This is the archive of previous Norfolk Notes.
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9/30 4:52pm TK wrote: Yes, Mr. Boulay... a municipal building that serves all, even if paid for by taxpayer money, is, indeed, the very same as any other development proposal in the eyes of the zoning bylaws, and should be treated accordingly. No special treatment for a municipal development venture should be proposed. That would spell 'unfairness' to all who follow the rules as written... even if some, like yourself, may look upon those rules as 'holy writ'.It isn't like we haven't modified the zoning before. We modified the zoning on Medway Branch so that the Senior Center could be built. The library benefits ALL of Norfolk's residents. My question is who is standing in the way and why?Don't like the laws as written? Work to change them through the standard procedures available. 'Circumvention' in this case is, indeed, applicable terminology. - AL
9/30 3:03pm Was it me, or did someone let out a long, loud yawn during the Selectmen's meeting last night, which I saw on NCTV's on-going, live coverage of those meetings? - PA
9/30 3:01pm I couldn't agree more with TK regarding the library. Time and time again we are told by our public officials that the reason for the lack of development in the town is that they are simply applying the laws and regulations as they are on the books. Now, since the library trustees have ignored the recommendations of the zoning boards and procrastinated until the 11th hour, they want to be treated differently than all the other organizations that must follow proper procedure? If the process had been followed from the start all their ducks would now be in a row and building started. Since that wasn't done, they want the town to bail them out by circumventing the regulations everyone else must adhere to? Regardless of the benefits of the building (which I support wholeheartedly), everyone must be held to the same standard. It is insulting to ask the town to bail out the trustees by granting exceptions for their mismanagement. - DM
9/30 12:05pm Arguments presented so far by Mr. Boulay in defense of the library plans totally ignore the opening question presented by 'PC'. Why is it that the zoning bylaws of the town are good for some but not for all? It matters not whether the project proponent is an individual, a corporation, a developer, or a municipal agency, committee, or department. Zoning bylaws, as presently written and approved by the voters and the AG must be adhered to by all. The only exceptions, still applying to all, are the legal processes by which variances and special permits are applied for, approved, or denied. To circumvent the process by way of a town meeting vote, is to open the town to suits and litigation by those denied the very same comfortable option. Yes, Mr. Boulay... a municipal building that serves all, even if paid for by taxpayer money, is, indeed, the very same as any other development proposal in the eyes of the zoning bylaws, and should be treated accordingly. No special treatment for a municipal development venture should be proposed. That would spell 'unfairness' to all who follow the rules as written... even if some, like yourself, may look upon those rules as 'holy writ'. Don't like the laws as written? Work to change them through the standard procedures available. 'Circumvention' in this case is, indeed, applicable terminology. - TK
9/30 9:42am There was, on Channel 7 on 11/29, an interesting program about registering bicycles so they can be returned to the owner after they have been stolen. According to the National Crime Prevention Center, if you register your bike, you're nine times more likely to get it back if it's stolen. Some community police stations will allow you to register your bikes for free, but there may not be communication between towns and cities regarding bicycles retrieved. (This was the point of the TV program segment.) You can also register your bike with a national registry service such as the National Bike Registry, www.nationalbikeregistry.com. This way, no matter where your bike turns up, police will be able to identify you as the owner. The Massachusetts Crime Watch also has a bicycle registry program called Operation ID. To participate in Operation ID, contact your local police department for an engraving tool. Police suggest you engrave your driver's license on your bike. This way, if it is recovered, police can run the driver's license number through a central computer and identify the bicycle as yours. At the very least, record the serial number of your bicycle. You have a better chance of getting the bicycle back if you fill out a police report and include the serial number. That story was linked to propertyroom.com, a website where some police departments auction off items on-line (similar to E-bay) after checking with files and reports to first see if they can be returned to the rightful owner. That website reads: The first Internet site designed to help you recover your stolen property. Please register and record the correct information on the pages that follow. Every item must have a serial number and have been reported lost or stolen to a law enforcement agency in order to be entered into this database. Before we offer any item for auction we will cross check the serial number to make sure it doesn't belong to someone. If the serial number matches, that item will be returned to the police department so that it can be given back to its rightful owner. - AN
9/30 9:40am Can anyone recommend an electrician? We're looking for someone to do a simple job but all the electricians we've contacted don't want to do a simple, small job. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks. - PR
9/29 7:33pm Thanks again to Norfolknet... The dog owner has been located. I'm sorry to all those that really really liked her and wanted to adopt her. I'll keep you all on a list in case I come across something similar. - HNP, Norfolk Animal Control
9/29 12:10pm ST - I am soon-to-be new to Norfolk, and I also have a greyhound. They can be difficult to board sometimes, because of their unique needs. We board ours at Greyhound Rescue of New England, the adoption agency we got him from. They are in Mendon, and they're great people. However, we might be able to work out a 'you watch my hound if I watch yours' type deal between us, if our hounds get along... :) We do a few weekends and at least a week every year, and it gets a little pricey to board him. - DF
9/29 11:05am To ST - We have taken our two labs to the Red Dog Inn in Mansfield for years. They sit on several acres of fenced land, so the dogs have plenty of room to run and play. They divide them up depending on the dog's personality. Their facilities are newly updated and our dogs like it there so much that we take them there once a week for their Day Care services. They're worth a visit to see the place (508) 339-5912 - PN
9/29 11:03am I agree with PC that we ought to re-visit the whole development prospect for the Town Center. In the past ten years we have gone all the way through one of the most robust economic periods this region has ever seen, and nothing was accomplished in our Town Center. I think that really says something about the challenges of creating successful and integrated development in the Center. Such a re-examination of our goals and resources will (and should) take time to be carefully done. Unfortunately, the Library is under serious pressure from the State to achieve substantive progress soon. Hence our reluctance to go thorough a lengthly planning process. Our analysis of the impact of the new Library in the Town Center is that it will strengthen the case for private development, since the library, even now, attracts thousands of visits per week. Those visits will hopefully counteract the fact that Norfolk doesn't have the high traffic counts that investors want to see--and we never will because we are not near a major arterial (like, for example the Wrentham Outlet Malls). My feeling is that the B-1 District regulations provide good clarity and predictatbility for developers of commercial facilities. We probably should have included provisions for municipal buildings when the 1992 Town Meeting passed them, but we didn't. Hence we think it proper to go back to a Town Meeting for approval of a library. - Harvey Boulay, Library Trustee
