Town of Dartmouth 2007 Annual Town Report

Transcription

Town of Dartmouth
2007 Annual
Town Report
Table of Contents
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5
6
General Information
Directory of Public Officials
Directory of Town Officers
FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTANT REPORTS
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29
31
Town Accountant
Board of Assessors
Town Collector
PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROTECTION
Building Department
Police Department
Traffic Division/Crime Prevention
K-9 Division
Underwater Recovery Unit
Investigative Division / ID
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Emergency Management Agency
32
35
47
42
44
44
48
48
PUBLIC WORKS AND SERVICES
Department of Public Works
Water Pollution Control
Engineering Division
Highway and Sanitation Division
Water Division
50
58
53
54
59
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Planning Board
Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District
Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District
Board of Appeals
Historical Commission
Community Preservation Committee
Cemetery Commission
63
67
69
70
72
73
75
DARTMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARIES
76
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2
Financial Statements
Superintendent’s Annual Report
Dartmouth Community Television
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
79
91
145
148
HUMAN SERVICES
186
188
191
192
193
196
197
198
Board of Health
Counsel on Aging
Housing Authority
Veterans’ Services
Youth Commission
Community Nurse and Hospice Care
Legal Department
Grants and Human Resources
PARKS, NATURAL RESOURCES & RECREATION
Bristol County Mosquito Control Board
Conservation Commission
Natural Resources Department
Dartmouth Harbormaster Waterway Management Department
Soil Conservation Board
Park Department
Recreation Department
100
202
204
205
207
208
209
ANIMAL CONTROL
211
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONS
213
214
220
Industrial Development Commission
Capital Improvement Planning Committee
Personnel Board
TOWN CLERK
Vital Statistics
223
ELECTIONS
Annual Town Election, April 3, 2007
Special Town Election, July 31, 2007
224
TOWN MEETINGS
Spring Annual Town Meeting, June 5, 2007
Fall Annual Town Meeting, October 16, 2007
226
3
GENERAL INFORMATION
Town Hall Office Building Hours – Monday through Friday – 8:30 A.M. to
4:30 P.M.
Select Board – Meetings held every other Monday (Mon. holidays excluded).
508-910-1813
Conservation Commission – Meeting first and third Tuesday of each month at
7:00 P.M.
508-910-1822
School Committee – First and third Monday of each month, 7:00 P.M.
508-997-3391
Board of Public Works - First and third Tuesday of each month as scheduled.
508-999-0740
Board of Health - Meetings held the first and third Wednesday of each month,
7:45 A.M.
508-910-1804
Planning Board – Meetings each Monday, 7:00 P.M. (Monday holidays excluded)
508-910-1816
Police Department – Open 24 hours a day
Telephone Routine Business
508-910-1734
Ambulance and Emergencies
911
Those Officers not maintaining regular office hours in the Town Office Building may
be reached as follows:
Sealer of Weight & Measures - Theodore Machado
508-997-4460
Housing Authority – Celia Witherell, Executive Administrator
2 Anderson Way, Dartmouth
508-994-1424
Industrial Development Commission – Richard Walder, Vice-Chairman
15 Beverly Street, Dartmouth
508-999-0752
Soil Board – Diane Gilbert
508-993-1216
Fence Viewer – Joel Reed (Interim)
508-910-1825
GENERAL INFORMATION
Southworth Library – 732 Dartmouth St. is open Monday – Thursday 9:00 A.M. to
8:00 P.M. and Friday and Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
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Telephone 999-0726; Fax 508-992-9914
North Dartmouth Library – Closed Temporarily
DIRECTORY OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
U.S. Representative, Fourth District
U.S. Senator
U.S. Senator
Barney Frank
Edward M. Kennedy
John F. Kerry
STATE GOVERNMENT
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Auditor of the Commonwealth
Treasurer and Receiver General
Attorney General
Senator, Second Bristol District
Representative, Ninth Bristol District
Deval Patrick
Timothy P. Murray
William F. Galvin
A. Joseph DeNucci
Timothy Cahill
Martha Coakley
Mark C. Montigny
John F. Quinn
BRISTOL COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Commissioners
Christopher Saunders
Maria F. Lopes
Arthur R. Machado
Sheriff
Register of Deeds (Southern District)
Treasurer
Clerk of Courts
Register Of Probate and Insolvency
District Attorney
Thomas M. Hodgson
J. Mark Treadup
Patrick Harrington
Marc J. Santos
Robert E. Peck
C. Samuel Sutter
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DIRECTORY OF TOWN OFFICERS
Steven C. Sharek
Moderator
ADMINISTRATIVE SELECT BO ARD
Kathleen Horan McLean, Chairperson
Robert W. Carney, Vice Chairperson
Diane Gilbert
Nathalie L. Dias
Joseph Michaud
Michael J. Gagné
Jean Delahunt
Pam Simmons
Term expires 2008
Term expires 2009
Term expires 2009
Term expires 2010
Term expires 2010
Executive Administrator
Administrative Licensing Aide
Part-time Floater
OFFICERS AND STAFF APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Anthony Savastano
David Prentiss
Linda Torres
Doris J. Copley
Town Counsel
Assistant Town Counsel
Principal Clerk
Paralegal/ Grant Program Manager/
Human Resource Coordinator
TOWN HALL AND OFFICE BUILDING
Manuel R. Morro
Robert Keith
Robert Mayo
Head Custodian
Custodian
Custodian
OFFICE OF BUDGET & FINANCE / TREASURER
Edward F. Iacaponi
Director of Budget/ Finance
Finance Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer
Information Systems Manager
Administrative Clerk/Computer
Coordinator
Administrative Clerk
Cheryl Abrantes
Michael J. Courville
Bryan Britton
Randall Kay
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FINANCE COMMITTEE
Term expires
ATM of
Peter Friedman, Chairman
Greg Lynam, Vice-Chair
David Ferreira
Larry Fox
Melissa Haskell
Francis Pettengill
Steward Washburn
George Jacobs
Shannon Jenkins
Cheryl Abrantes
2010
2008
2010
2009
2009
2009
2008
2010
2009
Secretary
HEALTH INSURANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Randall Kay
Edward F. Iacaponi
Melissa Gell
Ronald Richard
Nathalie Dias
Richard Medeiros
George Perry
Christopher Michaud
Cheryl Broughton
Craig Souza
DTEA Representative
Representative
School Department Representative
Representative - DPW
Representative of Retirees
Representative of Retirees
Police Representative
DTEA Representative
School/Cafeteria
DPW Representative
SISTER CITY DELEGATION COMMITTEE
Edmund Tavares
Albert Porter
Joseph Toomey
Gil Borges
Cecilia Denwood
Peggy Cabral
Nathalie Dias
Manuel Branco
Mary Creed
Co-Chairperson
Co-Chairperson
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
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TOWN ACCOUNTANT REPORT
Claire L. Karvonen
Donna L. Fernandes
Susan Dorschied
Town Accountant
Asst. Town Accountant
Herewith is the annual report of the Town of Dartmouth, exemplifying the
financial condition of the Town as of June 30, 2007. This report includes the following:
Reconciliation of the Treasurer’s Cash
Analysis of Town Debt and Interest
Analysis of Appropriation Accounts
Revenue Received - All Funds
Report of Trust Funds
The accounting procedures followed by the Town of Dartmouth are established by
the Commonwealth which oversees the financial operations of the Town and other
Massachusetts municipalities to maintain compliance with the applicable requirements of
general and special law.
In my opinion, the attached fairly reflect the financial condition of the Town of
Dartmouth and the results of operations for the year ending June 30, 2007.
Claire L. Karvonen
Town Accountant
8
RECONCILIATION OF TREASURER'S CASH
AS OF JUNE 30, 2007
Cash and checks in office and Collector's Lock Box
473,086.79
Checking Account:
Fleet
0.00
Bank Accounts-Interest Bearing:
Mellon Financial
Slades Ferry
MMDT
Rockland Trust
Bank of America
Bank Five
Citizens Bank
Webster Bank
Eastern Bank
Bristol County Savings Bank
Uni-Bank
88,807.65
123,840.32
11,722.14
86,368.97
4,679,531.45
5,024,243.41
8,796,529.40
1,451,827.11
565,593.96
94,271.07
647,391.33
Total Bank Account-Interest Bearing
21,570,126.81
Investments:
Certificate of Deposits
Trust Funds
502,047.10
708,870.17
TOTAL OF ALL CASH AND INVESTMENTS
23,254,130.87
I hereby certify that the foregoing schedule, setting forth the total cash in the custody of
the Treasurer, is in agreement with the general ledger controls in my department.
Claire L. Karvonen
Town Accountant
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
TOWN COLLECTOR
Deborah L. Piva
Joan Mitchell
Michelle Souza
Elaine Lancaster
Sheila Sabourin
Carolyn Sue Oliveira
Lisa Raposa
Melissa Jerome
Town Collector
Asst. Town Collector
Head Cashier
Principal Clerk
Utility Billing
Principal Clerk
Principal Clerk
Utility Billing
Cashier
Cashier
The year 2007 in the Collector’s Office was another very productive year. As in
the past, we continue to have an exceptional collection rate. This is in part due to the
different payment options we offer the Taxpayer such as credit cards, we accept
MasterCard, Visa, Discover; there is a 2% convenience charge for this service. The online payment system cost less then a postage stamp and we encourage continued use of
this payment method by registering with www.mcc.net and following the process, which
is easy and self-explanatory.
The online parking ticket system with ParkTech2000 is working very efficiently
with accountability for all tickets collected and voided. The figures for 2007 totaling
$47,040.00 was collected, with $40,180.00 in actual tickets collected, $6,860.00 in fines
collected, and the number of tickets disposed of was 896.
The continued effort of the Town’s Deputy Collector is apparent by an analysis of
the report from January to December of 2007. The report reflects a total of 2,542
delinquents accounts paid in full, which consist of Motor Vehicle and Boat Excise for a
collection amount of $261,458.41, of which $217,156.82 represents all tax, $17,186.59
interest, $12,755.00 demand fees and $14,360.00 Registry of Motor vehicle fees. We
encourage continued use of the Silver Slot Security Receptacle located beside the mailbox
outside of Town Hall.
The Collector’s Office will continue to operate in a professional manner with the
emphasis on security and safety of public funds and continue with enhancements and
innovation that are cost saving and efficient in the operation of the office.
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Dartmouth Building Department
Inspectors
Joel S. Reed
David W. Mattos
David Brunette
William R. Plamondon
David Gonsalves
Donald Sweet
Edward Viveiros
Scott Livesley
Edmund A. Brown
Gary E. Lavalette
Director of Inspectional Services, C.B.O. & Fence
Viewer
Building Inspector & Zoning Enforcement Officer
Part-time, Assistant Building Inspector
Part-time, Inspector of Wires
Alternate Inspector of Wires
Part-time, Plumbing & Gas Inspector
Alternate Plumbing & Gas Inspector
Clerical
Beverly A. Sylvia
Suzanne C. Gonsalves
Permit Facilitator
The Building Department reviews plans, applications and issues permits for all new
construction, additions, alterations and repairs. We also do site inspections and issue
Certificates of Occupancy per 780 CMR Massachusetts State Building Code and 521
CMR Architectural Access Code. The Director of Inspectional Services oversees
Building, Zoning Enforcement, Electrical, Plumbing and Gas Departments. The Director
is also the Fence Viewer and communicates with the three Fire Districts on a weekly
basis. The Zoning Enforcement Officer enforces the zoning by-laws and some general
by-laws.
January 2007 through December 2007 Building Statistics
# of
Permits
Value
45
1
2
6
1
1
Type of Permit
Estimated
New One-Family Dwellings
New Building (Apartment Building 24 units
Condo Unit (Single-Family)
Condo Unit (Two-Family)
Condo Unit (8 Units)
New Building (4- Studio Apartments)
32
$16,488,601.00
1,065,000.00
300,000.00
900,000.00
560,000.00
150,000.00
327
78
1
1
4
1
1
Additions & Alterations (Residential)
Additions & Alterations (Commercial)
Addition/Alteration (Non-Residential)
Foundation Only (Residential)
Foundations Only (Commercial)
Foundation Only (Non-Residential)
Accessory Building
New Building (Zapp Precision Strip Inc.)
New Building (Elite Auto)
New Building (Retail Plaza)
New Building (D.P.W. Pump Station I)
New Building (D.P.W. Pump Station II)
New Building (Steel Frame-Hawthorn Medical)
New Building (Hawthorn Medical)
New Building (85 Faunce Corner Mall Road - Retail Plaza)
New Building (Pillar LLC)
New Building (2-Story Office Building)
Boat House/Storage Building
Addition/Alteration (Olive Garden)
Addition/Alteration (Hawthorn Medical)
Addition/Alteration (365 Faunce Corner Road)
Addition/Alteration (Dartmouth Marketplace)
Addition/Alteration (TGI Friday’s)
Addition/Alteration (D’Angelos)
Addition/Alteration (Healthy Grille)
Addition/Alteration (South Coast Hospital Group)
Addition/Alteration (Dr. David Sullivan)
Addition/Alteration (DYAA)
Addition/Alteration (Black & Decker)
Addition/Alteration (Dick’s Sporting Goods)
Addition/Alteration (Avenue)
Addition/Alteration (Wal-Mart)
Addition/Alteration (South Coast Hospital Group)
Addition/Alteration (Shield MRI)
Addition/Alteration (Lighting Care Co., Inc)
Addition/Alteration (Retail Space)
Addition/Alteration (Acushnet Co.)
Addition/Alteration (New Bedford Medical Associates)
Addition/Alteration (The Homeport)
Addition/Alteration (Sovereign Bank)
Addition/Alteration (So. Eastern MA Dialysis Center #1320
Addition/Alteration (Dartmouth Dermatology)
Addition/Alteration (634 State Road)
Addition/Alteration (Adamowski & Adamowski)
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11,991,921.00
1,043,976.00
18,000.00
12,000.00
497,000.00
95,000.00
68,500.00
165,000.00
55,000.00
640,000.00
146,000.00
146,000.00
520,000.00
4,855,000.00
1,200,000.00
1,200,000.00
1,200,000.00
195,000.00
89,000.00
70,000.00
199,925.00
85,000.00
108,000.00
73,500.00
217,854.00
79,925.00
53,425.00
95,000.00
50,000.00
86,000.00
257,895.00
103,000.00
75,000.00
373,500.00
60,000.00
150,000.00
187,000.00
60,000.00
75,000.00
55,000.00
125,000.00
60,000.00
55,000.00
50,000.00
Addition/Alteration (Pearle Vision)
Addition/Alteration (Pinnacle Health & Fitness)
Addition /Alteration (Aquapoint Inc.)
Addition/Alteration (The Homeport)
Addition/Alteration (Symphony Shop)
Addition/Alteration (Two-Condo Units)
1 Parking Lot
64
1
14
24
13
76
53
75
4
3
99,895.00
50,000.00
71,025.00
55,000.00
125,000.00
260,000.00
265,000.00
Pools (42 above-ground, 22 in-ground)
Barn
Garages
Sheds/Poolhouses
Demolitions
Replacement Windows/Doors
Woodstoves/Pelletstoves
Tenants/New/Change/Temporary
Temporary Trailers
635,306.00
22,000.00
478,450.00
181,250.00
247,100.00
782,693.00
112,666.00
13,670.00
16,150.00
Wind Turbines
80,000.00
4 Antennas
103 Signs/Temporary Signs/Banners
40 Home Occupations
235 Re-roofs/Sidings
38 Temporary Tents
2 Pavilions
70,000.00
234,234.00
2,455.00
2,251,933.00
78,028.00
25,000.00
TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION
Department Revenue
Value
$323,083.00
98,572.50
Type of Permits
Building
Electrical
Plumbing & Gas
Miscellaneous
Total Revenue:
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88,878.50
10,982.00
$521,516.00
52,562,877.00
POLICE DEPARTMENT
To say that this has been a challenging year for the Town of Dartmouth is an
understatement. Severe shortfalls in our overall Town revenues and no new identifiable
sources of revenue have forced each department within Town to cut their budgets and
eliminate or lay off personnel, leaving vacant positions unfilled and key positions
eliminated in the process. There doesn’t appear to be any help this year as Town finances
are once again projected to be in the red.
For many years now, your Police Department has received level funding or has
been severely cut from our fiscal budget requests. This was the case last year when close
to $400,000 was cut from the overall Public Safety budget through lay offs and unfilled
positions. Our medical expenses, vehicle repair, and utility cost continue to skyrocket. Our
fuel expenses as well as other equipment maintenance agreements continue to rise. We
have had to request significant reserve transfers just to pay some of our contractual
obligations during the past fiscal year.
The Town of Dartmouth as well as your Police Department faces serious and
growing problems. I do not have to remind you of the serious crimes, which we read about
happening in our larger cites, to the east and west of our borders. Those crimes are
consistently crossing over into our Town and are taking place here in Dartmouth, evident
with a recent drive-by shooting, increased drug and gang activity; as well as increased
calls for police services. WE must act NOW to ensure that these criminal elements do not
become entrenched within our borders. WE collectively MUST set our priorities regarding
Public Safety to ensure that the safety we have come to enjoy is not jeopardized.
We as a Town need collectively and uniformly to establish a commitment to
Public Safety and to start building our manpower to backfill not only our open positions
but our projected vacancies due to pending retirements within our ranks. We have
cannibalized our specialist positions including a Student Resource Officer, Domestic
Violence Officer, D.A.R.E. Officer, Crime Prevention Officer and two entry-level Police
Officer positions just to maintain enough officers on the streets. We have also had to lay
off four traffic supervisors, a part time dispatcher, and an Administrative Secretary due to
recent budget cut requirements.
The National Ratio of Officers to Population is 2.4 officers per 1000 population.
This would equate to the Town of Dartmouth at a residential average of 33,000 x 2.4
officers = 79 Full Time Officers. Currently we have 58 officers within our ranks. Our
largest complement of officers for our department was 64 officers back in 2003!
Hiring a Police Officer is not like hiring personnel in the private sector, there are
significant time constraints due to extensive background checks, selection process, and
required training involved. Please be reminded that it takes a minimum of nine months
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before an entry-level patrol officer has completed all of the necessary and mandated
training and is ready to assume duties on their own.
The Dartmouth Police will also be facing further depletions in upper command
staff within the next two years. The Operations Captain will be retiring this fiscal year.
The Executive Officer Captain, second in command of the police department is also
eligible to retire this fiscal year. In less than two and a half years the Town will be
searching for a new Chief of Police to command the Police Department and a senior
Lieutenant will also be retiring. These critical command positions will have to be
backfilled from our present structure of first line command positions. Those positions that
backfilled as a result of first line command promotions will now have to be backfilled
from the patrol complement, further depleting our manpower availability to patrol the
roads.
We continue to answer and respond to more police calls for service with fewer
personnel adding additional tasks and assignments to an already overburdened and shortstaffed workforce. Our arrest statistics continue to climb along with of felony incidents
and calls for service. In short, we are living on borrowed time! The time to act is NOW!
Remember always that this is YOUR police department and that public safety is
EVERYONE’S job. It needs your valuable information, input, concerns and above all
your continued support. Your police department continues to be the model of
professionalism and remains dedicated to serving YOU!
Sincerely,
Chief Mark Pacheco
Chief Mark Pacheco
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Operations Division
The Operations Division of the Dartmouth Police Department is responsible for
conducting all “tactical” functions within our agency. That is not to confuse that term
“tactical” with specific connotations of “Tactical Teams” or other specialized units, but
the more generalized definition which includes all day to day police functions including
law enforcement, crime prevention and investigation, and public service. In short,
Operations includes all functions not considered administrative. We are “the boots on the
ground”.
During the fiscally trying times of 2007, the Dartmouth Police Operations Division
has strived to utilize our available resources in the most efficient manner possible. The
Patrol Division, under the direction of Lieutenant Ken Cotta and Lieutenant Gary Soares,
has stepped up traffic enforcement activity through the use of directed patrols. Increased
traffic enforcement, the mandate of not one, but two separate community surveys, results
in a safer environment for our drivers and pedestrians, with the additional benefit of
increasing the detection of alcohol and drug violations as well as warrant apprehensions.
New programs were established to better utilize our motorcycle and bicycle patrols in
areas where their unique abilities are best suited, and today’s technology continues to
streamline our intelligence gathering and reporting processes.
Our Detective Division continues to diversify computer and identity fraud cases
which are on the rise and I felt that we have just touched the tip of the iceberg. Detectives
dedicated to these crimes and highly trained in these areas are in place within our
Detective Division. Close cooperation with the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
has led members of this division to become integral parts of several high profile, current
and “cold case” investigations.
The Detective Division under the supervision of Sergeant Robert Szala was
instrumental in creating our current “I.M.P.A.C.T. Patrols”. Under the direction of Chief
Pacheco and with assistance and cooperation of the Patrol Division this concept came to
fruition. Directed patrol teams of uniformed patrol officers and detectives, gather
intelligence, plan activities and conduct enforcement. These patrols are in our community.
The result had been extraordinary and the I.M.P.A.C.T. Patrol Program has become the
envy of, and model for many surrounding communities.
Our Communications Division has undergone significant hardware and software
upgrades and received intense training for communications personnel and selected police
officers in response to the Enhanced 911 upgrades. The Communication Division is an
integral part of the Operations Division and continues to handle the lion’s share of our
interaction with the community.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the
Dartmouth Police “team” for their dedication to service and to the community. Most
importantly, be safe out there.
Sincerely,
Captain Scott Brooks
Captain Scott Brooks
Operations Division Commander
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DARTMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT
PERSONNEL
Ranking Officers and Special Service Assignments
Mark Pacheco
Dennis E. McGuire
Scott Brooks
Kenneth Cotta
Gary Soares
Allen Shaw
Robert Szala
Peter Faria
Raymond Lake
Mark Zielinski
Gregg Rutch
Ryan Mitchell
George Perry
Paul Medeiros
Brian Levesque
Robert Levinson
Marc Maynard
William Garcia
Joseph Vieira
Richard Medeiros
Charles Lackie
Craig Pimental
Jared White
Chief of Police
Captain, Executive Officer/Director of
Support Services
Captain, Operations Divisions Commander
Lieutenant, 8-4 Commander/Public
Information/Quartermaster/Traffic Division
Supervisor
Lieutenant, 4-12 Commander/
K-9 Supervisor/Firearms Coordinator
Sergeant, Police, EMS Coordinator
Sergeant, Investigative Services Commander
Sergeant, Dive Team Supervisor
Sergeant, Alternate Commander 2nd & 3rd
relief’s
Sergeant, Alternate Commander/Patrol
Supervisor 3rd Relief/ Bike Patrol
Sergeant, 1st Relief /Field Training
Coordinator, Intermittent Officer
Supervisor/Facilities Supervisor
Detective/Identification
Detective
Detective
Detective
Detective
Detective
Firearms Licensing/Assistant
Quartermaster/Computer Services Assistant
Traffic/Safety Division/ Motor Vehicle
Crash Reconstruction/Fleet Coordinator
Alternate Traffic/Safety Division/Motor
Vehicle Crash Reconstruction/Radio
Services Assistant
K-9 Officer
K-9 Officer
K-9 Officer
Ptl. David Mello retired 04/07
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Police Officers
Uniform Patrol Division
Scott Affonce / Bike Patrol
Sean Mc.Guire / Field Training Officer /
Bike Patrol
Philip Dutra / Firearms Licensing Assistant. Kyle Costa / Field Training Officer
Jonathan Smith
Nancy Thibodeau
Steven Canario
Jeffrey Lewis
Howard Wong
Peter Canuel
Scott Stanton / Dive Team Coordinator
Frank Oliveira / Field Training Officer
Bike Patrol
Manuel DeMelo
Tony Vincent / Field Training Officer
Joseph Rapoza / Dive Team Member
John P. Costa / Motorcycle Patrol officer
Paul Arruda / Bike Patrol
Jeremy Smith
Andrew Wheaton / Firearms Instructor
Justin Fonseca / Bike Patrol
Scott Lake / Field Training Officer
James Storey
Derek Kenney / Field Training Officer
David Tavares
Keith DaCosta
Richard Pacheco / Motorcycle Patrol Officer
Frank Condez
David Oikarinen
Derek Sousa
Robert St. Denis
Lisa Bradley
Matthew Beauparland
Jose Catana
Victor Morency
Kevin DaCosta
John Rose/Patrol Investigator
Victor Porto
Intermittent Police Officers
Matthew Michaud
Jason Arruda
Scott Brooks
Robert Days
Shawn Souza
Ryan Souza
Corey Pimental
Tim Bernard
Ryan Cabral
Marc Vachon
Brian Sladewski
Victor Trinidad
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Communications
Joann Ashworth / Communications Training / Leaps Representative / Dispatcher
Auzenda Brasidio
Dispatcher
Katie Marie Edgcomb
Dispatcher
Darlene Fielding
Dispatcher
Todd Grant
Dispatcher
Timothy J. Klatt
Dispatcher
Melissa Liberty / Communications Training / Leaps Representative /Dispatcher
Patrick Mendonca
Dispatcher
David Saulnier
Dispatcher
Donna Wunschel
Dispatcher
Clerical Staff
Sandra Howland
Diane Dupont
Lorie Vieira
Deborah Wotton
Principal Clerk
Principal Clerk
Traffic Supervisors
Traffic Coordinator
Traffic Supervisor
Traffic Supervisor
Traffic Supervisor
Gladys G. Pimpao
Cindy Miller
Lynne Mercure
Kathleen Raudonaitis
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Dartmouth Police Department
In an Emergency dial: 911
DEPARTMENT EXTENSIONS
Office of the Chief of Police
508-910-1736
Executive Officer
508-910-1724
Director of Support Services
508-910-1743
Operations Commander
508-910-1743
Lieutenants
508-910-1777
Sergeants
508-910-1776
Traffic Safety
508-910-1770
Firearms Licensing
508-910-1738
Investigative Service Division
508-910-1775
Computer Systems
508-910-1753
Communications/Dispatch
508-910-1735
Records Room
508-910-1774
Anonymous Crime Tip Line
508-997-9900 (answering machine)
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K-9 DIVISION 2007 TOWN REPORT
The year 2007 passed quickly for the busy team members of the Dartmouth Police
K-9 Division. Officer Jared White and K-9 Topper, Officer Charles Lackie and K-9
Tonka and Officer Craig Pimental and K-9 Edgar. They provided several educational
and entertaining demonstrations in and around town. A good example was the St. Julie
September fest. This was done at St. Julies Church on Slocum Road and geared to the
crowd in attendance putting the patrol dogs and handlers through their paces.
While the K-9’s were on and off duty, they were called upon to assist both the
patrol division and investigative services division with many incidents, too numerous to
list all of them. Individually and collectively all of our K-9 teams are an irreplaceable
asset to the Town and the Police Department as a whole. These are a few highlights out of
their very busy activities.
Officer Lackie and K-9 Tonka: Officer Lackie and Tonka performed many on
duty tracks. One of which involved a suspect fleeing from a stabbing at Benny’s on
Dartmouth St. This happened on Halloween night. The suspect had assaulted another
youth and fled in the wooded area near the store. K-9 Tonka and Officer Lackie were
called upon to attempt to locate the suspect and any evidence connected with the crime.
The area was cordoned off by other officers who were there to assist. Officer Lackie and
Tonka began their track from the last know location and during the track Officer Lackie
detected a slight change in his K-9 partners behavior. Officer Lackie had the spot marked,
where the dog’s behavior changed and continued on. Ultimately, the suspect was located
off site by other assisting officers. Officer Lackie and K-9 Tonka returned to the marked
location and recovered the weapon used in the assault. This was a textbook case of K-9
and handler working in perfect harmony. Officer Lackie and Tonka were also key factors
several weeks later when a suspect fled on foot after he was discovered operating a stolen
motor vehicle and left the vehicle abandoned fleeing into the woods. Officer Lackie
responded with his partner and a short time tracked from the stolen car locating the
suspect in the woods who was subsequently arrested by other officers.
Officer White and K-9 Topper: Officer White and his K-9 partner Topper were
called upon to assist our patrol division and investigative services division with numerous
tracks. His main focus this year was on narcotics detection. He was instrumental in the
location of a substantial quantity of drugs located in a vehicle reported by an off duty
Dartmouth officer resulting in the arrest of the owner of the vehicle and confiscation of
narcotics processing equipment. They were also used extensively this past year by the
District Attorney’s office in several narcotics investigations that were wide spread and
still on going. He was also instrumental in coordinating the demonstrations that our K-9’s
did around town.
Officer Craig Pimental and K-9 Partner Edgar: Officer Pimental and his K-9
partner Edgar were directed to assist in locating a missing person early in 2007. The
42
weather was brutally cold and had been for several days. The last sighting of the male had
been several days before. Officer Pimental used a scent article for Edgar to get a track
started. The track was a short one to a nearby waters edge where Edgar indicated that the
track had gone into the water. After checking up and down the shores edge in both
directions from where Edgar’s first indication was it was evident that the missing person
had entered the water there. After a brief check at the waters edge the male was located
unfortunately deceased.
Recently while home and off duty Officer Pimental was contacted by Officers that
there had been a house break just minutes before and the suspects were still in the area.
Officer Pimental took Edgar and they went to work, locating a solid track in the wooded
area not far from the residence that had been broken into. Within a few minutes the pair of
house breakers were flushed out by Officer Pimental and Edgar into the waiting arms of
several other off duty officers and assisting Massachusetts State Police.
The Dartmouth Police K-9 teams have now been together for over seven years;
they are at the peak of their form. Unfortunately the reality is that just when we think they
are as good as they can get, they will soon be ready to retire. Typically a K-9 team is
ready to retire at around the age of nine and don’t even start working until they are around
two years old. Which means that out there somewhere, there are three fluffy lovable little
puppies that will be the next generation of Dartmouth finest K-9 partners. We are in our
34th year of uninterrupted service and with the continued support of the town and its
residents we hope to be around for many years to come, as the invaluable part of the
police department that the dogs have become.
Lieutenant. Gary Soares
Lieutenant Gary Soares
K-9 Supervisor
43
INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES DIVISION
During the year 2007, the Investigative Services Division continued to maintain a
high level of professionalism and success. This was achieved despite the rise in violent
crime as well as an increase in computer related crimes. I thank Chief Mark Pacheco for
his tireless effort to secure the equipment and training we need.
A significant increase has been made with our child exploitation investigations and
court action is sought whenever possible. We saw an increase in our violent crimes, which
included several drive-by shootings. Fortunately, no serious injuries have resulted. Our
efforts to combat this have been very successful. We formed I.M.P.A.C.T. (Integrated
Municipal Police Anti Crime Team), a Unit that works under a philosophy geared towards
the pro-active investigation and enforcement of street crimes that interfere with citizen’s
quality of life and feelings of safety. This action has included a cooperative effort with our
school officials. We expanded our sex offender registry compliance and made bold efforts
to protect our children with aggressive monitoring of those offenders within our town.
We continue to investigate property and identity theft crimes and thank the
community, both the citizens and businesses, for all their help. As always, this is a
community effort.
Detective Sergeant Robert Szala
Detective Sergeant Robert Szala
Investigative Services Division
DARTMOUTH POLICE UNDERWATER RECOVERY UNIT
The Dartmouth Police Underwater Recovery Team currently consists of three
members, Sgt. Peter Faria, Officer Scott Stanton, and Officer Joseph Rapoza. All three
officers not only serve as full time police officer but also respond to all water
emergencies.
The Dartmouth Police Dive Team has been very busy over the past two years
working in cooperation, building a regional police dive team called S.E.M.L.E.C.
(Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council). This is a co-op where local
police departments in the Southeastern Massachusetts area have joined together to pool
resources in improving services not only to the Town of Dartmouth but all member
agencies. The goal of this organization is to work together in accomplishing the objectives
associated with the mission of the Dartmouth Police to “serve our citizens”. This past year
we have improved and maintained equipment that includes a dive vehicle, underwater tow
video camera, and dive equipment used for underwater deployments.
We also have access to the regional Police Dive Recovery Boat, a 23-foot
aluminum Safe Boat that will be available to the town if the need arises. This police boat
44
is not only used for dive operations but can also be utilized to provide security for our
shoreline. We are also able to assist in recreational activities and events including the
Dartmouth Park Department Triathlon where participants swim the length of Round Hill
beach. The police boat is always available in case of an emergency. A second smaller boat
is also available for use in smaller bodies of water, it can operate in shallow water and has
the maneuverability needed in confined areas. Some of our other equipment includes a jet
ski loaned to us by JEM Motor Sports for quick response and is jointly shared with the
Harbormaster’s Office for incidents requiring a dual purpose water craft for speed and the
ability to operate in shallow water.
The Dartmouth Police dive team has been called upon to assist in the location and
recovery of drowning victims, and in the recovery of stolen vehicles found under water.
The dive team also has the ability to record and recover evidence located underwater,
which may have been used in the commission of a crime.
In June, the Police Dive team was called as a member of S.E.M.L.E.C. to
Fairhaven to assist that agency in locating and recovering a drowning victim. Upon our
arrival at the scene, we were able to establish a search area and assist the regional divers
and complete the assigned task.
In September, the Dartmouth Police Dive Team as part of S.E.M.L.E.C. assisted
the Bristol County District Attorney’s office in recovering evidence at the ledge regarding
a past investigation. The dive team has also been called over the past several years for
water related incidents in Dartmouth including sinking boats, capsized canoes, and
overdue boaters.
The Dive team trains once a month with S.E.M.L.E.C. to keep our skill level high
and continue to provide a quality dive team to serve the Town of Dartmouth. We look
forward, as always to working with all of the Fire Districts, their divers, and the
Harbormaster’s Office to keep our waterways safe.
Respectfully,
Sergeant Peter Faria
Sergeant Peter Faria
45
STOLEN VEHICLE
RECOVERED VEHICLE
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
5
4
3
4
10
5
6
1
7
5
0
4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
1
0
2
2
5
3
4
1
1
2
0
1
Total
54
Total
22
46
FIREARM LICENSING
PTL. WILLIAM GARCIA
The following Firearm Licenses were issued in the year 2007
Class A Large Capacity License
Firearm Identification Card
Chemical Propellant License
Resident Machine Gun License
Dealers License
635
39
27
7
11
Total License Issued
719
TOWN REPORT 2007
TRAFFIC DIVISION/CRIME PREVENTION
The Dartmouth Police Department currently has two officers assigned to the
Traffic Division, Officer Joseph Vieira and Officer Richard Medeiros.
Officers Vieira and Medeiros have been trained and are certified Accident
Reconstruction Officers. In 2007 our reconstruction team responded to approximately 10
crashes that were life threatening. Unfortunately 1 of these crashes resulted in fatalities.
They also assisted in crashes that were less severe, but involved injuries and extensive
property damage and/or arrest.
During 2007 the Traffic Division and Patrol Division participated in several state
sponsored traffic enforcement programs. “Click it or Ticket”, “U Drink U Drive U Lose”,
and Operation Yellow Blitz (school bus enforcement).
Officers Vieira and Medeiros continue to work closely with the business
community in the area of the Dartmouth Mall during the holiday season. The concerns
were holiday traffic. A traffic plan, which was developed in part by the Traffic Division 4
years ago, was successful and was used during the peak hours. It worked well considering
the large amount of traffic generated during the holiday season.
Officers Vieira and Medeiros were involved, along with the Registry of Motor
Vehicles, and the Department of Transport, in a school bus safety inspection of all
Dartmouth school buses.
Officers Vieira and Medeiros are also responsible for cruiser maintenance and
related equipment as well as radios, both in the cruisers, and hand held.
47
The department has made efforts to increase traffic enforcement throughout town,
both with the Traffic Division and Patrol Division. This is a result, in part, of two surveys
taken over the last ten years that made it clear from the residents that traffic enforcement
is a primary concern. For 2007 the results of the increased enforcement resulted in an
increase amount of traffic stops.
The department continues to make available home inspections assisting the
schools as needed. The UMASS Off Campus Housing project is in its 8th year, which
includes working with students who live off campus, landlords and neighbors. We also
participated in an auto-etching program with UMASS and the Governor’s Auto Strike
Force. Approximately 35 vehicles have vehicle identification numbers etched in their
windows and registered with the strike force.
Lieutenant Ken Cotta
Lieutenant Ken Cotta
Traffic Division/Crime Prevention
Annual Report
Of
Sealer of Weights and Measures
For the period commencing January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007.
Theodore Machado, Sealer
The Department of Weights and Measures ensures that equity and fairness prevail
in the marketplace between the buyer and seller and enforces all laws, ordinances and
regulations relating to the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices used by local
business establishments. These include taxi meters, gas station pumps, home heating oil
truck meters, hospital and health clinic scales, truck scales, factory and pharmacy scales,
and scales for the tipping of solid waste.
The Department of Weights and Measures enforces Massachusetts General Laws
and regulations relating to the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices that weigh,
measure, or count commodities offered for public sale. The department also seals or
condemns devices tested, and performs such work in accordance with state laws and
regulations and municipal ordinances, subject to review through reports and periodic
checks by the State Division of Standards. Additionally the department inspects
prepackaged food and merchandise to ensure compliance with weight, measurement and
count requirements, and for proper labeling as to weight, measure and extended prices. It
48
also investigates complaints on measuring devices or those not conforming to legal
standards, checks hawkers and peddlers for possession of licenses, and inspects weighing
and measuring devices used by these vendors. The Department also advises merchants on
packaging and labeling of goods.
