Townie Talk…
I had a conversation last Fall with a person loved by some and despised by others. Our conversation led to the conclusion that perception and reality in Belmont do not always align and how people are less likely to vet those they believe share their political values. That explains why so many people assume and trust the Town is well managed but are ignorant to the reality we are sitting on a $13m pending deficit, are understaffed in critical areas, have an employee base that feels disrespected and unheard, and are on a path to insolvency. Yes, I and others have been beating the drum for years but sometimes you can’t fix stupid. It’s just like those who vote strictly party line. Occasionally, you end up with a buffoon and have no one to blame but yourself.
What’s the deal with the Belmont Center Fire Station?
The rumor is that window and side flashing was left out of the design by the architect and never discovered till after the fact. The result led to water ingress and mold and an estimated $1.5m in repair cost. Where is the money coming from? Why is it taking so long? Can we file an insurance claim against the architect or is it too late? I haven’t had time to file an FOIA for the details. I do find the condensation on the windows at both Fire Stations an embarrassment. The buildings were not cheap to build. Seems like we have issues with all new buildings.
Shame on the BHSMS Building Committee…
This is what you call beyond the pale stupidity. The following statement from the building committee regarding ripping up a new parking lot at the new BHS.
“It is the Committee’s decision whether or not the temporary parking is removed, and the plan remains unchanged by the Committee to remove the temporary parking lot at the end of the project”
No Sh*t Sherlock. Those inquiring are trying to prevent you from doing something stupid and your response is your way or the highway. Classy move building committee… not. You eliminate needs from the promised plan because you can’t afford them but you can waste money ripping up a new parking lot that has value just to accommodate a small connected group of residents. Wow! The Building Committee statement is an FU to those who challenge the lack of wisdom in the move and a big FU to Roy Epstein to stay in his lane. So why be civil when dealing with arrogance that seems to be inherent in every phase of this project?
The Building Committee is not liked in Town. Sure, they get the phony atta boy’s because many Belmont residents don’t say publicly what they think, but they really have failed the Town. The parking lot removal is solely to accommodate an overly complaintive neighborhood “mob” including some responsible for killing the public/private rink proposal and banning street parking in their neighborhood. Must be nice to be part of the Belmont elite taking care of each other.
I stole the word “mob” from Franklin Tucker who used it to describe some great American Parents fighting for liberty during Covid. That Belmont Parent’s mob taught their children more in those 2 months about life and freedom than they could ever learn in any history class. The result was a beautiful victory over irrational fear and a tossing of grad caps.
Roy Epstein…
I didn’t vote for Roy. Felt he wasn’t speaking up, had a warped view of the TA’s professionalism, and was a rubber stamp for Adam. I still disagree with Roy about 50% of the time on matters of importance but I do appreciate that he is the only Select Board member that is doing their job the way it should be. The SB is a voice for the residents, employees, and business owners in Town. They should intervene in issues like the parking lot debacle. SB members are elected to have a voice not just listen and should speak up. Too many just act on behalf of the special people. Maybe, Lizzie Dionne will be more Roy than Mark but that remains to be seen.
Belmont Hotel…
It’s very rare I oppose any commercial development…only twice as I can recall. The first time was when a developer wanted to put a hotel on the corner of Brighton and Pleasant Street. I didn’t want the hotel because I was concerned the State might shelter homeless people in it. Unlike some, I have no problem pointing out many of the homeless truly present a danger to the surrounding neighborhood.
Flash forward… Concord Ma. A busload of homeless and illegal immigrants were sent to the Best Western hotel to be housed. The Town was notified after the fact. The impact on policing and schools is unknown at the time. Those who dispute the risk to the neighborhood are ignoring the headlines in California and New York. Homelessness is a problem and illegal immigration makes it worse. Belmont dodged a bullet. If you are wondering… the second time was opening a marijuana dispensary near the high school grounds. Oddly enough that same area is frequented by HS students getting lit.
Bike on Bike Accident….
It seems like Orchard Street and Concord Ave is becoming a regular biking hazard. Should probably rip it up like they did the dirt bike path behind the police station. Last week, a bike-on-bike accident occurred. I am trying to recall what has changed recently leading to all these biking issues. Here’s hoping that Lizzie Dionne will join with Roy and bring us back to the prior lane configuration that is most appropriate for Concord Ave. The list keeps growing. No deaths so far…
Fire on Belmont Street…
Belmont’s top of the bottom third in pay fire fighters responded to a massive 2 alarm fire on Belmont Street. The upper floor of the multi family was fully engulfed in flames. Belmont and surrounding communities quickly put out the fire. 5 residents have been displaced due to the fire. No injuries reported. Thank you, BFD, and surrounding FD’s.
Man’s life saved at BHS…
Kudos to Belmont Police Officer Marco D’Andrea who was presented with the Lifesaving Award for his actions in a health emergency at the BHS gym. While off-duty, D’Andrea was essential in providing first aid to a resident in cardiac arrest. Good news is an AED was on site and the Man is alive thanks to D’Andrea’s actions. So much for the ABC’s… Good job Marco.
