INDEPENDANCE DAY 2011

Partnership Grant Spotlight
Salisbury Completes Burial Ground Project 
Using a 2010 Essex Heritage Grant Update

With an Essex Heritage Partnership Grant, the Town of Salisbury recently created a baseline survey of the town's oldest cemetery: the Old Colonial Burial Ground laid out in 1639. The survey and boundary plan is a crucial first step towards developing a preservation plan for the cemetery, which is expected to serve as a model for the town's other historic burying grounds. In addition to identifying the cemetery's boundary, the survey also plotted the location of all headstones, monuments, and significant landscape features, including walls, fences, gates, roads, paths, large trees, major monuments and memorials

North Shore Elder Services Synopsis of Service

One of the organizations that I am proud to be serving as a board member is the North Shore Elder Services. At a recent meeting the senior management provided an overview to board members of their operation. They outlined the work they do with seniors in this region that vision was so important that I want to present that overview for your awareness. That overview follows:

For the first thirty-five years of this operation, we have served our communities primarily through the provision of programs and services funded by the Massachusetts Office of Elder Affairs that promotes the integrity, rights and independence of all seniors and their caregivers. Specifically we accomplish this through the provision of home care services, nursing assignments, protective services, information services, a nutrition program, a nursing facility ombudsman program, and an array of community services provided by volunteers (e.g., money management, medical advocacy, companion, and grocery shopping)

Now as economic and social conditions in this region continue to change, it is clear that NSES will need to continue to provide publicly financed core services that are of high effectiveness as efficiently as possible within budget constraints.

It is also clear, that in order to still be relevant and economically viable that other actions will be required in the time ahead. NSES must extend relationships within medical segments and to opportunities and challenges, and to Health Care sectors that are equally as responsive. It will be equally as important to DEVELOP MARKETPLACE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND DEMANDS OF OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLICALLY-SUBSUDIZED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, WHICH WILL GENERATE ADDITIONAL NET INCOME FOR NSES.

I am certain that as these initiatives are developed that the public will have ample opportunity to offer observations and provide input to the process. Because, I feel that this initiative is so important and that the growing elderly population is so important to this region, that from time to time, I will keep you current on the progress of this initiative

NSES “We Give Thanks” Awards and Nomination


Each year, The North Shore Elder Services in conjunction with Wicked Local, offers a series of awards that are presented at a dinner on September 15, 2012 at the Historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem. The awards are provided to individuals and organizations that provide exceptional services to elders in this region. There are a number of categories where someone that you might think is a worthy candidate can be considered. The nominations are due in early August and additional information on the awards can be obtained by contacting Rhonda Gauthier electronically at rgauthier@nselder.org

ANDOVER FARMERS MARKET

In this space in recent postings, I have reported on the opening of Farmer’s markets in Beverly, Middleton and Salem, with more communities opening markets each week. This weeks announcement reports on the opening for its fifth year of the market in Andover. That outdoor market will be open every Saturday through October 8th from 12:30 until 4:30 pm on the grounds of the Andover Historical Society, and will feature goods from a wide variety of farmers, bakers and specialty items. This year, wine from farmer-wineries, if produced and properly licensed by the Commonwealth, may be sold at agricultural events, and the Andover market is so qualified.

North Andover Hires an Interim Town Manager.

With the resignation of Town Manager Mark Rees that was reported in this space a couple of postings ago. The Town of North Andover has hired an interim manager to replace Rees who has moved to the position of City Manager in Portland, Maine. The interim manager is James Purcell who retired earlier this year as the Town Manager of Norton, MA. Purcell has been hired to provide services to North Andover for 24 hours a week until a new Manager can be hired. Former Manager Rees has agreed to provide some level of continuing support to both the interim manager and the consultant who will assist the Town as they search for a full time replacement Manager.


Northern Essex Community College Building Named for retiring President Hartleb

I am certain that retiring President David Hartleb and his family were pleased and proud to learn that the Northern Essex Community College has named a building on that campus after the retiring President. David served on the Essex Heritage Board of Trustees for three complete terms and as he did at the College provided wonderful guidance and council for our work.

Methuen Music Recital

During the week of July 17-23 the Methuen Music Hall, that sensational facility, will participate in a series of 6 organ concerts. The feature concert will take place in Methuen on 7/20/11 when a recital sponsored by the American Guild of Organists will be held at 8:00 pm that evening. There will be a charge of $12 for adults and $5 for children for that concert, but the other five events that will be held in churches around the Boston area will be free of any charges. If you have never experienced a concert in that historic venue, you will be in for a treat if you were to attend the July 20th concert. For more information about the concert series contact www.bostonpoe.com

Salem Power Station Update

The City of Salem will offer a public hearing at the Bentley School at 25 Memorial Drive at 6:30 pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011. The hearing will provide interested Salem residents with the most current updates on the planning efforts to consider a reuse for the current Power Station slated to be closed in the future. City officials and a team of consultants have already begun to work on the development of a feasibility study for the soon to be closed power station. This session is designed to provide an update on progress to date, and there will also be the opportunity for public input at the session. There is a great deal of uncertainty connected with this site, as the city has no control over the site as the ownership of the property will remain in the hands of the present owner, Dominion Power until they choose a course of action. This process will not be resolved quickly and the public hearing scheduled for this week will simply be the first of many steps in a long process to determine the future of this site, and the long-term replacement of the new revenue that the city will need to keep the communities municipal financial budget balanced



Commonwealth Names Danvers Town Manager Marquis to Homeless Advisory Panel

It was excellent news to learn that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has named Danvers Town Manager Wayne Marquis to an advisory panel on Homelessness. In addition to representing the Town of Danvers, he will also be the representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. This board will deal with this issue which chaired by Lt. Governor Murray, and that advisory group reports to the Governor’s Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness. Based on the recent influx of homeless families that are now being housed in motels in the Town of Danvers, adding the well organized and equally efficient Marquis to the group is a smart move, as he has a complete understanding of the homeless issue as it pertains to his community. At his initial meeting with the group, Marquis brought the motel issue to the table and had that matter labeled a priority for consideration.

Wayne Marquis has already proved his worth to this region, when he assumed the Chairmanship of the coalition that organized the project that will result in a new Regional Technical High School being built in the near future. I am certain that the Danvers Town Official will bring a level of competence and compassion to this issue that is currently having an impact on the town of Danvers.

Independence Day holiday

We hope that all of you had a pleasant and safe holiday, and enjoyed a community parade, concert, reading or viewed a display of fireworks. Whatever you did on the holiday, for the most part, the weather cooperated One of the premier fireworks displays in the region Danvers was delayed until Tuesday, due to some expected natural fireworks that never really materialized, but in general, it was a pleasant mid summer long holiday weekend. My late mother in law Marion Waldron would always offer us a bit of her sense of reality when she would advise us all on the holiday, that “the summer is over now that the 4th of July has arrived”. I certainly hope as I did every year while she was alive, that her forecast was wrong, as we have not had a reasonable share of summer weather at this time and need to have the season extended.