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Vol. 48 | No. 16 | April 22, 2022

Westborough Community Chorus to mark 50th anniversary

Northborough candidates talk policies, positions in forum

By Stuart Foster Reporter

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

Northborough Town Moderator Frederick George answers questions during last week’s candidates forum.

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter NORTHBOROUGH - With several contested races on the ballot, Northborough municipal candidates faced questions on April 13 during a forum.

The event was sponsored by Northborough’s Vision, which is a municipal political action committee. It featured candidates for the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, Northborough School Committee and Regional School Committee.

The event also included Town Moderator Frederick George, who is running unopposed this year.

Board of Selectmen Incumbent Leslie Rutan is running for re-election to the Board of Selectmen. She’s challenged by Mitch Cohen and Tom Dalton as Forum | 12

WESTBOROUGH - The Westborough Community Chorus will celebrate its 50th anniversary with two performances of a special show at Gibbons Middle School on Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m.

The show, “A Golden Jubilee,” will include favorite songs that members voted on from the chorus’s 50-year history.

Speaking with the Community Advocate, Chorus President Lesley Drohan was excited that the group will celebrate five decades together at these performances.

“It means music and singing and the culture of creativity are alive and well in Westborough, and that there is this continuity of family that happens in this group,” said Drohan of the planned shows.

Many members said that different people in their families have joined the chorus over the years.

Drohan specifically joined in the fall of 2010 when her aunt got her involved with the chorus. Chorus CEO Beverly Remillard said that four of her family members were already in the chorus when she joined in the mid-2000s.

Remillard also described the strong friendships and connections made in the chorus, saying that they are Chorus | 13

Above: Andrew Milne directs a recent rehearsal for the Westborough Community Chorus.

Below: Westborough Community Chorus members sing during a recent rehearsal.

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

2 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY VIEWPOINT Unlike some local governments waging culture wars around our country, the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen have governed by sticking to issues, ideas and policy and I have watched Selectman John Samia’s votes play out doing just that.

He supported the Town Manager to develop a long term financial model that is being used as a tool for strategic planning and has become indispensable during the pandemic!

John voted to have the Board set strategic goals and priorities, which proved to me that John is a true visionary, making use of his financial analytics background.

Moreover, by voting for the Shrewsbury 2030 Strategic Plan, he proved to me that he truly listens to all residents’ needs.

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John, with his insight, advocated that the Town Manager, and the School Committee meet regularly to keep abreast of issues and maintain a cooperative relationship. A valuable exchange, in my opinion, that helps to ensure the overrides effectiveness.

John, along with the Board, are reviewing the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force report and I believe John will act upon many of the task force’s recommendations.

May I recommend you vote for John Samia for Selectman!

Nancy L Woron Shrewsbury ———————————— Dear Shrewsbury Voters, On May 3, join me in voting to re-elect Lynsey Heffernan to the Shrewsbury School Committee. In her first term, Lynsey has been proactive and

forward thinking, helping pass an operational override that will responsibly fund our schools and other town services for years to come. Passionate and energetic, Lynsey champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools.

With three children of her own, she is wholeheartedly invested in maintaining the excellence and vibrancy of SPS. Lynsey will continue to work tirelessly on the School Committee. Vote Heffernan on Tuesday, May 3!

April Jones Prince Shrewsbury ———————————— Shrewsbury Board of Selectman candidate, John Samia has the professional experience, proven record as a Selectman and the skills necessary to meet the challenges faced by the Town of Shrewsbury.

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Please vote for John Samia.

Sandra M. Fryc Shrewsbury ———————————— I strongly support the election of Erin Boucher and Lynsey Heffernan to the School Committee and I ask that you vote for them as well.

Lynsey has served us well for 3 years and was an active volunteer in the schools prior.

She is intelligent, articulate and committed.

Erin has shown through her work on the Beal Committee that she will give the job the time that it needs.

She brings the perspective of a mother with children in the system as well as an intellect that will grasp the issues and keep the focus on what benefits students.

Please vote for Erin Boucher and Lynsey Heffernan on May 3rd for Shrewsbury School Committee.

B. Dale Magee, MD Shrewsbury

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Community Advocate is continuing to accept candidate endorsements for local municipal elections. While the deadline to submit Shrewsbury endorsements for print has passed, those endorsing Northborough, Southborough and Hudson candidates have until 10 a.m. on April 29 to submit their endorsements by email to news@communityadvocate.com and managingeditor@ communityadvocate.com. Letters can also be mailed to Managing Editor, Community Advocate, 32 South St. Westborough MA 01581.

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ing with John during his tenure on the Shrewsbury School Committee and appreciated his deep understanding of the complexities of town government, his balanced approach to budgets, and his passion for providing services to all students.

The Fiscal Year 2022 budget was extremely challenging, and John took the lead in collaborating with other town officials and residents to develop a long-term financial plan that provided much needed funding for school and municipal services, and the creation of a stabilization fund to provide predictable budgets and strong financial management for at least the next four years, if not longer.

He has a strong business acumen, understands legal issues, and provides costeffective solutions.

John was instrumental in the formation of a monthly working group consisting of two Board of Selectmen members, two School Committee members, and the Town Manager and School Superintendent to discuss issues and address questions.

This resulted in an invaluable opportunity to collaborate and work on long term solutions.

John listens to all points of view and carefully considers

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Westborough plans Arbor Day celebrations WESTBOROUGH - Westborough is gearing up to celebrate Arbor Day on April 29.

As part of that, the Tree Division of the Department of Public Works will be planting a tree at Greg’s Field on Upton Road.

This comes after the Select Board read its annual Arbor Day proclamation during its March 22 meeting, which is

part of a list of requirements to maintain Westborough’s designation as a Tree City USA. Tree City USA is a program established through the Arbor Day Foundation. It has designated Westborough as a Tree City for the past 12 years.

See additional coverage online at CommunityAdvocate.com…

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 3

Area residents complete Boston Marathon

THE

OVER TOP

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

Marathon participants reach the top of a small hill on the marathon course near the Ashland/Hopkinton town line.

PHOTO/TAMI WHITE

NORTHBOROUGH - Aerial photography recently showed work underway at Ellsworth McAfee Park in Northborough. Voters approved the construction of new pickleball courts in this area last year. Crews have more recently begun the process of actually building those courts.

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of Monday night.

Outside of local runners, the marathon’s elite women’s race came down to a sprint finish between Peres Jepchirchir and Ababel Yeshaneh, who jockeyed for position as they made their way through the final stretch of the race route in Boston.

Jepchirchir ultimately Marathon | 8

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The Community Advocate’s Policy on Letters to the Editor

news ........................4 sports ......................16 classifieds ................18

PUBLISHER/EDITOR:

REGION - The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) has released preliminary race results for this year’s Boston Marathon.

Included in the results are finishing times for the vast majority of the more than 60 local runners registered to take part in the 2022 marathon.

The BAA noted that race times remained unofficial as

Ryan Maloney, owner

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4 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS Westborough Town Assessor gives update on former Green Thumb property

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter WESTBOROUGH - A state agricultural restriction will severely limit what the McGovern Auto Group can do with the former Green Thumb property in Westborough, unless the restriction is bought out or otherwise lifted, Westborough Chief Assessor Jonathan Steinberg told the Select Board last week.

McGovern bought the site late last year. However, the restriction remained in place as of the Select Board’s meeting on April 12.

“Nothing can be done other than agricultural use,” Steinberg said.

State details process of removing restriction According to Steinberg the

roughly six-acre parcel at 187 Turnpike Road was initially sold to the local McGoldrick family at a discount in exchange for a permanent agricultural restriction on the property.

The restriction was passed through legislation.

Green Thumb then opened and operated for years as a familiar garden center in town.

The family eventually wanted to sell the property, however, and petitioned the state legislature to create an option to buy out the restriction, which was passed in 2018, according to Steinberg.

That legislation, Steinberg said, created a formula that included having the property appraised for both agricultural and commercial use.

The appraisals would be reviewed by the state’s Division of

McGovern Auto Group bought the former Green Thumb property late last year.

Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) and submitted to the Office of the Inspector General, who would write a report to DCAMM. The report would then go to relevant

Shrewsbury resident celebrates 102nd birthday

By Stuart Foster Reporter SHREWSBURY - Shrewsbury resident Sonia Gravel celebrated her 102nd birthday with the Friends of the Shrewsbury Senior Center on March 16.

Gravel has lived in Shrewsbury for 53 years, building a home on South Street with her late husband Arthur Joseph Gravel before moving to her current home roughly 20 years ago.

At this celebration, Gravel was crowned with a tiara with the number 102. She wore a “happy birthday” sash while she was presented with a con-

Shrewsbury resident Sonia Gravel recently celebrated her 102nd birthday.

gratulatory plaque and honorary membership from the Friends of the Senior Center and the Council on Aging.

“I eat healthy food, lots of fruits and vegetables and some

type of protein and I eat three meals a day,” Gravel said in a press release, reflecting on her life. “I stay busy and it is important to be social.”

As part of the celebration, Gravel also received a floral bouquet from Danielson Florist and a large birthday cupcake and mini cupcakes from Maria Smith Realty. She was also honored with a special drive by from the Shrewsbury Police and Fire Departments, with lights and sirens on.

Gravel still lives in her own home. She has three children, six grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren and three greatgreat-grandchildren.

according to Steinberg.

Steinberg said the company was working with the McGoldricks to buy out a portion of the Green Thumb property.

That would involve changing the agricultural restriction, to leave part of the land under the restriction while converting the rest for commercial use, Steinberg said.