This Department uses Handbook 44, Specifications, Tolerances, and other
Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices, promulgated by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, of the United States Department of
Commerce, and further promulgated by the Massachusetts Division of Standards.
Sealing fees collected and submitted to the Town Treasurer amounted to
$6,039.00.
Dartmouth Emergency Management Agency
Edward V. Pimental, Jr.
Robert T. DeCampos
Brad Anselmo
Nancy M. Pimental
Mary Ellen DeFrias
Antone Duarte
Nathan Dufault
Erica Harris
Luiz Lopes
Stacey Martin
Kevin O’Brien
Paul Rymszewicz
Brian Sladewski
Leonard Thompson
Director
Deputy
Operations Officer
Secretary
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
The year of 2007 continued to be a busy year for the Emergency Management Agency
staying active in the community.
We are pleased to announce the addition of two new members in our department, Nathan
Dufault and Kevin O’Brien.
The department continues to maintain a close working relationship with the Police, Fire,
Town department heads and NSTAR to ensure coordination of efforts in case of an
emergency. The department is also represented at the town’s monthly Public Safety
meeting. During the past year, this department provided assistance when needed to the
49
police, fire and various town agencies. We also continue to train once a month, as well as
maintaining any certifications needed.
The CERT Program (Community Emergency Response Team) with its 30 citizens
continues to have refresher courses and is ready to help in an emergency.
Our department updated our CEMP Plan in compliance with FEMA and MEMA
requirements. EMA personnel attended meetings with FEMA and MEMA to stay abreast
of information important to be ready to act in an emergency.
We are also pleased to coordinate the Memorial Day Parade.
Again we would like to take this opportunity to thank all Town Officials and local
business people for their help and assistance in 2007.
Edward V. Pimental, Jr.
Director
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Board of Public Works
Lee M. Azinheira, Chairman
Richard R. Medeiros, Vice Chairman
Manuel Branco, Clerk
David T. Hickox, P.E.
Michelle L. DeFranco
Director
Office Manager
Confidential
/Secretary
Bonnie J. Souza
Contract
Bidding Aide
Diane L. Vieira
Kerry Riggs
Maria Rosa Mendonca
Priscilla Tavares
Principal Clerk
Principal Clerk
Clerk (Part-time)
50
A message from the Director of Public Works David T. Hickox. P.E.
For FY 2008, the Town implemented a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) solid waste
and recycling program. As part of the program, a Solid Waste Enterprise Fund (SWEF)
was established by Town Meeting and the cost of operating the program became user
based, effectively separating the costs associated with solid waste and recycling from the
Town’s general fund. The PAYT program has been a tremendous success, reducing the
tonnage of solid waste collected curbside by 50%, and increasing curbside recycling by
38%. Approximately 500 homes “opted-out” of the PAYT program by contracting with
private solid waste companies. I would like to thank the participating PAYT residents for
their effort in making year one of PAYT a success. I would also like to thank the
Department of Public Works personnel for their hard work in the implementation process.
In an effort to reduce the residents’ cost for PAYT, the Board of Public Works has
committed to evaluating private solid waste and recycling services for FY 2009.
In 2007, the Department of Public Works completed several important roadway,
drainage and water system improvement projects. Our Construction Division completed
the installation of drainage and the full depth reconstruction on Donald Street and Jordan
Road, and the installation of new water main on McCabe Street (east). The Department
put a significant effort into mitigating ongoing drainage issues throughout the Town. A
significant effort was expended on the site of the new Panelli Wells by the installation of a
new water main loop from Rte. 6 to Old Westport Road via the well site. Construction
Division personnel also installed the underground electrical service to the Panelli Wells.
The Slocum Road Reconstruction Project – Phase 3 between Sharp Street and Elm
Street was put on hold in 2007 due to the installation of new gas main in Slocum Road by
NStar. Subject to funding, Phase 3 will start in the spring of 2008. This final phase will
consist of the installation of new granite curbing, concrete sidewalks with handicap
accessible ramps, the reconstruction of the roadway surface, and intersection
improvements.
The Bayview Sewer Project scheduled for completion in November 2007, was
delayed due to the unanticipated volume of ledge encountered during construction. As of
October 2007, all piping had been installed. The construction of the sewer pump stations
is scheduled for completion by April 2008. The Old Westport Road Sewer Project also
took place in 2007 and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2008.
As our Water Pollution Control Facility approaches design capacity, the Town will
be performing a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. This comprehensive plan
will direct the Department of Public Works on future wastewater improvements related to
collection and treatment over the next 20-year planning period. This important planning
project will be performed by Fay, Spofford & Thorndike Engineering and will be funded
by the Department of Environmental Protection through the SRF loan program.
In 2007, Weston & Sampson Services, Inc., completed the construction of the
Panelli Wells on land located between Rte. 6 and Old Westport Road. This new municipal
51
water supply will yield 600 gallons per minute and will be in service by May 2008. The
Department is currently reviewing a feasibility study for the development of a new water
supply and treatment facility on Town owned land in the northwestern section of Town.
A new traffic signal with lane modifications on Faunce Corner Road at I-195 was
put into service in 2007. I would like to thank Select Board member Carney for his
diligent effort in working with Mass Highway to make this improvement project a reality.
The Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) has completed their review of
the Dartmouth Street reconstruction project. The final project scope would include
intersection improvements at Rockdale Ave, Cove Road and Rogers Street, and the
upgrade or installation of new granite curbing, concrete sidewalks and roadway pavement
from Rockdale Ave. to Rogers Street.
After several years delay, MHD has given the Town the “green light” to proceed
with the engineering design of the Padanaram Causeway Rehabilitation Project. The
Town was granted $1,400,000 from a Congressional appropriation with an additional
$300,000 matching grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Board of
Public Works has recently selected the engineering firm of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc
(VHB) to provide professional engineering services for this project.
The Construction Division under the leadership of Mr. Paul Pacheco will be
undertaking several important projects in 2008, including the replacement of water main
on Old Reed Road, George Street, Golen Drive and Gentle Valley Drive. The
reconstruction of George Street will also include drainage improvements as necessary.
Several water main upgrades are scheduled to improve water quality including
replacement of “TCE” and asbestos lined water main.
Additional Construction Division projects include the installation of an
underground storm drainage treatment device on Prospect Street. The “Vortechnic” unit
will treat storm water prior to discharge into Apponagansett Bay. A grant from the
Department of Environmental Protection funded the materials for this important project.
As FY’09 approaches, the Department will continue to evaluate the most cost
effective approach to providing essential services as well as maintaining and upgrading
the Town’s infrastructure. As roadway reconstruction costs continue to rise, it is
imperative that the Town continues to properly budget for the maintenance and
rehabilitation of our roadway infrastructure.
Mr. Christopher Okafor, Highway Supervisor, resigned in April 2007. I would
like to acknowledge Mr. Okafor’s hard work and dedication to the Town. As a result of
Mr. Okafor’s resignation, the Board of Public Works has approved a reorganization plan
for the Department of Public Works. The primary focus of the reorganization would be in
the Highway Division. The plan calls for Mr. Paul Pacheco to move from the position of
Field Manager to Superintendent of Services & Infrastructure, and promotes Mr. Roy
52
Pinheiro to Assistant Superintendent of Services & Infrastructure effectively taking over
the day-to-day responsibilities previously held by Mr. Okafor.
After several years of harsh winter storms, the Town was fortunate that 2007
brought a winter season with unseasonable warm temperatures and no significant snow.
The Highway Division expended a significant effort in roadway striping, brush clearing,
drainage and roadway repairs in 2007. The Department of Public Works hired summer
college interns to assist the various Departments in engineering, water and wastewater
operations, and roadway maintenance. The interns provided added manpower during the
summer months when staffing can be difficult due to summer vacations.
Our Water & Sewer Division, under the leadership of Mr. Steven Sullivan,
continues to produce a first class municipal water supply for our Town. The Water
Division personnel should be acknowledged for their ability to continually improve
efficiency while at the same time taking on the operation of new facilities with no increase
in personnel. The Water Division staff is well-trained and acknowledged professionals in
the water industry.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank the Board of Public
Works, Mr. Lee Azinheira, Chairman; Mr. Richard Medeiros, Vice Chairman;
Mr. Manuel Branco, Clerk for providing policy, guidance and oversight to the
Department. It has been a pleasure to serve such a dedicated and knowledgeable Board.
Finally, I would like to personally acknowledge the hard work and dedication of
all Department of Public Works employees serving the residents of Town.
ENGINEERING DIVISION
Ronald A. Richard
Robert W. Swallow
Stephen Lawrence
Joseph M. Pimentel
Timothy J. Barber
Senior Engineer
Associate Engineer/Inspector
The Engineering Division continues to provide permitting, engineering design,
bidding and inspectional services for various public works projects, as well as residential
and commercial developments. In 2007, the Division provided resident engineering for
the Bayview Sewer Project, the Cedar Dell Sewer Project, and the Tucker Road Sewer
Project. The use of the Engineering Division personnel for the betterment sewer projects
reduces the cost and provides better control than the use of consultant engineers. As we
move into 2008, the Engineering Division has completed the design and bid documents
for the Slocum Road Reconstruction Project – Phase III. This project will consist of the
installation of new granite curbing, concrete sidewalks with handicap ramps, reshaping
and paving of the travel way, and intersection improvements. After several years of
permitting, the Division received Department of Environmental Protection approval for
53
the expanded Transfer Station.
As part of the Town’s Inflow/Infiltration (I/I) Program, the Engineering Division
continues to work on an aggressive manhole cover replacement project, which includes
the installation of internal manhole seals, and detailed manhole inspection. This ongoing
program reduces the flow of clean water into the sewer collection system thereby creating
sewer system capacity issues, and increased cost to collect, transfer and treat sanitary
waste. The use of the Engineering Division for I/I inspections will be a priority for 2008.
HIGHWAY & SANITATION/RECYCLING DIVISION
Roy Pinheiro, Interim Assistant Highway Supervisor
Mary Ann Ferreira, Administrative Clerk
Michael Brosius
Michael Cabral
A. Manny Cardoso
Lance Fielding
Carl Furtado
Frank Manley
James Martins
Andrew Medeiros
Stanley Medeiros
Christopher Mendonca
Steven Mendonca
Daniel Miller
Daniel Mota
Steven Pelletier
Glenn Pinto
Steven Oliveira
Steven Oliveira
Justin Raposa
Mark Santos
David Simas
David Souza
Ronald Souza
Stephen Souza
William Starvaggi
Robert Sylvia
Wayne Thatcher, Jr.
Stephen Vincent
Shaun Westgate
Richard Wotton
Jason Xavier
Bridge Tenders (Seasonal
Joseph Baptista
Armand Farland
Bethany Furtado
Frederick Icyk
Kelley Manchester
Keith Manchester
54
HIGHWAY & SANITATION DIVISION
2007 Recyclables Collected at Transfer Station
Amount Collected
.58tons
98 tons
7248 tons
264tons
62 each
906 each
38 tons
53 tons
17 tons
2 tons
4 tons
3 tons
4 tons
178 each
24 tons
13 tons
26 tons
3,430 gallons
15,460 lbs.
85 tons
257 tons
Description
Batteries
Cardboard
Compostables/Organics (leaves)
Construction & Demolition
Fluorescent Lamps (misc. size bulbs)
Fluorescent Lamps (straight bulbs)
Mixed and Clear Glass, Green Glass
Junk Mail/Magazines
Mattresses
Metal Cans
Plastic Clear
Plastic/Milk
Plastic/Mix
Propane Tanks
Refrigerators, Freezers, and Air Conditioners
Tires
TV/Computers
Waste Oil
Used Clothing/Textiles (American Red Cross & Pac Trading Containers)
Newspaper
Scrap Metals
Municipal Solid Waste Collect at Transfer Station – 636 tons.
Municipal Solid Waste Collected at curbside -----7,995 tons
Tons
1,324 tons
589 tons
Recyclables Collected at Curbside
Description
Newspaper, cardboard/paperboard/magazines
Co-mingled: glass, #1 - #7 plastics, cans
Roadside Debris Collected
Tons
78 each
6,420 lbs.
Description
Misc. debris (TV’s furniture, etc.)
Misc. debris (lumber, tire, etc.)
55
Construction Division
Paul Pacheco, Field Manager
Normand Emond
Tobey Pimental
David Rebello
Robert Frias
Roy Pinheiro
Antonio Tavares
Michael Pavao
Antonio Rodrigues
Michael Sweeney (Retired
6/07)
The Construction Division had a very active year in spite of the loss of two key
senior personnel; one position lost to a reassignment to the Highway Divisions as interim
Assistant Highway Supervisor and the other to retirement. The Construction Division
assisted the Highway Division in completing a number of projects that were outstanding.
Several important projects were completed with a substantial savings to the Department.
Inflow/Infiltration (I/I) work was completed within the Reed Road service area.
This work consisted of installing special Cretex chimney seals inside (230) sewer
manholes to prevent groundwater from flowing into the sewer system and taxing the water
pollution control facility.
Manholes and Catch Basins repairs for the Highway Division
The construction crew performed the following work in various areas around the town.
Frames replaced
6-Catch Basins completely rebuilt
16-Concrete flat tops replaced
8-Catch Basins Frames & Covers were replaced
6-Drain Manholes repaired
6-Drain Manholes Covers & Frames replaced
Drain line Repairs
The Division worked on repairs to the Tucker Road area repairing 120’ of 6”
drain line between White Weed Drive and Wayne Memorial Drive, tying into an existing
drain line crossing Tucker Road eliminating running water and icy conditions from
entering the roadway during the winter months.
Jordan Road
The Division performed full depth reconstruction of the existing roadway including new
asphalt and the loam and seeding of shoulders of the road. Four driveway aprons were
replaced.
Donald Street
The crew reconstructed 1,200’ of roadway and 600’ of 10” drain line, and 6 new catch
basins. The existing roadway was then reclaimed and new asphalt base pavement was
placed with new Cape Cod berm along the roadway edges.
56
High Hill Road
The Division installed (1) new catch basin and drain manhole with 1,100’ of 10” drain
line. The roadway area was over-laid with new asphalt.
Alpha Street
The Division had 600’ of the existing road surface on Alpha Street between Sharp and
Westwood Streets reclaimed. The base asphalt layer was placed this fall with the top layer
to be installed in the spring of 2008.
N. Hixville Road
This project consisted of drain and roadway improvements. The first phase was
completed in the winter of 2006 and spring of 2007. This summer the Division raised, to
final pavement grade, (15) new catch basins, (7) new drain manholes to install 1 ½” of top
pavement. The existing driveway aprons were repaved to the new roadway grades and
edges of the new roadway were loamed and seeded.
Copicut Road
This project was performed in conjunction with the North Hixville Road Project. The
Construction Division raised to final road grade (2) new drain manholes and (4) catch
basins.
The road was paved with 1 ½ of top pavement and existing driveway aprons repaved to
the new roadway grade and edges of pavement loamed and seeded.
Reed Road
This project was a combined drain, roadway and water line improvement project. The
division replaced the existing T.C.E. coated waterline, removed the continuous flow at the
end of the 16” waterline and 2,600’ of new 16” water main was installed. The Division
raised (7) new catch basins, (7) new drain manholes to final pavement grade, and 1 ½” of
top pavement was placed in the spring of 2007. The new roadway edges were loamed and
seeded and all existing driveways were adjusted to new pavement grade.
Lane Farms
In the spring of 2007; 500’ of roadway was repaved, new Cape Cod berm installed, and
the pavement edges were loamed and seeded.
West McCabe Street
This project was a combined waterline improvement and roadway improvement project.
The division replaced 880’ of 8” TCE coated water line, reconnected 15 existing well
services and installed 3 new fire hydrants. After the main was completed, a 1,000’ of
roadway was reclaimed and 2” of road base pavement was placed. In the spring of 2008,
1” of top pavement will be placed.
Panelli Well Site
This project was part of the new Panelli Well project. The division installed 3-4”, 1,200’
long concrete incased electrical duct bank. Also 3 new electrical pull boxes with one new
transformer pad. Also 420’ of 8” D.I. water main was installed and one new fire hydrant.
Streets Reconstructed, Widened & Resurfaced in 2007
Name
Length
Jordan Rd
5400’
Donald Street
605’
West Bliss Street
500’
57
Alpha Street
West McCabe Street
Total
620 ’
1,000
7625’=1.4 miles
Curbing & Sidewalk Improvements
Concrete
Bituminous
1,200
1,000
2,200
Name
Donald Street
Lane Farms Dr
Total
Granite
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
Carlos M. Cardoso
Water
Pollution
Control
Manager
Assistant Water Pollution
Control Manager
Chief Maintenance Operator
James Shaw
Richard Perry
Plant Operators II
William Messier
Dennis Matos
Mark S. Phaneuf
Dennis Lewis
Plant Operators I
Jose Mota
Motor Equipment Operators
Christopher Camara
Dennis Medeiros
Antonio Torres
Chris Swallow, Plant Custodian
Dartmouth’s Treatment Plant is one of the finest in Southeastern Massachusetts
and tours are frequently given to visitors who perceive it as a model plant that is run very
professionally. The staff is under the fine leadership of Mr. Carlos Cardoso, Water
Pollution Control Manager.
The Town accepts brush from private contractors and residents. In 2007, the brush
grinding operation produced 10,040 cubic yards of amendment (ground brush), which is
recycled to the plant composting facility. The composting facility then blends the ground
brush and bio-solids. A total of 5,805 cubic yards of finished, screened compost was
produced in 2007. The finished compost is then screened and sold on the compost market.
58
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Water Treated and Pumped
Total Flow
Gallons
Year
2000...................................... 900,900,000
2001...................................... 927,080,000
2002...................................... 897,570,000
2003...................................... 1,088,830,000
2004...................................... 1,077,880,000
2005...................................... 1,269,720,000
2006...................................... 1,159,400,000
2007...................................... 1,027,340,000
WATER DIVISION
MISSION STATEMENT:
The Dartmouth Water Division is dedicated to providing, protecting and
preserving today’s water supplies for tomorrow’s consumers. Our commitment is to
supply quality water that complies with all State & Federal standards, provide education
and excellent customer service, and to be the leaders in our profession.
I respectfully submit the following report and pumping record for the year 2007:
Month
Gallons
Month
Gallons
January
68,947,000
July
131,399,000
February
68,793,000
August
134,031,000
March
71,058,000
September
114,255,000
April
72,183,000
October
94,940,000
May
95,262,000
November
73,156,000
June
114,666,000
December
68,694,000
Of all the water pumped, 75% or 834,400,000 gallons were pumped from our own
wells and 25% or 272,984,000 gallons were purchased from the City of New Bedford.
The greatest amount pumped in one day was 5,554,000 gallons on August 2, 2007.
The daily average water pumped per day for 2007 was 3,033,929 gallons. Total 2007
precipitation measured at the 687 Chase Road Treatment Plant was 35.68 inches
compared to 41.86 inches in 2006.
59
The Water Division has an active in-house program for back flow prevention and
cross connections, which represents savings for the department. Several employees have
taken advantage of educational programs for Certification under the Safe Drinking Water
Act.
The Water Division has continued throughout the year with an aggressive
maintenance program, which included fire hydrant painting, spring and fall hydrant
flushing, lead service line replacement and system valve exercising. Many of our wells
were rehabilitated to allow the wells to pump at their maximum capacity.
The Consumer Confidence Report was mailed to all of the ratepayers. This report
is sent out each year to provide information to consumers on how our water is treated as
well as any other pertinent information that consumers should know about their water. In
2007, the water division purchased 30.44 acres of land to further protect the Town of
Dartmouth’s water supply in the area that abuts the new Panelli Wells, which are set to go
online in 2008.
The contract for the cleaning and painting of the 500,000 gallon Allen Street
Elevated tank was awarded to Modern Protective Coatings Inc. of Hudson NH, in the
amount of $498,140.00. The storage tank was taken off line on February 22, 2007, to start
the project. The project was completed and the elevated tank was put back into service on
June 8, 2007.
The Current systems totals now stands as follows:
189.67 Miles of water main
2,874 gate or butterfly valves 6" or larger
1,565 Fire Hydrants
8,873 Water Services
92.95 Miles of sewer mains
6447 Sewer Services
60
Our employees are dedicated and committed to their jobs. As a Department Head,
it is certainly rewarding to have employees of this caliber and I would like to personally
thank all of them for their continued efforts.
Tricia Anthony
Peter Andrade
Paul Galego
Kevin Nunes
Michael Roderick
James Barlow
Paul Andrade
Gerald Lemos
Russell Hiksdal
Richard Hopkins
Derek Martin
David Rebello Jr.
Craig Souza
Jay Perry
Water Facilities Operator
Water Systems Inspector
Craftsman
Assistant Operator 1
Craftsman/Assistant Water Facilities Operator
Working Foreman
S.M.E.O
H.M.E.O
Maintenance Worker
Master Mechanic
Meter Reader
“With Water Works Pride”
Steven M. Sullivan
508-999-0742
smsullivan @town.dartmouth.ma.us
SEWER MAINS
Location
Bayview Avenue
Beach Avenue
Bourne Place
Degaris Avenue
Dutra Avenue
Dyke Avenue
Elm Street (Heritage Wharf)
Faunce Corner Road (jail site)
Gulf Road
Length (L.F.)
654.5
279.4
136
719.2
209.2
841
1,055.4
549.6
245.1
379.5
38
656
130
1,883.6
1,672.8
61
Size
Manholes
8” PVC
5
2” PVC F.M.
1 ½” PVC F.M.
8” PVC
3
1 ½ ” PVC F.M.
10” PVC
4
10” PVC
5
8” PVC
2
8” PVC
1
1 ½” PVC F.M.
6” PVC
1
8” PVC
5
6” PVC
1
10” PVC
15
8” PVC
Salt Creek Road
Smith Neck Road
UMass (research building)
West Smith Neck Road
Westwood Drive
Tucker Road
TOTALS
4,946.2
32
448
6: PVC F.M.
2” PVC F.M.
1 ½” PVC F.M.
1,076.4
1,482.4
572
137.8
350
350
1,651.5
1,115.4
577.4
226
2,095
24,509.4’
8” PVC
10” PVC
12” PVC
8” PVC
2” PVC F.M.
3” PVC F.M.
12” PVC
6” PVC F.M.
1 ½” PVC F.M.
8” PVC
8” PVC
1 (air release)
1 pumping station
1 bridge crossing
6
10
9
1 pumping station
1
7
76
2 pumping stations
SERVICES FOR 2007
60 – NEW WATER SERVICES
15 – REPLACED, REPAIRED, OR DISCONTINUED
72 – NEW SEWER SERVICES
5 – REPLACED, REPAIRED, OR DISCONTINUED
1 – NEW DRAIN SERVICE\
WATER MAINS
Location
Bayview Avenue
Beach Avenue
Blossom Court
Clarendon Street
Cross Road (Applebee’s)
Cross Road (Bristol County Bank)
Degaris Avenue
Dutra Avenue
Faunce Corner Road (jail site)
Gulf Road
Pleasant Lane & East Lakeside
Avenue
Smith Neck Road
Smith Neck Road
State Road (T.G.I. Fridays)
West Smith Neck Road
Westwood Drive
Totals
Length (L.F.)±
973.5
1,302.1
382
825
58
282.6
1,050.4
697
801
0
462
Size
8” D.I.
8” D.I.
8” D.I.
6” D.I.
6” D.I.
6” D.I.
8” D.I.
8” D.I.
6” D.I.
12” D.I.
6” D.I.
Gates Hydrants
5
2
5
2
2
1
5
2
1
0
1
0
7
3
3
1
5
1
1
0
3
2
0
12” D.I.
7
599
104
8” D.I.
6” D.I.
12” D.I.
6” D.I.
2
1
1
2
51
239
7,775.6
62
1
0
0
0
1
16
PLANNING BOARD ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2007
PLANNING BOARD
Lorri-Ann Miller, Chairman Term Expires 2011
Joseph E. Toomey, Jr., Vice Chairman
John Haran, Clerk
John V. Sousa
Arthur C. Larrivee
Kathleen DelSordo, Alternate Member
Term Expires 2009
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2012
Term Expires 2008
PLANNING STAFF
Donald A. Perry, AICP
Joyce J. Couture
Elizabeth A. Smith-Bochman
Planning Director
Planning Aide
Principal Clerk
OVERVIEW
The development statistics for subdivisions reviewed by the Planning Board in the
year 2007 indicated a decrease in the sum total of new lots in Dartmouth for the year. The
total number of new lots created in 2007 was 44, down from 88 in 2006. This total
includes Definitive Subdivision lots and ANR lots. Definitive Subdivision lots decreased
from 45 in 2006 to 24 in 2007. The number of ANR lots decreased from 43 to 20.
Commercial development, as represented by parking spaces reviewed, showed a
decrease from 641 in 2006 to 376 in 2007. The 376 spaces reviewed in 2007 are the
lowest since 1998.
The most notable planning event in 2007 was the completion of the updated
Growth Management Master Plan prepared by SRPEDD, the Town’s Master Plan
consultants. The plan was completed and adopted by unanimous vote of the Planning
Board on October 15, 2007. On October 16, 2007, Fall Annual Town Meeting also voted
to adopt an amendment to the Town of Dartmouth’s Zoning By-Laws, updating the
Preamble, which refers to the new Master Plan. The Planning Board looks forward to
implementing recommendations of the Master Plan and has already begun work on mixed
use and village zoning which have been given a high priority in the plan. Preparatory to
updating village zoning, the Planning Board sought volunteers and established the
Padanaram Village Review Committee to provide recommendations and feedback for
village zoning.
At the Spring Annual Town Meeting, a residential wind turbine zoning by-law was
adopted. The wind turbine by-law will allow residential size windmills by Special Permit
and should encourage clean, renewable electric energy creation at the local level.
63
In the summer of 2007, the Planning Board voted to adopt, after holding a duly
required public hearing, a totally updated and revised version of the Town’s Subdivision
Regulations. The revised Subdivision Regulations was a collaboration of different
departments and specialists; such as the Department of Public Works, Fire Chiefs, and the
Town’s drainage consultant. The Subdivision Regulations contain the standards and
procedures to follow in order to secure Planning Board endorsement or approval for plans
which show divisions of land. The revised Subdivision Regulations were also posted on
the Town’s website and the Subdivision Regulations forms and procedural flowcharts are
in downloadable format.
Former Planning Board member, Kathleen DelSordo, was reappointed to serve as
alternate Planning Board member for Special Permits. The alternate member is appointed
by the Planning Board and is only requested to serve when a regular Planning Board
member is unable to participate on a Special Permit application.
In addition to their Planning Board duties, Board members served on behalf of the
Planning Board in the following capacities: Lorri-Ann Miller served as the Planning
Board’s delegate to the SRPEDD Commission. John Haran served on the Chapter 40R
”Village at Lincoln Park” Committee; Joseph E. Toomey, Jr. served on the Soil
Conservation Board; John Sousa served on the Affordable Housing Partnership, the
Community Preservation Committee, and the Community Development Group; and the
Planning Board’s newest member, Arthur Larrivee, served on the Agricultural
Preservation Trust Council.
Throughout 2007, the Planning Board and/or its staff continued their reviews and
activities in the following areas:
* Reviewing subdivision plans and monitoring subdivision sureties;
* Reviewing parking plans;
* Reviewing variances submitted to the Board of Appeals;
* Reviewing Conservation Commission Notices of Intent;
* Preparing reports and recommendations to Town Meeting; and
Providing technical assistance and information to citizens, Town committees,
and developers.
SUBDIVISION AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
The data charts that follow compare the level of development reviewed by the
Planning Board over the specified time period:
64
APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED (ANR) PLANS
NEW LOTS CREATED
100
90
73
80
60
81
51
40
46
44
30
25
19
20
43
20
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
YEAR
DEFINITIVE PLANS
NEW LOTS CREATED
125
100
88
75
56
51
50
26
16
25
36
10
11
13
2001
2002
2003
45
24
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
YEAR
65
2004
2005
2006
2007
# OF LOTS CREATED
TOTAL NEW LOTS CREATED
1997 - 2007
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
139
124
107
102
100
88
61
57
46
44
30
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
YEAR
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
PARKING SPACES REVIEWED
6000
4866
# OF SPACES
5000
4000
3000
2158
2000
1000
770
681
583
1999
2000
271
921
708
642
641
376
0
1997
1998
2001
2002
YEAR
66
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
REPORT TO THE TOWN OF DARTMOUTH FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE
SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICT (SRPEDD)
The Town of Dartmouth is a member of the Southeastern Regional Planning and
Economic Development District. SRPEDD (pronounced sir-ped) is the regional agency
serving twenty-seven cities and Towns in southeastern Massachusetts dealing with
common issues facing our region, such as economic development, growth and land
development, transportation, environment and general planning for the future. SRPEDD
is governed by a Commission of local mayors, selectmen, planning board members and at
large members. We are funded by federal and state grants and local assessments. For
2007, the Town of Dartmouth paid $4,953.48 to SRPEDD, based upon an assessment of
16.15 cents per capita.
Local citizens serving at SRPEDD included the following:
<
<
SRPEDD Commission: Robert Carney and Lorri-Ann Miller
Joint Transportation Planning Group: Robert Carney and David Hickox
Lorri-Ann Miller also serves on the Executive Committee and as Past Chairman of the
SRPEDD Commission. Robert Carney serves on the Executive Committee.
Some of SRPEDD's more significant accomplishments during 2007 were:
•
Completion and approval of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP),
which sets regional priorities for federal transportation funds, and the Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP). The TIP established priorities for federal and state
regional targeted for highway projects, and transit funds for GATRA over the next
3 years.
•
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Southeastern
Massachusetts, a regional economic development strategy, was completed and
certified by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, making the region
eligible for federal economic development grants from EDA.
•
The Taunton River Wild and Scenic initiative continued in 2007 with an effort
to get the U.S. Congress to designate the Taunton River as a Wild & Scenic
resource. SRPEDD is also a partner with 9 other organizations in the Taunton
River campaign.
•
SRPEDD publishes the 100 Most Dangerous Intersections in Southeastern
Massachusetts for the period 2001-2004. The list included the following
Dartmouth intersections:
o Route 6 and Brandt Ave./Home Depot
o Route 6 and Faunce Corner/Old Westport Road
o Route 6 and Hathaway Road
67
•
SRPEDD’s web site contains data and information about every city and Town in
the region, and can be reached at http://www.srpedd.org. The web site was
expanded again this year and now includes an inventory for more than 300
signalized intersections in the region.
•
The Southeastern Massachusetts Commuter Rail Task Force met through
2007. The Task Force, which includes representation from 18 municipalities and
18 regional organizations, is examining the growth impact of the proposed rail
service extension to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford.
•
SRPEDD is the designated fiduciary agent by the Massachusetts Executive Office
of Public Safety for the Southeast Regional Advisory Council for Homeland
Security serving 96 communities in 6 counties in southeastern Massachusetts.
The Council has awarded $11.6 million in federal homeland security funds since
2004.
•
SRPEDD conducts a district-wide traffic counting program (including speed
surveys and vehicle classification, and intersection turning movement counts) and
maintains a computer file of all available traffic count data throughout the region.
SRPEDD undertook 100 counts at various locations this past year.
•
An extensive Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping program is
maintained by SRPEDD. Every year new computerized “data layers” are added to
the system. SRPEDD also operates the Southeastern Massachusetts Data Center,
providing information to businesses, cities and towns, and individuals.
•
SRPEDD continues to provide planning and support to the two regional transit
authorities, SRTA and GATRA, on various efforts including: consumer advisory
committees, route evaluations, planning, monitoring services and federal reporting.
•
SRPEDD maintains a comprehensive database of all 305 signalized intersections
in the region. This includes geometry, traffic volume, crash rate, signal timing and
operational characteristics.
•
SRPEDD continued its affiliation with the South Eastern Economic Development
(SEED) Corporation, which makes loans to small businesses for expansion. SEED
is one of the Small Business Administration top lenders in New England.
In addition, municipal assistance was provided to the town in the following areas:
•
•
•
Paskamansett River Clean Up Program – Public outreach and organization
Completed Master Plan
Faunce Corner Road Traffic Study
68
SRPEDD was created to serve the cities and towns of southeastern Massachusetts. We are
governed by elected and appointed officials from all the cities and towns. We look
forward to serving you in the future.
GREATER NEW BEDFORD REGIONAL REFUSE
MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
2007
District Committee
Rosemary Tierney, Chair
Robert Medeiros, Vice-Chair
Richard Medeiros, Second Vice-Chair
Jeffrey King, Treasurer
Nathalie Dias
Gregory Lynam
Term expires 2009
Term expires 2008
Term expires 2008
Term expires 2007
Term expires 2009
Term expires 2010
Administrative Staff
Virginia Valiela
Marie E. Alves
Cynthia Cammarata
Leonor Ferreira
Marissa Perez-Dormitzer
Margaret Hebert
Executive Director
Exec. Secretary, Asst. Treasurer
Accountant
Office Assistant
Recycling Coordinator
Recycling Assistant
Operations Staff
Hank Van Laarhoven
Director of Operations
& Chief Procurement Officer
Landfill Foreman
Utility Technician
Scale House Operator
Equipment Operator
Equipment Operator
Utility Technician
Utility Technician
Maintenance Foreman
Paul Pease
Roy Cardoso
Randal Ferry
George W. Maciel
Robert Medeiros
Richard Mota
Robert J. Porawski II
Shawn Peckham
The Refuse District has completed its thirteenth year of operations, providing a
wide variety of solid waste services to the member communities of Dartmouth and New
Bedford. The operation at the Crapo Hill Landfill continues to meet all environmental
standards and provides an economical site for disposal of municipal trash. The District is
currently filling Cells 1 & 2 of Phase 2, and has begun the construction of ten new acres
of landfill for Cells 3 & 4. Construction of the stormwater retention basin is complete.
69
The District has contracted with CommonWealth New Bedford LLC to convert
landfill gas to electricity. A 3.2 megawatt plant was constructed beside the Crapo
Hill Landfill and is connected to the landfill through a network of pipes. The plant
went on line in December 2006 and has been performing above expectations. The
District monitors and maintains the gas well field, and has installed 2760 feet of HDPE
horizontal pipe and 1464 feet of vertical pipe to capture methane this year. Major inhouse repairs were completed on the D5 and D65 dozers (bottoms turned).
During fiscal year 2007, the District landfilled 108,071 tons of trash. Dartmouth
delivered 10,946 tons to the landfill, a drop of 357 tons compared to its 2006 tonnage.
Dartmouth representatives are leading the way to reduced use of the landfill in order to
prolong its life. The Select Board and the Board of Public Works voted to implement a
Pay-As-You-Go (PAYT) program, effective October 1, 2007. Recycling tonnage in
calendar year 2007 was 2369 tons, a 16% increase over 2006. Plastics #3 - #7 were
added to the curbside collection program.
The District sponsored two household hazardous waste collection days free of
charge to residents, and three automotive collection days for tires and batteries for a small
fee. Useable paint collected from households is stored at the Regional Paint Recycling
Shed at the New Bedford Transfer Station, and is free to all. Other free recycling services
are collection of fluorescent bulbs, mercury-containing devices, and used oil at the
Transfer Station. As always, the District appreciates the support of the DPW staff in the
success of these programs.
BOARD OF APPEALS
BOARD OF APPEALS MEMBERS
Kimberly Moses-Smith, Esq. (Chairperson)
Raymond Souza
Roger Tougas
Jose Abreu (resigned)
Michael Travers
Allan J. Turner
Jane Choubah
Member- Term Expires 2008
Alternate- Term Expires 2007
Principal Clerk
The Zoning Board of Appeals would like to welcome Jane Choubah, the new
Principal Clerk who came on board December 11, 2007 and Allan Turner, the new
Alternate Member who was appointed by the Select Board in December 2007.
70
OVERVIEW
The Zoning Enabling Act, Chapter 40A, was enacted by Chapters 368 and 551 of
the Acts of 1954 and became effective on August 1, 1954, replacing the previous zoning
enabling legislation, Section 25 to 30B, inclusive, of Chapter 40, General Laws. On
December 22, 1975, the Governor signed Chapter 808 of the Acts of 1975, the Zoning
Act, which created a new Chapter 40A of the Massachusetts General Laws.
The Board of Appeals is under the jurisdiction of Section 14, Chapter 40A of the
General laws of Massachusetts. The Board consists of 6 members who are appointed by
the Select Board of the Town of Dartmouth, three of which are Alternate Members.
A person aggrieved by the refusal of the issuance of a building permit by the
Building Commissioner and Zoning Enforcement Officer may appeal to this office under
the provisions of Chapter 40A of the Massachusetts General Laws.
In the year 2007 the Board heard petitions for amendments of prior decisions,
special permits, variances and administrative appeals along with comprehensive permits
which in part relies on Chapter 40B.
