Above: The two Southborough community members being honored by Rotary this year were selected in large part for their efforts related to helping found and support a “flourishing” community garden to produces food for people in need (images from past Rotary promotions and previously contributed by garden organizers) [This post is special guest contribution by the Rotary Club of Southborough.] sometimes getting caught up in the hustle and bustle and fray of current events it’s good to know that there are those amongst us who are quietly creating lasting spaces that serve our community in lasting ways and remember what peace there is in in silence.” Two of these wonderful people are our very own local residents The Rotary Club of Southborough is hosting the “Celebrating Service” event on Wednesday in the Main Area of the Southborough Library at 25 Main Street We invite you to help recognize these two individuals who have dedicated their time and efforts in creating the 26-acre Pine Hill Meadow Victory Garden Thousands of pounds of fresh produce have been grown here with countless deliveries to local food pantries and shelters Beneficiaries of these efforts include the Southborough Free Fridge With the assistance of volunteers including neighbors as well as students from Algonquin and St the Victory Garden continues to flourish through hands-on efforts and donations Created during the height of the pandemic and located in the eastern side of town on an open space parcel owned by a trust there are multiple fields with a wide variety of vegetables With the large diversity of cultures in our area and food insecurity unfortunately spanning over many of our community-at-large members it was important to consider growing and donating items that would bring comfort in their familiarity of a basic need: food Al and Diana have been part of the Southborough community since the 1990’s and served the town as well as their neighbors in a multitude of ways Both have tirelessly contributed their efforts to improve and maintain the integrity hospitability and service that makes many love calling Southborough their home and we welcome you and your family to join us in saying a heartfelt “thank you” to Diana and Al donations can be made to the Pine Hill Meadow Trust The Pine Hill Meadow Trust is a registered 501(c)(3) and your donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law For more information on the Rotary Club of Southborough and how this local chapter of a long-established worldwide organization can help the lives of others please visit our website at www.SouthboroughRotary.com for our meeting schedule or email us at RotarySouthborough@gmail.com [Editor’s Note: The duo being honored have previously shared their updates about the garden on the blog. You can find those here.] Here's an easy way to stay up to date with Southborough happenings public Southborough committee and board meetings for this week* along with my selected highlights from the agendas As always, be aware that changes to the meeting schedule (and agendas) are known to happen throughout the week. (Scroll down for details on any meetings that popped up after last Monday’s post.) For an updated list of meetings, visit the Town website Below are meetings from last week that were posted after I ran last week’s list: *I don’t list meetings that are only closed Executive Sessions unless the agenda indicates the possibility of some action in an open public session at the opening or closing of the meeting Peg was predeceased by her parents Thomas and Olivine (Lapine) Furlong She was the devoted wife of and is survived by her husband of 64 years Thomas McCarthy Marcia and her husband Tom Waldron of Mattapoisett and their children Thomas and Liam MA and her children Owen (Leigh Ann) and Liam (Ashley) McConnell and their father Robert McConnell Charlotte and Sophie Levine and their father Peter Levine She was also blessed with one great grandchild-Rowen McConnell Her daughter Bridget and her husband James Drewry of Franklin MA and their children Margaret and Alice Drewry Peg is also survived by her brother Thomas N “Nick” Furlong and her favorite sister in law MA and their two sons Samuel and Thomas Furlong much to the delight of her father’s family who were Charlestown “Townies” and fishermen traced their lineage back to Thomas Hinckley She was raised in the Oak Square neighborhood of Brighton and was educated by the Notre Dame Nuns whom she greatly admired After graduating from Our Lady of the Presentation High School she worked as a bookkeeper after a courtship which was initiated by Tom complimenting her hat after Sunday Mass The early years of their marriage saw them stationed in Norfolk Peg and Tom then moved back to Massachusetts where they completed their family with the addition of Kathleen and Bridget 10 happy years were spent by the ocean in Marion before they settled in what was to become their forever home Always mindful of the importance of family the move to Southborough meant Peg and her young family now lived down the street from her beloved parents and aunts and uncles Peg showed her diverse and creative talents by becoming involved in many civic She surprised many by becoming a Town of Southborough auxiliary police officer and EMT She later served as President of the Friends of the Library and Southborough Gardeners Because of her generous and gregarious personality Peg developed lifelong friendships with her Latisquama Road neighbors and fellow Garden Club Members In recent years she enjoyed playing Pitch with her “Card Friends” several times a week at Colonial Gardens yet her main focus was always the education and well-being of her daughters reading and fashion with the girls and was always willing to impart her motherly wisdom on various subjects including: fashion notes for Emergency Room visits how to hide from your husband and what to cook for family gatherings She celebrated all holidays but by far her favorites were Thanksgiving Aunt Peggy’s Thanksgiving set a standard of cuisine and conviviality to which they all still aspire and remember fondly and these joyous occasions with the Furlongs featured flowing champagne chilled oysters and a “secret” caviar pate mousse July Fourth was typically celebrated by the ocean in either Marion or Mattapoisett One of Peg’s most treasured gifts was a Patriotic candle she received from her then 9 year old grandson Liam McConnell She was very proud of the military service of both of her nephews The one accomplishment she insisted be included in her obituary was that she had saved three children from drowning one of whom was her eldest grandchild…Owen She was one of a kind and will be greatly missed Her family would like to acknowledge the wonderful care she received from her home health-aid Alessandra Dovale of Senior Helpers and the hospice nurses from MetroWest Hospice from 9:30-10:30AM at the Morris-Johnston Funeral Home A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday Burial will follow in Southborough Rural Cemetery (Photo and Obituary via Morris-Johnston Funeral Home) Above: A sample of Southborough events over the next week Here are highlights of what’s happening around (or related to) our town this weekend through next weekend (The gray font below is for previously established long running events that take place weekly or bi-weekly.) Above: This home at 9 Crestview Drive went on the market this week for $799,900 (MLS photo) Here’s what went on and off the market this week. Thanks to Gail DuBois (email) of William Raveis Real Estate for supplying the town’s new listing information for the week.* *Listings for the week are based on data pulled from MLS on Thursday mornings that includes “sold” info that isn’t captured by MLS until a week (or more) following the sale [Listings don’t include houses that weren’t publicly listed through MLS.] Above: Big trucks will again be a draw for kids at a Town run event this weekend (photos L-R by Susan Fitgerald and Beth Melo) Southborough Recreation is promoting an event that should make a lot of young residents very happy this Saturday The Town is putting on a Touch-A-Truck event The event on Sunday May 4th will start off with a “sensory friendly” time from 10:00 – 10:30 am assume that the Southborough Police and Fire Departments as well as the Department of Public Works plan to participate The trucks will be parked in the lower parking lot of Woodward Elementary School Above: Sign up quickly to take part in the Senior Center’s special events coming up over the next 9 weeks (images cropped from Facebook post and promotional materials) The Southborough Senior Center opens registration tomorrow (Friday) morning for May and June programs I’m sharing what  they have in store But I’m also sharing the big news on a “Transition Time” the Senior Center is going through due to big staffing changes The newsletter’s first page highlights that there are fewer programs than usual being offered this spring as the Senior Center adjusts to recent and coming retirements we will be continue our most amazing programs that have been offered at the Senior Center we are doing our best to make this all happen in a timely fashion that the center is usually light on program offerings in July and August I wouldn’t expect a return to the full programming seniors are used to until September Fewer programs to choose from might mean ones that are offered will fill up even quicker than usual registration opens at 10:00 am tomorrow morning — Friday Scroll down for my overview of the programs and to the bottom for more details on registering.* (More details on individual programs, like what’s for lunch, are in the newsletter.) After 24 years of service, Pam LeFrancois retired on April 2nd. A separate newsletter out of the Town Administrator’s office congratulated the “beloved” Senior Center Director Pam’s leadership transformed the Senior Center from one room at the Fayville Village Hall into a vibrant hub of activity Her vision brought innovative programs like the nationally recognized Trailblazers which promoted active lifestyles an dbuilt lasting friendships Pam championed creative ways to keep seniors connected Longtime staff member Peg Leonard has been promoted to fill the Director position. But that left her position of Program Manager vacant. Meanwhile, the center is also preparing to lose Outreach Coordinator Cynthia Beard who will be retiring in June after 27 years. (You can read her farewell note here.) Select Board member Sam Stivers floated the idea that it might be a good time to consider consolidating the Council on Aging department that oversees the Senior Center with Southborough Youth & Family Services During an update at a Select Board meeting he acknowledged that the board heard from back from seniors and COA members who were less than thrilled with the concept Stivers said he wouldn’t pursue pushing for the change The Senior Center’s newsletter included info on one one more staffing change This was about a recent addition to the team supporting the center A new part time position was temporarily added through a grant within the last year The Select Board and Advisory Committee agreed that if the grant isn’t offered for the fiscal year starting in June the Town will continue funding the position the COA describes the work being done by Heidi Cibelli: Heidi is working for the Senior Center on a part time basis with volunteers intergenerational programs with our local schools and Boy and Girls scout troops along with assisting in regularly scheduled programs during the spring and summer while our local schools are winding down You