9/29 11:02am Norfolkistan!! Fantastical or farcical? If your funds were approved two years ago, and your designs have been in front of the town for almost eight years, you're WAY ahead of the normal time-line... just ask Mr. Borelli! - PA
9/29 11:00am Harvey Boulay May have thought his letter was full of wit (Norfolkistan) but I found it ridiculous. PC had a perfectly legitimate argument that if reduced parking, reduced building height, size of footprint and percent of windows were legitimate, the library trustees would have no trouble with the Zoning Board of appeals (See Rob Garrity's post from 9-25-03). They just have to defend their position. The trustees were warned more than two years ago about the size and design of the building by the Planning Board. Before the final architect was hired. The trustees were told two years ago that a two story building would fit better in that location because all the other buildings are two stories. I don't buy the argument about additional staff needed if a second story is added. I've been in many libraries with multiple floors (most of them) and not seen additional staffing. Open it as an atrium so the second floor is within view of the desk if there are security concerns. These are things your architect should have recomended. Oh, another thing. The building is ugly! - SM
9/29 9:24am Looking for the owner of a middle-aged female cairn terrier. I picked this dog up last Tuesday in the Lafayette Lane neighborhood. This dog is described as a chocolate mixed color cairn wearing only a pink flea collar. If you know who owns the dog please call the aco at 508 528 3232. This lovely little dog will be going up for adoption on Thursday if she is not claimed. In the event the owner can not be found and there are prospective adopters out there: This pup is middle aged, great with children, dogs, and cats, housebroken, and will follow you where ever you go on and off the leash. She is a low maintenance pet overall, but needs a check-up and a good grooming! - HNP, Norfolk Animal Control
[Click on the photo for a larger version - Wm.]
9/29 9:22am To ST - I have taken my pets to Acorn Animal Hospital in Norfolk. They are vets as well as boarding. I have only received excellent care there. The number is 508-528-1135. - JT
[Actually, Acorn Animal Hospital is just past the Norfolk town line, in Franklin, on the road that is Main St. in Norfolk - Wm.]
9/29 9:21am Mr. Boulay - I enjoyed your comments to Norfolkistan. Why "fix" or spot the Zoning for one piece of property. While gazing across our blasted, blighted, treeless, windswept vista did it ever occur to you to call into question the reason why the Town Center looks as it does. Maybe the Zoning or the application thereof is the problem. Time to revamp the entire B-1 District (Town - lack of - Center) and make it a realistic place to build not only Libraries but other services. One doughnut shop in a decade is a testament as to how well the existing Zoning works. Make it fair for all applicants, not just the ones that cost tax dollars but for those who pay those tax dollars. - pc
9/28 10:35pm Reply to PC: "Spot Zoning?" "Circumvention of the By-laws?" These are pretty strong charges. They call to mind, not the usual language that we use to discuss important issues in Norfolk, but language that is used in a different, fantastical community that I will call "Norfolkistan." In Norfolkistan, zoning and development language is holy writ, even when it is completely inapplicable to a proposed project such as our new library. In Norfolkistan, every project is treated "the same." A municipal building that provides a continuous public use and benefit to the entire Town, paid for by taxpayer dollars, is no different than a residential subdivision or a commercial development. Norfolkistan has a fixation on parking, for reasons that go back into the misty past. But despite this focus, folks in Norfolkistan never seem to get it right. So the H. Olive Day School sits in back of a vast expanse of parking, looking like a piece of the Wrentham Outlet Mall that took a wrong turn and ended up on Main Street. But when we try to hold our Town elections at the school, everyone has to park in the narrow, cramped parking space around to the back. In Norfolkistan, parking trumps voting. In the Town center, (the "B-1 District") The Town offices, in compliance with the special regulations of that area, had to put all of the parking in the rear and none in the front. This may work well for some, but one consequence is that we can't use the main entrance to the Town Office, and the front door to our Town Hall is locked most of the time. Persons wishing to visit the Town Clerk's office must park in back, walk through the building, and go down one floor. In Norfolkistan, parking regulations trump citizen access. Norfolkistan is proud of its Open Town Meeting form of government. When we have an important issue to decide, we have a Town Meeting to discuss, debate and vote on it. But woe betides anyone who actually uses the Town Meeting to address an important issue. They are accused of circumventing the sacred process. In Norfolkistan, it is ten times easier to delay or stop something than to work out a way for something to get done. And though "Norfolkistan" doesnt really exist, except in some people's minds, this idea has real consequences. Try this experiment. Drive down to the public library. Park your vehicle (you'll find plenty of spaces, even now). Stand with your back to the library and gaze upon the blasted, blighted, treeless, windswept vista. Welcome to Norfolkistan. - Harvey Boulay, Library Trustee
9/26 10:16pm I'm new to town and am looking for a reliable kennel or dog sitter to take care of my greyhound for occasional weekends away (maybe longer). Any recommendations would be highly appreciated. Thanks, - ST
9/26 6:03pm Since this Library is located in the B-1 District, why don't you go through the prescribed process of variances and special permits, any other applicant would have to comply. Spot Zoning through Town Meeting is an interesting circumvention to the existing bylaws previously employed for the Town Hall. I guess Zoning is okay for everyone but the Town - sounds problematic to me. Even if this passed in Town Meeting it still must be approved by the Atty Genl which traditionally will take 60-90 days. If the AG sees this as a spot Zoning issue it will be rejected and you're back to square one just several more months behind schedule ? Why haven't the Library Commissioners applied for variances and special permits to resolve same? Has this been discussed with Planning and/or ZBA ? - PC
9/26 3:24pm The Library Trustees are calling for a Special Town Meeting by petition. The purpose is to consider changes in the Town Center regulations so that construction on our new public library can begin soon. It is almost two years since a Town-wide election voted the funds for this project. We need to move ahead soon so as not to jeopardize over $2 million in state funds. Issues with the library plan have been reduced to a small number. These concern the special regulations adopted specifically for the Town Center in 1992 that mainly refer to commercial buildings, not a public library. The proposed changes to be considered at the Town Meeting are: We will be asking the Selectmen to schedule the Special Town Meeting on October 28, 2003, the same date as the already scheduled Fall Town Meeting. This will save everyone's time and the cost of holding an additional meeting. It will take a 2/3 vote for each article to pass.