During 2007, the Board of Appeals has continued to work cooperatively with all
departments affiliated with the health, safety and planning of the Town of Dartmouth to
ensure protection of the Town’s environment while providing zoning relief when
appropriate.
The following is the relief obtained by various petitioners in 2007:
Granted
Denied
Withdrawn
Pending
Total
Variance
21
3
1
4
29
Special Permit
19
0
1
2
22
Amendment
8
1
3
0
12
Comprehensive
2
2
Adm. Appeal
1
1
2
Change of Use
1
1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------50
5
5
8
68
71
DARTMOUTH HISTORICAL COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT 2007
The Historical Commission is charged with preservation and documentation of the town’s
historic buildings and sites. This year the commission has completed some projects that
have been pending for a long while and has started a new venture to update the Form B's.
In the year 2007 the commission had 11 demolitions, nine were approved, one was
delayed and one delay was lifted. The demolitions were basically out buildings of no
significant value. The delay was on the Tower and Dish at Round Hill. The commission
looked into various options for the tower but none were workable. (Moving it to Round
Hill Beach or another location in town.) The applicants for demolition didn't have any
suggestions either. The delay ended on Oct. 31, 2007 and the tower came down shortly
after.
The delay that was lifted came about as a result of cooperative effort on the part of the
applicant for demolition, their architect, and the commission. After some discussion the
applicant was able to appreciate the historic value of the home, the commission was able
to understand the applicants need and the architect was able to put together a plan that
satisfied all. The front of the home was saved; windows in the demolished section will be
reused as well as doors, hardware and other sections that have meaning to the applicant.
Even though this may not have been in our charge, it was important to us to save as much
as possible.
The Russell Garrison Deed has been registered and through the generous contributions
from Wal-Mart, two signs on Elm St. and one at the site have been erected.
The Historic Dartmouth map has been completed and distributed. We have positive
reaction from all and continue to distribute it to public places in the area.
Paul Levasseur has found the missing RR Sta. sign on Hixville Rd. and has taken the
responsibility of having it put back in its proper place.
Craig Tjersland has taken an interest in preserving and using the original North
Dartmouth Library currently located behind the closed No. Dartmouth Library. Craig
talked to the Library Trustees about his ideas and in the end the trustees decided to table
the matter because of the uncertainty of the town finances.
Barbara Faria has been re-hanging many of the photos in the commission room as well as
in the hall outside the room. Take the time to come and see some of the old photos and
then see if you have any at home that we can add to the collection.
An old cemetery (#844 in the Cemetery Book) on new Faunce Corner Rd. has been
demolished. What looked like just an old stone wall was actually the enclosure to a small
Mosher Cemetery with about six sites, and permission was given to knock the wall down.
72
Because of the error the cemeteries are being put in the town's GPS system and the
assessor will make sure the cemeteries are designated with a cross when new maps are
printed.
The commissions new project is the acceptance of Richard Casella's application
to update the Form B's for property up to 1850. We were approved by town meeting to
receive CPC funds to finance this project. Judy Lund worked with Mr. Cassala to decide
how the project will progress. We are encouraged because he would like to use some
students to help him, and we think getting young people involved in history is to the
benefit of all. Judy will oversee this project.
Commission Members: Brock Cordeiro, Barbara Faria, Jean Larrivee, Paul Levasseur,
Judy Lund, Chair, Robert Smith, Nancy Thornton, Craig Tjersland.
Community Preservation Committee
Community Preservation Act
The Town adopted the Community Preservation Act (“CPA”) in April, 2002,
approving a 1.5% surcharge property tax surcharge that is also matched with funds from
the State Department of Revenue. These funds can be spent in three areas: 1) Affordable
Housing, 2) Historic Preservation, and 3) Open Space and Recreation. By statute, at least
10% of the funds must be designated for each of these three areas.
The amount of funds collected is certified to the State on June 30th of each year.
On October 15th, the State pays matching funds from the Community Preservation Trust
Fund to each municipality that has adopted the Community Preservation Act. The
municipalities will receive between 5% and 100% of a match, depending on the balance
available in the Trust Fund. These funds are not part of the general fund at either the State
or Town level. They are held in segregated funds dedicated to projects or purposes under
the Community Preservation Act.
Dartmouth Community Preservation Committee
The Dartmouth Community Preservation Committee’s mission is to enhance
Dartmouth’s unique character and quality of life by facilitating efforts to preserve historic
places and structures, retain and protect open spaces, increase lands available for
recreation, and seek creative solutions that meet the affordable housing needs of our
residents.
The Community Preservation Committee (“CPC”) consists of nine members of
which five are legislatively mandated representatives of other Town committees and four
are citizen-at-large members appointed by the Select Board. For the 2007 fiscal year
ending June 30, 2007, the CPC members were as follows: Howard “Buddy” Baker-Smith
(Chairperson and At-Large member), Jacquelyn McDonald (Vice-Chairperson and
Conservation Commission representative), William O’Connor (Housing Authority
73
Representative), Nancy Thornton (Historical Commission representative), John Sousa
(Planning Board representative), John Costa (Board of Parks Commissioners
representative), Michael Bachstein (At-Large member).
The role of the CPC is to make recommendations to Town Meeting about how
CPA funds should be spent. The CPC solicits project proposals from individuals,
organizations, and Town boards and committees. Proposals are reviewed according to
established selection criteria and the public is invited to comment on projects at public
hearings held by the committee. The final funding recommendations by the CPC are then
presented to Town Meeting for approval.
Projects Funded in Fiscal Year 2007
The CPC sponsored two funding rounds in fiscal year 2007 and recommended a
total of four projects to the Fall and Spring Town Meetings, totaling $302,600 in CPA
funds. Town Meeting approved all of the projects for CPA funding as recommended by
the CPC.
A.
Recreation
Comprehensive Recreation Plan and Feasibility Assessment [in progress]
Spring Town Meeting approved $35,000 to the Dartmouth Recreation Association to
engage the necessary professional services to assess the Town’s recreational needs and
resources, develop a master recreational growth plan, and conduct a preliminary feasibility
study that will address the Town’s current and future unmet recreational needs.
Creation of Recreational Boating Access at Clark’s Cove [in progress]
The Fall Town Meeting approved $75,000 to the Dartmouth Waterways Commission to
complete preliminary design and site work as part of the first phase of the Regional
Waterways Public Access Project at Clark’s Cove that will create a new recreational
boating access area on an unused parcel of land owned by the town.
B.
Open Space
Ridge Hill Reserve Expansion Project [completed]
The Spring Town Meeting approved $150,000 to the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust
to acquire and preserve as natural open space 52 acres of forested upland and wetland
habitats that are contiguous with other protected forestland known as the DNRT Ridge
Hill Reserve.
C.
Historic Preservation
Historic Preservation Commission Inventory of Historic Buildings [in progress]
74
The Spring Town Meeting approved $42,600 to the Dartmouth Historical Commission to
engage qualified professional services to update the Historical Commission’s inventory of
historic buildings in town built before 1851.
Community Investment
As of December 31, 2007, more than $4.2 million in CPA funds have been invested in
twenty-six community sponsored projects.
Dartmouth Cemetery Commission
2007 Annual Report
Manuel R. Morro, Chairperson
Cathy Costa
Term Expires 2007
Term Expires 2008
The Cemetery Commission of the Town of Dartmouth is charged with the
management of the following town owned cemeteries. Evergreen Cemetery, located on
Old Fall River Road, Pine Island Cemetery, located on Pine Island Road, and the Joseph
Davis Cemetery, located on Faunce Corner Road.
Plots are available for sale to town residents for $400.00 per lot. Opening fees are:
$450 for standard burial and $200.00 for cremation.
Residents should contact the Town Clerk’s Office for information regarding the
purchase of burial plots.
Work has begun on clearing and cleaning out of the east side of Evergreen
Cemetery.
During the year 2007 there were six (6) burials and only a handful of graves sold.
Respectfully submitted,
Manuel R. Morro, Chairperson
75
ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
2007
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
Kathryn Murphy-Aisenberg, Chairman
Rachel Charrier, Vice Chairman
Andrew Couto
Hope Atkinson
Paul Pereira
Martha Munro (deceased)
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2009
Term Expires 2009
LIBRARY STAFF
Denise Medeiros
Lynne Antunes
Director of Libraries
Asst. Director of
Libraries/Branch Librarian
Information Services
Librarian
Children’s Librarian
Information Services
Librarian
Administrative
Clerk/Computer Coordinator
Branch Associate
Branch Associate
Pre-Professional Library
Assistant
Assistant
Assistant
Assistant
Head Custodian
Maintenance Custodian
Sharani Robins
Joanne Sousa
Brian Walsh
Audrey Quail
Joan-Marie Proulx
Paula Sitarz
Deborah Collins
Katherine Gomes
Ann-Margaret Neenan
Deborah Tripp
Juvenal Sousa
Jerome Mello
76
Tyler Gagné
Urszula Mikolajczak
George Ripley
Katie Surprenant
Sheri Torres
Marcia Beardsley
Pauline Bowcock
Shirley DaSilva
Judith Lariviere
Susan Hess
Joan Foster
Karley Spencer
Dolores Tansey
Page
Page
Page/Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
Library Substitute
GENERAL INFORMATION
Southworth Library, 732 Dartmouth Street, is open 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; on Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Telephone 999-0726; FAX 992-9914
North Dartmouth Library, 1383 Tucker Road, Temporarily Closed
Russells Mills Library, 1205 Russells Mills Road, Permanently Closed
CIRCULATION STATISTICS
Fiscal Year 2007
ADULT
CHILDREN
TOTAL
Books
90,303
73,307
163,610
Periodicals
10,384
391
10,775
Audio Cassettes, Compact Discs
14,747
2,841
17,588
Video Cassettes/DVD’s
37,196
19,753
56,949
505
58
563
153,135
96,350
249,485
Miscellaneous
Totals
Number of volumes held at end of reporting year
Number of subscriptions
Number of audio cassettes and compact discs held at end of report year
Number of video cassettes and DVD’s held at end of reporting year
Number of inter-network transfers (SAILS)
Number of public internet computers
Number of reference transactions
Number of children’s programs held
77
128,799
213
4,090
5,850
72,805
21
64,125
314
Total Attendance at all children’s programs
Total number of adult and YA programs
Total attendance at all adult and YA programs
Number of registered borrowers
Door counts for Southworth and North Dartmouth Branch
5,262
106
1,974
20,512
209,136
EXPENDITURES AND RECEIPTS
Fiscal Year 2007
Expenditures for Books, Periodicals, and Audio-Visual Materials
Money Received for Fines, Lost Books, Lost Cards and Photocopiers
$164,832
$16,193
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
It has been a time of sadness for the Board of Library Trustees. In January of 2007,
Ralph Schmarsow resigned from the Board of Library Trustees due to ill health. Ralph
passed away May 25, 2007. Paul Pereira was appointed by the Trustees and the Select
Board to complete the unexpired term. On December 18, 2007, current library trustee,
Martha Munro, died suddenly from heart complications. Both Ralph and Martha will be
deeply missed by the library community.
STAFFING IN 2007
Library staffing remains far below adequate levels. Four staffers retired in 2007:
Kathleen Whittaker, Branch Associate; Mary Collins, Judith Lariviere and Susan Hess,
Pre-Professional Library Assistants.
SUMMER READING PROGRAM
“Catch the Beat’ @ the Dartmouth Public Libraries” was the theme of the 2007 Summer
Reading Program. Approximately 400 participants attended the summer reading finale
that included a cookout presented by the Ninety-Nine Restaurant & Pub.
NEW CHILDREN’S AREA AT SOUTHWORTH
Due to the downsizing and subsequent closure of the North Dartmouth Branch facility a
new children’s area was opened in the lower level of the Southworth Library. It opened to
the public on January 29, 2007. The staff has received many positive comments about the
new use of space and business is booming.
CHA-CHA-CHA-CHANGES!
The Russells Mills Branch Library closed permanently in July of 2007 due to budget
constraints. The North Dartmouth Branch closed temporarily from July 1- December 31
due to lack of funds. The circulation desk at the Southworth Library was replaced in July
in order to consolidate staff to one service desk on the upper level to help with staff
reductions. A self-check out system was installed this spring allowing patrons to check
out most of their own material and pick up and check out their own hold items. The autoattendant on the telephone system has been activated due to staffing levels. A library
book drop was installed at Town Hall to try making things more convenient for patrons
with the branch closings.
78
FRIENDS OF DARTMOUTH LIBRARIES
In 2007, the Friends group continued to provide the community with a variety of programs
and activities. The Friends recently acquired a container from Hands Across the Water, an
organization that sends books to needy communities across the nation. Any of the books
that the Friends cannot use are packed up and donated to this group for the benefit of
others. The annual Art Film Series was well attended and well received. The Friends also
held a pajama story time and an ice cream social featuring Showstoppers. Four book sales
were held by the Friends in March, July, September and December. Throughout the year
the Friends have continued to give their generous support to funding children’s
programming and museum passes. Many thanks for all their time and hard work.
DARTMOUTH LIBRARY FOUNDATION, INC.
Early in 2007, the Library Foundation received its official 501(c) (3) status. A
fundraiser in March, Murder at the Library, was attended by over 200 people who had a
great time as they assisted in solving “the crime.” A rental collection of best-selling
books and dvds has been established by the Foundation to help with the lack of funds in
the book budget. A Bucks for Books campaign has raised over $18,000 to help
supplement the Town appropriation and retain the library’s certification and reciprocal
borrowing privileges statewide. The Foundation held its annual meeting in October. Dr.
Robert Waxler, co-founder of the Changing Lives Through Literature Program, was the
guest speaker.
Dartmouth Public Schools
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT REVENUE
JULY 1, 2006-JUNE 30, 2007
General
Fund
Fees
Special
Revenue
Fund
School
Athletic
Fund
111,333
42,761
Charges for Services
1,364,715
Federal Revenue Thru State
School
Lunch
Fund
Totals
154,094
1,005,010
1,005,010
231,665
1,596,380
Chaptr 70
9,149,719
9,149,719
School Construction - State
2,219,316
2,219,316
State Special Educ. Reimbursement
("Circuit Breaker")
893,728
893,728
State Aid Other
811
25,495
19,364
45,670
Misc. Revenue
777
92,364
5,084
98,225
11,370,623
2,487,635
Interest Earned
Totals
79
42,761
6,432
6,432
1,267,555
15,168,574
THE SCHOOL DIRECTORY
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Term
Expires
2009
2010
2008
2008
2010
Members
Mr. John Nunes
Ms. Judith Boles
Mr. Christopher Pereira
Ms. Joan Britto
Mr. Shawn McDonald
ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEE
Chairperson............................................Judith Boles
Secretary……………………………Dr. Steve Russell
Regular meetings of the School Committee
are usually held on the first and third Mondays
of each month at 7:00 p.m. and are usually held in the
High School Media Center, 555 Bakerville Road, N. Dartmouth
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Steve Russell, Ed.D.
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Marylou Clarke
SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR
Manuel Cordeiro, Jr.
Office Telephone 508-997-3391
Secretary to the Superintendent
Finance Manager
Bookkeeper/Payroll
Accounts Payable/Payroll
Secretary to the Assistant Superintendent
Secretary to the School Business Administrator
Transportation Clerk/General Business Office Secretary
Accounts Payable
Receptionist
Food Service Administrative Assistant
Joan Boucher
Jo-Ann Sylvia
Dale Borges
Laurie Wilkins
Andrea Smith
Delores Moniz
Natalie Roderick
Mary Ann Bettencourt
Muriel Garcia
Nancy Nowak
Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
80
Monday through Friday
12 Months
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FISCAL YEAR 2007
July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007
SCHOOL APPROPRIATION
FY06 Certified Funds
$31,722,647.84
$140,620.21
Total Dollars Available
$31,863,268.05
Expenditures:
School Appropriation
FY06 Certified Funds
Total Expended 6/30/07
$31,374,071.39
$140,588.61
$31,514,660.00
Balance 6/30/07
$348,608.05
Less Certified Funds
$207,954.62
Returned to Town 6/30/07
$140,653.43
STATE AID
FISCAL YEAR 2007
Including unexpended funds and other reimbursements which were remitted to the Town
and, in effect, reduced the Town's share of the Cost of Education:
State Aid:
General - Chapter 70
Pupil Trans. Ch. 71,71A,71B & 74
Total State Aid
Unexpended Approp. Remitted to Town
Misc. Reimbursements & Fees
Grand Total:
FY05 Cost of Education
$9,149,719.00
$0.00
$9,149,719.00
$0.00
$40,176.99
$9,189,895.99
$31,514,660.00
Town's Cost of Education
$22,324,764.01
81
TOWN AGENCY ACCOUNTS
Student Book Agency Account - Middle School
Balance 7/1/06
Receipts through 6/30/07
Total Available
Expenditures through 6/30/07
Balance 6/30/07
Student Book Agency Account - High School
Balance 7/1/06
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
Student Book Agency Account - DeMello School
Balance 7/1/06
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
Insurance Recovery
Balance 7/1/06
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$4,718.78
$448.30
$5,167.08
$0.00
$5,167.08
$1,891.82
$2,011.71
$3,903.53
$0.00
$3,903.53
$22.35
$0.00
$22.35
$0.00
$22.35
$5,731.92
$6,466.78
$12,198.70
$11,796.60
$402.10
Restitution Middle School
Balance 7/1/06
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$1,517.38
$0.00
$1,517.38
$0.00
$1,517.38
Restitution High School
Balance 7/1/06
Total Available
$1,008.17
$0.00
$1,008.17
82
Balance 6/30/07
$0.00
$1,008.17
FEDERAL GRANTS
FISCAL YEAR 2007
Academic Support Services (632-140-7-0072-H)
Balance 07/01/06
Receipt through 06/30/07
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
Academic Support Services (632-173-6-0072-G)
Balance 07/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
Academic Support Services (632-132-5-0072-F)
Balance 07/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
Academic Support Services - (625-054-7-0072-H)
Balance 07/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
Community Partnership
Balance 7/1/06
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$3,623.00
$3,622.00
$7,245.00
$7,191.86
$53.14
$21.36
$0.00
$21.36
$21.36
$0.00
$8.85
$0.00
$8.85
$8.85
$0.00
$3,877.00
$3,877.00
$7,754.00
$7,749.27
$4.73
$1,984.49
$0.00
$1,984.49
$0.00
$1,984.49
Community Partnership-FY07
Balance 7/1/06
$0.00
83
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
Drug Free FY07 (331-065-7-0072-H)
Balance 07/01/2006
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$23,418.00
$23,418.00
$23,418.00
$0.00
$7,777.00
$0.00
$7,777.00
$178.45
$7,598.55
Drug Free FY06 (331-029-6-0072-G)
Balance 07/01/2006
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$8,446.97
$0.00
$8,446.97
$8,446.97
$0.00
Enhance Education Through Tech (160-083-7-0072-H)
Balance 6/30/07
$3,071.00
$3,071.00
$0.00
New Directions FY06 (Summer)
Balance 06/30/07
$26,503.00
$18,669.04
$7,833.96
New Directions FY05(Summer)
Balance 06/30/07
$14,789.58
$14,789.58
$0.00
Sped - Circuit Breaker
Balance 06/30/07
$893,954.20
$858,550.90
$35,403.30
Sped 94-142 Allocation (FY06)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
$45,580.19
$0.00
$45,580.19
$45,580.19
84
Balance 6/30/07
$0.00
Sped 94-142 Allocation (FY07)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
Expenditures throuth 6/30/07
Balance 6/30/07
$0.00
$945,101.00
$945,101.00
$889,705.20
$55,395.80
Sped Early Childhood Allocation (262-DartmouthPUPay107)
Balance 6/30/07
$18,523.00
$17,132.10
$1,390.90
Sped Early Childhood Allocation - 262
Balance 6/30/07
$1,713.00
$1,713.00
$0.00
Sped - Electronic Portfolio
Balance 6/30/07
$1,500.00
$1,500.00
$0.00
Sped Professional Dev. FY06 (274-173-7-0072-H)
Balance 6/30/07
$23,684.00
$27,432.37
-$3,748.37
Sped Professional Dev. FY06 (274-060-6-0072-G)
Balance 6/30/07
$11,923.45
$11,923.45
$0.00
Sped - Technology - FY06
Balance 6/30/07
$0.95
$0.95
$0.00
Sped - Corrective Action - FY06 (#252-050-6-0072-G
85
Balance 6/30/07
Sped Mental Health - FY06 (#216-064-0072-G)
Balance 6/30/07
Teacher Quality (140-215-6-0072-G)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
$8,400.00
$8,400.00
$0.00
$24,438.46
$24,438.46
$0.00
-$2,844.08
$50,736.00
$47,891.92
$47,891.92
$0.00
Teacher Quality (140-199-7-0072-H)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
$25,099.00
$25,099.00
$50,198.00
$72,503.92
-$22,305.92
Title I (305-146-6-0072-G)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
$11,307.34
$0.00
$11,307.34
$11,307.34
$0.00
Title I (305-054-7-0072-H)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
$0.00
$204,667.00
$204,667.00
$201,816.16
$2,850.84
Title V (302-083-6-0072-G)
Balance 06/30/07
$1,315.21
$1,315.21
$0.00
86
Title V (302-184-7-0072-H)
Balance 7/01/06
Total Available
Balance 06/30/07
$3,088.00
$0.00
$3,088.00
$2,783.00
$305.00
TRUST FUNDS
FISCAL YEAR 2007
Potter Fund
"To be used to promote music in the Dartmouth Public Schools"
At the discretion of the School Committee
Principal
$10,000.00
Interest Balance
Interest Income through 6/30/07
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$4,839.63
$421.32
$5,260.95
$0.00
$5,260.95
Crapo Fund
"To be used for the benefit of public schools and children attending public schools"
At the discretion of the Board of Selectmen
Principal
$2,000.00
Interest Balance
Interest Income through 6/30/07
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$7,357.36
$265.66
$7,623.02
$0.00
$7,623.02
87
Dartmouth Scholarship Trust Fund
To be used for student scholarship awards and for faculty performance awards Under the administration of the Superintendent of Schools –
Both as prescribed in the Trust documentation
Principal
$111,500.00
Interest Balance
Total Available
Balance 6/30/07
$7,298.46
$0.00
$7,298.46
$0.00
$7,298.46
Dartmouth Enrichment Fund
Interest & Gift Income through
Balance 6/30/07
$76,594.67
$2,153.01
$10,931.40
$67,816.28
REVOLVING ACCOUNTS
FISCAL YEAR 2007
School Department Gift Account
Balance 07/01/06
Total Available 6/30/07
Balance 6/30/07
$34,047.79
$41,326.81
$75,374.60
$40,619.86
$34,754.74
High School Athletic Account
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$36,734.54
$36,963.00
$73,697.54
$51,355.76
$22,341.78
88
High School Stadium Concession Account
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$1,039.75
$5,798.05
$6,837.80
$5,259.32
$1,578.48
Student Enrichment Revolving Fund
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$82,414.78
$70,589.00
$153,003.78
$83,252.72
$69,751.06
Middle Pre-School Program
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$1,944.69
$58,095.00
$60,039.69
$59,988.31
$51.38
Potter Pre-School Gift Account
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$712.27
$0.00
$712.27
$0.00
$712.27
Town Tax Gift Account
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$1,985.25
$1,328.74
$3,313.99
$0.00
$3,313.99
Chapter 76 & 75 State Wards
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$593.65
$0.00
$593.65
$593.65
$0.00
89
School Cafeteria Revolving Account
Balance 7/1/06
Balance 6/30/07
$40,431.77
$1,268,434.46
$1,308,866.23
$1,277,979.78
$30,886.45
90
Dartmouth Public Schools
2007 Annual Report
It is again an honor and a privilege for me to submit the annual 2007 report for the
Dartmouth Public Schools. This is my fifth annual report as your Superintendent of
Schools and the one hundred and fifteenth such report to be preserved in the town records.
This report has been developed through the written contributions of all of the school
district’s administrators. It is intended to document the challenges and accomplishments
of Dartmouth’s schools, our staff, and students during the past year – (January-December,
2007).
When I reflect upon 2007 and the portions of the two “school years” that have taken place
during that time, I am reminded of a quote taken from Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two
Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…,”. Here within the Dartmouth
Schools we experienced both!
In 2007:
• The Dartmouth Schools bid “goodbye” to Middle School Principal Stephen Pettey
after 34 years of service and Quinn School Principal Dr. Carol Karafotis after 38
years of service. Both administrators contributed a great deal to the “Quality of
Learning for All” that we strive for daily.
• Manuel Cabral, former Assistant Principal at Dartmouth High School, was
appointed as the Principal of Dartmouth Middle School.
• Work continued on the system-wide initiatives that are underway. The Building &
Renovation Committee began individual assessments of each school facility
utilizing the Massachusetts School Building Authority Educational Program Space
Standards & Guidelines. The Dartmouth Education Foundation, through our
association with the Community Foundation of Southeastern MA, has begun both
their endowment and “student safety net” fundraising initiatives. And, the second
phase of improvements to the Dartmouth Veterans Memorial Stadium was
concluded with the installation of a new sound system provided through the
generous donations of many citizens and community groups.
• Successful audits (2) of the special education “circuit breaker” accounts and the
Comprehensive Annual and End of the Year Financial Reports were completed by
Hague, Sahady & Co., P.C. resulting in sound reports on the schools’ financial
management.
• Dartmouth parents, citizens, community businesses and the school staff worked
together to hold the DHS After Prom Party for the 14th year in a row! This
community-wide effort provided graduating seniors with a healthy means to
celebrate the completion of their high school careers.
• Two hundred and eighty-six (286) members of the Class of 2007 received their
high school diplomas on June 10th in the Dartmouth High School Gymnasium.
Carrie Holstrom’s receipt of her diploma after living through her traumatic injuries
and recovery scored as an inspiration to us all.
91
•
•
•
Limitations on available funds and the resulting budgetary impact were felt by
students and adults throughout the system (and town). A total of one hundred and
nine “pink slips” were distributed in April notifying staff of the possibility of the
discontinuation of their employment for the school year ahead. The school system
experienced a shortfall of over $248,000 in our utilities accounts resulting in a
mid-year “freeze” on non-critical expenditures and the need for and receipt of
additional funding in June from town reserves and the Finance Committee. Actual
system-wide reductions in administrative, teaching, and support positions followed
with the conclusion of the school year. The School Committee also faced the very
difficult challenge of closing buildings or not rehiring many of the staff members
who received “pink slips”. This resulted in the closing of the Cushman and Gidley
Schools, a decision that became finalized with the failure of a Proposition 2-1/2
override initiative on July 31st.
The Dartmouth Public Schools re-opened on September 5th with over 4000
students entering the high school, middle school, and one of three K-5 elementary
schools. The Quinn School enrollment exceeded 1,000 students. A system of fees
for bus transportation, student parking, athletics, music, and other student activities
was also implemented at Dartmouth High School.
During the fall of 2007, despite the many challenges that they faced, our students
continued to excel both in and outside of their classrooms. Several (of many)
examples included the success of the DHS Band in winning the Division 5
USSBA Northern States Championship, the DHS Soccer and Football Teams
winning the Old Colony League Championships, and the DHS Football Team’s
participation (and play) in the Eastern Massachusetts Division I Super bowl. This
was a contest held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on a very cold day that we will
all remember!
And while the ‘Life of our schools” continues, nobody accomplishes anything of great or
lasting value by themselves.
We want to publicly thank and recognize those members of the staff who have retired
during the past year. They include:
Dartmouth High School: Robert Kocur, Richard Silvia, Sheila Koot, School Nurse
Mary Beth Collins, and Security Monitor James Lancaster
Dartmouth Middle School: Principal Stephen Pettey and Deborah McMahon
Cushman School: Alice Huff
DeMello School: Gay Encarnacao, Kathryn Gifford, and Patricia Severs
Gidley School: Judith Lederman-Lechan
Quinn School: Dr. Carol Karafotis, Principal
Potter School: Linda Johnson
While these people have moved onto other endeavors, their contributions will live on in
the young people of the community.
92
On September 5th we also welcomed new teachers to our staff who replaced those who
retired or found jobs elsewhere.
At Dartmouth High School they included: Assistant Principal Loretta Patterson,
Meghan Rogers, Laurie Chiarito, Jeanne Flight, Jean DeSouto, Estella delaCruz, Linda
Gold, Everett Tatelbaum, and Eric Silva
At Dartmouth Middle School our new teachers included: Carolyn Wingate, Pamela
Glass, Karen McDaid, Bethany Gendreau, Brian Amado, and Julie Barcelos
Dartmouth’s elementary schools also welcomed the following new members of the staff:
Amy Pacheco, Nichole Daniel, Melissa Pickering, Maureen Mantzavinos, Tammy Piazza,
Diane Maynard, Carole Myatt, Lindsay Allen, Catherine Claassen, Tracy Oliveira, and
Erin Gomes.
Judith Boles, Chairperson
John Nunes
School Committee
Shawn McDonald, Vice Chairperson
Joan Britto
Christopher Pereira
Christopher Pereira served as School Committee Chairperson during the Winter and
Spring. Judith Boles served as Vice Chairperson. In April, Ms. Boles was re-elected to
the School Committee and became Chairperson. Committee member Shawn McDonald
served as Vice Chairperson. Nicole Oliveira served as student representative to the
Committee during the Spring semester and Anthony Carrancho served as student
representative during the Fall semester. All of these people deserve our special thanks for
the individual and collective efforts that they have made in support of Dartmouth’s young
people - everyday!
During my five years as Superintendent, I have learned about what makes Dartmouth
special - and it’s the people! My thanks go to everyone involved in supporting our shared
efforts regardless of your role in or outside of the organization. I encourage you to read
more about our staff’s efforts and our students’ accomplishments in the pages that follow.
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
Marylou Clarke, Assistant Superintendent
I would like to share a few quotations that characterize the critical task of public education
today:
“We live in a rapidly shifting era in which economic opportunities and challenges
abound. Educating our citizenry to participate and succeed in a globally interconnected
world must start in all our schools. The challenges involve forces that transcend national
boundaries”.
Global Education in Massachusetts Schools—The Case for Urgency by the Global
Education Advisory Council of the Massachusetts Initiative for International Studies
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“This is a world in which a very high level of preparation in reading, writing,
speaking, mathematics, science, literature, history, and the arts will be an indispensable
foundation for everything that comes after for most members of the workforce.”
Tough Choices or Tough Times: The Report of the New Commission on “The Skills of
the American Workforce”, National Center on Education and the Economy
This is the context for the twenty-first century skills and expectations which have become
the norm for the workplace which Dartmouth graduates will enter.
Electronic connectivity and portability of work unite all economies in this current
and growing “global economy”. Current workplace expectations include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
critical and creative problem-solving skills, including the ability to deal
with ambiguity
strong skills in language, mathematics, and science
proficiency in at least one additional language
strong technological skills
strong work ethic
understanding of the United States in the world context (Global Education:
A Call to Action--A Position Paper of the Massachusetts Association of
School Superintendents)
There are some action steps that we can take within our existing curriculum and programs
to prepare our students. However, additional steps will lead to significant change, and
will require a strong partnership with business and community leaders. For example,
Dartmouth participates in the Southcoast Education Compact. The Compact is composed
of regional business leaders and school district leaders, facilitated by the University of
Massachusetts at Dartmouth. In November, the Center for University and School
Partnerships (CUSP) at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth took an important
step in promoting an understanding the need for advancing global education. CUSP
invited Dr. Bruce Fuchs, Director of Science Education at the National Institutes of Health
to the region to address education, business and political leaders. In his address,
“Charting a Course for Science and Math Education: A Community Conversation”, Dr.
Fuchs shared the compelling evidence that United States graduates are competing in the
international workplace with graduates from countries with increasingly sophisticated
economies such as China and India. He reinforced the need for interesting students even
in the earlier grades to pursue work in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics. In fact, in order to promote dialogue, education and progress in this area,
the Dartmouth Schools are taking active steps. Dr. Fuchs and members of his staff will
return to Dartmouth Public Schools in January 2008 to participate in professional
development activities with our staff.
We value our post-secondary collaborations with both University of Massachusetts at
Dartmouth and Bristol Community College. Most importantly, numerous examples
clearly demonstrate that the Dartmouth Public Schools is the beneficiary of resources in
both “services and dollars to our students and teachers” through this participation that
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expands the services beyond our capacity as a school district to provide.
Dartmouth also continues to participate in a regional collaboration at the University of
Massachusetts Center for Community and School Partnerships (CUSP), entitled Leading
for Learning. The program was developed in response to the alarming issue of the
shortage of qualified school principals to fill an increasing number of vacancies. Three
Dartmouth teachers completed their administrative practicum in the program this year and
one Dartmouth teacher has joined the second training session.
Also, through the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, our district enjoys a
relationship with the James J. Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Mathematics.
Named after the late James Kaput, a UMass Professor and Dartmouth resident, the Center
is now under the direction of Dr. Stephen Hegedus, also a Dartmouth resident. The
Center engages in international research projects that focus on how students learn
mathematics. This ranges from instruction related to the concepts of Early Algebra to
Calculus, and the use of interactive technology and its impact on mathematical
experience. In some cases, our classrooms serve as research sites. Our teachers also
receive training as a function of our participation, and our schools receive valuable
classroom resources in the form of software and related technology.
Dartmouth continues its participation with other Southcoast member districts in the
federal Teaching American History Grant through Bristol Community College. The
College has recently been awarded a remarkable fourth federal grant, Writing and History,
based on the well documented research that “since history is a written understanding of
our nation’s past, understanding history depends on understanding writing.” Students,
who can write about history, clearly understand it better. Through this project, Dartmouth
teachers are again participating in courses that represent thousands of professional
development dollars and continue to improve their knowledge.
In short, our regional college and university frequently outreach to the public schools with
positive results. They are valued educational neighbors!
Dartmouth schools also enjoy a mutual and growing collaboration with the Dartmouth
YMCA. The YMCA has a successful Share the Harvest project, where Dartmouth
students and their families volunteer. The YMCA also provides after school programming
on a fee for service basis at its Gulf Road site as well as at the Potter School. Our goal is
to seek grant funding intended to increase access to these experiences at the elementary
and middle level for more children. The evidence is compelling that strong after school
programs contribute to gains in student achievement.
Grant Funding:
Dartmouth continues to receive $1.5 million annually in grant funding in the areas of
Special Education, Teacher Quality, Academic Support, Safe and Drug Free Schools, and
Title One (a federal reading grant program). Dartmouth High School earned the
distinction of being one of two successful applicants in the Commonwealth for a five-year
Smaller Learning Communities Grant through the United States Department of Education.
The annual grant award is $250,000. These funds are required to be used to support
programs within Dartmouth High School designed to increase the number of graduates
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who are college-ready. This program includes introducing a Freshman Academy
program. Research documents that one of the strongest indicators of successful high
school completion is a positive freshman-year experience.
The total grant award for this five (5) year program will equal over $1.2 million.
School Data:
Data is a valuable tool used to increase student progress and in a district-wide effort to
view trends suggested by important data points, Dartmouth continues to report on these
“multiple measures”, considered valuable to decision-making.