will see programs involving our students announced late summer and in the fall We are really looking forward to Heidi collaborating with our teachers scouts and also a summer recreation program here’s what seniors can sign up to take part in now through the end of June: Planting, conversation and lunch. Bring your gardening ideas and a 4″ plant (Free, details on page 9) Luncheons catered by TJ’s Spirits of Ashland ($6 Suggested Donation, details on page 6) The concert is by the audition-only, award winning middle school band led by Jamie Clark. They’ll perform “big band and jazz tunes”, starting at 4:00 pm. The concert is free to attend, but the event will include an option for purchasing pizza. (Details on page 7) There’s less of a rush for this one. Sign up is by May 27th to participate in the free event with BBQ meal, lottery tickets, give aways and more. (Details on page 8) the Senior Center has special guests and presentations planned A “refresher session” on the methods of conducting CPR. (Free, details on page 6) Make a “Flying Flower Cafe” to attract butterflies and humming birds ($20 Suggested Donation, details on page 9) These regularly offered monthly programs also require pre-registration Bingo and prizes. Tickets are sold promptly starting at 1:00 pm and snacks provided at break time. (Details on page 9) Green & Gold – featuring Craig T A “heartwarming drama about a Wisconsin dairy farmer, Buck, who is struggling to save his family farm from foreclosure.” Watching the movie is free, though registration is required. Attendees can come in early, at noon, for an optional lunch. (Bring your own or register to purchase a lunch for $6 Suggested Donation, details on page 3) The event begins with lunch, followed by coloring while chatting. All supplies will be available or feel free to bring your own ($3 Suggested Donation with lunch included, details on page 3) The center offers the following weekly and semi-weekly classes For classes below, the Suggested Donation is $3 per day, details on page 7: [Note: For Medical Insurance reimbursement see Peg Leonard at the end of your yearly enrollment period to have the form signed.] The following class is also being offered again The Senior Center regularly offers free services and resources for Southborough Seniors in addition to ongoing weekly/monthly resources Schedule a 10 minute appointment with a professional photographer and preservationist who will help seniors restore photos and/or convert movies (film reels/videos), photos, slides, and audio cassettes into digital formats on DVDs or thumb drives. There is a fee for the service (Details on page 8) The “small family owned ‘hydroponic farm'” will be selling chemical/pesticide-free produce at wholesale costs and baked goods. (Farmers Market coupons and EBT accepted, details on page 9) A local tech services company will answer questions about smartphones, e-readers, laptops, tablets, Alexa, zoom and more. Sign up for a time slot (starting at 10:00 am) and bring your device with you. (Details on page 3) A trained SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone on Medicare) volunteer offers help with Medicare questions.  (Details on page 9) Elder Law Attorney Christine Boutin offers free consultation over the phone. Call the senior center to book a time slot between 10:00 – 10:45 am. (Details on page 10) For a list of the services they offer (including wellness checks, screenings, nurse assessments, Q&A, and much more), click here. (For the Nurse’s tips on staying hydrated, details on page 8) Unlike the above programs the following free social or activity-based groups don’t require pre-registration Casual social club for senior men. New members are always welcome to drop in. (Read more about the group here.) so feel free to join late (or leave early/late) Mondays are at Trottier Middle School’s (49 Parkerville Road) outdoor track Wednesdays are at Southborough’s Rural Cemetery (11 Cordaville Road Chat with others while working on your projects Group for people interested in learning more about their own family history and genealogy Members share their own experiences and helps each other with research (sometimes with special discussion topics or presenters) The newsletter’s insert includes an invite to seniors to attend the following performances by Neary 4th & 5th grade students this spring some of which include Trottier 6th-8th graders: Sign up to learn more about participating in the center’s new program using hydroponic garden pods. See page 6. The Town Clerk provides info on receiving free alerts from the Register of Deeds to avoid issues related to scammers filing phony records of property ownership transfers. See page 10 Historical Commission Project — keeping memories alive The insert includes an announcement by the commission about a new project. They are seeking lifelong or longtime residents “willing to answer a few questions about the changes you’ve seen while living here.” They are also looking for photos from around town that are 40 years or older. See details in the insert See pages 1&2 of the newsletter for registration & cancellation details In-person registrations are using a form and must include payment Phone registration (508-229-4453) can’t be done over voicemail — you must connect with someone live Payment for programs needs to be made within one week after signing up to avoid being removed from the list Because the programs tend to have waitlists residents are asked to cancel if their plans change bus trips must be cancelled two weeks in advance and other events one week in advance Above: SYFS is encouraging residents to help promote Mental Health Awareness Month it’s also an update on where you can find the ribbons Patrick’s Day isn’t the only day you’ll see a lot of Southborough community members wearing green Southborough Youth & Family Services has been asking the community to embrace Mental Health Awareness Month by donning green clothing and/or ribbons in early May This year they chose May 2nd as the day “Southborough Goes Green” Let’s come TOGETHER as a community to shine a light on mental wellness throughout Southborough I reached out to SYFS and learned that ribbons are available at the following locations: The Goes Green event is just one in a list of events in May. Click here for my Save the Dates post on other upcoming activities The agency always makes an effort to use May to emphasize the importance of wellness and to help reduce stigma around mental health issues It’s a time of year that reminds us of the importance of self-care and compassion It’s also a time for us to connect with each other and support one another as we all have been touched by mental health challenges in some way Above: Southborough Rec is offering multiple courses to prep the community for seasonal jobs and a safe summer. (images by Safe Sitter® and edited from American Heart Association flyer) Southborough Recreation is again offering multiple classes for tweens and teens to learn about how to safely take care of themselves or others One of the options is a course that adults can also take advantage of to learn how to respond in an emergency All of the programs will be hosted at Southborough Rec’s offices at 21 Highland Street Rec is offering this program for 9-11 year olds (4th-5th graders) who want/need to prepare to be at home alone: Students learn how to practice safe habits and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies Students are also introduced to the Safe Sitter® First Aid Chart and learn a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses The class will take place Wednesday June 4th from 4:30 – 6:30 pm at the Rec Department’s classroom space at 21 Highland Street (the South Union Building) The class costs $55. Click here to sign up Next month 10-16 year olds can take a 2-part class run by Safe Sitter Rec promoted to “future babysitters”: Don’t miss out on our FINAL Safe Sitter babysitting class + CPR certification before summer rewarding way to earn extra cash while building valuable life skills Learn everything you need to be a confident responsible sitter — just in time for summer break This is a two-day course: Participants must attend both Tuesday and Wednesday classes Spots are limited — register today and get ready to make the most of your summer The program follows guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association Students will learn how to prevent unsafe situations and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies They will learn the ages and stages of child development as well as practice diapering and baby care Learn skills such as choking rescue and learning a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses Life & Business Skills: The ability to screen jobs and greet employers will set students up for success now and in the future Students will receive a certification of completion of the class This will also be in the Rec Department’s classroom space at 21 Highland Street (the South Union Building) The class costs $145. Click here to sign up This class is for anyone ages 12+ to learn about “how high-quality CPR improves survival” and how to: students will be certified CPR/AED for two years from the date of the class.  This event will be held at the Public Safety Building It will take place Monday June 9th from 6:00 – 8:00pm The cost is $30. Click here to sign up Above: A Southborough church is relaunching a music series, starting with a successful vocal group and guests from a local school. (images from event website and instagram) Pilgrim’s Fellowship Hall will once again welcome musical acts through a revamped venture dubbed “Common Street Concerts” The inaugural show has been announced for two weeks from Saturday with two a capella groups scheduled to hit the stage The concert will headline the Boston vocalists Five O’Clock Shadow (FOCS) with special guests Voices ReChoired The performance will take place on Saturday Advance Tickets will cost $25 general admission (or $20 per student/senior), plus a $3 service fee. Click here to purchase (Tickets will also be available at the door for an extra $5.) Concert organizers promote FOCS as “a dynamic and engaging” group “known for their ability to create a full band sound using only their voices.”: Think The Doobie Brothers meets Foo Fighters meets Paramore Their intricate vocal arrangements are a hallmark both in their critically acclaimed original music and their distinctive covers What makes FOCS stand out is their innovative use of effects – previously used exclusively by instrumentalists – employed real-time to build the sound The band’s refreshingly authentic rapport among themselves and with their audiences produces a unique and thoroughly entertaining experience each time they hit the stage You can read more here As for their guests — Voices ReChoired was one of this spring’s Northeast Semi-Finalists for the Varsity Vocals International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA) The group’s website describes a competitive group out of Marlborough High since 2008 showcasing members’ “love for music and storytelling through performance” they have chosen the story theme of “courage”: Their set is a call to everyone to live life looking forward and not back sometimes you need to dig deep to find the courage to persevere through everything life throws at you the site also notes that one of members “can often be found driving around town with ‘Time’ by Five O’Clock Shadow on full blast.” If you’d like to blast/listen to Time you can do that using the Spotify track below: you can check out a video the headliners posted a