Boston Lawnmower came to the town in this process, asking for its support in the change, which Town Manager Kristi Williams said the Select Board supported.

But the deal between the McGoldricks and Boston Lawnmower fell apart.

“I think they were far apart,” Steinberg said. “They didn’t like the numbers that came back from the appraisal. So, they were really far apart as to what [Boston Lawnmower] would have to pay the state above and beyond versus what the family wanted them to pay them.”

With that deal in the past, Green Thumb was recently sold to McGovern Auto Group.

As the town explained the options for McGovern, it could now pay to remove the restriction from the whole property.

As another option, McGovern could pursue a similar path as Boston Lawnmower and buy out a portion of the site.

DCAMM has reached out to McGovern, Steinberg said.

Ultimately, if the restriction is bought out, the property would be bound by underlying town zoning.

According to Westborough’s zoning map, the property is located within the town’s highway business district.

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

House and Senate committees.

The price of a buyout, to be paid to the state, would be the net between the two appraisals.

As Steinberg explained it, McGovern would have to pay above and beyond the $2.5 million that it already paid for the property to complete this buyout.

Boston Lawnmower previously showed interest in property In talking with DCAMM, Steinberg said the agency told him that it had been contacted in 2021 by a group that was trying to put this McGovern deal together.

The group had been trying to use an appraisal used as part of a prior proposed deal with Boston Lawnmower to begin the process of removing the agricultural restriction.

In 2020, Boston Lawnmower, which is located nearby on Route 9 at 233 Turnpike Road, was interested in relocating,

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 5

COMMUNITY NEWS

Northborough selectmen cancel planned ARPA meeting

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

NORTHBOROUGH - The Northborough Board of Selectmen has canceled a planned meeting to discuss funds the town is slated to receive through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Speaking at a Board of Selectmen meeting on April 11, Chair Jason Perreault said there has been feedback that there hasn’t been adequate public notice for the ARPA meeting, which was due to take place on April 14.

“From that perspective, I would like to propose to the board that we cancel this meeting scheduled for this week, with the expectation of holding a meeting at a future date when some of the other things that are going on at the moment are settled down and both the board and staff can focus more directly on that particular issue,” Perreault said.

Other selectmen voiced their support for Perreault’s proposal.

Perreault elaborated that there were concerns with Christian holidays taking place last week.

The week was Holy Week, and this Thursday was Holy Thursday.

April vacation in the Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough is taking place this week. Northborough’s Town Meeting is also scheduled for April 25. “ We have more than enough to do to prepare for that without this other significant issue,” Perreault said of Town Meeting.

Northborough considers ARPA plans Northborough is slated to receive about $4.5 million in federal APRA funds. Questions of how the town should spend those funds have been the topic of discussion in recent weeks and months.

Last month, Town Administrator John Coderre presented a list of 10 proposed ARPA projects during a selectmen’s meeting.

At that time, the selectmen decided to release ARPA funds for several projects, including repairs to drains at Proctor Elementary School

and the creation of a community wellness initiative called BeWellNorthborough. Funds also went toward an affordable housing project.

The selectmen additionally voted to release funds for town projects at Assabet Park and Ellsworth McAfee Park, which had been impacted by supply chain issues from

the pandemic. Work recently began as Ellsworth, which involves adding pickleball courts to the property.

Residents seperatly gathered at Trinity Church in the days following that meeting last month to discuss potential uses of ARPA funds.

Ideas shared there ranged from the formation of a small

business grant program to the construction of a teen center.

Meeting to be rescheduled Though delayed, Northborough officials still plan to hold their ARPA meeting.

Speaking on April 11, Perreault suggested pushing the meeting to a date after Town Meeting.

In the meantime, Selectman Julianne Hirsh invited residents to email Selectmen with suggestions on how they would like the meeting to be run.

The Selectmen can be reached through the board’s contact form at https://www. town.northborough.ma.us/ user/61/contact

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6 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Shrewsbury Selectmen, School Committee candidates outline platforms ahead of election SHREWSBURY - Shrewsbury voters will head to the polls next month with a series of choices to make.

There will be contested races for seats on the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee.

As such, with the May 3 election approaching, the Community Advocate recently reached out to candidates in these contested races with a series of questions.

Their responses to some of those questions can Scan QR code be seen below. to read all See additional responses online at Communiresponses tyAdvocate.com.

Board of Selectmen JOHN SAMIA (Incumbent) Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

I am a proud g ra d u a t e of Shrewsbury High School. I have my degree in Economics from UMASS, Amherst and law degree from Boston University’s School of

Law. After college, I worked for General Electric and completed its rigorous financial management program which included financial analyst positions and MBA-level classes. For over twenty-three years, I have been a corporate lawyer. Since April 2008, I have worked at American Superconductor Corporation. I currently serve as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary and am responsible for the legal, human resources and U.S. facilities organizations. I am in my first term on the Board of Selectmen

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and am currently Chair. I previously served three terms on the Shrewsbury School Committee, was a member of the 2013 Fiscal Study Committee and have served as a Town Meeting Member for over 12 years. For more information about my goals and me, please visit samiaforselectman.com.

Why are you running?

I am running to ensure that Shrewsbury is a great place for all residents to live, work and raise a family.

Since being elected to the Board of Selectmen in May 2019, I have worked with other town officials to advance important initiatives and to get things done despite facing unprecedented challenges.

We have adopted strategic goals for the town, made substantial progress in improving water quality and made significant investments in public safety. We developed a long-term financial model that helped the town navigate through the economic perils of the pandemic and recently commenced our community-focused Shrewsbury 2030 Strategic Plan.

While progress has been made, our town faces several challenges including meeting the needs of a growing and diverse community, traffic safety and flow, and meeting the mental health and well-being needs of town residents. I have the proven leadership skills and experience to help solve these challenges.

MICHELLE CONLIN Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

I am a community advocate and volunteer, and am deeply committed to serving the community I love. I first moved to Shrewsbury in 2006, where my husband John and I are raising our three boys, ages 10, 8, and 5. I have led critical projects for the town’s schools, public safety, and social services.

I have been a Town Meeting Member since 2018, and recently served as Campaign Chairperson of the ballot committee leading a grassroots effort advocating for the passage of an operational override to ensure appropriate funding for Shrewsbury’s municipal and education

budgets. I serve on the Board of Directors to Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, have been PTO President at Parker Road and Beal Schools since 2015, am a member of the Beal School Council, a committee member for Cub Scout Pack 114, and am a former volunteer with the Blackstone River Watershed Association.

Why are you running?

I am running for Selectman because I am passionate about ensuring that Shrewsbury remains a wonderful place for people to live, work, and retire happily. If elected, my priorities will include: -Government that is transparent, open, and accessible -Advocating for compassionate services including tax relief for seniors, to better support those who choose to live in Shrewsbury in their retirement, and to modernize our town’s social services to meet contemporary needs for all -Growing our town’s economic base with responsible, sustainable development and removing roadblocks for small businesses to thrive in Shrewsbury, which in turn will relieve the tax burden on homeowners -Improving our infrastructure by investing in our water resources, roads, parks, trails, and open space, and reducing our town’s carbon footprint -Supporting strong schools and municipal services that are critical to maintaining the quality of life that we enjoy; careful planning is required to continue to provide high-quality services at a low cost to the taxpayer.

RAJESH UPPALAPATI Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

M y name is Rajesh Uppalapati 45 years of age, living in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

I am a family-oriented person. I have two beautiful daughters (5 and 7), a talented and hardworking wife with whom I spend a lot of time investing in the well-being of our family and society. Inculcating good family values and ensuring we, as a family are positive influences on society is something that I am very passionate about. I am a social person and maintain a close

network of friends with whom I spend time discussing business and social problems and potential solutions for them.

Philanthropy is an innate part of my nature, hence I dedicate a lot of time to volunteer activities.

I am part of the Beal School Board/PTO and also led fundraising activity for the SHS. I drove a mask donation campaign to protect the first responders during Covid-19 pandemic, At a professional level, I am an entrepreneur at heart, part of the technology sector and have worked for large and small-scale organizations, and have held leadership positions.

Why are you running?

Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, humans focus on fulfilling personal needs first before thinking about the great good of society. I am extremely fortunate to be at a stage in life where I have been able to take care of my family’s requirements to the best possible extent. However, the journey has not been easy getting here. I have seen and faced several hardships and learned through difficult times.

My philanthropic nature wants to ensure that I can give back to society and help others in their challenging journey. My vision is to establish a cyclical pattern where members/residents reap the benefits provided by the community and feel grateful and indebted to contribute back to it through multiple socioeconomic avenues. I firmly believe that our community plays an integral part in our personal well-being and achievements, however, it is something that is not realized as well today, and hence it is my primary goal to ensure that each and every person feels valued and proud to be a resident of the town of Shrewsbury.

School Committee SANAM ZAER Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

I have a strong b a c k ground in education having worked as a tutor for students in long term hospitalization, a high school English teacher, and as an ELL teacher.

Shrewsbury | 7

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 7

COMMUNITY NEWS Shrewsbury | from page 6

I currently serve as the Director for Elementary and Middle School at a local private school.

I graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in both Journalism and English and received my Masters degree in Education from the same school. I have four children in Shrewsbury Public Schools two at Spring Street Elementary and two at Shrewsbury High School, and I have been very involved as a parent volunteer across the district. I grew up nearby in Grafton and moved around to a few states before settling here in Shrewsbury. My family and I chose Shrewsbury intentionally because of the excellent schools and because of the diversity, and have made some wonderful and lifelong friends here in town. For fun, I love to eat dark bitter chocolate, explore new destinations, and play silly pranks on friends and family.