Low Income Students:
03-04
9.6
% District
04-05
10.2
06-07
12.4
% State
04-05
27.7
03-04
27.2
06-07
28.9
Student Services:
Special Education: (compared to statewide average)
03-04
14.0
% District
04-05
14.3
06-07
15.1
% State
04-05
15.9
03-04
15.6
06-07
15.9
Student Accommodation Plans (for the 2007 -2008 school year):
Grades
Grades K-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
# Accommodation Plans
28
28
26
Out-of-District Special Education Placements: 31 students in day placements; 9
residential students (January 1 – December 30)
Approved Home Education Plans:
05-06
22 Dartmouth students
in 16 families
06-07
in 11 families
07-08
in 15 families
Teacher Data:
% District
03-04
04-05
96
06-07
03-04
% State
04-05
06-07
% Teachers Licensed
in Teaching
Assignment
% of Core Academic
Teachers Identified as
Highly Qualified
97.6
99.2
98.0
93.9
93.9
95.4
97.5
99.5
98.5
93.9
93.0
95.1
Student Attendance Data:
Attendance Rate
Average # of days
absent
03-04
95.5
7.8
% District
04-05
95.6
7.7
06-07
95.8
7.2
% State
04-05
94.1
10.8
03-04
93.9
10.2
Drop Out Rate (2005-2006):
% District
1.4
% State
3.3
Post Secondary Plans of Graduates (2005-06)
4-Year Private College
4-Year Public College
2-Year Private College
2-Year Public College
Other Post Secondary
Employment
Military
Other
Unknown
% District
29
32
1
17
0
10
1
2
7
Testing:
MCAS Test Results- Spring 2007
Percent of Students at Each Performance Level
And CPI (Composite Performance Index)
97
% State
31
27
2
19
3
10
2
1
7
06-07
94.6
9.3
(Key: State CPI for English Language Arts- 85.4; State CPI for Mathematics- 76.5)
CPI is a measure of student performance relative to attaining 100 % proficiency, the goal
of No Child Left Behind for every student in the Commonwealth by 2014. (Ref: MA
Department of Education)
Grade and
Subject
Advanced/
Above
Proficient
Proficient
Needs
Improvement
Warning/
Failing
Students CPI
Included
District State District State District State District State
GRADE 03 –
READING
12
14
50
45
34
32
5
9
330
86.1
GRADE 03 –
MATHEMATICS
17
19
50
41
28
24
5
16
330
87.0
GRADE 04 –
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
ARTS
3
10
53
46
35
34
8
10
324
82.1
GRADE 04 –
MATHEMATICS
23
19
38
29
33
39
5
13
325
85.3
GRADE 05 –
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
ARTS
12
15
60
48
26
28
3
9
355
90.6
GRADE 05 –
MATHEMATICS
18
19
42
32
31
31
10
18
354
82.5
GRADE 05 –
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
15
14
47
37
32
37
5
12
354
86.2
GRADE 06 –
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
ARTS
2
9
66
58
29
25
3
7
333
88.7
GRADE 06 –
MATHEMATICS
17
20
35
32
33
28
15
20
333
77.0
GRADE 07 –
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
ARTS
5
9
62
60
27
23
5
8
365
87.9
GRADE 07 –
MATHEMATICS
17
15
33
31
31
30
19
24
363
74.9
98
GRADE 08 –
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
ARTS
9
12
68
63
20
18
3
6
332
91.8
GRADE 08 –
MATHEMATICS
18
17
34
28
33
30
16
25
334
76.1
GRADE 08 –
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
1
3
35
30
48
44
16
24
334
71.0
GRADE 10 –
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
ARTS
20
22
56
49
22
24
2
6
320
91.0
GRADE 10 –
MATHEMATICS
47
42
28
27
21
22
5
9
315
88.9
Data Last Updated on October 3, 2007
Under the Federal No Child Left Behind Act, the MCAS scores reported above are
included in Massachusetts Department of Education calculations and used to determine
our required Adequate Yearly Progress. While Dartmouth’s overall No Child Left Behind
Accountability Status Performance Rating is High in both English Language Arts and
Mathematics, there are some trends of concern. For the district, the subgroup of low
income students in Grades 3-5 did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress in English
Language Arts and the subgroup of Special Education students did not meet Adequate
Yearly progress in Grades 6-8. Two of three elementary schools also did not meet
Adequate Yearly Progress in Reading in the Aggregate (a composite score of all students).
School and district efforts are focused on these trends. This data also supports the
urgency for the need for replacing our core literacy program for Grades PreK-5, as our
current program is no longer published.
Professional Development:
Dartmouth continues to creatively fund and plan a robust professional development
program.
In January, all instructional personnel participated in a wide range of workshops held on
the annual Intersession Day. Elementary staff rotated through a series of teacher-led,
grade-level workshops on the topics of Math and English Language Arts curriculum, the
use of an MCAS software program entitled NCS mentor, and approaches to writing high
level “open response” questions that students encounter on the MCAS. The middle school
faculty met on the “use of data to inform classroom instruction” to better meet student
needs.
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We continued our program designed to support new teachers entitled Project TIME
(Teacher Induction and Mentoring Experience). This year, there were some significant
improvements to the program. Dr. Jana McHenry, Literacy Specialist at Quinn School,
the author of two professional books on the topic of mentoring new teachers into the
profession, has assumed the responsibility of facilitating the new teacher induction
program. New mentors have been recruited and trained and a mentor handbook is under
development.
Professional development remains continuous in response to changes in faculty as well as
advances in teaching approaches. In order for our teachers to remain current in the area of
mathematics, PreK-Grade 8 teachers participated in a series of mathematics workshops
presented by Guy Roy, a former Mathematics Coordinator from a neighboring district. He
specifically designed workshops based upon the needs of each school and grade level
focus upon our own MCAS testing results.
Dartmouth hosted a graduate level course through Fitchburg State College entitled,
Studying Obstacles to Student Achievement, taught by Ned Paulson. Staff studied how to
best utilize data to inform instruction. Twenty (20) faculty members were enrolled in this
course.
Our teachers are continuing to work on establishing a foundation for shared Professional
Learning Communities. This approach provides for an organized collaborative discussion
on specific student achievement issues that stimulate collective inquiry on a topic.
Professional Learning Communities serve as a powerful school improvement tool. This
approach benefits students and leads to concrete academic gains, reduced drop-out rates,
and lower rates of absenteeism. (Education Research Service, On the Same Page)
Another opportunity for regional collaboration occurred through the Summer
Administrators’ Institute hosted by Wareham Public Schools. This Institute was entitled
“Leadership for Effective Instruction--What Does It Mean To Be A ‘Change Leader’”. It
was led by Tony Wagner of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
In closing, our schools have continued to maintain a remarkable standard of effort during
the past school year considering budget reductions that have led to restructuring and staff
reductions that have impacted each level, from elementary through high school as well as
impacting our capacity at the district level. Decreasing resources, despite the use of
prudent and well-intentioned cost-saving economies eventually impacts progress and
results in unintended yet negative consequences. Our goal has been to lessen the impact
on student achievement resulting from declining resources whether it is in the form of
staffing, facilities, student programs, text and technology materials. The challenge is
maintaining the highest quality of student achievement in each grade for each year of a
student’s school experience. However, we remain concerned that compromising a child’s
school experience does have an ultimate and negative collective impact on our
community.
The Massachusetts Department of Education issued a Preliminary Report on Current
Fiscal Conditions in Massachusetts School Districts (1/08). In its summary and key
findings, it states “The Commonwealth has moved steadily to increase expectations on
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school districts, teachers, and students to meet the demands of a global economy.”
However, as “academic expectations and challenges have risen, spending on instructional
services has not kept pace.” The need, however, remains and our work continues.
Creating a quality educational experience for all Dartmouth students, our shared
responsibility as a community, is in fact “the soul of a society as it passes from one
generation to another.” Gilbert K. Chesterton
Facilities & Finance
Manuel Cordeiro, Jr., School Business Administrator
FY07 financially has been a very difficult year, leaving the school department with
limited resources to provide quality education to our children. Informational meetings
with our administrators were held to discuss program budget requests. Open forum
meetings were also held at the various schools with parents and concerned citizens. These
meetings allowed administrators to share information and prioritize requests for the FY08
budget, while considering the financial limitations that the town is presently dealing with.
A district-wide community PTO meeting was organized by the parents and held at the
Cushman School. A panel of town representatives answered questions concerning the
issues confronting our schools and town departments. The school department’s itemized
budget was made available to the community on our web site:
WWW.Dartmouth.12.MA.US. Additional financial and statistical education data has also
been made available to our community through our website. These efforts are intended to
make our school department finances transparent and easily accessible to the public.
The School Building and Renovation Committee has been meeting during the fiscal year.
The committee has toured all our facilities in our school system. The charge of the
committee is “to investigate the need and feasibility of building a new school and/or
renovating the existing school facilities in the Town of Dartmouth”. Due to the financial
deficit that the town of Dartmouth is currently dealing with, the committee has focused its
efforts on assessing our facilities, studying methods of projecting the impact of future
student enrollment, and the effect it will have on our school facilities.
A five-year Capital Improvement Plan was presented and endorsed by the School
Committee. However, the schools’ annual presentation to the Capital Improvement
Planning committee was not scheduled due to the decision to limit borrowing for capital
improvement projects town wide. The Finance Committee did approve funding for the
replacement of the last two underground oil tanks at two school sites. The projects were
completed during the summer recess of 07. A project to retrofit obsolete electrical panels
at our schools sites was also approved for funding. This project is currently in progress.
Our FY08 school budget was level-funded at the town meeting despite the need to address
a $2 million increase in fixed costs. A Proposition 2-1/2 override was organized by the
town. The request for an override caused division amongst the people in our community.
The override failed. As a result, many cost-saving initiatives were utilized. The school
department closed two elementary schools and transferred the students and staff to the
Quinn Elementary School. The enrollment of this school increased by approximately 500
students resulting in an elementary school of over 1,000 students. This transition was
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completed in less than one month. The Quinn School is academically running, despite the
remaining logistical issues that could not be remedied in the short time available.
When compared with the other municipalities in the Commonwealth and on the most
current statistics, Dartmouth’s per pupil expenditure is $8,791 as compared to the State
average of $11,210. Dartmouth ranks 31 from the bottom of the list out of 328 reporting
districts in per pupil expenditures (or in the bottom 9%). These statistics are consistent
with many other measures of funding support in which Dartmouth remains in the bottom
third in comparative funding levels.
Currently we are operating with two fewer buildings, we have reduced our support,
teaching and administrative staff and are assessing high school student fees for
participating in sports, activities, transportation, and parking. All of these funds are being
used to offset the $2,000,000 FY08 school budget shortfall. The administration is meeting
to develop a proposal or proposals, which may be in the form of an override for April of
08. If successful, the school system would return to its status quo with additional funding
to support academic initiatives that will begin to return the Dartmouth School System to
the level of excellence that it once attained. If the override is not successful, our system
will continue to decline in quality as continuing sacrifices will be required in the face of
the continuing rise in our fixed operational costs. These challenges make it difficult to
attain our mission statement of “Quality of Learning for All”.
Pupil Support Services
Linda Maniglia, Pupil Support Services Administrator
Fiscal Year 2007 was a busy and challenging year for all! Yet, in spite of the challenges
we have faced, all of the Special Education Department experienced numerous
accomplishments.
One of the most important responsibilities of the SPED Department is to comply with
state and federal regulations including adherence to time lines. We continually review
existing district policies and procedures and strive to improve or refine them. I am
pleased to say that hiring in-district psychologists for the Middle School and High School
has proved effective in maintaining such compliances.
Bush Street secretaries and Sped Director have developed and implemented tracking
systems to streamline the IEP process. We’ve organized and scrutinized student record
files to ensure that mandated forms are completed and are coming into full compliance in
these areas.
Lines of communication amongst the Department and the district are kept open through
regular e-mail communication, memos, and individual monthly meetings held with
elementary, middle school and high school staff, related service providers, psychologists,
and administrators.
The Department of Education conducted a Comprehensive Coordinated Program Review
in May of 2005. In May 2008, the Department of Education will return to conduct a Mid-
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Cycle Review. At this time they will again examine student files and district policies and
procedures to ensure compliance.
In both May and October 2007, the district underwent a MA Department of Education
circuit breaker funding audit. We fared favorably. Dartmouth was also a participant in
the state monitoring cohort study for high school transition plans and timelines, and we
participated in a study to determine the effectiveness for state pre-school programs, all
with positive results.
As a district, we continue to analyze, expand, and refine our professional knowledge and
skills through on-going professional development, course work, conferences and
workshops.
• Administrators have participated in series of legal workshops presented by our
Special Education District Attorney, Catherine Lyons from the law firm, Nuttell &
Sullivan. In addition, we continue to work collaboratively to fine tune Building
Based Support TEAM forms and procedures, which are used district wide to
identify “at risk” students. Under the direction of Dr. Adam Feinberg, we’ve
continued our training in “Response to Intervention” (RTI), an approach that
utilizes universal screening (DIBELS) progress monitoring (data-guided decision
making), effective interventions (evidence-based practices) and systems support
for accurate and sustained implementation (core, strategies, intensive).
• Psychologist attended “Job Alike” meetings at READS Collaborative, various
workshops on Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) and Response to
Intervention (RTI) training. They also participate in many legal workshops.
• Occupational Therapists hosted a “Job Alike” networking meeting for
Occupational Therapists in surrounding districts. They also have participated in
legal workshops as well as a Sensory Integration Processing Training (SIPS)
institute workshops offered through the Department of Education (DOE), SCERTS
Training conducted by Dr. Barry Prizant and Assistive Technology training.
• Speech and Language Pathologist participated in legal workshops, assistive
technology training, SCERTS training with Dr. Barry Prizant and they attended the
ASHA Conference which took place in Boston.
• Special Education staff are participating in various graduate programs academic
course work, restraint training, assistive technology, Inclusion workshops, Wilson
Reading, SCERTS training by Dr. Barry Prizant, and academic assessment
protocol training.
• Nancy Lally, Assistant Principal at DeMello, Lorraine Granda, Co-Principal at
Quinn and the SPED Director have attended Early Intervention (EI) meetings at
the Stone School in Fall River with other surrounding district administrators.
Procedures and policies were reviewed and district forms are shared. Nancy Lally
and Linda Maniglia attended an institute through DOE on program evaluations.
• The SPED Director attended legal workshops, DOE regional meetings, ASE
Conferences, LRP Conferences, participated in Response to Intervention trainings,
FBA training, SCERTS training, and Job Alike meetings with surrounding district
Directors, all in an effort to remain current and up-to-date on special education
laws, programs, and strategies.
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Our Special Education Summer School Program took place under the direction of Nance
Belizzi. It was held at the DeMello Elementary School. The program ran for five weeks,
Monday through Thursday, 8:30-12:30. The program provided students with a nice
balance of academics, related services, and opportunities for socialization. Once again,
the high school summer camps were available to students. Dartmouth Middle School and
High School students volunteered their time as “Learning Partners” for students enrolled
in the program. A questionnaire sent to parents, yielded very positive responses about the
program.
A full day pre-school program was developed to effectively meet the needs of a preschooler with multiple disabilities, as well a high school autism class designed to address
the needs of eighth graders transitioning to the high school.
The Special Education Department welcomed the following new staff into the department:
Amy Pacheco – ASD K-2 Quinn
Brian Amado – Middle School Tutorial
Linda Gold – ASD High School
Julie Barcelos – Speech Pathologist – Middle School
Beth Eaton –Teacher of Visually Impaired
Thomas O’Shaunessey – Mobility Specialist
Donna LaMontagne – Secondary School Secretary – Bush Street
Karen Morrisseau – Administrative Secretary – Bush Street
Nancy Lally – Early Intervention Coordinator
Lisa Moore – Teaching Assistant
Health, Physical Education, and Athletics
Thomas McDermott, Director
The philosophy of athletics at Dartmouth High School is to teach our student-athletes the
proper values that can be derived from competing in an interscholastic competition.
These include patience, courage, integrity, and inner strength. Our athletic programs also
teach students how to handle victory in an appropriate manner and to cope with the
adversity when unsuccessful. We also work to develop an awareness of teamwork,
sportsmanship, and unselfishness. All are goals of all of our interscholastic teams.
Dartmouth High School is a member of the Old Colony League (OCL); nineteen of our 24
sports programs compete as a member of the OCL against Attleboro High School
Barnstable High School, Bridgewater – Raynham Regional High School, and Taunton
High School.
In 2007, Dartmouth High School Athletics offered 24 different programs. Twenty-two
out of 24 of these programs allowed students to compete at the interscholastic level.
Nineteen of these sports teams competed in the Old Colony League, one as a member of
the New England Schools Sailing Association, and two as members of the Maritime
Lacrosse League. We also have Fall and Winter Cheering teams that perform at Football
and Basketball games. In total, these programs are made up of 43 teams and compete at
the Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshman levels. Our athletic teams are made up of over
800 students and these teams participated in over 740 athletic contests!
Present Sports and Levels at Dartmouth High School
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Winter Sports
Cheering – Varsity
Boys Basketball – Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Girls Basketball - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Ice Hockey - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Boys Indoor Track - Varsity
Girls Indoor Track - Varsity
Spring Sports
Baseball - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Boys Lacrosse - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Girls Lacrosse - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Sailing - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Softball - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Boys Tennis – Varsity
Girls Tennis – Varsity
Boys Outdoor Track – Varsity
Girls Outdoor Track – Varsity
Fall Sports
Cheering – Varsity
Boys Cross Country - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Girls Cross Country - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Field Hockey - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Football - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman\
Golf – Varsity
Boys Soccer - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Girls Soccer - Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Volleyball - Varsity, Junior Varsity
Synopsis of Sport Seasons
Winter 2006 – 2007
Our Boys Basketball team finished in 2nd place in the OCL and they qualified for the
Division 2 South Sectional Tournament. Our Girls Basketball had a competitive season
and steadily improved. Our Ice Hockey team qualified for the Division 3 South Sectional
Tournament after having a very successful regular season. Our Boys and Girls Indoor
Track teams continue to be two of our most popular athletic teams with close to 130
105
students involved in the program. Both the Boys and Girls Indoor Track teams
participated in the State Class B Meet at the Reggie Lewis Center. Our Cheerleaders’
efforts were exceptional throughout the season. They contributed to our overall school
spirit. Dartmouth High School students chosen as Winter 2007 OCL All – Star by sport
were:
Boys Basketball:
Nate Andrew, Justin Mello
Girls Basketball:
Devon Carter, Lauren Kelleher
Ice Hockey:
Thomas Barrett, Josh Chouinard, Kyle Mello, Brian
Picinisco
Boys Indoor Track:
Morgan Brandso, Will Cole, John Gomber, Billy Hawkins,
Matt Perry
Girls Indoor Track:
Brittany Cole, Molly Rouillard, Michaela Sleight
Spring 2007
Our Baseball Team qualified for the Division 1 South Sectional Tournament and lost to
undefeated Walpole 2 – 1 in the second round. Our Boys Lacrosse team qualified for the
state tournament for the second year in a row and our Girls Lacrosse team finished 2nd
place in the League and also qualified for the state tournament. Our Sailing team had a
very successful season under Warren Hathaway and D.J. Walsh. Our Softball team
improved tremendously from the beginning of the year to the end. Our Boys Tennis and
Girls Tennis teams both qualified for the Division 1 South Tournament and had very
successful seasons. Our Girls Outdoor track team continued to be highly competitive and
competed in the State Class B Meet. Our Boys team was champions of the OCL and did
extremely well in the State Class B Meet.
The Dartmouth High School students chosen as Spring 2007 OCL All-Stars by Sport
were:
Baseball:
Boys Lacrosse:
Girls Lacrosse:
Softball:
Boys Tennis:
Girls Tennis:
Boys Track:
Girls Track:
Nate Andrew, Ryan Andrew, Tony Santos
Tom Barrett, Andy Bosworth, Jay Ferreira, Nick Supino
Danielle DeBurgo, Shelby Hickox, Maggie Schoening
Ashlyn Mello, Dana Sylvia, Julianna Tatelbaum
Tomas Rodrigez, James Baptista, Jon Eisenberg
Jenna Cisco, Christina Nesse, Arielle Walton
Morgan Brandso, Will Cole, Jeremy Fransisco, James Gilchrist,
John Gomber, Paul Grafov, Ben Messier
Brittany Cole, Leah Mello, Cristal Peixoto, Keanna Santos
Fall 2007
Our Boys and Girls Cross-Country teams were very competitive and under Coach Reed
improved tremendously over the season. Our Field Hockey Team finished 2nd place in the
OCL and defeated Dennis-Yarmouth 1 – 0 in the first round of the Division 1 South State
Tournament. Our Golf Team qualified for the State Tournament for the second year in a
row with a very young team. Our Boys Soccer team won the OCL Championship for the
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2nd year in a row. Our Girls Soccer Team finished in 2nd place in the OCL and had a
strong run in the Division 1 State Tournament before losing to Marshfield in the South
Sectional Semi-Finals. Our Volleyball Team had a successful season by finishing in 2nd
place in the league and qualifying for the Division 1 South Tournament. Our Football
Team finished as OCL Champions for the 2nd year in a row. They defeated Brockton in
the first round of the play-offs and qualified to play Everett in the Eastern Massachusetts
Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. The team played a tremendous game and lost
to Everett in over time. Jordan Todman and Sean Sylvia were chosen for the Boston
Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team. Jordan was chosen as the Massachusetts
Division 1 Player of the Year and was nominated and won the prestigious Otto Graham
Award. Our Football Team was ranked # 2 in the state in the final poll. Our Cheerleaders
did a tremendous job all season and were the highlight of our annual school Spirit Rally in
the fall. The Town of Dartmouth’s Select Board presented citations to our Football Team
and Cheerleaders at a special meeting on January 9, 2007.
Dartmouth High School students chosen to Fall 2007 OCL All-Stars by Sport were:
Boys Cross-Country:
Girls Cross-Country:
Field Hockey:
Football:
Golf:
Boys Soccer:
Girls Soccer:
Volleyball:
Jeremy Fransisco, Nick Martin
Genoa Warner
Allyssa Arruda, Isabelle Cassell, Hope LaBelle, Carissa
Wills-DeMello
Ryan Andrew, Justin Cruz, Arthur Fontaine, Justin Mello,
Sean Sylvia, Jordan Todman, Chris Toole
D.J. Hudson, Todd Lake, Craig Snell
Morgan Brandso, Andrew Brazil, Kyle Gavin., George
Hodge, Chris Tsonis
Jenna Custodio, Carolyn Merchant, Lauren Hopp, Dana
Sylvia
Meghan Brown, Leah Mello
MUSIC
William Kingsland, Director
ELEMENTARY
Miss Shirley Guerreiro was the choral and general music instructor for Cushman,
DeMello, and Gidley Schools from January through June of 2007. Students from these
three buildings performed in school-based productions of 101 Dalmatians for their spring
performances. Students from Gidley School performed in February at Cedars Assisted
Living and sang Valentines Day songs. Miss Guerreiro’s was reassigned to the Potter and
DeMello Schools with the closing of Gidley and Cushman Schools in September, 2007.
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DeMello students sang Thanksgiving songs at the Dartmouth Council on Aging and Potter
students sang Thanksgiving songs at Heritage Assisted Living.
Mrs. Marianne Oien started 2007 as a choral and general music instructor for the Potter
and Quinn Schools. Students from the Potter School performed in a spring production of
the Wizard of Oz while students from the Quinn School presented Ocean Commotion,
which featured nautical songs and dances. Third graders from the Potter and Quinn
Schools studied the recorder and music reading techniques. With the closing of the
Gidley and Cushman Schools, Mrs. Oien became a full-time teacher at the Quinn School
starting in September of 2007. She has also continued with the Northside Singers which
performed at The American Choral Director Association Elementary Festival at St. Marks
Prep School in Southboro, MA.
Mr. Touchette and Miss Church direct the instrumental program at the elementary level.
With the reduction of staff for 2007-2008, the elementary strings program began in fourth
grade instead of third, and the band program was moved from grade four to five. The
kindergarten music classes met bi-weekly rather than weekly as of September 2007.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
The middle school strings, band, show band, and chorus attended the 2007 Great East
Festival. They received platinum and gold medals. Miss Church is the Orchestra
Director, Mr. Touchette is the Band Director, Mr. Sousa directs the show band and Mrs.
Rezendes directs the chorus. In September, 2007, Mrs. Bouley became the General Music
Teacher at the middle school, as a result of the reductions in the music staff. The middle
school combined band (grades 6, 7, and 8) represented the Town of Dartmouth in the 2007
Veteran’s Day Parade in New Bedford on November 11th. During 2007, Mrs. Bouley was
featured in the Standard Times for her involvement with the New Bedford Symphony.
She also appeared in a You Tube video with her string quartet. Mrs. Rezendes completed
her Master’s Degree at Rhode Island College culminating with an excellent vocal recital.
Mrs. Rezendes was also documented in “Who’s Who Among American Woman”.
William Kingsland, Director of Music, took on extra teaching responsibilities with the
middle school band in September, 2007, again as a result of the reduction of staff in the
instrumental program.
The following students auditioned for and were accepted to the Southeast Junior District
Festival in March, 2007.
Southeast Junior District Audition Winners
Anna Audycki
Ray Paul Biron
Elisa Duguay
Renea Gauvin
Alexandria Georgadarellis
DoHyun Kim
Eva Machado
Brandon Medeiros
Adam Wang
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HIGH SCHOOL
The high school chorus and musical theatre is under the direction of Juan Rodriguez. In
addition to holiday, pops, and spring concert performances, choral students presented the
spring musical “Gypsy” with a large cast and orchestra. Kaytie Dimery, starred in the
lead role. Kaytie Dimery, David Raposo, Alyssa Bailey, and Kelsie Brejcha performed
with Festival Theatre in the production of 42nd Street. Richard Blair, Drama Club
Director, performed in the lead role. Mr. Rodriguez was a solo performer with the
Sippican Chorale for their holiday program in 2007.
Miss Church is the Orchestra Director at the high school. Beyond their regular concert
schedule, the orchestra presented small group performances throughout the community at
functions like the National Honor Society induction and town Christmas Tree Lighting
Ceremony. Miss Church was given a grant and selected as the Southcoast Teacher of the
Year from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts. She was also
Massachusetts String Teacher of the Year for the American String Teachers Association.
The high school orchestra took a field trip to the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI
to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Miss Church performed with this production in all of
their northeast shows.
The high school band is under the direction of Mr. Kingsland. The band provided music
for their school concert schedule and graduation in 2007. They also provided music for:
Dartmouth Memorial Day
Dartmouth Firefighters
Madeira Feast Parade
Columbus Day
Home Football Games
Firefighters Halloween Parade
The marching band competed in Division 5 of NESBA and the USSBA. They were
Division Champions in both circuits performing at Giant’s Stadium for USSBA finals.
The show theme was based on Urban Themes and the Souths of Traffic. The Select Board
of the Town of Dartmouth issued official citations for their achievement during the 2007
competition season. Certificates were also issued to the band and colorguard staff.
Tom Aungst
Stan Moore
Ian Flint
Jen O’Neil
Guy Medeiros
Jason Medeiros
Jennifer Holske
Lenny Machado
Kelly Rose
The winter colorguard is directed by Lenny Machado and assisted by Jennifer Holske,
Kelly Rose and Krista Noons. There were two groups in 2007, a varsity guard and a JV
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group. The show themes were Romeo & Juliet and Goodbye My Love. Both groups
competed in NESBA and finished in second place.
The Indoor Percussion, under the direction of Mr. Aungst, performed an original show,
The Turning Point. They competed locally in NESBA and the WGI. They attended
regionals in Stratford, CT, and finals at UMass Amherst and in Dayton, Ohio. They won
the Marching Open Class in NESBA and finished 2nd at WGI in Dayton.
The following students auditioned for and were accepted to the Southeast Senior District
Festival in January, 2007.
Southeast Senior District
Shawn Baptista
Ian Legge
Chantel Deane
Richard Medeiros
Shayna Gonsalves
Brea Warner
Zachary Kingsland
Kristin York
The following students auditioned for and were accepted to the Massachusetts All-State
Festival in March of 2007:
Shawn Bapitsta
Chantel Dean
Zachary Kingsland
DARTMOUTH SCHOOL MUSIC ASSOCIATION
The DSMA is the parent support group for the entire music department. The President for
2007-2008 is Ann Marie Gomes. The DSMA helped sponsor and support our students at
many of our local and away events and competitions. They staffed our concession stand
in Memorial Stadium and also ran a concession stand at Gillette Stadium for the Patriots,
concerts, and other events. Although we are fortunate to have support from the school
department and the Town of Dartmouth, the DSMA oversees all our fundraising activities
and makes it possible for us to offer more varied educational and performance experiences
to many students in Dartmouth. They also maintain and staff a large moving truck for our
students’ equipment and offer scholarships to deserving senior music students.
ACTIVITY FEES
Students in the Band, Colorguard, and Orchestra paid fees for participation in these groups
for the 2007-2008 school year. Fees for band and colorguard were $100.00 and orchestra
was $50.00 based on budgets and extra curricular stipends.
REDUCTION IN STAFF
For the 2007-2008 school year, the Dartmouth music staff was reduced one full-time
instrumental position and one half-time (.5) elementary general music teacher due to
budget constraints.
Dartmouth High School
Donna Dimery, Principal
The administration and staff at Dartmouth High School continued to be committed to the
continuous improvement of student learning for ALL students despite the challenges
presented to the school community by the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Twenty-four
(24) DHS teachers received pink slips in May. Town meeting determined that the school
budget would be funded at minimum net-school funding levels. With the failure of the
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July override and the closing of two elementary schools in town, Dartmouth High School
ended up losing four teaching positions (science, social studies, physical education, and
unified arts), and half of a secretarial position. In addition it became necessary to increase
the teaching load of all department heads (that necessitated a corresponding decrease in
curricular and instructional development and oversight). Fees for bus transportation,
parking, athletics, music, and extracurricular activities were instituted. For the first time,
teachers to whom we offered employment chose other job offers. It has been a difficult
time for the DHS family.
However, during the month prior to the defeated override, Principal Donna Dimery, along
with faculty members, Rachel Chavier and Elizabeth Haskell, and parent Joyce Signorella
volunteered their time and effort to apply for a Smaller Learning Communities Grant with
the hope that no matter what the community’s decision, Dartmouth High School could
continue to improve as an educational environment for students. Prior to applying for the
position in Dartmouth, the new Assistant Principal, Loretta Patterson, shared her expertise
and experience with the Smaller Learning Communities Grant with the team. Because
Dartmouth was not only able to demonstrate a need and desire for improvement but also
because we had a proven track record of implementing promising practices, DHS was
chosen as one of only two high schools in the state of Massachusetts to receive funding
from the federal Smaller Learning Communities Program. In late September, 2007, the
United States Department of Education contacted Dartmouth High School with the news
that we had been awarded a grant in the amount of $695,000 for the period 2007 through
2010 (over $200,000 equally distributed across the three years of the funding cycle). This
success was the result of hard work on many peoples part through what was a highly
competitive grant application process for a limited pool of federal funds under the Smaller
Learning Communities Program. The philosophy behind the grant is a large body of
national research, supported by the Gates Foundation that focuses on forming smaller
organizational strategies within high schools of 1000 students or more to improve student
outcomes.
Dartmouth High School’s successful grant application allowed the school to proceed with
establishing freshman academies, developing student advisories, and providing teachers
with specific training on teaching college level writing skills, teaming, interdisciplinary
teaching and change leadership. This funding cannot replace any local appropriation by
law. It is the Dartmouth community who will have to help us put our plans in place by
providing the funding for up-to- date textbooks and technology, appropriate class sizes
and sufficient support personnel, as well as increased supervision of providing students
with a relevant and rigorous curriculum. Our goal is to go from being a good school to an
exemplary school! Under the auspices of the Smaller Learning Communities Grant, this
year 54 teachers are currently working on six committees with a focus on school
improvement in the areas of Rigor, Relevance and Relationships.
In our quest for continuous improvement, Dartmouth High School saw improvements in
the spring 2007 student scores on MCAS testing from the 2005-2006 school year. For
example, in 2006, 69% of our students achieved in the proficient/advanced range; in 2007,
77% reached that benchmark, an improvement of 8%! In 2006, 66% of our students
achieved in the proficient/advanced range in English Language Arts, in 2007, 77% had
reached proficiency or above, an 11% improvement! The entire staff, upon learning that
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we had scored below state average in every single open response question in the 2006
MCAS administration, made a commitment for a school-wide focus on incorporating open
response questions and rubrics into class work and tests. This year, Dartmouth High
School students scored above the state average not only in every single open response
question in the ELA test, but every open response question in the social studies test and
science tests. The extra time, practice, and effort focused upon creating and grading open
response questions for all of our classes certainly paid off.
All of the members of the Class of 2010 who braved the high stakes science MCAS as
freshman in 2007 passed the exam with a Needs Improvement or better score. (Students
had also had the option of taking the exam as freshmen or sophomores.) The Class of
2010 is the first class that will need to pass a science MCAS along with the English and
Math MCAS to qualify for a diploma as state standards continue to increase.
In the SATs, we saw a slight decrease in our mean math average from a 545 to 540. The
DHS mean score, however, still continues to be 18 points higher than the state mean
average of 522, and 25 points higher than the mean average of all students taking the math
SAT. In SAT critical reading, we saw a slight increase from 496 to 499, and in SAT
writing we improved from a mean of 490 to 492. Both of these scores are just points under
the national mean, but not where we want them to be. We trailed the state mean average
by 14 points in critical reading and 19 points in the writing. There is more work to be
done as we want to be more than average!
Of the students who entered DHS in 2003, 86.1% graduated in June, 2007. That means
that 49 students dropped out over the course of their four-years at DHS. Granted, many of
them transferred to New Bedford Night School to get their diploma, many did not. During
the previous school year, 1.4 % of our 1300 student body dropped out. That translates to
18 youngsters in a year. Dartmouth High School’s goal is to graduate ALL of our
students college-ready without need for remediation. Again, we have work to do.
Of particular note are the efforts that we have made to address the needs of our most
fragile students. In 2007, only eight Special Education children will need to re-test in
MCAS. Last year, twenty-one (21) special education children needed to re-test in MCAS.
Progress in this area is being made.
We created another in-district Sped program at the high school for our ASD (Autism
Spectrum Disorder) student population. We hired a teacher through grant money. We
currently have placed three children in the program as an extension to the elementary and
middle school ASD programs. At $40,000 or more per child, or a total of $120,000 for an
outside placement for all three children, hiring a teacher and creating a new program
saved the town money and provided the students with a supportive academic network in
their home community.
We also saw an increase in our Developmentally Delayed (MR) program for students ages
14 to 22. Program participants increased from five students to eight students this year.
Next year it will increase to 11 students saving approximately $40,000 for each child if
they were placed in an out-of-district program. We also currently have four out of eight
students working on job sites outside during the school day learning functional skills in a
work setting.
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To address the needs of students experiencing failure in their courses, Guidance Counselor
David White developed and directed the Community Evening School. This program
operated for the first time during the school year. It provided services for 65 enrollees.
Students attended classes to "recover" lost credit from February - May 2007 and took up
to two classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Classes offered were in English,
science, history, math, art, and computer applications. Parents were called three times
during the session to keep them informed of their child's progress. Our students had
almost a 90% completion rate of the program. Overall, we saw a very positive result!
The heart of our school is the Library Media Center under the able direction of Mrs.
Laurie Dias-Mitchell. The LMC is in its second year of the MassCat pilot project, with
MassCat circulation going from 24 items in 2006 to nearly 300 in 2007. MassCat is a
multi-type library consortium and is certified by the Massachusetts Board of Library
Commissioners; consequently, it allows DHS students free access to InfoTrac, Electric
Library, and Newsbank electronic databases. During 2007, the DHS library logged an
average of 8573 student visits each month – before, during, and after school. That is an
average of 563 students each day! On average, there were 70 whole-class visits to the
library each month.
In 2007, because the DHS LMC enjoyed its highest book circulation, database and facility
usage in its history, it was necessary to fund before and after-school access for students,
faculty, and staff. DHS library aide, Pam King, was paid to supervise the library after
school for an additional 30 minutes each morning before the start of the school day and an
hour each afternoon, thereby encouraging independent study and promoting recreational
reading. During 2007, the DHS Student Readers’ Forum met every Friday to discuss
good books that members were reading individually. This year, members also
participated in “shared reads” and “paired reads” – including Within Reach: My True
Everest Story culminating in a field trip to Caribiner’s, the indoor climbing facility in New
Bedford.
For the sixth year, the DHS “Teachers and Staff Are Readers Book Club”, which has
twenty-five loyal members (including parents!), met monthly to dine together and discuss
various titles including A Thousand Splendid Suns, Forgetfulness, Our Lady of the Forest,
Everything Is Illuminated, and Three Junes.
During the 2007 National School Library Week, LMC activities included a SUPER
RAFFLE (a $100 gift certificate to the Dartmouth Mall as the grand prize; with several
other – on average six per day - gift certificates to: Rainoni’s, NY Bagel, McDonald’s,
Baker Books, Pub 99, Big Value Outlet, DHS School Store, Panera, BJ’s Wholesale
Club). Thanks go to the DHS faculty and staff for generously donating the majority of
prizes!
Long-time DHS library volunteers Liane Laverty, Pat Swift, and Audrey Brooks
continued to log hundreds of hours per year. Our thanks go to them. They are an integral
part of the DHS community.
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The DHS Library Director’s community service club “Think Community: Act Now”
(TCAN) continued to run the dining room of a soup kitchen every other Sunday (year
round) and during major holidays. They also provided much-needed services, such as
landscaping and fundraising, for Hope House, Southeastern Massachusetts’ only AIDS
hospice and for Gentle Arms, a teen homeless shelter in Fall River. TCAN, along with
DHS’s other community service clubs (Diversity, Key and Amnesty International), has
started planning their April, 2008 trip to New Orleans. Thirty-five (35) students and their
chaperones will be working for Habitat for Humanity and Animal Rescue New Orleans
during their spring break.
With a $2,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts,
Library Director Laurie Dias-Mitchell, along with participating faculty members Scott
Richards, Cathy David-Thomas, Margaret Brumsted, and Loretta Patterson, implemented
the second year of Natural Connections. The Natural Connections curriculum offers
students a year-long, hands-on series of presentations and field experiences which exposes
17 at-risk students who are within Dartmouth High School’s Alternative Program the
opportunity to learn skills, gain experiences, and use tools utilized in the natural resources
management professions. Each month, Sanctuary Director Gina Purtell or a designee, in
collaboration with participating Dartmouth High School faculty, visits the students in their
classroom (or adjoining science lab) and presents one of a series of topics related to the
Allen’s Pond Wildlife Sanctuary (geologic structures, soil types, flora, and fauna as well
as ecological processes such as weathering and their causes) using power-point slide
shows, laboratory equipment, software, computer-linked GPS units, and other tools.
During a second day of each month the students travel to the Allen’s Pond Wildlife
Sanctuary. There they apply the classroom lessons performing relevant stewardship tasks.
Stewardship projects in the field include trail improvements, invasive plant removals,
native plant planting, litter removal, and trail marking and mapping.