couple of years ago when the covered a Doobie Brothers tune: you can see the high schoolers’ winning Quarter Final performance below: Above: The committee overseeing the Neary Building Project is issuing public communications and promoting more forums for Q&A (images cropped from design renderings and Town News Flash) the Town posted information about more upcoming forums for residents to ask questions about the Neary Building Project the Neary Building Committee sent me a letter they are issuing to the public with answers to some FAQs this was letter #1 of multiple that the NBC plans to issue this week these will allow residents to ask questions about any aspect of the project the Town also announced two more upcoming forums that will specifically focus on answering questions about the cost and financing of the most expensive building project the Town has ever (potentially) invested in For all of the zoom sessions, click here (closer to the event) to find the to-be-posted login info I’m just going to share the intro and  “Table of Contents” below: To read the full letter covering those topics, click here To read my coverage of the project (and letters to the editor from community members about the project) click here Updated (5/1/25 10:26 am): The NBC just sent me a revised letter with fixes to a couple of typos/errors in the one originally linked and AVM will all perform in spring concerts this weekend This weekend is another good one for music lovers Three regional choral groups with Southborough members will be holding concerts in neighboring towns its possible to time it to attend concerts by all three groups The Northborough Area Community Chorus will perform “All That… & Jazz” this Sunday The concert is promoted as featuring Jazz, R&B, 70’s and more. Tickets available online and at the door for $5 each online through today or at the door (cash only) Westborough Community Chorus will perform “an exciting selection” of favorites from Disney movies The Chorus invites the public to “Be Our Guest” at one of the three concerts tonight through Sunday: Children of all ages are welcome (Tonight’s concert doesn’t compete with either of the other groups’ timing.) The family-friendly performances are held at the Gibbons Middle School Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors/children/students. For more details, see my dedicated post.  Assabet Valley Mastersingers’ final concert of the season spring concert “If We Come Together – Songs of Hope and Aspiration” will take place 8:00 pm at Whitcomb Middle School (25 Union St., Marlborough) will perform the contemporary pieces Ola Gjeilo’s “Sunrise Mass” and Elaine Hagenberg’s “Illuminare” Tickets are $20 per student/senior and $25 for general admission Click here for tickets and more details Above: The library is holding another art reception in less than two weeks The Southborough Library is inviting the public to a reception in honor of the latest artist whose works are on exhibit in the library The reception highlighting the work of artist Theresa Kniaz will take place on Saturday It will take place in the area of the main floor stacks According to an event flyer Kniaz is “a self-taught artist” from Hopkinton Her works on display include still-life paintings landscape scenes from Hopkinton State Park and Gloucester Theresa’s process involves conducting photo shoots (sometimes with costumes and props) and then developing portraits based on her sketches and photographs Her works will be on display through June 30th (A price list is available upon request at the main floor circulation desk.) Below is a Facebook post featuring art currently on display: Won’t everyone be a town meeting on May 10 Town Meeting begins at 9:00 am and has only one Warrant item While I’m expecting a lot of discussion and debate it should be over in time for people to attend a reception that is until 3:00 pm I was told the time was coordinated with the artist based on what worked for her and some guests she wanted to be able to attend Above: A guided tour will focus on historic homes in our area It turns out that Southborough residents may not be the only ones who appreciate our Town’s history An architectural/historical tour agency is promoting an upcoming tour this spring that will feature homes in three “Boroughs” including our little borough The Tour “A Century in the ‘Boroughs'” will take participants on a guided bus tour to “step inside” historic homes in Northborough What architectural styles were the favorites a hundred years ago The century between 1825 and 1925 was an extraordinary period of evolution for American homes in New England: colonial fashions lingered on for a while and last but not least the understated Craftsman homes This tour will highlight many of the beautiful houses that define this century discussing the interesting people that called them home and other great history along the way Join us for this unique experience to see historic homes and immerse yourself in culture and history The full details aren’t yet available but the company states “We will be boarding the bus in the “Boroughs” area” To sign up, click here Above: Kindergroup is promoting that “rain drops” won’t cancel the “bunny hops” planned for tomorrow’s Easter Egg Hunt When Southborough Kindergroup initially announced the annual Easter Egg Hunt for this Saturday they listed Sunday as the “rain date” But with a rainy forecast threatening the entire weekend they are promoting tomorrow morning’s Egg Hunt as “rain or shine” fun It’s not the first time that Kindergroup has plowed ahead despite a wet forecast make like New Englanders — pull out your rain gear along with your Easter baskets rainy weather means opportunities for “puddle jumping” Kindergroup’s festivities will take place Saturday (That’s at the corner of Routes 30 & 85.) The event is free to the public, but they did ask families to pre-register to help them plan The classic traditional fun that Kindergroup has offered for years is scooping up plastic eggs with candy (Bring your own camera.) Beyond that some details change from year to year organizers promoted that there will be a DJ playing music The kids will be split into three age groups that will hunt at different times: 0-3 years “Pre-Hunt” activities will begin at 10:00 am and the first hunt “promptly at 10:30 a.m.” Kids should bring their own baskets with them The free event is made possible through a donation from “generous presenting sponsor The candy and refreshments are donated by Wegman’s To sign up, click here Below is an Instagram promo that Kindergroup posted last year highlighting fun attendees had at the 2023 event A post shared by Southborough Kindergroup (@southboroughkindergroup) Above: The annual Walk/Run on Southborough roads to support NECC’s work, including autism research and education, is next week. (images edited from fundraiser page) There’s a big annual event that I accidentally left off my “Events this week” list The Southborough based New England Center for Children’s annual 5K Walk/Run for Autism is this weekend runners and walkers will take help raise awareness and funds for NECC’s autism research and education Registration is $25 and includes a race T-shirt and bib (You can also join/form a team to fundraise.) If you miss the deadline to register online (here) the registration tables will open that morning at 8:30 am The event includes a free post-race cookout to celebrate It also includes a vendor expo with exhibitors giving away “swag” the “presenting sponsor” is BJ’s Wholesale Club NECC promotes: This professionally timed race is a signature fundraiser supporting NECC’s programs in Massachusetts and New England over 1,000 participants helped to raise nearly $324,000 for NECC’s Annual Fund “We are incredibly grateful for BJ’s Wholesale Club’s continued partnership and generous support of this event,” said Jared Bouzan “Their commitment to our mission makes a meaningful difference in the lives of children with autism and their families we look forward to another successful event that brings our community together to raise awareness and vital funds for autism education and research.” you can still mark the date to give your support in person and/or donate online For those of you who are planning to participate The event is held at the Neary School campus on Parkerville Road The day’s activities are based at Neary School’s campus (53 Parkerville Rd) with the course looping around the Parkerville and Deerfoot Road area Satellite lots are at 225 Turnpike Road (walking distance away — ½ mile) and NECC’s Main Campus (33 Turnpike Rd) with shuttles from both locations For more of the event details or to register online today, click here I’m sharing news on two recent court cases related to the Southborough Police Department that made headlines One was for charges that the police are pressing in court after an allegedly violent fight at Southborough’s Owen O’Leary’s defending a decision made three years ago by the former chief in denying a resident’s application for a firearms license Man arrested after allegedly beating person with flashlight at local bar — Community Advocate (April 28th) the Southborough Police responded to an allegedly violent fight at Owen O’Leary’s on the afternoon of April 16th: who said the suspect grabbed him by the throat and punched him The suspect then reportedly grabbed a flashlight and began striking the victim on the head The suspect was arraigned in Westborough and is being held without bail until a May 17th probable cause hearing. Charges include armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of controlled substances. For more details, see the CA story here Gun license could be denied based on family situation —Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 22nd) & Southborough man’s bid for gun license may go to SJC — The MetroWest Daily News (April 24) a Mass Appeals Court found in favor of Southborough’s former police chief for having had the authority to “deny a high-capacity firearm license to an applicant based on the allegedly volatile home environment” The story highlights that the chief’s decision was based on the SPD’s history of interactions with the resident’s wife and son including prior “domestic violence” and “mental health” incidents The court upheld that when Chief Kenneth Paulhus made his decision to deny the Paul Dwiggins a license in 2022 it was consisted with the statutes of that time The 2-1 decision in “Chief of Police of Southborough v et al” overruled earlier decisions in Westborough District Court and Worcester Superior Courts Those courts had supported the petition by the gun license applicant “We may disturb the chief’s determination that the applicant might create a risk to public safety only if it amounted to an abuse of discretion or was arbitrary and capricious pointing to what he described as “an insufficient showing that the applicant himself poses a risk to public safety.” Southborough’s Town Counsel acknowledged that some of the language has been altered since Attorney Jay Talerman was quoted about the uncertainty of what the altered language means for future decisions: “It’s hard to say what’s going to happen going forward,” Talerman said “Even though the new statute does exclude certain components of the old statute it still provides a fairly deferential standard for police chiefs a police chief might have to do more factfinding though Dwiggins would not necessarily preclude a chief from acting in the same way You can read the full MLW story here Dwiggins’ attorney told the paper he hopes his client will appeal the case to the Mass Supreme