Why are you running?

As someone with teaching and administrative experience, as a minority, and as a parent and foster parent, I see our district through several lenses that would make me an asset to our School Committee and to the community at large. Through my continued participation in various volunteering opportunities across the district, I have demonstrated a strong interest in engaging to help strengthen our schools. As one of the founding members of A Better Shrewsbury, I have also spent a lot of time encouraging dialogue and local action around diversity, equity, and inclusion.

I hope to bring that same degree of enthusiasm and service to the School Committee. I believe that every child in Shrewsbury deserves access to a broad, inclusive, high quality education that will prepare them for a happy and successful life using

their unique skill sets. If elected as a member of the School Committee, I would work hard to sustain and improve district efforts to achieve these goals for all students while supporting our faculty and administration.

LYNSEY HEFFERNAN (Incumbent) Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

I am a mother of three child re n e n ro l l e d i n the Shrewsbury Public Schools.

Like many others, my husband and I moved to Shrewsbury in part for the excellent school system, and it has been a wonderful decision for our family. I was born in Worcester and later attended Holy Cross, Brooklyn Law School and Harvard University. I am proud to have attended public K-12 schools, which gave me a strong foundation to succeed in my educational and future career. Professionally, I direct policy development for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Agency (MBTA).

I began my career representing children in the juvenile court system and have seen firsthand how exemplary public school education can launch children from all backgrounds into a lifetime of professional success.

I am an active church volunteer, a dedicated parent, and an advocate for Shrewsbury. Fundamentally, I believe in the power of education to change lives.

Why are you running?

I’m running for re-election to the School Committee to help deliver the strong school system we expect in Shrewsbury. I want to ensure that all children benefit from the same highquality public education that

has allowed me to succeed both educationally and in my career.

The past few years have been difficult for schools, between the total shutdown in 2020, the hybrid and remote schooling of 2021, and the lingering impacts of the pandemic as we begin 2022. From teachers, to parents, to children, to employers, we have all become more aware of the critical importance of schools in our local ecosystem. I want to ensure that our schools continue to lead the state in developing responsible and inclusive citizens who embrace new ideas and value diverse opinions. I’m proud of my work on the school committee and I’m proud of our residents who voted to invest in all our municipal services.

ERIN BOUCHER Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

E r i n Boucher and her family have lived in Shrewsbury since 2012. She and her husband, Andy, have two daughters. Their older daughter is a sophomore at Shrewsbury High School and their younger daughter is a 7th grader at Oak Middle School.

Erin is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Suffolk University Law School.

She is a partner in the law firm Morrison Mahoney LLP specializing in litigation.

Erin is an active volunteer in both town government and the Shrewsbury Public Schools. She has been a Town Meeting Member since 2014.

She is a member of the Beal School Building Committee and a School Council Member

at Shrewsbury High School.

Additionally, she is a past CoPresident of the Spring Street School PTO, she participated in the Mascot Ad Hoc Study Group as a parent representative, and served as a School Council Member at Oak Middle School.

Why are you running?

I am entering the race because I believe that all children deserve a high-quality education which puts them on a path to a successful fu-

ture. The past two years have shown us what a vital role schools play in our society. The academic needs, as well as the social and emotional needs, of the students of the Shrewsbury Public Schools must be thoughtfully examined in order to provide needed support for all students as we emerge from the challenges caused by the pandemic. I am committed to listening to all viewpoints and to working collaboratively Shrewsbury | 8

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8 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Shrewsbury Selectmen, School Committee candidates outline platforms ahead of election

Area residents complete Boston Marathon

Shrewsbury | from page 7

pulled away from Yeshaneh for the narrow win.

Evans Chebet won the men’s race while Daniel Romanchuk took first place in men’s wheelchair competition.

Manuela Schär won the women’s wheelchair competition.

See the elite leaderboard through the BAA website www.baa.org...

And see a list of local marathon finishers’ race times below...

with all stakeholders in order to continue to provide the children of Shrewsbury with a high-quality education in a cost-effective manner.

JENNIFER LUKE Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?

I have been a social worker for the past 25 years. I have also volunteered my time extensively in the community. I was president of the Shrewsbury Child Development Committee for 5 years, Secretary at Coolidge PTO, President of the Coolidge PTO for 2 years and currently have been President of the Sherwood/Oak PTO for the past 4 years. I have two kids, a son in the 5th grade and a daughter in the 8th grade. I volunteered my time exten-

sively in their classes in elementary school and I’m passionate about making Shrewsbury a wonderful community.

Why are you running?

I’m running because I’m passionate about ensuring that our children’s educational needs continue to be met. Additionally, as a social worker for the past 25 years, I can provide a much needed perspective to the School Committee. Mental Health is at an all time high, and I can provide some information, resources and my experience in the field to help mitigate the mental health challenges that we are seeing. I have volunteered in the schools since 2013, when my daughter was in kindergarten and have continued since that time. I feel my knowledge and expertise would be very beneficial to the School Committee.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Candidate submissions have not been edited by the Community Advocate.

Marathon | from page 7

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Area police departments plan to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

By Dakota Antelman and Laura Hayes REGION - Do you have expired or unused medication?

A number of area police departments will provide a means of disposing of such medication as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 30.

Events are generally running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

They’re open to the public, with no fee or identification required.

The Hudson, Shrewsbury, Northborough and Grafton police departments all have plans listed through the official Take Back Day website.

Each of those departments will be hosting their programming at their respective headquarters, with the exception of Shrewsbury, which is running Take Back Day at the Shrewsbury Senior Center.

Experts advise disposal of old medications Take Back Day is coordinated through the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), encouraging individuals to dispose of unused medications to limit the risk of misuse.

This is as the national drug crisis continues, with impacts felt at the local level.

Recently contacted by the Community Advocate, Westborough, Shrewsbury and Northborough all reported increases in the number of opioid overdoses in the first 2.5 months of 2022, compared to the same period a year ago.

In Westborough, the number of overdoses this year had already eclipsed the total number documented in 2021 as of March 18.

“We haven’t even scratched the surface as to what travels through this town,” Westborough police Lt. Michael Daniels additionally warned, in reference to the flow of drugs through Westborough.

Local communities receive funds to address addiction As communities grapple with those surges, they are getting new money to aid in efforts to address addiction.

State attorney general Maura Healey announced allocations earlier this month following a major settlement with Johnson and Johnson and three key opioid distributors over those

Shrewsbury High School publishes honor roll SHREWSBURY - Shrewsbury High School has announced its latest Honor Roll lists for the third quarter of the 2021-2022 school year.

See full listings of highest honors, high honors and honors students online at Community Advocate.com…

companies’ involvement in the opioid epidemic.

The overall settlement totaled more than $26 billion, which is being shared by 46 participating states.

Of Massachusetts’ $525 million share, just over $200 million is going to municipalities.

Local communities are receiving the following allocations: • Hudson – $419,361 • Marlborough – $771,289 • Southborough – $457,035 • Westborough – $1,006,087 • Shrewsbury – $1,360,622 • Northborough – $509,379 • Grafton – $586,178 See full settlement data from the Attorney General’s office through the state’s website https://www.mass.gov/lists/ max-municipal-abatementpayments.

And see a full listing of participating Take Back Day communities online at https://www. dea.gov/takebackday.

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10 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Work begins on upgrades to Shrewsbury dam off of Prospect Street

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter SHREWSBURY - Work began last week on a series of repairs to a “high hazard” dam off Prospect Street in Shrewsbury.

Known as the Rawson Hill Brook Floodwater Retardation Dam, the structure is classified as “high hazard” under a federal rating system due to its potential to cause loss of life or serious damage to homes, buildings, utilities, highways or railroads if it were to fail.

Contacted on April 14, however, Shrewsbury Director of Public Works Jeff Howland emphasized that there is nothing necessarily wrong with the dam.

“There’s no issues with the dam itself,” he told the Community Advocate.

“It’s [just] time for an upgrade,” he added.

The dam impounds flow along the Rawson Hill Brook, which is a tributary of the Cold Harbor Brook.

It’s located at the bottom of

Officials gathered in Shrewsbury last week to celebrate the beginning of work on upgrades to the Rawson Hill Brook Dam in town.

PHOTO/VIA NRCS MASSACHUSETTS

Prospect Street near the intersection of Prospect and Reservoir streets, close to I-290.

Officials, including Shrewsbury Selectman John Lebeaux, Town Manager Kevin Mizikar and Howland were among those joining Congressman Jim McGovern at a groundbreaking event on April 12 celebrating the start of repair work.

“This rehab is very important – very essential to Shrewsbury and to the folks who live

down there in that neighborhood,” Lebeaux said during a Board of Selectmen meeting later on April 12.

The dam is scheduled to get approximately $2.3 million in upgrades funded through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Office of Dam Safety.

The dam is owned and operated by the DCR. It was constructed in 1963 as one of 10 floodwater retaining dams built by the NRCS in the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River Watershed.

“These 10 structures are the silent protectors for the SuAsCo watershed communities,” said NRCS state conservationist Dan Wright in a press release.

According to that press re-

lease, land use changes upstream have increased the quantity of stormwater runoff in the watershed.

The dam will be upgraded to meet current dam safety standards. The upgrades will increase both public safety and climate change resiliency while extending the dam’s service life by 50 years, according to the NRCS. As part of the project, a portion of the dam will be lowered to construct a 190-foot-wide stepped roller-compacted concrete auxiliary spillway on the dam’s embankment. The top of the dam, meanwhile, will be raised by roughly six inches to accommodate for extra stormwater runoff.

