Man About Canton: WELCOME TO CANTON, MR. GRANATINO

DID YOU KNOW…

Congratulations to Canton’s new superintendent of schools, Jeffrey Granatino, 43, of Scituate, who was unanimously selected by the Canton School Committee even though he is comparatively inexperienced in actual administrative duties as a school superintendent. Mr. Granatino will replace Dr. John D’Auria, who resigned effective at the end of this school year, leaving behind a school budget and education program that has some very big financial problems.

Administratively, Granatino served only five years as the principal of Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School from 2004 to 2009. He was then hired in July 2009 to be the assistant superintendent in Norwood for the 2009-2010 school year. However, he only held this position for a couple of months because in September 2009 he became Norwood’s interim superintendent when acting superintendent John Moretti abruptly resigned, reportedly due to complaints by several parents about Norwood’s special education program. Despite his limited experience, MAC wishes Mr. Granatino the very best in his new Canton position, and at the same time, MAC again expresses disappointment that, apparently, no one in the Canton school system was qualified for the superintendent job.

The selectmen recently announced that the school department will contribute $25,000 from their budget and the selectmen will contribute $50,000 from the municipal budget to improve the driveway at the Luce Elementary School for pedestrian safety and better school bus and motor vehicle access.

The selectmen have also announced that the Yard Waste Recycling Center, located at the old Pine Street landfill, reopened on April 1. The new resident fee is $10. Additionally, in an effort to raise additional revenue for the town, the Canton selectmen have instructed Town Administrator Bill Friel to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) to install a solar farm at the 18- to 20-acre landfill, which will generate electrical power.

After three years of negotiations, the selectmen have finally approved a new ten-year contract with Comcast. Under the terms of the new contract, Comcast will continue to maintain its downtown Canton business office for another four years, after which they may move to another nearby community. Cable 8 will receive $227,000 worth of equipment, and the town will receive 4.55 percent of gross cable revenue.

MAC was happy to see that the renovated new Alfredo Aiello Italian Food Store has opened at the intersection of Washington and Turnpike streets (Route 138) in the former gas station in front of Crowell’s Market and across the street from the Metropolis Skating Rink. The store sells excellent Italian food to go, and MAC strongly recommends you try it.

The following missive was allegedly penned by an unknown disgruntled senior citizen, and MAC is reprinting it here for Senator Brian’s Joyce’s probable enjoyment:

“I’ve sure gotten old! I’ve had two bypasses, a hip replacement, and fought cancer and diabetes. I’m half blind, can’t hear anything quieter than a jet, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subjected to blackouts. I have bouts of dementia, poor circulation, hardly feel my hands and feet anymore, but thank God, I still have my driver’s license.”

Canton’s hazardous waste collection day will be Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DPW garage on Bolivar Street.

From our trivia department: You may or may not know that humans have four primary taste sensations that we generally recognize: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.

After a suitable trial period, Peter Bersani has closed his Pete’s Place Bar and Grill in Stoughton due to lack of business and parking. However, business at Pete’s Place at 614 Washington Street in Canton is as strong as ever, and it remains a popular place for young adults.

Is there anything new happening with the former Plymouth Rubber industrial property on Revere Street, which is now owned by the Illinois-based Napleton Corporation? They seem to be extremely quiet about what is going on, and Napleton’s subsidiary, Canton Development Properties (CDP), doesn’t seem to be doing anything publicly.

Lastly, Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo has finally outlined his gambling plans for the state. Published reports say he is apparently in favor of approving two new resort casinos in Massachusetts and allowing up to 750 slot machines at each of the state’s four racetracks. DeLeo also estimates that the proposal will generate $260 million in upfront licensing fees plus $1.7 billion annually. He also said he intends to distribute 100 percent of the gambling revenue to local aid and funds for public health, manufacturing, community colleges, tourism, education, and economic stabilization. MAC hopes he hurries up because we really need the revenue.

All successful people have an education. Some got it without going to school, and some got it after going to school.

This is all for now folks; see you next week.

Joe DeFelice can be reached at
manaboutcanton@aol.com

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=2405

Posted by Joe DeFelice on May 6 2010. Filed under Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.