Judicial Court You can read MWDN’s story here Above: Important details to note on the Town election just around the corner I wrote that only one race is on the ballot for the 2025 Annual Town Election a resident has announced her intent to run as a write-in candidate for a second seat Diane Romm announced that she is going to run for the 1 year School Committee seat after all.1 She is running against the only candidate who will be listed on the ballot for that seat — Denise Eddy but Romm had withdrawn prior to the deadline For readers who were out of town over spring break and not checking the blog I’ll also include again (updated) details on the upcoming Candidates’ Night at the Library a week from Thursday and voting in the election two weeks from today candidates to contested positions in the Town Election are invited to participate only one race is officially on the printed ballot — the Select Board Three candidates are listed as running for two seats on the May 13th Ballot The Library’s annual forum begins at 6:30 pm with a Meet & Greet and light refreshments are invited to the Meet & Greet with community members.) there will be a Q&A with the candidates The annual event is put on by the Trustees of the Southborough Library The panel will be moderated by Trustee Janet Maney As for the Select Board race, stay tuned for candidates’ statements to be posted between now and the election. (You can click here for all coverage related to the election.) For the full list of seats and other uncontested candidates who will be on the ballot, click here. The ballot will also include the Neary Building Project ballot question. (Read more about that here.) The polls will be open for the Annual Town Election on Tuesday May 13 from 6:30 am to 8:00 pm all three precincts will vote in the Trottier Middle School’s Gym at 49 Parkerville Road Registration & Absentee Ballots – Act Now May 6th at 5:00 pm to submit the form requesting a ballot be mailed to them But to avoid overburdening Town staff — please don’t wait until right before the deadline Click here to open the form you’ll definitely want to give extra time!) To apply, you will need to identify your precinct. You can find a map and online help for that on the Town Clerk’s dedicated election page here If you aren’t yet a registered voter in Southborough, the deadline for that is Monday, May 5th at 8:00 pm. That is handled through the state’s website here Above: This home at 32 Flagg Road went on the market this week for $959,000 (MLS photo) Above: The Southborough Kindergroup Easter Egg Hunt features treat filled “eggs” to snatch up and photo ops with the big bunny top & bottom cropped from Kindergroup Instagram post) Updated (4/11/25 3:34 pm): Kindergroup is promoting for folks to ignore the rain date they initially noted The hunt will take place on Saturday the 12th community members are invited to Southborough Kindergroup’s annual Easter Egg Hunt Kindergroup is moving the festivities back to St The event is free to the public, but they are asking families to pre-register to help them plan The classic traditional fun that Kindergroup has offered for years is scooping up plastic eggs with candy organizers promote that there will be a DJ playing music Above: 17 Southborough runners will be part of the pack in Monday’s big marathon. (image cropped from official marathon Facebook post) a bunch of Southborough runners (and families cheering them on) are heading to Hopkinton for the Boston Marathon.  Here’s the complete list of who’s registered for the challenge. (For those publicly raising funds, I included information with links to their blog stories and direct links to their fundraising pages.) Please join me in wishing the following residents the best on their 26.2-mile trek I also want to highlight two runners who qualified to run in the first wave — Lauren Ames and William Fothergill (Ames was Southborough’s fastest finisher when she ran in 2022 and 2023.) Below is the list of runners with links to dedicated posts on those who are raising funds: You can also read about New England Center for Children’s team here If you’re thinking of heading to the starting line in the morning, check out Hopkinton’s travel information (and helpful links) here. To follow runner’s virtually, click here Above: SYFS and other Town departments are offering ways to help the community “Come Together for Mental Health Awareness Month” Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) kicks off one week from today Southborough Youth & Family Services is using the month of May to encourage the community to focus on mental wellness Working with other departments including the Southborough Library and Soutborough Recreation You can take a look at the list of dates right. (Or open an interactive flyer here) Below I’ve listed the events chronologically with more information Discussion of the book, The Authenticity Project by Claire Pooley (Click here for dedicated post.) the Southborough Library will be providing kits including mini painting canvases and easels for the community to use to express themselves and “take a mindful break” The results can be brought back to be displayed at the Mini Art Show opening on May 17th Southborough (and Northborough) are asking the community members to Go Green by wearing green clothes or ribbons to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month SYFS will take part in the library’s regular drop-in story times for kids ages 2-5 with stories and crafts This week’s focus will be connection and empathy Teens are invited to drop in to join the Teen Library Team of volunteers making friendship bracelets that will be given out in the community SYFS will take part in the library’s regular drop-in story time for tots ages 0-2 with stories The coalition that partners town and school staff from Northborough and Southborough for preventing and reducing substance misuse in the community will conduct “Outreach to Algonquin Students” throughout the week The second meeting of the 3- part community book group discussing the book Together by Dr. Vivek Murthy. (Read more in dedicated post.) Southborough Recreation is putting on this free family yoga session for all ages and skill levels “Bring your yoga mats and loved ones for a fun and peaceful experience let’s prioritize our mental and physical well-being.” The session will be led by Emma Bartolini Opening exhibition of the mini art pieces attendees made from the “grab and go” kits made available at the start of the month The art will remain on display elsewhere in the library throughout the month (Sponsored by The Friends of the Southborough Library) A workshop focused on building stronger, healthier connections. Learn more about validation and how to use it to create more meaningful interactions with those around you. To register, click here (Note: Unlike the other events, this one isn’t free. Registration for this event through Southborough Recreation costs $50.) An evening focused on self-care through art expression. Southborough moms will explore their creative side through a fun and interactive collage activity. Click here for details and to register Wrap up the month with a reception to Celebrate Wellness — a community gathering focused on connection They will also honor Finn School teacher Julianne Topliffe this year’s recipient of the annual Laurie Sugarman-Whittier Wellness Award Updated (4/24/25 5:53 pm): I had accidentally reversed the activity descriptions for the preschool and baby/toddler story times Above: The NBC has publicly posted renderings of a future 4 grade school proposed to replace Neary School Some residents have concerns about a former landfill uphill That topic will be addressed at a forum this week I posted news that town and school committee meetings that had been scheduled for today through Thursday morning were cancelled due to Open Meeting Law issues But I received confirmation that one meeting will go on Although the Neary Building Committee won’t meet the forum they planned to answer questions from the public will still go on this Wednesday night The meeting doesn’t have a hybrid or virtual option for participating you’ll want to make plans to attend in person the meeting will be recorded to allow those who can’t make it to catch up later The event is scheduled for 7:00 pm in the Trottier Middle School auditorium The topic is focused on Neary Building Project site selection and consideration of adjacent landfill; Q&A may include other aspects of project One member of the committee will host the forum which will include the Town’s engineering consultant from PARE A video of the meeting will later be shared on Southborough Access Media’s cable access channel and YouTube. The YouTube channel already has the video from the April 10th meeting at Trottier about the Educational Benefits and grade configuration. You can watch that here Above: Rotary has revamped details of the annual “Earth Day” street clean up event (images cropped from flyer and contributed photo) The Southborough Rotary asked me to alert readers about a change of plans for the 33rd annual Earth Day Cleanup event To make it easier on everyone (volunteers and DPW staff) they revamped the details The public is still invited to come by the DPW office on the morning of Saturday April 26th (8:30 – 11:00 am) to grab the yellow bags for collecting trash (You can either select your clean up route then or scroll down for details about signing up to reserve one in advance.) instead of being expected to complete cleanup before noon volunteers can do the work any time they prefer on Saturday or Sunday Just leave the bags at the end of the street DPW trucks will make the rounds on Monday morning to pick up the collected trash.  Have a favorite spot that needs TLC call Southborough’s Department of Public Works at 508-485-1210 or visit the office to look at their map.  The DPW office is at 147 Cordaville Road (off the driveway for the Transfer Station) Remember to be prepared with your own work gloves and “sturdy footwear” The effort is sponsored each year by the Rotary Club of Southborough in honor of Earth Day Above: A look at some of the events taking place in town over the next week (images of cropped flyers) Updated (4/25/25 11:52 am): I updated the new details for Earth Day I also recreated this post from last Friday which somehow vanished from the blog sometime between yesterday afternoon and this morning Updated (4/25/25 12:31 pm): I added a musician performing at Owen O’Leary’s and Safe Spaces meeting tonight Above: Volunteers from Southborough Gardeners will again be selling a variety of plants from their own gardens (images from flyer and photo by Beth Melo) Mark your calendars for the Southborough Gardeners big annual plant sale Their spring fundraiser is a great source to pick up some flowers to perk up your yard or home this spring The flyer touts “annuals perennials and hanging planters from local growers and our members’ own gardens” Past sales have included lush geraniums and impatiens the Gardeners proudly promoted that their sale is well known for the perennials that members dig out of their own gardens to donate They “have been tested by our own member’s gardens” and include varieties “not usually seen in commercial greenhouses” the event will be held at the Community House 28 Main Street (on the corner of Routes 30 & 85 downtown) Proceeds from the sale go towards the club’s Town beautification and education efforts To learn more about the Southborough Gardeners, click here Above: Learn how you can grow leafy greens this gardening season The Southborough Library is bringing back Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens for another gardening workshop this Tuesday This time the focus is on growing “the most nutritionally dense food on the planet” I’ll also take this opportunity to remind readers that don’t have home gardens that Southborough has a Community Garden. I don’t know if there are any plots left this season, but you can check out the details here. a promotion for the “Growing Leafy Greens” presentation promises to teach how to successfully grow “kale chard and lettuce using several methods” The talk will take place on the Library’s main floor at 7:00 pm on April 29th The presentation by BVVG will also be recorded by Southborough Access Media The Library’s website is also promoting a resource at the Library that gardeners who attend (or watch the talk) may be interested in: Did you know that the Southborough Library offers a library seed exchange to its patrons? A library seed exchange is a free program where community members “borrow” seeds from the library at the beginning of the growing season in the hopes they will save seeds from their plants and return a portion to the library. Seeds are located on the Main Floor in the Judy Williams Reading room. For more information, click here Above: This home at 14 Orchard Road went on the market this week for $2,175,000 (MLS photo) Above: Rotary is encouraging the community to make plans to help with the annual “Earth Day” street clean up event Updated (4/24/25 3:17 pm): Given the forecast Southborough Rotary announced a change of plans Instead of clean up taking place during the Saturday morning window residents can pick up their bags and pick routes during that time but they can choose anytime throughout the weekend to do their clean up Just leave the bags at the end of your assigned road and the DPW will make the rounds on Monday morning to pick them up The Rotary Club of Southborough is sponsoring it’s annual call for the community to pitch in and clean up town streets the Saturday after Earth Day The 33rd Annual “Earth Day Clean Up” will take place this Saturday Have a favorite spot that needs TLC call Southborough’s Department of Public Works at 508-485-1210 or visit the office to look at their map Or just show up that morning from 8:30 – 11:00 am to pick a street and grab your bags Above: The Neary Building Committee has posted dates of some special upcoming meetings with Q&A opportunities (new building design rendering from Facebook the Neary Building Committee will be holding more presentations and forums to answer voters’ questions about the big project to build a new four grade school Two coming up quickly promise to have new data on the project cost and future tax implications I’m sharing that information along with updates on the project including touted benefits and organized opposition For readers who haven’t been following this project — Town and school officials are proposing to tear down the current Neary School (for 4th & 5th graders) and build a new four grade school on the same site Finn School students would be moved up to Woodward School Scroll down to the bottom of this story for more details The most recent forecast had Southborough’s share of the project would be at least close to $70M It would be by far the biggest spend Southborough voters have ever made on a building project (Proponents highlight that is a result of the ever increasing costs for building construction.) Finance Subcommittee Chair Kathy Cook asked me to highlight that the first two meetings in the list below will offer a detailed presentation on the project costs and the future tax impacts (It will include new figures she’ll be receiving later this week.) She noted that presentation will also include the projected overall Town budget thru June 30 2031 “including details of expected school operational cost savings from the project.”  The other upcoming meetings were promoted on the committee’s Facebook page and a closed community Facebook group last week. They were just added to the Neary Building Project website this week.1 The posted list of upcoming dates and topics (including Q&A) are: These are just the meetings that organizers are encouraging the public to attend to learn more and ask questions They are in addition to public meetings the Neary Building Committee and its subcommittees have been holding to get their work done (For instance, the Finance Subcommittee will also be meeting this week to discuss the newest project estimates and 5 year budget projection.) the biggest save the dates are for the times that residents will actually vote on the project and its financing: who also serves on the NBC and the Finance subcommittee shared improved Neary Building project financials She told the board that the NBC had worked with the Owners Project Manager and architects to push the project costs down Cook pointed to the Town’s share of the cost as being lowered to just below $70M. 3 Upon questioning, also Cook admitted that the revised cost doesn’t include speculation for the unknown future impacts of recently announced tariffs Currently, the website for the building project still doesn’t list tax impacts under FAQs. But a (hard to find) video5 that was posted to the website states that starting in Fiscal Year 2029 residents with homes assessed at $600K would have to pay $811 per year for the project and those with homes of $900K in value $1,207 annually (See video for that and other details below.) It’s worth noting that the home values used in their example are both lower than the current average house value in Southborough. By FY26, the average single family home is projected as over $984K In responding to critics who argue for a two grade building or other less expensive configurations NBC members have responded that there isn’t a viable alternative option Southborough voters will have to approve or reject the proposed building the Town would likely go back to the end of the line for applying to for an MSBA grant and have to wait years Meanwhile Neary will need repairs that trigger accompanying ADA compliance fixes (The “Base Repair” scenario in the graph.) But this week an alternative (and purportedly less expensive) plan was publicly floated by opponents On Monday, a group of 20 residents submitted a Letter to the Editor on this blog advocating voters oppose the Neary Building project proposal The letter included a description of (and link to) a proposed “Plan B” to instead make use of the current space the Town has in its other three K-8 buildings The residents argued for using Finn School for Pre-K to grade 2 Woodward for grades 3-4 and Trottier Middle School for grades 6-8 The reconfiguration would eliminate Neary as a school That would avoid the “Base Cost” repairs that NBC has argued would be necessary even if no new building project is pursued. And it would eliminate the concern some residents have had about Neary’s location downhill from an old landfill the project would still address some of the educational justifications NSBORO administration has made for investing in consolidating K-8 schools It would eliminate one transition for young students who would spend more years in each school And it would allow greater collaboration between teachers in a greater range of grades it wouldn’t present the grade configurations that the administration has argued would be most beneficial And it wouldn’t come with some of the new concepts for building design that the administration has been enthusiastic about “Plan B” organizers argue that the proposed building project isn’t economically feasible for the community community resources and support that make our education system exemplary Let’s choose a path that maximizes our existing assets and provides a sustainable the NSBORO administration pitched the project to the Select Board and Advisory Committee They spoke about how the building had been designed around accommodating best educational practices The design allows for “sub separate” (Substantially Separate Special Education) programs Superintendent Gregory Martineau described that as something the current schools don’t have in their designs.  Each wing of the new building will be treated as a “Learning neighborhood” for one grade there would be spaces for students in that grade who need special ed services Small group rooms connect to each pair of classrooms specialized instruction can take place without requiring students to go to another part of the building.  some students will need to attend an out of District placement the schools are required to cover the costs in their budgets Another example of a new feature the team was excited about was designing the hallways in the wings to be “Learning Commons“ The Superintendent described to the Select Board in December that the spaces will allow hallway meetings “small group instruction” and science experiments in a space with a sink the administration also claimed benefits specifically of grouping elementary school grades 2-5 in the same building there was a lot of talk about cost efficiencies through consolidating schools and replacing Neary with a green building.  Select Board member Al Hamilton pushed them to provide specific numbers on any offset savings He noted that he wasn’t impressed by the “savings” for closing Finn School The Finn building would still be owned and operated by the Town even if no students attend it He challenged them to do a better job of communicating “every dollar of benefit to this community” before the voting takes place Below are more slides cropped from screenshots I took from the December 17th presentation: You can look for more project details on their dedicated website here You can also read my prior coverage (and related letters to the editor) here. (You can read more specifically about the project timing and relocation plan here.) Updated (3/26/25 2:19 pm): One point that I meant (but forgot) to include from the district’s pitch was increased space for the schools’ growing music program Updated (3/26/25 4:01 pm): Cook asked me to highlight the dates for readers to make sure they are aware of the upcoming meetings to talk to the public about updated project costs and tax impacts which will include “expected school operational cost savings from the project” and the overall tax forecast for residents through Fiscal Year 2031 Updated (3/28/25 6:29 pm): Multiple meetings have been moved to the Trottier Middle School auditorium Updated (3/30/25 4:52 pm): I’m told the April 3rd meeting won’t be at Trottier Middle School It will instead be a hybrid meeting in the Public Safety Building Above: A sample of the the upcoming events in or linked to Southborough Updated (4/28/25 11:31 am): I initially forgot to list Monday night’s NSBORO Superintendent Office Hours Updated (4/29/25 1:44 pm): I initially forgot to list this Saturday’s NECC 5K Walk/Run for Autism Updated (5/1/25 5:00 pm): I learned about AVM’s Saturday night concert Above: Planning Board’s Jesse Stein explains to Town Meeting voters a complication posed by intertwined language in zoning Articles proposed for ADUs (images edited from video and presentation) voters rejected a proposal to update bylaws for special permits for Accessory Apartments the Planning Board pulled a related Article on oversight of uses that the state now allows by-right Below are my selected highlights from the discussion and debates on Town Meeting floor a look at what that that means in Southborough under current state laws But first a brief recap of what the Articles were about (You can skip to the following section if you’re already familiar.) Under new state laws that went into effect this winter owners of single family homes are entitled to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADUs) up to 900 sq ft to their property but as long as they fall within the state law (and meet local zoning restrictions for height Southborough homeowners needed to apply for a special permit through the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for any size Accessory Apartments The state does allow Towns to add some specific restrictions and reasonable process steps in local bylaws The Planning Board was seeking to do that under Article 28 they proposed a revised process to streamline permitting for projects too large for the by-right use the board was aware that the Select Board and Advisory Committee had taken positions in opposition to the Articles Vice Chair Jesse Stein asked for permission to reverse the order for voting He explained that in their hearing right before Town Meeting the board realized that the language for the Articles was intertwined If Article 28 passed but 29 subsequently failed the result would be “untenable”.  