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Local dispatch app enhances emergency response
The Marblehead 911 dispatch center has received free licensing from Esri, a multinational company specializing in geographic information system software, to improve emergency response capabilities. Developed by the dispatch center’s team, the application allows first responders to document incidents in real time using their cellphones. Photos and descriptions of downed trees, storm damage and other emergencies are instantly updated for dispatchers and emergency personnel.
“This tool enhances our capabilities in emergency situations,” Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said. The licensing comes at no cost to the town, helping reduce expenses while improving public safety.
Mark Revolutionary War anniversary with bell ringing, talks
The Marblehead 250 Committee has organized a townwide bell-ringing event at 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of an early Revolutionary War event. Church bells and Abbot Hall’s bell will ring for three minutes to mark the day in 1775 when British troops landed in Marblehead, alarming the town.
Following the bell ringing, a public program at Old North Church will feature historians discussing Marblehead’s role in the Revolutionary War and the significance of the event. The Marblehead Museum will also host historian J.L. Bell on Thursday, Feb. 27, for a talk on Leslie’s Retreat, the first armed resistance to the British crown.
Bell, author of “The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War,” will share how 250 British soldiers marched through Marblehead in February 1775, sent by the royal governor to search for weapons. The talk will highlight eyewitness accounts of a day the Revolutionary War nearly began in Marblehead.
The event will take place in the J.O.J. Frost Gallery at 170 Washington St. and will be simulcast over Zoom. Tickets are $10 for museum members and $15 for the public, available at marbleheadmuseum.org or by calling 781-631-1768.
Local historian Judy Anderson will lead a program at Old North Church, 35 Washington St., about the historic event.
Bocce facility contract awarded
The Select Board approved a $207,300 contract with Price Landscaping & Construction to build an outdoor bocce facility behind the Council on Aging at 10 Humphrey St. The project combines $150,000 from the Shattuck Fund and $57,300 from Friends of the Council on Aging. Construction plans show multiple courts with benches and landscaping. Work must be completed by June 1.
Bridge project requires additional testing
An $8,948.76 increase for the Village Street Bridge replacement contract was approved after a Massachusetts Department of Transportation review required more geological boring. The amendment with Greenman-Pederson Inc. extends work through Sept. 30, with added costs covered by state highway funds.
Town launches updated website
Marblehead will launch a new town website, designed to improve accessibility and transparency for residents, on Feb. 19. While acknowledging the challenges of organizing vast municipal data, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer assured residents that the upgrade will improve navigation and usability.
“It is still a bear to manage the volume of data and make it as easy as possible to find things. I’ll say it’ll be better,” he said.
State officials warn of avian flu outbreak
State environmental officials report that highly pathogenic avian influenza is suspected in the deaths of more than 60 Canada geese, swans and other birds at Billington Sea in Plymouth, with smaller outbreaks affecting fewer than 15 geese reported elsewhere in Massachusetts.
There have been no confirmed cases of avian flu in birds in Marblehead.
Officials urge residents to avoid handling sick or dead birds and to report findings of five or more dead birds at a single location at mass.gov/reportbirds. Cat owners in affected areas should keep pets indoors as cats are highly susceptible to infection. To report sick domestic birds, contact the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources at 617-626-1795
Home energy assistance program accepting applications
North Shore Community Action Programs is accepting applications for its Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps income-eligible households pay winter heating bills from Nov. 1 through April 30.
Eligible households can receive direct payments to heating vendors, a 29% discount on National Grid utility bills, protection from utility shut offs during winter and possible no-cost energy efficiency improvements. For more information, contact 978-531-0767, ext. 136, or fuelassistance@nscap.org.
Town integrates weights and measures role into inspections department
The town’s sealer of weights and measures role, which ensures accuracy in stores and other consumer-facing businesses, is moving under the inspections department. This could include ensuring proper calibration of scales in grocery stores, delis, and bakeries and verifying pricing accuracy in retail stores.
The transition allows the town to manage the contract service responsible for checking and validating weights and measures, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said.