Wright said the dam provides about $172,100 in average flood damage reduction benefits for the Rawson Hill Brook watershed. “[The dam] has served us very well,” Lebeaux said.

Work on the dam is expected to be completed by late September.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 11

COMMUNITY NEWS

Town Meeting to vote on purchasing old Northborough Town Hall

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter NORTHBOROUGH - Town Meeting will vote on a question of whether to purchase Northborough’s Old Town Hall when it meets later this month.

This article is one of 44 articles on the warrant.

It calls for raising and appropriating $10,000 for the acquisi-

tion of the property.

Specifically, voters will decide whether to exercise Northborough’s repurchase option under a 1983 conveyance.

The town sold the former Town Hall property in 1983, though it kept the right to repurchase the building in the 40th year after the sale.

At the time Town Meeting allowed a developer to purchase

the building under the condition that the building was renovated. The original Old Town Hall structure then burned to the ground in 1985 while it was being renovated, though it was rebuilt.

According to this year’s warrant, Northborough would undertake a feasibility study before completing the repurchase of the property.

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pied by private business tenants.

Town Administrator John Coderre said in response to Hirsh’s question that it is the town’s intention to repurchase the Town Hall.

“It’s the question of what do we do with it once we take it back?” he said, though. “Is it surplussed? Or are we going to use it for municipal purposes?”

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THE RISK OF INFECTIONS IN SENIORS The elderly are often referred to as “high risk” when it comes to the chance of catching infections, and there’s good reason for this.

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The future of the Town Hall property has come up in Board of Selectmen meetings.

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12 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Northborough candidates talk policies, positions in forum Forum | from page 1

they all vie for one open seat.

Rutan has been a member of the Board of Selectmen since 2004 and previously served on the Northborough School Committee.

Cohen currently serves as the vice chair of the Northborough Library Trustees and as the chair of the Municipal Code and By-Law Committee. He previously served on the Board of Selectmen and School Committee in the Town of Douglas.

Dalton described his reasons for running during the forum, noting his ability to advocate for community members.

“I’m just excited to run for selectmen because I think as a disabled person who uses most of the benefits…I can really make a difference because I know what works, what doesn’t work,” Dalton said. “So, I’m able to be out there, advocating for others based on having myself having needs.”

The candidates were asked a number of questions about projects in Northborough, such as the proposed new fire station and about transparency by the Board of Selectmen.

The three were asked about their position on Northborough’s current single tax rate.

Last fall, the selectmen unanimously approved a single tax rate after being presented with three potential tax rate classification options, including a dual tax rate.

A dual tax rate would offer a lower tax rate for residential properties and a higher tax rate for the commercial and industrial tax base.

Rutan, Cohen and Dalton all said they were in favor of the single rate.

As Rutan noted, the Board of Selectmen vote on whether to maintain a single tax rate every year.

“The single tax rate, I think, is an incentive for businesses to come to Northborough and want to do business here,” Rutan said. “I think if we go to

a dual tax rate, we could actually lose some of these businesses to other communities as opposed to wanting to be here and be treated equally.”

She noted that the selectmen receive letters in support of the single tax rate, including from businesses and the Corridor 9/495 Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We absolutely must keep a single tax rate,” Cohen said.

He said it is “stressful” for businesses to see the discussion about the tax rate come up annually.

Cohen advocated for the Board of Selectmen to have a policy stating that the town will have a single tax rate, though it may need to be legally voted upon every year once the Board of Assessors determines a tax rate.

“If we set it by policy, then the town has some comfort level that that’s the way it should stay,” Cohen said.

Dalton also agreed that the town should keep a single rate.

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“But we truly need to do something at this point for everybody because they’re all coming out of the pandemic,” he said.

Planning Board Jon Lien and William Pierce are running for one seat on the Planning Board.

Pierce, who works for the MBTA in IT and cybersecurity, has been locally involved with the Northborough Extended Day Program. He has also been a member of both the town’s Code and By-Law Committee and its Open Space Committee.

Lien, who said he bought his first house in Northborough nearly 40 years ago, has been involved in Northborough and is an insurance broker.

Lien and Pierce were asked about their priorities for planning and zoning and their thoughts about current zoning articles heading to Town Meeting.

Pierce said a proposed

warehouse moratorium is “most needed” in town, saying it would help the Planning Board to understand changes that have and will occur in municipal zoning.

“We can either try to deal with it on the fly, or we can take a break, think about it for a year [and] get some professionals to come in and give us some advice and make a better determination of how to move forward,” Pierce said.

Lien said he had concerns about a sign bylaw that would in part prohibit internally lit signs in some zoning districts moving forward.

“I feel that it demonstrates this board’s overreach when it comes to regulating small businesses,” he said. “We have many businesses in town that have been in business for many, many years.”

He noted the current debate regarding signs and the potential for penalties if businesses don’t comply.

“It just seems, to me, that Forum | 13

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 13

COMMUNITY NEWS Forum | from page 12

it’s gone too far,” Lien said.

School Committee Incumbent Joan Frank will face off against William Redfern for election to the Regional School Committee.

Frank has served on both the K-8 and regional committees since 1994, while Redfern currently works as an IT director at Hologic in Marlborough.

Frank and Redfern faced questions about proposed upgrades to Algonquin’s athletic complex, among others.

If the project was done in one phase, Frank said it would cost over $7 million, of which Northborough would be responsible for over $4 million.

Frank noted that there will be presentations during Northborough and Southborough Town Meetings on this topic.

She noted that the Regional School Committee also voted to form a committee for the project.

“We need your input,”

Frank said.

Redfern said he is a “big proponent” of extracurriculars.

“Having good, modern fields is important,” he said.

“That being said, I was surprised when I first heard about it because I had not heard anybody engage the community to see what type of private fundraising could be done.”

He questioned a situation where taxpayers would fund the whole project, noting that there may be parents in marketing who could lend a hand.

For the Northborough K-8 School Committee, meanwhile, Bryce MacKnight is running against Gigi Lisa Howell.

Howell did not attend the forum.

MacKnight detailed his background, though, explaining that his family moved to Northborough in 2019. His children are in kindergarten and preschool.

Among questions, MacKnight was asked about a study group examining the configuration of Northborough’s elementary schools.

H e s a i d k i n d e rga r te n through fifth grade is in a “tough place” with some having two classrooms per grade level. He noted situations where parents and students have “unrewarding ” and “unenjoyable” dynamics with teachers and only have one other classroom the student could join.

While he said Northborough’s educators “do an amazing job,” MacKnight called for an ongoing evaluation. He offered suggestions, noting Southborough’s grade level configuration. He also suggested that Northborough consider a consolidation of its elementary schools.

“I look at it and see an overly distributed K through 5 program to a certain extent where there are a lot of resources going into all of the buildings,” MacKnight said.

Full forum available online A full-length recording of this candidates’ forum is available online by visiting https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=oQDbsbxD8T4&ab_ channel=NorthboroughCable.

Westborough Community Chorus to mark 50th anniversary Chorus | from page 1

frequently asked to sing at the funerals of chorus members.

“People come from Southborough, Sutton, Dudley, Hudson, Franklin, Framingham,” Remillard said. “They come from all over to sing.”

“Those are people we would never know if we weren’t all singing together,” she continued.

Ina Donahue was one of the original members of the chorus in 1972 when it was started by Faith Newark.

Donahue continued with the chorus for between five and six years, but had to give it up due to commitments to a church.

One of Donahue’s favorite memories from her time in the chorus was when they would sing “The Night Before Christmas” every holiday season.

“I loved that because the chorus would sit on the floor of the auditorium in front of the stage and they would act out the whole thing, complete with Santa Claus coming down through the fireplace,” Dona-

hue said.

Remillard said “A Golden Jubilee” will feature some of the chorus’s favorite songs including “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing,” “All That Jazz” and “Mississippi Mud,” which former chorus director Debbie Temple will return to guest direct.

Tickets for “A Golden Jubilee” will be available at the door, through the chorus website, or by calling Ellen Kluge, who can be reached at 508485-4469.

The chorus rehearses at the Westborough Senior Center.

Those interested in getting involved can do so by reaching out through the chorus website. Tryouts are not necessary for new members.

The only thing required, Remillard said, is effort to learn music and enjoy singing.

Learn more and purchase show tickets online at www. westborocommunitychorus. com. See additional photos and expanded coverage online at CommunityAdvocate.com.

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14 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Local groups plan Westborough Energy Fair

By Stuart Foster Reporter WESTBOROUGH - Sustainable Westborough and the Westborough Rotary Club will host a Westborough Energy Fair on Saturday, April 30 from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. at the Mill Pond School in town.

Speaking with the Community Advocate ahead of the event, Sustainable Westborough Chair Pete Dunbeck said the fair is the first program of outreach to the community regarding Westborough’s Climate Action Plan, which was approved by Town Meeting in May 2021. The plan’s goal is for Westborough to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The fair will aim to inform Westborough and help the town enact the plan.

“Enacting [the plan] means helping residents understand what these programs are, [and] helping them make good decisions, informed decisions so the transition is as smooth as possible for residents and busi-

nesses,” Dunbeck said.

Dunbeck added that the fair, which is free to attend, will be focused on sharing information about Massachusetts state programs promoting energy efficiency, renewable electricity and electric vehicles, among other things.

The event will feature speakers discussing different environmental impact areas and the benefits of decisions like placing solar panels on homes or installing efficient heat pumps.

“There’s a lot of change coming and it’s important that people be prepared for it and be proactive in when to make these investments,” Dunbeck said.