Before the hall voted to allow changing the order there were questions and debate over the request Select Board Member Andrew Dennington pointed out that Article 28 replaces the current Accessory Apartment definition with the ADU definition He had believed it needed to precede Article 29 which currently don’t exist in Town Code Chair Meme Luttrell clarified that the ability for anyone with projects larger than 900 sq feet would no longer be able to apply for special permits Select Board Member Al Hamilton suggested that the Articles have “poison pills” within them as they are written and should be brought back in a different forme He said that there was no pressing need to pass the bylaws last night.  Freddie Gillespie said she was willing to trust the Planning Board about the process The Planning Board’s Articles would have added a Site Plan Review step for by-right projects Select Board Member Al Hamilton argued against the extra burden and oversight: if this Planning Board does not agree with the way you want to plant your property does not agree with the way you want to grade your property does not agree with the architectural styles that you have chosen for your property then they have the right to deny you a building permit Town Counsel rebutted that the Planning Board could use Site Plan Review to impose conditions but they couldn’t outright deny permits for projects that meet the zoning laws Advisory Chair Andrew Pfaff said that he was in favor of cleaning up the bylaw language but not adding restrictions on the short term rentals or requiring Site Plan Review Patricia Burns Fiore disagreed with some of the conditions the board included in the bylaw like requiring the architectural style to be “generally compatible with the existing principal dwelling” Resident John Butler made a motion to amend Article 29 striking the prohibition on allowing short term rentals (under 31 days) He argued that the change would mean that residents who currently are using that option to raise money to make living in town affordable would lose that right Ken Boy said he agreed with a lot of what Butler said But he worried about short term rentals in detached ADUs on the edge of his property “bringing in different rental people every day” he would be concerned about kids playing in the backyard not knowing who’s in the new ADU from day to day Andrea Giancontieri countered that it’s none of her business what her neighbor build next to her as long as they’re adhering to setbacks and guidelines Luttrell defended that the Board was trying to follow the intent of the state law to increase affordable She argued that if the ADUs are used for short term rentals it isn’t available for that use.  told the hall that he learns about a lot of illegal apartments in town He believes that the rentals are a necessary income for many seniors in order to be able to afford the taxes to keep living in town ZBA’s Mike Robbins shared a concern they discussed at Planning Board meetings that developers could come in and purchase homes for the purpose of adding an ADU and then allowing short term rentals with transient tenants He believed the restriction was “reasonable control” Louis Rosero shared his concern that both Articles “undermine the whole spirt of the law” by adding additional burdens the Planning board sought to move the decision authority from the ZBA to the Planning Board Members explained that under the current bylaws people seeking a special permit first need to go to the Planning Board (The ZBA can ignore it but would need to explain why.) The change was to eliminate a step He made a motion to keep the authority with the ZBA He acknowledged that he hadn’t understood that the Planning Board intended to make that change when he participated in meetings to work through the bylaw changes Planning Member Marnie Hoolahan assured the room that the elected members of the Planning Board aren’t “trying to screw you” The board worked through the issues for months Referring to other criticisms of the Article We use the word transparency and to provide neighbors the benefit of open process to understand what’s happening in their community in their neighborhood Upon my questioning of why Robbins preferred the ZBA be the authority he responded that he wanted to keep it with the board that currently has jurisdiction and “why change something that’s not broken” Answering multiple voters during the discussion Planning members repeatedly stressed the change was to eliminate a process step for applicants Luttrell noted that the board could handle site plan review and the special permit in one meeting And she highlighted that the Planning Board meets about every two weeks while the ZBA meets monthly But the Article immediately failed the 2/3 approval threshold to pass After a quick vote to continue the meeting past 11:00 pm Stein moved to indefinitely postpone Article 28 The Planning Board could decide to bring back revised versions to a future Town Meeting.1 In the meantime The Building Commissioner has interpreted that under the law homeowners can pull permits to build ADUs the same as they would for any addition/renovation/new building project That’s as long as the project complies with the by-right section of the state law You can find the regulations here and learn more here Owners will still have to follow the Town’s other zoning bylaws for their zoning district (Just ignore the restrictions and process related to “Accessory Apartments”.) For larger projects, the current process for Accessory Apartments will still apply. If you have more questions about what you can/can’t do on your property, you can try reaching out to the Building Department Updated (4/8/25 6:46 pm): I used the wrong first name for Jim Colleary Above: SCF supported a Neary School request to support teaching students how to use yoga to reduce stress teacher reached out with news out of Neary School She asked me to share with readers news about a wellness program recently held thanks to funding by the Southborough Community Fund SCF awarded a mini-grant to support “Yoga to Prioritize Emotional and Physical Health” at Neary School The program took place during NSBORO Schools’ “Wellness Week” Neary’s the 4th/5th grade PE teacher wrote that the program was also timed for students’ MCAS preparation Emma Bartolini (certified yoga instructor at Children’s Mindful Yoga) [led] yoga meditation and mindfulness sessions during one of each Neary class’s PE periods Classes happened [in early April] and included breathing exercises as well as guided meditation & relaxation strategies to support students’ full mind and body wellness particularly around this time of year when MCAS testing is happening The hope is that they will start to independently use some of the strategies that they learned to lessen stress and anxiety Below are photos she shared from the classes: Gary “Lou” McCarthy of Southborough passed away peacefully on March 13 He was currently residing at the Westboro Beaumont while on Hospice battling end stage pancreatic cancer. Lou had become at peace with his diagnosis Lou did not want to be defined only by his addiction he had returned to AA and was working on his amends He left a heartfelt message for family & friends “I apologize to those I have hurt through my addiction Although it was not my fault that I suffered from a cruel and deadly disease I can rest in peace knowing that I have made my amends” Preceded in death by his parents Paul and Jean McCarthy Aunt Evelyn and Arthur and cousin Lesley Littlefield Lou is survived by his siblings: Dennis & Linda McCarthy and their children Amie & Claire McCarthy David McCarthy & Emily and their boys John & Mathew; Laurie McCarthy; Brian & Karen McCarthy and daughter Christine; Karen & Audra McCarthy-Beauvais and daughter Sage; and Kathleen McCarthy-Montgomery- Cardillo Lou was happiest when he was able to enjoy family and friends He enjoyed being outdoors whether skiing in Jackson Hole spending time on Englewood Beach in Florida sea planes and Lusky at Peabody Pond in Maine Family Holidays and functions and hanging with the Boys from the “Reeg” Lou was the life of the party and had a gift for bringing laughter wherever he went He will be remembered in stories by his friends and loved ones especially by the family & friends he was able to reconnected with A special thanks Lisa and her staff at the Beaumont Brian and the entire Salmon Hospice team for their care and support “With all the attention and care I’ve received Visiting hours for Lou will be held on Friday, March 21, 2025, from 5:00-7:00PM at the Morris-Johnston Funeral Home A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday A graveside service will follow at Southborough Rural Cemetery Lou requests donations be made to Baypath Humane Society (Photo and Obituary courtesy of Morris-Johnston Funeral Home) Community Safety Department Director To Resign Amid Tension With Cambridge Police Department From Lab to Startup: Harvard’s Office of Technology Development Paves the Way for Research Commercialization People’s Forum on Graduation Readiness Held After Vote to Eliminate MCAS 8 Takeaways From Harvard’s Task Force Reports Harvard will double its annual payments to the town of Southborough to $50,000 in response to a request from the city to increase their contributions to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program the University announced in a letter last month The payments are meant to offset the tax-exempt status of its land holdings in the town Harvard does not pay taxes on its institutional land which in practice deprives municipalities of money that funds their budgets and Southborough to contribute a fraction of what they would otherwise pay in property taxes Harvard owns 89 acres of land in Southborough, part of which currently houses the Harvard Depository, an off-site storage facility holding approximately 45 percent of Harvard’s library collection. The area previously housed Harvard’s New England Primate Research Center Southborough attempted to appoint a PILOT committee with the “objective of establishing formal agreements” with nonprofit organizations that held real estate in the town arguing the selectboard was prohibited from delegating such powers to a committee of non-members in effect blocking their power to directly negotiate with Harvard four of the seven PILOT committee meetings scheduled for Southborough have been canceled The last meeting of the committee occurred in 2023 though it was largely limited to sharing research on the PILOT programs of neighboring