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Do you drive into Boston? What you should know
Learn more about the Lynnway Multimodal Corridor Project that will impact the roadway for years to come. There is a public meeting at Abbot Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at noon. “The Lynnway Multimodal Corridor Project will transform a historically car-centric roadway into a safer, dynamic connector for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and drivers,” reads the MBTA website. “With more than 3,000 daily bus riders along the Lynnway and key connections to nearby routes serving over 8,500 riders daily, these upgrades will improve travel time and reliability for over 70,000 riders each week.” To learn more about the project, visit mbta.com/projects/lynnway-multimodal-corridor-project
MPD mental health grant
The state’s Department of Mental Health has awarded MPD a $121,300 grant to support the work of the department’s mental health clinician, Gina Rabbitt. Rabbitt serves 32 hours per week in this role and provides an additional eight hours per week focused on opiate and substance use disorder work.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer added during the Select Board’s Sept. 10 meeting, “While this grant had been significantly reduced in the governor’s budget proposal, our local legislators, Rep. Jenny Armini and Sen. Brendan Crighton, worked effectively to reinstate the full funding, ensuring the continuation of this vital community service.”
Marblehead Police want you!
Marblehead Police are hosting the 11th Citizens Police Academy Oct. 3-Nov. 2. More than 200 residents have taken the class so far. Learn the ins and outs of policing and the criminal justice system — taught by police officers. Download the application at https://loom.ly/q7Kki-4.
Police accreditation
The Marblehead Police Department has been issued re-accreditation and will be formally recognized in October. Accreditation is a self-initiated process through which police agencies voluntarily strive to meet and maintain professional standards established for the law enforcement profession.
According to MPD, “This achievement reflects our commitment to excellence and accountability, and marks six consecutive years of accredited status for the Department.”
For whom the bell tolls
At the board’s Sept. 10 meeting, Fire Chief Jason Gilliland has asked the Select Board to approve the decision to rotate the bell in the Abbot Hall clock tower. Gilliland said the bell hasn’t been rotated since he’s worked in Marblehead — Gilliland started at MFD in the late 1980s — and it is wearing thin in the spot where it is hit by the hammer. The Select Board approved the request. The rotation should happen soon.
Going green-er
At its Sept. 10 meeting, the Select Board unanimously approved a new Zero-Emissions Vehicle First Procurement policy. It requires the town to purchase or lease exclusively battery electric vehicles for all light-duty passenger fleet replacements, wherever feasible. The goals of the new policy include:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Complying with the state Green Communities Program requirements
- Enforcing environmentally-responsible fleet maintenance
- Minimizing the town’s consumption of natural resources
- Improving local air quality and public health
To that end, Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey asked the Select Board to approve a free, one-month lease of an electric mini bus for the Council on Aging, which it did. The eJest vehicle could eventually replace a gas-powered COA bus. The e-bus arrives Sept. 22.
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.
