New GM at Marblehead Light
Marblehead Municipal Light Department’s new general manager, Jon Blair, started this week, replacing Joe Kowalik.
Blair, a former leader at the Ipswich Electric Light, was chosen from a field of more than 90 applicants. He starts with a base salary of $219,000.
Kowalik, who was expected to stay through his contract in April, was told his last day would be Sept. 28. He received a severance check on that day.
Lowy enters Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame
Marblehead resident David A. Lowy, who served for eight years as a justice on the Supreme Judicial Court, was inducted into the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the Venezia Restaurant in Boston on Sept. 16.
Lowy began his legal career as an associate in the litigation department of the firm Goodwin, Procter & Hoar and spent a year clerking for U.S. District Court Judge Edward F. Harrington.
Lowy was an assistant district attorney in Essex and Suffolk counties and served as deputy legal counsel to Gov. William F. Weld. He first became a state District Court judge in 1997 and was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Gov. Paul Cellucci in 2001. Gov. Charlie Baker then elevated him to the SJC in 2016.
Lowy now serves as general counsel at the University of Massachusetts, his alma mater, where he is also an adjunct professor of law and strategic advisor for law school education.
In an interview with Lawyers Weekly, Lowy credited his parents with teaching him that it was important not only to work hard but “help, even in some small measure, to heal the world.”
Good reviews for Beauport Ambulance
In its first month of operation in Marblehead, Beauport Ambulance responded to 97 calls with an average response time of 5.5 minutes, “reflecting strong service capacity and service,” Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said.
Village Street Bridge update
The Village Street Bridge project has advanced to the “25% design review stage” with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, according to Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer.
The bridge, constructed in 1939, spans the Rail Trail and Highland Terrace.
“It is a structurally deficient bridge … and now presents safety and accessibility challenges,” Kezer said to the Select Board.
Fire Chief Jason Gilliland told the Current that the town’s previous engineer, Charlie Quigley, urged firefighters to drive their trucks near the center of the bridge and avoid either side.
The town’s 3A noncompliance may impact the project, according to Kezer.
MassDOT has determined that the project is eligible for federal aid highway funding of about $4.5 million, Kezer reported.
“At the same time, the town recognizes the importance of our MBTA 3A zoning compliance status,” Kezer said. “We will continue to work with MassDot and state officials to determine what, if any, impact non-compliance may have on the progress.”
Town’s financial trends ‘very strong’
Auditors Roselli, Clark & Associates presented an “audit exit conference” to the Select Board reporting the town’s financial trends remain strong. Revenues beat forecast by $2 million, and expenditures came in under budget $5.8 million. Marblehead continues to earn the highest bond rating, AAA, and is in the top 10% of communities in the state in terms of investment appeal.
The firm did point out that the town’s cash/bank reconciliation and receivable reconciliation processes were “weak,” which delayed important reports. Kezer said those deficiencies have already been addressed.
Going up?
The accessibility lift at the Old Town House has reached the end of its useful life, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer told the Select Board on Sept. 24.
It “is failing more often than it is operating and cannot support the frequency of runs needed for public events and elections at the buildings,” he said.
Kezer added that the town may need to limit future events at the Old Town House until a permanent solution is identified. Staff will be analyzing the costs of full replacement and developing options for the next capital improvement plan.
Locals lace up for Jimmy Fund Walk
Twenty Marblehead residents are set to join the Jimmy Fund Walk on Sunday, Oct. 5. The event raises funds to support all forms of adult and pediatric care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This year’s goal is $9.5 million.
The Jimmy Fund Walk takes place along the famed Boston Marathon course, and participants have the flexibility to choose from four distance options: 5K walk, 10K walk, half-marathon walk and marathon walk. Walkers who prefer to participate virtually can complete their chosen distance from any location.
Marblehead walkers include: Susan Bean, Steven Weinstein, Pat Donovan McLeod, Karen Meyer, Susan Walton, Luke Weiss, Samantha Weiss, Ellie Weiss, Zach Weiss, Michele Cohen, Mark Chambers, Nicholas Mosher, Linda Weinstein, Steven Weinstein, Doreen Stacey, Pat Donovan McLeod, Michele Cohen, Brian Cohen, Lauren Crawford, Abby Drummond, Rossane Ferrante and Stephen Walker.
For more information, visit jimmyfundwalk.org.
Household hazardous waste day
The town is hosting its fall household hazardous waste day at the Transfer Station on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 4-7 p.m. Here are a few items that people can bring: oil-based paints, fuels, motor oil, insecticides, chemical fertilizer, photo chemicals and fluorescent bulbs. People may not bring prescription medicine or syringes, ammunition or fireworks, and commercial or industrial waste.
There are new fees this year:
- $40, 0-3 gallons or up to 6 lbs.
- $55, 3-10 gallons or up to 20 lbs.
- $90, 10-25 gallons or up to 50 lbs.
Enter the Transfer Station on Green Street. Only credit cards and checks will be accepted. For more info, call 781-631-0212.
