This is the archive of previous Norfolk Notes.
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6/30 8:39pm Is anyone a member of the Wimbledon Tennis Club in Walpole? I am interested in learning more about it but am not sure whether it is a private club or a club that accepts memberships. - GN
6/30 3:51pm I don't want it, but thanks for the offer. - Jack Hathaway, Town Administrator, Norfolk
6/30 3:28pm We are trying to raise funds for our People to People Student Ambassador trip to Western Canada by holding a can drive. People to People is an organization, started by Dwight Eisenhower, that allows American students to travel to other countries, learn about their cultures and share their own. We will be picking up returnable cans and bottles around Norfolk on July 5th. If you could leave the cans and bottles by your mailbox by 10am on July 5th, we will pick them up. All you need to do is email us at nancyabowers@aol.com and leave us your address, so we know to collect them. In advance, we thank you for your help. Sincerely, - RB & AD
6/30 10:01am Mr. Hathaway - They should have put you in charge of the Miller St. bridge project. Talk about expedition! Thank you for the quick response. - DM
6/29 10:33pm The saying, "you can't see the forest for the trees," speaks volumes about the signs. OMG, I'm so busy looking at all the signs I can't concentrate on the traffic. RG, I totally agree with you about the humor, what happened to our funny bone? Come on everyone, yuk it up, life is a short journey, let's have some fun on these pages, there are loads of serious issues, and they are addressed on this site with dignity (most of the time.) The center is coming along nicely, it's just that there are some very funny things down there. The lights being bright enough to land a plane and all the signs are humorous. It's notes like these that get me checking this page every day. - JW
6/29 10:03pm There is an update to the Miller Street Bridge, unfortunately. The State informed us this week that they are not going to meet the June 30th deadline. They have encountered an engineering issue that they do not have a solution for at this time. We have asked for assistance from Senator Brown's office to "expedite" the matter. I discussed this matter and several other important topics on NCTV's Conversation Corner with Paul Guertin that can be seen on channel 22.
- Jack Hathaway, Town Administrator, Town of Norfolk, MA, 508.528.1408
6/29 10:02pm I live near the recent proliferation of signs, and I agree that they've really cheapened the classy effects Butch and his team's work has been creating in our town center. They are incredibly large and numerous. It makes the center feel more like a highway feeding into I-495 than the New England town centre that was originally intended. - DAF
6/29 7:17pm "6/13 9:48am I appreciate everyone's frustration with the Miller Street Bridge. We have been detouring around the bridge longer than I've been Interim Town Administrator, and that seems like years at this point. I know the residents affected by the bridge, not to mention the public safety teams, are more than eager for the bridge to be back in service. State officials expect the bridge to be completed by the end of June..." - DM
6/29 5:40pm Hey, MA, lighten up. I've been a consistent supporter of the roundabout: 5/13: " And, by the way, the roundabout is wonderful and doesn't cost the operating budget a whit". 1/6: "And, the only problem I see with the roundabouts is that people will have to drive in them. So the roundabouts aren't the problem, it's the drivers ;). (Tongue in cheek)" - RG
6/29 3:51pm I agree with MA. The town center project will be a success in my opinion. The roundabouts work very well and I feel that Butch Vito and the whole crew have done an excellent job. Keep up the great work. - CR
6/29 3:28pm To MA: I will agree that the previous comment about Butch was a bit of a cheap shot. I think he is doing a fine job -- however, if the Commonwealth is responsible for putting the signs up, Butch could (or should) be the ``town spokesperson'' that represents the citizens of Norfolk's concerns in regards to the roundabouts -- he is after all the Director of Norfolk's DPW. If there is someone more appropriate to direct these concerns to, please advise. - MH
6/29 9:50am To the other RG, cheap shot at Butch Vito. Those signs have been put up by the Commonwealth. Butch, great job in overseeing a successful project. To you shut-ins that use this board as your personal "Whiner Line," change is tough but sometimes it is for the better. - MA
6/29 9:48am Does anyone know what the plans are for the center of the roundabouts? I suggest allowing local landscapers to "sponsor" each roundabout for advertisement. In exchange for landscaping the roundabout, we could allow them to place a small, tasteful, granite sign with their company's name within the roundabout. It would look beautiful and wouldn't cost us a cent! Is there irrigation out there? - DB
6/29 12:05am Book Buddies is a two part, cooperative enrichment program for Kindergarten and first graders who are ready for exciting and fun literature experiences. Session I: Wed. July 6 and 13 4:00- 5:15pm $20 Session II: Wed. August 3 and 11 4:00-5:15pm $20 Registration is ongoing for both sessions. Please contact me to find out more about the class. laura_bot@yahoo.com or 508-553-2865. Current students have been having fun since we began in April. Come join the fun!- LM
6/28 11:03pm Hadn't noticed all the signs until I saw (the other) RG's post about them. Can't believe it. Ye Gods. We pay a boodle to take down "ugly" overhead wires and end with with a veritable forest of signs? No Way! Someone's gotta put Butch on a sign diet. - RG
6/28 9:59pm For JD and ML: As a resident of Medway Street, I too have questioned the decision to put a sidewalk in on Medway Branch rather than Medway Street. At first, I thought Medway Branch residents too saw their street as dangerous. Then I assumed that Medway Branch was getting a sidewalk before Medway Street because of the senior center, so that center users would have walking as a safe transportation option. However, since the senior center has been open, I have only once seen a senior citizen walking on Medway Branch, and who knows where they were heading? - MHC
6/28 9:58pm From the Norfolk DPW: On Wednesday, June 29th, the Norfolk Department of Public Works will be checking gate valves on Miller Street for proper operation. Inspection of these valves may cause a slight discoloration in your [drinking] water and service may be interrupted briefly between the hours of 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience. Should you have any questions, please contact the Department of Public Works at 508-528-4990.- RH
6/28 4:47pm Congratulations to Jack Hathaway on his appointment as town administrator!!! - CG
6/28 4:43pm Summer is here late this year... saw the first firefly of the season only last night. Usually I first see them around the solstice; last year the first one appeared around the tenth. - Wm.
6/28 4:10pm Thank you to everyone who participated in the Dunkin Donuts DARE to Run 5K & 1K Fun Run. Despite the extreme heat on race day, we had a great turnout and the event was a wonderful success! A very special thank you to Frank Barounis, of Norfolk's Dunkin Donuts, who once again has been so generous to the community. Grade 6 DARE student 1st place boy - Tom Eaton, 1st place girl - Hailey Nievergelt 1st Norfolk School Staff - Catherine Lavallee - CK
6/28 2:50pm To AR - Being a little dramatic with the trees being condemmed to die? Remember everywhere there is a road, building or house, even your house, there were once trees. Don't get me wrong, I would like to preserve trees as much as anyone - just thought the post was a little dramatic. - CR
6/28 1:33pm J.D. I second your thoughts on the importance of a sidewalk from Truro to Main. Being a resident on the corner of Truro I cannot stress enough just how dangerous this area has become. Medway is extremely narrow and curvy in places and heavily lined with trees that create a dark canopy. The speed limit of 35 is excessive, it is now a "densely populated" area with the addition of new homes. This commuter cut through sees drivers frequently zipping by at 50 mph. The road isn't even wide enough for the police speed limit target to be set safely in the area. And certainly and most importantly, many children live along Medway, numerous residents walk, run or push strollers along what was once an old country road that has not caught up with the influx of hurried suburbanites. It is possible that Medway cannot support a sidewalk in some sections as the road is so restrictive. We have asked the Highway Department to investigate lowering the speed limit and have been told that a study would be conducted. Perhaps once the town center road issues have reached completion other locations that desperately need attention will follow. Stay tuned. My prayer is that no one will be injured or pay the ultimate price for that driver who was in such a hurry. - ML
6/28 11:56am Putting a sidewalk in on Medway Branch at the expense of all those trees makes no sense. The whole thing is going to be a MAJOR project due to the fact that they will have to bring in tons of fill in order to raise the grade up to make room for a sidewalk. The amount of traffic (little, except on Saturday) and excellent visibility should make Medway Branch a low priority. If connecting Cape Cod estates to the downtown area is the goal, the sidewalk should be put in on Medway Street, not Medway Branch! - JD
6/28 11:44am Starting July 3, the Federated Church of Norfolk Sunday worship will begin at 9:00 AM. This time will continue until September 11 when we return to the 10:00 worship time and the start of a new Sunday School year. - LD, Federated Church of Norfolk
6/28 10:56am When is the moonscape project scheduled to be complete? Have the businesses been confirmed? Is Stop & Shop going to be the anchor tenant? Thanks - CG
6/28 10:51am Hi DN, My friend Bill works on 2 strokes 20 hp and less and is very reliable.. Lives in Duxbury and works in Norwood; he can arrange pick and drop off. Bill @ 781-934-2892 or email me @ java705@verizon.net. Regards, - JD
6/28 9:59am The condemned trees, waiting to die... And these are not even on the side with the sidewalk! - AR
6/28 9:41am As someone who was originally skeptical of the new roundabouts, I now agree with BC. They are easy to navigate, traffic flows better and the look "downtown" has vastly improved. Haven't seen [all] the new signage yet, but will check that out next time I'm going by. Will also be quite interested to see what traffic is like once the moonscape development opens for business... Keeping fingers crossed! - TN
6/27 8:35pm VR, Thank you for the heads up about Kevin O'Keefe of O'Keefe Plumbing. I had an issue over the weekend and called Kevin today. He returned my call and was at my house this morning. He couldn't have been nicer and my problem was fixed by 12:00. What great service. I would recommend Kevin to anyone looking for a reliable and reasonably priced plumber!! - EB
6/27 1:15pm I agree with RG that the "sign pollution" is unacceptable. However, based on my limited experience of driving through the center of Town (I now try to avoid the Town Center whenever I can) the signage is necessary to instruct some drivers how to navigate this area. I have seen people go the wrong way around the roundabout to take a left hand turn. I also have noticed that some drivers tend to closely follow the car in front of them to avoid having to yield to other traffic. As for the roundabout in Framingham, I don't know how you can say it works. It takes 10 minutes to go less than 100 feet while trying to merge onto 126 at mid day. Morning and evening rush hour traffic is even worse. - WB
6/27 11:38am I agree with RG about the signs -- I hope that they do not clutter up the vastly improved downtown traffic situation. I was unsure of how the round-abouts would work, look, etc, but I can honestly say that I really like them. The 2nd one is especially a nice solution to a potentially dangerous turn -- people unfamilar with Norfolk would always do something unsafe as they tried to figure out who had the right of way, etc. Good job to all involved, thanks for persevering through all the controversy! - BC
6/26 11:14am Can anyone recommend someone to install a new iron front steps railing, including some minor brickwork to remove the old one? Thanks. - JH
6/26 11:13am Found the lost cat, thanks. - JH
6/26 10:54pm Does any one know somebody who can work on a 2-stroke outboard motor? Thanks! - DN
6/26 11:09am Thanks all for the Over Ride. Some of us are "laid off" and some of us who are employed didn't get a raise this year for spending more money than we brought in. Not good business sense. However, enough of you thought it was necessary to raise ALL our property taxes for "the children". - DG
6/26 11:01am The Pedestrian Crossing signs are to warn you that someone may be crossing within the brick Pedestrian Crosswalk. The brickwork could start any time now since the blacktop is down. - DLJ
6/26 10:59am I am a huge fan of the work in center of town. Everything is of excellent: quality products and excellent craftsmanship. - RG
6/26 10:57am I still don't get why so many trees must be removed on BOTH SIDES of the street on Medway Branch for a sidewalk. Realigning the road? What exactly does that mean? - JED
6/26 10:56am For GN, I have not used Merry Maids very recently, but have during a couple of time periods in the past. I liked that they changed the bed linens as well as doing the cleaning. Initially, they did a great job, however, I found that over time they tended to slack off, sometimes sending only one person to do the job of two (but not taking twice the time). I have also used Dustahouse (out of Medway, I think) - they were less flexible about scheduling etc. and didn't do as much "deep cleaning", but did an OK job on the routine stuff. - LK
6/26 10:54am For PB, Wayne Brown is a great piano tuner and has been doing ours for many years. He also rebuilt an antique piano for us several years ago. He lives in Attleboro, but does other pianos in Norfolk as well. His number is 508-222-0123. Can't help with the patio... - LK
6/25 8:44am Lost cat - Standish near Boardman. Black with gray striping, skinny, crooked tail; no collar, declawed front paws - not an outdoor cat. 553-7292. Thank you. - JH
6/25 8:40am The other night I turned down Medway Branch to count the tree posters that will come down for the sidewalks. There are 52 + or minus. But the event was the setting sun right at the end of the road, setting in all its orange red glory. The Sun sets directly at the end of the road so visibility is a factor as well as safetybut what a sight. See the setting sun times and allow for a little leeway. Does anyone know how to photo that gigantic ball? - JO
6/25 8:37am To those looking for a plumber: we had occasion today [Friday] to call one unexpectedly to fix a broken pipe, and were fortunate to find Kevin O'Keefe of O'Keefe Plumbing in downtown Norfolk, 508-528-0555. His response was prompt and efficient, and we'd recommend him to anyone looking for planned or unplanned help with household plumbing - VR
6/25 8:35am Has anyone used Merry Maids for regular cleaning of their home? If so, were you happy with their service? Or can anyone recommend someone else that offers weekly house cleaning? - GN 6/25 8:30am JL asks on 6/21, ``...when the approval of the override is going to affect our tax bills?'' - Jack McFeeley
6/24 1:42pm Can someone recommend a good piano tuner nearby? Also, we're looking for a good professional to build a patio for us. Any suggestions? - PB
6/24 10:02am To MS's request for a handyman, you can call Nate Caldwell at 508-528-7005 or 781-789-8432. - CN
6/24 9:30am SO - I believe the trees are being removed as part of the sidewalk construction project on Medway Branch. Are they realigning the road at the same time? - HPK
6/24 9:21am Community trees are under the control of the Tree Warden. Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 87: All trees within the public way are defined as public shade trees.- TKThe Tree Warden is responsible for the care, control, protection and maintenance of all public shade trees, and shall enforce the law for protecting these trees.
No other person may plant, trim, cut or remove a public shade tree without permission of the Tree Warden. This includes the cutting of roots during construction.
No person, including the Tree Warden, may remove any tree, greater than one and one half inches in diameter, without a public hearing.
6/23 10:36pm Did anyone notice all the new Pedestrian Crossing signs at the town center? Also there is a new sign at the fire station that says to "Stop here when red light is flashing." I did not see any red light. What is that all about? - JG
[There are also signs between the two roundabouts, showing, in order: yield ahead, roundabout ahead, and Yield :-) - Wm.]
6/23 8:10pm DG - Welcome to my world. We found quarter midget, not go karts (much safer) because of my son's passion. They start as young as 5 and continue to 16. You purchase the cars, motors etc. and you are handler and mechanic - the entire pit crew. The novice program uses restrictor plates to reduce speed and allow your kids to learn at their pace. Your son would fit into the junior novice program, up to 8 yrs of age and stay there their first year. The next year he would enter either the Junior Honda or Senior Honda category. This is the best time to teach kids to drive, they are sponges and learn so quickly. Each week it impresses my husband and me what these kids can do - and your son would be no different if he gave it a try. We are racing this Sunday. The Senior Honda is the first class out, the more experienced drivers. The junior novice is later in the day. We do heats to qualify the positions and then the Mains begin. It is hard to exactly pin-point when the novice group would go out but they are in the early heats so if you came by in the morning you might be able to see them so you could get a feel. My husband would be glad to show you the cars and talk more with you if you like. You won't be disappointed! Good luck - JMC
6/23 8:05pm Tree Question: On my way to the transfer station yesterday (6/22), I noticed a large number of plastic-sleeved signs attached to individual trees along Medway Branch. I stopped and read one. I'm paraphrasing very loosely from memory: "Petition has been to the Tree Warden for the removal of this tree, to be decided at a town meeting June 30, 8 pm." - SO
[Isn't that kind of short notice? When the woods were felled for Chatham St., they had notes on the trees for a couple of months - Wm.]
6/23 4:44pm I would like to thank Eric Matez at the Freeman-Centennial school for a truly fantastic effort this week with his third grade students and their class play "Harry Potter and the Story Before the Story". The kids worked very hard and the effort showed. The performance was witty, original and very creative. They had the audience laughing all the way through. If you want to see this performance you can catch it on NCTV. It's well worth seeing. Thanks again Mr. Matez for all your hard work, not only for the play, but for all the other creative projects your students had a chance to experience this year! - LBD
6/23 4:42pm Is it true that the state funding for education is done by student by day so that all the absent students from this week's classes are costing us state funds? Hope anyone who voted against the override hasn't sent their child(ren) off to camp. - KDR
6/23 4:41pm To JMC - thanks for the information. I went to the website that your provided, however, I'm a little confused. Can you go to watch or do you rent the go-karts. What ages etc. I have a son who is already passionate about driving, go figure and he's already 7. Thanks again for the information. - DG
6/23 10:56am Another exciting spring, summer and fall sport available to our kids and not promoted much is quarter midget car racing. We discovered this sport last year and are hooked. A great program that fosters so much in our young children, discipline and committment as well as developing critical thinking skills - life lessons. We race at the Little T Speedway in Thompson, Ct, on most Sundays and would love to see some new faces from our area. Currently there are 2 families from Norfolk and the third gal has graduated and moved on to another class at another level. For those interested, visit our website to learn more, www.littletspeedway.com, and hope to see you at the track. - JMC
6/23 10:37am Happy Belated Summer Solstice! Oops, was busy and missed it this year, but two days ago was the longest day of the year, marking the start of summer. - Wm.
6/23 10:20am DG: To buy a pass you just go to Sweatt Beach with proof of residency (e.g. driver's license sho wing Norfolk address). At least that is how it worked 2 years ago! - CI
6/22 2:13pm Kelly Flynn is going the extra mile - 26.2 miles to be exact! - KF
6/22 1:17pm Does anyone know how to get a pass to Sweatt Beach, Lake Pearl. The site states that Norfolk residents need a pass. Thank you. - DG
6/22 8:24am I am a local landscaper in the area looking for more buisiness. If anyone is interested in landscaping services, please contact Evan at 533-1486. - EC
6/21 10:51pm Did anyone's water in the Pheasant Hill area turn brown this evening? If so, any reason for it? - JD
6/21 8:27pm DL - This issue was brought up at Town Meeting. The consensus was that they are too bright. We were told by a Town employee (name and position escapes me) that the Town has yet to receive an electric bill. The thought was that it would cost more to change out the bulbs than it would too pay for the higher electric charges, other thoughts too, like too many lamps, shut off every other one, etc. - LS
6/21 6:26pm Hi, can anyone tell me why the center of Norfolk is lit up brighter than Logan Airport every night, and how much money it costs the town to have all those lights on? - DL
6/21 1:00pm I apologize if this has already been covered, but can someone give me some information about when the approval of the override is going to affect our tax bills? Thanks, - JL
6/21 11:10am We are looking for a handyman to do odd jobs around the house - does anyone have a name of someone reputable? Thanks. - MS
6/20 12:00am Note to bfoort: I can't contact you; change your spam blocker to permit message from andras at norfolknet.com. - Wm.
6/20 11:59pm I'm in the process of watching the Board of Selectmen's meeting and they are holding interviews for the Conservation Commission. So far there have been four people who have been asked what prompted them to interview for this board? All of them have mentioned that [a certain town resident] had suggested they go into for an interview. What is [this person's] agenda? - PAB
6/19 10:33pm Join runners and walkers of all ages in the Norfolk Dunkin' Donuts DARE to Run 5k Road Race and Walk on Sunday, June 26, 2005. Runners start at 11:00 A.M., and walkers set off at 10:30. The day's events also include a Kids' 1K race at 10:30 and music by KISS 108-FM. Registration for all the events opens at 8:30 on the lot adjacent the Dunkin' Donuts at 134 Main Street. There's plenty of free parking and proceeds will benefit the Norfolk Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. - CK
6/18 9:48pm LM: As a gift for his 50th birthday, my husband received a photo sitting for a family portrait from Baker Studios in Walpole. Great gift idea, great experience and we have a wonderful portrait of our family - including our 6 month old Lab puppy who wasn't easy to keep still, altho' her 7 year old "brother" [our son] was also a challenge! Photos were taken in our home, in front of the fireplace. Baker Studios' telephone number is 508-660-9137. We were very pleased with the entire process and thought it was quite reasonable to boot. - TN
6/18 12:39pm DF: Good work! Keep it up. We're all hoping you do the same in the next election. - EM
6/18 12:36pm Too bad that they naysayers about the recent override were not visible at the town meeting. Those who had issues of substance with the override should have raised them there. It's easy to complain, but much more useful to be part of the process. - JR
6/17 11:06pm To DAF--You are so right about the giving. Check out this web site to see where Massachusetts falls in the giving category versus some of our less affluent States. Really makes you think. Fund raisers out there reason that poorer folks are more willing to share what they don't have as they know all too well what just a little bit does to help. Here's the web site-- [click for link]. - BS
6/17 10:03pm Could anyone recommend a photographer to come to our house to take some family portraits? - LM
6/17 10:01pm OK folks. I think we need a time out. We have used plenty of bandwidth and posts are not being kept short and civil. To have one side try and convince the other if their vote was the right way to go seems to be a lesson in futility. - KD
6/17 4:22pm Here is some data gleaned from Norfolk, England re. roundabouts, etc.:
Life beyond the motorway,
Geometric Design Practices for European Roads, pp. 23-24- JO
[More about etc than roundabouts, but the first piece is a lovely essay about the impact of motorways on our lives:[T]he power and speed which almost all of us have access to today is, ironically, destroying the places that the motorways have brought within reach of all of us. [...]It's happening there, too. - Wm.]But boundless travel, like so many other aspects of industrial civilisation, comes with a heavy price tag attached. Ironically, the further we travel to look for new places, the fewer new places there are for us to find. Everywhere we go, we must be 'catered' for with service stations, garages, Little Chefs, tourist information centres, picnic sites and toilet blocks. Every city or town we visit is keen to provide us with exactly what we could get at home: theme pubs, drive-in McDonalds, Woolworths, Pizza Hut, Asda, multi-screen cinemas, and the rest. As we travel, we take our influences with us. The further we go, the more we destroy, and - the crowning and painful irony - even we get there, we don't really like it, because it's just like home. [...]
We drive and drive, and we drag a numbing trail of sameness in our wake. Our motorways, like logging roads through a primary rainforest, open up new lands at the same time as they begin the process of destroying those lands forever.
6/17 4:17pm Welcome to America, folks; in this country, you have the right to vote, you have the right to vote yes, you have the right to vote no, you also have the right not to vote, and yes, you also have the right to free speech, so you can bicker back and forth on a website, because something did/did not go your way. You also have the right to an education, and can use this right to an education to understand what it is that you are/are not voting for. This is called FREEDOM. You should consider yourselves lucky that you have it, and thank a service man or woman, because you do. - CG
6/17 3:05pm BM, in my business, that situation would most certainly result in layoffs. In fact, I suspect (sadly) that if you look at the majority of businesses with more than a handful of employees, you'd see that their health care costs are also rising every year and they need to bring in more revenue in order to support these increased costs. Asking our school system to be run like a mom-and-pop outfit is not a strategy for success. - DAF
6/17 3:01pm BM, a few specific responses to your post: I guess I have just been a little tired of all the general override discussion. I am still waiting for a reasoned point of opposition to these items or at least an alternative solution (e.g. moving more to a user fee bases approach) All we hear is "tighten up the belt", "what's a few more students" or "look at the mismanagment". I have to assume that this due to either to a lack of information or that beyond "don't raise my taxes" there is no position.
- 1.8 percent? This is misleading. Approximately 18.3% of the town's eligible voters approved the override. It is misleading and disingenuous to state the margin of approval in this manner. This was a controversial vote and a close vote is not surprising.
- To compare the public sector to private business is inappropriate. It wasn't clear from your post if you actually own a business, but a for-profit business operates in a much different manner than one that relies on outside sources for its revenue. However, if a business needs more revenue what can it do? IT CAN RAISE PRICES to increase revenue. A town can't do this. It has to rely on its tax base.
- From the cost perspective, you seem to dismiss the increasing costs of health insurance. Few private companies would pass along the significant increases in health care costs of recent memory directly to the employees who you seem to imply should feel "privileged to have a job". Better employees will seek (and will receive) better benefits with better employers. The job market doesn't work as you seem to assume.
- You are not alone but I have to assume that many on the "no" side of this issue did not attend the town meeting approving the ballot initiative. The initiative was approved overwhelmingly at an almost 4 hour town meeting which had overflow (both in the KP Jr. auditorium and cafeteria) attendance. At this meeting each item was discussed and explained. It is true that the school portion of the override was the most significant but this was due to a number of factors including increased student population, increased fuel costs and increased benefit costs resulting from a number of teacher retirements. In addition, due to required shift reductions in the police department we would have seen decreases and in many cases the end of (a) speed patrols on our roads (b) DARE program for our kids (c) traffic details at busy intersections at busy periods (d) end of plain clothes detective units and more.