Cheryl Thomas, the vice chair of Sustainable Westborough, said that the fair will also have the Nourse Farm’s vegetableoriented Veg-Out food truck as well as a large area full of different exhibitors.

Thomas said that the fair has been planned by a relatively small group of individuals meeting every other week on Zoom to organize details.

“It’s good for people to realize that this is all being done by volunteers,” Thomas said. “We’re just a bunch of people who give our time for this because we think it’s important.”

Two of the organizers, Michelle Hung and Hallie Pellish, are Westborough High School representatives of Sustainable Westborough and members of the school’s Environmental Club.

The students, who are both sophomores, are also speakers at the fair and will talk about student perspectives on climate change.

“I’m scared of the future; I don’t want it to hurt our future generations,” said Pellish, who is the community liaison for the Environmental Club.

Pellish said that she and Hung were in the same sixth grade class when they did a unit on biodiversity. Since then, she said, she has tried to do more to conserve the planet.

Hung said a number of other high school students from different student groups will be

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presenting on topics like ocean acidification, carbon footprints and carbon emissions at the molecular level.

“I feel like we have activities and things lined up for people of all ages, including kids,” Hung said.

Thomas encouraged anyone interested to volunteer for Sustainable Westborough projects and initiatives. Individuals can also volunteer with the Rotary Club.

Tina Marian of Medicine My Way to hold anxiety workshop NORTHBOROUGH – Northborough-based Holistic Health Counselor, and Certified Life Coach Tina Marian is preparing to host an anxiety workshop at her practice, Medicine My Way, early next month.

Implementing techniques of energy rebalancing, Marian will work with patients to help provide relief by alleviating anxiety.

“Anxious energy is a horrible weight to carry,” Marian wrote in a recent press release.

“Thankfully there is another way to alleviate anxiety that is slowly becoming recognized as being not only effective, but simple and safe.”

Marian learned energy rebalancing in 2008 and has since worked to spread the word.

This upcoming event on May 1 will be targeted toward patients of all ages, with varying levels of experience in the field of energy work.

“Spring into the season ridding yourself of this stressful energy which presents as anxiety, worry, hypervigilance,

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Thomas added that she was hoping for and anticipating a big turnout at the Energy Fair.

“It is a unique event,” she said. “It’s kind of the first of its kind around here.”

Learn more about Sustainable Westborough at www. sustainablewestborough.org.

And learn more about the Westborough Rotary Club by visiting www.westboroughrotary.org.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 15

COMMUNITY NEWS

Gratitude Garden program returns to honor Westborough educators

PHOTO/VIA WESTBOROUGH FIRE DEPARTMENT

WESTBOROUGH - The Westborough Education Foundation is bringing back its “Gratitude Garden” program for this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week early next month.

Running from May 2 through May 8, the program will see Foundation volunteers “plant” pinwheel flowers in the name of Westborough educators at their respective schools.

“Our teachers and staff have had to continually adjust and innovate over the last two years,” the Foundation wrote in a press release. “Let us recognize and thank them for their work.”

Those interested can sponsor an individual flower with a $5 donation. Donors will be asked to name their teacher and school. Beyond their flower, they’ll also get a notecard to personalize and give to their teacher.

The Westborough Education Foundation will then send acknowledgments to each teacher honored, noting the flowers that get planted for them and naming who sponsored thew flowers.

Donors can purchase as many pinwheels as they would like through April 28.

Donations are tax-deductible and will fund grants to teachers and other educators for programs, partnerships and enrichment activities which don’t normally get funded in the school budget.

Those interested in purchasing a pinwheel can do so online at www.westborougheducationfoundation.com.

Westborough, Southborough fire departments join response to fire in Hopkinton related to this fire.

Photos showed heavy smoke and damage to the home, though.

Smoke was additionally seen drifting into nearby Ashland as crews worked to bring the blaze under control.

First reports of the fire emerged shortly after 8 a.m. on Saturday.

The Hopkinton Fire Department then shared a photo of the fire situation around 8:30 a.m., showing fighters working in multiple parts of the building.

The fire department initially advised motorists to avoid the area while crews continued to work.

Westborough firefighters were on scene at a building fire in Hopkinton this past weekend.

Town Meeting to vote on purchasing old Northborough Town Hall

REGION - Fire personnel from multiple area communities were in Hopkinton this past Saturday morning tending to a fire in a building there.

Westborough Truck 1 and Engine 4 both responded.

The Southborough Fire Department helped provide water tanker support.

Upton, Milford, Ashland, Hopedale and Medway fire personnel also provided aid, according to the Hopkinton Fire Department.

The Westborough Fire Department reported in a post to social media that there were no injuries

Town Meeting | from page 11

The question of how the building would be used is the subject of a feasibility study.

In October, Coderre said Northborough was working on said study.

“Obviously, the primary thing that we’re looking at is the potential of moving Town Hall over into that location,” Coderre said. “That’s one of the primary options.”

Town Meeting will convene on April 25 at 6 p.m. at Algonquin Regional High School.

For more Town Meeting information, visit communityadvocate.com.

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16 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY SPORTS Hudson baseball continues hot start, nabs 11th-inning win over Groton-Dunstable HUDSON - The Hudson High School baseball team slogged through a marathon game on marathon weekend Saturday, beating Groton-Dunstable in extra innings on the road in Groton.

The game marked Hudson’s fourth consecutive victory, leaving them undefeated through the first two full weeks of this year’s spring season.

The win came in the eleventh inning when Jason Jakobsons drove in Mikey DiCarlo and Bobby Long to give Hudson a 3-1 lead and, eventually, the victory.

This sent Hudson into a short break from action before they were set take the field

Hudson’s Bobby Long celebrates after scoring a run.

again on April 19 for the annual John Ahern Baseball Tournament, which Hudson hosts.

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

See expanded coverage online at CommunityAdvocate. com…

Shrewsbury boys lacrosse beats Chicopee in early-season matchup SHREWSBURY - The Shrewsbury boys lacrosse team improved their win-loss record to 3-2 on Saturday with a 9-4 victory over Chicopee.

Facing off in a game at home at Shrewsbury High School, the Colonials quickly secured a decisive lead.

They then took a 6-1 ad-

vantage into halftime over the Pacers.

While Shrewsbury’s offense quieted, somewhat, in the second half, the team held on for the win.

This was Shrewsbury’s second consecutive victory after an 11-4 win over Wachusett last Tuesday.

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These wins, likewise, follow an up-and-down first week of the spring season that saw the Colonials lose to Algonquin and Nashoba but beat Tantasqua.

The Colonials were due back in action on Wednesday at home against Westfield.

Algonquin junior places fourth at national wrestling tournament

By Stuart Foster Reporter NORTHBOROUGH - Algonquin junior Rafael Knapp entered this year’s National High School Coaches Associationwrestling tournament ranked thirteenth overall.

Yet, despite staring down a line of higher-ranked opponents, Knapp strung together a series of upsets on his way to a fourth place finish in the Junior 160-pound division at the Virginia Beach-based tournament on March 27.

“That was definitely the best feeling of my life, I’d say,” Knapp said in a recent interview with the Community Advocate. “I didn’t think when I went into it that I was going to do that well.”

Family history inspires wrestling interest Knapp became interested in wrestling through his father Matt Knapp, who wrestled at the collegiate level at SUNY Potsdam.

Years later, Knapp is a cocaptain for the Algonquin wrestling team.

Before competing in the Coaches Association tournament, which is seen as the top

high school wrestling tournament in the country, he navigated the high school season alongside that Titans squad.

Knapp individually finished the high school season with a 38-4 record, with third-place finishes at both the All-State Wrestling Tournament and the New England Championship.

Head Coach Brian Kramer celebrated Knapp back in December, noting his goals while highlighting his growth since his freshman year.

“He’s wrestling really well,” Kramer said of Knapp at the time.

While, overall, Knapp thought he had a great season, he said he could have performed even better at these two major tournaments.

“I don’t think they were my best performances,” Knapp said.

“I think I did good,” he continued, before adding that he did lose to an opponent who he had already beaten twice.

That athlete, Knapp noted, went on to win the New England Championship.

Wrestler relishes leadership role This year was Knapp’s first as a co-captain for the Algonquin team. He said he loved being in a mentorship role leading the team.

“I felt like I was actually helping a lot of the kids on my team get better,” he said.

The team finished its year with 6-10 overall record. Knapp noted that many of this year’s team members were younger.

He said he has encouraged a lot of the freshman and firstyear wrestlers on the team to continue wrestling in clubs during off-season so they can gain experience and more practice in preparation for next year’s season.

With this Coaches Association triumph now capping a strong personal season, Knapp is eyeing next year’s slate of competitions, where he will look to end his high school career on a high note, both individually and in a team role.

“I think we’re going to be much better next year,” Knapp said of the Algonquin program as a whole.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 17

COMMUNITY SPORTS rack up 14 total hits. The Hawks improved their win-loss record to 3-0 with this victory.

HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD

MARLBOROUGH

AMSA

SOFTBALL – APRIL 11 AMSA – 6, West Boylston – 0 AMSA senior captain and pitcher Piper Kinney notched a no-hitter against West Boylston, accruing 14 strikeouts as her team improved their record on the season to 3-0.

BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 14 AMSA – 17, Monty Tech – 0 The AMSA boys lacrosse team improved its season record to 6-0 with a shutout against Monty Tech.

The undefeated stretch remains the best start in program history.