- Parking: change from 92 spaces to 62 spaces. Our analysis shows that 62 spaces are more than adequate for present and future needs. Mass. Board of Library Commissioners recommended standard is 46 spaces.
- Main Street Façade. Regulations require that 70% of façade be windows or doors. This applies to commercial storefronts (plate glass display windows), not a library building. We want to keep the design compatible with a New England Town Center.
- Main Street height. Requires that 70% of façade be 20 feet high. Library is a one-story building fitting in with, and not overshadowing Town Hill. Our one-story design has been before the Town since 1996!
- Footprint. Voters approved a library with 23,000 square feet. Regulations require a Special Permit for buildings over 20,000 s.f. This article would permit a municipal building of 25,000 s.f. in the Town Center.
- "Build-to Line." This requirement that buildings be set back either 11 feet or 19 feet (nothing else) also was intended for commercial shops. It would require swallowing up the one-story schoolhouse that was the original library on Town Hill. We want to preserve the historic part of the library not obliterate it.
- Harvey Boulay, Library Trustee
[Does this mean there's still a chance for saving the last few remaining mature trees in town center? (the four maples next to the library don't appear on the new library's proposed architectural plan) Sure would be nice... buildings come and go, but it'll take the rest of our lifetime for any replacements to mature - Wm.]
9/26 1:57pm No offense taken. While the inability to develop the property in the center in a timely and efficient manner is disappointing and frustratring for many, I wouldn't miss the real commercial growth going on down at the intersection of 1A and 115. Some real progress is being made there. As you can tell from the thread of the posts on Norfolknet (developers are getting special deals on the one hand, the Planning Board and Zoning Board are impossible to deal with on the other, and the Con Comm is either eco-fascists or about to be overrun with developer's lackeys on the third hand) -- everyone's got a different point of view. The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. - RG
9/26 11:54am TO: RG Re: Zoning Board and development. I appreciate your thoughtful response to the Name Withheld post, and less directly, to mine. I want to be sure my respect and appreciation for the work of the boards is clear. I have had some dealings with the planning board and others, and while the process is often and by necessity slow, it is obvious that board members have the best interests of the town at heart. What raises eyebrows is when we read a series of stories in a rather short period of time about potential conflicts of interest on the part of volunteer board/commission members, and of developers appearing to get away with underhanded deals. It makes a bystander curious. But bystander I am, and I regret any offense I may have given. - TC
9/26 11:41am Members of the historical commission will be opening up the Tramp House this Saturday from 10 to 3 - drop by for a visit. We'll be showing off our latest find - a hand-colored map of Norfolk from 1888 - and other historical items. - DAF
9/26 8:56am My husband and I are newly expecting and starting to look for baby furniture. If anyone has any 'gently used' furniture that you are looking to clear out of your house (and make a little money in the process), please email us at [click here]. The three big items we are looking for are a crib, changing table and dresser. We are primarily interested in matching sets, but will consider anything! Thanks! - JL
9/26 8:56am My Comcast internet service seems to have returned to normal; how about everyone else who was having trouble? - JM
9/25 11:58am Brian and family, Welcome to our beautiful town - glad to be of help in the earring department - just another service of your local Historical Commisssion. Likewise, if anyone else in town or thereabouts needs help locating a lost metal item, just let me know. - BD
9/25 9:42am NS, My post was meant to be somewhat humorous. Please accept my apologies if it seemed out of line. You are right -- boards and commissions do have some discretion in how the laws are enforced. There are variances granted. But, the point of a variance is to allow a remedy when a development proposal has not been anticipated in the regulation or varies in some way which does not work against the purpose and intent of the regulations. The statutory criteria for a variance is set forth in Massachusetts General Law and they are clearly meant to be granted sparingly. If variances are handed out willy-nilly, they undermine the regulations and essentially make them unenforceable. In the case of Valentine Drive, the land owners bought an unbuildable lot full of wetlands. They want variances in order to work around the laws in place to protect public and private water supply, protect groundwater supply, provide flood control, prevent storm damage, protect wildlife habitat, and prevent pollution. To grant a variance in this case is to work against the intent of the law. The next time someone wants a variance to do something against our common interests, their lawyers can point to the precedent, and our town can be forced to grant the variance. I, for one, like the fact that our town is known as being tough in fighting for the common interests of our citizens. Well-designed developments that do not hurt our common interests tend to make it through our boards easily. - MH
9/25 9:37am To PFD - Norfolk has a food pantry which is run by Dee Harpin at the Emmanuel Baptist Church. [E-mail the webmaster for contact info - Wm.] In addition to the food pantry, there is Norfolk Together. Norfolk Together is an organization in town that provides needy families in town with financial assistance. For instance, if a family were to have an unforseen situation they would help with oil payments, electricity or some other bill that would keep them on their feet. The Norfolk Together annual raffle mailing will be in the mail within the next week. Lastly, the Norfolk Fire Association provides gifts to families in town during the holidays as well as gift baskets. They hold a fund raiser in October (they just recently sent mailings out to folks in town kicking this event off) to help fund these events. It is unbelieveable what this group does for our town in addition to their regular duties. I hope this provides you with the information you need and thank you for your interest and support to these groups. - Barbara Snead, Treasurer, Norfolk Together, Inc.