- LD
6/17 2:59pm To HRB: Good point HRB! All it takes, really, is one vote anyway. I am actually surprised and impressed by how many people voted no. I am also surprised that the other two overrides did not pass. The real issue comes down to state and federally mandated programs which bankrupt small towns like ours. Voting against overrides will not help us much if we have to pay for these programs anyway. All that we can do is contact our elected representatives, voice our opinions and work for politicians who understand how these grand programs break the backs of small towns and people on fixed incomes. - BM
6/17 2:53pm I'm not sure which is worse, MG voting with absolutely no understanding of the issues or DF because he/she did not feel they have lived in the town long enough. Mr. Winslow's proposal has merit, yet I would be nervous if it forced people just to vote and not accept the responsibility of educating themselves on the issues first. I'm not saying that you do not have a right to vote against the issues, but MG if you voted based on your understanding of them, well, then we have a very big problem. I hope everyone understands and appreciated the freedom we have to vote our opinion, but come on, it does come with some responsibility. How anyone could continue to make such false statements after all the effort that was made to educate people is beyond me. - SF
6/17 2:01pm To BM: Also last Tuesday, the Detroit Pistons beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA playoffs 96 to 79. That's a difference of only 17 points or .09 of all the points scored. Pretty sad I say. When will this end? - HRB
6/17 2:00pm LS: Not only did I vote, I attended the town hall meeting -- BOTH nights, beginning to end. Discounts aside, I think 1 cent would have been too much to pay for a sign; I have better things to do with my hard earned money. - MH
6/17 1:13pm RS, I did see one sign against the override. During the night, someone spray-painted "NO" over the "Vote Yes" sign on my street. So much for mature discussion of the issues, etc. - HPK
6/17 9:27am So 1.8% of the registered voters (106 people) in Norfolk decided to raise our taxes; pretty sad I say. When will this end? You know, if we had level funded this budget, the school department would have received $12M, which is what they received last year and with that same budget they would have had to lay off 10 people. If you told me in my business that I would have the same budget as last year, NO ONE would lose their jobs - there would be no raises and maybe my employees would have to pay more for their medical benefits, but no one would be laid off. And believe me, they would rather have the jobs and get paid the same, than the alternative. Only in the public sector, where health and pension benefits go up every year, does this happen. What will happen eventually if we never approve another override? Would we end up with one teacher, and the balance of the budget going to that teacher's pension?? I give up. - BM
6/17 9:25am MH - you should have made your own signs and maybe the override would not have passed. Did you vote? Who do think paid for these signs? You're a big conspiracy theorist, I see. - LS
6/17 9:23am If there are any lacrosse players or parents interested in exposing their sons to an exciting Spring sport, some local coaches are offering a boy's (15 and under) youth lacrosse camp from 9am to noon, June 28th through July 1st, at Beaver Field in Franklin. The deadline for signups was this past Wednesday, but they still have some slots available, and you have to get your signup sheet and check in ASAP. There are also going to be two men's lacrosse leagues, one for high school players, and the other for high school grads and older. The document I have attached has information on both the camp and league [464KB Word doc, here], as well as biographies of the camp instructors. My son just completed his second year of King Philip Youth Lacrosse (kplacrosse.org), and he loves it. A lot less standing around than another unnamed Spring pastime! - JM
[Update 1:11pm: added the attachment, too - Wm.]
6/17 9:19am The entertainment value of the posts written by override opponents is well worth the extra $500 I will be paying in taxes. Though I am sure these people are convinced they are posting well-reasoned arguments, they are actually revealing a woeful misunderstanding of both the issues at hand and basic economic principles. I propose we pull their feeding tubes, so we can confirm that they are blind and that their brains have shriveled. And regarding those of you pledging to move out of Norfolk as a result of this vote, you remind me very much that nitwit Alec Baldwin declaring he would move to Canada should George Bush be elected President. He's confused, too. But thanks for the comedy! - JM
6/17 9:18am To MG: Why bother to move? All towns in MA have moved to override 2 1/2 because it doesn't work. We need to revisit it. - MJD
6/17 9:17am MH: The signs were paid for IN FULL by concerned citizens who contributed their own money to promote awareness about the override. One parent drove to Boston to pull a favor and had signs printed at essentially cost, all on a day's notice. Thanks to the resourceful nature of the volunteers, the money spent building awareness would not have purchased enough juice for a field trip, so fear not, no money was diverted from the children. Believe it or not, the work represented a very grassroots effort by a rather small group of people who really cared and dedicated hours of their personal time to save 14 teacher positions and help to maintain town services at the current level! - TC
6/17 9:12am I read all the postings on the Norfolk web site, and all the special interest groups said Yes to increase our taxes. I ask who are they, with the signs outside the school with vote yes to the override - I did not see a sign to vote no on the override. You guys out there are upset for this override, you are complaining about the passage of more taxes, and I feel the same as you. Wow what a town we live in - spend, spend, spend. Medway did not vote for their override, and they are now adjusting their budget. They picked on the senior center, and they said if the override did not pass they will have to close, or decrease money for the senior center. Not - the town of Medway got nothing from the voters. My guess is the town of Medway will get by without the override, but we in Norfolk, I guess we will override some more next year; get your pocket book open for next year. - RS
6/17 9:11am An award winning all-star combo made up of past and present King Philip HS jazz students will be performing at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse in Franklin at 8PM on Saturday, June 25th. Performers are: Evan Butler - Tenor Sax (Norfolk) John DeLorie - Bass (Wrentham) Steve Dacko - Drums (Plainville) Jeff Jacobson - Piano (Norfolk) - JJ, Circle of Friends Coffeehouse
6/16 8:44pm Kids Place has a port-a-potty. Thank you, Recreation Dept. The many mothers and fathers of the 2 and 3 year old set can breathe a sigh of relief. Update on the Bush Pond swans: there are 5 babies left. They are really getting big. - JW
6/16 5:20pm Norfolk Public Library and the Friends of the Library present their 2005 Summer Performance Series. All programs are free of charge and do not require registration. For more information call the Children's Library at 508-541-3311.
- Animal Adventures - Wednesday, July 13, 10:30 a.m. - Multi Purpose Room Town Hall. Live exotic animals from around the world brought to Norfolk for hands-on fun and education. For all ages.
- David Polansky performs "Animals - Their Countries, Their Songs" - Monday, July 18, 2:00 p.m. - Multi Purpose Room Town Hall. A musical itinerary featuring original songs about animals from all over the world. For all ages.
- Bubblemania - Thursday, July 28, 3:00 p.m. - Multi Purpose Room Town Hall. Casey Carle, who has been cited as a ``creative master of the art of bubbling'', will present an amazing display of what can be done with ``slightly irrational liquid spheres''! With quick wit, backed up by lively music, Carle will unleash the often unbelievable qualities of bubbles, creating iridescent sculptures, giant floating bubbles up to 4 feet in diameter, and even encasing a child in a bubble! For children ages 5 and up.
- T- Bone "America's Musical Pied Piper" - Tuesday, August 2, 6:30 p.m. - Pond Street Recreation Fields. T-Bone has entertained thousands of people since 1978. Maybe it's the child in him that enables T-BONE to connect so well with his audiences. Maybe it's the energy of a runaway freight train. Whatever the reason, and before his audiences realize it, they are clapping, dancing and singing. For all ages. In the event of rain the program will be moved to the Multi Purpose Room at Town Hall.
- Caribbean for Kids - Wednesday, August 10, 3:00 p.m. - Multi Purpose Room Town Hall. A participatory show which includes calypso, reggae, and soca beats with steel drum, limbo dancing, and many call and response songs. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this upbeat performance which has been presented throughout New England for over ten years. For all ages.
- SB, Norfolk Public Library
6/16 5:19pm To SM - For architectural plans of your addition try Storplan Design at 508-528-4885. - AS
6/16 5:17pm The last thing I am going to say about the override is that, Proposition 2 1/2 was voted in years ago for a reason (control spending and tax increases), and now towns have a way around it and it is wrong. There is nothing I can do but pay the increase on my taxes. But I will be sure to be more involved in this town in the future. - MG
6/16 5:16pm RH & Wm, Thank you for the information on who can vote. To be or not to be... a citizen that is, that is the question. This I will need to mull over for a while! - GDL
6/16 5:08pm To TEM: I fully agree that there should be no ``reward'' for voting - it should be and is in my opinion is a privilege. Ironically though you mention encouraging ``easily manipulated voters making uninformed, clueless, and self-centered choices on a local level''. Wasn't that the point of the ``Save Our Services'' signs that dotted the yards of town folk? Who were those meant to ``encourage''? - MH
6/16 5:07pm TEM, re: the last line of your post. Drove me crazy that Kerry got that many votes too. - PFD
6/16 5:03pm Forward of a notice from Help Desk: RE: State Building Code Inflatable PoolsFrom [Norfolk building department fees table] the cost of the Building Permit as mentioned below is as follows:Dear Homeowners:
Please be advised, that an inflatable swimming pool that has the capability of holding 24" of water or is 250 cubic ft. in size falls under the Massachusetts State Building Code and must be enclosed with an approved barrier. If you have one of these inflatable pools please come down to the Building Department office at the Town Hall and pick up a building permit application and we can show you what the state requires for fencing and a gate for the enclosure. If you do not wish to enclose your pool you must remove the inflatable pool immediately. Please be advised that there may also be an electrical safety hazard if an extension cord is used to power the filter system. The electric service to the pool should be on a ground fault circuit and properly grounded.
The above-mentioned conditions pose a very serious safety concern and your negligence in this area could pose a serious safety concern for you and your neighbors. These issues must be addressed immediately.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Town of Norfolk Building Commissioner
"For new dwelling, additions, renovations, and pools: $11.00 per $1,000 value of construction"- [Name withheld - Wm.]
6/16 10:59am Re: 6/15 9:37pm Can resident aliens (non-US citizens) register to vote in the town? Does anyone have information on this? - GDL
The answer is no. According to the Massachusetts Secretary of State, only persons who are:a. a US citizen, and b. a resident of Massachusetts, and c. 18 years old on or before election day may register to vote in Massachusetts. See URL: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howreg.htm- RH
6/16 10:58am Do we really want people voting whose only motivation is a monetary reward, a pathetic tax cut, a discount, or written recognition that they know how to vote? Why encourage easily manipulated voters making uninformed, clueless, and self-centered choices on a local level? Look at what millions of them did on a national level last November. - TEM
6/16 10:35am MG and BF: If the Override campaign signs amounted to "scare tactics," apparently we need more of them! They clearly didn't scare many people into voting, regardless of their position. I commend the group of individuals, moms mostly, who gave generously of their time, talents, and yes, treasure (the signs were paid for right out of the pockets of concerned families!) to make people aware of what was indeed at stake. These private citizens did you and the other residents of Norfolk a great service by bringing this important issue to your attention. If nothing else, this issue drove home the point that residents must attend Town Meetings, must ask tough questions to ensure accountability, and must take the ten minutes it takes to go vote. I am not dying to pay more taxes, no one is. But the circumstances are far more complicated than either of you allow for, and before you cast aspersions, you should do the research and be well informed about intricacies of town management. Frankly, if more people were "scared" into paying attention to what is happening, locally and nationally, we would all be better off for it. - TC
6/16 10:34am Correct me if I'm wrong but this seems to be the closest override vote I remember in my 30 years here - 106 votes. Voter turnout aside, I hope our selectmen, advisory board and others get the message. People are hurting out here - it's not just seniors - it's people like myself that saw their high tech jobs go away. If we want to support the schools and other services we have to forget about projects like lowering the Town Hill (had to build the stone walls two times, didn't we), removing overhead wires etc. Sidewalks are nice but what parent actually lets their kids walk anywhere - look at the cars on road before and after school and heading to the ball games - we do not need them. Please, let's take a deep breath and deal with what is really important vs. what would be nice to have. - RP
6/16 10:29am To anyone who thinks that the elected officials of Norfolk throw money away without thinking about the taxpayers in town and seek an override without exhausting every other option, think about this: they are taxpayers in town as well, and I truly believe they are as concerned about the well being of this town as any other citizen. Do some research and you will see that Norfolk is certainly not alone in the fact that money is tight; it is more rare for a town not to be stretched thin right now - due to the level funding from the state not the fiscal irresponsibility of the local officials. The same amount of money comes in each year and costs go up - what other option do we have other than an overide? And for anyone who thinks commercial development is the answer to all problems, look at towns with huge commercial tax bases and you will see that they are no better off - in most cases worse off than Norfolk. All in all, if you do an apples to apples comparison to surrounding communities, I think you will see that Norfolk does pretty well as far as taxes, town services and quality of life for the citizens. Take it from someone who has lived and has had rental properties in several surrounding communities, Norfolk is a great community to live and raise a family in. - CR
6/16 10:26am Please Help Save Public Radio and TV! Proposed funding cuts now before the US House of Representatives pose a serious threat to public broadcasting: to PBS, to NPR, and to local stations like WGBH. Contact your legislators in Congress and tell them how you feel. If you oppose a 45% cut in government funding for public broadcasting, let your legislators know that. The House may vote on these cuts as soon as June 22, 2005, so it's critical that your members of Congress hear from you today. - RH
6/16 10:19am Just a thought: Are there people out there who either
* voted for the tax increase in ballot question #1, or
* felt that they did not have a strong enough opinion to vote to oppose it
* but are already inclined to vote against any such increase next time around?- RM
6/15 9:52pm To MG - Have you been to Town Meeting lately or watched the replay on NCTV?? Perhaps you went to the public forum that was overwhelmingly attended last week as JO pointed out. At Town Meeting we went through each budget item, line item by line item. Those who had questions were openly able to ask them. Furthermore the Selectmen and Interim Town Administrator have been available. All of these questions and issues were discussed. - BS
6/15 9:37pm Can resident aliens (non-US citizens) register to vote in the town? Does anyone have information on this? - GDL
[Presumably for local-only elections? Ordinarily one must be a citizen to vote - Wm.]
6/15 9:30pm MG - Maybe I am naive, but when there is a possibility that police and fire services will be cut I really DO think there is a chance that they may not respond to an emergency call in time. And if the schools didn't get the funds they needed, we wouldn't be adding 3 or 4 kids per class- it would have been around 10. And if you don't think that's a big number, I invite you to talk to a professional about the impact that can have - a teacher. Don't ask just one- ask one who works in a district with more than 29 kids in a class and then talk to one who has a manageable class size- size does in fact matter. And if you don't think so, then you haven't been in a classroom in at least 15 years and seen the massive changes that have taken place. I don't think telling people the real impacts of a failed override are "scare tactics" - they are a possibility and should be considered as such. - AB
6/15 9:23pm We voted and were not surprised at the results nor the poor attendance again at the polls. While we are unhappy with the results, we are miffed about how naive people can be. Our hands are not just for sitting upon! Once again the faithful flock gathered and spoke their mind (we think). Swayed, perhaps, but vote we did. I wonder about voter apathy as Mr. Winslow has raised as a concern. It is real, it is not unique to us or our area. It is nation wide. People truly are not the sheep as our good government would prefer but none the less we gather, the flock, hoping not to stand out. "Save Critical Town Services." Please, that is as old as saying vote for me and I will lower your taxes, no new taxes, and so on. We soon forget the old slogans, time passes, we adjust, we make do and we try to feel some sort of individuality, but still, we wish not to stand out. I like the point made earlier in this discussion to speak the truth. It is not really "Save Critical Town Services" but "Save Small Class Sizes" that the flock is trying to save. My wife is a high school teacher and knows all too well about class sizes. She as I have opposed the idea of the so called concerns of larger class sizes. If this is what needs to be done to keep on budget then so be it. We will be fine I'm sure. We as humans over the thousands of years have endured far greater challenges than the threat so greatly advertised on our streets to "Save Critical Town Services". One person wrote that we should all be concerned if this override fails to pass and we experience an actual emergency! Please stop! - BF
6/15 9:22pm Someone posted earlier this spring that the street sweeper is broken... Since the vehicle fund failed I guess you won't be seeing one next year either. - ND
6/15 6:05pm I find it very disturbing that there was such a low voter turnout, for something as important as a TAX INCREASE. Every year I see my own household budget get harder to balance, because the cost of health insurance, natural gas, electricity, food, home repairs, car repairs and so on and so on keep going up. But I do not have the option of scaring anyone into giving me more money to help make the burden any easier. I have to find ways to get by, why shouldn't the town? - MG
6/15 4:38pm Just so I understand the outcome of the town meeting. The schools, fire and police will all keep the same level of personnel as they had, and the sidewalks and the vehicle replacement will go to a back burner until a future time, is that right? I guess I missed one other thing, and that is: how do the vehicles currently get replaced when they are worn out? Just curious. - CR
6/15 4:37pm To LS - You can contact the Town Clerks office regarding helping out at the polling places. And thanks for being a volunteer!! - BS
6/15 3:51pm DF - Had I played the lottery, I would have won 10 million dollars. - LS
6/15 3:50pm DF - the movement was to save critical town services. The definition of critical town services is one to be argued. What do you think are critical services to a town? 14 teachers are critical to the town in my opinion, as well as the police and fire. The money was not just for the school. If you want the breakdown and care do some research. Talk about apathy. - LS
6/15 3:39pm DF: As the saying goes, you get what you give. Your failure to vote as well as anyone else that chose to join in your decision is nothing more than apathy no matter how you try to justify it. You managed to put yourself as far away from the issue as you could by using the excuse that you have not lived here long enough to have the right to decide.Would you vote against a proposal that let residents vote only after they had resi ded in a town for at least a year? - KD
6/15 1:50pm JLH, Why I'm surprised at you - isn't this obvious. Main Entry: de*la*lys- BD
Pronunciation: 'di-la-lEs
Function: intransitive verb
Etymology: reduplication of delay and dally : to waste time by loitering or delaying : DAWDLEabide, await, bide, bide the issue, dally, dawdle, defer, delay, diddle, dilly, dillydally doodle, drag, drag one's feet, drag one's heels, falter, flag, goof off, halt, hang about, hang around, hang back, hesitate, hold back, hold everything, hold on, hold your horses, kill time, lag, linger, loiter, lollygag, mark time, piddle, play for time, poke, postpone, procrastinate, put off, put on ice, shilly-shally, sit tight, sit up, stall, stay, stay up, stick around, take time, tarry, temporize, trail, trifle, twiddle one's thumbs, wait, wait a minute, wait and see, wait til tomorrow, waste time
From the Middle English delaien, from Anglo-Norman delaier, from Old French deslaier : des-, de- + laier, to leave, of Germanic origin; see leip- in Indo-European roots, from the hamlet of Norfolk delay and dillydally combination 21st century moonscape applications.
6/15 1:09pm To JLH I loved your post about the TYPO on the construction signs! It was so funny the way you said "See Alt. Rtes", instead of "Find Alt Rtes". - JR
6/15 11:37am HPK - If a lot of voters were like me, their lack of vote wasn't a result of apathy. Instead it was a conscious decision to abstain. Had I voted, I would have voted 'no', and one of the biggest reasons I would have voted 'no' is because I have issues with the "Save Critical Town Services" movement that sprung up around this issue. Using phrases like "Critical Town Services," in my eyes, is mere hyperbole, designed to scare people. Nothing more. And it apparently worked. A more honest catch-phrase would have been "Save Small Class Sizes." At least that would have been an honest representation of what the issue actually was. - DF
6/15 10:30am For more information on the Open Meeting Law here is a link to a detailed guide published by the Attorney General's Office which is charged with enforcing the Open Meeting Law. [OML.pdf, here] - EF
6/15 10:29am Interesting... the 2004 Presidential election saw a turnout of 5,054 of Norfolk's 5,951 registered voters (2004 Town Report). Yet Question 1 on the operating budget saw only 2070 votes. Sure, the President has great responsibility and we don't want to elect just some schmoe to his position (uh, do we? the jury is still out on that one), but local services affect townspeople so directly that I can't imagine not taking that vote as seriously as I would a national election. Just my $0.02. - HPK
6/15 10:27am To VR: We use (for adults) Dr. Collins who is in the center of town. He is patient, explains everything and doesn't make you have unnecessary work done. We take our kids to Dental Associates of Walpole but will probably switch them over to Dr. Collins in the future. - AL
6/15 10:26am To HNP & all, Yes, they are making progress on the paving project but, I have one correction to note: The signs on Main St. reads: "See Alt. Rtes. due to D-E-L-A-L-Y-S". How could these signs have been printed and posted with a typo on them? - JLH
6/14 9:13pm Special Election Results June 14, 2005: Question #1 (operating budget)
YES 1,088
NO 982Question #2 (vehicle fund)
YES 830
NO 1,227Question #3 (sidewalk fund)
YES 920
NO 1,139- Gail E. Bernardo, Assistant Town Clerk
[The above was also sent in by RH, thank you both! - Wm.]
6/14 9:09pm Our oak trees (the ones that keep their leaves all winter) are full of the forest tent caterpillar. On one tree alone we counted 15 of the critters. Does anyone know if we should be alarmed by these? Will they do any damage? Should we spray? (and spray what?) Has anyone else seen these? Thanks for any insight. - DS
6/14 9:07pm DB: More scare tactics... what's going to happen when another override comes along next year and you won't be able to afford to live here, either... - JFM
6/14 9:06pm Norfolk Recreation is proud to sponsor the first free outdoor concert of 2005 this Thursday evening (June 16) at Pond Street! Our first concert is by the Freeman Centennial Advanced Band and the Jr. High's Jazz Ensemble. Come, be amazed and enjoy this wonderful performance - this is a great opportunity to see the results of the best music program around! The concert starts at 6:30 PM. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic supper if you like. Any questions, please call Norfolk Recreation at (508) 520-1315. Hope to see you there! - Ann Proto, Recreation Director, Town of Norfolk
6/14 3:47pm A Note for B - If we keep the lower tax rate, with a vote for "No", I hope the schools, police and fire will have the personnel you require when you most need them. A "NO" vote will ensure loss of services. So best of luck to you. Thanks for the entertainment. - DB
6/14 2:59pm A lot of Norfolk people and their dogs go to the Medway Dog Park. The "Friends of the Medway Dog Park" is a non-profit that is having a fund-raiser in conjunction with the Milk Bone Dog Biscuit company on June 22. [Details on the Calendar, 6/22] - EH
6/14 10:15am How's your dentist? I'm looking for new dentists (pediatric and adult) for our family, and would like to find someone who's patient and willing to explain the situation and options when unexpected dental problems are discovered. If you like and trust your dentist without reservations, please share their name and contact info, either to the webpage or emailed to box21@Norfolknet.com. Thanks in advance, - VR
6/13 8:00pm Reminder: Norfolk Votes Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 14th, on important issues impacting town services and the education of Norfolk's children. Please Vote Yes on Question 1, and ensure all our residents -- seniors, children, and everyone in between -- continue to receive the services they need! - TC
6/13 7:58pm Tired of paying the same old lower tax rate? A yes vote on 6/14 will ensure we all have a nice new higher tax rate to enjoy! For an increase in your yearly tax rate, be sure to vote yes for the override question. Please get out and vote 6/14. - B
6/13 9:48am I appreciate everyone's frustration with the Miller Street Bridge. We have been detouring around the bridge longer than I've been Interim Town Administrator, and that seems like years at this point. I know the residents affected by the bridge, not to mention the public safety teams, are more than eager for the bridge to be back in service. - Jack Hathaway, Interim Town Administrator, Finance Director, Town of Norfolk 508.528.1408 hathaway@virtualnorfolk.org
6/13 9:42am Registration is beginning for the July and August sessions of Book Buddies. We will be reading Sarah Plain and Tall and its sequel Skylark by Patricial MacLaughlan. Kindergarteners and first graders are invited to listen to someone read them chapters of the story and then bring their response journals to class once a week. During class we share our thoughts about the story, explore other comprehension questions then make a craft and end with a snack.
Session II: Wednesday August 3, 9:15 - 10:30 and We. August 10, 9:15 -10:30 $20 fee"Almost as big a mistake as not reading to children at all is stopping too soon. ... Parents (and sometimes teachers) say, ``He's in the top fourth grade reading group - why should I read to him? Isn't that why we're sending him to school, so he'll learn how to read by himself?''... Until about eighth grade children listen on a higher level than they read on. Therefore, children can /hear/ and /understand/ stories that are more complicated and more interesting than anything they could read on their own, which has to be God's greatest blessing for first-graders. The last thing you want first-graders thinking is that what they're reading in first grade is as good as books are going to get! First graders can enjoy books written on a fourth-grade level, and fifth-graders can enjoy books written on a seventh-grade reading level." (emphasis added)So now that summer's here... read, read read... and have fun!- LM
6/12 3:43pm To SM: We have also hired Dave Smith for 2 jobs at our house and couldn't be happier. His number is 508-553-8996. Good luck, - TN
6/12 1:50pm Do we have a time frame for the Miller Street Bridge? Another project = that has taken forever! - BR
6/12 1:49pm PJ: Signs are up stating that paving will start on June 13 and to seek alternate ways around Town Center. Certainly doesn't seem like dragging their feet to me - I think the improvements are coming fast and furious. - TS
6/12 1:48pm To PJ: There is a sign on Main St. that says on the 13th they are starting the re-paving project and to seek alternate routes due to delays. - HNP
6/11 8:59pm Does anybody know when Norfolk will be finishing the street work in the center of town? Seems like they are dragging their feet, given that they ground down the asphalt several weeks ago. - PJ
6/11 5:55pm Looking to add an addition to my home. Any recommendations for a local architect and/or builder? Don't want something "over the top," but want the addition to blend w/existing style. Anyone come to mind? - SM
6/11 5:52pm Swing into Summer: JAZZ CAFE on Wednesday June 15th, 7pm at KP High School Cafeteria. An evening of Jazz featuring Three Jazz combo groups and a Dixie group. KP instructor Jeremy Udden and his combo group will also be featured Snacks and soft drinks will be offered at the tables, and a free-will contribution may be given at the door. - MW, King Philip Music Association
6/10 9:02pm Here is Trevor's info: Trevor Newton Tree and Landscape, 508.528.0812. He does lawn installation, pruning, and lawn and grounds care. [see also post of 6/9 9:22pm - Wm.] - MHC
6/10 5:22pm Well said, HRB. The citation in the Mass General Laws for the Open Meeting Law is as follows: Public officials in Norfolk have posted many explanatory notes on Norfolknet about important issues in town. Jack McFeeley, in particular, took a lot of time to make complex subjects become clear, thanks to his posts here. All officials should take the time to read these three sections (23A,B, and C) of MGL Chapter 39, and should feel free to post their comments on this site, as you stated so well.