Laurie Dias-Mitchell, Donna Dimery, Lorraine Granda, and Anne Kelly designed and
implemented the DHS/Gidley School Recess Partnership. Four (4) DHS seniors (Ben
Messier, Kyle Espindola, Nathan Gauthier, and Chris Oliver) traveled to the Gidley
School three times each week to coordinate meaningful recess activities for the students
there. This project was funded through a grant from Southcoast Health System’s RAPPP
Program.
During this year, one of the Guidance Department’s initiatives was to develop and publish
their first Post-Secondary Guide to Careers and Education for all juniors. This booklet is
used in the junior groups in the spring of junior year and again in the fall when they
become seniors. This informative guide as well as our Program of Studies was also posted
on line. The Guidance Department added useful software entitled “Career Cruising” to
augment student awareness of all the career possibilities available to them. In addition, the
DHS Guidance Department piloted a program that enables students to upload transcripts
directly to colleges. Students now can participate in “On-the-Spot” college admissions
with BCC and UMass Dartmouth due to an agreement between DHS and the local
colleges.
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The math department continues to participate in international research studies conducted
by the James J. Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in Mathematics. In particular,
the research on SimCalc projects begun by Professor Kaput, funded by a large federal
grant, will determine and promote improved methods to teach algebraic concepts.
Dartmouth High School was recognized by being featured in a recent Education Week
article about the project. UMass Dartmouth will collect data as part of a study for use in
determining if the SimCalc intervention has had a significant impact in developing the
mathematical capabilities of our students. We also received our first Navigator system that
will help us move into the 21st Century instruction in mathematics.
The DHS Math Team, under the direction of Donald York, continued its winning record.
They won first place in the Southeastern Massachusetts Conference Math League in 2007.
The top scorer for DHS in the Nineteenth Annual Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Mathematics Meet was Matthew Perry. Class Valedictorian Jaclyn Teixeira earned the
highest four-year average in mathematics classes.
The science department continued to enhance the curriculum with relevant and servicerelated activities. Andy Goodman's physics students taught physics lessons to elementary
students at the Potter and Quinn Schools. Doran Cohen’s biology classes adopted a
panda. Bob Kocor held the DHS Annual Blood Drive before he left on retirement.
Margaret Brumsted's horticulture class worked with DNRT on a Community Service
Project.
Genoa Warner (‘08) was awarded the Rensselaer Medal for 2007. This annual award,
sponsored by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is presented to one student in the top 5% of
the junior class who has displayed outstanding achievement over three years in
mathematics and science and who has demonstrated potential for success in a
math/science related field. Abigail Finger (’08) won the Bausch and Lombe Science
Award.
At Senior Awards night, the following seniors were recognized for their excellence in the
study of the following science and technology courses: Architectural Drafting – CAD:
William Cole and Kelly Dwyer; Engineering Drafting – CAD: Jacob Enoksen: Biology:
Jaclyn Teixeira; Physics: John Armando; Advanced Wood Technology: Joshua Emmett;
Engineering Drafting – CAD: Jacob Enoksen; Architecture Drafting – CAD: William
Cole and Kelly Dwyer; Drafting Technology – CAD: Brian Parent; Applications of
Technology: Richard Melo.
The 2006-2007 Dartmouth High School Women in Technology – Sensata Technology,
Inc. Project had an outstanding year! Working with DHS faculty members Donna Sachs
and Arthur Schattle and Sensata Technology, Inc. engineer Bob Southerland, the team
designed two assembly fixtures for anti-lock braking sensor components for part of the
production process at Sensata Technology, Inc. in China. The team utilized the design
process to complete the project, used Computer Aided Drafting, stereo lithography
apparatus and an optical gauge measurement system, that increased their SCANS skills in
applying technology. This program allowed our DHS students to gain actual experience
in the global world of corporate engineering.
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The 2006-2007 school year was another excellent year for the CAD-Computer Aided
Drafting program at Dartmouth High School. Students were involved in numerous handson real life learning activities that culminated in end of course professional architectural
presentations to a diverse audience and a quality exhibit of CAD student work at the
annual Dartmouth High School Art Show.
Members of our English department remained very active this year. Two teachers had
student teachers during second semester 2007. Bill Kavanaugh mentored Meghan Rogers
from Providence College, whom we hired in the fall 2007. Claudia Corey mentored
Cheryl Landry from UMass Dartmouth. Michelle Alexander was chosen to be part of the
Red Truck Wines Cross-country Summer Promotion, in which she and five fellow
artist/collaborators drove across country, kept a blog with photos and commentary, and
shared interviews and other news. Wilbur Higgins served as a reader for the AP English
Language Test (6/11- 6/15/07) and as a SAT essay reader (10/11-10/12/07). Ann Fifield
was selected as an Associate Director of the Buzzards Bay Writing Project and served in
that capacity during the local summer and district seminars. The Buzzards Bay Writing
Project planned to use Meghan Rogers’ blog of her first-year teaching experiences as part
of their local advertising.
Lily Brown (’08), a member of Mr. Higgins’ journalism class, won the Scholastic Writing
Contest gold key. In April ’07, The Spectrum published an article written by Chantal
Begley (’08) that was chosen for the ASNE National Edition. Angela Chouinard (’08)
was awarded the Outstanding Student in English award for her four years of achievement
in English.
The social studies department prepared for the high stakes MCAS exam in U.S. History
which will be required of the students in the Class of 2012. In both March and November,
the social studies department hosted the Company "B" Cavalry Unit, an American Civil
War re-enactment group. They came to the high school to speak with students about the
daily lives of soldiers and women during the American Civil War.
On November 8, Dartmouth High School welcomed several Iraq War veterans. These
soldiers shared their experiences with the entire school. The men who came spoke
eloquently about the challenges, dangers, and heroism that they experienced and
witnessed. The participants were: Sergeant Jose Tome, Sergeant Stephen Littlefield,
Cadet George Jacome, Sergeant Stephen Davis, and Sergeant Robert Quinones. In
addition, students heard from Sergeant Robert North, a former teacher at Dartmouth High
School and Corporal Toben Medeiros, a Dartmouth High School alumnus, who was
severely wounded during his second tour of duty in Iraq. During the presentation,
Dartmouth High School also recognized Patrick Zuber, a Dartmouth High School alumnus
and son of current teacher Patricia Zuber, who is currently serving in Iraq, and Sergeant
Peter Enos, Dartmouth High School alumnus (Class of 1998) who was killed in Iraq in
April of 2004.
The department honored outstanding students at Senior Awards Night: Kasey Considine
Samantha Gollub (world history), Bryan Fournier (economics), Angela Chouinard,
Rachael Falk, and Erica Mazza (psychology.) Rachael Falk and Samantha Gollub were
the Outstanding Amnesty International students. On May 21, DHS Amnesty members
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flew to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress asking them to take action to stop the
genocide in Darfur. This was the culmination of awareness-raising activities in Dartmouth
about the genocide. It included the gathering of over 600 signatures for a petition to
deliver to Congress.
Following her first year of teaching at DHS, Spanish teacher, Rebecca Taub became the
advisor to the Spanish Club. Mrs. Taub formerly taught English in the Master’s Degree
program at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Spanish teacher Estella De La Cruz
joined the world language staff as a long-term substitute in 2007. Having lived and
studied in Spain, she previously taught students of all levels and ages in numerous schools
there.
French teacher Lucy Bly is advisor to the DHS chapter of the American Field Service.
Students Phil Kraus and Caroline Watson studied in Argentina and Justin DeAndrade
studied in Honduras until January 2008. Fannie Toivonen from Finland and Tomas
Rodriguez-Monreal from Chile were welcomed during the 2006-2007 school year. In the
fall of 2007, Lucio Gnotti’s visit from Argentina was reciprocated by Shelby Hickock.
Griffin Hanrahan spent the year in Costa Rica and Chris Saunders left for Italy in January.
Our students experiences are extending well beyond the wall of Dartmouth High School!
World language students participated in various food drives throughout the year. Mrs.
Cabral-Pinto’s Spanish classes made the holidays brighter for an area family by
purchasing clothing and collecting food items. Mrs. Sousa’s and Mrs. Carreiro’s
Portuguese classes collected clothing and toys for the New Bedford Women’s Shelter,
House of Hope, before the winter holiday. Students were encouraged to think of others.
The Camoes Club, advised by Jane Carreiro, focused on participation in events that
celebrated the culture of Portuguese-speaking countries. They made connections between
the students at the high school in Povoaçao (Dartmouth’s sister city) through e-mail and
written correspondence.
High achieving world language students included Nathaniel Costa, Ashley Tozer,
Nicholas Lamarre (French); Angela Chouinard, Ashley Martins (Portuguese). Ashley
Morgan, Jake Peelen, Erica Caravana, Meagan Raposo (Spanish) were recognized for
their achievement during the Senior Award Ceremony held in June. Awards for the
highest averages in these courses were presented to Nicholas Lamarre, Angela Chouinard
and Ashley Morgan.
Camoes Club members and the Portuguese classes of Mrs. Dias-Faria and Mrs. Sousa
attended a multidisciplinary presentation sponsored by the Portuguese Cultural Center at
Bristol Community College to learn about events leading to the “Revolution of the
Carnations” in Portugal on April 25.
Mrs. Sousa and Mrs. Carreiro utilized the Moodle on-line technology platform to enhance
their teaching of Portuguese 4 and French 2.
World Language Chairperson, Jane Carreiro, joined 14 middle and high school teachers
representing seven metropolitan school districts for a curriculum workshop held at
Harvard University’s David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. “Music, Land
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and Women’s Rights: Citizens Making Change in Brazil and the U.S.,” provided Mrs.
Carreiro with the opportunity to develop 15 lesson plans highlighting social movements in
Brazil for her Portuguese classes. In addition, she represented DHS at the 5th Annual
Conference on Portuguese Language Education. Mrs. Carreiro also completed a National
Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Institute (from June 24 – 29). As part of
“Inventing America: Lowell and the Industrial Revolution.” She engaged in research in
the archives of the Lowell National Historical Park’s Tsongas Industrial History Center at
the University of Lowell. She worked to develop materials and form interdisciplinary
connections for her DHS language and culture classes pertaining to the role of the French
Canadian and Portuguese immigrants in the early textile industry. She also completed the
second in a series of district-sponsored courses, “Sheltering Content Instruction”. Ms.
Carreiro regularly teaches evening courses in Portuguese and French for the Dartmouth
adult community through the Southcoast Learning Network. She has also taught
Conversational Portuguese to Dartmouth teachers through the 2006 -07 For Teachers, By
Teachers professional development program.
Under the direction of advisors Anita Lamoureux and Patricia Kane, Dartmouth High
School re-established the DECA Club in 2007. DECA is a marketing club composed of
over 140,000 high school students across the U.S. and internationally. It began with 41
members who were required to be enrolled in various business classes such as marketing,
business essentials, and accounting. In September of 2007, at the beginning of our second
year of enrollment, there was a 28% increase in student membership at DHS. DECA
students successfully marketed and ran a Powder Puff football game and marketed and
sold candy on Valentines Day and in the fall in order to help raise money for competition.
Our students were extremely successful at our competitions in 2007, especially for a firstyear team. In the district competition with over 400 student representatives participating,
24 DHS students competed in 12 different areas as either a team or individually. We
received a first place in the Buying and Merchandising Team Event (Michael
Saraiva/Jason Ferreira), second place in Financial Analysis Team Event (Arthur
Gracia/Kevin Wilkinson) and had over ten top ten winners. Four DHS DECA members
qualified and competed in the state competition and four more represented DHS as our
Quiz Bowl Team at the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. We received first place in Buying
and Merchandising Team Event (Michael Saraiva/Kevin Wilkinson) and second place for
Quiz Bowl (Anthony Carrancho/Courtney Pacheco/Arthur Gracia/Nathan Dufault). Our
students went on to represent the State of Massachusetts competing against over 16,000
students in Orlando, FL. Michael Saraiva and Jason Ferreira competed in regular
competition. Anthony Carrancho, Courtney Pacheco, Arthur Garcia, Nathan Dufault,
represented Massachusetts and competed as the Massachusetts Quiz Bowl Team. Junior
Christine Shannon successfully graduated from the Leadership Development Academy
and went on to become the President of the Dartmouth DECA Chapter in September of
2007.
During Senior Awards, Bryan Fournier was named the Outstanding Student in Business.
Ashley Sousa was the Outstanding Student in Web Design. Peter Ciminello took the
honors as Outstanding Student in Computer Programming and Ryan Lake was the DHS
Outstanding Student in Accounting.
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As part of a continuing partnership with UMass Dartmouth Art Education Department,
Mrs. Cronin worked with Professor Kathy Miraglia’s undergraduate art education class.
Dr. Miraglia placed her 20 students in unified arts classes to observe teaching strategies.
Other undergraduate students came in throughout the year to observe the exemplary DHS
program from UMass Dartmouth, Massachusetts College of Art, and Bridgewater State
College. The Unified Arts Department had a student teacher, Morgan Sharkey who
worked with them from January through May (spring semester).
As an ongoing part of the curriculum, Mrs. Cronin welcomed representative Angela Jones
from the Massachusetts College of Art to speak to the upper level art students about
admission requirements and to perform portfolio reviews, which helped to prepare them
for their college applications. The advanced art students attended the National Portfolio
Day at Mass College of Art in November under the direction of Mrs. Cronin and Mrs.
Erwin. They received feedback on their portfolios to help them with their college
admissions. Some students also had their portfolios accepted for college admission at this
time. Professors Tony Miraglia, Kathy Miraglia and Mark St. Pierre from UMass
Dartmouth gave a presentation on a summer college-level course available for high school
students in Nocciano, Italy. Jennifer Signorella and Julia Signorella were chosen to
participate in the Nocciano Institute for Arts and Culture for two weeks this past summer
(2007). These students earned college credit for their work. This course was sponsored
by the Mediterranean Studies Association. The students were accepted based on their
grades and a letter of intent.
The advanced art students traveled to New York City for their annual field trip on April 5,
2007. The group visited Cooper Hewitt Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, the
Fashion Institute of Technology, SoHo galleries (which they chose in advance from their
research on the Internet), and they saw the Broadway Musical, Legally Blond.
Mrs. Cronin hosted the unified arts department annual fundraiser—a day trip to New York
City on Sunday, November 11, 2007. This year’s stage hands’ strike precluded the hopedfor viewing of the musical Grease. Proceeds from this trip will be used to cover a portion
of the cost of the bus for DHS students to go to NYC in the spring of 2008.
Hannah Szynal earned a Silver Award on the national level of the Scholastic Art Awards.
From over 100,000 entries, approximately 575 students from throughout the country
received national honors. Hannah received her award at Carnegie Hall in New York City
on June 15, 2007. Her work was exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington,
DC this summer.
The 2007 Scholastic Art Awards were presented on February 11, 2007 at John Hancock
Hall in Boston, MA. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are conducted nationally by
the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Inc., a not-for-profit organization. The contest
is co-sponsored by the New England Art Education Association. The awards given on the
regional level are: (l) Gold Key—the highest level of achievement on the regional level.
Gold Key winning works are forwarded to New York for national level adjudication. (2)
Silver Key—presented for distinguished achievement on the regional level. (3) Honorable
Mention—presented for work worthy of recognition on the regional level. The Gold Key
Awards and the Silver Key Awards were then exhibited at the Massachusetts
Transportation Building, Ten Park Plaza, Boston, MA.
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The following students earned the following awards:
NAME
Ruth Barry
AWARD
Gold Key
CATEGORY
Jewelry Design
Ruth Barry
Anna Franz
Emma Gelinas
Jennifer Goes
Silver Key
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Jewelry Design
Photography
Photography
Photography
TEACHER
Judy Cronin
Maura Erwin
Judy Cronin
Christine McFee
Christine McFee
Christine McFee
Jennifer Goes
Honorable Mention
Apparel Design
Judy Cronin
Hannah Houbre
Gold Key
Jewelry Design
Judy Cronin
Kristina Nesse
Honorable Mention
Jewelry Design
Judy Cronin
Molly O’Leary
Silver Key
Photography
Christine McFee
Shana Lee Silva
Gold Key
Apparel Design
Hannah Szynal
Gold Key
Mixed Media: Book
Jacqueline
Francisco
Maura Erwin
Hannah Szynal
Silver Key
Painting
Maura Erwin
The Unified Arts Department hosted its annual art show in the Dartmouth High School
Library welcoming friends, family and community. It was held on Thursday, May 17,
2007 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The student body viewed the show on May 17-18, and the
department hosted a faculty reception on May 16. The culinary arts students under the
direction of Mrs. Cheryl Lowney provided elegant refreshments. Works of the students of
the following classes were exhibited: Advanced Placement Art; Advanced Portfolio
Preparation, Portfolio Preparation; Art 2 Foundation; Art 1 Foundation; Design Workshop
Ceramics; Design Workshop Metals & Jewelry; Darkroom Photography 1 & 2; Digital
Photography; Fashion History & Construction 1 & 2; Living Arts; Digital Graphic
Design; CAD; Architectural Drafting; Methods for Early Learning; Early Learning
Practicum, and the Dartmouth High School Preschool class,. The teachers of these classes
were: Judy Cronin, Susan Brunette, Maura Erwin, Jacqueline Francisco, Polly
Guilbeault, Christine McFee, Arthur Schattle, and Cheryl Lowney.
The Advanced Placement Art class under the leadership of Maura Erwin had their exhibit,
“Crimes of the Art” at the Dartmouth Gallery at the Town Hall. The opening held on
March 19, 2007 was extremely well attended by members of the Dartmouth Community.
The culinary arts students, under the direction of Mrs. Lowney, catered the affair. The
exhibit was open to the public through March 30.
Caitlin Doe was chosen by a panel of art educators to participate in Art All State at the
Worcester Art Museum in May of 2007. This was a weekend-long arts workshop
focusing on art careers and college preparation for high school juniors. Only highlyqualified students were chosen. Much like college applications, students apply to this
program with a portfolio, a letter of intent, teacher recommendations, their transcript, and
they participated in an interview process in order to be accepted.
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At Senior Awards Night in June, the following graduates earned the following awards
from the Unified Arts Department: Ruth Barry, Outstanding Student in Visual Arts; David
Sequeira, Outstanding Student in Culinary Arts; Amanda Correia, Outstanding Student in
Early Learning Practicum; Stephanie Mello, Outstanding Student in Communications &
Television Production; and Jennifer Goes, Outstanding Student in Fashion Design.
On the opening day of school in September, 2007, the following in-coming seniors were
honored with the following book awards: Harvard Book Award: Genoa Warner; College
Club: Genoa Warner and Kara Bernert; Dartmouth College: Melissa Bermudez; Wellesley
College: Kara Bernert; UMass Dartmouth: Christopher Bach; Smith College: Abigail
Finger; Bryant College: Gregory Wang; and New England Tech: Sebastian Pritchard.
This fall, Jackie Francisco secured a Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Innovative Teacher Grant for 2007. The grant awarded her $700.00 to purchase supplies
for interdisciplinary fashion lessons. The judges appreciated the connections students
made between history and fashion. As students created clothing that would have been
worn in the late 1800's, they learned about the Lizzie Borden murders. They then traveled
to the family grave site, the church where Lizzie taught Sunday school, and finally the
family home - all dressed in costume that replicated the styles worn then.
Following the Reggio Emilia approach of early childhood education philosophy, Polly
Guilbeault mentored future teachers and childcare providers in the care and instruction of
preschoolers enrolled in the Dartmouth High School Early Learning Center. The
Advanced Early Learning Practicum students participated in field study observations
under the guidance and direction of Polly Guilbeault with the following community child
care facilities: Hawthorn Hill Preschool, Dartmouth Preschool at Quinn Elementary, and
the Integrated Preschool at Quinn Elementary.
Mrs. Guilbeault’s Early Learning Practicum classes and Mrs. Lowney’s Methods &
Materials for Early Learning classes participated in ACT Against Violence Training
Program workshops through the RAPPP Program (Responsible Attitudes Toward
Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention) sponsored by the Southcoast Hospital Group at St.
Luke’s Hospital. Students who completed the three-course sequence received their
Massachusetts Department of Early Education Care and Pre-School Certification. Some
of our students completed the advanced level course and received an Infant/Toddler
certification as well. These students will receive credit at area colleges through our Tech
Prep Program.
The summer at Dartmouth High School was busy. Under the direction of Judy Cronin, the
Dartmouth High School Unified Arts Department hosted the 5th Annual Arts Camp
during July 2007. These camps were offered to all resident students from Grade 2-12. A
total of eight courses were offered to the community, and approximately 72 students
participated. Two sections of Jewelry Design were offered and instructed by Judy Cronin,
two sections of Video Production were offered and instructed by Denise Angelo and
Jocelyn Houle, two sections of Darkroom Photography were offered and instructed by
Christine McFee, one section of Ceramics was offered and instructed by Susan Brunette,
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and one section of American Girl Costume Design was offered and instructed by
Jacqueline Francisco. Children from ages 7-17 participated.
David White directed our second Credit Recovery Dartmouth Community Summer
School during the month of July. Seventy-six students participated in the program. They
experienced a 95% success rate. Elizabeth Haskell interned in an administrative capacity.
She focused on meeting with students for positive reinforcement. Meetings took place
daily and included frequent parent contact.
Dartmouth High School continued the Helping Hands Project again this year. The
brainchild of Marshall Gerstenblatt, this was an all-school fund-raiser intended to provide
financial relief for students and their families who fall upon hard times. In 2007, the
school and community raised a total of $7,287.95. These funds were raised through
community donations, collections at home football games, several raffles and collections
in classrooms. Since its inception, Helping Hands has serviced 36 families consisting of
97 people. The total collected in the past two years is $13,131.07!
In 2007, we said good-bye to our beloved retirees: science teacher Robert Kocor, math
department head Sheila Koot, and school nurse Mary Beth Collins. Seven of our pink
slipped teachers, Cheryl Lowney, Robert North, Claudia Corey, Anita Lamoureux, Robert
DaSilva, Jodi Roderick, and Chuck Lapre, as well as James McGonigle and Paul Elias, all
sought employment elsewhere. Assistant Principal Manuel Cabral, Jr. became the new
Principal of Dartmouth Middle School. We welcomed the following teachers to the DHS
family: English teacher Meghan Rogers, business teacher Jean DeSouto, history teacher
Laurie Chiarito, special education teachers Jeanne Flight and Sherri Houle, nurse Jill
Dumont, math department chair Catie Marchessault and replacing her position, math
teacher Everett Tatelbaum, Spanish teachers Rebecca Taub and Estella de la Cruz and Rap
Room Coordinator Eric Silva. Linda Gold became our new ASD (Autism Spectrum
Disorder) teacher. Loretta Patterson joined our staff as the Assistant Principal in charge of
Curriculum and Instruction as well as the Project Coordinator for the Smaller Learning
Communities Grant.
As is evident from this report, Dartmouth High School is a learning community that is
actively preparing our students for a commitment to life-long learning and service. We
are grateful to our community for the support they give us in this endeavor.
Dartmouth Middle School
Manuel Cabral, Jr., Principal
Dartmouth Middle School is certainly a R.A.R.E. place to be, where our students’
academic, social, and developmental growth is in the forefront.
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
In the area of curriculum and instruction, our teachers continued to work to improve the
alignment of what is taught with the Massachusetts State Frameworks. On any given day,
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students are working and learning in a variety of different ways! This ranges from
seventh graders completing a laboratory experiment investigating changes in mass
movement, to sixth grade students preparing presentations on continental drift. Our
students are constantly applying what they have learned.
Teachers from the middle school have participated in curriculum meetings as well as
monthly faculty meetings. Teachers map their curriculum to refine and improve
instruction across grade levels. They have identified end of year grade level expectations
and essential learnings. Teachers have met to develop benchmarks, that is, the concepts
and skills students should master at specific times during the school year. Math teachers
have been working with students to improve their computation skills. All Math teachers
use the Math’s Mate program, in which students practice skills weekly and assess their
progress periodically throughout the school year. Beginning in 2006, all students were
required to participate in summer reading. We continue to work on improving and
enhancing curriculum in order to meet the needs of all students and provide a challenging
and interesting educational program.
In September of 2007, a new student schedule was fully implemented. Students have a
six-period day, with each period lasting about an hour. Students have English Language
Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies each day. In eighth grade, students
continue to take a first year course of Spanish or Portuguese. The maximum number of
students per block is approximately 110, which is an increase from last year. Due to the
lack of funding, we had to discontinue offering French during our World Language block.
The loss of our French offerings increased class size in many of our other World
Language classes to over 30 students per section. Interdisciplinary planning time was
created to increase communication among staff on curriculum and instructional issues. A
sixth grade pilot inclusion program was continued this September to help further improve
student learning.
Special Areas are organized with the following offerings:
• Sixth and seventh graders have Family and Consumer Science, Computer Basics,
and General Music.
• Sixth and Eighth graders have Technology Education.
• Art is taught to students in all three grades.
• Physical Education and Health have now been combined and is taken by students
in all grades.
• Students explore Portuguese or Spanish as a Special Area Course.
• Academic Support time is a new Special Area. (This is time for students to receive
academic support from their block teachers.)
• As always, all students have the opportunity to participate in one of our excellent
performance groups: Band, Orchestra, or Chorus.
Diagnostic testing is performed each year to monitor both students’ progress and our
curriculum. Students in grade seven participated in IOWA testing in October. Last April
and May, our sixth, seventh, and eighth graders took MCAS tests in English Language
Arts and Mathematics. Eighth graders also took MCAS tests in Science and Technology.
Seventh graders took part in a History and Social Science Pilot MCAS test. As the test
results came in, staff members reviewed them. They continuously update and reflect upon
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ways to improve what they teach and how they teach it. English Language Arts and math
common assessments were revised and administered at all three grade levels. These tests
are based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and provide teachers with
valuable data to help inform instruction.
In addition to the curriculum and instruction work that has been continuing in the
classroom, there have been many programs that have enhanced students’ experiences
outside of the classroom. For example, assemblies offered a wonderful way to
supplement classroom experiences. They were scheduled throughout the year. Sixth
graders enjoyed Scot Cannon’s presentation of “We Can” and “Toying with Science” as
presented by Garry Krinsky. Seventh graders were entertained and inspired by David
Parker and they were visited by a Roman Legionary from the Higgins Armory Museum.
In October, seventh and eighth graders enjoyed the multimedia presentation,
“Commitment to Excellence”, by Camfel Productions. In March, eighth graders attended
the drama presentation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. In the spring, some of the
chorus, band, and string students attended music festivals. Seventh graders attended a
field trip to the Museum of Science. In June, some sixth grade classrooms also visited the
Newport Mansions and the Feinstein IMAX Theater. This Fall sixth graders went to
Roger Williams Zoo to study animals and their habitats and seventh graders visited the
Feinstein IMAX Theater. A group of eighth graders attended Trinity Repertory Theatre’s
production of “A Christmas Carol”. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 participated in the
annual New England Mathematics League Contest. In this math contest, the highest
scores at the middle school were earned by Chloe Bernert in eighth grade, Adam Wang in
seventh grade, and Ashlee Junier in sixth grade. The Veterans of Foreign Wars sponsored
the annual Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. The awards ceremony took place in March; Peter
Mello was awarded first place, Lily Siegal came in second, and Kasey Silvia won third
place. In honor of National Poetry Month, many of our students participated in a poetrywriting contest sponsored by Baker Books. In the Grades 6-8 category, our own Sarah
McCormack, Grade 8, was the first place winner and Jacqueline Coakley, Grade 6,
received Honorable Mention.
Teacher Quality
Mr. Steve Pettey, our former Middle School Principal, retired in 2007. Gr. 7 Science
Teacher Mrs. Debbie McMahon also retired. Mr. Chris D. Oliver-Computers., Mr. David
Carulli-Tech Ed., Ms.Kerri Scroope–Gr. 6, Courtney Flaherty-Gr.7, Sherry KrauseMazza–Gr.6, Erin Ptaszenski–Special Needs, and Kim Hebert–Guidance, moved on and
took positions in other districts. The following teachers joined the Dartmouth Middle
School staff: Mr. Manuel T. Cabral, Jr.-Principal, Ms. Carolyn Wingate–Gr.6,
Mrs. Karen McDaid–Gr. 7 English, Ms.Bethany Gendreau–Gr. 7 Science, Mr. Brian
Amado–Special Needs, Mr. John Kelly–Computers, Ms. Pamela Glass-Technology,
Mrs. Cheryl Lowney-Family and Consumer Science, Mr. Peter Graca, Mr. Paul Lemelin,
and Ms. Kerri O’Brien as Teacher Assistants, Mrs. Christine DeMello-Cafeteria Manager.
Transfer within the Middle School Staff: Mrs. MaryAnne Casserly-Guidance, Mrs. Susan
Bouley-General Music, and Mrs. Charlene Monte-Strings (Half time).
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Student Support Programs & Services
The Dartmouth Middle School Wellness Program teaching position was discontinued in
the Spring of 2006 due to a lack of funding. The School Wellness Program had provided
opportunities for our students to participate in community service projects in and around
the school community such as the Warm Hearts/Warm Hands Project and a food drive for
the Humane Society sponsored by the Community Service Club. Through the design and
creativity of our staff and students, the Wellness Program had built partnerships with
community agencies and provided students with many opportunities to give of their time
and talents toward helping others. We hope to be able to reinstate this position and resume
these important activities in the future.
Despite the loss of the Prevention Specialist, our students did continue to work on projects
that show appreciation for each other, teachers, and the school community. Through the
voluntary coordinating efforts of the Guidance Staff, during the months of November and
December our entire school became involved in our Thanksgiving and Winter
Wonderland projects. Students helped support Dartmouth families. They worked to make
their holidays a bit brighter with food baskets, well wishes, and gifts from the heart.
These overwhelming gestures of kindness and good cheer allowed each of us to feel like
we are truly making a difference even in small ways! Our students are the forces that
drive these acts of kindness and they are what make the Dartmouth Middle School a great
place to be part of and call home.
Teachers continued to volunteer and work on the R.A.R.E. Committee headed up by Mr.
Darren Doane. This committee is working to instill some of the ideals that the Wellness
program addressed. R.A.R.E. is an acronym for respect, accountability, responsibility,
and esteem. These are values which we want to continue to incorporate into our school
culture. Over the course of the year, the students were exposed to a variety of activities
associated with R.A.R.E. all designed to celebrate the academic and behavioral success of
students.
The After-School Program provided services to many students. It allowed for them to
expand upon what they have learned during the school day and to explore new areas of
interest. In light of a reduced services budget, Dartmouth Middle School instituted a fee
for participating in the After-School Program this year. Unfortunately, we were not able
to maintain the commitment to the after school enrichment program in the Fall of 2007
and had to cancel the Fall Program. Just some of the after-school activities that ran during
the Spring 2006-2007 school year included the following:
• Homework Club and Peer tutorial programs
• Community Service Learning
• Computers
• Dance Club
• Sports
• Technology Club
• Mock Trial
• Gardening
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•
MATHCOUNTS
Destination Imagination continues to run as a fee based extra-curricular activity with
parent coaches and middle school support. During March Madness Volleyball, a large
percentage of the staff and students competed for the “coveted award” of overall
champion.
Seventh and eighth grade students had the chance to interact socially at the Spring,
Harvest, and Winter dances during the school year. Band, Orchestra, and Chorus concerts
were held for each grade. These occurred in May and December.
The Dartmouth Middle School Parent Group remains as an important support group for
our school. Their successful fundraising campaigns provided funds to supplement afterschool programs, the library collection, field trips, and teacher’s classroom expenditures.
They contribute Dartmouth t-shirts and other items that are given to welcome new
students entering Dartmouth Middle School after the school year gets started. Parent and
community volunteers worked in the school’s media center. Parents signed up and
received e-mail messages throughout the school year. Dartmouth Middle School staff and
students benefit from the support of the many volunteers who donate their time and efforts
to the school.
Leadership and Governance
Due to lack of funding, an Assistant Principal position and a half of a secretarial position
in the Main Office were cut from the Middle School Staff in September of 2007. The
Assistant Principal position that was not funded was primarily involved with curriculum,
instruction, and overseeing the development of the students in grade 6. With the loss of
this very important position the development of any new curriculum / instructional
initiatives has been placed “on hold” for this year. While we always strive to improve
communication with parents, with the lack of adequate staffing in the Main Office and at
the Administrative level continued improvement has been a challenge during this difficult
year. The guidance staff continues to publish its quarterly Guidance Newsletter. We also
have our own website, www.dartmouth.k12.ma.us/dms, which includes a monthly updated
calendar and general information about the school. As is customary, the school year
started with a very successful Open House in September. The Dartmouth Middle School
Parent Group sponsored a Book Fair in the spring and then again in the fall. In
November, and then again in December, the Early Release Time Professional
Development Days were used to allow for Parent Conferences. These conferences also
occur throughout the year and are scheduled through our guidance counselors.
At Dartmouth Middle School, we strive to ease transitions for all of our students. Last
spring our administration and guidance personnel held an Orientation Night for parents of
prospective sixth graders. A question and answer period helped parents to understand
what is so special about life at the Middle School. In May, members of the Guidance staff
visited all of the elementary schools in town to continue the orientation process with fifth
grade students scheduled to come to the Middle School in the fall. This was one more
step taken to ease the transition and anxieties that students and parents have when going
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from fifth to sixth grade. Movin’ on Up Day completed the last of our Sixth Grade
Orientation activities as fifth graders were bussed to the Middle School for a tour of the
building.
In February, our eighth graders took a tour of Dartmouth High School. They also listened
to a presentation from Bristol Aggie and the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational
Schools about the opportunities available at these high schools. Also in June, a variety of
activities for our graduating eighth graders were held to celebrate their last year at the
Middle School. Assemblies featuring Brian Gillie’s Early Rock and Roll and Scot
Cannon’s The Next Step entertained both students and staff. In addition, eighth graders
participated in a field day. An eighth grade graduation was held at Dartmouth High
School followed by a celebration held in our dining room where eighth grade teachers
served a light buffet supper, catered by Subway.
Management
The Dartmouth Public Schools’ Crisis Response Plan was reviewed by the middle school
faculty in 2007. Middle school faculty received training on the new Crisis Response Plan.
We conducted our annual mock drill with students this fall.
Middle school administration and teachers reviewed the D.M.S. Massachusetts’ Annual
Yearly Progress (AYP) Report in September. The results of the Spring 2007 MCAS
indicated that, overall, Dartmouth Middle School students’ performance continued to
improve and stay on track with the state average. However, we remain concerned that
students in our special education sub-group are not making the same amount of
improvement in mathematics. Therefore, Dartmouth Middle School did not meet
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in Cycle IV and was “Identified for Improvement” in
Mathematics. We did make AYP in English Language Arts for the aggregate and all
student groups in Cycle IV. There is more work to be done!
Dartmouth Middle School continues to focus on the intellectual, emotional and social
development of our students. The curriculum and extra-curricular programs in our school
challenge, engage, and tap our young adolescent’s boundless energy and interests. The
traditions and supportive climate of Dartmouth Middle School continue as new
opportunities and instructional programs are constantly improved upon.
Andrew B. Cushman School
Heidi Silva-Brooks, Principal
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The year 2007 opened yet another chapter in our history. The new year brought
excitement as we awaited the birth of first grade teacher, Mrs. Lisa Niemi’s baby and
began the planning of the retirement party of a Cushman “icon”, Mrs. Alice Huff. 2007
gave way to many exciting events, which in hindsight will be remembered bittersweetly.
Specific highlights include –
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• Members of our faculty participated in the day-long professional development
workshop on Inter-Session Day focusing on Mapping the Literacy Curriculum.
Faculty members worked with their grade-mates from across the district. The
experience was invigorating and allowed for a sharing of ideas.
• Participation on the Data Coach team by Heidi Silva Brooks and Jana McHenry
allowed for an in-depth study of district and building test score trends. This
information was then shared with the PTO, School Council, faculty and students
through targeted discussion.
• Technology education was enhanced by our pairing with Jean Dean. Jean worked
closely with our teachers and their students once per month. She inspired the
teachers to continue their work with the technology standards.
Teacher Quality
• At the annual Dartmouth Educators Association banquet Mrs. Wendy Howland, a
Teacher Assistant, was named Distinguished Support Staff Member of the Year.
• Mrs. Alice Huff, a teacher at Cushman School for 39 years, retired. The Cushman
Faculty surprised Mrs. Huff with a hayride through the Sylvan Nursery gardens
before arriving at the home of Mrs. Leeson. The garden party guest list included
her college roommate, current and retired colleagues, family and friends. The
Cushman faculty presented Mrs. Huff with a scrapbook honoring her 39 years in
the classroom; a poem penned by her colleague Mrs. Angela Millette, a
personalized porch rocker and the travel plans for a Maine destination. Mrs.
Huff’s class presented her with a bench decorated by her students, and a frame
containing the class photos of her first and last classes. The PTO presented Mrs.
Huff with a garden stepping stone and a gift certificate to Tree Land. We wish
her many happy days ahead!
