In Memory of Jeff Ritter
From Friends of Jeff Ritter
Our community is saddened by the loss of dear friend and Harvard Resident, Jeff Ritter. Join us in honoring him with something permanent and tangible that will remind us of his friendship. In this spirit, we propose a bench with a memorial plaque, accessible to our community, as a remembrance of Jeff. Sitting on this bench will bring back memories of the times we may have spent with Jeff.
We are collecting contributions from Jeff’s friends to make this memorial a reality. We realize there may be many who want to contribute. If there are excess funds these will be used to either support a Bromfield student scholarship or a local cause selected by Amy, Lily and Emma to best represent Jeff’s passions.
We are talking to the family about this memorial and the placement of the bench at Bare Hill Pond. We will work with Town government to get approval for its location. If you would like to be a part of this memorial, please send a check made out to the Town of Harvard, Jeff Ritter Memorial Fund on the memo line and send to Town of Harvard, 13 Ayer Road, Harvard, MA, 01451, Attention: Tammy Coller. Please email Ellen Sachs Leicher at eslassoc61@aol.com to let us know if and how you would like to be listed as a donor which will be shared with the Ritter family.
Paul working for you.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
In a growing trend, another town considers tax title auction OPTION
In a growing trend, another town considers tax title auction OPTION
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
Following a more recent statewide trend, Hubbardston may soon look to offload delinquent tax titles to a collection agency in a public auction.
Selectman Raeanne Siegal raised the subject with Town Administrator Anita Scheipers, who took it to the board Monday night for their opinion, which was positive, with the board being receptive to the idea of pursuing a tax title auction.
According to Ms. Scheipers, other communities have effectively sold their liens through this process, which guarantees that the town is paid the full amount owed and passes the collection responsibility onto the purchasing entity.
“It has been a very effective way for towns to get revenue that’s owed to them and we need to do our due diligence,” Ms. Scheipers stated.
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
Following a more recent statewide trend, Hubbardston may soon look to offload delinquent tax titles to a collection agency in a public auction.
Selectman Raeanne Siegal raised the subject with Town Administrator Anita Scheipers, who took it to the board Monday night for their opinion, which was positive, with the board being receptive to the idea of pursuing a tax title auction.
According to Ms. Scheipers, other communities have effectively sold their liens through this process, which guarantees that the town is paid the full amount owed and passes the collection responsibility onto the purchasing entity.
“It has been a very effective way for towns to get revenue that’s owed to them and we need to do our due diligence,” Ms. Scheipers stated.
Higher salt prices leave TOWN budgets in trouble
Higher salt prices leave TOWN budgets in trouble
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
Even before the first snowfall of the season, Highway Superintendent Francis “Bud” Chase knew his department was in for a tough winter.
An almost 40-percent increase in the price of road salt has left the town’s Snow and Ice budget on the ropes, with Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel stating that as much as $120,000 of the $125,000 budgeted for snow and ice removal could be eaten up by salt alone — a figure Mr. Chase agreed with.
“If we have the same kind of winter we had last year, that’s what we’re looking at,” Mr Chase said.
Last year’s winter was a tough one by all accounts and the highway super said he purchased about 1600 tons of road salt to combat the frequent snowfall. Even conservative estimates leave his department only $5,000 for plowing activities, and matters were further complicated when two vehicles in the plowing fleet had to be taken out of service. In order to combat the loss, Mr. Markel approached the Board of Selectmen with the option that they outfit another vehicle — a newly purchased loader — with a plow, at a cost of about $11,800 to be paid by tapping the snow and ice funds.
“For lack of any other option, I recommend we use the snow and ice account to get the new loader outfitted with a plow so we can provide better service this winter,” Mr. Markel told the board.
Snow and ice funds can be used to purchase equipment used for snow removal, but it’s a practice Selectman Julie Farrell said the town tries to avoid, as deficit spending on that account comes out of money the town gets back on their cherry sheet the following year.
“It’s digging the hole deeper,” Ms. Farrell commented.
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
Even before the first snowfall of the season, Highway Superintendent Francis “Bud” Chase knew his department was in for a tough winter.
An almost 40-percent increase in the price of road salt has left the town’s Snow and Ice budget on the ropes, with Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel stating that as much as $120,000 of the $125,000 budgeted for snow and ice removal could be eaten up by salt alone — a figure Mr. Chase agreed with.
“If we have the same kind of winter we had last year, that’s what we’re looking at,” Mr Chase said.
Last year’s winter was a tough one by all accounts and the highway super said he purchased about 1600 tons of road salt to combat the frequent snowfall. Even conservative estimates leave his department only $5,000 for plowing activities, and matters were further complicated when two vehicles in the plowing fleet had to be taken out of service. In order to combat the loss, Mr. Markel approached the Board of Selectmen with the option that they outfit another vehicle — a newly purchased loader — with a plow, at a cost of about $11,800 to be paid by tapping the snow and ice funds.
“For lack of any other option, I recommend we use the snow and ice account to get the new loader outfitted with a plow so we can provide better service this winter,” Mr. Markel told the board.
Snow and ice funds can be used to purchase equipment used for snow removal, but it’s a practice Selectman Julie Farrell said the town tries to avoid, as deficit spending on that account comes out of money the town gets back on their cherry sheet the following year.
“It’s digging the hole deeper,” Ms. Farrell commented.
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