Press releases - Marblehead Current

24Nov

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Board of Health hears presentation on long-term planning

BOARD: Board of Health DATE: Nov. 14 (hybrid, recorded) LWVM OBSERVER: Tom Krueger MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Tom McMahon, Joanne Miller, Helaine Hazlett, along with Health Director Andrew Petty Intra-board relations Prior to addressing the agenda items, each of the board members commented about working together as a board and a team over the past six months. McMahon had sent an email to the members that each had thought about. Miller wanted to highlight the ways the board had worked together: They had voted unanimously for the need to change the three-member board to a five-member board, allowing for enhanced communication; they are to have a subcommittee to prepare for future obstacles; and they had discussion that led to the placement of public boxes of fentanyl strips...

24Nov

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Rec & Parks mulls public comment policy

BOARD: Recreation & Parks Commission DATE: Nov. 14 (in person, not recorded) LWVM OBSERVER: Bonnie Grenier MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Matt Martin, Karin Ernst, Linda Rice-Collins, Shelly Bedrossian, Recreation Director Jaime Bloch, Superintendent Peter James. (Absent: Rossanna Ferrante) Public comment policy At Karin Ernst’s request, the committee discussed the idea of developing a formal policy to address how they will handle public comments at future meetings. They reviewed the Board of Health’s policy, which is two years old and needs some updating. It was suggested that they reach out to other Marblehead boards and committees in other towns for examples of their policies. Further discussion was tabled until the next meeting. FY25 budget Peter James presen...

24Nov

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Harbors and Waters hears about ongoing issue with fishermen’s trash

BOARD: Harbors and Waters Board DATE: Nov. 6 (in person) LWVM OBSERVER: Kathy Breslin MEMBERS PRESENT: Gary Gregory, John Doub, Ken Breen, Jay Michaud, Clark Smith ALTERNATES PRESENT: Rick Cuzner, Chris Hood, Peter Dragonas Commercial fishermen’s trash at State Street Harbormaster Mark Souza reported that the Marblehead Recreation and Parks Department has been emptying the trash barrels at the State Street Landing but has been finding a lot of fishermen’s trash (bait boxes, etc.) next to the barrels, which they will not pick up. Jay Michaud stated that it is a longstanding issue and that they need to find the culprits and fine them as it’s not fair to the public who also use this area. It was mentioned that Rec and Parks no longer has a packer truck, which could ac...

24Nov

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Abbot Library renovations on schedule

BOARD: Abbot Library Board of Trustees DATE: Nov. 6 (hybrid) LWVM OBSERVER: Brigitte Lagoutte MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Gary Amberik (chair), John Williams, David Ross, Jennifer Jewell, Kathy Barker and Library Director Kim Grad (via zoom) Director's report Library was closed on Oct. 28 due to low staffing (illness). Upcoming closures: Nov. 10 and 11 for Veterans Day; Nov. 22 (5 p.m.), Nov. 23 and 24 for Thanksgiving; Nov. 25: TBD due to possible short staffing. On Jan. 18, there will be a training for "Everyone Serves Youth.” The library is interviewing for the head of technical services position, vacant since Oct. 11. The temporary library is still having a problem with the boiler. Combustion Services is called at least once a month and has been responsive when ...

11Nov

By Submitted ContentNo Comments

Press releases

PAWS & CLAWS: Ranger seen as good ‘companion cat’

Marblehead Animal Shelter volunteers believe Ranger would make an excellent companion cat to another. “If your cat just lost his companion kitty friend, Ranger would make a wonderful new friend,” they say. Ranger The volunteers also believe he may come around on humans eventually, too, once he has a routine and established trust. Indeed, they have already begun to see him becoming more comfortable with humans at the shelter. Volunteers describe Ranger as a fun-loving type of cat who can be found hanging out with the shelter house cats when out roaming. Ranger is up to date with routine shots, house trained and neutered. If you are interested in Ranger, fill out an adoption application at marblehead-animal-shelter.org and you will be contacted. Food drive The animal...

