A changing skyline, a traveling house, maybe a new Town Administrator
Published on January 2nd, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - The Stoneham skyline has morphed over the past year with a Town Common settling bucolicly from the dust of downtown demolition, a souped-up Police Station sprouting from the roots of the seasoned original, a rehabilitated and reinvigorated Stoneham Theatre strutting its stuff behind a sparkling new marquee, and the fully loaded 2000 model South School pulling into Summer Street.
And not far beyond the horizon are three more elementary schools, a new St. Patrick Church and a 500,000+ square foot office park rising from the ashes of the Boston Regional Medical Center.
In the streets Stonehamites experienced the splendor of the Millennium Parade in September. And on the serene summer waters of Spot Pond, adventures by boat were free for all.
The Sweetser House is the only mobile block of Stoneham skyline. The historical home has more lives than Siamese-twin Siamese cats. In Dec. owner Richard Johnson, a developer and historical home renovator from Arlington, found a spot big enough to house his wandering home. After spending time on Main Street and 50-60 Franklin St. the home will settle on a concrete foundation at 90 Franklin St.
At the polls, before Bush and Gore went the recount route this fall, John Buonomo leapfrogged Thomas Concannon in the Democratic State Primary for Register of Probate. Buonomo lost on the first count but gained key votes in communities around the state, including Stoneham, in a recount and then went on to win the General Election.
The real election heat in 2000 was in the race for State Representative for the 34th District, including precincts 1, 2 and 3 in Stoneham. Incumbent Democrat Paul Casey faced a tough challenge by Republican challenger Michael Rotondi, Stoneham’s Town Moderator.
The two men squared off in a contentious League of Woman voters debate. Signs were everywhere. Asking “Who are you voting for?” around town would yield “Casey” or “Rotondi,” not “Bush” or “Gore.”
In the end, Casey held on by a wide margin. He cited his record, especially on gun control legislation. Rotondi thought his opponent benefited from the piggyback effect from a strong Democratic vote for President in the district.
Locally, Bob Sweeney joined the Board of Selectmen and Marc Grimaldi became the School Committee rookie after the 2000 Town Election, both unseating incumbents.
Plans to build hockey rinks on MDC property bordering the Fells drew jeers for Ray Bourque’s investor group.
The former Bruin’s group was one of several entities looking at a deal with the MDC for a public/private partnership managing ice hockey rinks on the site on Pond Street. A draft of legislation to allow such a deal has been prepared by the MDC and environmental testing of the site is complete. But so far, in the face of strong neighborhood opposition, no building has been formally proposed.
Many meetings were held to discuss how to improve Stoneham town government. In the end no on could agree on what was broken, let alone how to fix it.
St. Patrick Parish has raised nearly $4 million to triple the seating in the church, connect the church and school, add a gym, auditorium and parish center, and make the entire structure handicap accessible.
Engineers are working on the construction drawings, which should be ready in four months.
Parents for Healthy Schools discovered contamination at the site of the new Central School. Clean up has added hundreds of thousands of dollars to the project. But, as the School Committee always says, the safety of the children is paramount.
No one feels safe after the Wakefield tragedy. Seven people are dead and countless families are mourning. This story will dominate are hearts and minds deep into the next year.
Coming soon, Stoneham could be in the market for a new town administrator. Stoneham Town Administrator Jeff Nutting is a finalist for the same position in Franklin, Mass., just minutes from his home.
And all signs indicate that the Donovan v. Town of Stoneham case will be settled any moment. See next week’s Independent.
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