cities It is unclear what conversations happened between Harvard and Southborough in the interim Neither the selectboard office nor the body’s chair responded to requests for an interview for this article A Harvard spokesperson also did not respond to a request to comment for this story Their $50,000 voluntary payment is $23,773 more than the $26,227 they paid last year with the amount set to increase by a small percentage each year “Harvard has increased its voluntary donation to the Town to $50,000 for FY2025 with a 2.5% annual escalation after this year,” according to a letter that Harvard sent to Southborough Town Administrator Mark Purple Previous PILOT Payments that Harvard made to Southborough were restricted to Southborough’s police and fire departments the new “donation,”as Harvard’s letter describes it will not be earmarked for any specific purpose Harvard also agreed to hold and preserve documents for Southborough “In response to the Town's interest in document preservation for public access through the Southborough archival project we are excited to offer the Town reserved storage space at the Harvard Depository,” according to Harvard’s letter Southborough has faced problems with documents deteriorating in their Town House vault Harvard’s Depository is climate-controlled helping to boost the life of important documents “The Depository is designed to provide an archival-quality storage environment that will stabilize the condition—and extend the useful life for a variety of materials,” according to the Harvard Library Department Harvard also provides PILOT payments to the cities of Cambridge and Boston In both cities, Harvard is in ongoing negotiations to update the terms of that program, though progress has been slow so far on both fronts Cambridge forced the University to renegotiate their terms 20 years into their 50-year PILOT contract after the city exercised its option to withdraw from the agreement City officials have cited the significant growth in Harvard’s budget and endowment — which City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 noted had “more than doubled” since the contract was first signed — as reasons for reworking the program 27 City Council meeting discussing the proposal McGovern described Harvard and Cambridge’s relationship as a “complicated marriage” In Boston, meanwhile, Harvard’s payments have been falling short of the amount requested for more than a decade – paying almost $3 million less than the city requested in 2023 The city has been attempting to renegotiate its agreement with Harvard since at least last summer —Staff writer Jack B. Reardon can be reached at jack.reardon@thecrimson.com. —Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at shawn.boehmer@thecrimson.com Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter. MA–EMC has further shrunk its footprint in Central Massachusetts this time selling a 166,213-square-foot office building for $6.9 million to Framingham-based Atlantic Management The property is located at 21 Coslin Drive in Southborough “EMC’s sale of the building comes after it sold a nearby 145,000-square-foot office building at 32 Coslin Drive to Atlantic in December for $26.1 million,” WBJ said “Since being acquired for $67 billion by Texas-based Dell in 2016 EMC presence in Central Massachusetts has diminished with the firm selling a Milford training facility for $1.7 million in 2022.” WBH reported that prior to the merger with Dell EMC originally planned on moving into a 193,228-square-foot four-story building at 900 West Park Drive in Westborough after its construction in 2000 Troop 1 Boy Scouts (and volunteers) have been serving pancakes to the community to raise funds for their activities and service projects Southborough BSA Troop 1 will hold its 56th annual Pancake Breakfast a week from Sunday The community breakfast is Troop 1’s primary annual fundraiser Proceeds from the event support the Boy Scouts’ activities like camping they’ll be flipping and serving pancake That takes place in the Neary School Cafeteria (53 Parkerville Road).  Scouts will also be serving up the usual assortment of meats Pancakes can be topped with traditional pancake syrup my kids’ loaded up plates tended to look more like make your own sundaes than a breakfast But they always have the traditional pancake syrup Tickets for the breakfast cost $7 for adults or $4 for seniors and kids ages 6-12 Children 5 and under eat for free and there’s a maximum cost of $20 per household.  If between now and then you don’t get the opportunity to buy directly from a troop member you can buy tickets at the event or purchase them at Gulbankian Florist or the Senior Center (Scouts will also be at the Transfer Station tomorrow You can also pay by Venmo to @BSATroop1Sobo — but please note Pancake tickets in the memo and who they are for If you aren’t into pancakes you can also always make a donation to the troop instead But you might want to join them for the basket raffle I don’t have details on prices for those tickets but the scouts have been promoting prizes at what appears to be a noon drawing Above: The Arbor Day Foundation offers guidance on the appropriate location for planting trees on your property. (image from arborday.org) This Friday is Arbor Day. The annual proclamation by the Select Board states: we urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well- being of this and future generations For readers who didn’t realize that Arbor Day would fall on April 25th you might not have enough time to plan for planting a tree this week But you can honor the day by making plans to support the Town’s tree hugging efforts Scroll down for information on steps you can take For its part, the Town will be giving out “tree awareness coloring books” to any children who show up on Saturday for Earth Day Cleanup The Planning Board’s section of the Town website has a section on Southborough as a “Tree City USA”. On it, residents can fill in a form pledging to either plant a tree within the public way in front of their yard or donate towards the Town’s efforts.  A simpler option is to plant a tree fully within the bounds of your private property. That would avoid the need to coordinate with the Town, but there are important considerations outlined in Street Tree Guidelines that make it still worth consulting The guide warns about trees that are prone to hosting invasive Asian Long-horned Beetles It also provides a list of native species that should thrive in our region and help support native pollinators/wildlife the guide includes sections dedicated to trees based on the shape you are looking to plant The booklet also provides some helpful tips on where to plant. The focus is for planting near the roads, so you may also want to check out tips offered by The Arbor Day Foundation. Their blog offers some guidance on the size and shape of trees based on where you are planting them, including near buildings. You can find that here (The Foundation also has other tips for planting related to soil quality Above: An acclaimed gospel choir will give a “spirited performance” in a public concert at Pilgrim Church in ten days. (images cropped from a flyer) Southborough’s Pilgrim Church will be “Celebrating Gospel Music” The public is invited to join them for a concert featuring “an internationally acclaimed Gospel Choir” The choir Joyful Voices of Inspiration (JVOI) will perform along with the church’s own choir Pilgrim promises “a spirited performance” and promotes: Gospel music is both a powerful inspirational medium and a uniquely American art form The choir’s mission as a traveling choir is to share their inspiring gospel music with others The Gospel Concert will be held on Sunday April 27th at 3:00 pm in the church at 15 Common Street Light refreshments will be offered following the concert JVOI shared a clip on Facebook that featured a solo by a member from Southborough Pilgrim’s concert announcement shared more details about JVOI and Director Donnell Patterson: JVOI has toured domestically throughout New England The choir is thrilled to return to Brazil this summer for a second time since first visiting in 2006 Donell Patterson is well known throughout the Boston music community and world renowned as a dynamic choral leader He serves as the Music Director at Belmont Hill School is Co-Founder of the New England Conservatory Millennium Gospel Choir and Director of SANS (Sharing a New Song) Chorus He has also served as the Chair of the Gospel Music Department at New England Conservatory (NEC) Program Director of the Roland Hayes School of Music in the Boston Public Schools Music Educator in the Cambridge MA Public Schools Paul’s AME Church in Cambridge MA for over 30 years You can learn more about the choir here The announcement also shared info on Pilgrim’s Choir Director: serves as the Director of Music at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Southborough and is also a bell ringer with the Pilgrim Church Bell Choir She is also the program manager at Joy of Music in Worcester Upcoming performances include five senior recitals at JOMP singing with the All Choir Director’s Chorus in NYC’s Carnegie Hall in June for the In Harmony residency with Choirs of America and ringing with the Pilgrim Church Bell Choir in a benefit concert in the fall She has a Graduate Performance Diploma in Vocal Accompanying at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University a Masters in Collaborative Piano from the Longy School of Music of Bard College and a Bachelors in Piano Performance from West Chester University of Pennsylvania Details: cache-fra-eddf8230100-FRA 1746504202 2650966292 Above: This home at 8 Wyeth Circle went on the market this week for $1,795,000 (MLS photo) Above: SCAC will spotlight artists and cultural programs funded through this year’s grant cycle (image of cropped flyer) The Southborough Cultural Arts Council is inviting the public to join them to celebrate the 2025 grant recipients The reception will be held four weeks from tonight at the Southborough Library May 14th from 7:00 – 8:30 pm on the library’s main floor Special guest Representative Kate Donaghue will be present to share award certificates with grantees and the evening will also feature an impact presentation by a local artist and refreshments provided by Yummy Mummy and Well Nested Organizers are asking attendees to RSVP to help them plan The 12 recipients being celebrated received awards for arts and cultural projects located in or serving the Town of Southborough SCAC explained that the funding decisions were influenced by community feedback through last summer’s survey: Southborough residents expressed interest in increasing programming locally in addition to ensuring that more arts programs are accessible to all age groups You can read about the list of recipients and planned programs here (including some that have already taken place) all three NSBORO Schools districts have adopted the above calendar for the next school year the Southborough School Committee met to revote on the 2025-2026 school calendar recommended by the Superintendent and a super-majority of the NSBORO Calendar Advisory Working Group Four committee members stuck with their original decisions (2-2) The tie-breaking fifth member supported adding to the Northborough and Regional committees adopted the new calendar The version adopted was “Calendar 1” Lunar New Year and Eid al-Fitr as days to be observed as days off That is in addition to the currently observed Rosh Hashanah Only four of those holidays will impact the calendar next year, since Eid al-Fitr and the first day of Rosh