Year in Review: A time of change around a quiet town
Published on December 26th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The changing face of Stoneham continued this year with a transition to new heads in nearly every major department within the Town of Stoneham, and what a year it's been.
The town voted against another Proposition 2 _ override and waged an embarrassing battle against becoming one of the few towns within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without sports.
The School Committee voted to include high school sports among a list of possible cuts during budget discussions last summer, but the Selectmen and School Committee were amazingly able to discover the money needed without significantly raising user fees or other onerous costs to parents.
The damage was still done as many people in neighboring towns express surprise that Stoneham still has high school sports, and the town can look forward to having that stigma associated with its name after national and local news stories brought Stoneham's situation to light.
The biggest hope for the New Year is that the town fathers and local decision-makers learned their lesson by playing with the town's reputation ostensibly to drive a point home - and that they won't ever use innocent kids with a dream to play SHS sports as pawns within their game again.
The SHS sports issue didn't become a touchstone until mid-summer and - without further ado - here is the first installment of the year in review that starts with the hiring of former Everett Mayor Dave Ragucci as Town Administrator.
January
Ragucci named Town Administrator
By Patrick Blais
Published on January 17th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The town's Board of Selectmen unanimously declared former Everett Mayor David Ragucci as their top choice to replace outgoing Town Administrator Ron Florino on Tuesday.
According to the Selectmen, the town's new Town Administrator plans to report to work on Feb. 1 and will receive a salary between $90,000 and $110,000.
Ragucci, who served four terms as Everett's mayor until his recent election defeat last year, beat out second finalist Jim Johnson for the post. Johnson, a Winchester native and current Norwood resident, presently serves as the Assistant Town Administrator in the South Shore community of Walpole.
A third finalist, who was also selected for a final interview out of the pool of 40 potential candidates, reportedly came from a background consisting of mostly private sector experience. The applicant, whose name was not available, apparently declined to be interviewed after being contacted by the Selectmen.
According to Selectman Paul Rotondi, who made the motion to hire Ragucci, he believed both finalists possessed the management, negotiation, and financial backgrounds the board sought in a new Town Administrator.
However, the first-term Selectman couldn't pass-up on selecting a candidate with the type of municipal government experience Ragucci's background boasted of.
"The discriminant for me is that I think we were very fortunate to have an ex-mayor [as a candidate] with the experience he brings along with that," Rotondi commented. "I think he can bring to Stoneham a new initiative. I think he could be the impetus for some positive change."
Citing another reason for tapping the former mayor for the position, Selectman John DePinto referred to Stoneham's difficult budget picture, a situation that has been exacerbated by reductions in state aid and chapter 70 or educational funding.
Russo won't pull papers for School Committee
By Patrick Blais
Published on January 31st, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - School Committee Chairwoman Kristen Russo will not seek reelection this spring, the first-term educational board member confirmed on Tuesday night.
According to Russo, who made the announcement during a phone interview, while she very much enjoys her office, she wants to concentrate the majority of her energy on her growing family.
The Everett Street resident was initially appointed to the School Committee after David Sheils stepped down from his post over three-years-ago. After being elected to the post in her own right, her counterparts selected her to serve as the School Committee's Chairwoman.
"My family has grown by two more children [since I was elected]. And they're at the stage where they need me around a little more. It was a difficult decision to make, but I'm not going far," Russo said.
"It's a very tough budget season, and part of me feels guilty about not seeing things through. But I have to do what's best for my family at this point. And like I said, I won't be going far," added the Everett Street resident.
Level-funded budget could spell trouble
By Nancy Donahue
Published on January 24th, 2007
Despite several years of cuts already sustained, the School Committee is once again gearing up for another difficult budget year. The FY2008 budget season is looming, and all items are again on the table for consideration to cut in light of the Town Administrator's recent allocation to the School Committee of a 2008 budget of $22,889,162, which maintains the same level of funding as the current year with no trash fee monies included.
Last Thursday, School Committee Chairman Kristin Russo called for Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly and Business Manager Anthony DeCologero to begin giving the School Committee some hard numbers to work with.
School Committee Vice Chairman Maureen Soley explained that while the Town Administrator's budget figure proposal is called a level funded budget, it will not necessarily cover the school program which is not level funded since it has endured increases in costs but not in funding.