SOFTBALL – APRIL 15 AMSA – 12, Hopedale – 0 AMSA improved its undefeated record to 5-0 with its second shutout in a week and its third shutout in the still young season. Senior captain and pitcher Piper Kinney struck again after delivering a no-hitter on Monday, pelting 11 strikeouts past Hopedale batters.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 11 Marlborough – 19, Assabet – 1 Marlborough senior Lindsay Lefebvre scored her 100th career goal during her team’s win over Assabet last Monday. The larger victory was Marlborough’s third consecutive win, though the Panthers went on to lose subsequent games against Leominster and Nashoba on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

SHREWSBURY

BASEBALL – APRIL 15 Shrewsbury – 16, Grafton – 6 The Shrewsbury baseball team continued a strong week with a 16-6 win over Grafton on Friday.

Shrewsbury finished last week having scored 23 runs across just two games. This followed earlier wins against Nashoba and Minnechaug last week, improving Shrewsbury’s win-loss record to 4-0.

MidWach League releases all-star list REGION – The spring sports season is just getting underway.

In the meantime, though, the MidWach League, which includes Algonquin, Shrewsbury, Marlborough, Hudson and Westborough high schools, is also honoring its winter allstars.

The league released this year’s all-star lists on Friday, naming several dozen athletes from area schools.

The league specifically named all-stars for area basketball, swimming, indoor track, gymnastics and wrestling teams.

Swimmers Leona Sungkharom and Kevin Dong, from Algonquin and Shrewsbury respectively, won MVP honors in their sport.

They were joined as MVPs

by Algonquin gymnast Mia

ASSABET

BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 11 Assabet – 9, St. Bernard’s – 3 Mike Savoie led the way for the Aztecs boys lacrosse team in a 9-3 victory over St. Bernard last Monday. Savoie scored three goals and notched an assist. He was joined by Nolan Tomczyk and Liam Weagle who scored two goals apiece. Chewy Clark and Payton Cabral each added a goal. The team now boasts a 3-2 win-loss record.

BASEBALL – APRIL 15 Assabet – 9, Tahanto – 8 An eighth-inning home run by Colin Kessinger lifted Assabet past Tahanto for a win over the Stags last Friday.

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Beyond MVP and traditional all-star honors, a number of schools and athletic programs also identified academic allstars as noted on a list circulated by the MidWatch League itself.

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Camp & Activity Guide

HUDSON

SOFTBALL – APRIL 13 Hudson – 9, Shrewsbury – 3 Abbey Nezuch added a home run to her pitching win over Shrewsbury last Wednesday. Caitlin Cassidy tacked on a home run and a triple as her team combined to

Hudson’s Jake Attaway battles with an opposing player during a basketball game earlier this year.

Attaway was one of several local athletes recognized with MidWach Leauge all-star honors for this year’s winter sports season.

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18 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 19

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS FRIDAY AT NOON, ONE WEEK PRIOR TO PUBLICATION DATE

Legal CITY OF MARLBOROUGH OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS 01752

CITY OF MARLBOROUGH OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS 01752

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Hearing –Special Permit Applicant: Cellco Partnership (Verizon Wireless) Locus: 739-769 Donald J. Lynch Boulevard Map 50, Parcel 7B Notice is given that the City Council of the City of Marlborough will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 8:00 PM in City Council Chambers, 2nd floor City Hall, 140 Main Street, Marlborough, Massachusetts, on the Application for a Special Permit and Site Plan Approval from Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless to install a new stealth Wireless Communication Facility, including an 80-foot stealth pole with accessory ground equipment at 739-769 Donald J. Lynch Boulevard.

The application materials and plans are available for viewing in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 140 Main Street, Marlborough, MA 01752, Telephone 508-460-3775. In addition, the plans and application will be available online at www.marlborough-ma.gov/city-council under Public Hearing Notices.

Per Order of the City Council #22-1008570

Public Hearing –Special Permit Applicant: Alta Marlborough, LLC (Wood Partners) Locus: Lincoln & Mechanic Streets Map 56, Parcel 85 Map 69, Parcels 337, 338, 338A, 339, 339A, 340, 341, 342, 343, 345 Notice is given that the City Council of the City of Marlborough will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 8:00 PM in City Council Chambers, 2nd floor City Hall, 140 Main Street, Marlborough, Massachusetts, on the Application for Special Permit from Attorney Brian Falk, on behalf of Alta Marlborough, LLC (Wood Partners), to build a mixed-use project in the Neighborhood Business District consisting of 10,074 square feet of ground floor retail and commercial space, 276 dwelling units in addition to an on-site parking garage with 448 spaces to be located at the corner of Lincoln and Mechanic Streets.

The application materials and plans are available for viewing in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 140 Main Street, Marlborough, MA 01752, Telephone 508-460-3775. In addition, the plans and application will be available online at www.marlborough-ma.gov/city-council under Public Hearing Notices.

Per Order of the City Council #22-1008572

TOWN OF HUDSON ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 78 Main Street Hudson, Massachusetts 01749 TEL (978) 562-2989 FAX (978) 568-9641

CITY OF MARLBOROUGH OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS 01752

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Petition #2022-08

Public Hearing – Proposed Zoning Amendment to Chapter 650 to amend Section 39 Neighborhood Business District.

Notice is hereby given of a Public Hearing to be held by the Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. Pursuant to the Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.

30A, §18, this meeting of the Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals will be conducted via both remote participation and/or in-person at 78 Main Street, 2nd Floor Auditorium, Hudson, MA 01749.

At this time the Board of Appeals will hear the request of Hudson Botanical Processing, LLC, to obtain a Special Permit to operate a marijuana product manufacturing establishment within the Marijuana Industrial Overlay District pursuant to Section 5.13 of the Hudson Zoning By-laws, and a Special Permit for a use within the Watershed Protection District pursuant to Section 3.3.10 of the Hudson Zoning By-laws. The subject property is located at 14 Kane Industrial Drive in the M6 Industrial Zoning District and within the Watershed Protection District and the Marijuana Industrial Overlay District, Assessors’ Map 25 Parcel 39. The Board may consider any action deemed necessary relative to the subject petition.

All petition materials are available for review in the Town Clerk’s Office during regular business hours, on the Town of Hudson website at https://www.townofhudson.org/ zoning-board-appeals, and can be requested by calling (978) 562-2989 or by sending an email to kjohnson@townofhudson.org.

Jason Mauro, Clerk Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Marlborough will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 8:00 PM in the City Council Chamber, 2nd floor, City Hall, 140 Main Street, Marlborough, Massachusetts to amend Chapter 650 by amending §39 “Neighborhood Business District”.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARLBOROUGH THAT THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MARLBOROUGH, AS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED, BE FURTHER AMENDED BY AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, CHAPTER 650 §39 “NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT”, BY ADDING A NEW PARAGRAPH F AS FOLLOWS: F. The City Council may, by special permit, elect to vary the dimensional, parking, design, and landscaping requirements applicable to a mixed-use development in the Neighborhood Business District upon finding that such change shall result in an improved design and will not nullify or substantially derogate from the intent or purpose of this section (650-39, et seq.). This authority continues subsequent to occupancy.

TOWN OF HUDSON CONSERVATION COMMISSION 78 Main Street Hudson, Massachusetts 01749 TEL (978) 562-2948

Legal Public Hearing Notice The Hudson Conservation Commission will hold a Public Hearing relative to the following filing under the Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. Chapter 131, Section 40) as requested by Peter and Jenna Grupp. The owners of the property are Peter and Jenna Grupp. The work is located at 21 LAKESIDE AVE (Map-Parcel 26-20,23,26,28,30,83,&87). The proposed project is paving a private road, partially in Buffer Zone to Bordering Vegetated Wetlands. The Public Hearing will be held via remote video conference on May 5, 2022 at 7:00 pm. Please contact the Conservation Commission Office for information on joining the meeting: phelinek@townofhudson.org or 978-562-2948.

All interested parties are urged to attend. The application can be obtained through email by contacting the Conservation Commission Office.

Per Order of the City Council #22-1008571

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Petition: Variance Request: Proposed improvements with additional proposed impervious surface and structural addition to the existing structures.

Located in Zoning District Industrial (I) Lot Coverage in Chapter 650, Article 41 is a maximum 60%. The plans show an existing lot coverage of 60.1% would be consistent with being in compliance with existing maximum allowable lot coverage vs. the proposed 62.6% and not considered legal pre-existing non-conforming. A deviation of 2.5%.

For further assistance, please contact the Board at 508-460-3768. All interested persons are invited.

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20 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS Shrewsbury middle school student advances to Scripps National Spelling Bee

Mill Pond Elementary School students view living history performance about Christa McAuliffe Judith Kalaora performed as Christa McAuliffe for Mill Pond Elementary School students last week.

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

WESTBOROUGH - Fifth grade students at Westborough’s Mill Pond Elementary School were treated to a multimedia, living history lesson on Christa McAuliffe, the Teachers in Space program and the space shuttle last week, viewing a presentation put on with support from a number of area organizations.

Convening on April 14, students watched Judith Kalaora perform “Challenger: Soaring with Christa McAuliffe,” which pays homage to McAullife.

McAullife grew up in nearby Framingham and was selected as the first teacher to fly with

NASA’s Teacher in Space program.

She was then killed, though, when the Challenger Shuttle exploded shortly after takeoff.

Kalaora’s show tells McAuliffe’s life story as part of the History at Play series of living history performances.

It came to Westborough with support from the Westborough Historical Society, to coincide with ongoing social studies lessons on the 1960s and 70s.

The Westborough Women’s Club and the George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation provided additional funding.

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Oak Middle School eighth grader Saketh Madhusudhan recently qualified to compete in Washington DC at the Scripps National Spelling Bee next month.

