Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The full results from last night's Special Town Meeting in Needham. Stick with Patch to see more detailed results on articles throughout the day.
Needham's 2012 Special Town Meeting met last night, and heard all 17 of the warrant articles set forth--many without discussion or question. Town Meeting was officially continued because of Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 29, during the hurricane, officials came into town hall to open the Town Meeting, and continue it to a later date. Town Meeting Moderator joked that there was an obvious lack of quorum. The evening began with a class of first graders from Hillside School performing "America the Beautiful" and "This Land is Your Land" (see video to the right), followed by a moment of silence for veterans in honor of Veterans Day. Below is a full list of articles, and a full list of results from last night's meeting: Stick with Patch throughout …
Monday, October 29, 2012
The meeting will be held in two weeks.
Needham's special Town Meeting has been postponed, according to an alert posted on the town website at a little after noon on Monday. The meeting had been scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The special Town Meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Powers Hall. See the full warrant in the gallery at right.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Town business will be conducted a week earlier than usual, on Monday, Oct. 29, because of the Presidential Election on Nov. 6.
Needham's fall Special Town Meeting will be held earlier than usual this year, after selectmen voted Tuesday to set the meeting for Monday, Oct. 29 to avoid conflicting with the 2012 Presidential Election. Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick advised the board to move up the date from the first week of November to help alleviate some of the stress on the town clerk and her staff, who are especially busy right before and after a big election. The Presidential Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Last year's fall Special Town Meeting was held on Monday, Nov. 7. The following Monday is Veterans Day, and moving the meeting much later in the month could affect the town's ability to set the tax rate, Fitzpatrick said. In addition, if required, …
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Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/selectmen-set-early-fall-special-town-meeting
2004019
/locations/7330633
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Selectman agrees to study the issue further with the help of the town manager, then report back.
Needham Selectman Jerry Wasserman said Tuesday he would continue to study the Stretch Energy Code with the help of Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick, gathering a list of questions residents still have about the code and coming back to the board with answers at a later date. At the Nov. 7 special Town Meeting, voters chose to send the issue of whether Needham should adopt the higher efficiency energy code back to selectmen for further review after just 30 minutes of discussion on Town Meeting floor. The article had garnered majority support from selectmen, the Planning Board, the Finance Committee and the Green Communities Study Committee after months of debate, but many still had questions. The stretch code would require major renovations and …
42.28049
-71.23606
Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/stretch-code-back-on-the-table
2004019
/locations/6164694
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Special Town Meeting members voted Nov. 7 to pay for the $8.5 million building project within the town's levy limit—without an override.
After more than a decade of efforts to bring a new senior center to Needham, the project got its final green light just before midnight on Monday, Nov. 7, as special Town Meeting members voted to approve the $8.5 million funding plan. The plan calls for a total of $8,575,000—$500,000 of which was approved at the May Town Meeting for design purposes—to be paid for by borrowing within the town’s operating budget and without asking voters to approve an override. Three major factors enabled the town to fund the project within the levy: the Massachusetts School Building Authority agreeing to pay for a portion of the Pollard Middle School roof; the ability to use Chapter 90 (state highway) money to relocate the town’s salt shed; and a temporary …
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Stephen Palmer Senior Center
83 Pickering St, Needham, MA
/articles/senior-center-funding-approved
1394823
/locations/5762740
42.29321
-71.23684
Hillside Ave & West St, Needham, MA
/articles/senior-center-funding-approved
/locations/5762741
Needham Town Meeting voted Monday, Nov. 7 to refer the issue back to the Board of Selectmen.
After months of back-and-forth discussion about the potential costs and benefits of adopting the Stretch Energy Code in Needham, Town Meeting members opted Monday to stretch out the discussion indefinitely—voting 111 to 96 to refer the issue back to the Board of Selectmen after just 30 minutes of debate. Later in the evening, on the first and only night of Needham's fall special Town Meeting, another item of discussion—the funding plan for a new senior center—also followed an abbreviated form, with Town Meeting approving the $8,075,000 project after just a few short presentations from the proponents. No one spoke against the plan, which was approved with a two-thirds voice vote. The Stretch Code subject, however, did draw some debate. …
42.28049
-71.23606
Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/stretch-code-to-be-studied-further
2004019
/locations/5760943
Monday, November 7, 2011
Special meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the James Hugh Powers Hall at Town Hall.
Should Needham adopt the Stretch Energy Code? Town Meeting members will decide that and 14 other issues at the special Town Meeting scheduled tonight at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the James Hugh Powers Hall at Town Hall. Along with the Stretch Energy Code, voters will consider a funding plan for the new senior center and zoning requirements aimed at attracting more businesses to the New England Business Center. Look for the meeting results this week on Needham Patch. Got an opinion about any of the issues on the special Town Meeting warrant? Give a final plug for your side in the comments below.
42.28049
-71.23606
Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/fall-town-meeting-tonight
2004019
/locations/5751334
Monday, October 31, 2011
Voters will consider senior center funding plan, Stretch Energy Code approval and new zoning rules at the fall meeting on Nov. 7.
Needham Town Meeting members will consider changes to zoning in the New England Business Center district, adoption of the Stretch Energy Code designed to make homes more energy-efficient and funding for the new senior center at the fall special Town Meeting scheduled a week from today on Monday, Nov. 7. Officials recently posted the full warrant on the town Web site, and the document can also be viewed on this page, to the right. The special Town Meeting will be held on Nov. 7 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the James Hugh Powers Hall inside the newly renovated Town Hall, 1471 Highland Ave. A list of Needham Town Meeting members can also be viewed at right.
42.28049
-71.23606
Needham Town Hall
1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA
/articles/special-town-meeting-warrant-posted
2004019
/locations/5705268
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
With close to 20 articles on the Nov. 7 agenda, selectmen discussed the purpose of the special meeting.
Before offering their support for several articles on the Nov. 7 special Town Meeting warrant Tuesday evening, selectmen considered what exactly the purpose of the meeting should be—and the five board members were not in agreement on the subject. Selectman James Healy began the discussion by saying he felt the nearly 20-article warrant was “too long” and not what the town had envisioned for a special Town Meeting. Healy said he felt the town’s main business should be conducted at the annual meeting in May and that only emergency items or those that were critical to pass sooner rather than later should be on the fall warrant. “The November Town Meeting is supposed to be for budget items that need to be corrected or for town items that come …
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Needham Free Public Library
1139 Highland Ave, Needham Heights, MA
/articles/is-fall-town-meeting-being-misused
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Thursday, October 6, 2011
Supporters of the $8.5 million building project are hopeful, but cautious, as they look ahead to future fundraising plans.
With Needham’s special Town Meeting just over a month away, a new senior center is closer than ever. On Tuesday, Oct. 4, the Planning Board closed their public hearing on plans for the building. They will consider conditions of approval and likely OK the plans at their next meeting on Oct. 18. After the meeting, project proponents talked about being so close to making the new senior center a reality. “I think we’re all still tiptoeing,” said Colleen Schaller, a Council on Aging Board member. “We have never been this close, so nobody really wants to get overconfident—because, until Nov. 7, we just don’t know.” Schaller is also a member of the Friends of the Needham Elderly Steering Committee, which is organizing a fundraising campaign to …
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Stephen Palmer Senior Center
83 Pickering St, Needham, MA
/articles/senior-center-vote-nears
1394823
/locations/5524573
Alex
8:31 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Great pictures and coverage Patch. The hall looks great for Town Meeting. more ›