Student Support Programs and Services
• The Building-Based Support Team Program (BBST) allowed us to better monitor
student progress. Participating members on the team included Building Principal,
Heidi Silva Brooks, Reading Specialist, Jana McHenry and Learning Disabilities
Specialist, Nance Bellizzi. Depending upon the nature of the concern the team
invited the School Nurse, Patricia Grenon and/or Family Outreach Workers, Maria
Aguiar or Dee Kehoe to attend. The BBST met every other week. This approach
allowed us to follow student progress more closely. Thus allowing us to document
the strategies used by the classroom teacher along with the success or concerns
they represented.
• After school enrichment programs were offered to students. “Club” activities for
fourth and fifth graders included – Press Club, where student reporters contribute
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articles to the Cushman Chronicle; the Do Something, our Community Service
organization. Third, fourth and fifth graders were offered classes in Science
(instructed by retired teacher, Connie Sweeney) and Art (by Heather Houbre,
MFA).
Representatives from the nationally recognized Junior Achievement program
worked with our first and second grades to address the economic strand of our
Social Studies curriculum.
An extensive list of coordinated activities was offered through our PTO’s Arts &
Enrichment Committee for students at all grade levels.
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Leadership and Governance
• School Council members requested that a Parent Survey be created for parents of
our first graders to gauge their adjustment to a new school as well as their
receptiveness to PTO fund-raisers and sponsored activities. The results of this
survey as well as our traditional fifth grade survey were returned to our building
throughout the summer as we continue in our efforts to continually improve..
• Community Service projects done in conjunction with the Do Something team and
our PTO were performed. New Bedford Child & Family Services provided us with
the names and needs of five area families. This activity, known as Holiday Hope,
created an avenue for our students to provide gifts to those less fortunate. Our
students also donated canned goods, which were donated to the Council on
Aging’s food pantry. The Do Something team also was responsible for our schoolwide recycling program collection.
• Mrs. Patricia Burke, PTO President and Read-A-Thon Chairperson, organized our
second annual Read-A-Thon fundraiser. The Read Around the World theme was
celebrated by calculating our “miles of reading”. Our students read almost 8 times
around the world! We celebrated our accomplishment by watching Around the
World in 80 Days while munching popcorn.
• Mrs. Brooks and Dr. McHenry organized the District’s Summer Reading program.
In addition to title selection and purchase, teacher activity packets were created
with input from members of the district’s ELA Committee as well as classroom
teachers. Titles at the elementary level included some old faithful’s:
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (grade 1), Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
(grade 3), and Frindle by Andrew Clements (grade 5). Through suggestions by
district teacher’s we selected Tooth Trouble by Jane Clarke (grade 2), and
Niagara Falls or Does It, from the Hank Zipzer Series by Henry Winkler (grade
4), The Summer Reading program was funded by the district, a donation from the
Dartmouth Rotary Club, and a grant from Target. Books were purchased at
significant discounts through Scholastic Books and Baker Books.
• We bid our fifth grades farewell with a Mardi Gras themed end of the school year
party.
Business and Financial Management
• The Cushman School budget successfully funded the instructional materials
requested by our teachers as well as the supplies needed to maintain a clean, safe
learning environment.
• Our Parent-Teacher Organization supported the awarding of three scholarships to
three deserving graduates of the Class of 2007. The Cushman PTO Scholarships
were awarded to Daniel Bruce, a graduate from New Bedford Regional Vocational
Technical High School who will pursue his culinary passion at Johnson & Wales.
The second scholarship was awarded to John Amando. John will attend Tufts
University to pursue cancer research. The Victor J. Ladetto Scholarship was
awarded to Alexandra Miller who enrolled in the pre-med program at Davidson
University in North Carolina.
Unfortunately, the 2007 school year closed with an air of uncertainty. Due to the town’s
financial crisis an over-ride vote was set for July 31st. Hanging in the balance was the
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existence of our special school. The passion for our school and the special memories
created through our 85-year history were shared with the community through news
articles, heartfelt letters and hand-lettered signs. However, when the votes were counted,
due to significant budgetary restraints, our doors were closed for the 2007-2008 school
year.
With stiff upper lips our faculty returned to pack years of memories along side
instructional materials. With the assistance of community volunteers, parents and former
students, the life of Cushman School was transported to the Quinn School.
Joseph DeMello School
Cathy Maccini, Principal
The staff of Joseph DeMello School is committed to meeting the diverse learning needs of
our students and improving their academic performance. Our strategy is to implement a
challenging, standards-based curriculum designed to increase academic success of all
students.
Initiatives developed to improve student reading and mathematics achievement were
developed and expanded throughout 2007. By way of example, we established 90 minute
uninterrupted reading blocks for students in grades one through three, and 45 minute
blocks for kindergarten. Additional time was provided for students to work in small
groups with the classroom teacher, reading specialist, Title I teacher or teaching assistant
designed to focus on the development of specific reading skills based on individual needs.
During these support periods we used research-based reading intervention programs with
our struggling readers. In addition, we administered reading assessments called DIBELS
(Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills) three times a year ensure that all students
were progressing.
We also initiated a school-wide fluency program. Reading fluency is directly related to
comprehension and consists of the ability to read connected text with speed, accuracy and
proper expression. Students improve their reading fluency by rereading the same words,
books and passages. DeMello students in grades two through five were given weekly
passages to practice reading. Their results were graphed, thereby allowing students to see
their own progress. This practice has coincided with improved reading comprehension and
student motivation to improve their reading skills.
In mathematics, students developed logical and systematic thinking skills, interpreted data
and improved computational skills. A template was used to provide students with steps
on how to respond to and solve open response math problems. Teachers conducted
various activities that encouraged students to learn their math facts. We also provided
parents with websites that offered additional math practice and activities at home. To
assist with MCAS Mathematics preparation, students in grades three through five utilized
an online program called Study Island along with the Heads Up or Math Mate’s programs
to further reinforce their math concepts and skills. We also revised our summer math
packets based on parent/guardian feedback and provided them to students expected to
return in the Fall.
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In addition to focusing on improving student reading skills, we attempted to foster a love
of reading. To accomplish this, our teachers developed many enjoyable classroom
activities centered on reading, such as author studies and book reports. Younger and older
students were paired as reading buddies to complete various activities. We designated the
month of March to reading, with the theme of March on Reading. During this time,
students were encouraged to read at home. A reading incentive program was
implemented where we graphed the number of books read by both students and staff. We
celebrated Family Literacy Month in November by welcoming the Reading is
FUNdamental (RIF) program. Members of the community visited each classroom to
discuss the importance of reading as an invaluable skill and enjoyable pastime. Our guests
also took the opportunity to read to the students. Our sincere appreciation goes to Trooper
Diane Breault, Lt. Kenneth Cotter, Officer John Costa, Officer David Tavares, Officer
David Oikarinen, Firefighter Anthony Poente, Firefighter Erick Turcotte and RIF
Coordinator Ellie Martins for helping us with this endeavor.
We developed and adopted instructional practices designed to enrich learning. Our WOW
word (Word of the Week) program remained popular among students and staff as an
enjoyable way to expand student application of language and to encourage the use of rich
vocabulary words. A book give-away program was implemented several times during the
year to encourage students to read and to expand their home libraries. Our fourth and fifth
grade teachers started voluntary recess study and homework clubs to assist interested
students. In addition, the staff sponsored three Family Fun Nights focused on poetry,
mathematics, and holiday crafts and games.
Our staff also focused on the use of technology as an instructional tool. Through weekly
lessons in our computer lab, students developed their keyboarding and word processing
skills. In a monitored environment, they became familiar (or more familiar) with the use
of the Internet as a valuable research instrument. The NCS Mentor program allowed
students the opportunity to review and assess writing samples consistent with the MCAS
standards.
Staff members were involved in various professional development activities aimed at
improving curriculum and instruction. Computer classes were conducted by our building
technology coordinator based on staff interests and needs. Fifteen faculty members also
participated in a ten-week book talk devoted to the topic of research-based instructional
reading methods. In the spring, the reading support personnel received training in the
reading intervention program My Sidewalks. The staff analyzed MCAS and DIBELS data
as a means to identify student strengths, weaknesses and scoring trends all intended to
assist us in developing improvement strategies. We were thrilled to have two of our
teachers recognized in 2007 for their accomplishments! Mrs. Helen Mello was honored as
the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year for the Southcoast and Mrs. Elizabeth Correia was
chosen as Fun 107’s Teacher of the Month.
We encouraged our older students to become responsible, civic-minded members of the
community by providing opportunities for them to demonstrate their leadership. Students
in fourth and fifth grade led the school in opening exercises over the intercom system.
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The DeMello Student Council offered fourth and fifth graders the chance to contribute
positively to our school community by coordinating the school’s recycling program and
canned food drives for the holidays. They also sang holiday carols in classrooms,
promoted Family Poetry Night by reading poems over the intercom system during
opening exercises, and organized a “Back to the Beach” theme for the last day of school.
Our school newspaper, The Tribal Tribune, was published several times during the school
year. It consisted of school-related articles written by fourth and fifth graders. The
Garden Club was comprised of third, fourth and fifth graders who actively maintained the
hallway planters and courtyard, with the goal of beautifying the school and teaching
horticultural skills. In addition, students in various grade levels and our Developmental
Resource Room periodically entertained the seniors at Brandon Woods and the
Dartmouth Council on Aging.
We also organized a Fit Club to promote fitness and healthy eating for students in grades
one through five. Students wore pedometers and walked around the building with staff
members three mornings a week before the start of school. Students earned plastic feet
for miles walked to add to their Fit Club necklaces.
We worked to create a positive and supportive school environment for students, staff and
parents characterized by respect, honesty, compassion, responsibility and acceptance. This
was articulated to students through our school motto: “DeMello Students are Respectful,
Responsible and Friendly”. To promote increased student awareness of behavioral
expectations and consequences, a PowerPoint presentation was viewed in each classroom
in September. At that time, we reviewed school rules, our motto and ways to recognize
and respond to bullying. Students participated in a state-wide essay contest sponsored by
Bridgewater State College, devoted to writing about anti-bullying. One of our students,
Autumn Avila, received an honorable mention for her composition. We implemented a
“Respect Program” to focus on students being respectful to all members of our school
community. Our goal was to encourage students to make good choices. Our teachers
emphasized the cause and effect of choices and consequences, through the school-wide
implementation of the Second Step program. We held school spirit days to recognize and
reward respectful behavior.
We believe in a strong home/school connection and try to promote close communication
among parents, guardians, teachers and administration. This was accomplished through
the distribution of DeMello School Take Home Folders, teacher newsletters and websites.
In addition, parents were provided with a monthly school activities calendar and
newsletter from the administration. We created a lending library consisting of reading
skill materials and games, as well as books and videos related to various counseling
topics. Parents and guardians were advised of the available resource materials and
encouraged to borrow these resources to help them more effectively support their child’s
reading, social and emotional growth.
The DeMello staff is very appreciative of our supportive PTO, who funded all of our
academic and cultural enrichment programs, contributed money to student field trips, and
financed numerous other special activities and school programs. We are also grateful to all
of our volunteers who devoted many hours to our school. Parents, guardians and
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grandparents volunteered in classrooms, the library and the copy center throughout 2007.
They were recognized for their contributions with a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
held in June. One of our volunteers, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Sylvia Friedman, was
named “Dartmouth Woman of the Year” by the Standard Times because of her passion for
education and her related commitment to volunteerism. Lt. Colonel Friedman has
volunteered at DeMello for the past five years, tutoring fourth grade students, dressing in
uniform on Veterans Day and Patriots Day while conducting classroom presentations, and
organizing a “Career Day” for fourth and fifth grade students.
In June we honored three veteran teachers, Mrs. Gay Encarnacao, Mrs. Kathryn Gifford
and Mrs. Patricia Severs, as they retired after many years of dedicated service to the
students of DeMello School. We thanked them for their commitment and wished them
well in their retirement. In September we warmly welcomed Mrs. Melissa Pickering, Mrs.
Carole Myatt and Mrs. Lisa Wheelden to our DeMello School Community. Mrs. Diane
Maynard also joined us as a part-time kindergarten teacher.
We remain committed to improving student performance and meeting the diverse needs of
the Joseph DeMello School population. This is a true educational and social community
where we work to ensure that all students learn to the best of their ability in an
environment of mutual respect and cooperation. As we reflect upon the achievements of
2007, we look forward to building upon our accomplishments and meeting new challenges
in the future.
Job S. Gidley School
Lorraine Granda, Principal
Ever mindful of the changing world in which we live while facing the reality of a townwide fiscal crisis, the Job S. Gidley School staff continued to work to foster students’
critical thinking skills, problem solving techniques and civic responsibility in both
academic and social development areas. It has been a proud tradition of the Gidley
School to meet the diverse needs of all our students!
We worked to offer a program of instruction that addressed the different learning styles
and needs of our students. Our balanced literacy program, our in-depth science
investigations and our challenging mathematical curriculum continued to help us hone the
skills of our students.
We also worked to provide our students with all the skills necessary to meet state and
national standards while instilling a love of learning. Our teaching as well as our
instructional strategies and techniques were research-based. Whether using strategies
outlined in Research for Better Teaching, the philosophy of William Glasser’s Choice
Theory or assessing through DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Beginning Early Literacy
Skills), our primary goal was to have successful, well-educated, competent and capable
students.
During 2007, as the Town of Dartmouth confronted many fiscal challenges, the Gidley
School staff remained persistent in finding ways to enhance student achievement.
Technology played a key role as we implemented the web-based program, Study Island,
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for our students in Grades Three to Five. This program enabled students to sharpen their
skills on mathematics and literacy topics based on the state standards of the Massachusetts
Curriculum Frameworks. Study Island allowed students to practice at school and from
home at their own pace by responding to multiple choice questions or by participating in
interactive sessions. Students were also introduced to NCS Mentor which highlighted the
creative writing process with an emphasis on open response questions. Students in Grades
Three to Five were able to view other student writings, rate them based on a standard
rubric and discuss why the writing met expectations or not as a means of developing their
own skills. These coupled with continued use of Accelerated Reading, weekly lessons in
the computer lab, daily work-jobs on the rolling cart of laptops and projects researched on
the Internet demonstrated the strong role that technology played at Gidley.
We believe that literacy development opens the doors to every type of opportunity
conceivable. We, therefore, emphasized reading and writing skills not only as a separate
academic area but also within each curriculum area. Our students were expected to be
able to read and comprehend, to infer and to predict, and to analyze and apply. These
skills were taught through a balanced literacy program that incorporated the use of an
anthology, guided and interactive reading, literacy circles, shared and individualized
writing, listening and speaking as well as spelling, grammar and language. It was (and is)
our expectation that students apply all of these skills in every subject area. Using
DIBELS, a research-based assessment tool, as well as student portfolios and formal and
informal teacher assessments, the staff was better able to address student needs in
phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and oral reading fluency. The Early Reading
Intervention program and Sidewalks Literacy Intervention helped us to target students in
Kindergarten through Grade 2 who were experiencing literacy difficulties. As a result, we
were able to provide our students additional instructional time and practice in these
essential reading skills.
Our Math program covered the topics of number and operations, geometry, patterns,
relations and algebra, measurement, statistics, probability and data analysis. During this
year, the Heads Up and Math Mates programs were used to supplement skill instruction in
Grades 3 to 5. These programs allowed our students to continually review specific topics
on a daily and weekly basis.
Our teachers worked diligently through our inquiry-based, hands-on Science program to
demonstrate how the strands of earth, physical and life sciences are interrelated and what
effect each has on our environment. Our Social Studies program began with the
Kindergarten unit, “All About Me,” and expanded to encompass our states, our regions,
our country, our neighboring countries of Mexico and Canada and the world beyond our
boundaries. Our fifth grade students made history come alive as they portrayed historical
figures in costume and commentary at our version of a Biographical Living Museum.
In January of 2007, Gidley School collaborated with Dartmouth High School to access the
high school’s Service Learning program. Four senior boys willingly donated their lunch
time to help supervise and contribute to our noon-time recess. With the assistance of the
DHS media specialist, Mrs. Laurie Dias-Mitchell, these young men wrote and received a
grant that allowed them to purchase Dance Dance Revolution, a program that they used
for indoor recess time. Our students were delighted to listen and learn from the athletic
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“stars” from Dartmouth High who patiently taught them the rules of various playground
games and whose presence as appropriate role models helped decrease recess
misbehaviors.
The Gidley School Parent Group offered enriching programs and activities to our students.
Each grade level had a cultural program or activity and a class field trip that aligned with a
specific curriculum area. The Boston Museum of Science brought its Star Lab for our
second grade students while their Electromagnetism workshop benefitted our Grade 3
children. Grade 4 visited the Harvard Museum of Anthropology for their rocks and
minerals unit while the kindergarteners learned more about animals during their trip to the
Buttonwood Zoo.
Perhaps, our greatest achievement during this past year was the creation of a library
housed within the Gidley School. With the fiscal crisis in town growing, the North
Dartmouth branch library was closed. With that closure, the Gidley students were left
without access to fine literature and research tools. Through the tireless efforts and
donations of our parents, staff, community volunteers, three students from the DHS
National Honor Society and through the dedication of one of our teaching assistants, Mrs.
Kathryn Gollub, our school library became a reality and opened in April. Once the task of
taking over 5,000 books “one at a time” to bar-code, were entered into our system students
began to access books for both enjoyment and homework assignments.
It has been one of our building goals to empower our students to become responsible
civic-minded participants in their community. Our fourth grade students annually
provided a service day to the school. Students offered their assistance to “make things a
little better at school.” Twigs were cleared off the front lawn, gym equipment cleaned,
kindergarten manipulatives washed, and countless other tasks performed. Students took
“charge” of our recycling program and every week emptied containers of paper into the
appropriate bins. Our children contributed snack money and/or earned additional money
to support The Standard Times Neediest Fund as well as collected toiletries to send to our
troops in Iraq. A group of fifth graders consistently and voluntarily gave up their recess
time to work with a parent volunteer to help beautify the grounds. This included raking,
weeding, planting and maintaining our shrub and flower garden. All in all, the Gidley
School students have been involved in activities that combined compassion and civic
responsibility in a developmentally appropriate way. We believe that these real world
experiences taught all our students the importance of kindness, fairness, respect and
responsibility. More importantly it demonstrated that it does not matter whether you do
something small or big, but what matters is that you do something to help.
As the school year closed in June, our students and families patiently awaited the results
of an override that would decide where they would be in the fall. We, the staff, students
and families of the Gidley School, knew that together we would face the challenges that
lie ahead and that together we would continue to pursue opportunities to help children to
grow socially, physically, creatively and academically. On August first, the Job S. Gidley
School family accepted a new phase in all our lives as we merged with the James M.
Quinn and Andrew B. Cushman School to become one of the largest elementary schools
in the State of Massachusetts. From August 1 to December 31, 2007, our story continues
as we moved out of the historic Gidley School and were welcomed as new members of the
Quinn School family.
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GEORGE POTTER SCHOOL
JACQUELINE FIGUIEREDO, PRINCIPAL
By January 2007, the newest staff members and students who had entered the Potter
School family in September of 2006, had become acclimated to our school culture.
Staffing changes occurred at the start of the school year due to the retirement of Linda
Johnson as a fifth grade teacher, and a family leave taken by Denise Cassara, our part-time
Reading Specialist. There was also some apprehension among the Potter School
Community due to the possibility of additional staffing changes that might result from
fiscal restraints that the School Department and the Town faced. However, it must be
noted that throughout 2007, the Potter School staff maintained a focus on instruction and
student learning despite both the possibility of change and the challenges that we faced.
There was a slight increase in student enrollment from a total of 451 students in January
2007 to 468 in December 2007. Grade level totals have been primarily in the 70’s, but
there is an enrollment bulge in Grade 4, where the total population for the 2007-08 school
year has fluctuated from mid to high 90’s. There are four classes for each grade level, and
this has yielded class sizes ranging from 17 to 24 students.
The District and School goals that had been developed for the 2006-07 and 2007-08
school years have provided a framework for our efforts. They are focused upon continued
school improvement and increased student achievement. In English Language Arts, the
development of students’ reading and writing skills has been enhanced by the use of new
literature, the increased use of guided reading practices, and by having support staff work
with at risk students in small groups devoted to providing additional instruction and
reinforcement. The first and second grade classes presented class plays. These reinforced
speaking, reading, and writing skills in an enjoyable and entertaining way. Other class
projects that encouraged reading and writing and also involved families were: the first
grade “Backpack Buddies”, “Flat Stanley” in Mrs. Lorrie Murphy’s third grade and Ms.
Nancy Medeiros’ fourth grade, “Beanie Baby Adoptions” in Mr. Paul LaBelle’s fourth
grade, and Mrs. Christine Morrison’s third grade participation in a program called
“ImagiNATIONS” which involved the travels of the class teddy bear, Toasty. A
motivational tool used to spark student writing was provided when the PTO sponsored a
special performance by storyteller Tom McCabe. Mr. McCabe’s presentation was
supplemented with writing workshops in Grades 3, 4, and 5. These were done with
enthusiasm! In Mathematics, the use of the District supplementary skill reinforcement
programs has been expanded at Potter School beyond Grades 3, 4, and 5. All the first
grades and two second grades have implemented the Heads Up! program. The remaining
two second grades will also use the program for the 2008-09 school year. In Social
Studies, the purchasing of some updated maps and supplementary materials have assisted
us in aligning the curriculum with the State Frameworks. One of the additions was a new
audiovisual interactive program, WeeBee Tunes for Grade 2, which augments the study of
the continents. There are enough new Social Studies textbooks in use in Grades 3 and 4.
The continued purchase of the revised edition of the Grade 5 U.S History texts remains as
a priority for the 2008-09 school year. There was an integration of English Language Art
and Social Studies through a fourth grade biography project that included the “People’s
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Promenade”. During this activity, students dressed in character and walked around the
cafeteria before an audience of students and parents. Instruction in Science remained kitbased. Our hands-on units and curriculum are modified as needed with the help of
consultant, Roxanne Kapitan. The continuation of a partnership with the Lloyd Center
remains a welcomed component of the elementary school Science program. Third graders
enjoyed the study of birds through the center’s Feathery Focus program. We promoted
the study of local resources through a unit on Coastal Studies. It was well received by
fifth graders! The World of Motion is a curriculum supplement that has been implemented
in Mrs. Joan Pepin’s third grade classroom. It is provided by the Society of Automotive
Engineers Foundation. Mrs. Pepin collaborates with Dr. Irv Krauss to provide students
with this curriculum experience that compliments the students’ study of energy, design,
balance, and other areas of Physical Science and Technology/Engineering.
Due to a lack of classroom space, the Potter School does not have a computer lab.
However, there are two mobile computer labs, each with 25 iBooks that are accessible to
both students and staff. Wireless internet capability has been improved with the addition
of airports throughout the school. As a result, there has been an increase in the use of
these laptops. Students have worked under the guidance of their classroom teachers, and
also participated in lessons with the District’s part-time Technology Consultant, Mrs. Jean
Dean. The PTO will be purchasing 5 additional laptop computers to add to our mobile
labs. This purchase will begin to fulfill our goal of acquiring a third mobile lab for the
school.
The Arts have been integrated into the school day in a variety of ways. In addition to
students’ weekly Art and Music classes, the implementation of the Music in the Morning
program, sponsored by New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, continued to be a pleasant
way to begin each school day. PTO sponsored cultural programs, such presentations by
the New Bedford Ballet and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra were brought into
the school. Whole-school sing-alongs have also been held to promote the Arts. Our PTO
through collaboration with our Art teachers, held an Arts Festival. This event was
attended by many families. Additionally, the number of students who participate in the
instrumental program and the concerts that include both choral and instrumental
presentations serve to further demonstrate the Potter School’s interest in the Arts.
A positive school culture is vital to student success and achievement in an academic
environment. Cooperation and respect are promoted at Potter School - both in and out of
the classroom! Use of the Second Steps program and the school’s “Respect Campaign”
foster the development of students’ social skills. Students learn to respect one another’s
differences, as they are taught strategies to use to solve social problems and manage
anger. A special school-wide event, “Mix It Up at Lunch Day” was organized by the
school’s Outreach Worker, Mrs. Carrie Gregoire. It was held in November to encourage
students to make new friends and to create a welcoming environment during lunch
periods. The fourth grade “Cultural Fair” and “Spring Clean-up Day” are special events
developed and held to show respect not only for people, but also for various cultures and
for the environment. Collaboration is cultivated by teachers’ use of cooperative learning
strategies, where children learn to work as a team, and “buddy programs”, where students
from an older grade work on a project with students from a younger grade. A number of
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curriculum-based field trips have also been taken by the different grades. These events
foster the development of positive relationships. Whole school assemblies build a sense of
community and nurture school spirit. The school staff worked together to bring families
to school by holding a “Dr. Seuss Night” in early March in a celebration of Dr. Seuss’
birthday and to promote literacy. Something new instituted in September that promotes
school unity is the recitation of the “Pledge of Allegiance” by all classes at the same time
near the start of the school day. Additionally, for the past few years, a whole-school field
trip has been planned and held. Both staff and students have enjoyed the camaraderie and
shared learning experience!
There are a number of PTO sponsored activities that have helped to foster a positive
school climate. The school “Cook-out” was held in conjunction with “Field Day” in
June. Then, “Skate Night”, “Movie Night”, the “All Elementary School Picnic”, “Family
Nights” for the kick-off of school book fairs, “Papa Gino’s Night”, and “Pancake
Breakfast” at Applebees were all enjoyable family events.
Connections with the community further illustrate the importance of collaboration for
Potter students and staff. The relationship of Mrs. Paula Flannery’s fourth grade class
with the residents of “The Heritage” assisted living facility is an example of a rewarding
inter-generational association. Our resident foster grandmother Florence Mills volunteers
in Mrs. Joan Pepin’s third grade classroom to assist students with various learning
activities. There were also a number of classroom and school activities that were oriented
toward community service. In February, Mr. Paul LaBelle’s fourth grade class
collaborated with a High School group, the TGAL (“Think Globally, Act Locally) in a
special “Pajama Program”. They sought donations from classmates and other students in
the school, to purchase new pajamas or books for children in shelters, orphanages, and
group homes. Another program was the “School Walk for Diabetes”. This was a schoolwide program that involved having students walk during one of their gym periods in
honor of their diabetic “heroes” (a few fellow-classmates). In addition, some families
participated in fundraising activities to support the American Diabetes Association. There
were two other endeavors that cultivated empathy for soldiers. Mrs. Maureen
Mantzavinos’ fifth grade class participated in “The Butterfly Tree” project. This was a
nationwide effort to honor soldiers killed in the line of duty. Then, in December, Mrs.
Jennifer Oliver’s third grade class collected donations and purchased telephone cards to
send to a unit in Iraq. This allowed soldiers to call home for the holidays. Then in April,
Mrs. Michelle Dias, a Special Education Teacher, involved students in an Earth Day
project. Students decorated paper grocery bags provided by Stop & Shop with an Earth
Day message. The bags were then returned to the store and used by customers for their
groceries on Earth Day. Concern for the environment was further enhanced through two
recycling presentations; “Garbage Is My Bag” was a show about recycling that was
sponsored by the PTO, and a group from UMASS Dartmouth made a presentation and
completed a recycling project by having third grade students make kites from recycled
materials.
“Learning, Caring, Sharing” are words on the Potter School flag. It is believed that the
information shared in this year’s annual report exemplifies the positive climate that exists
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at Potter School. The School Council conducted a parent survey to seek information and
opinions from families in the areas of school culture, school policies and procedures, and
academics. The return rate represented 62% of the student population, and the response
was overwhelmingly positive. There is always room for improvement, but the school
mission statement and results remain in close alignment with the general goals of our
school, the district, and community.
James M. Quinn Elementary School
Heidi Silva-Brooks, Co-Principal
Lorraine Granda, Co-Principal
The mission of the James M. Quinn Elementary School is to provide an
educational environment that fosters a love of learning and affords each child an
opportunity to develop his or her full potential. It is also our objective to have all
children develop problem-solving strategies as well as high-level thinking skills.
Learning and social experiences are structured in a manner that promotes mutual
respect, self-esteem, and individual responsibility. Through the dedication of staff, the
support of parents, and involvement of the community all children will be well prepared
for the challenges of the future.
Instruction/Curriculum
During the spring of 2007, the Quinn Staff focused on several areas that were specifically
geared to enhance learning for students. One area of focus was improving comprehension
skills in both fiction and non-fiction literature for all students. Our literacy specialists led
two specific “Book Talk” groups (K-2, 3-5) using professional readings. Teachers met
monthly on the assigned readings and discussed the content. New strategies were
implemented in the classroom and follow-up discussions occurred. There were also
opportunities for teachers to share the information during staff meetings. This enabled the
staff to work together and determine ways to improve student success and learning.
Writing became another area of focus that grew from teacher discussions. A vertical team
combining teachers from multiple grades discussed various writing programs that were
utilized throughout the grades. The team met monthly and developed various writing
samples and organizers. This enabled teachers to discuss writing expectations, common
language, and writing formats throughout the grades.
Another committee that was formed this past year was the MCAS Analysis Committee.
Staff analyzed the previous year’s MCAS scores and discussed areas in need of
improvement. After analysis, the committee recommended open response in English
Language Arts as an area of focus. During a staff meeting, each grade level developed
open response questions that would be used in the classroom. At a follow-up meeting,
teachers brought examples of student responses and discussed the outcomes. This was a
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wonderful example of how data analysis was and can be used to improve student
achievement.
One of the goals of the Quinn School is to serve as a continuous learning community. The
various professional learning communities mentioned represent just some highlights of the
professional collaboration that occurs at the Quinn School. There are many, many things
that happen on a daily basis that are geared to improve instruction in each and every
classroom. Common planning time afforded the staff with the opportunity to meet, plan
and discuss instruction and curriculum, activities that fostered professional collaboration.
This year has also been a year of transition due to the retirement of our school principal,
Dr. Carol Karafotis. Dr. Karafotis had been the principal since the inception of the Quinn
Elementary School and devoted over 30 years of service to the Dartmouth Schools.
Student Support
In the spring of 2007, our school was very fortunate to be able to continue the AfterSchool Program for our students. This program was made possible through the efforts of
the Quinn Parents with some support from Bishop Stang High School students. A variety
of topics was offered to the students. These included arts and crafts, drama, basketball,
volleyball, and cooking, just to name a few. Parents volunteered their time and, as a
result, we were able to offer these after-school sessions to many of our children. Another
parent volunteer continued to work with students in writing a school newspaper and
literacy magazine.
There were also a number of activities that were planned in order to continue to build
“community” among the students and staff. As in previous years, one of our Outreach
workers provided a program to our fifth-graders entitled, “Don’t Laugh at Me”. This
program sensitized students to the issue of harassment and bullying. Children were
specifically taught the need to respect others, what to do if they are being bullied, and/or
what to do if someone else is being bullied. Different groups of fifth graders helped
spread this message by visiting classrooms and teaching the lessons. This year Quinn
along with the other elementary schools implemented the “Second Steps” program. This
program helps students to develop empathy, manage emotions and improve problemsolving skills. The classroom teachers taught mini-lessons each week that focused on
these concepts. Posters were displayed in each classroom and around the school that
reminded students of the “Second Step” strategies. Monthly assemblies with the total
student body and staff were also held to reinforce these concepts. These assemblies
helped promote a feeling of family among the Quinn students and staff.
Parent Involvement
During the spring, parents continued to contribute in many ways to the James M. Quinn
School. There were many different activities in which parents took an active role. Their
efforts to raise money to support so many of the extra events that take place at school was
(and is) greatly appreciated! Due to their fundraising efforts students at each grade level
were able to attend a variety of field trips. In addition, a number of Arts and Enrichment
programs also came to our school. Many of the programs focused on the curriculum the
students were learning. Along with the fundraisers our parents sponsored events such as:
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Holiday Shop, Field Day, Ice Cream Party, Lip Sync show, Book Fair, Family Social,
School Store and Guest Readers’ Week. We also have a large number of parents who
volunteer in the classroom, computer lab and in the media center. Quinn parents enriched
our school on a daily basis!
On August 1st another chapter in the “Quinn School Story” began to unfold. The narrow
defeat of the over-ride sent the staff into action. Immediately summer plans were
scrapped and packing and moving began. A schedule was set with the Superintendent,
Business Manager, Head of Maintenance and Administrative Team. Through the
combined efforts of a contracted moving company, participants from the Sheriff
Department’s work release program, the school department’s maintenance staff, combined
custodial staff and hundreds of community volunteers, a small miracle occurred! The
Quinn classrooms were re-located, Gidley and Cushman teachers were packed and
everyone was moved to their new home – the Quinn School.
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Within 3 weeks, Gidley and Cushman were emptied; Quinn classrooms were
re-organized; and an early open house was offered to the 1000+ students and their families
who would be calling Quinn their elementary school. By Labor Day weekend, the heavy
lifting was done and our building looked like a school. - from the front decorated
window’s welcoming message to the colorfully decorated classrooms, everything was
prepared awaiting the students’ arrival.
However, moving was the easy part. A new community needed to develop. The
personality and traditions of the three previous schools needed to find the correct
combination to create a new Quinn. Not without “bumps and bruises” that we all did
carry on.
We merged the staffs of three buildings – from cafeteria, custodians, monitors, secretaries,
teacher assistants, teachers and administrators - 140 members strong. We merged the
three PTO’s creating a six person “Presidential Council” equally representing the three
former schools. Our final group – the School Council, currently seats all the former
members of the three councils creating a 17 person group. If there is in fact, “strength in
numbers,” than we are mighty strong!
The success of our first three months together was achieved through shared efforts, the
delegation of many tasks, and determination. Heidi Silva Brooks, former Cushman
School Principal and Lorraine Granda, former Gidley School Principal, were appointed
Co-Principals of the Quinn School. They joined forces with Wendy Weidenfeller the
previous Quinn School Assistant Principal. This administrative team worked tirelessly to
develop classlists, specialists schedules, and a working model for meeting the needs of
students, staff and parents. The expertise of the Co-Principals having 15+ years of
combined administrative experience, allowed Mrs. Brooks and Mrs. Granda to tackle the
task at hand. Mrs. Weidenfeller’s invaluable insights into the building, students and
faculty served the team well. Through everyone working together, the success of this
transition was possible.
The Presidential Council (Lisa Perry and Leah Chesney from Quinn; Cathy Banville and
Heather Macedo from Gidley; Jen Foley and Carlin Moroney from Cushman) worked
closely with the tri-Treasurers (Betsy Araujo, Catharine Scott and Cathy Mayall). They
created a sound fiscal plan of fund-raisers and a budget of negotiated expenditures based
upon their collective experiences. Our goal “to build a sense of community through our
activities” was achieved through two major events held for our students.
On Friday, October 19th, the PTO organized a Haunted Halls Event. Students and their
families were able to attend either the earlier Pre-School to Grade 2 event (which ran from
4:45-6:45 p.m.) or the Grade 3 to 5 event (which ran from 7:15-9:15 p.m.). Families
entered the gym to participate in a variety of games. They traveled the haunted hallway to
the band room where dancing was lead by a DJ and the event ended with a stop by the
cafeteria where a variety of snacks and drinks were served. Over 700 students attended
with their families. The night was a huge success for everyone as we built the “Quinn
Community”.
On November 2nd, our PTO sponsored Rob Surrette’s Amazing Art Hero “Be Somebody”
show. This multi-media extravaganza was held at the Dartmouth Middle School’s
auditorium. The size of the auditorium allowed for the 1,000+ Quinn School students to
see the show in just 2 seatings. Rob conveyed the messages of respect, compassion,
creativity, and the power of positive thinking while speed painting gigantic murals of
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historical figures. While telling the subject’s life story through spoken word and song,
Rob painted the portraits of Abe Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Mother Theresa, Beethoven and
Martin Luther King, Jr. At the conclusion, our PTO generously purchased the paintings of
Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. They are proudly hung in our main hall to
remind the students of the amazing experience.
Our fifth graders are most acutely aware of the changes that we have experienced this fall.
Therefore, it has been the goal of their teachers and parents alike to preserve their final
year at elementary school as a special one. Although unique from their previous
experience, the 180+ members of the fifth grade class participated in the annual holiday
concert – Quinn Style. The fifth graders were divided into two groups of four classrooms
each performing the holiday musical; one night the fifth grade band performed with the
chorus, and on the second evening the chorus was joined by the fourth and fifth grade
strings performers. December came to a close with a special holiday performance by four
of our first grade classes and a visit by the Old County League Football Champions
Dartmouth High School football team.
The success of Quinn School rests squarely on the shoulders of our teachers and all of our
staff. Their commitment to foster the ideal student/teacher relationship beautifully
transcends the educational experience-whether found in a small or large school. Our staff
is working together to share their collective knowledge base and resources with each other
and, as a result, our students continue to benefit.
In all, the challenging areas of student arrival, dismissal, lunch and recess remain our
areas of concern. The shear size of our student population impacts these areas
exponentially. While we analyze the possible alternatives and their consequences, we are
bound by certain contracts and work schedules which have limited our ability to resolve
these issues this year. It is our goal in the next school year to re-configure and improve
upon these areas of difficulty.