Resident Marissa Raczkowski asked the School Committee to not begin inside the classroom in looking to make cuts to meet the Town Administrator's budget number.
"We cannot lose another teacher or squeeze more kids in a classroom...I don't want to hear that the Middle School is on the table again. I don't want to hear that accreditation is at risk again."
While School Committee members were empathetic to these concerns, they stated that inside or outside the classroom there is nowhere left to cut.
"Anything is devastating at this point," said committee member Cheryl Walsh.
February 2007
Doomsday FY2008 budget unveiled by schools
By Patrick Blais
Published on February 14th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The School Committee reluctantly unveiled a revised budget on Monday night that would layoff over 30 education personnel, close down a wing of the middle school, and slash all high school athletics next year.
As mandated by Town Administrator David Ragucci, the education board instituted nearly $1.5 million worth of reductions to its proposed $24.4 million budget for FY'08.
However, according to School Committee Chair Kristen Russo, that deficit was raised to $1.8 million to account for employee raises, which are still un-negotiated on both sides of the municipality at this point.
"We felt that it was our responsibility to add this and not let this unfunded liability compound," said Russo, explaining why that $300,000 figure was tacked onto the fiscal hole.
Schools' Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly explained that as in years past, soaring special education costs, as well as health insurance and utility expense increases, were the primary factors driving the requested $1.8 million increase in funding for next fiscal year.
Combined, those three factors alone reportedly total over $1 million, close to half of the entire district's FY'08 deficit.
Referring to the constant criticism the school department has received over recent years, Connelly contended that school officials had tackled nearly every major revenue-generating idea to offset the budget crisis.
Former SHS goaltender moving on to a different Pot of Beans
By Bob Haggerty
Published on February 14th, 2007
BOSTON, MA - BU won their third consecutive and 28th overall Beanpot Tournament Title Monday evening thanks in large part to their MVP goaltender, John Curry.
When asked about his successful career with the Terriers, Curry was quick to credit BU goalie coach Mike Geragosian - a Stoneham native and former standout for the Stoneham High School Spartans hockey team (class of 1971).
"He's meant everything to me regarding my success," said Curry, who set records for save percentage during the tournament. "Without him, I'm not sure I'd be anywhere close to where I am right now.
"Coach Gera" has definitely been the biggest influence on me since my freshman year when I wasn't playing much. He saw something in me and took the time, effort, and patience to develop it," added Curry.
Geragosian taught business and economics in Wakefield for many years and was known as "Mr. G" during his tenure at Wakefield High, but is currently called coach Gera by his BU players, and in his high school playing days in Stoneham was simply referred to as "Cou-Tou the Armenian Butterfly".
"I always felt like the butterfly style was the more natural way to play the position for me," said Geragosian. "It sure beats staying up and taking shots off the head. I started out playing a mixed style, but because of my being short and quick I felt more overall control in the butterfly."
Several Soviet goalies used it in the 1970's successfully as did Montreal Canadiens goalkeeper
Patrick Roy and nearly every goaltender of today.
"The chest over and hands-forward approach was more of a Soviet-style while the chest back and hands to the side was more of the Canadian style," explained Geragosian. "I combined the both of them and came up with a style that I still teach my students today."
Geragosian backstopped his Spartans hockey team to the 1970 Middlesex League title for which the entire team was inducted into the SHS Hall of Fame - a squad that had a full complement of puck knowledge including head coach Dick Burns and current Boston College goalie coach Jim Logue.
Selectmen approve Dairy Dome addition
By Joe Haggerty
Published on February 28th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The town's Board of Selectmen unanimously authorized a building addition at Main Street's Dairy Dome this Tuesday night, despite cited concerns over potential parking hazards.
According to local attorney Charles Houghton, who represents long-time Dairy Dome business owner Thomas Mayo, his client was seeking to tack an eight by 24 foot addition onto the northeast side of the site.
With the new space, Mayo hopes to expand the business, by adding meal service to the popular summer ice-cream eatery.
The proposal for the alterations at the historic property, located at 472 Main Street near Middle Street, had already received an endorsement from the town's Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), which granted side setback variances.
The ZBA also reportedly granted variances for parking at the site, but the local attorney wasn't specific as to what waivers were specifically given.