9/25 9:31am To Name Withheld: About this myth of a Zoning Board that is impossible to deal with (I'll leave the defense of Planning Board to themselves). As a member of the zoning board for the last four or so years, I can recall approximately seven or eight denials out of easily 150+ applications. That is not to say the process is simple, but the process laid out in the Massachusetts General Laws isn't meant to be simple. As for commercial development, I cannot recall an application that was denied in the last four years (actually, as I write this, I remember the denial of a cellular tower for Sprint on Route 1A. They wanted to place a tower outside of the zones the town had set up for cellular. They came back with a tower inside the cellular zones and currently have an application before the board). The zoning board you have now is a balanced, thoughtful board reflecting great diversity of opinion. The ZBA tries very hard to work with applicants to make sure everyone's interests are protected. And, don't forget, the bylaws the board are working off of are those passed at town meeting, we're not making this stuff up by ourselves. Could the process be easier? Sure. You've got five volunteer boards (Planning, Zoning, Design Review, Health, and Con Comm) to navigate, plus a building department. It can get downright confusing, complicated, and time consuming. I, speaking as just one member of the ZBA, think that we should take a look at how development is handled in town, perhaps with the thought of some additional applicant assistance, or an ombudsman, to help people better understand their expectations. Development in any town in Massachusetts can be difficult. But it's the very Planning, Zoning, and Design etc etc bylaws that people wish to disregard when they're inconvenient that allow for the (I believe) very nice little town we've built here. I hope TC does run for something, or seek appointment to a board. The more the merrier! The more involved, the better the decision. - Rob Garrity, Associate Member, Norfolk ZBA
9/25 9:07am Regarding the post of "name withheld," shouldn't it be initials withheld and not name withheld? And, by the way, I thought it was your strict policy not to permit the withholding of this minimal identification attached to a post unless there are exceptional or very unusual circumstances. I think it is especially important when the post is overtly political or wants the town of Norfolk to be user friendly to builders, developers, or contractors who could care less whether we end up looking like Franklin. - "Initials Withheld" (TEM)
[Yes, it's our policy that all posts be from confirmed town residents. However, we do sometimes honor requests to omit the initials if this could avoid difficult circumstances for someone who otherwise might not speak up. - Wm.]
9/25 9:03am I received a donation card in the mail the other day for a Boston organization that provides Thanksgiving dinners. I was going to go online and make a donation and decided I would check to see if there is such a program in Norfolk. Do we have a food pantry that serves Norfolk? I know we have Norfolk Serve, but I do not think that covers what I want to do. I know I could also make a donation at St. Jude's, but figured I would check what else is out there. Thanks. BTW, great job BD on helping out with that earring. - PFD
9/24 8:53pm I would like to send a TREMENDOUS thank you to BD for taking the time and effort to not only look for my wife's lost earring (see previous post) but for FINDING it as well! It's people like this that really reinforce our joy in moving to Norfolk. Thanks, BD, from all us - - Brian, Janine, Molly Rose, and Ben
9/24 8:51pm In reply to RB: there are no public water supplies in Norfolk that are treated with fluoride. I found out when my son went to his pediatrician and they supplied fluoride supplements until he was 6 yrs old. - HN
9/24 8:41pm OK - since you guys get to post flamingos and fishers... here's one for the page. Note the dashed yellow line and the last pose it had before greeting oncoming traffic. - Annonymoose
[This post is left anonymous to protect the guilty. Ahem, I know who you are, and I know you know better! That having been said, the pictured fisher is said to have met its demise and a funny guy taxidermist in Franklin - Wm.]
9/24 5:45pm [...] - AKS
[Post by AKS re Planning Board removed pending verification. My apologies - Wm.]
9/24 3:17pm Whose responsibility is it to keep the tree and shrub overgrowth from taking over the sidewalks? The town or the property owner? It is nice to have sidewalks to walk on, but when you have to move into the street to avoid the branches, what's the point? - KM
9/24 12:36pm Comcast internet has started working again for me as of this morning. - JH
9/24 11:19am To TC: [re What can the average resident do] To answer your question, the simple answer is get involved! Run for an elected position such as the Planning Board which will have two openings this Spring and make a difference. To see things progress in a more timely and appropriate fashion will certainly not happen with the current makeup of either the Planning or Zoning Board, because it is their sole intent to try to stop development [...]. Attend a few hearings and see the kind of pain and torture applicants have to endure. The smart ones purposely stay away from Norfolk and do business in surrounding towns. I find it amazing that though the Thursday and Sunday Globe West section covers numerous towns, the number of controversial stories involving Norfolk is significantly greater than any other community. Why is that? - [Name withheld - Wm.]
9/24 11:16am Does all of Norfolk have fluoride in the town water? Or just certain areas? Where can I go to get this information? Thanks - RB
9/24 7:49am JW, I see there are others out there that feel the same as you do. I found this pair yesterday on my way to work, and thought maybe they'd cheer you up a bit :-) - Wm.
9/24 6:44am Town Hall is starting a mailing list for Recreation Department for news of rec dep events, schedule changes, and general info. To subscribe, go to http://www.virtualnorfolk.org/subscriber.shtml. - Wm.
9/24 6:40am I have two tickets to the New England Revolution vs. the Columbus Crew at Gillette Stadium, this Saturday (9/27) at 6:00pm, free for anyone who is interested. I can't make it. Section 105, which is on the goal line. Email me at jvmiii@comcast.net. - JM
9/24 6:35am To the person who asked, the meeting with Eastern Development took place last Tuesday, and the results were disappointing (See other entries below regarding easement, etc.). It does make you wonder what the heck is going on. With all due respect and appreciation to those who serve the town, either as volunteers or paid employees, it is difficult to believe that this has been going on for 15 years! It is such a shame that we can't bring some appropriate development into town, given the widespread interest in doing so. What can the average resident do to bring about some action? Attend meetings? Make calls? I am learning the politics of this town are fraught with difficulties, i.e a board member suing the very board she sits on; another commission appointing as a new member a person who knowingly defied the ruling of that very commission? It is beginning to appear unseemly. Any suggestions to guide the civic behavior of those of us wishing to see things progress in a more timely and appropriate fashion? - TC
9/23 10:13pm Regarding Comcast. We are having problems too. Lost connections, slow speed. It is unusable at times. I am going to call Comcast now that I know it is not just me (they always seem to blame my router or modem). - JSW
9/23 7:09pm All right I am not crazy, I saw a large animal crossing Main St. around 3pm today. It was the same animal I saw on Union St. this summer. There was some discussion about it here on this page and someone mentioned a Fishercat. I think that is what I saw. Another discussion was about loud screaming noise in the woods. We have heard sounds like a girl or woman screaming in the past and thought it was a screech owl. I found this info and thought I would pass it on. [Link: The Rindge fisher cat] - JW
9/23 7:05pm Yesterday, one of the meterologists on WBZ Radio said, "Autumn arrives tomorrow morning! Check your clocks!" Uh, you go right ahead, but I'm going to wait a few weeks. - HPK
9/23 6:54pm Thanks Wm, you've managed to totally depress me. - JW
9/23 6:53pm Saturday, Oct. 11 King Philip Fall Classic At 6:00 p.m. marching bands will be competing in the 2003 King Philip Fall Classic at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham. [More information...]. - BW
9/23 9:15am Happy Autumnal Equinox! As of 6:47am this morning, it's officially fall.