- Chapter 39: Section 23A Definitions
- Chapter 39: Section 23B Open meetings of governmental bodies, and
- Chapter 39: Section 23C Regulation of participation by public in open meetings
- RH
6/10 12:15pm I also don't understand CI's reference to the Open Meeting Law restricting how members of Town boards, committees or commissions can discuss public issues. Service on such a board does not limit an individual's ability to speak out on issues, within the bounds of reason and common sense. Would it make sense for a member of the CPA Committee to argue that they are constrained from advocating, in public forums, for open space preservation or affordable housing? Should membership on the school committee deter a person from advocating, outside of committee meetings, for quality public education? The success of local democracy depends on the willingness of people to state opinions, arguments, and options. Some people may be wary of speaking "on behalf" of a board or committee, but this can easily be dealt with by simply stating "I'm speaking as an individual." Every board has its own style, and some may feel that they should only speak as a collectivity, but it seems to me that this really limits the opportunities for useful communication and leadership. So when anyone tells you that the Open Meeting Law prevents their speaking publicly, a very strong dose of skepticism is required. - HRB
6/10 11:36am Where is Sweat Beachand how much is the pass? Thanks, - YP 6/10 11:35am Poirier Home Improvement, Franklin, Ma. - tel.# 508-553-3032 - This is one great company. We just had our roof repaced by them and it was a great experience. Nice to know honest, fair and hardworking contractors are available. Would recommend them for all your roofing needs. - EP
6/10 11:30am I agree that the CPA should have the ability to use the CPA money when they feel it is the best time, and that right of first refusal, as good as it sounds, is not necessarily reality when it comes to purchasing land. I am glad, however, to see the earlier post from a CPA member indicating that they are actively pursuing options and that the CPA for open space purchases has not just fallen through the cracks. One suggestion I have for CPA members involved in open space purchases is to contact the Town of Foxborough, because I really don't know how they do it but they seem to purchase lots of land to use for passive recreation. Mabey Foxborough does in fact have plenty of money just "lying around," I don't know their situation, but it would make sense to ask the question to people who seem to have a plan in place which seems to be working. After all, the best advice comes from people who have had previous successes. - CR
6/9 11:25pm Certainly last Monday's turnout at McBride was a disappointment. Perhaps a considered $550 possible tax increase per household has stunned people or left them in a state of resignation. - JO
6/9 11:00pm BR - Hope all went well with the dishwasher install. Guess who? - RR 6/9 9:22pm HS: Try Trevor Newton Landscaping. I don't know for sure if he does hydroseeding, but he has put in some new lawn areas for us, with seed. He is a young local man (his parents own Jane & Paul's farm). He is efficient, honest and has the best work ethic of anyone I have every seen. Can't say enough good things about him, We've referred him to a few people in town who are thrilled with the work he has done for them and thank us every time we see them. - MHC
[Update 6/10 8:13pm: Here is Trevor's info: Trevor Newton Tree and Landscape, 508.528.0812. He does lawn installation, pruning, and lawn and grounds care - MHC]
6/9 9:02pm Thanks TEM, I will call the Fan Man. Any other suggestions are appreciated! - MJD
6/9 8:54pm PFD - Knowing folks on the CPA committee, I have heard that it is difficult for them to respond to specific issues raised on sites such as NorfolkNet due to public/open meeting laws and such (this also explained, to me at least, why the school committee didn't respond to some of the override postings). There was a posting on 6/1 that invited the public to the next CPA meeting (June 14th). They also did a concise briefing of their plans at town meeting. I agree that having to have a town meeting to approve disbursements is a rather time-consuming impediment to buying land, but that is all part of the democracy we live in - kind of like the ability to complain about fishing licenses at Town Meeting ;-) - CI
[I don't understand - how is posting to a web page different from giving an interview to a newspaper? A sharp reporter will offer similar counter-suggestions and ask similar follow-up questions - Wm.]
6/9 2:13pm CR, we are ultimately saying the same thing - that the open space should be preserved - but I just do not see it as simple as first-refusal. Forget about the town not having the money for a moment, the CPA right now is not an answer to this either (for this type of scenario). If we could go to the CPA and say we needed $500,000 or so to buy some open land today, we cannot get that money. Each bit of money that goes out needs to go before town meeting. Even if they had $4 million dollars reserved for the open space piece of the pie, it would not make a difference until it went through town meeting. This process, in my opinion, is broken. The CPA is made up of members of each town board along with a few citizens. In my eye, we should allow these folks the ability to make the decisions. We approved the CPA. We approve the money each year for disbursement for different programs (I do not think any have been voted down, but I could be wrong). I do not believe they should have to go through town meetings to be able to disperse money (I do not believe we even have the right to make changes like this, just a thought). If they did not have to do that, the likelihood is that we could use the first-refusal and purchase open space. Maybe someone from the CPA committee could respond and tell us how much open space has been purchased, if at all since inception. - PFD
6/9 1:26pm Any recommendations for someone who will put down some loam and hydroseed a lawn would be appreciated - HS
6/9 12:37pm To PFD - I see your point about the the process being long and drawn out, but that is where contacting people about options prior to them deciding to sell it comes in, buying the town some more time. As far as the town not having the money to purchase properties just "laying around," that is the whole point of the community preservation act, to have money on hand if/when properties the town might want to pursue become available. It is obvious that the majority of people in town want this to happen or the CPA would not have passed at town meeting in the first place. Remember, the town does not necessarily need to go it alone as there are many, many, many organizations out there trying to preserve land and would love to pursue the right properties with the town. And you seem to forget one very important point - the town cannot afford NOT to preserve land. If you think times are bad for the town finances now wait, until every piece of available land is developed in the not-so-far future and see how the taxes are then. The majority of the land which is left can only support residential development, and as we all know - or should know by now - development costs towns far more than open space. One needs to think about the future of the town and not just the present; if we plan for the present the future will not be very bright; this is true in towns, countries, and most importantly, life. - CR
6/9 10:21am To MJD: Some time ago I noticed an advertisement in the newspaper that I cut out and saved, as I've been considering increasing the ventilation in the attic. I can't recommend these folks as I have yet to use them but the ad states the following: "The Fan Man. Remove Summer Time Heat. Whole Fans or Power Attic Ventilation... Call Anytime 1-800-FANS123." - TEM
6/9 10:10am SC - Maybe we should have a bike race to solve this thing once and for all... Loser buys ice cream at Spruce Pond. :-) - DF
6/9 9:31am CR, let's go on another ride. Bring a lot more than lunch as this is going to take months if not years. - PFD
6/9 9:14am I am looking for a recommendation of someone who can install a whole house fan. Any thoughts? - MJD
6/9 12:25am Wow! I didn't mean to rile people up! Nor did it ruin my day! Nor was it just a few seconds that I & several other cars had to wait. I am a cyclist also & over the years have been hit by cars, scared by them when they honk their horns behind me, & even smacked on the rear (not only was it dangerous & insulting, but it hurt!) by a motorist. I am not a perfect person or a perfect driver, but I do try to be very careful of cyclists, pedestrians & animals on the roads. That does not mean that I think its ok for a group of cyclists - or pedestrians - to tie up a road by abusing their rights. When I came upon a Medfield HS team running on Nebo St. in dense fog a few years ago I called the superintendent to say I thought it was a very unsafe practice to have kids running on the road when they couldn't be seen until you were almost on top of them. That didn't ruin my day, either, but it did scare me (for them & for myself as a motorist)! - SC
6/8 8:32pm I agree with CR. I also think Norfolk should have "first-refusal" rights on land sales: - SO
6/8 1:37pm Don't get me wrong. If the bicyclists were riding other than single file, tying up traffic, then they were clearly wrong. My point is, it's easy to pick on bicyclists for breaking the rules because we annoy a lot of people by being on the roads in the first place. But look at it from our perspective... If folks in cars aren't following the rules (and if you'd like proof of that, please, come try to pull out of my driveway) then why is it that bicyclists are held to a higher standard? I realize part of the original poster's motivation in posting was the safety of the bicyclists, so because of that, I offer an apology for being snippy. But for every story I hear about a bicyclist being in the wrong, I could offer a dozen personal stories of nearly being killed by a driver on a cell phone not paying attention, or a driver trying to prove a point by passing me with 3 inches to spare. - DF
6/8 11:39am DF, since bicycles have to follow the rules of the roads then they should not be riding side-by-side and passing each other since Cleveland street has a double yellow line. How about re-reading SC's post and you may find out that he/she sounded more concerned with the safety of those bikers. Maybe the next time those bikers will ride single-file and only pass when it is safe. I thought it was a good post to make those bikers aware of what they may be doing, not because it ruined his/her day. - PFD
6/8 9:30am I thought that SC had a great point and unlike DF, most cyclists don't understand their rights and especially responsibilities as operators of vehicles. That would explain bikes riding on pedestrian sidewalks and bikes riding on the wrong side of the road etc. Most people forget that when on a bicycle they are indeed responsible for the rules of the road just as are other drivers. - MJD
6/8 9:29am I agree with SC that safety is the biggest concern with clumps of bicyclists on narrow country roads. This often happens in Sherborn when there's no good place to pass them, period. This situation wouldn't exist if they rode single-file. It's not a question of the time it takes to get around them, but of some groups' unawareness of their effect on others. Even the driver of the pony cart I encountered in Sherborn would wave me along when it was safe. - HPK
6/7 11:39pm SC - According to the law, bicycles are vehicles on Massachusetts roads and are afforded all of the rights and responsibilities as you are in your car. That said, the law does state, unless things have changed, that bikes are to ride single file except to pass. - DF
6/7 9:45pm NS - In years past Sweatt Beach was free from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - if you are not a daily beach-goer it's a great after work of after peak sun-time dip. You only need proof of your address. - MJD
6/7 8:58pm NS: We joined Sweatt Beach last year. It is a very nice sandy beach, good lifeguards and a gradual incline in the water - perfect for little kids. In the past I found that Lake Pearl Beach was very rocky and got deep fast. Another plus for Sweatt Beach is the shady picnic area and the bathroom facilities. The beach pass paid for itself very quickly and we were very pleased with it. We will get another one this summer. The beach is only available to Norfolk, Wrentham and Plainville residents and it never seemed crowded to me. - TS
6/7 8:57pm To BR: When I read your post about the baby swans, I thought you meant all were gone. I stopped by today and there are still 6 of them. - JW
6/7 7:56pm Is there a bicycle riding club/group in the area? There was a group of about 8 cyclists on Cleveland St. at about 7 a.m. this morning - riding in a clump, rather than in a line on the side of the road. It was dangerous for them & for cars going both ways, as it was very difficult to go by them while they were spread across 1/2 of one lane of the narrow road. It took quite a while to find a safe place to pass them. They seemed oblivious to the fact that cars were lined up behind them. I sure hope this was a one time event! - SC
6/7 5:18pm Regarding the pros & cons of negative feedback: I know I appreciate hearing about both good and bad experiences on this site. While 'say nothing if you have nothing nice to say' may be polite, I would like to know if a company performed badly - silence could mean that the vendor is merely new and untried. For example, EBay would be quite risky if people couldn't leave negative feedback. As for the Better Business Bureau, I had a very positive experience using them last year with a problem I could not resolve on my own. The online form was easy to fill out (though challenging to phrase a complaint in the number of allotted characters). Without the BBB pressure, I am sure the business would have continued to ignore my calls - instead they contacted me and offered a compromise so as to not have a complaint on record with the BBB. - CI
6/7 4:58pm If you ride a Honda Magna with rectangular headlights, were you riding down Main Street Tuesday afternoon shortly before 4:30pm? I was riding the other way... didn't realize there were several of these bikes in town. - Wm.
6/7 4:33pm Norfolk Lions' Youth Soccer now accepting registration for the fall. Forms are available on the website norfolklionssoccer.com. Boys and girls must be at least 3 years old and no older than 13 as of August 31, 2005 to be eligible to play. Registration deadline is July 1st. - HK
6/7 11:25am NS, Mirror Lake in Norfolk has a small sandy beach and swimming area. Seems that more Rhode Island residents know about it than Norfolk residents. - DC
6/7 9:29am NS: I know people in town often go down to Sweatt Beach in Wrentham: [Sun Chronicle writeup here]. I also found this link to information about summer programs at Beaver Pond in Franklin: [Beaver Pond page] - VR
6/7 9:26am RH - The process to file a complaint with the BBB is very extensive and I would wager most people don't follow through. I considered it once when we had a very bad experience with a lemon of a refrigerator and could get no satisfaction from the appliance store. I finally gave up and decided that my time and sanity were worth more than a new refrig. I think word of mouth is still a good way to find a good service or store. The BBB is a good thing but exists, it seems, to weed out the truly unscrupulous, not the lazy, unfair and unprofessional. - MJD
6/7 9:11am With the Town Hill stone wall approaching completion I offer some views of the Inca stone work that was constructed around 1200 AD in the elevations of Peru. And with no Mortar!!! Knife blade thin joints. - JO
6/7 12:35am Regarding good and bad experiences with businesses: Check out the Better Business Bureau: [bosbbb.org, Boston BBB] (local Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern MA, ME & VT). The Better Business Bureau is your source to check out a company, file a complaint, compliment a business etc. Also check out [bbb.org, nationwide BBB]. - RH
6/6 9:45pm NS: Hinkley Pond in Medfield is nice, good swimming, nice playground, and great swimming lessons for kids. You can pay for the summer or by the day. Hale Reservation in Westwood is really nice as well, but I think you need to join for the summer. - TC
6/6 8:29pm Does anyone know of any "local" lakes, ponds in the area that are decent & don't cost a fortune for swimming, picnicking etc? Growing up we spent many days at Farm Pond in Sherborn. Does anyone know if they sell any out of town passes anymore? - NS
6/6 8:16pm Wm - Our Lady Slippers are in bloom. I feel bad but I don't see 8 baby swans at Lawrence St. anymore. I guess the turtles are there. - BR
[Update 6/7 9:33am: Aren't they gorgeous? We have them occasionally too, and I've seen them growing by the side of the road on Tucker St. - Wm.]
6/6 8:04pm Two additional chances to hear some great music: - MW, King Philip Music Association
6/6 3:04pm This is by no means foolproof, but I have found that the appearance of someone's place of business can tell you a lot about the owners and employees. I think it's particularly true if the business in question is going to be providing home improvements where the aesthetics of the installation are of the utmost importance. If the building is an eyesore, and the grounds look like a war zone, with pallets and other junk piled up, you're probably not dealing with someone who spends much time thinking about the quality of their customers' experience. I have a had a very positive experience with Franklin Tile/Carpet One on Grove Street. - JM
6/6 12:53pm To MM - I can appreciate your sentiment regarding criticism, in fact if someone asked me if I liked their hair I may not be so vocal about my opinion if I didn't like it. However, as I sit here waiting for my $6,000 counter tops from Best Kitchen to be rectified, different colors, bowed, you name it, I would have appreciated feedback beforehand. Instead I am left dealing with poor customer service. When I spent $9,000 at Countryside flooring, besides installers never showing or when they did, late, the installation was done horrifically, I spoke with Stephanie and she told me to deal with it, too bad - again, I would have appreciated some warning. As for Flooring America, they never showed for an estimate at my father's house, he missed a day of work and not even an apology when he called. In situations where people are spending thousands of dollars, being vocal is not a drawback. Too often people get the short end of the stick in situations like this, and believe me the feeling - for me, anyway - is despair. Trying to rectify the situation is next to impossible, granted small claims court etc., but it is a waste of my time. I would love nothing more to find a business that stands behind its standards and has a great customer service base. I am pretty forgiving for mistakes and mishaps, things happen, but at least sound like you are going to rectify the situation and you can appreciate my being upset, just apologize. Unfortunately, I have yet to find it. - LM
6/6 11:46am Yesterday's hot weather may have seemed like an aberration this morning when the temperature was back down in the low 50's, but the flowers seem to think it's summer. I think I'll put on a sweater and go look at the flowers again :-) - Wm.
[Update 1:01pm: For those who don't already know, most photos posted on Norfolknet can be clicked on to see a larger version.]
6/5 10:14pm Golf - the Norfolk Lively Seniors are sponsoring a golf outing at Fore Kicks on 6/25, Saturday. The cost is $10 for golf, including free coffee and donuts at 9:00 and tee off at 9:30. This is a fun event (bragging rights only), no trophies. All level of players are invited. No signup needed, pay at Fore Kicks. Call Rich C. at 384-3783 if you have questions. - RC
6/5 10:12pm Foxwoods - 6/29 Wednesday the Norfolk Lively Seniors are sponsoring a trip to Foxwoods for anyone over 21 who would like to make their fortune. The cost for the trip is $20 pp with $15 in keno freebies and $10 in food coupons. The bus leaves st judes promptly at 8:00 and returns approximately 5:30. Please make out your check to Brush Hill Tours and send it to Richard C., 30 Everett Street, Norfolk 02056. More details? Call 508-384-3783. Don't be shut out. Thanks, - RC
6/5 2:21pm The Norfolk Area Runner's (and Walkers) Club is a newly formed club welcoming all ages and abilities to promote the increasingly popular sport of running/walking for fitness and fun. If you would like to join other runners and walkers, we will be meeting Sunday mornings at 9:00 am behind Dunkin Donuts to run/walk a 1 mile or a 5K loop. For more information call 508-520-0163 or email kpsoftball@gis.net - CK
6/5 12:17am In need of moving boxes? A variety of sizes available - contact ewhitfield4@yahoo.com or 508-528-8796. - SD
6/5 12:15am HAPPY 96TH BIRTHDAY to former resident DOROTHY NILSEN. She will be 96 on June 6th and anyone who may remember her may send her a card at 3810 E. Congress Ave., Spokane, WA. 99223. - KNA
6/3 8:24pm Hi, the Norfolk Lions would like to announce a terrific fundraiser that is being organized for September 24th starting at 9:00 AM. - Paul Terrio, Norfolk Lions Race Coordinator
[Here is the announcement in PDF format - Wm.]
6/2 11:21pm I was the one who made the positive comment about John from Flooring America. He was great to work with. I would continue to recommend them. They did a fine job and were very helpful and attentive. The product that I bought was beautifully installed and has held up very well. I will use them again for flooring. - MJD
6/2 11:19pm Hi JAS, one thing to realize about CollegePro Painters and many other Companies that are advertised like them is that they are franchised. It may be true that the work might be handled by college persons but, they have to pay a percentage of the proceeds to the central company. The work travels through the master company to the local franchise. While the principle of hiring struggling college students sound great, they don't receive the entire labor portion of the job. The part they really need. - B & S
6/2 8:48pm Happy Birthday, Norfolknet! Today, June 2, is the sixth anniversary of the appearance of this web page.
- Wm.
