Housing Authority to receive trash fee rebate
Published on March 22nd, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - The town's Housing Authority will likely receive the $21,000 in funding required to pay off its share of the Selectmen-instituted trash fee.
Approaching the Board of Selectmen last week, Stoneham Housing Authority Executive Director Joanne Graves announced that state officials appeared receptive to a last-ditch effort to obtain a supplemental appropriation to foot the outstanding bill.
"The board voted for a budget revision that we were able to do in the eleventh hour," Graves explained, saying Housing Authority members originally requested a $375,000 subsidy.
"That caught their attention and by Monday, they got back to us," the Executive Director added. "We are cautiously optimistic that the Commonwealth will support this line item."
The Housing Authority's supplemental budget request came after the Board of Selectmen intimated earlier this month that the town would file suit against the government entity if it failed to pay for the rubbish costs.
Insisting that the state-funded, low-income housing organization couldn't convince state officials and legislators to pay for the outstanding obligation, Housing Authority members had originally appealed to the Selectmen to waive the fee.
However, several Selectmen refused to consider the request, arguing that the Housing Authority had already received a 50 percent discount on the $150 per unit fee.
"My concern is this, we're subsidizing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by allowing you not to pay a rubbish fee," Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello had vented at the original meeting. "The seniors that can least afford [a rubbish fee] in this town get $50 off, whereas you're getting $75 off."
"And you're not even paying it. You're talking about how you're in trouble, but we're in trouble too. The Commonwealth has been short-changing us in terms of the PILOT money and the Chapter 70 money. And it really isn't right," Ciccarello furthered.
A Selectmen fixture steps down
After serving 21 consecutive years on the town's Board of Selectmen, Ciccarello received a standing ovation last week after the Dinanno Road resident confirmed last Tuesday would be his last official meeting.
As a gesture of appreciation, current Selectmen Chair Robert Sweeney thanked the seven-term veteran for his years of service.
"Tonight is Selectman Ciccarello's last night as a member of the Board of Selectmen. So I'd like to turn over the gavel to Selectman Ciccarello," said Sweeney, allowing his counterpart to sit-in on his last meeting as a Ceremonial Chairman.
Also offering his thanks to Ciccarello later on in the night, Town Administrator Ron Florino, who has served as a town official alongside the Selectman since his beginnings in local government, recalled all the support he had received over the years.
"I'd like to thank Chairman Ciccarello. He's certainly supported me over the years, and it's going to be a little different without him on the board," said Florino. "He's always been a champion for the underdog."
Town Counsel Reappointment
In a unanimous vote, the Selectmen consented to Town Counsel Bill Solomon's request to continue serving as Stoneham's legal representative.
According to the Selectmen, Solomon recently submitted a letter to the board seeking to continue his tenure as the town's attorney, a position he has held for close to two-decades.
"I would like to compare Town Counsel to a good bottle of wine, because the longer you keep that bottle, the better it tastes," said Ciccarello, throwing his full support behind Solomon.
"I appreciate the long hours Bill puts in," added Selectman Tony Kennedy. "It's clearly not a 40-hour a week job. I think Bill has gone above and beyond what's expected. And I appreciate that."
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