10Nov

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Press releases

SALUTE TO SERVICE: U.S. Air Force Capt. Audrey Meakin

U.S. Air Force Capt. Audrey Meakin graduated from Marblehead High School in 2015 then earned her bachelor’s degree and commission from Norwich University in 2019. U.S. Air Force Capt. Audrey Meakin She is currently serving as a logistics readiness officer in the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. She deployed to Kuwait with Special Operations Command-Central in 2020 and then again in 2022 to Germany and Romania in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Proud of a member of the military? Share details of their service with the Current at info@marbleheadnews.org, and we will share it with the community — year round, not just during Veterans Day week.

5Nov

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Rec & Parks takes votes on pickleball, tennis courts

BOARD: Recreation & Parks Commission DATE: Oct. 30 (in person, not recorded) MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Matt Martin, Karin Ernst, Linda Rice-Collins, Shelly Bedrossian and Rossanna Ferrante, along with Recreation Director Jaime Bloch and Superintendent Peter James LWVM OBSERVER: Maggie Smist Seaside Park tennis courts Discussion on making Courts 2-4 dual-purpose use for both tennis and pickleball, permanently lining Court 2 and temporary lining Courts 3 and 4. With many people in attendance, Bedrossian summarized findings from the last meeting and mainly the points that were not voted on at the last meeting. She discussed and summarized her sound study outlined in the Powerpoint from the Oct. 18 meeting. She discussed the other courts and the number of courts a...

5Nov

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: FinCom lays out calendar for budget process

BOARD: Finance Committee DATE: Oct. 30 (hybrid) MEMBERS PRESENT: Alec Goolsby, Molly Teets, Michael Janco, Michael O’Neil, Timothy Shotmeyer, Terra Samuels (Zoom), Eric Knight (Zoom) GUESTS: Thatcher Kezer, Linda Gifford LWVM OBSERVER: Katharine Redmond The Finance Committee met to review its calendar, appoint liaison committee members, and go over the budget formation process. A preliminary revenue forecast was presented to the Select Board by Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin on Oct. 11. Benjamin sent out guidance letters to all town department heads, instructing them to prepare both level-service and balanced budget scenarios. It is likely that salaries and contractual costs will increase beyond estimated revenues, so departments will have to find cost savi...

26Oct

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Task Force Against Discrimination talks local impact of attack on Israel

BOARD: Task Force Against Discrimination DATE: Oct. 19 (Zoom, recorded) LWVM OBSERVER: Shari Pressman MEMBERS PRESENT: Diane Gora and Helaine Hazlett, co-chairs; ex-officio member Police Chief Dennis King, Deacon John Whipple, Chris Bruell, Scott Marcus, Reece Dahlberg and Kim Gubelman ALSO PRESENT: Jay Morrison, liaison to Marblehead Racial Justice Team Welcome Rebecca Herve-Lorenzo, a student at MHS, expressed an enthusiastic interest in being one of the two MHS student representatives to TFAD. She has been trained by ADL and is of French-Cuban ancestry. Hazlett explained that students are asked to submit a short application to the Select Board, followed by a brief interview. Moment of silence A moment of silence was observed in support of Israel and Jewish peop...

26Oct

By Marblehead League of Women Voters Observer CorpsNo Comments

Press releases

LWV OBSERVER CORPS: Disabilities Commission receives ADA transition plan

BOARD: Marblehead Disabilities Commission DATE: Oct. 18 (hybrid) LWVM OBSERVER: Nancy Powell MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Laurie Blaisdell (chair), Dee Cuffe, Brigitte Duffy, Ed Lang, Samantha Marino (remote), Andrea Mountain (remote) MEMBERS ABSENT: Amy Hirschkron, Cheryl LaLonde GUESTS PRESENT: Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, Kyle Wylie Collins Center report on ADA transition plan Last December, the town of Marblehead (in conjunction with the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass-Boston) launched an audit of its facilities, programs, services, policies and practices in order to create a transition plan to address any violations of Title II of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability in state and local government activities. At today’s meet...