6/2 8:47pm MM - Please remember that we live in America where everyone is entitled to their opinion and have the right to voice it. Sometimes the truth hurts. At the risk of sounding cliche, what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. Joan, maybe you can learn from the feedback. Oh, by the way MM, I was one of the silent ones.... - DB
6/2 1:59pm Regarding Flooring America, I've used them both for residential and commercial projects and have always been happy with the result. - MM
6/2 11:03am Hi JAS, Friend of mine used College Pro and they painted all their windows shut. Another person I know used them but had to baby-sit and teach them how to do it right. Masters touch in Medfield does a great job. You do get what you pay for. - JMD
6/2 9:46am Along the lines of JG's post, does anyone have any experience with CollegePro Painters? I like idea of helping out college kids but have gotten mixed feedback on the quality of job they do. Their quotes tend to be on the lower end, so perhaps you get what you pay for. Thanks. - JAS
6/2 8:39am Has anyone ever used a company called Certa Pro Painters? I just had an estimate done on my house to have the exterior painted. I am wondering if anyone has used them and could comment on their Experience with them. Thank you. - JG
6/1 8:29am Hello my name is Joan Cocuzzo, owner of Flooring America in Franklin, Ma. I am dis-heartened at the comments appearing here and several of my customers and employees have contacted me personally, knowing this one-way bashing is not appropriate or fair to a small business in town. My family, children, grandchildren, employees all live in Norfolk and I think probably people on this site think their comments are rather anonymous and can say what they want without fear of clarification or repercussions. One of the comments is downright slander and not true.I don't want to be in the position of defending myself or company, but rather let these people know there are differences in the companies they are talking about, available as common knowledge: - Joan Cocuzzo, Flooring America
6/1 9:25pm Here's my two cents about Flooring America... when they came to rip up the old carpet before installing the new one, they put several chips and damages into a new paint job on the walls and stairway posts. I wouldn't do business with them again. - KT
6/1 4:40pm Announcement from Town Hall [Notice here, with schedule] regarding a Public Information Session about the Fiscal 2006 budget [see also town budget documents]: On Monday, June 6, Town Officials will be available at 6:30 P.M. at the Freeman Centennial School, McBride Auditorium to answer questions and provide information regarding the budget for Fiscal 2006 and the Vehicle Replacement and Sidewalk plans. These are the three questions that are being brought forward to the voters in the form of override questions at the June 14th election.- RH
6/1 3:12pm Given the discussion points being raised on this forum regarding open space purchases and the importance for the Town, I would like to notify people that there will be a meeting of the Community Preservation Committee on Tuesday June 14th at 8 pm at Town Hall. We have in the past discussed many of the topics related to open space that are being raised here (such as Chapter 61A and the Town's right of first refusal, the Town acting as developer, etc.). At this meeting we will be discussing our next steps with regard to several parcels of open space that we are currently reviewing, including parcels that we are involved with as a result of a proactive calling effort that the CPA Committee has pursued over the last few years. - Kevin Hughes, Chairman, Norfolk Community Preservation Committee
6/1 3:11pm I believe that town has a list of potential open space purchase opportunities and are actively monitoring those properties. Can some one from either the CPC, Conservation Commission or Planning Board respond if this is true or not. - MA
6/1 12:59pm There was a safety-related program on CNN on 5/31 that folks with young kids might want to know about. It discussed a proposed law in Ohio to protect children from physical danger in school. The bill was prompted by the tragic death of six-year-old, killed when a cafeteria table, which was folded, tipped up on end and standing on casters at one end of the table, fell over and struck him on the head.. The CNN broadcast and related article are linked from [findlaw.com article] - RH
6/1 11:02am Saturday, June 11 is the big day for Norfolk Community Day!! Think sun and warmth. We are looking for anyone who would like to help staff some of the venues such as monitoring the safety of the amusement area (moonwalk, slide, etc.), helping children on and off the pony rides or helping the firefighters serve food. The day runs from 10:30am until 4:00pm and we staff in shifts. It's a great opportunity to meet others in the community and work with the men and women from the Norfolk Lions. If you've ever thought about volunteering or getting involved in Community Day, here's your chance. We'd love to have you. Please contact Brendan F. at brendan.fitzgerald@comcast.net or bsnead@comcast.net or 508-520-9937. Thanks, - Barbara Snead, Community Day 2005 Co-Chair
6/1 11:00am To KDR - I see your point about the town being a real estate developer.The reason I asked the question is because while living in Wrentham I know that the idea was floated around but I don't know what happened to it, maybe it was in fact not legal for the town to do such a thing - although I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be - and I know that land trust organizations do just that all the time to offset the cost a bit while still preserving the majority as open space. I truly believe the town needs to take an active role in preserving open space before it is all gone, and just wanted to send some ideas out there to see what other people think about it. Maybe the town being a developer isn't a great idea, but contacting various organizations and land owners and the town being ready to jump on opportunities when they become available is essential for the town to keep development in check and keep the tax rate somewhat reasonable. What do you think? - CR
6/1 9:49am Has anyone heard about another fire at King Philip High School this morning, June 1st? - BR
6/1 9:38am To CR - RE: Town as a Developer - I would be against the town using tax dollars to speculate in real estate. There are so many problems with this idea in principle that we don't even need to discuss whether it would be legal. Do we expect town officials to have the expertise to manage the investments? Would we fund shortfalls due to downturns in the market? Those are just the general problems. Heaven help the town official who tries to pick the piece of the parcel for development - I'm sure that the homeowner adjacent to the development would politely suggest that the other end of the parcel be developed. Thanks, but no thanks. - KDR
6/1 9:35am Here is my two cents about Flooring America. I needed to install a new kitchen floor so I went to them. From the beginning the salesperson was rude, pushy and not helpful. I pushed by that and placed an order and waited for the installer to come and take measurements for the final price. He was two days late. When I got the final estimate it was twice the original estimate. When I complained about it the woman on the phone simply said I was not the kind of person they wanted to do business with. I went to McDonnell's Flooring in Norfolk and was totally satisfied with the price and installation. - PLG
6/1 8:19am To all that responded about my KitchedAid dishwasher I want you to know Bernie's will be installing my new KitchenAid didhwasher and taking away the old one on Friday. Thanks for your help. - BR
5/31 8:44pm I have to agree with B & S, I have not been happy with the service from Flooring America - the product selection and pricing are fine, it's the customer service I don't care for - calls go unanswered, sales people go away for a week and don't follow up on calls, my paperwork was "lost," I never heard back from my original salesperson (is she still there??), and the "free" DVD player I was promised for placing an order in Dec. never arrived... - CMK
5/31 8:06pm In reply to BF about Flooring America: I have used Flooring America faithfully for 25 plus years, right up till 2004 for many projects at our house, a rental we own plus for many jobs I am involved with being in the construction trades. I have recommended them regularly over those 25 plus years as the sole flooring contractor to consider. More and more now over the years, they have been very lax on service. Both for the up front sales part as well as the processes of the installation. The last job they handled for us at our home, the subcontractor that placed in our home to install our carpet was polling us to switch to his company and not use Flooring America. Their own contractor trying to take us from them. Not very professional. Our tile floor in our new bath, they left a 1 1/2" x 30" strip of sub-floor exposed along the new marble threshold because they ordered the wrong width of threshold. They actually glued the narrow threshold in place and left. I had to pry the incorrect threshold out, obtain the wider threshold, go to 3-Sm marble in Millis, have them cut to length the correct threshold, go home and glue it down myself. Once it dried, I had to grout the edge. They gave me such a hassle for that threshold, I found it best to correct myself. - B & S
5/31 12:44pm This is just a thought I have about the preservation of open space. Would it make sense for the town to take an inventory of all parcels of land in town over a certain size, say 5+ acres, and contact the landowners to discuss their options for making it worthwhile for them to either keep it as open space or give the town right of first refusal if the time comes that they want to sell it? I am willing to bet that many people with good size tracts of land would rather it be preserved than be developed, as long as they could get a fair price for it. I think the problem occurs when a developer or realtor contacts a land owner about purchasing their property and the land owner doesn't know all the options available to them.I also think it would be a good idea for the town to contact some sort of land trust such as the Trustees of reservation or a similar organization to discuss if they have any interest in partnering with the town on land purchases. Another option would be for the town to become its own developer on large land parcels, which might be obtained by selling off a few lots and preserving the rest as open space to offset the cost a bit. I think the key is to be ready when parcels are offered for sale, and to educate land owners that the town is actively seeking to preserve open space so they don't just sell to the first developer who contacts them. Even if the town gets right of first refusal, 120 days to make a decision is really not that long unless the town has a plan in place and is willing, ready, and able to act. I am sure that much of the open space is already owned by development companies, but there is probably a great deal remaining which the town could acquire with some planning. Anyone on the community preservation committee with any comments on this? I would love to hear what you think, for all I know these things have already been discussed. - CR
5/31 11:57am A reply to B&S in regards to their remark about Flooring America. Flooring America has been my floor and rug company for the last 15 years. They know their products, their installations are quality, and their prices are good. The owners have the integrity of LL Bean and stand behind what they do. - BF
5/30 11:56pm To BR: We got our dishwasher (a KitchenAid) at Bernies in Attleboro (on Rt 1 by Christmas Tree Shop Plaza) about 5 years ago. Have been very happy with it. Also bought a dryer, and 2 years later, a washer, from them - they can 'negotiate' on their prices - so be sure to ask if they can do better than their sticker! Usually deliver/remove next business day. Good luck!! - CI
5/30 8:34pm Hi BR - We bought another KitchenAid three years ago when our thirty-year-old KA dishwasher conked out. You'll be surprised at how much plastic is in a dishwasher now. KA is still a good brand, although it doesn't feel as if it will last as long as the first one. The door gasket was loose when we got it and the spring on the detergent dispenser gets gunked up and doesn't release sometimes. However, it is quiet (bit of a splashy sound when it's washing), does a good job, and seems to be faring better than my in-laws' Kenmore dishwasher which they purchased around the same time. We got a stainless tub and that has worked well with our hard water. We bought it from Simon's in Franklin and looked at Consumer Reports before we chose it. Good luck - HPK
5/30 8:32pm Re: 5/30 3:49pm Our KitchenAid dishwasher of 20 years just 'died' - we spent today cleaning up the water. Is KitchenAid still the one to buy? Please give your opinion and where to buy a new one. I don't want to wait weeks for delivery and I want this one taken away. Plus I would like a "quiet" one. - BR - RH
5/30 8:31pm We are researching our antique home in Norfolk- does anybody know where Sorrow Brook is located? Thank you! - EP
5/30 6:02pm Anybody can put a No Override sign on my land. - KC
5/30 3:49pm Our KitchenAid dishwasher of 20 years just 'died' - we spent today cleaning up the water. Is KitchenAid still the one to buy? Please give your opinion and where to buy a new one. I don't want to wait weeks for delivery and I want this one taken away. Plus I would like a "quiet" one. - BR
5/30 10:26am For "DC", we have used Franklin Tile and Carpet x 2 times and were very pleased with the serviceas well as the work, and the price was competitive. We have used Flooring America but have given up on them due to the lack of quality service. - B & S
5/30 2:51am There is usually a brief 7:30 a.m. service at the Pondville cemetery. The Memorial Day parade, which includes the KP band, begins at 8 am at the fire station, proceeds to the Main Street cemetery for a service, and returns to the Federated Church parking lot for refreshments. - DLJ
5/29 7:27pm Has anyone dealt with Franklin Tile/Carpet One on Grove Street? Would you recommend them? - DC
5/27 8:30am Hi All, Rain has stopped and the Boys Scouts are finally planning to have their car wash at the Federated Church on Saturday morning from 8 AM till 1 PM. This is to help support the scouts that are going to New Mexico this summer to hike at the Philmont Double H ranch. Raffle tickets will also be sold at the car wash for a chance to win one of two pairs Red Sox tickets for a game against the New York Yankees. Raffle tickets are $1 each or $5 for a book of 6. - MA
5/27 8:28am Regarding the discussion of the Yes / No signs for the upcoming override vote: It's your right to post them on your property, but in my opinion they do nothing more than clutter the landscape of the town. Hopefully voters are smarter than to be influenced by a sign on someone's property, and have put some thought into this vote and will not make a decision based upon someone else's opinion but on their own research. I will still vote no, but it's not because of a 12X18 sign. Hope I spelled everything correctly. - KD
5/26 10:42pm DB - I was told that the Memorial day parade begins at 8am at the fire station. - CI
5/26 7:40pm CI - Have recommended him before. We have used a guy from Franklin. We have used him for various things; crown molding, hanging a new interior door, hanging and taping wallboard, building custom shelving, etc. He does the type of work you are seeking. Daniel Gordon, cell 508-423-1607. - LS
5/26 7:38pm Does anyone know when and where the Memorial Day parade will start on Monday? - DB
5/26 7:37pm I am responding to the person looking for a fence provider. We had a fence installed two years ago and used Frontier Fence. We are very pleased with the quality and it was at a relatively moderate price. Having a fence painted really adds to the cost, so we had it painted by a different paint contractor. - JBN
5/26 4:58pm To CI Carpenter is Tom Cianci 508-668-0499 and plumber Parrino & Sons 508-668-2936. Thanks, - PP
5/26 4:15pm JFM - Fences aren't cheap, but having said that, have recommended Norfolk Fence previously. They replaced a cedar picket fence around our pool and were very good. Pricing was definitely cheaper than Walpole Woodworkers (who do beautiful work but are very expensive), they were quite timely and didn't require a big chunk of money up front. A local competitor wanted more then 1/2 the fee up front... My husband balked at that. Good luck. - TN
5/26 3:50pm Help Needed! We are looking for a reliable & reasonably-priced carpenter, and a reliable and not-too-outrageously-priced plumber to tackle a growing list of projects around our house. Do you have one you would recommend, or someone to avoid? Thanks! - CI
5/26 12:47pm Hi Fellow Townies: Can anyone recommend a reasonable (price) and available (this century) fence installer. I am not looking for free or tomorrow, just someone who returns a call and does not charge $4,000 for a small picket fence. Thanks in advance. - JFM
5/26 9:37am It's been said that Rome wasn't built in a day. If the people constructing the Miller Street bridge had anything to do with it, Rome would never have been built at all. Come on already! - DM
5/26 9:36am B&S: I had heard that a group of people had gotten together to design the 'Vote NO for the override' signs, but none of them knew how to spell any of the words correctly, so they gave up. - JM
5/25 11:29pm Appreciate RG's comments re my hope to raise the Moderator's salary to $10/annum. - JO
5/25 11:29pm I have been receiving inquiries as to adding flowers to the Veterans Memorials that have been placed at given locations in the town to those who died in service of the country. At present, each Memorial receives yearly a wreath with two flags attached - and if the torrential downpour stops you should see the Dept Of Public Works and their able crew swing into action. - John Olivieri , Norfolk Veterans Grave Officer
5/25 11:18pm Does anybody have Vote NO for the Override signs? If so, I would like to pick one up. Thanks - B & S
5/25 5:28pm I also had a positive experience using Harley Bowden for the exterior of my house. - PCS
5/25 10:21am Beginning June 1, Norfolk residents with library cards can receive reduced admission to the Museum of Fine Arts through the Norfolk Public Library's museum pass program. Each pass admits two people at a cost of $5.00 each, and we have passes available seven days per week. Museum pass-holders may also purchase reduced-price special exhibition tickets at the museum's ticket window (maybe you'll get lucky and see Ralph Lauren's automobile collection!). To reserve a pass, visit the Adult Services branch at 227 Dedham St. (Rte. 1A) or call 508-384-8218. This pass has been made available through the generosity of the Friends of the Norfolk Library. - Heather Pisani-Kristl, Associate Library Director
5/25 9:48am The Mass Cruisers Auto Club has leased a clubhouse in town; the below is from their Organizations page entry: The Mass Cruisers Auto Club clubhouse is located at 124 Main Street in the center of Norfolk behind the Dunkin Donuts and MBTA parking lot in the DESCO building. Member meetings are open visitors and guests and are held on and 3rd Tuesday each month at 7:00PM. The club is made up of 40 - 50 auto enthusiast family memberships from around south eastern Massachusetts. Many of the club's cruises originate from the clubhouse location throughout the spring, summer and fall with members driving their antique, classic, custom cars and street rods.- Wm.
5/24 5:19pm The Norfolk Community Day 2005 Committee is putting the final touches on a plan that expands Community Day activities planned for June 11th at Holmes Transportation property on Myrtle Street in Norfolk. The day begins at 9 AM with a Roadrace organized by the Norfolk Community League and runs through 4:00 PM with activities throughout the day. - JW, Norfolk Lions
5/24 5:19pm Is your organization interested in using Norfolk fields between July 1, 2005 and August 31, 2005? - Ann Proto, Recreation Director, Town of Norfolk 508-520-1315
5/24 1:15pm JM - I have friends in Wrentham who dream of their own high school also. I believe, but am not positive, that it has been discussed publicly. - MJD
5/24 12:32pm TK: Out of curiosity, what did happen to Pembroke when they broke away from the Silver Lake regional district? Do you have a sense of the magnitude of the tax increase and other fallout? I agree that leaving the KP system would be difficult, if not impossible, and quite possibly a big mistake. But the thought of having our own high school is appealing. Before we even get into the question of the cost, I would tend to agree with you that Wrentham and Plainville would have to agree to a divorce, and unless they've been contemplating a similar move, I don't see why they would agree. - JM
5/24 10:03am Ah! The override and education! Such wonderful topics. So let me toss in my 2 cents as well. - JAH
5/24 9:26am Does anyone have "Vote Yes on the Override" signs available? If so, I would like to pick one up and display it on my lawn. Thanks. - ED
5/23 11:03pm KM: I am interested in your ad for walking your dog while you are away, how can I get in touch with you? - JD
5/23 11:01pm Kudos to the Boy Scouts of Norfolk for a great Bike Safety program yesterday. My kids enjoyed it and didn't even know they were learning something too! I really appreciated the Dads who gave their time to check and fit each kid's helmet for the proper fit. Congrats on a great event! - TS
5/23 1:52pm I stand corrected. Chapter 61 rules would, indeed, apply is such a case. Barring that, I don't believe a land owner would be required to make such an offer. - TK
5/23 1:10pm JED, TK: If the land was given tax breaks under Chapter 61, 61A, or 61B (forest, agricultural, or recreation lands) then the town gets a right of first refusal to meet a bona fide offer. That right must be exercised within 120 days. - RG
5/23 1:09pm King Philip Middle School Spring Concert on Thursday, May 26th, 7pm, King Philip Middle school Auditorium, Norfolk. The concert will include performances by the 7th grade concert band, 8th grade concert band, and Jazz ensemble II. The public is invited, free admission. - MW, King Philip Music Association
5/23 8:48am JED, Regarding the notion that 'going it alone' on education would be a good thing for Norfolk, it simply would not be. The town does not have the student population to support its own school system. And if people think that taxes are high now, imagine what they would be if the tax payers in this small town had to come up with the funding to not only run their own system, but to construct it. While proponents of such a notion might be able to point at the two elementary schools it has as a start, there is no middle school, nor is there a high school. And both would have to be constructed. And both would require land, which the town probably does not have. That land would have to be sufficient to provide for not only the buildings, but also the parking and the athletic fields. Large, indeed. - TK
5/23 8:46am JED, There is no law that requires a landowner to give a town first right of refusal in the sale of land, large or small acreage, nor is there a law that gives a town the right to demand or expect it. In any case where a town is given first right of refusal, it is the land owner who 'offers' that to the town. There may be a stipulation in the case of state owned land that the town be given the first chance to make the purchase, but there is no such law regarding the sale of privately owned land. - TK
5/23 8:45am JED: The short answer is cost. If you think there's opposition to the current override, think about trying financing a $50 million high school. - JM
5/22 10:04pm "I think we all need to remember the reason we chose Norfolk as our home -- not because of the many retail and commercial amenities but because it is a safe community and a good place to live with our families." TP - right on the money! - DG
5/22 10:03pm I may be wrong, but it was my impression that in any large acreage (I have no idea what constitutes "large acreage") land sale, the town must be given first right of refusal to purchase. I believe it comes down to a town vote as to whether or not the town will meet anyone else's offer to purchase. - JED
5/22 8:48pm Wanted: Small playmates for Mr. Dudley!!! - PRR
5/22 7:37pm Regarding MD's entry on: 5/22 12:45pm "I'd be thrilled to support any open space preservation... Norfolk has only something like 8% of its land preserved as open space, where other comparable communities are in the 20-30% range. It would be nice to preserve some of our town's land and character..." - PRR and EL
5/22 4:39pm Regarding JO's wondering if Frank is worth $10: - RG
5/22 12:45pm I'd be thrilled to support any open space preservation efforts. Did you see the stats in a recent issue of Boston Magazine? If I recall correctly, Norfolk has only something like 8% of its land preserved as open space, where other comparable communities are in the 20-30% range. It would be nice to preserve some of our town's land and character. - MD
5/22 12:15pm As some of you know (and more probably don't know!) I was asked to volunteer for the Town Information Office so for a year the office was manned. I as able to utilize the idle time and much reading was done on the early town history as I had access to the own reports from 1870 to the present time. - JO
5/22 12:15pm Re: 5/20 1:39pm The exterior of my house is in desperate need of a painting. Can anyone suggest anyone local that's reasonably priced? Thanks! - JAS Harley Bowden and crew are doing a good job on our house, for a reasonable price. His address is 20 Bird St, E. Walpole. A family business since 1912. Wallpapering, Interior Painting, Exterior Painting. Harley's phone number is (508) 668-0925. - RH
5/20 1:39pm The exterior of my house is in desperate need of a painting. Can anyone suggest anyone local that's reasonably priced? Thanks! - JAS
5/20 9:59am CR and TP make great points. Can someone from the Community Preservation Committee post here about where their efforts are vis-a-vis open space preservation? I recall that when we first passed the Community Preservation Act that this was one of the key benefits we discussed. So far I haven't heard of any purchases of open space except the discussion of buying the old airport land, which didn't go through. - DAF
5/20 8:39am SC, That fellow seems to have been around for a while now. I saw him 2 or 3 times over the last year. His light colored coat was what got my attention. - TK
5/19 11:23pm Has anyone else seen the woodchuck that eats near the road above the prison & Symphony Park? I saw it the other day & it seemed so light colored that I wondered if it might be albino. It seemed more gold than white, tho, so I'm wondering if anyone else has seen it, & what they think? - SC
5/19 10:02pm Hi FO, Canton Fence installed our fence and did a wonderful job. They offered the best price for our job (we got a half dozen estimates) and the quality is the best I have seen around! Check them out in the web. Good Luck! - HB
5/19 10:01pm Thank you all for the suggestions; I'll be giving both companies a call. I hope I can pay you back in the future. Thanks, - FO
5/19 9:58pm MH - The drawbacks of commercial development are many. Some of them include loss of the town's character, increased crime, additional demand on town services such as police, fire and DPW (which are hard dollar costs $$). I think CR raises good points about open space preservation that need to be considered. One asset that cannot be replaced is land, and Norfolk is fortunate enough to have this asset in its pristine state. I think we all need to remember the reason we chose Norfolk as our home -- not because of the many retail and commercial amenities but because it is a safe community and a good place to live with our families. - TP
5/19 3:01pm FO - Colonial Fence moved into town last year. They are located next door to ForeKicks on Route 115 and are very supportive as sponsors of town events. - BS
5/19 11:29am For FO: We used Norfolk Fence to replace the fence around our pool and were quite happy. Their prices are better than Walpole Fence and the quality is very good. Good luck! - TN
5/19 11:28am FO: Norfolk Fence did ours, and did a great job. They are on Rte 115 towards 1A. Reasonable prices, good service. Good luck. - TC
5/19 11:25am The drawback to any development, commercial or residential, is that they all draw on resources in their own ways. Residential admittedly draws more than commercial, but commercial too draws on the resources as well; more commercial equals more police and fire personnel needed. I would be willing to bet that the majority of these high end subdivisions they seem to be building don't draw on the schools as much as you might think because more likely than not the children are not even in the public school system. Just a guess, but they are probably attending private schools. I said it in a earlier post, the way to control costs is to preserve open space. Sure the land costs something up front, but in the long run it won't cost the town nearly as much as a house or commercial building. Take Stony Brook, for example - I bet that doesn't cost the town a dime where if it were a housing development or commercial industrial park it would. This town doesn't seem to have caught on to this idea yet, but hopefully a plan will be put in place soon to preserve the land before it is all gone. Lind farm was a start, but more needs to be acquired to make a real difference. One more thing to people pushing for commercial development - think about it, Norfolk with limited highway access is not exactly the first choice for developers looking to pursue commercial ventures. They look to the Franklins, Wrenthams and Plainvilles of the world which have direct highway access first; then when all the land is used up in the "easy access towns" they come looking at towns like Norfolk. Which is a good thing, because it gives Norfolk a chance to plan for it now rather than scratching our heads asking ourselves how it happened after the fact. Hopefully people will see my point and begin pushing to preserve Norfolks character before it is too late. - CR
5/18 10:25pm Hi, I'm new to the area and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for fencing companies. Thanks, - FO
5/18 5:17pm I think that growth within the town is a double-edged sword -- one of the reasons I said that people like my family are ideal for the town. Families with children use the school resources and cancel out the benefit of tax revenue. Developments occupied by the elderly deplete the senior center and fire/ambulance services (sorry, but I am pretty sure it is true). What was the drawback of the commercial growth? (I am not meaning to be factitious with that question.) - MH
5/18 3:54pm NS and fellow citizens of Norfolk: If you want to take the roundabout and library out of the equation, fine, but I have one question for you all: then where is all the money going to? As we all know, everything is more expensive and we have a fixed tax rate. That would equate to a problem, e.g. I have X dollars this year to meet my bills, next year I have the same amount of dollars but things are now more expensive. However, each year more homes are being built in this town which equates to more revenue for the town. Where's the money going to? Maybe the problem is that as more people are moving in they're draining our resources? You can't have it both ways. Live within your means! - DG
[The way I remember the numbers (admittedly old info here), each new house brings in just about enough money to pay for one child in the school system. If that house attracts a family with more than one child in the schools, that new house is a net revenue loss for the town. - Wm.]
5/18 3:52pm Registration is beginning for the June session of Book Buddies. We will be reading Misty of Chintcoteague by Marguerite Henry during this 3 week session. Kindergarteners and first graders are invited listen to someone read them chapters of the story and then bring their response journals to class once a week. During class we share our thoughts about the story, explore other comprehension questions then make a craft and end with a snack. Since the June session is 3 weeks long it will cost only $30 for returning students. There is a $5 materials fee at your initial registration only. Class is held on Wed. and Thurs. from 4:15 - 5:30 with a limit of 8 students per class. Call if you would like more information. Laura 508-553-2865. - LM
5/18 11:19am Please join Cub Scout packs 125 & 80 for our FREE BIKE SAFETY DAY Sunday, May 22nd 2-4pm @ St. Judes Church Parking Lot, Main Street, for children ages 4-12 accompanied by parent/adult. Bring your bike and helmet and visit 7 safety stations. All participants will receive a certificate of completion and prize. The event is organized in cooperation with the Norfolk Police Department and Norfolk Road Safety Committee. We will have bike inspections with the help of Foxboro Bike. Questions? Call Kristen P. at (508) 528 5151. - AD
5/17 11:13pm AR - Thank you for your lovely post. It's so refreshing to see appreciation amongst so many complaints. - JED
5/17 10:41pm I was at Kids Place this afternoon and I must say it looks good. Very glad to see the broken "step" with the exposed spike has been fixed. The kids think the pea stone is great to sift through their fingers. The little one I had there found something in the sandbox that seemed quite interesting to her but when I looked at it, I discovered it was feces. We checked out the rest of the sandbox and didn't find any more. I'm sure, I think, it was an animal, but I'll check the box more frequently. Glad Kids Place is open again. - JW
5/17 10:39pm Can anyone give me a good referral for a someone to walk/feed my dog while I am away on occasional week ends this summer? Thanks, - KM
5/17 9:38pm Tonight seems to be the night for orange cats. I picked up a stray that was found outside Dunkin Donuts. This kitty is very young, very thin, appears to have worn a collar at one point. This kitty is super friendly but very much in need of food and finding its owner. He's pictured in this photo. This kitten also appears to have been eating out of dumpsters due to the cuts on his face which are now being treated. - Hilary N. Penlington, Norfolk Animal Control Officer
5/17 9:33pm The grass is especially fine this year. - AR
5/17 8:15pm To JH: Thank you for asking about Kids' Place - Recently, Norfolk Recreation along with the Department of Public Works has done some renovations. The changes include the removal of all pea stone and replacing it with Fibar (mulch designed for playground use) and the leveling of the grassy area covering all exposed manhole covers. The soon-to-be grassy area is roped off only until some some grass starts to sprout. All other areas are ready to go! We had hoped to do this work this winter, but there was too much snow cover. I do try to get this information out to interested citizens ahead of time. If you'd like to receive these notices, please subscribe to Norfolk Recreation Notices. It's easy to do - just go to the Town of Norfolk's web page, www.virtualnorfolk.org. Under Community, click on Recreation. On this page just click on the shaded box! And to all - if you ever have a recreation question, feel free to contact me at recreation@virtualnorfolk.org or (508)520-1315. Thanks. - Ann Proto, Recreation Director, Town of Norfolk
5/17 4:31pm The Annual Town Meeting continues tonight, Tuesday, with article 18 at 7:30 PM at the King Philip Middle School.
- DLJ
5/17 4:29pm 
Pictures of swans at Bush Pond.
- JW
5/17 10:16am JH: Not sure if they are done yet, but you can find the information on the rec page. They are replacing "the landing zone". [document here] - PFD
5/16 7:50pm TEM-There is a children's book from the 1960's called Ping and it has those fisher birds in it. They used to put a metal ring around the bird's neck so that they would fish but not eat the catch! - MJD
5/16 3:07pm Just a thought - with all the information that gets discussed in Town Meetings and large town projects (ex. moonscape, round-about), I (and I would think all other residents) would find it wonderful to receive an annual or semi-annual town newsletter from the Town Hall letting residents know what the upcoming plans and/or status is on for example the Library, Moonscape, Roundabout and any other large or maybe even not so large projects are that are going on around town and a small summary of that project. This would inform residents of the events/projects and if they were interested they would know when the next Town Meeting/Board Meeting is coming up that they could attend and voice their opinions. I think is sometimes more informative/effective to go back to regular paper mail. - JH
5/16 3:06pm Does anyone know that is happening with the kids tot playground off of Boardman Street. There is a some type of mini bob cat or something doing some work there. I am interested to find out what the plans are and when it will be reopening. Thank you for any information you can share. - JH
5/16 11:14am Thanks CCA, further research of photographs clearly confirmed that your long-distance guess was right on the money. According to one source the cormorant's "voracity is proverbial," their feats under water incredible and, in former times, both the British and the Chinese trained it (with the help of a fastened strap) to catch fish for them--a sort of live fishing pole. - TEM
5/15 3:56pm TEM: Most likely that dark bird was a cormorant. - CCA
5/15 11:40pm We stopped at Bush Pond on Saturday to see the swans and their new additions, and a large, duck-like bird swooped down and landed in the middle of the pond. Graceful with an extended and sleek neck, dark in color (brown or black) and also had a surprisingly wide wing-span. Anyone know what it could have been? Grebe? Ibis? - TEM
5/14 1:56am The small apple tree we planted is finally blooming this year. I've never seen the flowers up close before; they're prettier and and more pleasantly scented than I would have thought. - Wm.
5/13 5:45pm MH, DAF and all of the other override obsessed residents of our community (I am including myself in this group) - Enough about all of these studies! You can find a study out there to say anything you are looking for. I am a third grade teacher in a neighboring town. I have been teaching for 12 years and I adore my students and my career. I am also a mother of 2 children, one of whom attends HOD. I do not want my taxes to go up. AT ALL. I want a new couch, my dining room painted and recessed lights in my family room. Off topic... I am in a classroom setting Monday through Friday and I am absolutely POSITIVE that class size makes an enormous difference in the elementary grades. Every child added or taken away from your class makes a difference - and this bologna about class size having to be under 20 to make a really difference is crazy. I have had 18 and I have had 24 -- BIG difference in what I do with my students, how I present lessons, how cued in to individual children's needs I can be on a daily basis and what I can or can't get to. I am going to take the weekend off from thinking about this override and go drive by those swans. Have a nice rainy weekend :0) - NS
5/13 5:44pm DAF -- I think you missed the point of my last post. What I was trying to suggest with the research that I found is that even the CURRENT standards of Norfolk (which is what we are striving to achieve) student/teacher ratios are still above what is considered acceptable for raising achievement levels. If there are 30 kids or 25 kids, the achievement scores were similar (even in the K-6 level). It is not until you reach the less than 18 (or so) that it starts to make dramatic difference. - MH
5/13 2:52pm MH, the two studies you link do not contradict the several other studies reviewed by the ETS in the link I referred to. The first study, you seem to agree, says that lowering the student-teacher ratio has a positive effect on performance in K-6 (the schools we are discussing here). You state too strongly the 18 student figure. In fact the page you linked to says: "Given the variations among individual students and teachers and the way they interact, it is unlikely that there is a single 'magic number' below which class size suddenly produces a beneficial effect." The Second study you linked to also showed improvement in K-6 - it did not show any benefit for the higher grades. It made a better headline to say "Money for Nothing," but reality is, the money helps K-6. - DAF
[Mind the context; the quoted sentence is immediately followed by the conclusion of that paragraph, But it is fairly clear that class size must get somewhere below 20 in order to make a real difference. That section goes on to discuss that not all reductions in the student/teacher ratio help, that smaller class sizes in particular seem more beneficial than merely adding staff, and that selective class sizing may merge the benefits of both approaches. Quite an interesting read, overall - Wm.]
