Weekly Recycling on Selectmen's Agenda

The Board meets tonight at 7 at Town Hall.

  Board of Health members will talk to selectmen about weekly recycling when they meet tonight. The meeting is at 7 at Town Hall. The other discussion item on the agenda: Board votes are scheduled on the following: As far as the recycling topic goes, health board members will give an update on how things are going with their plans, said Rich Malagrifa, chairman of the Board of Selectmen.. The weekly recycling topic has come before selectmen several times in the past two years. Last summer Town Administrator Thomas Younger said he wanted to review town finances over the next three months to see if it could afford the weekly service. Right now the town has recycling every two weeks. Some residents have lobbied for making it weekly since the …

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Pay For What You Throw Idea on the Table

Selectmen started talking about the trash pickup proposal last week.

  Selectman Barry Greenfield proposes that the town institute a "pay as you go" trash pickup system as a fair solution to the condo trash collection issue. His proposal, which 130 Massachusetts communities use, would refund the trash pickup costs to town residents and charge them for each bag of trash they put out for collection. The town would save money, and residents would pay only for the trash they disposed of, Greenfield said. Selectman Glenn Kessler agreed that the "pay as you go" system may work for Swampscott. The system would require residents to pay a fixed price for each bag or can of garbage they generate in much the same way they pay for other utilities such as electricity and water service. In most localities, the per-bag or…

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David Arsenault

6:07 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Ya, I heard that but this isn't ground water it comes from all the street run off flowing down to one spot from three hills, (flash flooding). Not only were homes built here but the State put a road through the same place but not enough drainage. Southbound side of 1A would work.   more ›

What Selectmen Want for 2013

We asked each selectman one thing they would like to see happen in Swampscott.

  On the first day of 2013 we asked selectmen to identify an item they would like to see happen this year. Below is what the five board members had to say: Chairman Rich Malagrifa would like to know the status of underground infrastructure when it comes to drainage. Barry Greenfield would like the state legislature to adopt Swampscott's home rule petition. Glenn Kessler would like infrastructure repairs to take place. Jill Sullivan would like to see the Temple and Greenwood Avenue properties sold and developed. David Van Dam would like to see town services maintained and the cost of living lowered for the residents.

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Selectmen to Vote on Condo Trash Pick-Up

Board members will also talk about authorizing the state to take jurisdiction over King's Beach.

  Selectmen tonight will vote on whether to provide trash removal at condos.  The board has talked about trash service for condos before but tonight will be the first official vote. In September the motion for the proposal did not get a second. Board members failed to agree on whether it was fair that more than 600 condominium owners should pay both town property taxes and condo fees that includes a fee for private trash collection. Board Chairman Richard Malagrifa proposed that the town pay $17,656 to collect some of the trash at four condominiums — Crowne Point, Summit Estates, The Glen and Hawthorne's Crossing. Selectman Jill Sullivan will not vote on the trash pickup issue because it has been ruled that she has a conflict of interest, …

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Lacrosse Coach Joins the Athletic Field Study Committee

The committee is scheduled to meet next on Jan. 3.

The Board of Selectmen last Wednesday night appointed High School Lacrosse Coach Josh Field to fill a vacancy on the Athletic Field Study Committee. The committee is considering various options for improving the fields either with natural or artificial turf. The controversial issue was defeated at the last Town Meeting largely because of the estimated $1.5 million price tag for an artificial turf field. The committee has been meeting regularly to explore options. Its next meeting is set for Jan. 3.

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David Arsenault

10:02 am on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Fields can be Aerated this March and slice seeded in april, would had been better to have done this in Sept/Oct. That way a herbicide could had been used in spring along with some fert. The town just needs to maintain the fields. Round up the clay and Stone dust at the baseball parks as well.   more ›

Beware of Energy Offers Says Board Chairman

Selectman Rich Malagrifa said no company can back up a claim to have the lowest electric rate because the state has yet to give rate approvals.

  Board of Selectmen Chairman Richard Malagrifa is warning residents about salesmen claiming that their companies can lower a resident's energy bills. "They can't say that because the energy aggregation rate has not been set (for Swampscott) by the state," he said at last week's selectmen's meeting. He said several salesmen had come to his home making that claim. He said he has told the salespeople that it is impossible for them to have the lowest rate until the aggregation rate gets approval from state energy officials.

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Town Renews Liquor License For Closed Restaurant

The Vinnin Square Mall restaurant and lounge has been closed for months.

  Among the liquor licenses that selectmen approved on Wednesday was the one held by City Bar & Grill, which has been closed for several months. Town officials admitted they do not know if it plans to reopen.  The reason the license was renewed was to keep it for the town, which is threatened with losing one of its allocated licenses because its population declined for the last census, Town Administrator Thomas Younger said. "If you don't renew it (the City Bar & Grill license), you will lose it," Younger said. Swampscott's population in 2010 was 13,787, which is below the threshold of 14,001 needed to qualify under state law for 14 full alcohol licenses. By renewing the City Bar & Grill's liquor license, that allows the town to have one …

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Technology Allows Swampscott Boards to Vote Remote

Selectmen voted to allow the practice at their last meeting.

  The Board of Selectmen says it's OK for town boards to have a member participate in a meeting even if the member is not physically at the meeting. Using meeting technologies, a board can now allow a member to be at a different location and still debate issues and vote. That includes participating in executive sessions as long as the member is in alone in a room. The member must request permission in writing to the chairman of the board, asking to be allowed to participate in the meeting from a remote location. That request must be made at least a week in advance. And the person participating remotely cannot be used to create a quorum. The reasons allowed for being away and participating are: - Personal injury or disability, - An …

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Town Administrator Presents Swampscott's Financial Forecast

The town administrator says the town needs a longterm capital plan.

  Town Administrator Thomas Younger presented the 2013 budget to the Board of Selectmen last week, which provides for spending $53,102,481 next year while bringing in revenues of $52,900,128. Some of the budget pressures outlined were: Younger said the town will seek state and federal funds to help upgrade and repair the chronic sewer and storm water infrastructure. He told the selectmen not to expect much new money from additional businesses and new residences because the town is "built out." There has been an increase recently in permit fees to tear down and replace houses, he said. The Nahant tuition is expected to be $1,135,600 in FY 2014, he said.

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David Arsenault

12:18 pm on Friday, December 7, 2012

Of course ripping up roads, repaving them before drainage is fixed makes sense. Town saves money by doing things twice.   more ›

Selectman Would Support Local Marijuana Dispensary

The topic arose at the Nov. 28 selectmen's meeting and three weeks after Massachusetts voters' approved medical marijuana.