Belmont Boys Hockey humbled and in need of a dope slap or…
After some positive headlines it appears the Boys Hockey team let it go to their heads. A couple losses and a tie and they have dropped down to 18th in the State. Newsflash… this isn’t Belmont Second soccer. We keep score and not everyone gets a trophy. You need to earn it in Hockey. This losing streak requires a dope slap (my mistake this isn’t the 80’s) … so maybe extended wind sprints or being forced to watch Joe Biden speeches. I still believe you can turn it around, but the celebration comes after the trophy not before.
Last Week’s Trivia answers…
B.J. Williams was the legendary Director of the Senior Class Play in 1983.
The play was “The Pink Panther Strikes Again.”
The Senior play was eliminated years ago… big loss for the overscheduled kids.
Belmont Newspaper survey…
Nothing can replace Townie Talk (although if someone gives me the $1.7m for my house it can be negotiable). A group of residents is looking at bringing back a local newspaper to Belmont. Back in the early days we had 2 papers. The group is interested in creating a non-profit, hiring reporters and editors, and getting seed money from residents to help get it launched. The first step finding out what readers want. A survey to do this can be found at bit.ly/Belmont-survey.
Belmont History… 1973 (50 year ago)
Can’t make this up… the BHS Principal was named Mr. Stone and the yearbook cover was two students under the Willow tree (Stone/Getting Stoned tree). I wonder if the Town reeked of pot as much as it does today. BHS had an Italian club and synchronized swimming back then. The National Honor Society averaged about 12 students per grade. The Boy’s football coach dressed like a Woodstock resident. There was a boys gymnastics team and Yes, they had Donkey Basketball as a fundraiser. They all needed haircuts.
Racial Equity initiative…
As questions arise over how much funding in the schools is being spent on DEI initiatives (Pro-noun seminars etc) maybe we should look at the other side of what is being taken away.
They say trends start on the West coast… the latest racial-equity initiative is eliminating honors classes in Culver City Ca. Citing not enough Black or Latino students, the HS eliminated Honors English. The current DEI push is bordering absurd. Pretty soon all students will be forced to eat a school provided lunch so no one can bring a ring ding or Twinkie and flaunt inequity to the kid who brought Fig Newtons. The Chenery consultants cited similar reasons for killing advanced Math.
Like many others… I support equal opportunity but not equal outcome. Reach each kid on their level. If the funds are not available to do that then focus on getting every kid to a minimum base and then divide the money accordingly between those who excel and those who exist. The ideology that every kid needs to go to college is burdening Americans with unnecessary debt. There are plenty of trades and specialty programs that can provide successful outcomes without the deep financial burden or progressive indoctrination.
86ers…
A dozen or so 86ers met up at City Streets Grille in Waltham to see the legendary “Jim Plunkett” perform. Not the Pats QB but the king of Happy Hour on the Cape decades past. I was to absorbed in conversations about how ’86 accomplishments and my Bud Light that I missed most of Plunkett’s show. Watertown was well represented but rumor has it the Belmont 86ers closed the bar down.
It’s the end of the World as we know it…
Not really. Turns out the UFO’s were likely High School and or hobby weather experiments. The $400,000 missiles used to take them down is all too real. Can’t blame this on the big guy “Joe Biden” as he is scrambling to hire lawyers as the walls close in around him and his derelict son’s dealings. Philly lost the Super Bowl, and my Bud Light budget is now halved. Suicide and murder/suicide appears to be surging as the indoctrination by the left has created despair over pick any: You are killing the planet, white people are bad, don’t eat meat, men are bad, wear a mask, social media addiction, women are bad, JK Rowling is bad, and a general lack of personal resiliency because of overprotective parents. If machines could off themselves it would be gas leaf blowers, gas stoves, and now gas lawn mowers as Minnesota hopes.
Massachusetts is on a quick collapse. Over 110,000 residents have fled the State since 2020, and the smart among us are counting the days. The State thinks they can replace them with busloads of illegal immigrants costing the taxpayer 100’s of millions to educate, house, feed and provide medical care to. Of course the cash cow Millionaires are expediting their departures now with the new Millionaires tax. My secret steak house (Wildwood) in Marlboro is closing after 99 years. Casualty of the scamdemic.
Golf…
One funny and one cool story from the World of Golf this week. The funny story… 45-year-old Tiger Woods outdrove 29-year-old Justin Thomas in the first round of the Genesis Invitational. After outdriving Thomas, Woods slipped Thomas a tampon. Which Townie Talk finds hilarious, but some find sexist. Too bad it is hilarious and was done in good fun and not meant for the haters. The cools story is engineers created a robotic golfer named LDRIC. Engineers are “smaht” but have no marketing skills. So LDRIC was set up on the par three 16th hole at the Phoenix Open and went on to strike a “hole in one”. Rodney Dangerfield would be smiling.