Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Weekly recycling would cost an additional $38,000 for the entire year. The proposal awaits the town administrator's approval.
The Board of Health learned on Tuesday that the move from biweekly to weekly curbside pick-up of recycled materials in the coming fiscal year — which starts July 1 — would cost an additional $38,000. The Hiltz trash and recycling contract would increase from the current $532,000 to $570,000 in Fiscal 2013 — July 1 to June 30. The proposal needs only the town administrator's signature to take effect on July 16, said Jeff Vaughan, the town's director of public health. Residents have lobbied for weekly recycling in town since the new waste reduction program took effect last October. The first phase of the program limited residents to three barrels of trash. Starting July 16, the program moves to its remaining phase — a two-barrel limit per…
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Dr. Lawrence Block of the Board of Health would support a safe and sound Blocksidge Field renovation.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Two news stories were published on May 17 which made me think about how I hope the renovation plan to install artificial turf at Blocksidge Field progresses. The first report was that the Centers for Disease Control lowered the threshold for lead poisoning in children, from 10 to 5 mcg/dl. Overnight, the number of children in the US with lead toxicity doubled to 450,000 cases. Of course, there has never been a safe level of exposure to lead or to any other heavy metal; it just took until now for studies to prove such low levels to be toxic. Similarly, of the 80,000 chemicals approved for sale by the US government, few have been studied to demonstrate their long-term safety. Concern for possible lead (present in some artificial …
Monday, May 14, 2012
The resident wants the Attorney General's Office to review her complaint and rule on whether there was a violation of the state's Open Meeting and Public Record Law on Tuesday on the second night of Town Meeting.
Resident Mary DeChillo alleges the Board of Health met without posting their meeting and has asked the Attorney General's Office to rule on whether a violation of the state's Open Meeting and Public Record Law took place. Ultimately, DeChillo, a former School Committee member, wants the Board of Health members to adhere to the Open Meeting law when making public policy, her complaint states. She also believes "all public officials should receive more training in the execution of Open Meeting and Public Record Laws." Board of Health Chairman Martha Dansdill said yesterday that she has not seen the complaint and would withhold comment until she reads it. DeChillo filed the complaint form with the Swampscott town clerk on Wednesday, as …
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Money saved through increased recycling in town would provide funding for adding the recycling dates, board members said.
Board of Health member Lawrence Block said on Tuesday that the town's waste reduction program will result in projected savings of about $96,000 in its first full year and make weekly recycling possible in 2013. "Residents have embraced the recycling program and now we are reaping the benefits of recycling," he said. The first phase of the new trash rules — designed to promote recycling — took effect in October, limiting residents to three barrels of trash. Starting July 1, the program moves to its remaining phase — a two-barrel limit per household. On Tuesday, board members were reviewing the presentation that their chairman, Martha Dansdill, will make to delegates at town meeting on May 7. The presentation will include information on …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Board of Health will propose to amend the town budget by about $15,000 at Town Meeting to fund the town's 10-hour-a-week nurse.
The town nurse's value lies in preventative health, steering residents to medical services and informing the public about health emergencies, says the Board of Health. These are some of the reasons the board's chairman, Martha Dansdill, will propose an amendment at Town Meeting to put $15,234 in the budget to fund Roseanne Bruno's position. Funding for the 10-hour-a-week nurse was left out of the proposed spending for the next fiscal year, starting July 1. The budget needs approval by delegates at town meeting, on May 7. Board member Lawrence Block said it makes no sense to cut the position without warning or an opportunity to prepare for it. "It's one thing to plan for and say (effective) 2014 but to just cut it out ...," he said. Also…
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Board of Health incumbent Nelson Kessler faces challenges from Olaf Faeskorn and Deborah Shelkan Remis in the local election on April 24.
There's one seat up for election on the Board of Health April 24, and it's for three years. The candidates: incumbent Nelson Kessler and challengers Olaf Faeskorn and Deborah Shelkan Remis. We asked each candidate the same five questions in this Q&A. Nelson Kessler 1) Biographical: Please tell our readers in 40 words or less who you are. This can include anything you want such as family, occupation, experience, residence, education, age etc. I’m a Board of Health member since 1996. I have devoted many years serving the Town as Co-Chairman of the Conservation Committee, past Chairman of the Recycling Committee, and Town Meeting Member since 1996. My wife, Libby, and I are town residents for 48 years and three of our four grown children …
Friday, April 6, 2012
The program is expected to save an estimated $96,000 on the line item cost for rubbish in the upcoming fiscal year, according to the Board of Health
- GOVERNMENT
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Friday, April 6, 2012
This article was submitted by Martha Dansdill of the Board of Health. The Swampscott Board of Health recently presented a report card on the Waste Reduction Program to selectmen and Finance Committee members, with data on the first four months since the program began in November. Swampscott residents have to date reduced trash disposal by 12 percent, while increasing the recycling rate from 17 to 25 percent. Projecting ahead to fiscal year 2013 which begins this July, the Board of Health predicts that trash amounts will fall from 5,079 tons to 4,500 tons, saving the town on disposal charges at $84.68 per ton. Without the reduction program, the line item cost for rubbish in FY2013 (under the terms of the original Hiltz contract) was …
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Monday's Candidates' Forum at Swampscott High was presented by the League of Women Voters and featured candidates for selectman, School Committee and Board of Health.
Candidates staked positions, sketched approaches to government and asked for votes at the League of Women Voters Candidates’ Forum Monday. The League invited only candidates for contested races, each of the openings a single position for three years. The forum was held at the high school. Selectman The two candidates, incumbent Matt Strauss and challenger Glenn Kessler, differentiated themselves on proposed funding for Phillips Park improvements that include an artificial surface at Blocksidge Field. The project, estimated earlier this year at $2.5 million, would be funded through combined public and private money. Strauss said the project gets his “full support.” The improvements are about investing in the town’s infrastructure and …
Monday, October 3, 2011
Learn about the new program for boosting recycling rates in town. The 3-bag limit starts Oct. 3.
- NEWS
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Monday, October 3, 2011
This Q&A was submitted by Martha Dansdill of the Board of Health. Q: Why is Swampscott adopting a Waste Reduction Program (WRP)? The Waste Reduction Program will maximize recycling which, in turn, reduces trash amounts and related trash disposal costs to the Town. This makes good fiscal sense. By adopting a WRP, Swampscott is poised to save $80K to $100K annually. Q: When will this happen? What is different? Beginning October 3, 2011, each individual household will be allowed up to three bags or barrels of trash per week. All trash must be placed in either a 35-gallon barrel or less or a 30-gallon trash bag or less for pick up. On July 1, 2012, there will be a two bag or barrel limit. Barrels larger than 35 gallons can be used to hold …
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Town must save at least $140,000 a year on reduced trash before it can afford additional pickups.
The town may move to once-a-week recycled trash pickup as soon as the savings from the reduced trash pickup reaches at least $140,000 a year. That is the cost of adding a second truck and crew to pick up recycled trash, said Martha Dansdill, the chairman of the town's health board. “It is definitely on our radar screen,” she said. A goal of the new trash pickup program that begins Oct. 1 is to move to weekly recycling. Because the recycled trash is co-mingled, the town does not get paid for its recycled materials, except for paper, which goes up and down in price. “Recycling is not free,” Dansdill said. But once the town realizes savings from reducing the amount of regular trash, adding more recycling pickups would become possible, she …
Mick
3:10 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
If we do pay for this additional pick-up, could we at least get non-sort pick up for the price. more ›