5/13 2:49pm Just a follow-up on DM's post of earlier today. - RG
5/13 1:35pm JW, It looks like the swans are the proud parents of 8. The mother had them at the old nest this morning and they are very well behaved. They form a line right behind her when she moves. Lets hope the turtles leave them alone. - BR
5/13 1:34pm I really did enjoy the first 2 nights of Town Meeting this year, and was practically hysterical at some points. Small-scale democracy does have its moments. A note to those presenting at TM: 1) Brevity is the soul of wit 2) Dark blue does not contrast well on a video projection screen. Thank you to all committees and boards for your hard work. - HPK
5/13 12:31pm MH, the only point I would like to comment on from your post is regarding the TAAS test and MCAS. You said you grew up with TAAS. MCAS is still fairly new to this area. Give the time needed for everyone to make it a "fact of life". - PFD
5/13 12:29pm Regarding the override a few nights ago: thank you for all the town members who care enough about this town and its future to show up at the meeting, participate, and vote your conscience, regardless of your position on the matter. I am in favor of the override, and am glad that both sides have agreed to put it to a vote so the entire town can participate in the decision. As presented at the meeting, the problem with proposition 2 1/2 is endemic to the economy and revenue generation. What everyone needs to understand, and prepare for in my opinion, is an override of this size every 3-4 years. This has been the recent history, and makes sense when you look at some average (and admittedly simplified) figures: inflation has historically been 4% a year, the town has grown by over a thousand souls in recent years, and town real estate tax increase is capped at a 2.5% increase per year. It is only a matter of time until the town needs an override to make up the shortfall. Another point I believe is central to the arguments presented here is this override only maintains current service levels. Even though the town has grown, the fire/police/road/water, etc. departments have not added personnel. - DM
5/13 11:00am Ok -- I am going to try and make this my last posting regarding schools. I understand the frustration that must be felt by many about employment and education. I was the first in the history of my entire family to graduate college. I also did not do great in high school, skating by with B's and C's regardless of what teachers tried to teach. I never took my SAT's but rather opted to go to a Junior College where they were not required. After the Associates Degree, I went onto a (gasp) State school where I worked 52 hours a week and went to school at night where I completed my undergrad with a 4.0 the last four semesters. [Reducing Class Size] [Ed Study 2004]
While it may sound like I am contradicting my stance on student issues, read the articles carefully. What they basically say is that unless the student/teacher ratio is exceptionally low (18:1 or below) there is no real gain. That means we will have to lower the ratio below the current Norfolk level. If this is really for the children, then why be complacent with maintaining the status quo? Why not push to make the override bigger, the taxes higher and the student ratio 15:1 or lower?- MH
5/13 9:25am Due to another wet forecast for this weekend the Boy Scout carwash will be postponed. - MA
5/13 9:21am As some of you know I have been manning the Town Information office for about ten months with only Helen Cleary to help out. The location and lack of added help really began to eat into much of my time, to the point where my volunteer effort in FC 3rd grade was non-existent for the ten months - after 8 years. That, coupled with the lack of adequate space, made for some problems since there was an intent to use the present temporary library room as the orignial info office, and also provide Notary Public Service as needed to the town. Perhaps this volunteer spot will be reviewed in the early fall - that is, if it is felt useful by past users. For the record, I gave out 630 stickers to children going to the library as well as assorted items like pencil sharpners, police magnetic strips, etc. In short, anything that would make a youngsters's trip memorable! Thanks to Helen. - JO
5/12 10:15pm This post has absolutely nothing to do with the override, moonscape, roundabout and I don't think, though I'm not sure, this event didn't cost any of the citizens of Norfolk a penny. The swans in the Lawrence St. pond had their babies. I don't know how many because they were too far away to count. I am going back tomorrow to take a picture and will post it. This is the kind of news I find very refreshing. Ahhh, spring has indeed sprung. - JW
5/12 10:13pm To all who all who are reading messages tonight : ). I was part of the 36+ class size and was a very nice little girl with teachers who meant well, but never could interpret or see my learning problems. I was pushed throughout my entire school, just getting by with C's and never could go to college because my SAT's and grades were so-so. To this day, I still do not have an undergrad degree, which is a shame on my part and its very difficult to find employment.
- Good for you, you can read this message. I bet your teachers taught you to read.
- Good for you for understanding the budget, I bet your math teacher was the first to teach you how to add and subtract.
- Good for you for having a voice and making your opinion count, I bet your social studies teacher expressed how important it is to vote, and every vote counts!
- Lastly, good for you for going to college and having the good fortune to live in a great town like Norfolk, I bet your guidance teacher was a huge help in assisting you in your college selection.
- DMG
5/12 6:17pm I am trying to figure out the comparison of previous years' education to today's education and the rationale that they could possibly be comparable. Yes, there are those who in previous years got by with 30 plus kids in a classroom - some could even skate by a little because they were a good kid and maybe got a boost by a teacher. Today there is little a child can do to get by - they have the challenges of the MCAS. I do not think anyone is asking to have a one on one private teacher for their child, but I moved to Norfolk with the expectation my child would have a quality education and live in a town that offered the type of life we were looking for - rural, quiet, great neighbors and low crime. By not passing the override, the quality of life we have paid for is in jeopardy. People are forgetting that there are other critical services that will be affected. I chose to stay home, not because we are inherently wealthy, we are on a fixed income, and we make do with what we have - but let's be honest - I don't think there really is anyone in Norfolk who cannot afford the dollar a day it will cost to put it through, so we will do our part and vote. I am not an educator, but rather a criminologist who has seen the effects of lost kids; I have seen the repercussions from lack of police and fire resources, and watched grown men unable to read a book. Now, maybe I am stretching a bit - but I think to say "well the school should be tightening their belts in times like this" is ridiculous. Why should my child suffer, or my neighbor if she had to call an ambulance, or if police response was to slow because of man power? These are critical resources that should be protected - that's why we chose this town. I do not believe that people should be pulling a snit ( as my three year old does) by stomping their foot and saying "well they should have planned it better". And that's my two cents :). - LM
5/12 4:52pm One thing that I think was clearly articulated at the town meeting was that the problem at hand is a revenue problem and not a spending problem. Given the fact that local aid has not been increasing year over year and that property tax increases are capped at 2.5%, the only variable component is town growth. If we want a certain level of services the money has to come from somewhere. - LD
5/12 3:46pm Two observations - First, during days of belt-tightening, is it unreasonable to expect public institutions to also make do until better times return? Or is the town budget shortfall structural and permanent? And second, what is the role of the public schools? Is it to teach fundamental skills, or to hone a talent set individually custom-crafted to each child? 30-40 pupils per teacher is the norm the world over, and they achieve as well as our kids do, often better. With our extensive curriculum and low (in some cases very, very low) student-to-teacher ratio, it seems we're asymptotically approaching state-sponsored one-on-one private tutors. - AR
5/12 3:36pm DAF: It is ok to pile on -- I can take it (I think) and perhaps with an open discussion, a brilliant question that someone else was thinking of will arise. Honestly, I would still be hesitant to support the override. I think things like the school department will always have their hand out. (Wow is THAT statement going to be unpopular!) - MH
5/12 3:32pm I just want to remind everyone that the Internet Safety Meeting will be held tonight at the King Philip Regional Junior High School @ 7:00 p.m. I know everyone is tired from the Town Meetings the last two nights, but this should be a very, informative meeting regarding the safety of our children on the Internet. We are not expecting it to run very long, so please join us. - SD
5/12 3:22pm KDR: The only thing that is fallacious is that you are confusing an 'argument' with an 'opinion'. Arguments typically include alternate solutions. In order to help you spot opinions in the future, and delineate them from actual arguments, here are some examples: 'Scratch tickets and cigarettes are a winning combination'; 'Ted Kennedy is a man of integrity'; 'I don't think the override is the answer at this point'. I hope that helps. - JM
5/12 2:19pm I don't want to pile on MH. I agree that averages can be deceiving (for instance, the average income of people named Bill Gates in the US is skewed toward the high end by one billionaire outlier). But, if we see that the median and average are close in this instance, then would you support an override? I ask because the independent research data is clear on the correlation between class size and achievement (scroll down and click on the link I provided on 5/10 at 3:56pm). - DAF
5/12 1:04pm That is a very interesting juxtaposition of posts responding to mine - I am too young to understand how to raise children or to know what is in their best interest, yet I am supposed to be smart enough to solve the money issues in Norfolk on my own. - MH
5/12 12:07pm To JM - As this is a representative democracy, it is the appropriate role of the voter to provide general direction to our elected officials. It is then up to those officials, given their expertise, to develop the detailed plan. We voters express approval (or disapproval) by voting for the officials or, in the case of an override, on the plan as a package. You seem to be suggesting that unless one can detail the specific programs to be cut and the associated dollar savings, they have no standing to argue against the override. I am sure when you consider the implications of this policy, you will see the fallacy. Personally, I am reluctantly voting for the override, but I do have concerns about the amount of the override. I expect that our officials will be reminded by this difficult process of the need to avoid overrides if at all possible. I think MH's concerns are completely valid and I worry that Norfolk will suffer if we make the town unaffordable. My experience as a parent has not changed my belief in the need for fiscal prudence; if anything, it has strengthened it. - KDR
5/12 11:02am Re: tax override - A good source is [Boston Globe community guide] which will allow you to rank and compare towns on a number of categories, such as average tax bills, home values, expenditures per student, college matriculation rates, crime index, etc. - JH
5/12 10:59am MH - Welcome to Norfolk. With all due respect, (and clearly a lot is due given your thoughtful post), I leaned more in your direction before I became a parent. I live within my budget, as you do, so why can't they? Well it just isn't that simple; look at the federal deficit for heaven's sake! Municipal budgets are complicated, with countless formulas, mandates, rules, and regs., etc. all playing a part in determining budgets. It's maddeningly complicated, none of us would want the responsibility of managing it. Also, while you and I can turn our thermostats down and wear an extra sweater when oil prices skyrocket, public schools with 750 4-7 year-olds cannot. The lights have to be on, the heat must be on, and the roof must be repaired so it's not raining on the kids heads. It just isn't so that better planning or financial management would make budget strain go away. While I am not one who thinks you must be a parent to understand children and their needs, I agree with NS; when it's your child's education at risk, it is indeed a different story. Yes, "risk" can be a relative term, but after you've spent the first five years of your children's lives teaching them to walk, to talk, to know letters, numbers, sharing, self-care, manners, social skills, and all the rest, you have a richer understanding of the value of individual attention (again a relative term, since the 20 - 22 kids/per teacher we have doesn't leave time for lots of individual attention either!) Thirty kids in a class is too much, no matter what may have worked in the past. One visit to a first grade classroom and I bet you a month's worth of oil you would agree. - TC
5/12 9:07am MH: Welcome to Norfolk! Sounds like you have done your homework on this; please list the specific projects you are referring to that can be deferred, which will mitigate the need for the override. Dollar amounts and other details would be very helpful, as well. - JM
5/12 8:59am Of all the posts over the past week that have involved the override, I found MH's post to be particularly unnerving. My gut is telling me MH is young and probably also telling herself she won't allow her future children to watch TV or play with plastic toys, as I admit that I did before coming a mother. Yes, all Norfolk residents come from a different perspective and I am wondering if I would have felt the same way MH does 10 years ago. I doubt it, but only because I have a teaching background and understand firsthand the impact of class size at the elementary level. MH, mark my words, your perspective on this will change if you too are lucky enough to become a mother and raise them in our wonderful community. One question... I am confused by the statement "Call me a skeptic, but I think it is fairly easy to skew numbers regarding class size and teacher ratios to fit which ever agenda happens to be yours". MH would you care to elaborate on that? - NS
5/12 8:48am Jazz Night at King Philip High School [is on] Wednesday May 18th 7pm at King Philip High School Auditorium With Guest Artist Rick Stepton, from the Buddy Rich band Admission Adults: $6 Students and Seniors:$4 - MW, King Philip Music Association
5/11 6:05pm Being relatively new to the town (we moved here a little over 2 years ago) seems to be a tremendous disadvantage in regards to knowing even some of the town meeting idiosyncrasies. Last night's meeting seemed like a glossy brochure as to why the override should pass. In my opinion, my husband and I are probably the ideal town newbies - we have no children in the schools or playing on the new soccer fields, we are not elderly and thus do not utilize those town resources, we have been to the library more in the temporary location then we ever did, but we pay our state, federal, and local taxes in full and on time. Perhaps someday we will be fortunate enough to have children, and I do hope that we will grow old enough to use the senior services, but both are a long way off. In order to be able to live in this town we have had to sacrifice and we both currently work full time to be able to afford the mortgage and the taxes. When the oil prices went up, the thermostat went down and the blankets came out. All of our bills went up, even when our salaries did not (as was the case last year), yet somehow we managed. - MH
5/11 11:13am For those of you who missed it, and for those masochists who want to see it again, the entire first night of the Annual Town Meeting held last night (Tuesday May 10, 2005) at the new King Philip Jr. High School, will be broadcast on channel 22 today and the rest of the week at 1pm, courtesy of NCTV. The second part of Town Meeting, being held tonight (Wednesday, May 11) will be broadcast starting tomorrow right after the first night is finished. The entire Town Meeting will be broadcast starting Saturday, May 14 at 6pm, for a week. Thanks. - Paul Guertin, NCTV Station Manager
5/11 10:29am I am assuming, based upon DG's comments that he/she did not attend last night's town meeting. Get some accurate information and then make an informed decision! - NS
5/11 9:44am DG: I am still waiting for one single factual argument to be raised on NorfolkNet against the override. I can't decipher RS's post that you so warmly applaud, so perhaps you could spell out the case he/she is making; something about "166 40b units" in "Wrethan" (sic), "coming to a theater near you". [ ... ]. So, we have successfully debunked the myth that the roundabouts and library are playing a role in the override, though the conspiracy theorists still nod knowingly at each other, unconvinced by the very concise description of what the override IS and ISN'T presented at the town meeting last night. Where are all the NorfolkNet posts with actual examples of wasteful spending that might convince a reasonable person to vote against the override? - JM
[The typo was "wrenthan", fixed now. - Wm.]
5/11 9:43am To ADL. My 18 year old daughter is home from college and looking for work for the summer. She has excellent references from some families who still live in Norfolk and she could come to your home to babysit. Email me at [click] if you are interested. - DJR
5/11 8:05am Meaning no disrespect to anybody who seems to dislike this town, it is your right to think any way you want, but there are I believe 351 other towns in the commonwealth, so if you dislike Norfolk why not try living in another one. I, after living in several different towns myself, can without a doubt tell you that Norfolk is on the top of the list as far as quality towns go (schools, programs, clubs, services etc.) The good part for someone who dislikes Norfolk is you can sell your property in town for probably much more than you bought it for and find a bigger and better house in a town not quite as desireable and pay almost as much in taxes. Just a thought. - CR
5/11 1:11am To RS... you hit the target dead on... on all your points. Face it, people in this town have never met an Override they didn't like... especially if they're told the children will suffer if they don't vote in favor of it! Mention the children and they're like lemmings to the sea. It's OUR money... hold those in authority accountable for how they spend it. How many more useless projects can this town come up with so we can lay off more teachers, police, fire, etc. unless we raise taxes? It's a scam, people. The answer is, as many as it takes. Keep the mantra going... if we don't raise taxes the children will suffer! - DG
5/10 5:27pm ADL -- email me for info on childcare in Norfolk, [address] - AP
[Update 8:35pm: corrected wording - AP]
5/10 5:25pm Thanks DAF. Made me laugh! I either walked the 3 miles or rode on the handlebars of one of my brothers bicycles, and usually another sibling sat in the basket in back. No helmets, no cell phones, no worries except for the impending dinner bell. Life was good! But back to the issue... my vote will always be with a small class size, no matter the cost. - DL
5/10 3:57pm The 9th Annual Norfolk Community League Charity 5K Run/Walk will be held on 9:00 AM, June 11, 2005 at Holmes Field on Myrtle St. This year proceeds will help provide fencing for the Freeman Centennial School playground. Registration is $15, with a parking fee of $5 which will go toward the Norfolk Lions and includes admission to Norfolk Community Day! The first 100 participants to register also receive a free T-shirt. Children's races will start at 11:00 AM. Registration for the kid's races (50m and 100m) is $3. There will be prizes for all children!!! For more information, call Lisa at (508)520-7687. - LC 5/10 3:56pm Here is a good review of the relevant data on the relationship between class size and achievement from ETS. Key conclusion: "Not only did the studies find that students in small classes perform better than students in large classes, they also found that the effect is most pronounced for students in the elementary grades...." - DAF
5/10 1:26pm RS- I commend you on your academic achievement in spite of 38 students per class. I am glad it did not negatively affect you. However, your comment reminds me of my older family members who, when my children were teething, recommended I put whiskey on my their gums- it was good enough for them. Thank goodness medicine has advanced. So too, over the last decade and more, the classroom has changed dramatically. With state testing, increased special education requirements, and demands from parents and administrators, the classroom is not what it used to be. Cooperative learning, technology, and social competence are all areas that teachers must address in addition to the 3 R's of yesteryear, as well as functioning as social workers, teachers and a myriad of other roles. - AB
5/10 1:23pm RS - All good points. Planning is key! I couldn't agree more. However do you really believe class size is not important? Education has changed since we were young. If I just tossed my students a text book and had them work silently on comprehension questions I'd say bring on the 28 - 32 students. In fact, I'd even go as far as to tell you my job as an elementary teacher would be easy! Not the case anymore - Education is now "hands on" where children are actively involved in learning. I work in a town that is in the top 5 MCAS scorers so obviously we are doing something right. I invite you to spend the day with my third graders before you make that call :0) - NS
5/10 10:49am Though I like to keep the last two weeks of messages on the front page, the size of the page has grown unwieldy this past week, so I've archived all but one week's articles. If you don't check the page regularly, be sure to continue on to the older posts, as the override discussion has started more than a week ago. You can always find the older messages in the Notes Archive [here] (also linked from the top and bottom of this section).
- Wm.
5/10 10:49am To HRB & DL--If you click on the link to "Schools" in this Web site, the superintendent's office and school committee posts the dates and times for meetings. I'm sure your questions can be answered at these meetings. I understand these meetings are poorly attended and the school committee is always looking for assistance. In fact, my guess is that they have not had a chance to respond to your questions on this site as they are preparing for Town Meeting, not to mention they have been in contract negotiations with the teachers. I'm sure it's a matter of priority. Remember, many of our town volunteers also have paying jobs and families. I imagine they will be happy to answer your questions at tonight's meeting. Hope to see you there. - BS
5/10 10:44am There will be a Car Wash Saturday May 14th at the Federated Church from 8am till 3pm. This is a fund raiser for the Boy Scouts heading out to the Philmont Double H Scout ranch in New Mexico this summer. Cars will be expertly washed for only $5. Raffle tickets will be sold for 2 pairs of Red Sox vs Yankees tickets. The drawing will be held on June 12th. Game will be played July 14th. Raffle chances are $1 each or $5 for a book of 6. Hope to see you there. - MA
5/10 8:23am The 2nd Annual Family Fun night at the Federated Church of Norfolk will feature Fabulous Fifties entertainment with Lisa Manning and her puppet friends on Saturday, May 14 6:00 PM. The meal is spaghetti and meatballs with Make your own Sundaes to follow. Adults $8, children under 12 $4, sponsored by the Heavenly Chefs. For tickets please call Sally E. 508-528-4589 by May 12. - DLJ
5/10 8:21am Lawn mowing - looking for lawn mowing? Can cut your grass on a weekly basis or if you need any other kind of yardwork done! - email Beantownclippings@yahoo.com, or call Nick at 1-508-726-4104. Check out my ad on the bulletin board at the bottom of the page!! - NB
5/9 10:51pm Hi NS, I meant no harm in my statement of voting NO on the Override. If you read my other statements, you will read that I believe in education so much it is our future to support all means of a good education to all our children. By the way, I do not have children in the Norfolk School System, but I'm still a resident, and I am willing to pay of my taxes to support education, and additional funds that I know will be needed for the new library, and upon completion of the library there will be more funds needed, and I will vote to give to all education funds for our children. - RS
[Update 5/11 9:45am: fixed typo - Wm.]