The rewards of this transition have been found in the small joys of the elementary
experience. It is those joys, which carry us all through the difficult times brought about
by the town-wide fiscal difficulties that we all continue to face.
“Nos somos escolas differentes mas trabalhamos como uma so escola”
We are different schools working as one…, The challenges that we face are numerous.
Each portion of this annual School Report reflects the style, areas of emphasis, and
contributions of the various members of our staff. They reflect what’s special and unique
among all of our schools. They also reflect the many combined efforts underway as we all
strive to provide the young people of Dartmouth with an educational experience that will
benefit them both today and tomorrow.
Muito Obrigado.
Steve Russell, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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Dartmouth Community Television
Staff:
Dr. Cynthia Marland, Director of Media
Peter Chasse, Technical Manager
David Finer, Operations Coordinator
Derek Frates, Production Coordinator
Board of Directors:
Michael Gagne, Joseph Barbero, Larry Edmundson, Mary Ellen
Gomes, Russell Robinson, Dr. Stephen Russell & Jim Thompson.
Our mission is as follows:
Dartmouth Community Television, Channel 18, is an educational and
governmental partnership dedicated to the production and cablecasting
of high quality programming for the residents of Dartmouth, MA.
Two-thousand-seven proved to be a banner year for Dartmouth
Community Television in many ways. Cynthia continued to lead the
organization in many exciting and new directions; Peter continued to
provide us with the highest-quality technical leadership and vision, and
Derek and David produced and directed many programs that were
considered both poignant and extremely effective in regard to the
Town’s current events and issues.
Between coverage of municipal meetings, educating the school
system’s students and university’s interns, production assistance from
the Dartmouth Wanderers, and accomplishments by the staff
throughout the year, DCTV is not only proud of what we achieved in
2007, but also excited about the prospects of what 2008 might bring.
Government Coverage
DCTV has always been committed to providing high-quality
coverage of municipal meetings throughout the Town of Dartmouth.
Over the course of any given week, we cover the Select Board
Meetings, Zoning Board of Appeals Meetings, and Planning Board
Meetings from inside the John Marland Meeting Room in Dartmouth
Town Hall. In addition, we also have LIVE coverage of the annual and
spring town meetings from Dartmouth Middle School.
There were many highlights to our government coverage in
2007. In May, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick made an
appearance in Town and we carried the Municipal Partnership Act
Press Conference LIVE on Channel 18 from Town Hall.
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Massachusetts State Representative John F. Quinn (D – 9th
Bristol District) produced two programs over the course of the year.
In May, Rep. Quinn interviewed Rep. John Rogers at the State House
in Boston about a number of topics. In December, Dartmouth was
visited by Michael Festa, Esq., the new Secretary of MA Office of
Elder Affairs, and Rep. Quinn interviewed him at the Council on
Aging on Dartmouth Street.
Under the direction of Jim Travers, and with help from a
number of Dartmouth Middle School students, DCTV provided the
Town with LIVE results during April’s Town elections and July’s
override vote.
Dartmouth Wanderers
The Dartmouth Wanderers from the Council on Aging are a
model for senior citizen video programming. The Wanderers include
Edith Andrews, Joe Barbero, Ida Case, Maria Connor, Charles Ditata,
Janet Doe, Rubye Finger, Ruben Goldstein, and Paul Levasseur. They
continue to focus on health, Town government and history
programming. Throughout the year, programs produced by the
Wanderers covered a wide range of topics like politics, community
events, and Town issues.
Sadly, the Wanderers said goodbye to two of their valued
members in 2007 - Gene Chapman and Ralph Schmarsow.
Education
DCTV continues to work with students in the Dartmouth
Public School System that start in grade six and go all the way through
programs at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. The student
production crews have made great use of our production truck by
helping us cover numerous sporting and musical events.
From the Dartmouth Public School System, we have received
help from students Chace Allain, Pat Barrow, Meghann Gilligan, Alex
Golen, Jocelyn Houle, Adam Kitchen, Tyler Marland, Steph Mello,
Justin Pelletier, Zachary Oliviera, Dylan Santos, Guy Shepherd,
Amanda Sideris, Alexandra Siegel, Anita Sylvia, Corey Theodore,
Alex Walecka, and Jimmy Wilkins.
From the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth, work-study
interns included Kevin Arruda, Dan Aspesi, Matt Beaucage, Jessica
Gove, Seth Halko, Kathleen L’Abbe, Thomas L’Abbe, Marjorie
LaPrade, Todd Migliacci, Mark Phillips, Joe Scurio, Joe Tomaino, and
Kevin Walsh.
Two Dartmouth residents studying television
production at college have been a tremendous asset to many of the
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remote shoots – Mike Fernandes from Emerson College and John
Gotlib from the New England Institute of Technology.
The commentating staff for sports coverage included Ian
Abreu, Paul Brasells, John Cabral, David Finer, Derek Frates, Rick
Jalbert, Bill Kavanaugh, Jim McGonigle, Shawn Medeiros, Jim
Mullins, Paul O’Connor, Paul Santos, Jim Thompson, Ed Wiley, and
Bill Young.
Without the help of these dedicated high school volunteers,
college work-study interns, as well as the commentating staff, DCTV
would not be able to provide coverage of as many games as we do, as
well as the variety of games as we do.
High school sports programming on DCTV included football,
boys and girl’s basketball, ice hockey, boys and girl’s soccer, field
hockey, baseball, softball, and volleyball. We followed the high
school football team throughout their playoff run, which included a
Super Bowl game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA in December,
and worked closely with the Kraft Production Group to bring the game
back to Dartmouth.
At the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth, we covered
football, men’s and women’s basketball, and ice hockey. After the ice
hockey team was crowned ECAC Division III Champions and
received a bid into the NCAA Tournament, staff members Peter and
David, the production truck, and a production crew of six people
followed them to Middlebury, VT in March for a second-round game
against Middlebury College.
Volunteer Jim Travers was instrumental in putting together a
number of programs that aired on Channel 18. Along with a number
of Dartmouth Middle School students, Mr. Travers hosted a LIVE
Town Meeting Preview program that started 30 minutes before each
session. He also hosted a number of programs that dealt with
education issues.
Staff Accomplishments
Technical Manager Peter Chasse continued to update
equipment throughout the year. DCTV will soon have a new and
improved playback system, which will feature a two-terabyte video
server. If all goes well, this new system should go on-line sometime
during the spring of 2008.
Operations Coordinator David Finer spent a large portion of
the year working with students from the Dartmouth Public School
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System. In the spring, he worked extensively with Dartmouth Middle
School Guidance Counselor Kim Hebert and 20 students on a series of
programs entitled, “Kids Want To Know.” Over the summer, David
led a summer internship program of six students who were getting
ready to enter Dartmouth High School and continued to work with
them throughout the fall season. He directed many of the sporting and
music events along with Derek, highlighted by the MIAA Division 1
Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA.
Production Coordinator Derek Frates completed his first full
year of service with DCTV in 2007. Included among his many
accomplishments: directing various sporting events at the high school
and college level, including the DHS Indians triumphant victory over
Brockton in the MIAA Division 1 Playoffs; production of an in-depth
documentary about the Buttonwood Park Zoo; integral participation in
the creation of Ampers&nd, the first regional television series
produced by DCTV and distributed throughout the South Coast; and
high achievements in a Special Effects Course at the Rhode Island
School of Design.
In 2007, the Director of Media, Cynthia Marland received her
Doctorate of Education. She also received a National Research Award
from the National Council on Aging for her dissertation entitled, “An
Evaluation of Programs on Aging in New England.” Cynthia
presented at the Massachusetts Council on Aging Conference with two
clinical psychologists in a discussion called “The Challenge of Aging
and Confronting Ageism for the Elder and the Boomer Turning Sixty.”
ANNUAL REPORT
CALENDAR YEAR 2007
GREATER NEW BEDFORD REGIONAL
VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
School Committee
Rita M. Ribeiro, Chair, New Bedford
David S. Darmofal, Vice-Chair, Fairhaven
Norman Bergeron, New Bedford
Randall C. Durrigan, Fairhaven
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Dr. Thomas E. Kelly, Dartmouth
John P. Montigny, Dartmouth
Joaquim “Jack” Nobrega, New Bedford
Frederick J. Toomey, New Bedford
School Administration
Michael R. Shea, Superintendent-Director
Richard R. Dupuis, Business Manager
Michael P. Gagliardi, Principal for Career and Technical Education
Linda Enos, Academic Principal
Overview of the School
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is a four-year
vocational / technical high school for young men and women. The school provides career
and technical education as well as academic instruction to students from New Bedford,
Dartmouth and Fairhaven. With roots dating back to 1908, it opened as a regional
vocational technical high school in 1977.
As of October 1, 2007, there were 2,022 students enrolled in grades 9-12. Of those, 1,580
lived in New Bedford, 188 lived in Dartmouth, and 254 lived in Fairhaven.
Many graduates become leaders in business and industry in the region. Many continue
their education. In a typical class, 65-70% of the graduates chose to continue their
education, either at colleges, universities or technical schools. Another 30-35% directly
enters the workforce and approximately 2% enters the armed forces.
Accreditation. GNB Voc-Tech is an accredited member of the New England Association
of Schools and Colleges, the regional accrediting body for secondary schools in New
England. Faculty members are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Education.
Career Majors. GNB Voc-Tech offers more than two dozen career and technical
education programs. During the past year, career majors included Architectural Drafting,
Automotive Technology, Carpentry, Collision Repair Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary
Arts, Dental Assisting, Diesel Service Technology, Drafting Technology, Early Childhood
Education and Teaching, Electrical Technology, Electromechanical Drafting, Engineering
Technology, Environmental Science and Technology, Fashion Design, HVAC/R–
Appliance Technology, Information Support Services and Networking, Information
Technology, Legal and Protective Services, Machine Technology, Media Technology,
Medical Assisting, Nurse Assisting/Health Assisting, Office Technology, Plumbing and
Pipe Fitting, Programming and Web Development, Residential Remodeling & Design,
Steam Engineering, Visual Design, and Welding/Sheet Metal.
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College Placements. Students who graduate from GNB Voc-Tech can go on to college,
and many do. Students have been accepted at a host of two-year and four-year colleges as
well as schools which provide advanced technical training.
Earning College Credits / Tech Prep Affiliations. While still at GNB Voc-Tech, students
can earn college credit for some of their course work. We have Tech Prep agreements
with nearly one dozen schools, including Bristol Community College and Massasoit
Community College, which enable our students to work toward a college or technical
degree while at Voc-Tech. This allows students to accelerate their degree and save
money.
Extra-Curricular Activities. The school offers a large selection of extra-curricular
activities. Students can join the Bears Against Risky Behavior (Student Safety
Committee), Bowling Club, Business Professionals of America, Chess Club, Drama Club,
Environmental/Outdoor Club, Gay/Straight Alliance, Honor Bowl, Internet Club, Karate
Club, Multicultural Club, Non-Traditional Careers Group, Peer Leadership, Peer
Mediation, Photography Club, Poetry Club, Renaissance Program, Rowing Club, Sailing
Club, Ski Club, SkillsUSA, Spotlight Program, Student Advisory Committee, Students
Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.), Urban Dance Group, Women in Technology or
the Yearbook staff. Top academic achievers join the National Honor Society.
Sports / Recreation Programs. Students interested in sports have a wide range of choices
at GNB Voc-Tech. These offerings include football, soccer, cross country, winter track,
spring track, volleyball, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, and softball.
Additionally, students participate in weight conditioning, fall and winter cheerleading and
intramural sports.
Highlights of the Year 2007
During 2007, there were major changes at the school. A long-time member of the School
Committee resigned and become the District Treasurer soon after. Another Committee
member resigned after moving out of the district. We appointed people to several highlevel jobs to fill vacancies created by retirements and promotions. Parents and faculty
created a Boosters Club to support our athletic programs. Student attendance improved.
The state selected us as a 2007 Commonwealth Compass School. More than 70% of our
graduating seniors indicated that they planned to continue their education after high
school. MCAS scores improved – again – and our school was removed from a state
“watch” list. We agreed to house a field office for a professional association of voc-tech
administrators. We again received a huge number of applications from would-be
freshmen.
Our students won medals in regional and statewide SkillsUSA competitions. We learned
that we would host the SkillsUSA district competition in the spring of 2008. Students
from our new Office Technology program won state and national awards in Business
Professionals of America (BPA) competitions. Our Media Technology program launched
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a new student newspaper. The school undertook a series of off-campus construction
projects. Students were inducted into the National Honor Society. The school, students
and staff received many awards and accolades. Students earned state and national
certifications. We ran another successful Computer Camp. Our Theatre Company
continued to grow in popularity. We started planning for a comprehensive self-study of
the school.
Several Key Positions Filled
Because of a series of retirements, promotions, and resignations there were several new
faces in top leadership roles at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High
School during 2007. The school announced the appointment of seven administrators, three
to replace administrators who were retiring, two to fill jobs left vacant by resignations,
and two to fill positions left vacant by promotions.
Plumbing and Pipe Fitting teacher Thaddeus J. “Ted” Haggerty was promoted to the
position of Coordinator of the Construction and Drafting Cluster. In that position, he will
develop budgets, oversee curriculum, and supervise teachers in six career and technical
education programs: Architectural Drafting, Carpentry, Electromechanical Drafting,
Electrical Technology, Plumbing and Pipe Fitting, and Residential Remodeling and
Design. Mr. Haggerty succeeded James F. Mosley, who retired.
Culinary Arts teacher Robert J. Watt was promoted to the position of Coordinator of the
Education, Health Services and Hospitality Cluster. In that role, he will develop budgets,
oversee curriculum, and supervise teachers in five career and technical education
programs: Culinary Arts, Dental Assisting, Early Childhood Education and Teaching,
Health Services, and Medical Assisting. He succeeded Richard “Rick” Brown, who
retired.
Michael Wildrick was appointed Information Technology Director, replacing James
Cafferty, who resigned to take a similar position at another school. Mr. Wildrick formerly
served as our school’s Network Administrator.
James Igoe was appointed Facilities Manager to replace James Tassinari, who resigned to
take a similar position at another school. Mr. Igoe formerly worked in management at the
Polaroid Corporation in the New Bedford Business Park.
James L. O’Brien, Director of the school’s Adult Education Program, was appointed Dean
of Student Affairs, succeeding Janet D. Smith, who retired at the end of the 2006-2007
school year.
Robert M. Pimental was appointed Student Services and School Facilities Director to fill
the vacancy created by Mr. O’Brien’s promotion.
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Social Studies teacher Paul Rodrigues, Jr. was appointed head of the Social Studies
department. That job was previously held by Michael P. Gagliardi, who was appointed in
late 2006 as Principal for Career and Technical Education.
School Committee Changes
There were several changes on the district School Committee. After more than two
decades of service as a member of the Committee, Raymond Sylvia of Fairhaven
announced his resignation.
The vacancy was filled by David S. Darmofal of Fairhaven. Mr. Darmofal, a graduate of
the school and retired business leader, served on the Building Committee that oversaw our
recent $22 million addition and renovation project.
Mr. Darmofal graduated from the school’s Electronics program in 1965. He was
employed as Area Operations Manager for Verizon until his retirement in 2003 after
nearly 38 years of service. He is chairman of the board of Southern Mass Credit Union in
Fairhaven.
Mr. Darmofal has a long connection to the school and to his town. He served on the
School Building Committee and the Advisory Committee for the school’s Electrical
Technology program. He currently chairs the Fairhaven Council on Aging and serves as a
member of the North Fairhaven Improvement Association. He is a former member of the
Fairhaven Finance Committee and former precinct chairman for North Fairhaven Precinct
3.
Another vacancy occurred upon the resignation of School Committee chair Michael S.
Kalisz, who left the position after moving out of the district.
Mr. Kalisz was succeeded by Frederick J. Toomey of New Bedford.
Mr. Toomey has been associated with Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational
Technical High School and its predecessor institution, New Bedford Vocational High
School, for several decades. He graduated from the school’s Electrical program in 1963.
He became a member of the governing body of the school, then known as the Board of
Trustees, from 1972 to 1978 and served as its chairman from 1975-1976.
He was employed as an Electrical Technology teacher at the school for 26 years. He
served on a Massachusetts Department of Education committee that helped develop the
state’s curriculum frameworks in Electrical Technology. He retired from teaching in
2005.
Mr. Toomey previously served on the New Bedford Airport Commission. He held a
variety of positions with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
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Local 224/223. He served as Assistant Business Manager, Secretary and a member of the
Executive Board.
A Vietnam veteran, Mr. Toomey now works part-time as Clerk of the Works for the New
Bedford Housing Authority.
School Committee Leadership
In May of 2007, the School Committee held its annual organizational meeting.
Michael S. Kalisz of New Bedford was elected chair. David S. Darmofal was elected
vice-chair.
Following Mr. Kalisz’s resignation from the Committee in the fall of 2007, Rita M.
Ribeiro of New Bedford was elected chair.
New District Treasurer
In February of 2007, the School Committee voted to appoint Raymond Sylvia of
Fairhaven as its new District Treasurer.
Mr. Sylvia, a former member of the District School Committee, was unanimously
appointed to the part-time position.
He succeeded Atty. Arthur J. Caron.
Students Join School Committee
Two students joined the School Committee as student representatives during 2007.
Brenda Tamayo of New Bedford joined the School Committee as its student
representative in February 2007. At the time, Ms. Tamayo was a senior majoring in
Office Technology. Soon after, she relocated to Texas.
Student Carina Medeiros joined the Committee in September. She was majoring in Early
Childhood Education and Teaching.
The District School Committee sets policy and approves the budget for the school. The
eight-member Committee includes four members from New Bedford and two each from
Dartmouth and Fairhaven. A student serves as the ninth, non-voting member of the group.
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District Budget and Assessment
The District’s total budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008 was $30,222,183. Of
this amount, the City of New Bedford was responsible for 78.6%, the Town of Fairhaven
was responsible for 11.3%, and the Town of Dartmouth was responsible for 10.1%.
For fiscal year 2008, the District’s total assessment to the three member communities was
$7,830,841. This figure represented 25.9% of the total District budget.
Each year, the school district works hard to keep its budget at the required net school
spending level.
State Grants
The Massachusetts Department of Education awarded the school approximately $1.6
million in grants for the 2007-2008 school year.
The state awarded grants to enhance technology; improve career and technical education
programs; provide professional development for teachers; provide CPR and First Aid
training; run a technical reading program; improve education for economically
disadvantaged students; and provide academic support services.
By law, these funds must be used to supplement, but not supplant, the district budget.
School Secures Curriculum Grant
Late in 2007, we learned that our school would be sharing in a $40,000 state grant to
develop statewide Curriculum Frameworks for Criminal Justice programs.
For two years, our school has been running a Legal and Protective Services program-using
curriculum developed by our teachers, staff, administrators, and members of the Program
Advisory Committee. With the help of this state grant, we will now develop Frameworks
for similar programs throughout the state.
Also sharing in the state grant are four other schools: Old Colony Regional Vocational
Technical High School, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School, Southeastern
Regional Vocational School District, and Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High
School.
School Gets Grant from Best Buy
In the spring of 2007, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
was awarded a grant from a national retail giant to support its science department. The
school received a $2,500 Best Buy Teach Award, which recognizes and rewards schools
that make learning fun by integrating interactive technology into the curriculum.
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Pamela Baptiste, a science teacher at GNB Voc-Tech, applied for the award on behalf of
the school.
Mrs. Baptiste was presented with the $2,500 grant by Store Manager Norman McCarthy
on March 19. Mr. McCarthy turned out to be one of Mrs. Baptiste’s former science
students.
The money was used to enhance technology in our science department. It was used to
purchase a laptop, digital camera, wireless mouse, rechargeable batteries, flash drive,
digital media, CDs, and DVDs.
Parents Give the School a Financial “Boost”
During 2007, parents, coaches and faculty members at Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School formed a Booster Club to provide financial support for
athletic programs at Voc-Tech…and to recognize and honor the students who take part in
them.
The Voc-Tech School Committee voted to endorse creation of the Boosters Club at its
meeting in May. The idea was presented to the School Committee by Henry DeGrace, a
Diesel Service Technology teacher at the school and father of two Voc-Tech students.
“What we want to do,” said Mr. DeGrace, “is to support athletic programs at Voc-Tech
and the young men and women who take part in them.”
The group’s initial goal is to raise funds to purchase plaques to honor student athletes.
Next, the group wants to generate funds to purchase weight room equipment, laundry
room equipment, and provide scholarships for Voc-Tech athletes.
Mr. DeGrace emphasized that the Boosters Club is designed to support all athletic
programs, not just one or two. Voc-Tech currently offers more than a dozen sports,
including Baseball, Football, Soccer, Winter Track, Basketball, Golf, Softball,
Cheerleading, Ice Hockey, Spring Track, Cross Country, Lacrosse, and Volleyball.
The Booster Club is hoping to take over the operation of concessions during all athletic
events held at the school.
Student Attendance Improves
Good attendance is critically important. Poor attendance is the leading cause of failing
grades. Because of this, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High
School expects students to be present – and on time – every day.
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The school has a tough attendance policy. As soon as a student misses three days of
school in any quarter, a letter is sent to their parent or guardian advising them that the
student has failed to meet the school’s minimum attendance requirements and that he or
she will receive a grade of “Incomplete” until they make up the lost time.
An Attendance Mentor is assigned to the students to make sure they are completing their
assignments. Students need to stay with their attendance mentors until 4:00 p.m. for three
days to make up one day of school.
Students who intentionally skip school – that is, students who are truant – are referred to
the Attendance Officer, the Truant Officer, and the courts.
For the 2006-2007 school year, the school boosted student attendance to 96%, up from
95% the previous year.
The school’s goal is to maintain at least a 95% student attendance rate.
As calendar year 2007 drew to a close, student attendance hovered near 96.4%.
Continuing MCAS Improvement
Passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam is a
graduation requirement in Massachusetts. Students must pass both the English Language
Arts and math portions of the exam – and satisfy all of the school district’s other
graduation requirements – in order to receive a diploma. Starting with the Class of 2010,
students must also pass the science portion of the exam.
MCAS test results have continued to show steady improvement. As 2007 drew to a close,
99.6% of the students in the Class of 2008 at GNB Voc-Tech had passed the English
Language Arts portion of the MCAS exam and 96.8% had passed the math portion of the
exam. These figures do not include results from the retest taken in November of 2007. In
addition, those who still have not achieved success will have one final chance to take the
exam prior to graduation – in March of 2008.
While encouraged by the MCAS results – particularly in English – the school must
continue to do everything possible to improve students’ MCAS scores. We need to
continue to expect excellence. We need to create an expectation that students will succeed
– and excel – the first time they take the test. Finally, we need to continue to encourage
students to participate in school-sponsored MCAS tutorial programs.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, all of the nation’s school districts are
required to maintain “Adequate Yearly Progress” in their efforts to ensure that all students
reach or exceed state competency standards. In Massachusetts, school districts maintain
“AYP” by making progress on the MCAS exam.
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Students Qualify for MCAS Scholarships
Fifty-seven students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High
School qualified for four years of free tuition at one of the state’s public colleges or
universities. Students qualify for the merit-based scholarship program based on how well
they score on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam.
In announcing the scholarships, Academic Principal Linda Enos said: “We’re proud of
these students. They worked very hard. And this is their reward.”
GNB Voc-Tech students qualifying for free tuition under the John and Abigail Adams
Scholarship program included Alyson Aguiar, majoring in Medical Assisting; Justin
Almeida, Programming and Web Development; Mariana Alves, Nurse Assisting/Health
Assisting; Cori Barboza, Dental Assisting; Kevin Brito, Plumbing & Pipe Fitting; Jessica
Bumpus, Media Technology; Monique Camacho, Medical Assisting; Lia Carvalho, Office
Technology; Karina Castro, Medical Assisting; Tania Castro, Media Technology; Kayla
Conlon, Culinary Arts; Stephanie Cormier, Media Technology; Christopher Cornaglia and
Erin Costa, Information Support Services and Networking; Krysta Cunha, Architectural
Drafting; Alexander Davidopoulos, Engineering Technology; Kyle Desrosiers, Machine
Technology; Mark Desrosiers, Sheet Metal; and Steven Donnelly, Automotive
Technology.
Also qualifying were Ryan Dwelly, Engineering Technology; Amanda Eluziario, Medical
Assisting; Charles Farrell, Engineering Technology; Rachel Fonseca, Collision Repair
Technology; Samantha Francis, Automotive Technology; Jenna Franco, Early Childhood
Education and Teaching; Ryan Gauvin, Machine Technology; Aaron Goldblatt,
Architectural Drafting; Richard Goldblatt, Engineering Technology; Raymond Gray,
Machine Technology; Jessica Jansen, Dental Assisting; Jared Lizotte and Nicholas
Lizotte, Electrical Technology; Ngoc Luu, Medical Assisting; Michael McConnell,
Carpentry; and Joshua McGinnis, Taylor McMullen, Sean Medeiros, and John
Morrissette, Electrical Technology.
Also qualifying were Jackie Moujabber, majoring in Media Technology; Chelsea Nunes,
Nurse Assisting/Health Assisting; Karen Parker, Electrical Technology; Joshua Pavao,
Engineering Technology; Michael Perreira, Electrical Technology; Nathan Pond and
Nathan Portal, Engineering Technology; Jonathan Raposo, Programming and Web
Development; Gilbert Santiago, Carpentry; Dymenthia Scott, Electrical Technology;
Casheena Gomes Sanchez, Media Technology; Adam Seifert and Cody Shidell, Electrical
Technology; Nicolas Skirkey, Information Support Services and Networking; Carlie
Vargas, Nurse Assisting/Health Assisting; Zorimel Vargas, Cosmetology; Andrew Vieira,
Machine Technology; Amy Vieira, Medical Assisting; and Edmund Voisine, Electrical
Technology.
Seven students – Cori Barboza, Lia Carvalho, Kyle Desrosiers, Taylor McMullen, Karen
Parker, Nathan Pond, and Nicolas Skirkey – live in Fairhaven.
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Six students – Stephanie Cormier, Ryan Dwelly, Ryan Gauvin, Jessica Jansen, Michael
McConnell, and Andrew Vieira – live in Dartmouth.
The other 44 students live in New Bedford.
A special scholarship awards breakfast was held on December 13.
The Adams scholarship is open to all public school students who score in the “Advanced”
category in either the English or math section of the MCAS test and score in at least the
“Proficient” category on the other section of the exam by the end of their junior year. The
student’s MCAS scores must also rank in the top 25 percent of their school district to
qualify.
The scholarship award covers only tuition; it does not cover college fees or room and
board.
School Named a 2007 Commonwealth Compass School
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School has been honored by
the state for making significant academic gains over the past year. GNB Voc-Tech was
one of 35 schools named a 2007 Commonwealth Compass School. It was the only school
from Greater New Bedford so honored.
Superintendent-Director Michael R. Shea, Principal Linda Enos, then-School Committee
Chairman John P. Montigny and School Committee member Norman Bergeron attended a
ceremony on February 5, 2007 at the State House in Boston to mark this achievement.
Mr. Shea accepted the Compass School award from Massachusetts Education
Commissioner David P. Driscoll.
We’re very proud of this award. Our teachers, staff and administrators have all worked
very hard to improve our students’ academic achievement.
The Commonwealth Compass Schools designation is based upon students’ performance
and improvement on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
exam.
The Compass Schools program was established in 2001 as a way for the state to recognize
and celebrate individual school improvement, and to encourage the sharing of good ideas
and effective practices among educators statewide.
Commonwealth Compass Schools are identified based on the school's overall
performance. To be selected a school must have a Composite Performance Index (CPI) of
95 or above in ELA and math, with 40 percent or more performing in the Advanced
category in both subjects; or have a 2006 CPI above the state average, and be able to show
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significant student gains; or the school must have met or exceeded its improvement target,
and have an enrollment that includes 40 percent or more disadvantaged students.
School Removed from EQA “Watch” List
In early 2007, several years of hard work by our administrators, faculty and staff bore
fruit. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (EQA) formally recognized
the substantial progress that we had been making to improve the school’s organizational
structure, its delivery of services, and the performance of its students.
EQA originally inspected us in the fall of 2003 and issued a lengthy report in the spring of
2004. Its governing board later placed our school on “watch” status and required us to
submit quarterly reports to the agency, outlining how we were addressing a series of
issues cited in their inspection report.
A six-member team from the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (EQA)
revisited our school from November 6-9, 2006.
Prior to the revisit, we were informed by our EQA monitor and by the Executive Director
of EQA that the new inspection team would look only at those areas where our
performance was deemed to be deficient by the original inspection team. In actuality, this
was not the case. We found that the second inspection team not only looked at the areas
where we had been rated “Poor” or “Unsatisfactory”, it even looked at areas where no
deficiencies were found in the original inspection.
Despite this unexpected development, we remained confident that this return visit would
result in our removal from the EQA “watch” list. For the past several years, we worked
tirelessly to address the issues raised by EQA in its initial inspection report. We know
that we made substantial progress in each of those areas. And our EQA monitor, Dr.
Wilfred Savoie, and the agency’s Executive Director, Dr. Joseph Rappa, had both
indicated to us that they are aware of our efforts – and our progress.
On April 2, 2007, Dr. Rappa officially notified Superintendent-Director Michael R. Shea
that EQA had removed GNB Voc-Tech from “watch” status and was discontinuing its
monitoring efforts.
In a letter to the school, Dr. Rappa wrote, in part, that EQA’s governing body “…wants to
commend you and the Greater New Bedford staff for implementing the many changes
which have created such notable progress in the academic performance of your students.”
More than 70% of Graduating Students Continue Their Education
In what may come as a surprise to the public, more than seven out of ten students
graduating from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School in
2007 told us they were planning to pursue a post-secondary education.
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More and more of our students are heading off to college when they leave us.
During 2007, 71.8% of the school’s graduating seniors reported that they plan to attend a
college, community college, or advanced technical school in the fall. Another 25.9% said
they plan to go directly into the workforce and 1.9% plan to enter the military. Less than
1% of the graduates said they are still deciding what to do or have decided to stay out of
the workforce by choice.
This is the first time in the school’s history that more than 70% of its graduating seniors
have reported they planned to go to college or other advanced schooling.
During 2006, 65.7% said they would continue their education, 32.2% said they would
enter the workforce, and 1.5% said they would join the armed forces.
In recent years, GNB Voc-Tech has seen a steady rise in the percentage of students going
to college.
In 2004, 61% of Voc-Tech’s graduates indicated they planned to continue their education
– the first time in the school’s history that that more than half of Voc-Tech’s graduates
had indicated they planned to continue their education.
Staff Gets Summer Training
Nineteen administrators, teachers and staff members from Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School took part in the largest professional development
conference for vocational educators in Massachusetts. They were among 637 educators
from across Massachusetts who took part in the “Connecting for Success” Summer
Conference held at Assabet Valley Technical High School in Marlborough.
The three-day event, sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational
Administrators (MAVA), was held from June 26-28, 2007.
It included dozens of workshops focused on a host of educational topics including use of
technology in the classroom to improve student learning, aligning curriculum to new state
Vocational Technical Education Frameworks, expanding career planning for students, use
of data to improve classroom instruction, and use of personnel and program assessment to
improve teaching and administration of schools. More than 370 experts made
presentations.
Ongoing professional development is important. Teachers and administrators need to stay
current in the field.
Those attending from GNB Voc-Tech included Superintendent-Director Michael R. Shea,
Principals Linda Enos and Michael P. Gagliardi; Cluster Coordinators Steven C. Sharek,
Robert J. Watt, and Thaddeus J. “Ted” Haggerty; and Construction Projects Manager Rob
Gomes.
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Also attending were Culinary Arts teachers Kristine Silva and Jennifer Gaumont, Fashion
Design teachers Shirley Tavares and Mary Ann Zuber, Office Technology teacher Cathy
Chace, Cosmetology teachers Darlene Azadnia and Patricia Carroll-Fingliss, HVACR/Appliance Technology teacher Robert Enos, Legal and Protective Services teacher
Kellie Martin, English teacher Lisa Koczera, English Language Learners teacher Phebe
Ditata, and teaching assistant Evelyn Bouley.
The Connecting for Success Conference is an annual event and is the largest of its type in
Massachusetts.
GNB Voc-Tech Houses MAVA Field Office
The Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, the largest association of
vocational administrators in the state, has relocated its field office to Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational Technical High School.
The group’s new Executive Director, David J. Ferreira, is now located in a second-floor
office at GNB Voc-Tech.
“This is a good match,” said Michael R. Shea, Superintendent-Director at GNB Voc-Tech.
“We’re very fortunate to have Dave Ferreira and MAVA in our building. It will help out
both of us.”
“MAVA appreciates the hospitality of the GNB Voc-Tech school community,” said Mr.
Ferreira. “It will be a pleasure working with the staff.”
Mr. Ferreira, who lives in Dartmouth, retired as Superintendent-Director of Old Colony
Regional Vocational Technical High School in Rochester after 16 years of service. He
was appointed Executive Director of MAVA, effective July 1.
Mr. Ferreira succeeds David J. Tobin, who is leaving after serving five years as Executive
Director. Under Mr. Tobin, MAVA had its field office at Tri-County Regional Vocational
Technical High School in Franklin.
The GNB Voc-Tech School Committee approved the relocation of the MAVA field office
to New Bedford at its meeting in May. MAVA’s main office will remain in Abington.
MAVA is a professional association of educational leaders who administer career and
technical education programs in Massachusetts schools.
GNB Voc-Tech is one of more than two dozen regional voc-tech high schools which are
members of MAVA and participate in its activities. Among other things, MAVA
sponsors an annual summer professional development conference for teachers and
administrators and runs a Leadership Academy for those aspiring to be middle managers
in vocational technical education.
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Voc-Tech Approved as Testing Site
Graduates from the Medical Assisting program at Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School will now be able to take five national certifications
exams in their field. The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) approved GNB VocTech as a testing site on May 10.
“This is great news for students in our program,” said Pauline O’Brien, R.N., the
curriculum leader in the Medical Assisting program at GNB Voc-Tech. “Our graduates
will now be able to sit for a series of national certifications, giving them an edge on their
peers.”
The National Healthcareer Association has approved the school as a testing site for several
national exams, including Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT), Certified EKG
Technician (CET), Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), Certified Billing &
Coding Specialist (CBCS), and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).
Previously, Medical Assisting students were only able to take certification exams in First
Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Upon successful completion of the Medical Assisting program, students who meet the
necessary requirements may sit for the appropriate national certification exams.
Mrs. O’Brien said successfully passing a national exam through the NHA will improve a
student’s chances of getting a job in the medical field or advancing in their medical
careers.
Applications Increase
Each year, more and more students are interested in attending Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational Technical High School. As a result, the admissions process is
becoming more competitive.
For the ninth-grade class that entered in the fall of 2007, there were only 565 seats
available.
The school received 985 applications for those seats.
Enrollment decisions are based upon a state-approved admissions plan that considers
student attendance, discipline, grades and guidance counselor recommendations.
SkillsUSA
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SkillsUSA is a national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health
occupations education. It sponsors the SkillsUSA Championships annually to recognize
the achievements of vocational students and to encourage them to strive for excellence
and pride in their chosen occupations.
District competition
Students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School earned
33 medals at a SkillsUSA competition involving students from eleven high schools in the
region. Students from GNB Voc-Tech won 7 gold, 14 silver, and 12 bronze medals in the
competition at Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical High School on March 13,
2007.
GNB Voc-Tech students earned medals in 16 of the 25 events in which they competed.
They swept first, second and third place in both the Automated Manufacturing Team
Event and Major Appliance Technology.
“We’re proud of what the students accomplished,” said Michael Lipp, an Early Childhood
Education teacher and SkillsUSA advisor at GNB Voc-Tech. “They all worked hard and
represented our school well.”
Earning gold medals for GNB Voc-Tech were students Kevin Flynn, Jesse Ponte, and
Ryan Dwelly in the Automated Manufacturing Team Event; Michael McConnell in
Collision Repair Technology; Ryan Benjamin in Food and Beverage Service; Keith
Tavares in Major Appliance Technology; and Samantha Mello in Preschool Teaching
Assistant.
Students earning silver medals were students Peter DaCosta, Tristan Wade, Andrew Grota
in the Automated Manufacturing Team Event; Steven Donnelly in Automotive Service
Technology; Colton Choquette in Carpentry; Rachel Fonseca in Collision Repair
Technology; Brian Cox in Diesel Equipment Technology; Cury Deschamps in Major
Appliance Technology; Lisa Casimiro in Medical Assisting; Colton Simmons in Office
Computer Applications; Joshua Pavao and Craig Gregory in the Robotics and Automation
Team Event; Vince Fermino in Sheet Metal; and Benjamin Braley, Technical Computer
Applications.
Earning bronze medals were Charles Farrell, Nathan Oliveira, and Genri Fletcher in the
Automated Manufacturing Team Event; Andrew Amaral, Automotive Service
Technology; Stephen Reney Jr., CNC Milling Technology; Brittany Pacheco, Culinary
Arts; Derek Silva, Major Appliance Technology; Richard Goldblatt and Nathan Pond,
Robotics and Automation Team Event; Thomas Paiva, Sheet Metal; James Bento,
Technical Computer Applications; and Timothy Gauvin, Technical Drafting.