- Wm.
9/23 9:12am When is the meeting with Eastern Development regarding the moonscape, and is it open to the public? - JM
9/23 9:11am Re: Comcast. Sounds like lots of people are having trouble with their broadband connection. I live on Bridie Lane (off Grove Street), and it has been virtually unusable. I hope EVERYONE calls and complains. The 24 hour customer service number for internet is 866-447-7333, and the general service number is 888-633-4266. Go get 'em! - JM
9/23 9:02am Re: Does anyone have information or contacts regarding infant day care.
I have an infant opening for the moment... call 508-528-3235.- ER
9/23 8:58am From the Town Hall site: Town of Norfolk Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held on October 4, 2003, from 9:00am to 12:00pm at the Highway Department, 33 Medway Branch. It's drive-through service, you never leave your car. Norfolk residents only; proof of residency required (driver's license) A list of accepted materials is available at the Town Hall and Transfer Station. - Wm.
9/22 4:22pm To WB et al. re: the "easement" in question appears on a number of site drawings and attracted the attention of the engineers for the new library site. Upon investigation, they determined that there is no recorded easement on file. An easement may have been planned, or assumed, or whatever, but we believe that it does not exist. The developer can contact our engineers, Coler and Colantonio, to verify this. Part of the problem may be that there has been so much activity on this site in recent years that there are many drawings and plans that do not reflect what was actually built or installed, or the correct delineation of parcels. This complicates an already messy situation. The Library Trustees hope to post more information about the library expansion project soon on both the Library web site and, if possible, on Norfolk Net. - Harvey Boulay, Library Trustee
9/22 3:26pm BA - If you want to show me whereabouts your wife lost her earring - I'd be glad to look for it for you with my metal detectors. Just let me know - BD
9/22 2:32pm Does anyone have information or contacts regarding infant day care. Our preference is in the day care provider's home. - JL
9/22 1:11pm In response to the Comcast issue - Like the Everett St. person, I thought I'd let you know that we have not experienced any issues (knock on wood) in the last three weeks. We live on Fredrickson, which is off Grove. Hopefully this will help you pinpoint the problem. Good luck. - BS
9/22 12:20pm Re: 9/22 7:01am Is anyone else experiencing an intermittent slow connection on Comcast broadband? In case the problem is related to cable equipment on a pole in a specific part of town, I'll give my street: Everett St. I've had only one problem and I'm not sure if Comcast was working on the system (at 12:30 AM) or if my PC was to blame. The problem went away after I did routine maintenance: scandisk, defrag, Norton Utilities, etc. The cable drop from the pole was replaced about 5 years ago, due to poor TV reception, and the connection is good now, even on a windy day when the cable gets blown around. (TV Channel 12 has low audio gain, but all others are OK) I did find loose wires on my phone connection in the cellar, which apparently caused dropouts when I used a dialup modem. Those phone line dropouts went away after the connections were tightened. Suggestion: Make sure all of your cable connections are tight, to splitters, cable modem, etc. And make sure your splitters are the high band type rather than the low band type that we used before broadband came to town. - RH
9/22 12:16pm MH - kind of a low blow to the selectman on Valentine Dr. Level minds should prevail in this issue. I assume this is why we have a Conservation Commission, to look at all sides of the case and act fairly. If the only role of the Commission is to enforce the laws and not interpret them into what makes sense both ecologically and environmentally, then we do not need a commission at all. We would just route all Conservation issues to [the] town counsel and he/she would say if it's in compliance or not. Case closed. - NS
9/22 11:48am Re: Comcast My connection has been bordering on unusable for the past 2 weeks. Comcast told me that I am losing 33% of the data sent to my modem. A tech is scheduled to come out in a week, but I now do not have high expectations now that other people are reporting the same problem. - JH
9/22 11:46am Take the land by eminent domain? Where would the $ come from for that? It seems to me, after reading the Globe yesterday, that what we have at Town Hall is a serious lack of communication. - PA
9/22 10:35am To JM: I have noticed the same thing with Comcast and have been both puzzled and concerned. In fact, access has been so stunted and slow I thought maybe I was a victim of an undetected worm or virus and went ahead and scanned all files with Norton Anti-Virus. Could this be yet another example of megamonopoly insanity and inefficiency, another billion dollar corporation who has greedily bitten off way more than they can chew? - TEM
9/22 10:34am WB, I'd be surprised if the Selectmen moved to take these parcels by eminent domain for the benefit of the town. That said, there is a growing movement by cities and towns to take private property by eminent domain in order to allow another private developer to use the parcels (see this CSM article). Now that's the kind of devious eminent domain the BOS could get behind! Or, better yet, we could take it by eminent domain, then auction it off, allow Borrelli to buy it back, and then the BOS will have to give Borrelli the kind of law-bending treatment they are giving the Valentine Drive folks. -MH
9/22 9:22am Comcast has been pretty spotty for me in the last two weeks as well. I reported it, Let's hope they follow through. - PC
9/22 7:01am Is anyone else experiencing an intermittent slow connection on Comcast broadband? Just in the past few days, I've been getting a ton of connection 'timeouts' and problems getting my email from their server. One minute it works great, then I lose the connection. Their customer service has been a big help, as you can imagine. Anyone else having this roblem? - JM
9/21 10:45pm Good Info from WB re moonscape. Could WB look at the maps and determine if we havea right of way to the water tank?? I assume we do (it would be unthinkable if we didn't!), but I would like to be sure if wiring or communication issues arise. Thanks, WB - JO
