The Wrentham Times

Wrentham and Plainville to receive reimbursements for early voting expenses

Wrentham and Plainville are among Massachusetts communities receiving reimbursement for the mandated early voting held in November. Wrentham will receive $2,739 while Plainville is owed $1,958. Norfolk is not receiving funds.

Reimbursements were determined by a survey of municipalities conducted by the Office of the State Auditor. Norfolk didn't report any additional expenses in the survey and will not receive any reimbursement.

The payments are part of $1,144,156.33 going back to Massachusetts cities and towns to cover costs with early voting. The funding comes from money allocated to the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

”Early voting has proved to be enormously popular among voters in the last two state elections,” said William Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth. “As we look to expand early voting to increase voter access and convenience in the future, we need to make sure we are providing local election officials with the resources they need in order to hold successful elections."

The early voting law, which passed in 2014, requires that municipalities allow any qualified voters to cast their ballot during a twelve-day early voting period. The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office reports that more than 584,000 voters cast their ballots early during the 2018 general election cycle.

Voter Registration

A voter registration will take place on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 for the State Primary Election of Tuesday, September 4, 2018. The registration will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Town Clerk’s office, and from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Public Safety Building located at 89 South St. Any Wrentham resident who is not registered or will become 16 years of age on or before September 4, 2018 may pre-register/register to vote. Please call the Town Clerk’s office at 508-384-5415 for questions.

Dooley Pushes For $200,000 For Wrentham Highway Ramp

State Representative Shawn Dooley announced $200,000 is included in the House of Representatives economic development bill for a new ramp from I-495 near the Wrentham Outlets and Route 1A. The hope is a new ramp will help the flow of traffic and decrease congestion. The bill must now go through the Massachusetts Senate for debate and a vote.

“I’m very glad to have had this funding included for Wrentham” said Dooley. “Not only will this money go towards improving the lives of the thousands of drivers that travel in this area every day by eliminating bottlenecks and reducing traffic congestion, but it will also spur economic development in Wrentham and the entire region. From day one I have worked to bring as much money as possible back to the taxpayers of my district; and I am hopeful that the Senate will include this funding in their version of the bill.”

The funding was included as an amendment to H.4714, an economic development bond bill, which has the goal of financing economic development across the Commonwealth. The $200,000 is a part of a larger $116.9 million of authorized spending to fund various local projects. Along with improving local communities and infrastructure, H.4714 creates a sales tax holiday from August 11-12, puts $300 million towards public infrastructure; economic development; and job creation, as well as establishes many grants dedicated to institutes of higher education.

 

NOTIFICATION OF AQUATIC TREATMENT LAKE PEARL – WRENTHAM

Lake Pearl will be chemically treated to control nuisance and invasive aquatic vegetation on Tuesday, July 17, 2018

The lake is closed to all water uses (including, swimming, fishing and boating) on day of treatment only. Swimming, fishing and boating may resume on Wednesday morning (July 18th). Use of lake water for drinking, irrigation or watering livestock are prohibited for 5 days post-treatment, or until July 22nd. This work is being performed for the Town of Wrentham, Board of Selectmen by SOLitude Lake Management of Shrewsbury. The project is being undertaken pursuant to permits issued by MassDEP and the Wrentham Conservation Commission.

Wrentham Town Administrator to Take Over as Emergency Management Director

Wrentham Town Administrator Kevin Sweet will be named emergency management director, effective July 1.

As the emergency management director, Sweet will oversee the Wrentham Emergency Management Agency (WEMA) and provide lead command and control for all-hazards that require coordination of multiple agencies during emergency events in town.

In his previous position as the Maynard Town Administrator, Sweet also served as the emergency management director for the Maynard Emergency Management Agency for more than eight years. Additionally, he holds a master's degree in emergency management and a graduate certificate in disaster preparedness.