By Cindy Zomar Education Coordinator SHREWSBURY - Spelling does not always come easy, Shrewsbury’s Saketh Madhusudhan recently noted.

Yet the eighth-grade student also recently celebrated after winning the 36th Annual Daily Item Regional Spelling Bee in Lynn. Now, he’s headed to the massive Scripps National Spelling Bee next month.

“You can’t memorize over 700,000 words, so I look for certain patterns and rules and then apply them,” Madhusudhan said in an interview with the Community Advocate after his win.

An eighth-grade student at Shrewsbury’s Oak Middle School, Madhusudhan is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having won his school’s spelling bee in 2020.

He would have advanced to additional competitions, but the rest of that year’s schedule had to be canceled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two years later, this year’s Regional Bee was held at Lynn City Hall, with thirty-six contestants. Each took a written test prior to the Bee, with only a little more than two weeks to study and learn a list of about forty-five hundred words.

“At least it was less than trying to learn the whole dictionary,” Madhusudhan joked when discussing that challenge.

Madhusudhan has now qualified for the national bee in Washington DC at the end

PHOTO BY CINDY ZOMAR

of May. The finals will be broadcast on June 3, featuring competition between hundreds of qualifiers.

Between now and then, using a program called Spellpundit, Madhusudhan will be trying to learn about thirteen hundred words each day.

He then has his own unique method of identifying spellings on stage before giving his answers.

“I pronounce it, then ask for all the information about the word,” he explained. “That includes the definition, the language of origin, the part of speech it is, alternate pronunciations, and I ask for it to be used in a sentence. Then I airwrite it on my hand or the back of a card to visualize it before giving my answer.”

The trip to Washington DC will be a mixture of “business” and pleasure.

Madhusudhan’s family is

looking forward to sightseeing, he noted.

Sponsors joining the Daily Item for the now completed Lynn regional event were local entrepreneurs Joel and Mary Abramson.

The Abramsons are providing a airfare, hotel accommodations for Madhusudhan’s DC trip, as well as a $100 Amazon gift card and spending money for him and a chaperone.

Madhusudhan is looking forward to Shrewsbury High School next year, noting that his favorite subject is math. He enjoys playing video games, going outside, reading, and spending time with his family.

As for spelling bees, he celebrated his competitors in his last round of competitions, adding that he “never expected to get this far.”

“It was a great experience,” he continued. “Now I am looking forward to this next experience!”

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COMMUNITY OBITUARIES The Community Advocate will post obituaries online (and in print, as space allows). Please send information (and a picture if desired) to tracy@communityadvocate.com. Here is a complete list of individual obituaries posted on the Community Advocate website (www. communityadvocate.com).

DEATHS Blanchard III, Alton of Grafton Burnell, Michael of Marlborough Cadogan, Carol of Marlborough Cardin, Carlene of Hudson Gomez, Nelida of Hudson Gordon, Sandra of Shrewsbury Gupta, Subash of Shrewsbury Kasperson, JoAnn of Northborough Melo, Manuel of Hudson Miele, Hazel of Marlborough Moineau, Joseph of Marlborough Pecora, Dorothea of Shrewsbury Turpin Sr., George of Grafton

Scan QR code to read all of this week’s obituaries on our website.

Subash Gupta, 79 SHREWSBURY - Subash Chander Gupta passed away peacefully Thursday, April 7, 2022 at the age of 79 surrounded by his family. Subash was the son of the late Gokal Chand and late Leela Vati. He was born May 8,

1942 in Lahore, India.

He is survived by his wife Sneh Gupta, his daughter and two sons, Shweta Taneja and her husband Sanjay, Ish Gupta, and Gaurav Gupta and his wife Vidushi. He is blessed with his grandchildren, Paarth, Vaasu, Viraaj, Gauri, Geetika, and Vaani.

Hays Funeral Home of Northborough assisted with arrangements.

Alton S. Blanchard III, 70 GRAFTON - Alton (Al) S. Blanchard III, 70, passed away April 8, 2022 at St. Mary’s Healthcare Center in Worcester following complications from Parkinson’s Disease. Al was born September 14, 1951 in Weymouth, MA, son of the late Emily (Congdon) and Alton Blanchard, Jr. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Donna (Quist) Blanchard, his children David Blanchard and his wife Justine, Thomas Blanchard and his husband Edgar Casillas and Karyn Blanchard and her husband Brendan Thurber, and his grandchildren Matthew, Connor, Jack and Paige. He was predeceased by his brother Dr.

Peter Alan Blanchard.

The Roney Funeral Home of North Grafton assisted with arrangements.

Dorothea A. Pecora, 90 SHREWSBURY - Dorothea A. (Moran) Pecora, 90, of Shrewsbury, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 10, 2022 at St. Vincent Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Dorothea was born in Haverhill, New Hampshire, a daughter of the late Edward P. and Avis (Mills) Moran.

D o ro t h e a ’ s h u s b a n d , Pasquale Pecora passed away in April of 1965, and her loving life partner, Virgilio “Virg” Faticanti, Jr. passed in November of 2021. She is survived by her four children, Joseph Pecora and his wife Gail of Worcester, Kenneth Pecora of Sun City, AZ, Dorothea Pecora and her significant other Gary Abasciano of Worcester, and Anna Straight and her husband Robert of Upton; six grandchildren, Angela Pecora, Joseph Pecora, Michael Pecora and his wife Diane, Monica Pecora and her significant other Shane Nicholson, Stephanie

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 21

Hudon and her husband Lance, and Samantha Straight and her fiancé Joseph Annino; four great grandchildren, Sage, Silas, Kiana and Isla Mae; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Robert Moran and a sister, Patricia Sheehan.

The Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel of Worcester assisted with arrangements.

Sandra S. Gordon, 79 SHREWSBURY - Sandra S. Gordon, 79, of Shrewsbury, passed away peacefully, but unexpectedly at her residence on Friday, April 8, 2022.

She leaves behind her husband of 55 years Henry B. Gordon. Together they lived in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts for 45 years and raised their three children – Beth and her husband Rick Schlesinger of Aurora, IL; David Gordon of Harrisville, NH, and Mindee Gordon of Worcester, MA. In addition to her husband and children, Sandra leaves behind her two grandsons, RJ and Ryan Schlesinger of Aurora, IL; her sister Susan and her husband Stephen Kelsey of Bernardston, MA, and many cousins and

family.

Chiampa Funeral Home of Shrewsbury assisted with arrangements.

JoAnn A. Kasperson, 90 NORTHBOROUGH - JoAnn A. Kasperson, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on April 7, 2022, she was 90 years old. JoAnn was born and raised in Reeseville, Wisconsin, one of eight children to the late Emil and Hertha (Krueger) Lee. Surviving JoAnn are her three children, Mark Kasperson and his wife Mary Ann of West Haven, CT, Cheryl Mahoney and her husband John of Northborough and LeeAnn Pikul and her husband Steven of Palmer and her three grandchildren, Krista Lee Martin, Carl Kasperson and Molly Mahoney. She is also survived by her sister Ione Kuehl and her brother Wayne Lee. She was preceded in death by four brothers Melvin, Gerald, Kenneth, Ralph and a sister Isabel.

Private funeral services have been completed.

Hays Funeral Home of Northborough assisted with arrangements.

POLICE LOG The information in the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area.

Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court issued documentation.

Southborough

Wednesday, April 6 11:23 a.m. Crystal Pond Rd. Traffic light inoperable.

9:51 p.m. Cordaville Rd. Disabled MV. Friday, April 8 9:32 a.m. Turnpike/Cordaville Rds. Disabled MV. 4:35 p.m. Route 495. Assist State Police.

Saturday, April 9 12:48 p.m. Fiddleneck Ln. Larceny/ forgery/fraud.

10:01 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny/ forgery/fraud.

Northborough

Friday, April 4 5:04 p.m. Castle Rd. Fraud.

Saturday, April 5 7:06 p.m. Whitney St. Fraud.

10:10 p.m. Otis St. Trespass.

Sunday, April 6 10:12 a.m. Meadow Rd. Scams.

4:56 p.m. Hudson/Allen Sts. Accident: P.I. Monday, April 7 3:00 p.m. Main St. Scams.

Westborough

Thursday, April 7 4:17 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

5:18 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

7:16 p.m. Arrested, Charlene Nicole Henning, 43, of 19 Wayne St., Apt. 2, Worcester, for Class A drug possession, op MV with registration revoked, uninsured motor vehicle, no inspection sticker.

Friday, April 8 8:57 a.m. Flanders Rd. Accident – personal injury.

3:36 p.m. E Main St. Threats made.

Saturday, April 9 2:58 a.m. Belknap St. Burglary/ breaking & entering.

Sunday, April 10 4:36 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

Monday, April 11 12:28 a.m. Arrested, Robert Tedesco, 57, of 145 Mill St., Apt. 305W, Natick, for possess Class B drug (2 cts), no inspection sticker.

9:57 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

Tuesday, April 12 1:40 a.m. Arrested, Christina L. Cruz-Rios, 39, of 333 Cambridge St., Apt. 2, Worcester, on default warrant.

6:31 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident – hit & run.

5:05 p.m. Oak St. Trespassing.

7:19 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Vandalism.

Wednesday, April 13 2:22 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Motor vehicle theft.

Grafton

Sunday, April 3 11:27 a.m. Arrested, Emily Clark, 33, of 9 W Hartford Rd., North Uxbridge, on warrant, op MV with license suspended, license not in possession.

11:32 p.m. Arrested, Alexandria Bokhart, 27, of 1113 Avalon Way, Shrewsbury, for OUI-liquor or .08%, negligent operation of motor vehicle.