9/21 9:55pm Needless to say I was pretty disgusted by the Globe article about the "moonscape." [link to article] I looked up a copy of the 2001 Assessor's Map for the parcels that make up the area purchased by Eastern Development. It appears that the Right-of-Way in question is mostly defined by the roadway of Liberty Lane from about Independence Drive, with small areas on the north and south side of Liberty Lane up to the MBTA lot. As was quoted in the paper " The MBTA, through an easement, retains rights to a sliver of the property. The company is asking the authority to relocate the easement so it can avoid building on MBTA-controlled property, but any change is expected to take a while, Lamp said." Since I have been up to the MBTA parking lot in the past, I have to believe the underground utilities installed by Borelli were also in the right-of-way, at least in part or so it seems. So how does Borelli deal with this right-of-way and Eastern Development finds this to be a huge hurdle? Better yet who did the title search for Eastern Development that would have identified this easement. A supposedly professional company like Eastern Development spend millions on property and OPPS, we have a small problem. Also while looking at the Assessor's Plans, I noticed that the same continuous right-of-way east of Independence Drive seems to occupy a portion of the 0.76 acre lot that is the location of the Library Expansion (lot 14-51-02). The plans presented on the Library Website look like the west side of the building is within the right-of-way. Just something I noticed... But anyway, the quote by Borelli sums it all up "I know you're looking for your dreams, but it's my money." It seems that this guy has broken promise after promise. When is the Town going to take the land by eminent domain and be done with this guy? - WB
9/21 9:49pm Lost Earring -- While at the Pond Street fields today, my wife lost a very cherished earring. It is gold and white gold with very small diamonds set into the white gold. If found, please email me at brianalfond@size12.com. Kind regards, - BA
9/20 9:14am In response to NS about ballet schools. The best in the area is the Franklin School for Performing Arts in Franklin. - BF
9/19 7:21pm I have a question for those of you who have had experience with the two dance studios in town... Denise's Dance Academy and Kathy Ryan (?) studio? I am interested in getting my 5 year old into ballet lessons and was looking for some information! Thank you. - NS
9/19 4:59pm To NS, re: Lisa Hull. Sorry this is so late. I do not know the particulars of when she is around for pictures, but I do know the PTA puts something together every year. We have had photos done with her twice and both times they have come out great. Prices are reasonable and it helps out locally. Maybe contacting someone from the PTA would provide more info. I could try to hunt down old info if nothing comes out of the PTA. - PD
9/18 9:59pm I heard there was to be a presentation this past Tuesday to the planning board made by the owner/developer of Pebble Hill. Has anyone heard anything about the proposed use of the site? Should be interesting. - TC
9/18 3:38pm MHC is right on the money! I drove to Westwood this morning via Hartford street (a really easy street to get going too fast on) and there in the middle, just where you could really be flying, was a perfectly positioned police officer ready to enforce the speed limit! Since I have traveled that road many times, I was aware that he was probably going to be there and I was particularly conscious of my speed but I'll be you tomorrow morning there will be a reformed speeder who happened to have traveled Hartford street today! - MJD
9/18 10:28am Friday, October 17, 2003, is the last day to register to vote at the Special Town Meeting. Anyone who has not previously registered, is a new resident, or will become 18 on or before October 28th may register by mail or in the office of the Town Clerk. The Special Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2003, at 7:30 PM at the King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham. [Read more details...] - GB
9/17 11:12pm The town's fall paving schedule has been posted on the town hall web page. From the page (which does not render in Netscape right now, so I can't view): The following roadways have been scheduled for overlay or leveling beginning the week of September 22, 2003 through October 31, 2003, weather permitting.Or just look for the orange road paint and surface cuts in the pavement.Main Street: 1.5" leveling course from George Road to Franklin town line
Myrtle Street: 1.5" leveling course from Main Street to Hanover Street
Cleveland Street:1.5" leveling course from Rockwood Road to Keith Street
Rockwood Road: 1.5" overlay from Holbrook Street to Holbrook Street Ext.
Pondview Road: 1.5" overlay from Holbrook Street to culdesac
Dean Street: 1.5" leveling course from Myrtle Street to Millis town line
Alice Avenue: 1.5" overlay from Main Street to end
Norwell Street: 1.5" overlay from Alice Avenue to Needham Street
Spring Street: 1.5" overlay from Needham Street to end
Shear Street: 1.5" overlay from North Street to Wrentham town lineTown Center:
Main Street: 1" leveling course from Old Town Hall to MBTA Bridge
Rockwood Road: 1" leveling course from Railroad crossing to Main Street
Union Street: 1" leveling course from Main Street to North Street- Wm.
9/17 10:54pm Re: 9/17 9:34pm Speeding MHC is absolutely right. (Adhering to the law) will only happen when the Police Department enforces it. And the best way to enforce the law is by issuing tickets. I can remember exactly where my last ticket was, in a major city, on a busy parkway. The fact that it cost me $75.00 helps me remember it. And I will never speed there again, even though other drivers pass me there at a higher speed. If more money is needed for our Police Department, let's vote for it at Town Meeting, and let's let our Town Selectmen know that we need more protection from speeding cars, and from speeding motorcycles, too. - AN
9/17 9:34pm I just had an opportunity to check out what's been discussed over the last several weeks and noticed one of my pet peeves about living here - speeding! Come on, folks. This is really a no-brainer. I didn't need to read the Boston Globe article to know that the reason why people drive so irresponsibly fast in this town is because they can! My commute takes me through Medfield, Dover and Needham where the traffic is much heavier yet drivers comply with the law because there is a police car stationed, nearly every day, every few miles. Let us hope that it won't take a serious or fatal incident in Norfolk before our residential streets see the drivers that use them adhering to the law. Human nature being what it is, I think this will only happen when the Police Department enforces it. - MHC
9/16 10:35pm To MD - Norfolk lost a treasure this summer. After 48 years, the cows are gone and the last dairy farm in Norfolk, Foley's Farm, is no more. How sad that all of the town's farms have disappeared, never to return. - HK
9/16 11:38am To WB: Thank God for Norfolk Cable TV... as Dan Rather once wrote, "The Camera Never Blinks." It would be nice to see townsfolk volunteer so that EVERY meeting could be televised. This way, everyone in town could see the great things our boards do for us. - PA
9/16 11:21am RG, I beg to differ on several points. - MH
- While I agree that Mr. Pfischner is not like Saddam Hussein, I don't think anyone was saying that he was. And I believe that the enforcement order is just one of several run-ins he has had with the Con Comm. He said so himself.
