one resident (i.e. a group) will show up to learn what measures the town has already set up, and what else can be done as Norfolk continues to grow.

- VR

4/16 11:12am Doesn't NAGS really stand for NIMBY (not in my back yard)? I certainly do not agree with some of the tactics some builders choose to develop their properties, but the last time I checked my birth certificate this was still America, the land of the free, the home of the brave, the land of capitalism. As long as someone works within the guidelines of the rules and regulations governing whatever endeavor they are undertaking, I say more power to them. I also agree with Mr. Fitzpatrick, Chairman of the Planning Board. Instead of going off and creating these do-gooder groups, run for an elected office, donate the time, and assist in the due process we are all entitled. By the way, our little town of Norfolk is known in the developer circles as having the toughest regulations and process for permitting around. Many of them choose to stay away completely. Seems like our Town Government is doing the job of controlling growth as best it can.

- PR

4/14 10:27pm The list of foreclosed properties up for auction on May 16 is now available on-line. It's a very small PDF document; a PDF reader is necessary for viewing it. (To download and install the PDF reader, follow the links on the bottom of the Town Hall Documents page.)

- Wm.

AB's post suggesting repeaters on locations like the water tank is worth pursuing. Even monopoles can be camouflaged to reduce the spike appearance. The thought has come up before but hasn't been looked at.