5/9 10:45pm I agree, HRB! I posted something almost two weeks ago for the school committee to address... nothing! - DL
5/9 6:30pm Thanks to TC,SC,and KN for comments on the 'teacher aide scandal'. That seems to close out this will 'o the wisp. But it would be nice for someone from the School Department to confirm numbers, duties and impact. Too many of the original posts began with "I hear that..." or "I understand..." Come on, School people, where are you? - HRB
5/9 5:20pm PFD, No, it remains at $100,000 dollars for the program. Unfortunately there is little affordable housing in the town. I believe the lowest property value is in the $350K range. With the 40B developments that price will come down to well under $200K. - Paul H. Terrio, CPC District 1
5/9 2:31pm To Paul Terrio, thank you for responding. I am planning to be there tomorrow night. I did see the articles for the CPC. One follow-up question though. Each year, and again this year, there is the $100,000 voted on for use with the affordable housing. If this passes tomorrow night is there now $300,000 put aside for that or does that $100,000 just rotate back into the mix if not used, therefore the yearly article? - PFD
5/9 2:30pm I have heard that 5 top-paid teachers are retiring, and haven't heard how many teachers can be spared with that savings. These 5 teachers replacements will not be getting the top salaries.... - ER
5/9 1:40pm Please help. We are looking for daycare for our 1 yr old in Norfolk. Preferably an at home daycare. Does anyone have any suggestions? We have been at a center and had an AWFUL experience. Please help us!!! - ADL
5/9 1:37pm Dear PFD, The CPC is alive and well in the Town of Norfolk. You should try and make it a point to come to the Town Meeting tomorrow night. There are a number of articles on the Town Meeting Warrant that relate to the CPC. In short I will try to answer them out of the interest of time. We will be giving a brief statement of our finances and expenditures. In general we have a little over $1.3 Million in our account. Yes, the State is still matching us 100%, but going forwards there is no guarantee that those levels will continue. No, no one has been able to take advantage of the down payment endowment program that is in place. That should change shortly once some of the ``Affordable Housing Projects (40B) begin development''. Paul H. Terrio, Committee Member District 1
5/9 12:40pm PC, I reread it. You said "Like all media outlets, editorializing is a way of life." So it wasn't just about this site. Then you called Wm. "clever," which is a put-down here in New England), and you said you disagreed with his "liberal leanings." Then you said the site was "all entertainment" when it came to political discussions. - DAF
5/9 11:05am Here is a question. How much money has been distributed from the Community Preservation Act since its inception 2 years ago (I believe 2/2+ years ago)? I know some money went out for the Pond Street fields (shelter? Seating?) and some money was at least ear-marked for low-income housing down payments (was any of that $100k used?), but what about the rest? Are we still receiving the funds from the state? The process to deliver that money seems tedious and I am wondering "if it is working". How much money is sitting there unused? Is there a life-cycle on that money, i.e. if it is not used within x amount of time does the state take away those matching funds, or does the pot just continue to grow? - PFD
5/8 11:37pm DG/TEM: DG, I agree that you should spend what you have, certainly. Had I known we'd be looking at an override this year I'd have felt differently about paying a few years back to put the town center utility wires underground. But municipal budgets should be so easy. The Superintendent of Schools held meetings last week to help people understand what happened, and why there is such strain on the school budget. The complexity cannot be underestimated. There are many factors, and I will no doubt fail to do them justice. But to give you an idea, there are many programs, formulas, and mandates that determine a district's annual budget and expenses, and a lot of factors are fluid. (Just two examples: If a child with special needs is deemed by the state Dept. of Education to be underserved, the town budget pays the majority of the cost of finding the appropriate services for that particular child. That can happen at any time during the year, and can trigger an expense. Another example. Title I provides dollars for towns with children from economically disadvantaged families; inner-city schools get lots of Title I funding, Norfolk gets almost none. People hear the state is providing this support to schools and assume we're getting some of it. The formulas mean every town gets something different, and even that changes year to year.) After hearing the details, and witnessing how deftly the Superintendent spoke of the budget, it was clear to me she had total understanding of it, was prepared to make touch decisions, and was not in anyway asking permission to be fiscally irresponsible. On the contrary. - TC
5/8 11:34pm I can't speak for the Norfolk schools, but I teach in another system & aides are increasing in number, due to inclusion, where systems are keeping special needs children (often with fairly severe needs) in the system, rather than paying to outplace them. Because of their severe needs, they usually need one on one aides (that means their own aide to stay with them all day). This allows the classroom teacher the ability to teach the class with these special needs students included. The feeling is that it is less expensive to pay a full time aide than it is to pay for outplacement for the student. - SC
5/8 11:33pm PAN, In response to your question what is the purpose of aides in the school system, they are required by the Federal Law "No Child Left Behind." I agree with you and find it hard to believe that a school system has 60 aides for the K-6 program. I work in a city school system (at the middle school level) and we have only 10 aides with a student population of 650. The number of aides hired depends on the number of students requiring services within a district. The aides do play a vital role in assisting the teacher with students who require special services and accommodations that just cannot be met by the teacher alone. Failure to comply the special accommodations and services set forth in the students IEP (individual education plan) leaves the school system vulnerable to law suits and litigation. - KN
5/8 11:07pm The King Philip Music Department presents a Chamber Recital Wednesday May 11th at 7pm, in the auditorium of the King Philip Regional High School, Norfolk. The Recital will feature a variety of performances by high school students, from soloists to quintets. The public is invited; admission is free. - MW, King Philip Music Association
[Update 5/9 3:10pm: Chamber recital venue changed to High School (from middle school) - MW]
5/8 11:05pm To DG - There have been several avenues available to learn more about the 'mini big dig'. Richard Connors has created a number of video segments with Butch Vito on the local cable channel were they discuss the various road projects in town and where the funding comes from. As Jack Hathaway stated in an earlier post, call the town hall to ask your question. In regards to the library, the associate library director recently explained the funding for that project. On a related topic, at the 'Coffee w/ Ms Chris', Chief Bushnell made several startling statements. At a recent fire in town, two police officers assisted in fighting the fire. Yes, it is good that the two departments can work this well together, but it means that these officers were not immediately available for other emergencies. You can see this in the pictures at the fire department website. Also note the color of the water coming from the fire hydrant in the last picture. Perhaps if the DPW had more staff the hydrant could have been flushed and checked before it was needed. I wonder how that homeowner will be voting. And finally, I do not believe any of the town employees are getting rich working here. The annual budget lists the salaries for all the departments. As you look at these salaries think about the level of services these departments provide for the town. They are not excessive. I will say however that it would be nice if the town could double of town moderators salary given the level of service he provides each year; we should be able to handle the extra $1. - SF
5/8 11:01pm Another year, another override vote. We have become known as the town that never met an override we didn't like. By passing overrides like we do, I think we send a message to those that they don't need to worry about staying within budget because we'll just ask for more in an override and if the past is any indication then we have no need to worry because the voters will give it to us. - KD
5/8 12:13pm I was told last night that there are 60 teacher aides from K-6. I find that hard to believe and would be curious if Norfolk even comes close to that number? If so, is that normal compared to other school districts in the State? What is the purpose of these aides, what is the annual cost and who determines whether an aide is required? If there are actually sixty would it not make sense to eliminate some of those positions rather than teachers? - PAN
5/8 12:12pm As of today's date, I am still undecided how I will vote Tuesday evening. Although I'm leaning toward a vote for the override, I still find it a tough call. The posts to this site are helpful, so I would encourage those on both sides of the issue to clearly state the rationale behind their positions. With due respect to prior posts, making references to decisions already made, approved, or voted on (Library renovation or the roundabouts) seems irrelevant to the issue at hand. In addition, I would also suggest a rereading of posts to this very site (SM on 5/4 10:01 am and Heather Pisani-Kristl's 5/3 9:55 pm post). In both instances, they are both acutely familiar with those projects and are providing us with the facts. Perhaps a resident who has one of those signs on his/her front lawn warning the rest of us that a vote against the override will result in a loss of important services would take a few minutes and make clear just what those services are. - TEM
5/8 9:04am I would very much like to congratulate Mike Findlen, for taking such an active role in our town. Mike is a Firefighter/Paramedic here in town and has 4 kids to take care of when he is not at work. I wish everyone in town was as giving with his time as Mike is. Thank you very much. - DB
5/8 9:02am DAF - The classic snippet, sound bite politics - please carefully re-read my post. I believe I was speaking directly to this site and its clever Wm. - but then recognizing same would not allow you to get off on your predictable liberal rant now would it. - PC
5/8 8:59am To AL & TC, sure things cost more. I understand that, but when you have X amount of dollars you have to plan accordingly. Can we agree that the "turn about" in the center of town is unnecessary and a waste of valuable money? How about the library expansion... is that necessary? With the Internet fewer and fewer people are using the library. Some repairs and improvements sure, but a huge addition? I don't think so. The necessary services must be covered first e.g. police, fire, teachers. Another thing that's adding to this problem is this town's insatiable desire to expand. More and more people are building new homes and draining the current resources. For example, notice how every summer even when we have normal or above normal rainfall amounts we have a water ban. Norfolk expanded to quickly and can't keep up with the demands. - DG
5/7 4:34pm Go AL go! Well said. DG: Everything costs more right now -- gas, oil, food, health insurance, etc. Why are people surprised that reduced, or level, support from the state and federal government doesn't enable towns to keep pace with rising costs. It's unfortunate, and no one wants higher property taxes, but the squeeze IS real. Do you berate and insult the cashiers at Stop & Shop when they tell you your total? I hope not. - TC
5/7 10:05am To DG: The town will present a budget without raising taxes at town meeting. Unfortunately due to rising costs in several areas this will mean service cuts. The advisory board recommendation preface outlines very clearly where the budget pressures on the town are coming from, and what they have done to try to address it before they took the step of proposing an override. I am not sure they rise to the level of "Einsteins", but they are very smart, committed people who are working hard to provide the best for our town. Last time I checked, you might be paying the bill but aren't you also using the services? Costs go up every year which is why most people get an increase in their salary and Social Security is adjusted each year. It isn't a matter of staying within the budget, it's that the costs went up over last year. If you paid $100 for your oil last year and this year the cost is $200 because the cost of oil went up, do you just say "Well, I guess that I'll have to not heat my house once I've paid out the $100". I doubt it. It steams me up that people in this town want the best services - schools, town government, police and fire, but are not willing to pay for it. If you want the best price for your home, you want to have police and fire who respond when you call them, then you must be willing to pay for it. It isn't inefficiency of not staying within the budget, it is rising costs - something that we can't do anything about. - AL
5/7 10:04am Go DG, go! Well said. - RW
5/7 12:20am Somebody help me... I'm confused. We have the endless "Mini Big Dig" going on in the center of town. Our fine library has now doubled, maybe tripled in size... and some of our fine teachers are being laid off because of a lack of funds, and some Einsteins want to raise our taxes. I am confused?? Stop picking OUR pockets. You have a budget... stay within it; and I don't care if these projects are local and/or statewide. WE'RE STILL PAYING THE BILL!!! - DG
5/6 9:25pm Sorry JM, I don't move my lips when I read Norfolknet (but sometimes my cat does). There are too many politicians (not entertainers) in this town who present information that is so convoluted by the use of uncommonly spoken words that the point of the discussion gets lost in generalizations. If you are now saying my last statement is generalized, then you get my point. You pointed out in your original post that most people don't have all the facts when making a decision when it comes to the topic at hand - the override. I personally am still researching and am preparing questions for Town Meeting. If you have insight on the override, good, bad or indifferent... the floor is yours. If I may make one request... I personally would like to hear about your thoughts on why you think that people think there is a conspiracy and what this conspiracy is. Thanks. - WB
5/6 7:25pm You guys are right; I'll concentrate less on trying to make my point, and more on making sure I only use two-syllable words. I need to make sure my comments are accessible to people whose lips move when they read NorfolkNet.com. I guess objecting to the delivery is easier than making a cogent counter-argument. Ooops, 'cogent' slipped out; I meant 'good'. - JM
5/6 5:34pm I need someone for a little spring cleanup in the yard as well as leveling and preping an area for a swingset. I keep calling landscapers with no return phone calls. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks - NJD
[Isn't there a sign in front of the house on Main Street next to H. Olive Day School that reads "Spring Cleanup?" They might take on small projects. - Wm.]
5/6 4:55pm Hello DAF, TEM and any others in need of plastering. My husband is a plasterer with 20 years experience and we live in Norfolk. You can reach Steve Cummings at (508)269-2366. Thanks, - LC
5/6 4:33pm PC, if Washington DC is Hollywood for ugly people, then Norfolk politics is the Old Howard. - DAF
5/6 12:46pm From Merriam-Webster Online ;-)
One entry found for inextricable.Main Entry: in*ex*tri*ca*bleOne entry found for pedantic.
Pronunciation: "i-nik-'stri-k&-b&l, (")i-'nek-(")stri-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin inextricabilis, from in- + extricabilis extricable
1 : forming a maze or tangle from which it is impossible to get free
2 a : incapable of being disentangled or untied <an inextricable knot> b : not capable of being solved
- in*ex*tri*ca*bil*i*ty /"i-nik-"stri-k&-'bi-l&-tE, (")i-"nek-(")stri-/ noun
- in*ex*tri*ca*bly /"i-nik-'stri-k&-blE, (")i-'nek-(")stri-/ adverb
Main Entry: pe*dan*tic- PFD
Pronunciation: pi-'dan-tik
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or being a pedant
2 : narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned
3 : UNIMAGINATIVE, PEDESTRIAN
- pe*dan*ti*cal*ly /-'dan-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
5/6 12:00pm JM, WB - Like all media outlets, editorializing is a way of life. The enjoyable part of this outlet is Wm's veiled cleverness, the part I don't agree with is Wm's liberal leanings a/k/a publisher's prerogative - For town services or referrals it is a great resource, but for politics, it's all entertainment. - PC
[All politics is entertainment! It'd be too scary to think otherwise. Whether it's comedy or tragedy depends on one's nerves and which party one's affiliated with :-) - Wm.]
5/6 10:13am A note to JM - Lighten up. My first take on your post to HRB was, OK... makes sense. Your later response made me rethink that brief thought. But whether there was or was not implied sarcasm, you really are just stating the obvious without giving any specifics. How you stated whatever point you were trying to make could be said for anything in life. As you wrote, "This conclusion could only be reached by people who are not in possession of the facts, and who still cannot fully grasp the relationship between schools, taxes, home values, and quality of life." The words "school, taxes, home values and quality of life" could easily be interchanged with "hamburgers, annual income, french fries and obesity. " We all have an incredible forum to provide insight. Anyone who uses the works like "inextricably interrelated" is not trying to do that; you are just being pedantic. - WB
5/6 9:09am Due to the very wet forecast for Saturday the Boy Scout carwash will be postponed one week until May 14th. - MA
5/6 8:28am I finish basements; I can take you to one I just finished in Plainville if you want to see our quality of work. It looks just like a finished part of their home. You can contact me, David Smith, Jr. General Contractor, Cell (508) 250-3678. - DS
5/5 9:31pm CG - We just finished ours [basement] and used RT Hollis in Walpole 508-668-8600. We couldn't be happier with the finished product and Richard was a pleasure to work with. Good luck! - AB
5/5 9:30pm Wm.: How were the schools and other services when you lived in this utopia? Were there hundreds of acres of open space and parks? My point is that each element is inextricably interrelated. When one element is diminished in some way, another suffers. By the way, are you just attempting to be clever, or is that sarcasm I detect? May I suggest that your parenthetical remarks be limited to those that fulfill your very useful role as steward of this site, and that if you wish to express an opinion, it be clearly marked as such, and posted in the same format as everyone else's remarks? - JM
[You make a valid point; sorry - Wm.]
5/5 6:57pm Does anyone have a recommendation for a contractor to finish a basement? I look forward to having a functional basement but I dread the process of trying to find a good contractor. Any insights you can share would be greatly appreicated. Thanks. - CG
5/5 6:48pm HRB: Very well written and thoughtful post; a must-read for people on both sides of the override issue. No one, irrespective of their age, finances, political affiliation, race, creed, or color, has any interest in seeing their taxes increased. But there seems to be a group of people convinced that there is a conspiracy at work, that there is waste all around us, and that our town officials aren't doing their jobs. This conclusion could only be reached by people who are not in possession of the facts, and who still cannot fully grasp the relationship between schools, taxes, home values, and quality of life. - JM
[If only we could all be as perceptive... I myself have difficulty sometimes tracing that tangled network of linkages. For example, some of the best quality living I've done was in a house valued at one tenth of my current home. - Wm.]
5/5 3:54pm I have a Student Flute for sale. We bought it two years ago and it is in excellent condition. Call Bill M. @508-541-8325. - BM
5/5 3:12pm DAF: Apparently finding a plasterer these days is no easy task. I also have work that will need to be done in the future, and the roofer who just completed work on the exterior recommended a man by the name of Jim at 401-762-6181. I have yet to use him, but the roofer did a good job. STP Plastering in Plainville has also been recommended. Let me know how you make out with the person you ultimately choose and I will do the same, although I probably won't be tackling the job until next year. - TEM
5/5 2:47pm No Wm., it's because you provide such a great resource and when the chips are down, people want the news! You do a great job! Thank you. - MJD
[Blush... :-) - Wm.]
5/5 12:40pm Does anyone have a plasterer that they have used that they would recommend? Someone with experience with old homes would be ideal. - DAF
5/5 12:39pm Re: 5/5 9:49am Where are the May '05 water bills? Probably with the 2005 excise tax bills. ;-) - AL
5/5 11:36am There will be a Car Wash Saturday May 7th at the Federated Church from 8am till 3pm. This is a fund raiser for the crew heading out to the Philmont Double H Scout ranch in New Mexico this summer. Cars will be expertly washed for only $5. Raffle tickets will be sold for 2 pairs of Red Sox vs Yankees tickets. The drawing will be held on June 12th. Game will be played July 14th. Raffle chances are $1 each or $5 for a book of 6. The Garden club will also be at the church parking lot selling arranged baskets of flowers, just in time for Mothers Day. Hope to see you there. - MA
5/5 9:49am Where are the May '05 water bills? - BB
5/5 9:30am If anyone happened to pick up some blue Callahan Recycling bins as you were dropping off a donation at the NCL Nearly New Sale bin at the Highway Department, PLEASE return them to the bin ASAP. The bins were on loan and we will be charged if they are not returned. Thank you. - AB
5/5 12:20am Yesterday Norfolknet surpassed the previous readership record by over 25% and reached a new milestone: the page was viewed over 1000 times by over 400 different computers. Just goes to show, elections are a good thing :-) - Wm.
5/4 7:08pm Mark your calendars - Norfolk's Dunkin Donuts Dare to Run 5K Road Race & Walk is set for Sunday, June 26th at Dunkin Donuts, 134 Main Street. All proceeds to benefit Norfolk's Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. Walkers will start at 10:30 and runners start at 11:00 am. There will also be a kid's 1K Fun Run at 10:30. Pre-registration cost for the 5K is $12 or $15 day of race. Registration costs for participants 60+ years old and high school track/cross country runners are $10 and children 14 years old and younger are $5. Free T-shirts to the first 100 to pre-registered. This event promises to be a fun family event - KISS 108 FM will be on hand to provide music, many great awards and raffle prizes, post race massage, and refreshments for participants! Registration forms are available at Dunkin Donuts - For more information call 508-520-0163 or email kpsoftball@gis.net. - HK
5/4 7:07pm FYI - [Sun Chronicle election results] - PAN
5/4 4:18pm Who came out on top for the BOH election? - BF
5/4 4:16pm To PC: NCTV does the best job possible given the size of our staff, and the small, but loyal, core of volunteers we have. Unfortunately, Paul Guertin can only be in one place at one time! We have tried to solicit volunteers in the past, and have had modest success in doing so. We would gladly televise EVERY meeting (Planning Board, Conservation Commission, ZBA, etc.) but without a live body behind the camera, it just cannot happen. We have invested a great deal of resources into the control room at Town Hall, and hopefully everybody has noticed the improved quality of each live selectmen's meeting we televise. With three cameras, improved graphics, and better audio, it is a far superior product than what we used to air with just one camera. The only way we can televise these meetings, or any meeting, is to have a volunteer behind the camera, or producing/directing in the control room. It doesn't take long to learn how to use the control room, and our new digital cameras are easy to use, and even easier to transport. - Paul Altmeyer, Member at large/Norfolk Cable Corporation
5/4 12:31pm Ah! Spring is (barely) in the air. Town Meeting is coming up. And, right on schedule, the "All-No-ing" crowd is moving out. "MY VOTE IS NO," crows one of them. And it's a pretty good bet that the "NO" came first, and then the silly reasons after. "I don't like those roundabouts, so I'm going to vote against the schools." "The new library is too big, so let's cut out the landscaping." "Our elected officials are to blame." If this is the level at which democratic decision-making operates, Lord help those poor wretches in Iraq. - HRB
5/4 11:35am Congrats to Mike Findlen for topping the Planning Board ticket. When there are more blanks than votes for each of the incumbents it says loud and clear it is time for a change. Its time to get the Planning Board on Cable TV. NCTV - how can we get Planning Board meetings televised? - PC
5/4 11:08am Just a few comments to add to the Town's fiscal status discussion. Has anyone heard the Mitt Romney radio announcements lately? He states that when he came into office, the state was in a substantial deficit position. Since he has been governor, this situation has turned around to the extent that the state is currently looking at a $700 million surplus. Where do you think this money came from? Slashing local funding... education, prison reimbursements, etc. Now he wants to roll the income tax rate back to 5%. Where do you think this will put the cities and towns next year? As the old adage goes, "you can't have your cake and eat it too!!" If the "roll back" occurs, our state funding will probably decrease even more and we will remain in the Prop 2-1/2 override position. Consider this when you head to the ballot box, there may be a referendum question. I am not saying that I don't support Romney cutting out the "pork", but some services can not afford further cuts. - TW
5/4 11:06am CR is absolutely right, in my humble opinion. "The best way for the town to keep taxes reasonable is to purchase all the open space possible to limit the new construction, both commercial and residential, and at the same time benefit the people of the town by providing good passive recreation areas." The scientific studies support this. - DAF
5/4 10:01am The Roundabouts in Norfolk Center are not installed for appearance or to frustrate motorists. They were installed to handle a constantly increasing volume of traffic at the two intersections in question. During the planning for Norfolk Commons there was an extensive traffic study that indicated the former (four way stop) layout would fail with the development. Another solution had to be found. The Roundabouts was a compromise solution. It was either the Roundabouts (which that State really supported because they work) or a traffic light with a turning lane. The traffic light would have required widening the road and a land taking as well as removing the angled parking in front of the shops on Rockwood Road. There was a third solution that created a Franklin Center type traffic circle with the Library and the Town Hill in the middle. Of course none of this is a surprise because the well advertised meetings were so heavily attended by the people now complaining. Remember it is a State funded project to handle what is anticipated to be a significant bottleneck from future development in Norfolk and beyond our borders. - SM
5/4 9:59am Any news on the elections yet? - MM
5/4 9:53am Norfolk Library patrons can now download popular titles to Smart Phones, PDAs and PCs! The Norfolk Public Library, through its membership in the SAILS Library Network today launched an online digital library that offers patrons immediate access to e-Book and Audio book titles. SAILS is the first library network in Massachusetts to offer OverDrive Audio Books in Microsoft Windows Media Audio format. Norfolk residents can now download, listen and enjoy unabridged spoken word audio on their PCs, laptops, PDAs and many inexpensive MP3 players. - Robin Glasser, Director, Norfolk Public Library
5/4 9:49am What date is the overide question going to vote? I currently live in Wrentham and also have a rental property in Norfolk which we are planning to move into the begining of next month, but I may wait because the whole reason I am moving to Norfolk is because it seems the elementary schools are equivalent to or better than Wrentham's but Norfolk is a much nicer town overall to raise children. The thought of 30 young children per classroom is unacceptable, in my opinion, no matter what the cost. Hopefully the overide will pass and Norfolk can continue the high quality of life for the citizens which I had while growing up in Norfolk and hopefully my daughter will have now that we are planning to raise her in Norfolk as well. But just in case the overide gets voted down, is anyone looking to rent a house in town? - CR
5/4 9:48am Hi All, There will be a Car Wash Saturday May 7th at the Federated Church from 8am till 3pm. This is a fund raiser for the crew heading out to the Philmont Double H Scout ranch in New Mexico this summer. Cars will be expertly washed for only $5. - MA
5/3 9:55pm I'm not eloquent when it comes to discussing finance, but I have to counter the suggestion that the library construction project -- or any other town construction project -- has anything whatsoever to do with the need for an override. The library construction funds were voted by the citizens of Norfolk several years ago as a debt exclusion, similar to the funding for the middle school expansion. Debt exclusions are not Proposition 2 1/2 overrides -- they are one-time agreements to fund large projects, and they have a limited life. The override we're talking about now is a vote by the citizens to increase taxes beyond the 2.5% ceiling, so that the town can provide the services we all enjoy; it's not for capital projects like new buildings. Cutting back on any part of the library building project would not put one cent in the town's operating budget, because those funds are not coming from the same pool. And when the library opens, you'll find not extravagance, but a very thoughtful use of space to accommodate library materials, community meetings, and lifetime learners. In advance of Town Meeting, if anyone would like definitions of the terms used in municipal finance, there's a fine glossary at [mma.org link]. - Heather Pisani-Kristl, Associate Library Director
5/3 7:16pm I have some thoughts similar to the posting by PAN. I do realize that the state picked up a significant part of the [what appears to be] a round-a-bout waste of money. Additionally, we admittedly will have an awesome library soon but did we need something so extravagant? Is there anything that can be scaled back at this point such as landscaping? I heard that there are there plans being made to create sidewalks down rte 115 to the Foxboro line. I do not have the actual figures but understand that the cost will exceed 2 million. If our town managers can not afford to pay the employees why are they considering enormous capital expenditures? Also keep in mind that the high school is already over budget before they start building. Vote this override down or be ready to hold onto your wallets because they are coming back for more. - RW
5/3 7:09pm To RS/PAN: You both raise valid questions and they deserve answers. None of us is eager to see our property taxes rise, nor are we eager to see our property values decrease and more importantly, see important town services reduced. This is a wake-up call to all of us, myself included. We must pay more attention to town business and politics, know the qualifications and expertise of those serving in town government, and demand accountability. But, we must also keep abreast of state funding, education mandates, tax policy, and all the other issues that trickle down to strain local budgets. We all want a strong, vibrant community, with good schools, good services for seniors and all town residents, and the issues deserve our on-going attention. - TC
[Repost from this morning - Wm.]
5/3 7:07pm Regarding Mosquito Magnets: I bought a reconditioned one at the company website at this URL: mosquitomagnet.com/freedom.html It looks brand new, and I saved a third of the Home Depot price for the Defender model. - RH
[Repost from this morning - Wm.]
5/3 7:01pm To RS/PAN: You both raise valid questions and they deserve answers. None of us is eager to see our property taxes rise, nor are we eager to see our property values decrease and more importantly, see important town services reduced. This is a wake-up call to all of us, myself included. We must pay more attention to town business and politics, know the qualifications and expertise of those serving in town government, and demand accountability. But, we must also keep abreast of state funding, education mandates, tax policy, and all the other issues that trickle down to strain local budgets. We all want a strong, vibrant community, with good schools, good services for seniors and all town residents, and the issues deserve our on-going attention. What matters most right now is to keep the town moving forward, not backward. Voting against the override may send a strong message to our largely volunteer town government (who toil endlessly in a thankless job, as LK so deftly points out), but it will be at the expense of our seniors, our children in grades k-12, and our town services. On May 10th I'm voting with the kids. Next election, however, I'll be asking a lot more questions, going to Town Meetings, and I won't miss the NCL sponsored Candidate's Night. - TC
5/3 4:40pm The Boy Scouts will be holding a Car Wash this Saturday morning at the Federated Church. In addition to the Car Wash the Boy Scouts will be raffling off two pair of tickets to the July 14 Red Sox Yankees game. So head on down, get your car washed and buy a chance to see a Red Sox Yankees game. - MA, Norfolk Troop 80
5/3 3:10pm Before the new roundabout, in the roundabout and after the roundabout are new crossings for pedestrians. It would be a good idea to mark These crossings with "Pedestrian" signs to warn drivers. - JG
5/3 2:56pm Norfolk Walkways brick sales end May 15 - don't miss out on your chance to make a permanent mark on the new and improved Town Hill! May 15th is the deadline for ordering inscribed bricks from the Norfolk Walkways Brick Sales. [Continued...] - TS, Norfolk Community League
5/3 2:56pm It is a shame that the group affected the most by the override are not allowed to vote on the issue - the children of the town. I realize that money is tight for many and that some may not have children in the schools to gain a direct benefit from the money spent, but the children deserve a good education and the staff compensated fairly. When I voted for previous overrides, I didn't just look at the direct benefit for my family, but how it affects my neighbors and friends. Sometimes we just need to sit and think about what is right for the long term and not just because our pockets are light today. These children deserve a quality education in order to become successful and contribute back to society. Who knows, the Town Administrator for the town in the year 2020 could be attending school today at the Freeman, and he or she will remember this vote. - SF
5/3 2:52pm I would like to add to the discussion of taxes in Norfolk. First, after being a resident of Norfolk, Wrentham and Plainville, I can assure you that the town is far better off with limited commercial development because, as was previously stated, commercial development does not help lower taxes. Take Plainville for example, Plainville is very pro-business. Now, with the new Plainville commons marketplace en route, one you would think the taxes would go down. Right? Not exactly, you see Plainville just had their own proposition 2 1/2 overide. Why? Because with more commercial development the town departments - mainly fire and police - need more staff and equipment. I remember reading in the gazzette a while back about the money which the Plainville marketplace would bring in taxes (not sure of the exact amount) but in the very next sentence the fire chief was quoted as saying they need, I believe, 5 more personnel because of the commercial development. Now if mall brings in for example $100,000/year in taxes and they need 5 firefighters at we'll say $45,000/year as well as equipment, I just don't see how it works out as being a benefit to the town. And the same is true in Wrentham with the outlet mall - guess what, their taxes aren't any better than Norfolks, and they get the added benefit of more traffic and crime, which by the way brings insurance premiums up. And for the best example of all, look at Franklin, with all the industrial parks and businesses in that town you would think it would be the cheapest town in the area as far as taxes go, but it is not. Every town has money issues now, it is unavoidable, but before this town gets out of control with commercial development, people need to step back and think about how little, if at all, commercial development will actually help the town. I have to assume that people came to live in this town for a quiet, rural atmosphere. Let's keep it that way. The best way for the town to keep taxes reasonable is to purchase all the open space possible to limit the new construction, both commercial and residential, and at the same time benefit the people of the town by providing good passive recreation areas. - CR
5/3 2:51pm Are there no other ways of cutting expenses than to fire teachers? - TEM
5/3 11:34am Annual Town Election is on today, May 3, 2005. The polls are open from 7:00am until 8:00pm. All precincts vote in the H. Olive Day School Auditorium (rear of building).