- There is a variety of opinion on that board already. Appointing a member to the con comm who does not want the conservation laws enforced is like putting a member of the Christian Coalition on the board of Planned Parenthood. Nothing good can come of it. Where is the "middle" they would meet at? Maybe they will enforce half the laws?
- Yes, there are more members and happily they are on the board because they believe in protecting our natural resources. What is the value of making the job these volunteers have to do even harder? It's bad enough they have to be threatened and screamed at by developers' lawyers. Why add to the burden?
- FDR said of his appointment of Kennedy "It takes a thief to catch one." Maybe you and FDR are right. But, keep in mind that the SEC was a new commission -- not an established one. A more apt analogy is that the BOS has put Ken Lay in as current head of the SEC.
- Maybe his mind will change or maybe it won't. If it doesn't, it just means that a hard job got harder for our friends and fellow townsfolk.
9/16 10:49am The animal control department has a WONDERFUL middle aged cat ready to go up for adoption. This guy is your all around good boy. He's affectionate, doesn't mind being picked up, loves attention, and is litter trained. He is a gorgeous charcoal grey short hair with tuxedo markings on his feet and bib extending to his stomach. I think this cat would get along fine with dogs and children, and doesn't pay any attention to cats at all as far as aggression or hostility. This cat would also be a great pet for those who work long hours as he is completely aloof in personality. He is a very low maintenance cat as far as his emotional needs. He is a large cat in frame, but needs some TLC to put on another pound or two. Anyone interested in checking this cat out should know in advance that we do not charge an adoption fee. The department does require though that all animals adopted be immediately be health checked/vaccinated/altered at the owner's expense at the vet of their choice. Anyone interested please contact the Animal Control Officer at 528-3232. - HNP, Norfolk Animal Control
9/16 8:20am To LS: In regards to your post: "Lastly, to gain a better insight of the Conservation Commission watch how the water well situation of a land owner on Valentine drive is handled and this is why we need some balance to these committees. This was on Norfolk Cable directly after the appointment." If the Board of Selectmen are leaning on the Conservation Commission to compromise a Town Bylaw then you tell me what to think. - WB
9/16 8:19am Does anyone know what is going on with the Foley farm on Park Street? I haven't seen any cows in weeks. I'll be so sad if Norfolk's last fully operational dairy farm is no more... - MD
9/15 8:56pm To MH - there is a well known reason why Mr. Bakinowski is off the board. Seems people have short memories. I won't get into it. Read back on these very web pages. I did and this is where I get my information. To TEM - watch the selectmen's meeting of the appointment of Mr. Pfischner. He states he will no longer be doing business in the Town of Norfolk. The "obvious daily conflict of interest" seems to be a moot point. Lastly, to gain a better insight of the Conservation Commission watch how the water well situation of a land owner on Valentine drive is handled and this is why we need some balance to these committees. This was on Norfolk Cable directly after the appointment. - LS
9/15 6:13pm Hi Everyone, My mother's cat, Abe, was adopted by a lovely lady, Lucy Tanner in Norfolk Senior Housing [re: post of 8/15]. The reunion took place on Saturday and it was wonderful. If you are a cat lover go onto milforddailynews.com, click on the Local News and scroll down a bit until you see the article HAPPY TOGETHER which pictures mom and Abe. Thanks to the Norfolk Senior Center, too. This sure is a wonderful town. - PO
9/15 1:19pm With respect to Mr. Pfischner's appointment to the Conservation Commission, I think it's counter-productive to hop all over the Pfischner appointment like this, before the guy's even sat at one hearing. A couple of points: Look, I think the most instructive quote is Mr. Giebfried's, who learned a little something about balance and compromise as a Selectman. Let's not disparage the motives of someone who hasn't even cast a vote. That's the kind of thing that keeps people from wanting to get involved.
- The enforcement order was apparently issued in response to Mr. Pfischner's actions as a member of a town board, working on behalf of the town. And, if the paper is to be believed, he went ahead and performed a soil test in a wetland without con comm approval. Not exactly Saddam draining-the-marshes level of environmental hostility (sorry, couldn't resist DAF).
- I think it's helpful that a Board have a variety of opinions. As the old saying goes, if two of us agree all the time, one of us is unnecessary. Member A and Member B on extreme ends of an issue generally produce a result somewhere in between, which is a good thing.
- Mr. Pfischner will be one member of a seven member board. If he indeed goes off the deep end and starts arguing against any con comm enforcement, well, aren't there six other members and votes to carry the day?
- Often the most constructive members of boards are those who've seen the process from both sides, and can offer informed criticism and defense of a process. Didn't FDR put Joe Kennedy in charge of the SEC because he knew exactly how the market could be, and was being, gamed?
- I've had some experience with Mr. Pfischner and can say that he is a man of integrity with an honest desire to see a fair application of the law. From his current point of view, the con comm has lost a degree of balance. Well, that's his current opinion. I'm sure he changed his mind about a lot of things when he went from private citizen to selectman, and that may happen again this time.