Hashanah fall on weekends. You can view the draft of the adopted calendar for 2025-2026 here There was no discussion of “Wellness Days” that the district has used in varying ways over the past few years teachers had been instructed to not assign homework or tests Although the language was still in the legends of draft calendar options For working parents that are concerned about issues caused by the holidays Based on the discussion at last week’s meeting the committees expect the administration to work with extended day programs and possibly collaborate with outside groups (including parent-teacher organizations) on childcare/programming options (Scroll down for my recap of the working group’s pros and cons for calendar options.) Although eliminating all religious holidays wasn’t a motion that was up for vote it was the calendar version (#4) that two members (and several members on the other NSBORO school committees) preferred And it appeared to be the second choice for the majority of committees’ members who ultimately voted to add holidays Vice Chair Roger Challen noted that since the joint committees’ meeting last week the committee received more public feedback He described it as advocating for Calendar 4 which he characterized as the only other calendar that had significant support as the first choice of the working group member Kamali O’Meally clarified that some of the correspondence was in favor of reconsidering all the options And she reminded that they had been receiving opinions and feedback for 1-2 years which was less clear in showing a community preference working group members described the community as very split on the issues Superintendent Gregory Martineau recapped the working group’s votes on the four calendars. That included a 50% “not support” for Calendar 4. (You can see the vote counts in my article from yesterday here.) Chair Chelsea Malinowski agreed with those who preferred Calendar 4 as more inclusive The argument was that it doesn’t force committee members to decide whose holidays are worth honoring and whose aren’t Alan Zulick, who was absent from last week’s vote, told the committee he didn’t agree that taking away holidays from some community members increased inclusivity.2 Malinowski pointed out that adding holidays extends the calendar to later in June She highlighted that in recent budget discussions they had just cut $130K in the capital expense budget for improving air conditioning at Trottier Middle School O’Meally reminded that the difference between Calendars 1 & 4 are only a few days and there randomly hot days in April and May She advocated that as climate change increases heat issues in the buildings the district needs to address that problem regardless of the school calendar Laura Kauffmann said she had spoken to a number of parents in the community and was struggling with the issues raised The discussion also acknowledged the operational challenge for the school administration if Southborough adopted a different calendar than the one chosen by Northborough and Regional There would be differing schedules for transportation (No one noted that already happens to some extent since the K-8 schools have differing half days for parent teacher conferences and those aren’t taken by the high school.) O’Meally clarified that her decision wasn’t based on making operations easier for the administration Both she and Malinowski stressed to the public that all of the members of the committee had been truly listening to community feedback and were making decisions based on that rather than their own personal preferences A memo from the Superintendent included some of the data the working group reviewed and the following the pros and cons they discussed based on public feedback since some of the holidays can fall on weekends or breaks.) Calendar 4 removes all religious/cultural holidays (except for federal/state holidays) Two other options were discussed at a combined meeting in December when the committees’ received an update on the calendar work and provided feedback to the working group Neither were discussed as serious considerations at the meetings last week or this morning Calendar 2 would treat all six religious/cultural holidays as half days Calendar 3 would keep the current Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) Good Friday and the new holidays would be treated as half days To see the memo with more details, including the links to the draft calendars, go to page 5 of the packet of the March 12th Combined School Committees meeting here Above: SOLF is hoping you’ll join them in a few weeks The community is invited to Southborough Open Land Foundation’s Annual Meeting the event includes a reception and a special presentation The meeting will be held at the Community House (28 Main Street) on May 14th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm The evening will begin with a short business meeting including their annual election. That will be followed by a slide show highlighting SOLF properties and activities The event will end with a social hour with refreshments Everyone is invited to learn more about SOLF and its mission of preserving and protecting open land Members (those who have donated in the past year) will be eligible to vote in the election Above: SYFS and the Library are teaming up for another Community Read in honor of the upcoming Mental Health Awareness Month The public is invited to take part in Southborough’s “Community Read” featuring the novel The Authenticity Project The Community Read is a partnership between Southborough Youth and Family Services and the Southborough Library Books are available through the Southborough Library to start reading now The program is part of SYFS’ annual initiative to promote Mental Health Awareness in May.  On May 1st at 7:30 pm readers will be able to take part in a book discussion over zoom The event flyer describes the plot of Clare Pooley’s book as exploring:  how honesty and vulnerability can bring people together highlighting the importance of connection in supporting mental health In The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley a shared notebook links strangers who form a community that proves no one has to face their struggles alone According to the flyer, books are available to check out through the Southborough Library’s interlibrary loan To register for the virtual book discussion email Leah Selleck at lselleck@southboroughma.com This is just one of many plans SYFS has to promote Mental Health Awareness Month in May stay tuned for more news on the jam-packed calendar of 2025 events Above: This home at 1 Ashley Road went on the market this week for $1,399,000 (MLS photo) Updated (4/29/25 9:57 am): Diane Romm has announced that she is going to run for the 1 year School Committee seat after all She will be asking people to write her name in on the ballot She is running against the only candidate who will be listed on the ballot for that seat — Denise Eddy The annual “Candidates Night” will be held at the Southborough Library in less than two weeks I’m also updating who is on the May 13th ballot Three candidates are running for two seats on the May 13th Ballot The Library’s annual forum begins at 6:30 pm with a Meet & Greet and light refreshments Last month I had posted about another race candidates had until early April to withdraw their name before ballots were printed who had filed to run for the 1 year seat on the Southborough School Committee That leaves Denise Eddy running uncontested for the seat For the full list of seats and other uncontested candidates who will be on the ballot, click here Whether you are for or against the proposed Neary Building Project you’ll want to weigh in on the question on this year’s Town ballot the Town can only afford to fund it if the majority of voters who answer the ballot question approve exempting the expense from restricted tax increase under the state law referred to as “proposition 2½” (The Special Town Meeting vote will be to fund a $109M project but Town officials have stated that Southborough’s share of the cost will be $69M.) For more on the school building project, click here for related stories and stay tuned for updates But to avoid overburdening Town staff — don’t wait until close to that deadline If you aren’t yet a registered voter in Southborough, the deadline for that is one day earlier — Monday, May 5th at 8:00 pm. That is handled through the state’s website here the deadline is even sooner to participate in the Special Town Meeting on May 10th for the Neary Building Project Born in Marlboro Hospital on April 11,1958 to Guy and Regina Akers of Southborough Jay graduated from Algonquin High School in 1976 and was a member of the school’s football team Jay began a career at the Digital Equipment Corporation They welcomed their only child Michael on October 31,1980 While an active member of the Southborough community Jay’s employment allowed him to travel abroad giving him the ability to experience life and cultures outside of the United States His experiences traveling to Europe and Japan for Digital and inspired his love of lifelong learning and different cuisines He also visited Disney World every year with Patti Jay retired from Hewlett Packard Enterprises in 2019 and joined the team at Juniper Hill Country Club as a ranger for several years Jay’s ability to make friendships was almost uncanny He was a hospitable host who loved to cook for guests in his home Everyone who met Jay immediately felt his warmth and he leaves a void that will never be filled Akers; his son and daughter-in-law Michael Akers and Maruta Vitols; his brother Stephen Akers He’s also survived by many other relatives and friends who mourn his passing Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, March 23rd, 2025, from 12:00pm to 3pm at Morris-Johnston Funeral Home there will be a reception and celebration of Jay’s life at the Clubhouse at Edgemere Crossing located at 100 Flint Pond Circle Please park at the Market Basket lot next door In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations are made in Jay Akers’ name to either the Andover Educational Fund, Inc. P.O. Box 32, Andover, ME 04216 (https://www.andoveredfund.org/ ) or to the First Tee of Massachusetts, 300 Arnold Palmer Boulevard, Norton, MA 02766 (www.massgolf.org/donate) (Photo and Obituary via Morris-Johnston Funeral Home) Above: The library invites you to enjoy “gorgeous” views of noteworthy gardens this month and next (images cropped from series’ flyers) Next week is the last session in the Southborough Library’s series featuring photos of “Gorgeous Gardens of New England” the presentations feature pictures by professional photographer and former landscape architect Joanne Pearson This is the final of four “armchair tours” led by Pearson In Part 4 we will visit gardens located in each of our New England states We’ll begin with three gardens in Connecticut all connected with pioneering women in design and business we’ll see the English inspired landscape at Tarbin Gardens and here in Massachusetts another Gilded Age estate We’ll visit a much younger garden in Maine and two gardens in Vermont with notable historical ties The presentation ends with visits to two spectacular gardens in Rhode Island Both had come close to becoming lost to the public forever April 23rd at 7:00 pm on the Library’s main floor The free series is sponsored by the Southborough Cultural Arts Council (under the Mass Cultural Council) and the Southborough Community Fund (a fund of the Foundation for Metrowest) Here's an easy way to stay up to date with Southborough happenings.