Man About Canton: Canton Needs Volunteers

DID YOU KNOW …

In an effort to improve the appearance of the Canton downtown business area, the Board of Selectmen have implemented a maintenance program called “Adopt A Downtown.” The purpose is to allow civic-minded individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations to participate in the maintenance and ongoing care of newly planted flowers, trees and other vegetation, and to help keep the downtown area clean and litter-free. In return for performing these important public services, the volunteers will be recognized by signage bearing the organization’s or individual’s name. For further information about helping to keep Canton looking nice, call 781-821-5000, or email BOS@town.canton.ma.us.

MAC and a lot of motorists are happy to see that the roadwork on Washington Street — from the Eliot Trough at the Canton Corner split to Dog Patch Pond at the intersection with Pecunit Street — needed by Bay State Gas for repairs, is finally done, and the daily need for those inconvenient and aggravating Washington Street detours are happily in the past.

The selectmen have appointed retired Canton police officer Tom Keleher to the Canton Historical Commission and Paul Mitcherony as an associate member.

Thanks to the generosity of the Copeland Family Foundation, the town’s animal control shelter, behind the DPW garage on Bolivar Street, will have $5,000 to use for its operations.

John Matthews is the new Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus for the coming year. Congratulations!

One Beacon Insurance of Royall Street in Canton has completed its nearly $200 million sale of its personal insurance business to Tower Group, Inc. of New York. The sold premium represents only a portion of One Beacon’s annual $1.9 billion in premiums.

Norfolk County DA and 10^th District Congressional candidate Bill Keating has rolled up more than $500,000 in campaign funds for his upcoming political run and leads all of his opponents. Keating, who will face state Senator Robert O’Leary in the Democratic primary in September, reportedly “got creative” by issuing refund checks to donors of his now-defunct state campaigns and urging them to turn around and write checks to his congressional campaign — and the perfectly legal strategy appears to be working. According to the Boston Globe, Keating has refunded more than $370,000 to approximately 600 donors, and as of June 30, at least 60 percent of them had written out new checks, in some cases for more than the amount of the refund.

Congratulations to Colleen Healy, Amarachi Njoku, and Chidimma Nwankwo of Canton High who were selected to the Patriot Ledger’s Track and Field All-Scholastic Team.

The Paul R. Matthews Foundation will hold its second annual “Celebration of Community Spirit” event on Friday, September 24, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Pequitside Farm. The celebration will raise funds for the Paul R. Matthews Foundation and is used to support children and students of Canton through scholarships and programs. Last year, the event raised over $10,000 for their programs. For more information call 781-828-0989 or email pmfoundation@aol.com.

Now that Chapter 40B will be a ballot question for voters to decide whether or not to strike the law, builders and developers all over Massachusetts have been rushing to complete their Chapter 40B projects they already have permits for. If the initiative passes and they don’t have building permits by January 1, 2011, when the repeal takes effect, their 40B permits are gone. In Canton, Roseland Property Company is moving forward with plans to build 196 apartments and 24 single-family homes on 81 acres off Randolph Street abutting the Randolph town line.

As MAC has pointed out in the past, on July 1, the state meals tax jumped to 7 percent in several South Shore communities, including Stoughton, Quincy, and Hingham, but not in Canton where we will continue to be taxed at 6.25 percent.

According to AT&T, Father’s Day was the busiest collect-call day of the year.

Reservoir Pond, LLC, represented by Attorney Richard Staiti, has applied for a special permit to construct 53 units of “55 and over” housing on 10 acres at 475 Turnpike Street.

Two Canton homes recently sold for over $1 million. According to Banker and Tradesman, 75 Green Lane sold for $1,500,000 and 10 Colts Crossing sold for $1,257,500.

According to the Pew Research Center, 14.6 percent of all new marriages in the United States in 2008 were between spouses of a different ethnicity.

Congratulations to Leo O’Donnell on his election to another term as the commander of the Edward J. Beatty American Legion Post 24.

MAC sends belated congratulations to Ron Redquest, who is retiring as the supervisor of Canton’s Water and Sewer Department after 38 years of service. Ron has done an outstanding job, and the town will miss his knowledge and expertise.

The new entrance to the Dean S. Luce School will not be completed before the start of the new school year. Neighbors’ concerns and escalating costs delayed the start of the construction, which is now slated for completion in 70 to 90 days.

Finally, during a recent over-55 softball game, 60-year-old Dan Sides, playing for the Hannington’s of Canton team, smashed two home runs out of Devoll field, one to left field estimated at 340 feet and one to center field that ended up in the roadway island at Bolivar street, estimated at 350 feet. Sides is one of the premier players in the Eastern Massachusetts Senior Softball League.

Given the right circumstances, from no more than dreams, determination, and the liberty to try, people consistently do extraordinary things.

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

Joe DeFelice can be reached at manaboutcanton@aol.com.

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Posted by Joe DeFelice on Aug 5 2010. Filed under Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.