5/3 10:23am RS - As a town taxpayer who doesn't have money to play with, I completely understand your frustration. However, as a public school teacher I know first hand that it is simply impossible for children to receive a quality education with 28 + children in a classroom. They are going for the throat, and the ones who will feel the effects are our kids. I am not sure if you have children in school, but in my opinion, with a "No" vote you give up your right to expect anything from the Norfolk teachers lucky enough to hold on to their jobs, as well as the expectation that those kids hopping off the bus each day will do so with a smile on their face! - NS
5/3 10:14am I too hate to see my tax bill rising year after year, but I am so tired of the knee-jerk reaction of people who blame and scold our elected officials for the problem. These people are volunteers, serving our community with huge amounts of their time and energy. If you actually listen, you will find that they are not imbeciles who weren't smart enough to think about the future, but intelligent, candid, concerned citizens and taxpayers like us, dealing with complicated issues like how to efficiently provide town services that people expect when state funding is flat, and expenses like insurance, health care, and energy are rising at double digit rates. It doesn't take a math major to see that 2-1/2% will not go very far. - LK
5/3 9:01am The Town of Norfolk's website, www.virtualnorfolk.org, has a number of documents related to the FY06 Town Meeting and budget. The documents can be found by going to the home page, www.virtualnorfolk.org, then following the link that is labeled "All FY06 Budget Documents are located here". - Jack Hathaway, Interim Town Administrator Finance Director Town of Norfolk, MA
5/2 11:42pm Fisher Wild Things Unlimited Rare Carnivores [link] - JW
5/2 11:40pm Hi DAF, I feel the same as you, I guess it is called poor planning, no one of our elected officials has looked into the future to see the impact that is happening today with this override. If they did, teachers would still have a secure job today. - RS
5/2 12:53pm It seems like once a year for the past five years we go through this whole debate again about commercial development. In the Globe article our new Fire Chief weighed in with the standard misunderstanding. Echoing PAN's frustration, "Bushnell said the tight town finances are the fault of residents who have not allowed new commercial development in town that could generate tax revenues and help shoulder the tax burden." - DAF
5/2 10:10am Perhaps I have been living with my head buried in the sand, but other than what I read in the yesterday's paper on the potential of an 1+ million dollar override, why is the Town in this situation? I realize the State has cut back on funding and expenses have increased but what has the town done to decrease spending and increase revenues? I am curious: I realize the Selectmen are attempting to change how business is done in Norfolk but trying to make it more user friendly but they do not control how any of the boards conduct business. With town elections tomorrow and many of the same people vying to get reelected will there ever be any change?
- How much of the Norfolk taxpayers' dollars went into the construction of the two roundabouts? Hopefully, it was all state funded but even then it appears to be a waste of money in light of all the other pressing needs.
- How much money has the town spent in litigating decisions made by the planning, zoning and conservation boards over the past ten years?
- How much money has the town lost by the center of town not being developed? I would imagine it is a fairly significant amount of revenue.
- How many tax dollars has the town lost by forcing Norfolk Power to relocate to Wrentham instead of accommodating them in their old location in the center of town?
- How many other tax generating businesses has Norfolk lost because of its "business friendly" attitude?
- PAN
5/2 10:05am Thanks for the suggestion, RS, I've already done that [called the lost cell phone] but no result. I think maybe a kid picked it up and just hasn't handed it over to their parents yet. And to LC regarding the fisher, I saw what I think was a couple of fishers (do they look like a ferret except darker?) on Daniels, not too far from the airport. - KT
5/2 10:03am Can anyone suggest a place in the area where I can swim year round for exercise? Since I commute into Boston, I need a place which is open early in the morning and/or later in the evening to accomodate my schedule. - PH
5/2 1:17am To TEM: You didn't miss anything, but you will learn more when the Advisory Board recommendations arrive in the mail prior to town meeting. What will happen at Town meeting is that the operating budget for the town will be voted with two parts. The first part will be a budget that is balanced with revenues (state aid, local receipts, tax revenues, miscellaneous) that are expected based upon current information and estimates. The second part of the budget will be a higher budget that will be contingent on a proposition 2 1/2 override. The Selectmen will call for the ballot vote after the Town meeting members have voted the 2 budgets and the final override number is known. - Jack Hathaway, Interim Town Administrator Finance Director 508.528.1408
5/1 8:10pm To KT - go down to the field and have someone call your cell # you just might hear it go off. Sounds crazy; I lose mine a lot and it works for me. - RS
5/1 8:09pm I am looking for a personal trainer. I do not go to gyms, and I know there are some people in Norfolk that had flyers on doors in some of the stores in town a few years back. Thanks for the help. - RS
5/1 3:08pm To AKS and JS: I do lawn service (mowing, clean-ups, etc.) Call me at 1-508 726-4104 or check out my ad on the bulletin board at the bottom of the page. Thanks, Nick. - NB
5/1 3:07pm For a great easy reading article on Fishers and other animals in our area go to: [mass.gov info on fishers]. This will help explain what they are about, where they came from, differences in color, what they are looking for and why they might be in your or your neighbor's yard. - Hilary Nolan Penlington, Norfolk Animal Control
5/1 1:34pm According to an article appearing in the Globe West section of the Sunday Globe (May 1), "if the override is approved at [Norfolk's] Town Meeting, the Board of Selectmen will call for a special election in which voters will weigh in." I wonder if someone from town government (or someone acutely familiar with these matters) would take a few minutes to clarify this somewhat confusing process as well as the sometimes misunderstood Proposition 2 1/2 law. In the Annual Town Meeting Warrant recently mailed to residents no single Article makes any reference to the term "Proposition 2 1/2" (unless I missed it). Why is that? Are we to assume that if all funding Articles are approved at Town Meeting this automatically means that a town vote on Proposition 2 1/2 must then take place. Or is there a specific Article (or Articles) on the Warrant that are directly or indirectly related to the override without using the terms "Proposition 2 1/2" or "override"? - TEM
5/1 1:33pm To AKS and JS: Hi, I offer landscaping services in Norfolk, my number is 508-541-8652; ask for Chris. Thanks - CG
5/1 1:32pm To LC: I know that there are fishers in the area, as a year ago the science teacher in my school found one that had been hit by a car on Rt. 109. As to the fur color, I can't comment. - SC
5/1 1:31pm LC - It could've been a coyote. You don't mention the overall shape of the animal. Last year, there were quite a few sightings of a big coyote in my area (Medway Branch). He (or they) woke us up one night last year with a hair raising noiseshow right outside our window. We haven't seen him this year. - JD
5/1 12:05am In response to the request for the math on how terminating 14 teachers will result in class sizes going to about 30... If you figure that the average grade size is approximately 150 children and there are now 7 teachers in each grade, that leaves the class size around 21-22. If you take away 2 teachers in each grade K-6, that leaves 5 teachers in each grade. 150 children divided by 5 teachers is 30 kids per class. - LC
5/1 12:03am We live over by the airport. Saturday morning we were woken by several blood-curdling shrieks immediately outside our window. Upon opening the front door and turning on the outside lights, we observed an animal charging up our front lawn towards our cat, who was not supposed to be outside. We startled the animal enough so that it bolted and we were able to rescue our cat, but we were lucky. This animal was a light-brown or reddish-brown in color and was not a fox - our research leads us to believe that it may have been a fisher cat, but we thought they were darker in color. Has anyone else seen one around or any other ideas? In any case, based on this animal's behavior, it's another reminder to us all to watch our pets! - LC
4/30 1:02pm AL [Re: carpenter] - We have used a guy from Franklin. We have used him for various things; crown molding, hanging a new interior door, hanging and taping wallboard, building custom shelving, etc. He does the type of work you are seeking. Daniel Gordon Cell 508-423-1607 - LS
4/30 1:01pm Hi, Can anyone recommend a lawn/yard cleaning service. Thanks, - AKS
4/30 12:54pm Help! I lost my Motorola cell phone at the Pond Street fields at about 10am Saturday (4/30) morning. It is in a black leather case. If anyone has found it, could you please call my home: 520-3213. Thanks! - KT
4/30 12:54pm Re: AL & JS - I do a lot of carpentry repairs & also landscaping. I also have an ad on the bulletin board for interior / exterior painting. Estimates are free. - S. Dalton
4/30 12:54pm Reminder - the Federated Church of Norfolk is holding a Spring Auction of Talents and Treasures today, Saturday, at 11:00 at the Church at 1 Union Street (Rt. 115) in the center of Norfolk. We have a telescope, lawn and garden supplies, antiques, brand new furniture and more! Some of the talents are dog walking service, acupuncture, chiropractic services, and yard work. Some donated items have been set aside and pre marked yard sale style. - DLJ
4/30 12:08am We are looking for recommendations for carpenters who could repair a number of rotted boards on the outside of our house. On the south side of our house a number of the window sills have rotted and we also have some porch stairs that need to be replaced. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! - AL
4/29 3:47pm I will be hosting an all day scrapbooking workshop on Sat., May 14, from 10am-9pm in honor of National Scrapbook Day. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced scrapper you are invited to come to the workshop and have fun preserving your family's photographs and memories. Email me for more details and directions to my home. - Laura, Creative Memories Consultant
4/29 2:04pm In case anyone is interested in an example of the potential impact if the override fails, 31 kindergarten through 6th grade teachers in Norfolk have been given 'provisional' pink slips; if the override fails, 14 of them must be fired, and the remainder will be reassigned. - JM
[See also post of 4/27 11:10pm - Wm.]
4/29 1:56pm To JS - We use Lueder's in Medfield, 508-359-9905. They are great and do not oversell you or over-do the pesticides. Keep in mind that the best time to reseed or plant a lawn is in September with the second best time being spring but no later than this weekend or early next week. Good luck. - BS
4/29 10:39am My lawn is in rough shape and looking for someone to make it look presentable. Can anyone recommend someone who can do some re-planting, weed maintenance, etc.? Thanks. - JS
4/28 2:20pm To JH Re: Housekeeping service - I have a wonderful housekeeping service. If you are still interested, let me know and I can email you the details. - JN
4/28 11:17am I haven't seen the yard this confused before. The last of the crocuses were still up last week, the tulips haven't opened yet, but already the bluets are blooming in the yard, the daisies are half-grown with large buds, and one of the small wild blueberry bushes is filled, filled with small unopened flowers. - AR
4/27 11:10pm Could someone from the school committee explain how they came up with the magic number of 28-30 for class size, should the proposed override fail? I realize up to 14 positions could be cut, but how did the math work to get to that number? - DL
4/27 3:18pm Wednesday, May 25, 2005, is the last day to register to vote at the above noted Special Town Election. Anyone who has not previously registered, is a new resident, or will become 18 on or before May 25th may register by mail or in the office of the Town Clerk. [...] The polls will be open on Tuesday, June14, 2005, from 7:00AM until 8:00PM. All precincts vote in the H. Olive Day School Auditorium[.] [Read on for full details, including absentee voting and town clerk office hours] - GB, Norfolk Town Hall
4/27 12:32pm The Garden Club of Norfolk will be selling Mother's Day baskets and their garden/cookbook, From the Garden to the Table, on Saturday, May 7th (9 - 11am) at the Federated Church of Norfolk. I understand that there will also be a Boys Scout Car Wash in the parking lot as well. So you can get your car cleaned to take out Mom and a present at the same time. Thanks, - JW
4/27 9:35am Suggestion for the NCL... perhaps you can help contribute towards a new street sweeper for the town? Ours is practically an antique and is not repairable. The streets will NOT be swept this spring (or next if there is no sweeper). There is a ton of sand out there this spring, too. Just a suggestion. Thanks! - JT
4/26 6:44pm The Norfolk Community League will be reviewing applications for non-King Philip Regional High School Seniors from Norfolk who will be attending college next fall. Because there are many high school seniors in Norfolk who do not attend a public school, NCL wants to ensure that they, too, have a chance to apply for a scholarship donations. Non KP seniors can send in a summary of grades, community service, and a short bio about themselves to NCL, PO Box 450, Norfolk, MA 02056; Attn: Scholarships. - TR, Norfolk Community League
[Update 1:39pm: This is an amended version of the Non-King Philip Scholarship for Norfolk Residents. - TR]
4/26 6:42pm The Board Members of the Norfolk Community League (NCL) are currently accepting requests for disbursement of amounts raised through its spring activities. The monies will be distributed in June 2005. If you are a member of an organization that would benefit from a donation, please visit our web site at www.norfolkcommunityleague.org for an application. The deadline for application is May 15, 2005. A completed application must be received by this date in order to be considered. - TR, Norfolk Community League
4/26 1:38pm Email from Town Hall [here]: Senator Scott Brown together with Community Voices invites you to- RH
Internet Safety Awareness NightThursday, May 12, 2005 7:00 pm
King Philip Regional Junior High School 18 King Street Norfolk, MA 02056The goal of this program is to assist you in learning about the safe use of Internet-related technology including identity theft and cyberspace bullying prevention as well as encourage you to share the Internet experience as a valuable resource for information and communication.
If you would like more information, please contact Sandy D. at 508-541-6360
- Introduction by Christopher McClure from the Norfolk Police Department
- Senator Scott Brown Discusses Pending Internet Legislation
- Special Agent Brian Zinn from the FBI
- State Trooper David McSweeny from the Norfolk District Attorney William Keating's office
4/26 9:44am Please join us for the annual Norfolk Community League's Nearly New Sale! This sale will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2005 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm in the H. Olive Day School Cafeteria on Main Street in Norfolk. Stop by and shop for baby and children's gently-used clothing, toys, equipment, books, and other items as well as maternity clothing. Proceeds will be distributed as part of NCL's semi-annual disbursements which benefit many organizations in town, including the Schools, Library, Norfolk Senior Center, Police and Fire Departments as well as many others. For further information, please call Allison B. (508) 541-6955 or Tracy C. (508) 520-2704. - TR, Norfolk Community League
4/26 9:00am Note for the guy driving the fire truck with the trophy today . . . go slow down Boardman Street!!! - DTB
4/26 7:20am Hope the trophy can make it around the new roundabout...don't want = anything happening to it. - PR
4/25 5:43pm The Red Sox Trophy is coming on Tuesday, April 26. At 10 AM it will be at Freeman Centennial. From there, it will be taken through the center of town to the HO Day School via Fire Truck so spectators can see it on route. - AP, Town of Norfolk
4/25 5:08pm The Community Preservation Committee is holding a public hearing tonight, 4/25/05, at 7:30 PM in Room 214 of town hall. If you have any questions regarding the CPC articles to be decided at town meeting, you will probably find tonight's meeting helpful. - DLJ
4/25 4:13pm To AP - Tuesday is April 26th. Is the trophy coming Tuesday or Wednesday? - DLJ
4/25 2:59pm AP - Is the trophy coming tomorrow (4/26) or Wednesday (4/27). I'd like to make sure my child has a Red Sox shirt on that day! - DB
4/25 2:58pm Any idea if adults who are kids at heart will have a chance to view the trophy? - AP
4/25 1:49pm RE: street sweeping... After calling the DPW, we learned that the sweeper is broken and un-repairable. - DT
4/25 1:06pm The Red Sox World Series Trophy is coming to Norfolk tomorrow (4/26/05) at 10:00 AM!!! It will first go to the Freeman Centennial School. The Fire Department will then escort it through the center of town ending at the H.Olive Day School. It will be brought into both schools so the kids will have an opportunity to see it! - AP, Town of Norfolk
[Update 5:42pm: fixed the date: it indeed is tomorrow, Tuesday, 4/26 (and not 4/27 as originally mentioned) - Wm.]
4/25 1:04pm Our little village in the news: [Globe article] Two things I don't understand from the article: 1) Is that a light saber in the photo, a billy club, samurai sword, or just an umbrella? And 2) did town officials really raise the speed limit on street signs near his house to stop Meredith's complaints? That doesn't sound right. - DAF
4/25 12:24pm Mark your calendars! Norfolk Community League's Nearly New Sale is this Saturday, April 30th at the H. Olive Day School gym from 9-12. Lots of great gently used toys, equipment, baby toys, and clothes for infants up to size 16!! Get some great deals on great items and help support your community! - AB
4/25 10:35am I have heard people complaining about the roundabout, not only about how it functions, but now, also about how it looks. Now, it is only my opinion, but don't you think before you complain about something you should at least wait until the project is half finished? I actually heard the complaints and went out of my way to navigate around it, and personally didn't find any problems with it at all - and that is pretty good, since it is not even finished yet. Of course you will find some people who can't quite figure out how it works, but it is no different than people going the wrong way on a one way street, going 50 mph in the left lane of the interstate or blowing through a red light like it isn't even there. Basically, some people should just not drive, and no project will satisfy everyone but this one seems pretty good in my book. Again, it is just my opinion, take it how you want.I just needed to vent a little. - CR
4/24 4:31pm RS - This Mass DEP web page [link] includes a list of companies that accept propane tanks; perhaps one of them would take yours. - VR
4/24 11:41am On Saturday, April 30, 10am and 2pm the King Philip Music Association will hold their Annual Can and Bottle Drive. You may drop off your refundable soft drink cans and bottles at the following locations during the time of the drive: the Wrentham Town Parking Lot (across from the Original Congregational Church), The Center of Norfolk, and King Philip Regional High School at the KPMA can and bottle drop-off building behind the school. All Proceeds go to the KP Music Programs which benefits students in Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham. - MW, King Philip Music Association
4/24 11:39am Hi JW--Phew! I'm glad we're on the same page and we both have a sense of humor! I now realize that there may be different definitions for the term "townie!!" I may however secretly still consider myself a "townie" under the "LB" definition, which is simply someone who has lived in the town their whole lives, been thru the school system, remembers several areas in town that were open meadows with cattle, before being turned into beautiful and expensive housing developments, etc, etc... I do realize that the older folks of Norfolk who walked barefoot, uphill both ways to the Center School and are much older than I, may have a different definition!!! (I'm kidding and mean no disrespect!!) - LB
4/23 10:46pm LB: My comments regarding "Townies" was also tongue in cheek. I love Norfolk, have read the same as you about how it is pronounced. My husband had Ms. Day as a teacher and when I came to town from of all places Lynn, I was hysterical when I drove through it and saw the police station, fire dept. and heard the population was 3000 including the prison. The library was just the small building facing Main St. and Bridie's Package Store was the local P K. I heard someone mention "The Middle School" and I didn't know what she was talking about. I asked where that was and she said on King St. It isn't "The Middle School." It's KP North. Then again, maybe it is now called "The Middle School" Speaking for myself, I don't think you offended anyone but I do think that a few "Townies" got a chuckle. Norfolk is a place I am proud to call home. It has changed a lot since the first time I saw it and I don't always agree with the changes but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. - JW
4/23 6:36pm Can anyone recommend a company which replaces old steel cellar stairs and leaky bulkheads with new precast stairs and a new Bilco polyethylene bulkhead ? The old stairs would have to be dug out and lifted out with a small crane before the new precast stairs are lowered into place. Thanks - RH
4/23 6:31pm I have 2 gas grill propane tanks to dispose, they are old, and they do not conform to the new gas systems they sell today I do not have a Landfill permit. Does anyone know of a place that will take them? I do not care if there is fee for disposal. Thanks - RS
4/23 6:26pm JW: I just want to clarify my comments on "townies"... I am sure most people understood what I meant by considering myself a townie, since I was virtually born and raised here and I am raising my own family here. Some of what I said was tongue in cheek because of what had been said earlier in the posts but I realize now that a few people (those that are older than I am) may take offense for some reason. Like I said, I wasn't aware of the 4th generation rule and on a grander scale, if your parents or grandparents were from Ireland but you were born on US soil, wouldn't you be considered an American?? Technically yes. I certainly don't go around introducing myself, "hello, my name is LB and I'm a townie--woohooooo!!!" LOL! People will refer to you as such, if in conversation they find out you've lived in Norfolk your whole life and have shared some of the same teachers as your children have, that you have vivid memories of Miss Day, etc. It's not something I tout but it's certainly not something I am ashamed of either. I think it has to do with the fact that in the 80's the town saw such a huge change in the number of people moving out here to what was once considered the boonies. The percentage of people who remember how it was prior to the big boom is growing smaller. Now, Norfolk is considered to be a very desirable town to live in, but back in the 1960's and I'm sure before that, most people didn't know where it was unless you referred to other towns that surrounded it. For those of you that I offended that were born earlier than I was and therefore lived here longer, I'm sorry. As far as the trivia on the pronunciation of Norfolk, I didn't make that up--I read it on a historical site, so maybe they made it up but if you do think about the fact that they were referring to the "North Folk" and being that there is no "fork" to be found, it does make SOME sense!! hahaha Take care! - LB
4/22 11:21pm Re: Roundabouts - It's too bad we can't move the webcam for the Library expansion over to the roundabouts. It'd be fun to watch the action! - RP
4/22 11:20pm To MA Re: Noise - A call to the Police Department can answer any noise questions you may have. For example, when I called about construction noise in a residential area, they informed me that it's permitted from 7am to 7pm Monday through Saturday. I hope this helps. - RP
4/22 11:19pm This discussion about "Townies" is very interesting. My husband has been here since 1953 and has never called himself a "Townie." I have been here since 1965 and never once thought of myself as a "Townie." I do know know a few "Townies." They are the people that have been here forever and don't have to call themselves "Townies" cause they know they are. The rest of us are just people who happen to live in the unique town of Norfolk. (Pronounced) Nor-fork. - JW
4/22 11:18pm I agree with LB in that I think traffic moves a bit quicker than the four-way stop alone did, and this is without the roundabout being even fully finished. I certainly think it is a novel solution, and I for one am willing to give it a shot. I can't believe it was an idle idea snatched out of the air but one that was looked into re: feasibility for its size, etc. I have heard stories of trucks not being able to make it through but that question was raised months ago and we were assured they would be able to. I've yet to see a problem re: that myself, but am admittedly a newbie. Again, it's a novel approach which I'd like to think will be in keeping with those differences that make Norfolk different in a positive way from neighboring communities, and part of the reasons I enjoy living here. I'll be the round about The words will make you out 'n' out You change the day your way Call it morning driving thru the sound and In and out the valley- BD
4/22 7:27pm RD - It is hard to believe, but I did encounter a woman going the wrong way at the roundabout yesterday. As I was proceeding around to continue on main street, she decided to take a left onto Rte 115. Wish I had a pamphlet to give her. Fortunately, I was able to stop in time, but who would have thought that would happen. - LR
4/22 7:26pm I just thought I'd jump into this conversation about "townies." I have only lived in Norfolk since 1966 but I have to admit, I have always called myself a townie since I didn't know about the "four generation" rule--Oops!! I have to say, I have seen lots of changes to the town since I was a kid almost 40 years ago. (I moved here when I was 6 weeks old from Brookline, so I guess I'm not ALL country bumpkin and I have some city blood in me too!!) There were a lot more farms and open spaces back then and you knew most of the people around town. As far as the 4 way stop being turned into a roundabout, at first I thought it was a crazy idea but having been around it several times in the last couple of days, it seems fine and is actually quicker. It may take people time to figure out how it works but once you are in the circle, you have the right of way, period--it's hard to argue with that. Too many times at the 4 way stop, people would not pay attention and go when it wasn't their turn or be impatient and just go whenever they felt like it. I even saw a large truck make it around without too much trouble to anyone. Change is always hard in the beginning but I think this will be fine and people will soon forget how it used to be. Just an opinion from a "sorta" townie--hahaha... - LB
4/22 7:22pm In the interest of comment, I also question the new roundabout being installed downtown. Perhaps the idea is to slow down anticipated traffic once the "Moonscape" project is complete? After many years it seems as if our town center is finally going to have a mixed-use [retail/residential] development built. While I understand why some communities install rotaries to improve traffic flow, I've always found drivers to be quite courteous at the old 4-way stop and traffic moved in a timely fashion... Perhaps someone else could explain the rationale? - TN
4/22 1:39pm RD, Are you talking about the Forrest Hills T station? Also, to be a townie in Norfolk your family has to have lived in Norfolk for at least four generations. Last count I believe there are less than a dozen families that can truly be called "Norfolk Townies". - MA
4/22 12:35pm To RD: Thank you for your most interesting post. You've certainly given us quite a lot to think about. Please tell us more about this 'JP'; it sounds like a magical place, indeed. And please teach this 'country bumpkin' the ways of these 'townies' of which you speak. - JM
4/22 11:06am Does anyone else think the roundabout in the center of town is the silliest thing they've ever seen, or is it just me. I went through the center of town for the first time since it has been constructed on my way to Bellingham, and went through this eye sore which is going to cause more problems than it will solve. May I say, this as a person who has driven through many a roundabout in her day, this one is totally out of place and looks silly. Guess the Santa parade through the center of town during Christmas time will have to find a new home now. People who do not know how to make their way through will end up causing a huge accident. My husband went through a few days ago and sat there for 10 minutes before the detail officer would let anyone go, and he said no-one knew what to do. The only good thing about it is no one can go the wrong way - excellent for right-turn only drivers (lol). I think we're going to have a lot of cases of motion sickness from going around in circles all the time. This is not going to lessen the traffic in the center of town, it's going to make it worse. Great idea, town of Norfolk board of selectmen, what next... I know, how about a T station like the one in JP... NOT. For those country bumpkins who do not know, JP is Jamaica Plain. Just thought as a "townie" (lived here since 97) that I would voice my opinion about this idiocy called a roundabout, but as usual I seem to be a day late and a dollar short. Thanks for listening. - RD
4/22 12:09am To MA: Limited Noise information is available in the Town Bylaws Section F.10.c.2. Page 49. - DS
4/21 10:08pm Does anyone know if the town of Norfolk has a noise law in place? If so, what are the laws for business and residential. - MA
4/21 2:34pm Does anyone know of a company or individual who fixes recliners? Ours has a problem with the foot rest. It appears that something has either loosened up or broken resulting in the metal support on one side scraping the floor when extended. Have called Lazy Boy and they couldn't help. Thanks - CG
4/21 10:18am Does anyone know anything about a benefit event tomorrow night at Luciano's Lake Pearl to benefit the King Philip athletic fields? One of my fellow lacrosse coaches in the King Philip Youth Lacrosse program asked me if I was going to attend, and I told him I hadn't heard anything about it. He said that 85 acres of land has been acquired for new athletic fields, and there was an effort underway to help defray the costs. All of this was news to me, and I like to think I am paying attention. Maybe the fundraiser is only for Wrentham residents, or perhaps it was more widely publicized to people with children in the high school. Can anyone fill me in on these fields and any efforts underway to support their financing? Thanks. - JM
[Is this the Wrentham state hospital land purchase? - Wm.]
