Man About Canton: School Window Replacements

DID YOU KNOW …

A $754,000 project to replace windows at the Hansen Elementary and Galvin Middle School skyrocketed to $2,345,000 following the discovery of toxic contaminants and asbestos found in the window caulking at both schools.

According to Canton School Superintendent Jeff Granatino, and thanks in large part to Canton Finance Director Jim Murgia and School Business Manager Ken Leon, the Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay 45 percent of the cost. The contaminants do not pose a danger in their present dormant state. Construction to replace the windows will begin at the end of the school year in 2014, with an expected completion date of September 2014.

The new chairman of the Canton School Committee is Cindy Thomas. Reuki Schutt is the new vice chairman.

The last day of school in Canton will be Friday, June 28, due to the many snow days this past winter.

The town of Canton’s fiscal year 2014 operating budget general fund is $74.7 million, an increase of 3.3 percent over last year. The school operating budget for fiscal year 2014 is $33.32 million, a 4.3 percent increase compared to the current year’s budget.

The town of Canton will hold its annual household hazardous waste collection day on Saturday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DPW garage at 150 Bolivar Street. Collections will include tires, batteries, motor oil, oil paint, solvents, and other hazardous waste.

The Canton Garden Club will also hold its annual plant sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Canton Public Library on Saturday, May 11. Proceeds will benefit the club’s scholarship fund and town beatification projects.

The Canton CPA tax surcharge of 1 percent will begin in fiscal year 2014.

The Canton Public Library is looking for a custodian.

According to Don Rodman, president of the Rodman Ride for Kids, in 2012, “Our fundraising collaborative raised over $10.3 million” to support the at-risk children our affiliated charities serve. Over 100,000 children received services in 2012. The Rodman Ride for Kids is ranked number one in the United States among all single-day athletic fundraisers benefiting kids.

An article titled “Ginger and Me” by Jeanette Lehman of Canton appeared in the April/May edition of Reminisce Magazine on Page 24.

Voters at annual town meeting will be asked to approve borrowing $810,000 to replace a fire department ladder truck with the ambulance fund paying for the debt service.

The Community Preservation Committee will ask town meeting voters to exclude $100,000 of assessed value for each commercial taxpayer (similar to residential taxpayers), subject to ballot approval.

In case you missed it, National Licorice Day was on April 10 and National Arbor Day was on April 26. Also in April were National Pest Management Month, National Pecan Month, National Soy Food Month, and National Physical Therapy Month, according to the Boston Herald. In addition, April 22 was Earth Day and April 24 was Administrative Professionals’ Day.

A Boston crime writer, Casey Sherman, has sold the rights to his 2005 Boston Strangler book, Search for Boston’s Most Notorious Killer, and plans are to develop it into a television series. Canton native Chad Hoffman, former ABC network drama head, plans to turn it into a miniseries or a full TV series. Hoffman produced a number of hits for ABC, including “Twin Peaks,” “China Beach,” and “Thirty Something.”

Congratulations to CHS freshman Stephanie Milne for making the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic gymnastics team.

CHS juniors Chris Sullivan and Quinn Merrigan both made the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic wrestling team. Quinn won the Division 3 state championship in the 138-pound class while Chris placed second in the Division 3 states in the 132-pound division. Both are repeat All-Scholastics.

Canton is not alone when it comes to candidates (or lack thereof) running for office. The town of Whitman also had no contested races. In fact, for two seats on the School Committee, only one person came forward to run, while three Planning Board spots drew only two candidates … another sad state of affairs.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, the average income per person in 2010 in the state of Massachusetts was $34,330.

One of MAC’s favorite high school coaches, John Lee of Walpole (MAC worked in Walpole for 20 years), will be memorialized with the construction of the John E. Lee Press Box at Turco Field. Former players and friends raised $200,000 for the project. Groundbreaking will take place in June, and the facility will be ready for the 2013 football season. The legendary Hall of Fame coach amassed a career record of 212 wins, only 33 losses, and seven ties between 1968 and 1993. It included six Super Bowl appearances with four victories. Lee, who will turn 80 in October, still lives in Walpole.

We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies.

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=20497

Posted by Joe DeFelice on May 9 2013. Filed under Featured Content, Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.