"The building is close as it's laid-out, but it's also a historic building, so we didn't want to change anything," said Houghton of the ZBA process. "We did meet zoning for many of the requirements and we did acquire variances [for parking]."
According to Selectmen Chair Robert Sweeney and board member George Seibold, they had some serious concerns about parking lot alterations at the site.
Specifically, in order to comply with zoning bylaws and to build the addition itself, the applicant had proposed creating four new spaces on the Middle Street side of the lot.
April
Vallarelli tops Selectmen ticket
By Patrick Blais
Published on April 4th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - In what many town officials described as a call for change, Stoneham citizens overwhelmingly backed the candidacy of Birch Street resident Frank Vallarelli this Tuesday, while ousting the most tenured incumbent on the Board of Selectmen.
Although Selectman John DePinto, the second incumbent, retained his seat on the board, Vallarelli trounced the competition, capturing 41 percent of all votes cast in favor of a candidate - almost 490 votes more than the runner-up and 700 more than veteran Selectman Tony Kennedy.
According to unofficial election tallies by Town Clerk John Hanright, Vallarelli topped the Selectmen's race ticket with 2,045 votes, DePinto captured 1,557 endorsements, and Kennedy received 1,350 votes.
Based upon those same unofficial figures, while a total of 6063 ballots were cast in the Selectmen's race - the 3,032 voters chose two candidates - 1,084 entries were left blank. The remaining balance of votes were write-in candidates, with 27 total being made.
"I'm floored as to the number of votes I got," said Vallarelli, during his victory party at the Montvale Plaza on Tuesday night. "I feel that the results were accurate in [illustrating] the way that people feel today."
"I like Tony, but I think he's been there long enough to do something, he had his chance, and he didn't get it done. John hasn't been on the board that long," added the newest Selectman, saying that he felt the electorate sent a clear message that they want more action from its officials.
Olson plans to bridge gaps
By Patrick Blais
Published on April 18th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham's newest superintendent of schools has little doubt that he has many gaps of mistrust to bridge when he replaces veteran administrator Dr. Joseph Connelly in the district's corner office this July.
According to current Westborough Asst. Supt. Les Olson, who was selected to lead the town's school system in a controversial 4-1 vote earlier this month, he is well aware that a number of long-time teachers and community members disapprove of his selection as superintendent of schools.
School Committee member Maureen Soley, the only dissenting vote in the choice of Olson as the district's next leader, couldn't be reached for comment by presstime.
When Olson was chosen by the School Committee over veteran Stoneham High School Principal Thomas Ryan, who was considered by some to be the front-runner for the post, teachers walked-out of the meeting in protest.
In addition, a number of local parents, teachers, and concerned residents have since espoused their disapproval of the School Committee's decision in recent Letters to the Editor.
"It's never an easy process. You need to sit down and listen to the people who may have been disappointed and prove you have the background and experience [to get the job done]," Olson said, during a phone interview in his Westborough office this week.
Rolli to be named Chief
By Joe Haggerty
Published on April 18th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - A lifelong resident and a 25 year veteran of the Stoneham Fire Department, Joe Rolli is set to become the next fire chief and it should become official at next week's Board of Selectmen meeting after Rolli was appointed to the position by Town Administrator Dave Ragucci.
"It's going to be nice to get some stability...we've had acting chief to interim chief to acting chief with everyone else in interim and acting roles as well," said Rolli, a Stoneham Fire Department Captain for the last 17 years. "This way everyone has their permanent roles and we can start going forward and meeting the challenges we're facing here in town."
While the move won't be official until the Selectmen sign off on it, Rolli has already begun to map out a plan for the department and hopes that he can plan around Selectmen R. Paul Rotondi's five-year plan that he presented to the Selectmen several weeks back.
"I really think that Rotondi's plan is something that will work wonders for everyone in the town, and I really hope it passes," said Rolli. "Either way we're just going to go out and do our jobs, but there are some serious manpower issues facing us in the department. We do the best that we can with the resources that we have, and we'll continue to do the best we can with the manpower that we have."
The town's bylaws allow the Selectmen an opportunity to reject any TA appointment within 7 days. Rolli was selected out of two final candidates who applied for the post, but there were originally three applicants for the position -- with one dropping out prior to the search committee interviews.
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