Monday, April 4 4:06 p.m. Providence Rd. Assault.

4:53 p.m. Pleasant/Elmwood Sts. Fire – brush.

Tuesday, April 5 8:18 a.m. Blanchard Rd. Fire – public service.

9:32 a.m. Providence Rd. Fraud/ identity theft.

Wednesday, April 6 12:06 p.m. Milford Rd. Fraud/ identity theft.

6:16 p.m. Pine St. Larceny/theft.

8:45 p.m. Providence Rd. Accident – no injuries.

Thursday, April 7 9:06 a.m. Providence Rd. Threatening.

Friday, April 8 7:41 a.m. N Main/Waterville Sts. Accident – hit & run.

9:52 a.m. North St. Accident – personal injury.

Saturday, April 9 2:14 a.m. Beth Lee Dr. B&E – past.

10:48 a.m. Bruce St. B&E into vehicle.

11:45 a.m. Worcester St. Scam/ attempted scam.

Shrewsbury

Thursday, April 7 8:46 p.m. Main St. Harassment.

Friday, April 8 12:04 p.m. Sheridan Dr. Harassment.

12:34 p.m. Main St. Accident no injury.

4:18 p.m. Boston Tpke. Larceny.

6:15 p.m. Arrested, Devin S. Greene, 24, of 25 Waterville Ln., Shrewsbury, for fail to stop for police.

10:22 p.m. Arrested, Rocky J. Phelps, 38, of 276 Main St., Apt. 12, Marlborough, for op MV with license suspended, and Makayla Adrianna Aviles, 24, of 85 Rice St., Apt. 1, Marlborough, for possession of open container of alcohol in public.

Saturday, April 9 Sunday, April 10 6:41 p.m. Yorkshire Terr. Threats.

7:42 p.m. Main St. Accident no injury.

Monday, April 11 9:31 a.m. Yorkshire Terr. Trespassing.

5:01 p.m. Arnold Rd. Identity theft.

Tuesday, April 12 10:52 a.m. High St. Identity theft.

8:21 p.m. Arrested, Jose N. Castaneda, 41, of 30 Horadan Way, Apt. B, Roxbury, on warrant.

9:56 p.m. Arrested, Thomas S. Sullivan, 54, of 22 Falmouth St., #3, Worcester, on warrant.

Scan QR code to read this week’s police and fire news on our website.

22 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

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The last peak we saw was in 2005, and many of us thought we would never see the prices that high again. Shortly thereafter in 2009 when the market crashed, it was a disaster. Short sales and foreclosures were the primary inventory and many homeowners were forced to walk away from their homes that they had put little to no money down on. Banks were upside down and the government had to bail them out. It was a very sad time for many Americans who lost their American Dream. The real estate market took several years to recuperate from that fall but it

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There’s an upside to this anticipated decline in home prices though…first and foremost, once interest rates adjust and cause home pricing to adjust, it then becomes more of a balanced market and can be economically hearty for both buyers and sellers as opposed to a very one-sided sellers’ market that we have been in for the last few years. Secondly, the prices are not expected to decline drastically and, even more importantly, banks are in a very good position today, far different from where they were in 2009 when we had a major crash. What does this mean to us all? It means that the real estate market will self correct itself and

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022 • 23

COMMUNITY BUSINESS

Westborough Select Board weighs in on former BJ’s site redevelopment

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter WESTBOROUGH - The Select Board got a first look at plans to develop the former BJ’s headquarters last week, with members sharing their thoughts in a meeting.

“This looks like a very exciting project,” Sean Keogh said to developers during the April 12 meeting. “Thanks for bringing it forward.”

The applicant is Samuels & Associates, which is a Bostonbased real estate developer.

As Senior Vice President of Development Mike Fitzpatrick described it, the applicant is looking at developing an innovation campus on the site, which would feature a combination of uses.

These uses could include life science, research and development, GMP manufacturing and office and amenity spaces.

“We look at it as creating a place that is flexible and visionary where people can come and really promote collaboration,” Fitzpatrick said.

He added that developers

“PET NAMES”

want to build a “a good environment to both work and discover.”

Plans for the site The developers plan to use two parcels — 25 and 29 Research Drive.

Twenty-five Research Drive has been the home of BJ’s headquarters for the past 10 years, while 29 Research Drive is occupied by Triboro Crane and Rigging Services.

“Right now, the site is occupied by some very dated buildings as far as bringing in tenants and attracting the types of tenants and the quality of tenants that we would like to have at this location,” Fitzpatrick said.

He said they have taken a “hard look” at the reuse of the buildings on the BJ’s property.

“It just doesn’t work for the development that we’re proposing,” Fitzpatrick said.

The buildings and infrastructure of utilities would be demolished under current plans.

A “ground up” development, as Fitzpatrick called it, Samuels & Associates is

proposing a total of four buildings — one of which would be an amenities building — with a total of 715,000 square feet.

Fitzpatrick said there will be stations to charge electric vehicles and a network of driveways and sidewalks.

As part of that network, there would be a connection to the trail network in the Walkup and Robinson Memorial Reservation conservation land, which is located to the south of the property.

There would also be a new stormwater management system, improving a current stormwater runoff sheet that flows directly into the wetlands.

The Select Board asked a number of questions following Fitzpatrick’s presentation.

Board member Shelby Marshall noted that the potential sewer capacity for the development is more than what is existing on the property.

Select Board member Patrick Welch additionally estimated that the proposed buildings are about three times larger than the existing

buildings and the impervious area from parking is increasing by about 63%.

“Westborough is about 15% impervious material townwide. That’s a significant increase,” Welch said.

He asked if there were any alternatives to minimize the impervious surfaces, which are classified as surfaces that do not immediately absorb water, such as pavement and roofs.

These do not allow stormwater to immediately filter into the ground.

“The big benefit here is that we have a very large site,” Fitzpatrick said.

He added that there are certain aspects to the site that don’t allow the property to be developed to a point that “tops off” what is allowed under the zoning for the property. The development calls for preserving a lot of the open green space and wooded areas on the site, Fitzpatrick said.

He said the applicant’s stormwater management plans reduces the volume and flow of stormwater.

“That’s an improvement to

the property that we know we have an issue with right now,” Chair Ian Johnson said. “I appreciate that.”

Phases of the project Samuels & Associates plans on constructing the buildings as speculative buildings, meaning they don’t currently have specific occupants lined up for the spaces.

According to Fitzpatrick, the initial phase of the project would involve demolishing existing structures. The developers would then begin their various improvements to the site and build new infrastructure.

Ideally, the developers would advance the construction of the buildings.

“But [we’re] looking at flexibility because we want to make sure that we’re attracting and bringing the right tenants,” Fitzpatrick said.

As a result, he said, the developer may phase the project based on the timing of the tenants.

The project will still need to go before the Planning Board for site plan approval.

SUPER CROSSWORD

Answers to puzzle located on p. 18

24 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 22, 2022

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Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated

114 Turnpike Rd, Suite 201 Westborough, MA 01581

Northborough - Great Opportunity to own a 2 BR Townhouse Northborough - Modern, updated 4 bedroom and 3 bathroom with finished walkout lower level. This end unit located at Cape on stunning landscaped lot. Open concept floor plan with Church St. Village is located in cul-de-sac neighborhood. First hardwood floors throughout. Kitchen with dining area opens floor open floor plan w/HW floors. Kitchen w/granite counters, to family room with slider to deck. First floor bright open foyer, breakfast bar, gas stove, SS appliances and pantry. Living room living room with fireplace and formal dining room. Second floor with gas fireplace, Dining room and first floor half bath. Master with master suite and private bathroom. Three additional bedsuite with walk-in closet andFamily full master bath. Second BR w/ rooms, office area, all with hardwood floors. Finished lower level Northborough Colonial Northborough – Two closet and private full bath.

Finished lower level.

Garage, central for workout room or extrasetting living space.

Gas heat. Central air. Two Located in neighborhood this sprawling Great investment property. 2 units with 2 bedrooms. air,Excellent gas heat and cooking. car garage. appeal. $525,000 Colonial with Impressive 10 rooms, curbside 4 bedrooms and$799,000 3.5 bathlocation within walking distance to town rooms. Many updates throughout this home. center and close to major highways for commuting.

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Northborough - Remodeled and Updated 3 BR/2 full bathroom Northborough - Young custom built 4 BR/ 3 bath colonial home located in neighborhood setting. Updated kitchen with with quality craftsmanship throughout. Beautiful landscaped corian counter tops, updated cabinets & new appliances. First floor lot with 3 car garage. First floor with HW floors. Great floor LandFR and office. Custom open concept kitchen with Clinton – Condo living w/master BR w/additional space for home office or workout Berlin plan–w/DR, buildable lots located on refrigerator country road inisland.

Berlin.Master suite room. Full bath on 1st floor. Open concept living room and dining TwoViking gas range, sub zero and room.

Second2floor has twoand bedrooms w/closets & full size bath. Onewith custom closets andthe master floor laundry, lot is 5.97 acres and otherbath. lot isSecond 6.07 acres 5 rooms, bedrooms 2.5 bathrooms.

Large family room w/built-ins. Professionally landscaped yard w/ three additional BRs and full bath with double sinks. Finished in-ground saltwater pool, pool house & patio. Generator ready. lower level with playroom, workout room and storage. Central Turn-key ready. $519,900 air. Natural gas. Stunning, well designed, high-end home. $999,000

Call for a FREE Market Analysis: 508-934-9818

*2020 MLS Sales for Northborough