4/20 10:24pm AP, We have used Parker's in Wrentham (508-384-3293) to pump our septic tank for close to ten years and have always been pleased with his service & fees. - SF
4/20 4:40pm Can anyone recommend a residential housekeeping service? I am interested in bimonthly cleanings. Thanks! - JH
4/20 4:36pm PP, Based on the great feedback on this website I just purchased the Liberty Plus. I got mine online on EBay and saved $200. If eBay isn't for you, you can get the magnet at Home Depot. Good luck! - EB
4/20 4:35pm It is my understanding that your septic system needs maintenance/cleaning every two years. Any recommendations on who can perform this work? - AP t
4/20 1:15pm Will the DPW be running the street sweepers in the near future? If so, what schedule will they be following? - DT
4/20 1:14pm Where's the best place to buy one of these Mosquito Magnets? Thanks, - PP
4/19 11:17pm We have caught hundreds of black flies and loads of mosquitos in the past week. I am very pleased with the results so far. Will keep you informed of success. - JW
4/19 9:15am JED, We've had our Mosquito Magnet (Liberty) set up for about a week and have caught hundreds of the flies you describe. We haven't caught many mosquitoes yet, however. - JH
4/18 11:29pm I've seen recent posts on the effectiveness of Mosquito Magnets on eliminating mosquito problems, but what I was wondering was if mosquito magnets worked on whatever has been eating us alive over the last two days. Are they black flies? Deer flies? They seem to be impervious to "OFF" and citronella candles. They come out in vicious flying hordes around 6:30 PM. HELP! - JED
4/18 8:15pm Registration has begun for the May Book Buddies class which will be reading and studying Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Book Buddies is a class for kindergarten and first graders who are ready for challenging literature experiences. This class is intended for students who are good readers and are ready for exposure to a higher level of children's literature. - LM
4/18 1:11pm AB, Acres of Green is a fine lawn service, which we've used for five years. - SP
4/18 11:27am At 8 PM Monday, April 25, the award winning King Philip Regional High School Jazz Ensemble will present a Jazz night at the Funway cafe on route one in Foxboro. Admission is Free - MW, King Philip Music Association
4/18 10:29am Can anyone recommend a lawn service? We've tried ChemLawn and Naturalawn and haven't been happy. Any others out there that are good? - AB
4/17 9:53pm Looking for lawn service? Can cut your grass on a weekly basis or if you need a job done. Email beantownclippings@yahoo.com or check out my ad on the bulletin board below. - NB
4/17 4:45pm Thank you to everyone who has donated items for the Norfolk Community League Nearly New Sale. We are no longer taking donations and look forward to seeing everyone at the sale on Saturday, April 30th from 9am-12 noon at the H.Olive Day School. We have a large selection of toys, equipment, and infant, children's and maternity clothing. Shop the sale and support your community! - AB
4/16 12:30pm KB, I agree with MJD. Our family has been very happy with Dr. Collins also. - MP
4/16 12:28pm It is with sincere appreciation I would like to thank everyone for their generous donations, for without your donations the DARE program would not exist. Officer Stephen K. Plympton, DARE Officer, Norfolk Police Department
4/16 9:22am KB - I really like Dr. Collins on Main Street. He is very nice, dryly funny and his prices arecomparitively reasonable. His staff is great and I figure if you have to go to the dentist you might as well enjoy the people! - MJD
4/16 9:21am TK - Thank you teacher. SQUEAK! - MJD
4/16 9:20am KB - I've been going to Dr. Barry Shamus in Millis (right on route 109) for 20 years. I've referred many friends and family. He's great. Give him a call at (508) 376-8996. - DB
4/16 9:05am Re: Dentist, Norfolk County Dentist, located in the Wayside building. Very good dentists and wonderful staff. I have been going to them for many years. Very much a family oriented business both with patients and staff. The same receptionists, assistants, hygentists have been working there since the practice started, in my book, that speaks volumes. - JW
4/16 9:04am To BD, on 2 NCTV programs I heard the completion of the Miller Street bridge should be by the end of next month, May 2005. - DLJ
4/16 9:03am The Federated Church is collecting QUALITY donations of treasures and talents to be sold at the April 30 auction. We would love to have donations of antiques, your time, your creations, talents, and baked goods. Receipts for donations are available at the church. Questions? Contact Peg B. 508-528-2712. - DLJ
4/15 7:51pm Hi TK, a great response to MJD. A real good laugh for me on a Friday afternoon, after a long week at work; how clever. Thanks - RS
4/15 7:45pm I'm in the market for a new dentist and I see many listed in Norfolk; just wondering, does anyone have an opinion on any one of them? Nothing special, just looking for a good dentist that is reputable and reliable. Thanks for any info you can offer! - KB
4/15 3:20pm Aaahh, MJD, you have forgotten to use the instructions contained within your secret decoder ring. What? You don't have your secret decoder ring? Then you are certainly doomed... unless... - TK
4/15 10:26am Norfolk Lions Youth Soccer spring season begins April 24th! For complete schedules and information check out the website at norfolklionssoccer.com. - HK
4/15 10:22am Is there a secret password that I have to give to get e return call or e-mail from the DPW? My husband has called about our street sign (unreadable). Both times he has been told that his call will be returned, and when it wasn't, he e-mailed Mr. Vito. Still no response. What's the secret? - MJD
4/15 12:36am Can anybody fill me in on the completion of the Miller street bridge? This thing is over a year late and the detours seriously increase the traffic on other roads, waste gas and time. Thanks, - BD
4/14 3:24pm This is Comcast's response to the outages over the past week from their customer forums (forums.comcast.net): Jason1 DNS Outage - April 13th Apr 14, 2005 10:04 AM- JSPosts: 2,368 From: moderator_jason@comcast.net
Registered: 2/17/04To all,
Many of you know again that Comcast experienced another DNS outage Wednesday, April 13th. Engineers were able to resolve this outage by early Thursday morning. At this time, symptoms of these 3 recent outages are very similar and our engineers are continuing to investigate the causes in order to implement preventative measures. Also, like previous instances, this issue does not appear to be caused by DoS attacks, DNS poisoning, or any hacking attempts.
Comcast does apologize for the inconveniences that these recent outages may have caused each of you.
At this time, we are vigorously working with equipment vendors to bring about a resolution to this issue. As a short-term remediation, our engineers are adding extra capacity to these servers to help balance the load which should prevent this from reoccurring. They are also working to implement longer-term measures to prevent these types of issues from happening.
Thus, if you are still experiencing any connection-related issues at this time, it is likely either a localized issue affecting you or your local area because the rest of the nation is back online with DNS. Please make sure that you power-cycle your modem/router/computer first. If this does not resolve the issue, please start a new thread in the Connection forum and include details of what modem/router/computer you are using and also indicate (in as much detail as possible) what issues you are experiencing.
Please post any questions you have regarding last night's outage to this thread. If you have other types of questions or are currently experiencing connection related issues, please start a new thread in this forum to discuss your issue (otherwise your questions may not be seen by those who can provide assistance to you).
Thanks,
Jason
4/14 2:10pm Re: Comcast - At least twice in the past week or so Comcast has had a national failure of its DNS servers. A DNS server is responsible for translating the name of a website (www.norfolknet.com) into an IP address (216.92.72.48 for example). It sort of acts like a telephone operator, where you call and say "I need Frank Smith's number" and the operator gives it to you. When DNS fails, you can't reach a website unless you know its IP address. If you're technically savvy you can go into your settings and use a different DNS server, and everything will work as normal. Both DNS server failures happened on a national level, so people all over the country who are Comcast customers were down for hours both times it happened. - DF
[The internet uses exclusively IP numbers (called addresses), so every page visit first requires a DNS (Domain Name System) number lookup. The designated name server is given about a minute to reply before the secondary name server is asked, with the resultant very long pauses when visiting new pages. - Wm.]
4/14 10:54am A few weeks ago I was having the same problem and they had me do the disconnect thing, but it just worked for that time... I waited it out and now it seems to be ok - they must be working in different areas through town... I'm in the Franklin/Millis neck of the woods. They will never tell... we might ask for a credit... - ER
4/14 10:11am Yes, we too have been having problems in the evening with Comcast. We work at home all day and do not have any of these problems. So, given the fact that it's in the evening and Comcast has recently increased their speed, my husband believes that Comcast has oversold and there is too much traffic at night. He believes the bandwidth was not increased along with the speed and there is too much traffic trying to fit in to the bandwidth. When he finally was able to Google last night he found others having the same problems and Comcast was saying check your equipment.... - BS
4/14 8:25am I too have not had Internet service at night. Why? - LK
4/14 8:21am To JC: Yes, we've been having the same problem with Comcast internet, and it does seem to be in the evening. I called them a few weeks ago and they said to disconnect the cable and the power supply, wait 10 seconds or so, then reconnect and restart the computer. It worked, but I don't think I should have to do this every other day! I wonder why this is happening? - MP
4/13 10:23pm Has anyone else been experiencing transient outages with Comcast high-speed internet service? It seems that every evening for the past week or so, the service has been spotty. - JC
4/13 10:22pm DL - "Norfolk Landing" is a proposal for a development of 32 single family homes on the 15 acre site comprising the airport "cut-through" road, the wooded area west of the road and the airport hangar/tie down area. - SD, Norfolk Airport Neighborhood Committee (NANC)
4/13 11:33am Does anyone know what is going on with the Norfolk Commons project for the moon scape? I believe there was a planning meeting in late March. Any news? - CG
4/13 10:48am Gold Medal winning King Philip Symphony Band and the 8th Grade concert band are invited to perform at Symphony Hall Saturday, April 16th. Performances are at 12.30 (8th grade band) and 3.00 (Symphony band) The Stars at Symphony celebration begins at 10 AM and is open to the public all day, with free admission. - MW, King Philip Music Association
4/12 4:32pm Norfolk Walkways, sponsored by the Norfolk Community League and The Garden Club of Norfolk, is offering inscribed bricks for the new and improved Town Hill. The walkways will link the gazebo, Peace Garden and Veteran's Memorials. List your family names, remember a loved one, note a special occasion or day, record a favorite saying. Bricks are the perfect gift for any number of occasions - births, anniversaries,retirements, teacher gifts, Mother's day, and graduations. Its a one time gift that will last a lifetime as they will become a permanent part of Town Hill. [Continued, please read on for details ...] - TS, Norfolk Community League
4/12 4:00pm The Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will be treating certain large wetlands in the Town of Norfolk tentatively beginning Tuesday, April 19, 2005 through Friday, April 29, 2005 with a granular form of Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a naturally occurring soil bacterium that controls mosquito larvae before they become mosquitoes, and is practically non toxic to humans and other plants and animals. If the application cannot be completed by then the application will continue beyond these dates until completed. Because these wetlands are inaccessible from roads, the application will be by helicopter flying at tree top level. The Bti is embedded on very coarsely ground corn cob granules. The granules when applied fall straight into the wetland and do not drift beyond the targeted area. - GB, Town of Norfolk
4/12 11:10am Hey, it worked! At 6:03 yesterday morning, our DSL line was bumped in speed to 3000/768 megabits per second. This puts Verizon close to what Comcast is delivering in terms of of download speed, and double the upload speed. MON APR 11 06:03:27 2005 US DSL Rate: 864 kbits/sec DS DSL Rate: 3360 kbits/sec MON APR 11 06:03:27 2005 WanMgr reports DSL is UPI've also found a way to make the Westell 327w DSL modem keep bulk (data) transfers from interfering with interactive use (ie, my telnet sessions). [... Continued]- AR
4/12 1:00am I believe the former Highway Department, now called the DPW, arranges the prisoners for litter clean up. - DLJ
4/11 11:25pm JM: Years ago the prisoners from Norfolk Prison would be out picking up the litter. Union St. is a mess! Maybe Wm. can answer why they don't do it anymore. - BR
[I can't, I haven't heard. Perhaps someone else knows, though - Wm.]
4/11 2:29pm Town election will be held at H. Olive Day School, (232 Main Street, Norfolk) on Tuesday, May 3, 2005. Town meeting follows on Tuesday, May 10, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. at the King Philip Junior High School North (18 King Street, Norfolk) to vote on the articles, desribed in the Town Warrant and Advisory Board recommendations [here]. - Wm.
4/11 9:28am EW - Call Bill for lawn mower service. He does John Deere and others. He will go to your home to service. 508-528-5849. - Bill R.
4/10 10:43pm JW and other mosquito haters out there... have any of you tried Coleman's Mosquito Deleto? I saw it advertised, you use it only when you are outside and it runs on batteries. I don't really want to get into propane etc. but I thought I might try this on my deck. Any thoughts? - MJD
[Update 4/11 12:11am:] Correction - I guess I meant, has anyone ever used the Coleman Mosquito Deleto Inhibitor (got the name wrong) which is a small mosquito trap run on batteries that covers about 100 sq ft. Just wondering if anyone has tried this.- MJD
4/10 8:13pm I cleaned our Mosquito Magnet and got it set up on Fri., I checked it this morning and it is doing its job quite well. I now know that there are several places that need to be cleaned more frequently. I am ready for a mosquito free-er summer. - JW
4/10 8:03pm Thanks SC. I will check it out. - PR
4/10 10:02am RP - regarding the refrigerator, you might try Freecycle, www.freecycle.org. - SC
4/10 9:58am Here's some more detailed population demographic information. As of the 2000 census, Norfolk has 10,460 residents, which is up 12.8%since 1990. Here's some comparative figures: Millis is up 3.8% in the same period (well, that makes sense, they're not as nice a town as we, no?), and Franklin 33.8% (ooo, bad growth planning, eh?). - RG
4/9 6:38pm To JC (re: Norfolk Population): A recent article in Boston Magazine had the Norfolk Population at about 10,500. - PN
4/9 8:58am Does anyone know the current total population of Norfolk? - JC
4/9 8:57am I don't know who's responsible for maintaining it, but the MBTA parking lot behind Dunkin Donuts is a disgrace. The litter that has accumulated, especially on the hill next to the train tracks, is unbelievable, and I can't stand looking at it every morning and night. Rather than spend a month on the phone with the T, I'm just going to spend an hour or so tomorrow (Sat.) morning cleaning some of it up. If anyone would care to join me, I'm going to start around 9am. - JM
4/9 12:22am Comcast has a new users' guide for Comcast Users that I believe will help in understanding the changes made by TV Guide. (Comcast is the transmitter of the format provided by TV Guide). In any case there are about 50 copies that have or will be printed by the Interim Town Administrator's office for those who are experiencing trouble in understanding the new format. At this time I am not in the Town Information office. - John Olivieri, Town Information Office
4/8 3:26pm The Norfolk Little League is in need of a refrigator for its concession stand to replace the very old one that is currently being used. If anyone is selling or willing to donate a used one, please call Patti R. at 508-520-7062 or Molly M. at 508-520-4543. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!! - PR
4/8 9:58am Are you planning your vacation? Looking for something to read? Visit the paperback booksale table at the Norfolk Library on Rte. 1A. Titles are only 50 cents to $1.00. [See the Bulletin Board ad for more info.] - HPK
4/8 9:58am To all those folks who want information about the upcoming budget and possible override, NCTV is currently airing a discussion with Interim Town Administrator Jack Hathaway, Selectmen Jim Lehan and Ramesh Advani regarding these issues. So, if you have any interest at all about what's happening budget wise in the town, please tune in to channel 22 at either 8am, 12pm or 8pm any day this week. - Paul Guertin, NCTV Station Manager
[Update 1:17pm: correction, the show airs at noon - PG]
4/7 9:22pm On Tuesday April 12 the Jazz Ensemble from the University Of New Hampshire (UNH) will be a holding a clinic with the Jazz students from King Philip High school. Following the Clinic, The King Philip Jazz Ensemble, and the UNH band will perform for the public in the Auditorium of KP High School Wrentham at 7pm. Free Admission. A wonderful opportunity for budding Jazz musicians. - MW, King Philip Music Association
4/7 7:26pm Norfolk Community Guide Correction - There is no charge to become a member of the Norfolk Council on Aging (NCOA) as indicated on page 27 of the "Norfolk Community Guide 2005", published by Hometown Weekly. Membership is not required for all Norfolk's Seniors to use all of the Senior Center facilities and the support offered through the NCOA and the Senior Center. The Senior Center is open to all Norfolk Seniors, who are encouraged to visit and benefit from the Social, Health, and Educational programs. - RC
4/7 12:15am For all you tag sale aficionados out there, Fredrickson Rd (off Grove St) will be holding a street-long tag sale this Saturday from 9-2pm. A wide variety of items will be for sale including cookware, children's equipment and toys, bikes, craft supplies - you name it, we're probably selling it! Great bargains for all! - AL
4/6 3:55pm Did anyone else see the Turkey Vulture on King Street around 11:30 a.m. today eating a dead squirrel --a huge and amazing bird!! - BC
4/6 3:51pm Google's tool is nice (nice ease of interface), but true map geeks will drool over the variety of maps (ortho, color ortho, USGS topographical, etc etc) MassGIS has available. Go here: [mass.gov gis mapping], and scroll down the screen to see various options. (Of course these are only available for looking at Massachusetts...) - RG
4/6 2:19pm The Norfolk Girl Scout's Father-Daughter Dance is a carnival theme. There will also be dancing. - JN
4/6 2:18pm The Mass. Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has provided the Norfolk Library with free copies of "A Guide for People Who Become Deaf or Severely Hard of Hearing." This 130-page guide offers practical information on assistive devices, emotional concerns, and communication options for people who become deaf after childhood. There are copies available at both the Adult Services (Rte. 1A) and Kids' (Town Hall) branches; feel free to take multiple copies for family or clients. - Heather Pisani-Kristl, Associate Library Director
4/6 11:41am To YP: For countertops, try North Attleboro Granite Designs, 508-699-3814. They have a showroom on 1A in N. Attleboro. They are pleasant to work with, do quality work and their prices are better than reasonable. They replaced our kitchen countertops and will soon replace our bath vanity countertop. - RN
4/6 11:38am RP: I don't know what brand of slider it is that has the defect but we had a problem with our Anderson slider and we were thrilled to find out that after 9+ years, we were still covered under their 10 year warranty!! They sent us a new panel right away and we were good to go! If it had not been for the salesman at Medway Lumber who advised us to call Anderson about the problem, we probably would have spent hundreds replacing it. - LB
4/6 11:04am Does anyone know what the theme is for the Father-Daughter Girl Scout Dance on Friday? Many thanks. - KR
4/6 8:13am RP- We had the same problem with both of our sliders (at different times) and used Franklin Glass to replace them both. (508)528-9550. - AB
4/5 11:45pm For those interested, Google has expanded its map capabilities to include satellite images (currently beta). Try http://maps.google.com/maps and search for 1 Liberty Lane, Norfolk MA. - BD
4/5 11:25pm Norfolk Community Day 2005 will again be held at Holmes property on Myrtle Street on Saturday June 11th. Event planning is on schedule. Community Day has grown tremendously since its humble beginnings in 1992. This year, with additional sponsors and participants, the Lions are expecting to again break attendance records. - JW, Norfolk Lions
4/5 10:27pm To Rp: I can assist you with the sliding glass door. I have a local manufacturer that can possibly replace the clouded glass. - David Smith, Jr., General Contractor, 508-553-8996
4/5 6:44pm Hi, Does anyone know anything about Norfolk Landings, the new housing going in at the airport? - DL
4/5 5:13pm NCL is currently accepting donations of gently used children's clothing, equipment, toys and maternity clothes (please no used stuffed animals). Items may be dropped off at any time at the bin at the Highway Department (Across from the Transfer Station) on Medway Branch. - TR
4/5 3:13pm The Globe reports [4/5/2005 article] that Verizon has increased the rate of its DSL service from 1.5 to 3 megabits per second. The terms of service are the same as before. Even though I signed up for DSL just a couple of months ago, I called Verizon to ask about availability - it's worth a call at least. Oh - my upgrade is supposed to take effect by 6pm today. - AR
Update 8:51pm: Verizon's automated change-of-service confirmation e-mail says ``after 6pm on 4/11/2005'', so not today after all. It did seem too good to be true.- AR
4/5 10:15am To EB - We have a Liberty Mosquito magnet and it cuts down on the mosquitos substantially. I wouldn't say it eradictes the mosquitos entirely but then again I live in a wooded area. You need to make sure you change the propane tank and repellent when they tell you to which is around every 21 days. Otherwise you are not on top of the situation and the mosquitos get out of hand. The other thing I'm guilty of is not checking the power. When you have a power outage, etc. the machine goes out and I sometimes forget to turn it back on. 4/5 10:15am So bottom line, like everything else, the machine is as good as the user. You need to be on top of it and it does it's job extremely well. - BS
4/5 8:28am Please join us for the annual Norfolk Community League Nearly New Sale! This sale will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2005 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm in the H.Olive Day School Cafeteria on Main Street in Norfolk. Stop by and shop for baby and children's gently-used clothing, toys, equipment, books, and other items as well as maternity clothing. Proceeds will be distributed as part of NCL's semi-annual disbursements which benefit many organizations in town, including the Schools, Library, Norfolk Senior Center, Police and Fire Departments as well as many others. For further information or to volunteer, please call Allison B. (508) 541-6955 or Tracy C. (508) 520-2704. - TR, Norfolk Community League
4/5 8:15am I am starting my 3rd year with the Liberty Mosquito Magnet. I have found it to be an excellent way to limit the mosquito population around my home. It didn't seem to be as good as the end of last year but I suspect it was because it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. I plan to do that this weekend. Position is very important, It comes with a CD to show you where to place it in your yard. I recommend it highly. - JW
4/5 8:09am Norfolk Community League is sponsoring a Candidate's Night on Thursday, April 28, 2005 at 7:00 pm. It will take place at the Norfolk Town Hall in the Multipurpose Room. There will be a Candidate's Open Forum which will be moderated by Frank Gross, followed by a question and answer period. This year, the Board of Health, Planning Board and Recreation Commission have positions which are being contested in the election. Bring your questions for the Candidates. Refreshments will be served. Contact Colleen S. at 508-541-3002 or Lizzi M. at 508-520-1608 for information. - JK, Norfolk Community League
4/5 8:07am Everyone has given me such good business recommendations in the past that I'm back asking for more. I need to have the septic redone... anyone you'd like to recommend for 1) the engineering/design and 2) the actual builder? Thanks! - KT
4/5 8:06am Any recommendations for a power equipment company to service our John Deere lawn tractor? 1A Equipment here in town no longer services John Deere and Norfolk Power Equipment does not service John Deere equipment. There is a John Deere dealer in Ashland, but we were hoping to find a more local company. - EW
4/5 7:58am One of the sliding glass doors leading to our deck has clouded over (the non-sliding one). Apparently, the seal has broken between the two panes and it's not something the average home owner can repair. I've checked the list of businesses shown here on Norfolknet, but don't see anyone who does this type of repair. Do you know of someone who can remove and repair this large glass piece? Thanks... - RP
4/4 5:52pm To YP: We are also replacing our countertops and went to Home Depot. You can buy them at the store or order them, which takes about 3 weeks. They can help you decide what is best to suit your needs. Good Luck! - JB
4/4 3:49pm Has anyone had any luck using any of the Mosquito magnets? - EB
4/4 1:31pm I am looking to replace/update kitchen countertops, Any input would be most appreciated. Thank You, - YP
4/4 10:33am Hi folks, The radKIDS Personal Empowerment Safety Education Program is for children ages 5-12. radKIDS is a 501C 3 not for profit educational program. We have a few announcements that might be of interest! - Karen Nardone, M.Ed., Staff Instructor, radKIDS, Inc. // 508-314-8431
4/3 12:50am I'm not up on my daylight savings time, but it's the first Sunday in April, and spring forward and all that - we lose an hour tonight. Anyway, clocks move forward in a few minutes. - Wm.
4/2 5:12pm To EB - A few years ago we noticed "track" designs all over our lawn after the snow melted. Our landscaper diagnosed "snow mold". Apparently when the grass is covered with snow for an extended period of time, the excess moisture causes the mold which kills the grass. He raked up the dead areas, re-seeded and by the end of May everything looked great. Be sure that your problem is truly moles before you expend too much energy and/or money. Good luck - TW
4/2 9:44am Weatherproof Construction installs gutters and can discuss covers with you. - JF, Weatherproof Construction // 508-553-0943
4/1 11:55pm To all with mole problems in their lawn this past winter, indeed you have a great lawn, they make tunnels under the lawn to eat the bottoms of the grass roots to survive these past winter months. The tougher the winter the more they will eat the roots, and you will see their tunnels as the snow melts; I have the same problem as you. - RS
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