"We are very pleased to have Kevin on board as our new emergency management director," said Joe Botaish, Chair of the Wrentham Board of Selectmen. "With his extensive background in emergency management, I am confident that he will serve the town well in this role and ensure that we are prepared as a community for any future emergencies."

The Wrentham Emergency Management Agency is responsible for coordinating local, state, regional, federal, volunteer and private resources during disasters. It develops plans for all-hazards, disasters or threats; trains emergency personnel and volunteers to protect the public; provides information to residents; and assists individuals, families and businesses to mitigate against, prepare for, and respond to and recover from all-emergencies.

During emergencies and disasters, WEMA operates out of the Emergency Operations Center, which is located at the Wrentham Public Safety building.

"I am looking forward to taking on this new role here in Wrentham," Sweet said. "While we hope to never have to use our emergency procedures, I will utilize all of our available planning resources to be sure that our community is prepared for any situation."

PSA from Town of Wrentham regarding Stage II Water Ban

Wrentham is currently at a Stage II Water Ban. This stage is effective annually from May 1st through September 30th. All non-essential outdoor water use is restricted daily between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Permissive uses are allowed. Permissive uses allowed outside the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. are:

• Irrigation during the months of May or September to establish a new lawn or new plantings
• Irrigation of public parks and recreational fields by means of automatic sprinklers
• Watering of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants by means of a handheld hose
• Irrigation using stored storm-water runoff

Restrictions are mandatory for all residents, including residents on private wells. Contact the Wrentham DPW at (508) 384-5477 for more detailed information.

Chief McMorrow Retires, Interim Fire Chief Named

Chief James McMorrow

Wrentham Fire Chief, James McMorrow's last shift is today, June 15. Robert Hollingshead will serve as Wrentham's interim fire chief beginning June 18 until a full-time permanent chief is appointed.

McMorrow has protected Wrentham since 1979. He was appointed to the auxiliary department, subsequently the on call department, and then serving as a full time member for the last 32 years, including 8 years as chief. "It has been my great pleasure to serve our community for this long and will miss being an active member of the fire service with every fiber of my being," McMorrow said back in March when he announced his retirement. He will remain available to assist and provide off-hours emergency response, as requested, until June 30.

"I would like to sincerely thank Chief McMorrow for his many years of service and commitment to the town," Wrentham Town Administrator Kevin Sweet said. "On behalf of the entire Wrentham community, I wish him well in his future endeavors."

Interim Fire Chief Robert Hollingshead

Hollingshead comes to Wrentham with more than 30 years of experience in the fire service and recently served as the interim fire chief in Medfield. Prior to his retirement, he was the fire chief and emergency management director for the town of Hull after serving as deputy chief for 23 years.

Additionally, Hollingshead is an adjunct professor at Massasoit Community College and has also taught at Anna Maria College and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. He holds a bachelor's degree in education from Northeastern University, a bachelor's degree in business and economics, and a master's degree in labor and policy studies from the State University of New York.

"I am looking forward to serving Wrentham as interim fire chief and partnering with town officials and community members to continue to offer the highest level of service," Hollingshead said.

Sweet believes the tranistion will be a smooth one. "I am confident that Chief Hollingshead will serve our community well during this transition," Sweet said. "He is a proven leader and his extensive experience makes him the strongest candidate for this role. I encourage everyone to join me in giving Chief Hollingshead a warm welcome."

Notification of Aquatic Treatment Lake Pearl

Lake Pearl will be chemically treated to control nuisance and invasive aquatic vegetation on Wednesday, June 6, 2018

The lake is closed to all water uses (including, swimming, fishing and boating) on day of treatment only. Swimming, fishing and boating may resume on Thursday morning (June 7th). Use of lake water for drinking, irrigation or watering livestock are prohibited for 5 days post-treatment, or until June 11th. This work is being performed for the Town of Wrentham, Board of Selectmen by SOLitude Lake Management of Shrewsbury. The project is being undertaken pursuant to permits issued by MassDEP and the Wrentham Conservation Commission.