Finance Board requests town meeting, Common construction criticized
Published on August 2nd, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - Parade marshals: Town Clerk and Parade Committee Co-Chairman John Hanright announced that the residents leading the Sept. 17 Millennium Parade will be the same men and women who marched into battle for their country in World War II.
WWII veterans living in Stoneham have been named as group marshals of the grand parade. Hanright has asked all veterans interested in marching to contact his office at Town Hall, at 279-2650.
<li>Sister Plante update:
Those following the court case of Beverly Plante, a nun known in the Sisters of Mercy order as Sister Michaelinda Plante, were anxiously awaiting the depositions of a priest and nun who were supposed to shed light on why Plante was allegedly forced out of her job with the Fall River Diocese school system more than six years ago.
A legal malpractice suit against attorney Robert George, who represented Plante in two failed lawsuits against the Fall River Samaritans and the Fall River Archdiocese, is keeping the issue alive in Suffolk Superior Court. Many people, including Stoneham residents, have banded together as the "Friends of Sister Plante" to raise money to fund her legal battle.
After a lengthy struggle to overcome ecclesiastical privilege and get Father Richard Beaulieu and Sister Rosemary La Liberte on the stand, both the priest and nun did not show up for scheduled depositions last week.
The priest said he could not come because his lawyer did not show up, and the nun sent the court a note from her doctor, claiming that she was not healthy enough to be disposed.
Sources close to the case say one of the large Boston dailies is pursuing a story about possible obstruction of justice by the Diocese of Fall River.
In a separate deposition, Plante revealed the maiden name of the wife of a general known only by the alias Ross. This woman is thought to be at the center of the controversy that led to Plante's removal and her subsequent lawsuits. The name is sealed but will be released at a later date per orders of Superior Court Judge Margot Boxford.
<li>Town Meeting: Finance and Advisory Board Chairman Rich Gregorio has asked the Board of Selectmen to call a Special Town Meeting to appropriate money to clean up contaminated town land.
"The town has contracted Gale and Associates to do an environmental study on the railroad right-of-way between Pomeworth and Central Streets...and may recommend that the town remedy a portion of the area for contaminated soil," Gregorio said in a July 24 letter to town officials. "The Finance and Advisory Board requests a Special Town Meeting be called immediately upon receipt of the report..."
Town Administrator Jeff Nutting said on July 28 that the report should be ready in "a couple weeks."
Selectmen Chairman Pat Jordan said he wants to see how much money the town will get from the state this year before making any new appropriations.
The state budget should wrap up in August.
<li>Bump-out blues: A group of citizens, including John DeGeorge and Alice DelRossi, allege that bump-outs being constructed in front of the Town Hall were eliminated by a Feb. 8 vote of the Board of Selectmen.
Bump-outs are extensions from the curb designed to slow traffic. The pavement has been cut for the bump-outs, outlined in spray-paint, but no stone or concrete has been laid yet.
A Town Common plan dated January 2000 showed one large bump-out stretching along Central Street for the length of the Town Hall.
Minutes from the Feb. 8 meeting say that a motion made by Selectmen Cosmo Ciccarello to eliminate the bump out to allow for parking in front of Town Hall passed.
Notes from that meeting, taken by the Independent, document a discussion about allowing space in front of Town Hall for four parking spots.
The current design with the middle section of the long bump-out removed differs from the January 2000 plans and provides parking in front of the Common as citizens requested at the Feb. 8 meeting. But the design leaves two small bump-outs.
DeGeorge said that this may have been discussed at the meeting, but he added that the minutes are the only true record.
"They said 'eliminate the bump-out,'" DeGeorge said.
Selectmen have told the interested citizens that town officials will look into what was voted and what was intended.
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