Local Belmont paper?
The link for the Belmont newspaper survey is case sensitive and should be bit.ly/belmont-survey
BHSMS Update…
The 7th/8th grade portion of the new School is expected to complete major construction in April and open in the Fall. The contingency fund is essentially $0. Imagine if we don’t spend all that money to rip up the new parking lot and instead applied it to the contingency fund…
BHS Boys Hockey…. Will play Chelmsford MA in the first round of the Division 1 Hockey Tourney
BHS Girls Basketball… Will play Central Catholic in the first round of the Division 1 Hoops Tourney
Belmont Center Fire Station…
You want details… a TT source has shared…
The fire stations were built prior to the Town including an owner’s project manual for oversight.
Critical pieces for the construction process for the roof and windows were not done.
The Town received $950,000 in an insurance settlement for expected repair cost.
The Capital budget committee kicked in $450,000 as the settlement wasn’t enough.
Additional funds were needed, and the project is now being done with oversight.
Sex, Religion, and Politics… (I am legally prohibited from discussing Alien abductions)
Belmont Sex Trivia:
- This street was known for it’s “Hot Tub” and Belmont swinging back in the 1970’s?
- This neighborhood was called the “cuddling neighborhood” a decade ago… known for its “cuddling/spooning” parties.
- This website for extra marital affair seekers was hacked in 2015, leading some residents to claim they only signed up to see which of their neighbors were subscribers.
Religious revival…
If you don’t believe in God, I feel for you. Those of us enlightened folks believe or have seen with our own eyes the separation of Soul from body at death. God represents “life” after death so when Asbury University in Kentucky held a religious revival and over 50,000 students started showing up it was refreshing to see the next generation embracing faith. Having taught Religious Education years back (Roman Catholic, not that it matters) I was less focused on the Biblical stories than the value of having a personal relationship with God. The way things are going in the US and the World it certainly helps with perspective. Regardless of what Jimmy Page and Roger Waters wrote… you can’t buy the stairway to heaven. You earn your way in.
Not knowing the nuances in the Evangelical faith, some are seeing the Asbury revival as the “Last Great Awakening” before the “Second coming of Jesus Christ”. I have purchased a couple of bottles of wine should they be right, and Jesus makes his way to Belmont for a breaking of the bread.
Politics…
The economy is a nightmare. The latest inflation numbers show the Fed will have to get aggressive with raising rates even higher. More haunting is that Credit Card debt hit a record $980 Billion and 49% of card holders carry a recurring balance paying the minimum due with interest. Car payments 60 days in arrears cracked 5.67%, the highest since the 2008 crisis and more than double since April 2021’s 2.58%
Why does this matter? As we hear about the cuts Belmont will need to make isn’t it equally important to have some perspective that Belmont residents are included in these figures. Not everyone is indifferent to money.
Bagpipes heard over Belmont….
After years of ignoring structural reform… and championing massive CAPEX spending the SB, WC and SC have realized the Town is broke and will need a massive override to maintain what we currently have. What you need to know.
The Town has a spending problem. It spends more than it brings in. It has an inability to say No.
The residential taxpayer is grossly overburdened. Spending 16% on average of their income on property taxes alone. There is no more to give and yet outside of a few on the above-mentioned committees, no heed is paid to the struggling taxpayer. This personality trait is sometimes called “Indifferent to money” and usually is held by the financially well off who rarely think of money and don’t believe money should be considered when making important decisions in life.
Residents spoke of the harm of eliminating 4th grade strings, Kindergarten aides, and an AP class. One suggested cancelling the rink debt exclusion and putting a small override on the April ballot in it’s place. Some believe the Town side should also face cuts… apparently not paying attention that it’s hard to cut through bone as the Town side has been second fiddle to the schools for decades.
The Select Board so far has committed to honoring their promise of no override for FY24.
Quotes from the meetings:
Roy Epstein (SB) regarding a future override.
“It’s not about putting an Override on the ballot, its about putting an override on the ballot that will pass.”
(That amount is $0 in my opinion… sell the Benton and repeal the CPA and we can talk a moderate increase)
Megs Moriarty (SC) on learning loss due to Covid remote learning.
“Now that Covid is over, we are making progress on reducing the learning loss…. Although some will argue Covid isn’t over”
(In a room with a few wearing masks).
Mark Paolillo (SB) on concerns the Chenery Middle School roof might collapse.
“The Select Board would never allow a building at risk to be open.”
(Where was Mark when Ralph Jones and Library folk claimed the Library was at “imminent risk of fire”?)
Jeff Liberty (SC) in reference to an override failing.
“We may need to close a School.”
(I like Jeff as he is as close to moderate as one can get in Belmont…although he views closing a school as a negative and I see that as a financially responsible act that would save millions for spending on Teachers and Aides instead of Admin).
BTW… the Chenery roof is fine. It will need to be replaced as it’s nearing it’s 25-year end of life. Should cost $1.5 million or so and should be a somewhat priority.
Call me Captain…
Kudos to Christopher Donahue on being promoted to the rank of Captain with the Belmont Police Department.
One Love One Belmont….
Not what you think…. An informal gathering of community groups to encourage civic engagement. Learn how to get involved in town and community organizations. Saturday March 11th 3-5pm at the Beech Street Center. Free Pizza and soft drinks. Please RSVP bit.ly/OneLoveOneBelmont
Donations to benefit the Belmont Food Pantry are appreciated.
Foodies…
Coco a new Bubbly Tea shop has opened in Belmont Center.
House of Lavash an Armenian flat bread bakery will be opening in March in Cushing Square.