And with respect to conflict of interest, there are state laws and I'm sure everyone will be watching quite closely to make sure Mr. Pfischner never mixes business and pleasure, I am sure. - RG
9/15 11:06am TEM, I agree with you. What Pfischner and others fail to understand (or willingly ignore) is that the Conservation Commission is not supposed to be "user friendly" for developers and their henchmen. It is their duty to make it difficult for people to break the law. Would you ask Chief Stone to be more amiable and "user friendly" to burglars or drunk drivers in our town? The Con Comm is responsible for enforcing the laws that protect our community's natural resources and open space. Would you ask the Fire Department to "cooperate" with an arsonist? To turn down Mr. Harrington -- obviously someone with no axe to grind against conservation law enforcement -- and install Mr. Pfischner -- a man with nothing but negative things to say about the volunteers who donate their time to our town (see the article) -- is a travesty. And their treatment of Mr. Bakinowski has been equally poor. Who are they hurting by keeping Mr. B off the Con Comm? You, me, the water, the land, and the wildlife. - MH
9/15 8:34am Here we go again Department. According to a Sunday Globe article (Globe West, p.1 [9/14/03]) on the recent appointment of Fred Pfischner to Norfolk's Conservation Commission, Commission member Jim Giebfried, Selectmen Chairman Jack McFeeley, and Selectman Ramesh Advani all seem to be in agreement that Pfischner should serve despite a history of "run-ins with commission members over the years" including a cease-and-desist order issued by the Commission in 1995. McFeeley states "I see it as something that happened a long time ago...(and) it should not get in the way of what's going to happen today." McFeeley is probably correct, but are he and the others dismissing or ignoring the real issue? Does it not occur to these folks that the reason there is a history there is because the interest of Pfischner's clients very often are in direct conflict with the regulations created by the town of Norfolk and enforced by the Conservation Commission? Once again, I will ask, what is in place to protect this town from individuals (no matter how extensive their expertise) serving on Boards and Commissions who have an obvious daily conflict of interest? The last time I raised a similar question (re an elected official), it was met with an unsettling silence from those one would expect to respond. Same fate again? McFeeley? Advani? Bakinowski? Anyone? - TEM
9/14 7:15pm This may be totally off the wall, but could the bird activity be down because it is harvest time and there is plenty of food that they can only get this time of year? - JW
9/14 12:00pm To TEM - Re: bird scarcity. Thanks for suggestions - however, nothing qualifies to support predators. I also forgot to mention that the squirrels who used to scrounge the area for seed droppings are also among the missing. Checked with neighbors in the area and there is a consensus that activity is down. Wonder if Stony Brook or Audabon has any observations. Seems eerie. - JO
9/13 7:24pm The Animal Control Dept. has picked up a domestic white with brown freckles rabbit in the Mirror Lake area of town. If anyone is missing this rabbit, or knows who owns this rabbit, it is important that they call this department [508-528-3232]. - HNP, Norfolk Animal Control
9/13 2:56pm Does anyone have any info re. a photographer (Lisa Hull?) who takes family photos at town common? I've heard mention of it but wanted the details. Thanks! - NS
9/13 11:00am To JO: It could be that a predator lurks and the birds know it (one or more cats, fox, etc.). Try moving the feeder to another location (especially if it is near cover like shrubs or bushes)or altering its present height. I noticed the same with my own feeder in the past and any kind of change, no matter how insignificant, seems to make our feathered friends feel more secure (and for good reason). To: PR & BD: I listened to that link with the same disappointing results. Could be that I want to believe it's something as benign as a turkey. As I stated in a previous post, I would not want to meet up with a fisher in the wild, and I CERTAINLY would not want to meet up with him in my own backyard. The mystery continues although I haven't heard the call lately. - TEM
9/13 12:20am With all the interesting things on the net I have hesitated to make an inquiry. For the last two weeks my birdfeeder has not been visited by finches, cardinals, etc. The spring and summer found daily activity. (About a month ago I counted ten finches on 2 cylinders happily feeding). But as of two weeks ago not a single bird has landed. Even the doves have disappeared. I have a sign that says "Birds Welcome" but even that doesn't solve the problem. I use sunflower seed in 2 tubes and thistle in the other two. Still full. Any ideas? - JO
9/12 5:19pm To BD & TEM, I checked out the link - there seems to be a link for everything these days - and from what I heard, the sound that I hear late in the evening was not on this page. Maybe what I'm hearing is not a wild turkey but will we ever know??? - PR
9/12 5:19pm TEM - not to belabor the point but if you think it's a wild turkey sound check this link out. [link] - BD
9/12 11:01am The Federated Church of Norfolk will begin its Fall Worship Schedule on Sunday September 14th. Worship will start at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday morning. Sunday School for Preschool. (Age 3 & 4) through Grade 8 will be held during the 10:00 service each Sunday. - RS
9/11 2:22pm Hi JT, I agree 100% with HN - I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with Daley's in the center of town. They are always helpful, friendly and do great work! Good luck! - HB
9/11 8:47am Many thanks for these wonderful contributions and informative suggestions regarding the mysterious creature I keep hearing at night. From what's been received so far, my guess is that "PR" is on the money. I think it may be a wild turkey. Incidentally, about two years ago I saw a fischer cat scooting across Route 115 (near Stony Brook), a truly magnificent creature, but one I would prefer not meeting up with in the wild. Will keep you all posted if I ever find out for sure who the beast is. - TEM
9/10 11:37pm The Norfolk Animal Control department has seen a monumentous increase in WNV [West Nile Virus] activity in the past week and a half. As of 9/10/03 the State Laboratory Institute has confirmed that there have been 3 positive birds carrying the West Nile Virus. The town of Norfolk will no longer be collecting birds for testing due to these results. Any residents who want to report a dead bird that they find may do so by calling 1-866-MASS-WNV. The procedure now is to report the dead bird as well as give the resident the appropriate ways to handle all birds for proper disposal. If you own horses, the best protection is to use the WNV vaccination out by Fort Dodge. [West Nile Virus Fort Dodge page.] And for those with any other inquiries on WNV, can contact the state web page or contact the WNV line at 866-MASS-WNV or Arbovirus Information Web Site. - HNP, Norfolk Animal Control
9/10 10:53pm Re: shrill animal sound: It may well be a fisher cat. There was one living in Stony Brook for a long time, and we heard it regularly at night. It's a disturbing and horrible sound. Not sure if it's still there, but the folks at Stony Brook would likely know. - TC
9/10 10:46pm Need help from the population of Norfolk (realizing that not everyone has access to this website). Do you know of any Norfolk residents who are serving in the Armed Forces in Iraq? Any Info regarding names would be helpul as well as address. To date I have scanned the casualty lists and fortunately have not found any. Many communities are making sure that their citizens are not forgotten by sending mail/community activities plus other things to maintain rapport with our locals who are halfway around the world. You may email me off line (if you wish) but it will take an effort by local citizens to help build a record for the Town. Thanks, - JO (e-mail)
9/10 10:46pm In fact just 2 evenings ago we saw what we later ID'd to be a Fisher Marten crossing Union Street with some unfortunate creature in its mouth - they are supposedly coming back into this area. The Norfolk Animal Control has reported seeing them on Pond Street in Norfolk. - BD
