Rumor
Haven’t had time to verify that Ellen has sent out close to 5,000 absentee ballots and many have already been returned.
Rumor
Roy Epstein is stepping down from the Select Board. Townie Talk has confirmed this is FALSE.
Rumor
The Town Administrator is currently performing HR duties. Awkward since we still wait on answers as to when the TA and SB were made aware of the Spray Gate investigation by the DLR and when they alerted Department heads and Town workers to the potential exposure to toxic chemicals.
Odd?
Rink signs continue to get stolen around Town. While the rink faces no formal challenge outside of competing with the library for limited taxpayer good will it’s just odd.
Classism
raised its ugly head on social media recently with a debt exclusion supporter mocking people for whom a $19 a month tax increase would cause outrage.
Yikes…
Belmont Electric Bills will be increasing by about $15 per month starting in the next billing cycle if approved this week. Natural Gas bills will be going up 22%
Yikes 2…
Heard at a local bar… childcare is pricey these days. $450 a week for one child and they were lucky to get that spot.
Belmont Center Business Association
is sponsoring a Halloween window drawing contest as a fund raiser for the Foundation for Belmont Education. Stop by participating businesses in the Center for details.
Halloween
The Hillcrest Halloween decorations are going up. Please be courteous and don’t touch the exhibits.
Speaking of cool Halloween set ups… End of Baker Street near Crate escape and Palfrey Road heading toward Gilbert have some awesome displays.
It is also rumored that several shoppers at Shaw’s in Waverley Sq have already been spotted wearing masks.
Foodies….
Belmont Center updates
Trinktisch (Tru North Ale in the Big Boy mug) with Devilled Eggs and the Farmers Salad gets two thumbs up.
Greg’s Pizza (Best Pizza slice variety in Town).
Nick’s Pizza (Best Italian sub in Town)
Bellmont Café (Best Cinnamon Bun in Town)
October Surprise #1
In what is being called a “crisis of credibility”, Townie Talk directs you to page 3 of the 2017 Belmont Public Library Feasibility Study…
The structural engineer says he was given 3 future alteration options and priced them out.
- Gut renovation
- Gut renovation plus addition
- New Building
The least expensive option was Gut renovation. However, …
“Following further review by the Feasibility Committee, Library Director, staff and Trustees refinements to the program were made to better reflect the needs of the library.”
In other words, they wanted 30% more space which led to the engineer stating…
“It was understood that obviously the renovation only option would not accommodate all the spaces called for in the building program.”
Renovation was an option until “wants made it not an option”. The report is on the Yes campaign site under the FACTS Tab #4.
The Yes site www.voteyeslibrary.com and Not THIS Library www.notthislibrary.org websites.
Find it odd I would share the YES site? Not really… both campaigns want a library. The NotThisLibrary campaign just wants one that considers what’s best for the Town’s fiscal situation, struggling taxpayers, the environment, and the character of Belmont. It’s a beautiful 57-year young building. Shame to see it demolished. That’s why I got involved.
October Surprise #2
All hell may break loose Monday night when the Town Administrator is expected to announce a Spring override won’t be needed. The credibility of the Warrant Committee, Select Board, and especially the 2021 Yes Override campaign took a monstrous hit when the No campaign was proven correct that free cash and Covid funds could be used to fill the then present budget gap. Complaints that the structural deficit would just grow persisted.
Keep your eyes on Chair Mark Paolillo. Mark has promised to provide the expected structural deficit for FY25 once FY24 budget had some clarity. (July 18th, 2022, SB Meeting notes).
The Belmontian reported if the April 2021 $6.4m Override didn’t pass the Town would come back with a $10.3m override in 2022 (Feb 2021).
More questions than answers.
Was the Collins report wrong? Do we not have a structural deficit being filled by one-time funds? Is it in the $10-$12m range or not and why if not?
Is the Select Board just buying time before introducing a massive override in a nod to activists trying to get debt exclusions passed? That didn’t work to well for the last override.
Is the Select Board going to slash the school budget due to declining enrollment to close the deficit?
Why if we do have a large structural deficit is the Town not looking at multiple small overrides’ requests?
The Fiscal cliff drama of 2021 was either the greatest hoax attempted on the Town or is real. The Select Board will need to answer it as many struggling residents need to know if they will be asked for an Override next year or FY25 and how big.
As always enjoy or despise this collection of rumor, fact, opinion, and humor.
Cheers,