Six of the award winners are from Dartmouth: Jesse Ponte, Ryan Dwelly, Stephen Reney
Jr., Michael McConnell, Thomas Paiva and Timothy Gauvin.
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Six of the award winners are from Fairhaven: Nathan Oliveira, Genri Fletcher, Colton
Choquette, Brian Cox, Cury Deschamps and Nathan Pond.
The other 21 award winners live in New Bedford.
In addition to Mr. Lipp, several GNB Voc-Tech teachers and staff members attended the
competition. They included Debra Allain, Thomas Canastra, Stephen Condon, and
Meghan Wolk.
During SkillsUSA competitions, students test their skills in various categories, ranging
from computer applications to welding. A total of 102 students from GNB Voc-Tech took
part in the district competition. They took a written exam that includes questions that
measure trade knowledge as well as employability skills.
Schools competing in the south district included GNB Voc-Tech, Bristol-Plymouth
Regional Vocational Technical High School, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical
High School, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School, Cape Cod Regional Technical
High School, Southeastern Regional Technical High School, South Shore Regional
Technical High School, Brockton High School, Plymouth South High School, Silver Lake
Regional High School, and Weymouth Vocational Technical High School.
Statewide competition
Students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School earned
11 medals at a recent statewide skills competition. GNB Voc-Tech won three gold
medals, five silver medals, and three bronze medals in the competition sponsored by
SkillsUSA in Marlboro on April 27-28, 2007.
Gold medal winners from GNB Voc-Tech included Alyssa Fernandes, Krystal Pinto and
Yuri Houtman. They won an award in the Chapter Display team event category for an
outstanding promotional exhibit on biodiesel as an alternate fuel source.
Winning silver medals were Sean Carney for Prepared Speech, Samantha Mello for
Preschool Teaching Assistant, Richard Goldblatt and Nathan Pond for the Robotics and
Automation Technology team event, and James Bento for Technical Computer
Applications.
Earning bronze medals were Ryan Benjamin for Food and Beverage Service, Rachel
Fonseca for Collision Repair Technology, and Benjamin Braley for Technical Computer
Applications.
Nine of the winners live in New Bedford. Two – Krystal Pinto and Nathan Pond – live in
Fairhaven.
The three gold medallists are now eligible to compete in the national championships in
Kansas City, Missouri.
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Fifty-three students from GNB Voc-Tech participated.
Advisors from GNB Voc-Tech attending the state SkillsUSA competition included Mr.
Lipp, Debra Allain, Deborah Brightman, Thomas Canastra, Stephen Condon, Robert
Enos, Jennifer Gaumont, Carole Girouard, Robert Leclair, Marvin McFall, Sue Richard,
Joanne Romanelli, Paul Sylvia, and Meghan Wolk.
from computer applications to welding.
National competition
In June 2007, students Alyssa Fernandes, Krystal Pinto and Yuri Houtman competed in
the national SkillsUSA competition in Kansas City, Missouri.
They became eligible to compete in the national competition when they earned a gold
medal at the Massachusetts SkillsUSA Chapter Display team event category.
State Leadership Conference
Fifteen student leaders from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High
School were among hundreds of students who took part in a statewide student leadership
conference in Marlborough. The event, held November 18-20, 2007, was sponsored by
Massachusetts SkillsUSA.
GNB Voc-Tech students attending the Fall State Leadership Conference included Sarah
Andrade, William Barboza, Joshua Berube, Sean Carney, Joseph DeMello, Aaron
Eddleston, Aaron Fineberg, Casey Freitas, Phat Luu, Leah Murphy, Michael Parker,
Jillian Raposa, Cortney Rebello, Jennifer Vargas, and Jaryd Walker.
The Fall State Leadership Conference is designed for Chapter Advisors and Chapter
Officers to help them build strong SkillsUSA chapters at their schools. Participants
undergo intensive leadership training in areas such as communication skills, group
dynamics, and employability skills.
Students who attended received leadership pins by completing a checklist demonstrating
knowledge about SkillsUSA.
The students met peers from 42 other Massachusetts SkillsUSA chapters including 25
other vocational-technical high schools.
Students from GNB Voc-Tech were chosen by their teachers and were given this
opportunity because of their outstanding ability in their career and technical field and their
potential for becoming leaders in the community and in their SkillsUSA chapters.
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Several teachers accompanied the students to the conference. They included SkillsUSA
chapter advisor Michael Lipp, English teachers Meghan Lacasse and Lisa Koczera, and
Information Technology teacher Maciel Pais.
Business Professionals of America
State Competition
In just their second year taking part, students from our Office Technology program earned
13 awards at a statewide competition involving hundreds of their peers. The State
Leadership Conference, held March 10-12, 2007, in Framingham, was sponsored by
Business Professionals of America (BPA), a national organization for students preparing
for careers in business and information technology.
Five students from GNB Voc-Tech took home first-place awards.
“I’m thrilled,” said Cathy M. Chace, a teacher in the Office Technology program at GNB
Voc-Tech. “It’s wonderful for our students and it’s great for our program.”
This is only the second year that students from GNB Voc-Tech have entered the BPA
competition. And it is only the third year that the Office Technology program has been in
existence at GNB Voc-Tech. Because of their success at the state conference, eight of the
12 students from GNB Voc-Tech who competed are now eligible to take part in the
national BPA competition in New York City in May.
The school’s four-member Administrative Support Team took first-place honors at the
event. Team members included four seniors: Alyssa Costa, Kayla Perry, Krystal
Pacheco, and Meaghan Medeiros. Ms. Medeiros lives in Dartmouth. The other three live
in New Bedford.
Also earning a first-place award was junior Chelsey Mendonca, who competed in Basic
Office Systems and Procedures. Ms. Mendonca lives in Fairhaven.
Three students from GNB Voc-Tech earned third-place awards: senior Alyssa Costa in
Basic Office Systems and Procedures, junior Danielle Mello in Fundamental Word
Processing, and junior Chelsey Mendonca in Keyboarding Productions. Ms. Costa lives
in New Bedford. Ms. Mello and Ms. Mendonca live in Fairhaven.
Three students from GNB Voc-Tech earned fourth-place awards: junior Lia Carvalho in
Interview Skills, senior Krystal Pacheco in Fundamental Word Processing, and junior
Shanelle Warmack in Spreadsheet Applications and Analysis. Ms. Carvalho lives in
Fairhaven. The others live in New Bedford.
Two students from GNB Voc-Tech earned fifth-place awards: senior Kayla Perry in
Advanced Interview Skills and junior Hugo Brito in Spreadsheet Applications and
Analysis. Both live in New Bedford.
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National competition
In May of 2007, four students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High School earned a place in the spotlight by finishing third in a national competition in
New York City.
The students – all part of our Office Technology program – earned the awards for
excelling in the Administrative Support Team competition at the Business Professionals of
America (BPA) 2007 National Leadership Conference. BPA is a national organization for
students preparing for careers in business and information technology.
Seniors Alyssa Costa, Meaghan Medeiros, Krystal Pacheco, and Kayla Perry received
plaques and medals for their accomplishment. The awards were announced on May 12.
“I’m so proud of what these four young women and their teachers have accomplished,”
said Steven C. Sharek, Coordinator of the Arts, Communication and Consumer Services
Cluster. “It’s a real honor for them. And it’s a real boost for the Office Technology
program.” This is only the second year that students from GNB Voc-Tech have entered
BPA competitions. And it is only the third year that the Office Technology program has
been in existence at the school.
Eight members of the local BPA chapter joined 6,000 other conference delegates from
across the nation to participate in national-level business skill competitions, workshops,
general sessions, and the national officer candidate campaigns and elections.
Also attending from GNB Voc-Tech were Office Technology majors Lia Carvalho,
Danielle Mello, Chelsey Mendonca, and Shanelle Warmack.
To help pay for the conference, students raised more than $3,000 with a marketing project,
dress down day, and direct solicitations of corporate, private and individual sponsors. The
sponsors included PACE, Inc.; Southern Mass Credit Union; New Bedford Welding
Supply; New Bedford Credit Union; Eye Health Associates; Superior Drywall, Inc.;
SITEC Civil and Environmental Engineering, Steven Gioiosa, and Janet Medeiros.
Students earned the right to compete at the National Leadership Conference because of
their success at a BPA state competition in Framingham in March.
BPA is a national organization for high school, college and middle school students
preparing for careers in business and information technology.
Student Newspaper Launched
In September of 2007, students launched The Voice, a student newspaper. This new
publication will be issued periodically by students in the Media Technology program.
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In February of 2006, students launched the school's first magazine, Visions.
Media Technology is a four-year program designed for students planning careers in
communications.
National Honor Society Induction
On October 3, 2007, 53 students were inducted into the National Honor Society chapter at
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School.
The students – 8 seniors and 45 juniors – were inducted into the Technical Chapter of the
National Honor Society in ceremonies held in the William R. Macintosh Auditorium at
GNB Voc-Tech.
Sue Demers, Scheduling and Reporting Specialist at the school, was the keynote speaker.
Ms. Demers, a 1992 graduate of GNB Voc-Tech, formerly served as President of the VocTech Alumni Association.
The inductees included seniors Jacklyn Araujo, Early Childhood Education and Teaching;
Lilian Baptiste, Fashion Design; Sarah Barlow, Media Technology; Eliasary Canelon,
Fashion Design; James Feliciano, Engineering Technology; Kristen Guillotte, majoring in
Cosmetology; Chelsea Nunes, Health Services; and Karen Parker, Electrical Technology.
The inductees also included juniors Shaun Alger, majoring in Machine Technology;
Aramis Arias, Electrical Technology; Brandon Babineau, Office Technology; Shawndrae
Barreto, Media Technology; Katelynn Bento, Media Technology; Thea Blais, Media
Technology; James Braley, Programming and Web Development; Chelsie Christianson,
Medical Assisting; Alyssa Correia, Culinary Arts; Peter DaCosta, Engineering
Technology; Joseph DeMello, Information Support Services and Networking; Brooke
Desnoyers, Medical Assisting; Tania DeSousa, Cosmetology; Aaron Eddleston, Steam
Engineering; Holly Edwards, Medical Assisting; Brittany Farias, Early Childhood
Education and Teaching; Ashley Fidalgo, Architectural Drafting; Genri Fletcher,
Engineering Technology; Marc Frey, Electrical Technology; Kayla Gelinas,
Electromechanical Drafting; John Girouard, Plumbing and Pipe Fitting; and Justin Gomes,
Architectural Drafting.
The inductees also included juniors Luis Gomez, majoring in Electrical Technology;
Jossean Gonzalez, Steam Engineering; Brianne Gracie, Cosmetology; Andrew Grota,
Engineering Technology; Beth Lally, Engineering Technology; Kayla Lamarr-Fiano,
Medical Assisting; Richard Largey, Carpentry; Shane Lavoie, Media Technology; Chelsea
LeBlanc, Dental Assisting; Heather Lemaire, Engineering Technology; Jacob Levasseur,
Engineering Technology; Phat Luu, Machine Technology; Candice McCarty, Early
Childhood Education and Teaching; Andrew Medeiros, Architectural Drafting; Samantha
Mello, Early Childhood Education and Teaching; La’Toyia Miles, Medical Assisting;
Alyssa Pimentel, Media Technology; Sarah Romanowicz, Early Childhood Education and
Teaching; Elisa Santos, Early Childhood Education and Teaching; Jessica Travassos,
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Visual Design; Derek Vieira, HVAC-R/Appliance Technology; Jaryd Walker,
Information Support Services and Networking; and Jillian Whitehead, Health Services.
Three inductees live in Dartmouth: Brooke Desnoyers, Alyssa Pimentel, and Jaryd
Walker.
Ten inductees live in Fairhaven: Shaun Alger, Aaron Eddleston, Brittany Farias, Ashley
Fidalgo, Genri Fletcher, Beth Lally, Richard Largey, Shane Lavoie, Heather Lemaire, and
Jacob Levasseur.
The other inductees live in New Bedford.
More than 100 family members and friends attended the ceremonies. Among those in
attendance were Superintendent-Director Michael R. Shea, Principal Linda Enos, and
Principal Michael P. Gagliardi.
The National Honor Society chapter at GNB Voc-Tech has two advisors: Library Media
Specialist Carole Girouard and English department head Susan I. Richard.
The National Honor Society is the nation's premier organization established to recognize
outstanding high school students. The Society serves to honor those students who have
demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
Awards and Honors
School Selected to Host SkillsUSA District Competition
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School will host the 2008
SkillsUSA south district competition, an event that draws hundreds of students from
nearly a dozen schools in Southeastern Massachusetts.
The event will be held on March 13, 2008. More than 700 high school students are
expected to take part.
We see this as a great opportunity to show off our school.
For more than a decade, the south district competition has been hosted by Upper Cape
Regional Technical School in Bourne. But the event has grown too large for that school
to accommodate.
GNB Voc-Tech – a larger school with larger facilities – was asked to host the event. The
Voc-Tech School Committee voted 6-0 to support the idea.
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from computer applications to welding. In the district competition, they take a written
exam that includes questions that measure trade knowledge as well as employability
skills.
Students who win medals in the district competition compete at the Massachusetts
SkillsUSA competition. At the state event, they participate in a hands-on competition
against other winners from other regions of the state.
Schools competing in the south district include GNB Voc-Tech, Old Colony Regional
Vocational Technical High School, Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical High
School, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School, Cape Cod Regional Technical High
School, Southeastern Regional Technical High School, South Shore Regional Technical
High School, Brockton High School, Plymouth South High School, Silver Lake Regional
High School, and Weymouth Vocational Technical High School.
Students Earn Awards for Work on Student Magazine
Two students majoring in Media Technology at Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School won awards for their contributions to the school’s
award-winning student magazine, Visions.
Junior Nakita Melo earned a certificate of merit for artwork she submitted to the
Columbia Press Association’s Gold Circle Awards competition. Ms. Melo’s artwork,
titled "Dr. Dingbat and Nurse Dee Dee", was originally published in the fall 2006 issue of
Visions, the student magazine at GNB Voc-Tech. An award show was held at Columbia
University in New York.
Sophomore Sean Carney earned an award in the fiction category for a story he submitted
to a student journalism competition. Mr. Carney’s article, "The First Show", was
originally written for an English course taught by Joanne Moniz and was published in the
December 2006 holiday issue of Visions. It won a fiction prize at the 37th Annual
Scholastic Press Forum, held by the American International College in Springfield,
Massachusetts.
“We’re very proud of these two talented young students,” said Maureen Lacasse, lead
teacher in the Media Tech program at GNB Voc-Tech. “They are just two of the reasons
why the magazine and the Media Tech program have been so successful.”
Mr. Carney is a member of the Voc-Tech Theatre Company and has been a cast member
of several school plays. He is a member of the school’s SkillsUSA team, golf team, and
junior varsity lacrosse team. He has won several Renaissance awards for academic
achievement.
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Nakita Melo is a member of the school’s Photography Club, Journalism Club, and
Gay/Straight Alliance. She has won several Renaissance awards for academic
achievement.
Both students are frequent contributors to the student magazine.
Bedford.
Both live in New
This is just the second year of operation for the student magazine, which is overseen by
Media Technology staff members Maureen Lacasse and Bill Gauthier. Last year, the
magazine and its student contributors won four-student journalism awards.
The publication is written, edited and printed by students in the school’s Media
Technology program, and students from throughout the school are encouraged to submit
articles and artwork.
Collision Repair Tech Student Wins Top Scholarship
Rachel Fonseca, a Collision Repair Technology major at Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School, was the top winner in a nationwide essay contest
sponsored by the collision repair industry. As a result, Miss Fonseca will receive a $5,000
scholarship to further her education.
The essay writing contest was sponsored by the I-CAR Education Foundation, in
conjunction with Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. and The Most Influential Women of the
Collision Repair Industry.
Rachel Fonseca won the top prize for all high school students in the country. Students
from 359 career and technical schools and colleges were eligible to apply.
Upon graduation from Voc-Tech, Miss Fonseca plans to attend college. She is a member
of the local chapter of the National Honor Society and is ranked twelfth in the senior class
of nearly 440. She has won academic awards from the school’s Renaissance program.
She has competed in soccer, ice hockey, and softball. Last year, she placed third in
collision repair in the Massachusetts SkillsUSA competition.
Collision Repair Technology is one of more than two dozen majors offered at GNB VocTech. The program is certified by the National Automotive Technician Educational
Foundation (NATEF) and by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence
(ASE).
Students Earn Awards in Faux Finishing Competition
Several students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
earned awards at an annual conference sponsored by the New England Council of the
Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA). The students, all majoring in
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Residential Remodeling and Interior Design at GNB Voc-Tech, participated in a “Faux
Finish Contest” on November 2 at Mt. Snow in Vermont.
Teachers Guy Shepherd and Patricia Allen brought ten students to the conference, which
was attended by over 100 students from around New England. The conference was
designed to showcase students’ faux finishing skills.
Faux finishing is an interior decorating technique. The word “faux” means “false”. It
refers to the technique of making one material look like another, such as making a
fiberglass column look like it was made of marble.
Peter Bruce, a junior at GNB Voc-Tech, took first place with his sponged mixed glazing
technique, with natural leaf stencils.
Senior Jessica Silva took second place with her mixed glazing and stencil technique.
Junior Cherrelle Hunter took third place with her stone textured technique.
Honorable mentions were awarded to GNB Voc-Tech seniors Tova-Leigh Correia, Megan
Cosme, Nicole Vieira, and Gabreal Tomkiewicz and to juniors Sofia Guerra, Alyssa
Souza, and John Rosario.
Peter Bruce and Nicole Vieira live in Dartmouth. Gabreal Tomkiewicz lives in Fairhaven.
The other students live in New Bedford.
Residential Remodeling and Design is one of more than two dozen majors at GNB VocTech. It is a two-year program for juniors and seniors.
The Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) is a trade association with
over 3,200 members in the United States and Canada. The association’s mission is to
provide educational opportunities for its members in areas such as safety, business,
management, and technical procedures and to raise the level of professionalism in the
trade.
Students Earn National Drafting Certifications
Nine students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
have been certified as Apprentice Drafters by the American Design Drafting Association
(ADDA).
The students – who all majored in Electromechanical Drafting – include Rita Brayton,
Caitlin Galligo, Jennifer Soares, Jarred Carvalho, Timothy Gauvin, Miguel Guzman,
Nathan Sears, Jay Souza, and Dean Silvia.
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Ms. Brayton, Ms. Galligo, Mr. Carvalho and Mr. Guzman live in New Bedford. Ms.
Soares, Mr. Gauvin, Mr. Sears and Mr. Souza live in Dartmouth. Mr. Silvia lives in
Fairhaven.
To earn this distinction, the students were required to complete all of their work in the
ADDA-approved course curriculum with at least a “B” average and meet other
performance criteria set by their teacher.
The students received a certificate of completion for the accomplishment. In addition, they
will be able to join ADDA upon graduation, without having to take the Association’s
qualification test.
Two years ago, the American Design Drafting Association certified the curriculum for the
Architectural Drafting and Electromechanical Drafting programs at GNB Voc-Tech.
Certification means that the design/drafting curriculum meets the standards established
and approved by the American Design Drafting Association.
ADDA approval required a complete review of Voc-Tech’s drafting programs to ensure
that they met the standards of the drafting industry, including an evaluation of curriculum,
equipment, and textbooks, and verification of faculty qualifications.
Students Earn National Appliance Repair Certifications
Eight students at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
earned national certification as service technicians in Major Appliance Repair. The
students – six juniors and two seniors – are majoring in HVAC-R/Appliance Technology
at GNB Voc-Tech.
Students earning national certification include juniors Katherine Hardy, Mark Correia,
Darien Jacintho, Gary Gagne, Justin Lapre, and Derek Vieira as well as seniors José
Vargas and Daniel Vello.
Mr. Vello lives in Fairhaven. The other seven live in New Bedford.
“We’re very proud of these students,” said Stephen Ellis, one of the teachers in the
HVAC-R/Appliance Technology program at GNB Voc-Tech. Mr. Ellis noted that this is
the first time that the school has offered students a chance to take these national exams.
To earn national certification, the students needed to pass eight different comprehensive
examinations, which measure their skills in consumer relations, diagnostic techniques and
repair ability for all types of domestic major appliances. The students took the exams late
last spring and got the results over the summer.
The students are among a select group of major appliance service technicians in the
United States to be certified as Certified Appliance Professionals with a Graduate
Technician rating. The Graduate Technician rating is the highest available level of
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recognition for technical expertise given by the major home appliance industry to high
school students.
Certification is strictly voluntary and only those who possess extraordinary skills in the
field of appliance repair will attempt the rigorous testing procedure.
Both Mr. Ellis and fellow teacher Robert Enos are certified as Master Technicians.
The Professional Service Association, the group that offers the certification, is a not-forprofit trade association representing independent appliance and electronic service centers.
The certification programs developed by PSA are designed to encourage excellence and
pride in our industry.
Diagnosing and repairing today’s sophisticated appliances requires special skills and
constant training to keep abreast of changing technologies. Technicians that make the
effort to maintain the high level excellence necessary to become a Certified Appliance
Professional are proud of their skills and deserve to be recognized by their profession.
Students Earn EPA Certifications
Fourteen seniors at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
have received federal certifications allowing them to work on refrigeration and air
conditioning equipment. The students – David Baker, Jayme Bertoldo, Matthew Cabral,
Brandon Cote, Joshua Furtado, Alfons Koka, Jeffrey Melo, Robert Nelson, Preston
Newman, Kenneth Pimental, Jordan Schofield, Kyle Silvia, Jarid Sousa and Tyler Sylvia
– successfully completed their Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 608 exam
and the Universal R-410A Safety and Training certification exam.
“The students worked hard to get these certifications, and we’re very proud of them,” said
James Gardiner, a teacher in the heating, ventilation refrigeration, air conditioning and
appliance technology program. “Getting these federal certifications is an important part of
our trade.”
Brandon Cote and Kenneth Pimental live in Fairhaven. Joshua Furtado and Kyle Silvia
live in Dartmouth. The other ten young men live in New Bedford.
Passing the Section 608 certification enables the young men to work on any small
appliance, high pressure and low pressure refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
The 410A certification allows them to safely handle and work with the new high pressure
refrigerants being introduced to the HVAC-R trade.
HVAC/R Appliance Technology is one of more than two dozen career majors offered at
GNB Voc-Tech. As part of their career and technical training at the school, students in
many of the programs are able to secure state or federal licenses and certificates.
Students Earn National Automotive Certifications
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After taking a battery of professional-level exams, twenty-one Automotive Technology
students at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School recently
earned a total of 59 national certifications.
The students – all graduating seniors – sat for AYES/ASE (Automotive Youth
Educational Systems / Automotive Service Excellence) exit exams. The exams were
administered in four areas:
A4 Steering and Suspension, A5 Brakes, A6
Electrical/Electronics, and A8 Engine Performance.
“We are proud of our students and what they’ve accomplished,” said Kenneth Sylvia,
curriculum leader in the Automotive Technology program at GNB Voc-Tech. “These
national test results show that our graduates can compete with anyone.”
Many of the students will be entering the work force while others are continuing their
education in related college programs.
GNB Voc-Tech students earning all four certifications included Eric Amaral, Eric Arruda,
Alberto Espinola, Narissa Gonsalves, Sean Gould, Barry Madruga, Cory McGee Ashley
Resendes-Heroux, Brian Tabares, and David Valerio. Mr. Amaral and Ms. ResendesHeroux live in Dartmouth. Mr. McGee lives in Fairhaven. The other seven live in New
Bedford.
Earning one to three certifications were Samantha DeFrias, Janildo DeBrito, Matthew
Ditata, Matthew Drayton, Tyler Enos, Anastasia Greer, Philip Ferran, Katie Luiz, Heather
Rego, Saul Rivera, and Armand Vasconcelos. Mr. Ditata lives in Fairhaven. Ms. Luiz
lives in Dartmouth. The other nine live in New Bedford
The AYES/ASE exams are the same ones that certified technicians need to pass to earn
their professional credentials.
Steam Engineering Students Earn State Licenses
Steam Engineering students at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High
School have kept alive a streak that has continued for 17 consecutive years. During each
of those years, at least one student in the program has earned a state license entitling him –
or her – to begin a career as a boiler operator.
During 2007, eight students earned a Massachusetts Second Class Fireman license: Chad
Bodeau, Ian Niles, Andrew Pittsley, and Ross Rapoza, all from Fairhaven; Ivan DelgadoDaLuz of Dartmouth; and Danny Branco, Lynnette Cunha and Josh Desousa of New
Bedford. All are seniors.
The seven young men and one young woman recently passed a written and oral exam
administered by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety, Division of Inspection.
They received their results in late February.
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“It’s fantastic,” said Paul R. Coelho, lead teacher in the Steam Engineering program.
“Every year, the program continues to attract high-quality students.”
The state license will enable the students to continue in the trade or pursue a postsecondary education.
Six of the eight students are planning to further their education next year – at
Massachusetts Maritime Academy, UMass Dartmouth, UMass Lowell, and Bristol
Community College. The two others are planning to immediately enter the workforce.
Earning the state license is a big step and opens up a number of career paths for the
students. Students have the opportunity to become high pressure boiler operators or
technicians or hold any one of numerous positions in the field.
Students in the Steam Engineering program are responsible for operating and maintaining
the school’s power plant, including operation of high pressure boilers, turbines, pumps,
chillers, and two cogeneration units producing approximately 350 kilowatts of the
school’s electricity. They also conduct chemical water analysis.
Students are often attracted to the Steam Engineering program because of the high salaries
that graduates can earn.
GNB Voc-Tech is the only vocational-technical high school in Massachusetts where
students can get the necessary training to take the Second Class Fireman exam. The
license entitles the holder to operate any high-pressure boiler under the supervision of a
licensed engineer or fireman.
Many of the school’s Steam Engineering graduates now operate the electrical power
plants throughout Massachusetts.
Student Wins State Award
Anne Williams, a senior majoring in Engineering Technology at Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational Technical High School, won a prestigious award honoring a top
vocational high school student in the state. The Massachusetts Vocational Association
(MVA) Secondary Award salutes an outstanding voc-tech student from Massachusetts.
The award was announced at the Massachusetts Vocational Association’s Annual
Convention on March 24, 2007 in Hyannis. Selection was made by a three-member MVA
committee.
A large contingent of teachers and administrators from GNB Voc-Tech attended the
awards presentation. They included Superintendent-Director Michael R. Shea and
Principal Michael P. Gagliardi.
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“We’re very proud of her,” said Steven A. Walker, Coordinator of the Science,
Engineering, and Technology Cluster at GNB Voc-Tech. “She works hard and excels at
everything she attempts.”
Miss Williams has received awards from the school’s Renaissance program, earned a
place on the Dean’s List, and had perfect attendance for three years. Miss Williams has
been on the school’s Women in Technology team; has taken part in basketball, winter
track and field, rowing, and sailing; and serves as Vice-President of the local chapter of
the National Honor Society.
She also takes part in the Honor Bowl and the Spotlight program at UMass Dartmouth.
She serves on the Program Advisory Committee for the school’s Engineering Technology
program.
She earned the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for excellence on her Massachusetts
Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam. The Adams Scholarship entitles the
recipient to free tuition at any state college or university.
Through the school’s cooperative education program, she works at Chris Electronics in
New Bedford.
She was nominated for the award by a team of faculty and administrators at GNB VocTech. She is currently ranked eighth in the senior class.
Student Nominated for Markham Award
Katherine E. Ostiguy, a senior at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High School, was nominated for the prestigious Walter J. Markham award. This
statewide award is given annually to only one vocational high school student in
Massachusetts.
Miss Ostiguy, an Engineering Technology major, was ranked second in the senior class.
The Markham award is given to a student in a Massachusetts vocational technical high
school who shows leadership, technical excellence and academic achievement.
Miss Ostiguy is a member and officer of the local chapter of the National Honor Society
and has won numerous academic and technical awards from the school’s Renaissance
Honor Roll program.
She is involved in numerous extracurricular activities, including the Honor Bowl, Peer
Mediation, and the Rowing Team.
She earned the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for excellence on her Massachusetts
Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam. She is an MCAS tutor.
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Miss Ostiguy serves on the Program Advisory Committee for the school’s science
department.
She has been accepted at Northeastern University, where she plans to study Civil and
Environmental Engineering.
The Markham Award is named after the state’s first Associate Commissioner of
Occupational Education. It is sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational
Administrators (MAVA) and the Massachusetts Vocational Association.
Andre Luis Named Outstanding Student
Andre F. Luis, the top-ranked student in his class at Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School, was recognized as one of the top vocational technical
high school students in Massachusetts. Mr. Luis received the “Outstanding Vocational
Technical Student Award” in April during an awards banquet sponsored by the
Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA).
Each vocational technical high school in the state can nominate one student for the award.
A team of teachers and administrators at GNB Voc-Tech selected Mr. Luis, a senior
majoring in Information Support Services and Networking.
The MAVA award recognizes students whose scholastic and vocational-technical
achievements have significantly contributed to their school district.
Mr. Luis was ranked first in the 443-member senior class. He was a member of the
school’s National Honor Society chapter and its Honor Bowl team. He had been on the
Dean’s List and Renaissance Honors List during all four years of high school.
Mr. Luis is certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) in both Microsoft Word and
Excel.
A resident of New Bedford, he plans to enroll in a technical college to improve his job
skills in the field of Information Technology.
Administrator Elected to MSSAA Leadership Post
Steven C. Sharek, an administrator at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational
Technical High School, was elected chair of the Legislative Committee of the
Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association (MSSAA). A Dartmouth
resident, Mr. Sharek was elected at the Committee‘s organizational meeting on September
18, 2007.
As chair of the Legislative Committee, Mr. Sharek also will serve on the Association’s
Board of Directors. He previously served as secretary of the Legislative Committee and
as a member of an ad hoc committee that helped revise the MSSAA constitution.
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Mr. Sharek serves as Coordinator of the Arts, Communication, and Consumer Services
Cluster at GNB Voc-Tech. That Cluster includes five career and technical education
programs, the Library Media Center, and Copy Center.
Mr. Sharek holds a Juris Doctor from Southern New England School of Law and a B.A. in
English from Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMass Dartmouth).
He formerly worked as an Assistant to New Bedford Mayor Brian J. Lawler and served on
the New Bedford City Council for six years, including one year as its President. He now
serves as the Town Moderator in Dartmouth.
The 18-member MSSAA Legislative Committee reviews pending legislation and
recommends positions that the Association’s Board of Directors should take on various
bills.
Located in Franklin, MSSAA is a statewide association of more than 1,000 middle and
high school administrators, including guidance directors, department heads, curriculum
coordinators, assistant principals, and principals.
Throughout the year, MSSAA offers numerous professional development opportunities
for teachers and administrators. These opportunities include its annual Summer Institute
in Falmouth.
Computer Camp Attracts Students
Under the direction of Information Technology teacher Richard Quintin, Greater New
Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School was back for the eighth consecutive
year with its popular summer Computer Camp program.
This highly popular program is aimed at elementary and middle school students and is
designed to educate them about computers and engineering.
In all, more than 100 young people from Dartmouth, New Bedford and Fairhaven took
part in the program this year.
Computer Camp was launched in the summer of 2000.
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Voc-Tech Theatre Company
The revitalized Voc-Tech Theatre Company hosted two productions, Oliver in May of
2007 and It’s a Wonderful Life in December of 2007.
Both productions were well received by their audiences.
For the Saturday night performance of It’s a Wonderful Life, the Theatre Company
experienced its very first sold-out, standing-room-only crowd.
The Theatre Company is now starting to get the recognition – and the audiences – that it
deserves.
A great deal of the credit goes to Artistic Director Gerald A. Morrissey, Jr., who works
tirelessly throughout the year.
Off-Campus Construction
During 2007, students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High
School were scheduled to undertake a series of off-campus construction projects, helping
them improve their technical skills and helping area communities and non-profit agencies.
The students – under the supervision of GNB Voc-Tech teachers and staff – would be
working on projects in Dartmouth, New Bedford, and Fairhaven.
The projects included construction of an addition at the Regional Visiting Nurses building
in Dartmouth, construction of a storage building for St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven, and
lighting, heating, and ventilation work at Nativity Prep School in New Bedford.
The school was planning eight off-campus projects, according to Robert Gomes, the
construction projects coordinator at GNB Voc-Tech.
Also scheduled was work at Brooklawn Park in New Bedford, New Bedford City Hall,
Livesey Park in Fairhaven, and Hastings Middle School in Fairhaven. In addition,
students installed the annual holiday lighting displays at Clasky Common Park in New
Bedford.
In all, more than 300 students representing nearly half of the school’s career and technical
education programs were expected to take part in the projects. They include students
majoring in Architectural Drafting, Carpentry, Electrical Technology, Engineering
Technology, Fashion Design, HVAC-R/Appliance Technology, Plumbing & Pipe Fitting,
Residential Remodeling & Design, Visual Design, and Welding/Sheet Metal.
In past years, students from GNB Voc-Tech completed a large-scale renovation and
addition at the Dartmouth Grange. They also erected holiday lighting displays at Clasky
Common Park, provided electrical services for the Pony League baseball diamond at
Brooklawn Park, built floats for the Community Boating Center, designed a steel bridge to
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be used at the Brooklawn Park duck pond, and erected a storage building for the Dennison
Memorial Community Center. Students also assisted in the construction of a solar home
for the UMass Dartmouth Solar Decathlon project.
GNB Voc-Tech provides the technical expertise and student labor and the community or
non-profit group provides the materials.
Students Help with Youth Court
Students from the new Legal and Protective Services program at Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational Technical High School underwent 30 hours of intensive training to
prepare them to handle cases in the area’s Youth Court. The students became certified
Youth Court mentors – the persons in charge of meting out justice in the student-run,
grant-funded Youth Court.
The twelve freshmen students received a full week of instruction at GNB Voc-Tech. One
of the guest speakers was New Bedford Police Chief Ronald Teachman, who lectured to
the students about Constitutional Law.
“We’re pleased that the students are getting this opportunity,” said Atty. Kellie Martin,
who teaches in the new Legal and Protective Services program.
Atty. Martin explained that the Youth Court practices a system of “restorative justice,”
where students must first admit their offense before a group of student mentors who listen
to the facts and fashion an appropriate sanction given all of the circumstances.
Cases that end up in the Youth Court are either diverted from the Bristol County Juvenile
Court or a local school system.
Atty. Martin and Voc-Tech Social Studies teacher Paul Durland serve on the Youth
Court’s board of directors, as does New Bedford Police Sgt. Rita M. Ribeiro. Sgt. Ribeiro
is also a member of the Voc-Tech School Committee.
Students Provide “Books and Bears” to Needy
In what has become a springtime tradition at the school, students at Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational Technical High School again joined forces with the New Bedford
Police Department to bring some comfort and joy to area children in need.
For the sixth consecutive year, students from several career and technical education
programs at GNB Voc-Tech have teamed up on the “Books and Bears” community
service project. Students majoring in Fashion Design, Media Technology, and Early
Childhood Education and Teaching produced 20 teddy bears – along with matching
coloring books and story books – for children affected by trauma.
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“Students really put their hearts and soul into this project,” said Shirley Tavares, one of
the teachers in the school’s Fashion Design program. “They get very emotional about it.”
Juniors majoring in Fashion Design designed, stuffed and stitched four kinds of teddy
bears: the polar bear, black bear, grizzly bear, and panda bear. Sophomores in Fashion
Design sewed tote bags. Students majoring in Media Technology wrote and illustrated
storybooks about the bears. Students from Early Childhood Education and Teaching
created coloring books and helped decorate the tote bags.
Students presented the books and bears on May 7 to Detective Gene Fortes of the Family
Services Unit of the New Bedford Police Department; Officer Dennis Ledo, the School
Resource Officer at GNB Voc-Tech; and Sgt. Rita M. Ribeiro, who supervises the
department’s School Resource Officers Unit. Sgt. Ribeiro also serves as chairperson of
the GNB Voc-Tech School Committee.
“These bears have truly made a difference in our community,” Sgt. Ribeiro told students
at the presentation ceremony. “I couldn’t be more proud of this school and all of the
people involved in this project.”
She told the students that she gave one of the bears recently to a young girl who was
hospitalized with a serious medical condition. “That bear really lit up her face,” Sgt.
Ribeiro said.
Police will keep the books and bears in their cruiser cars and distribute them to young
children who are affected by traumatic events such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, a
parent’s death, court proceedings, fires, or major accidents.
Students from GNB Voc-Tech who worked on the project included 16 juniors and 17
sophomores majoring in Fashion Design; 19 juniors and approximately 10 sophomores
from Early Childhood Education and Teaching; and 12 freshmen from Media Technology.
Fashion Design teachers Eileen DeRego, Mary Ann Zuber, and Shirley Tavares; Fashion
Design teaching assistant Maria Lopes; Media Technology teacher Maureen Lacasse;
Media Tech teaching assistant William Gauthier; Early Childhood Education teachers
Deborah Brightman and Michael Lipp; and Early Childhood teaching assistant Lynne
Bagaco all helped supervise the project.
Adult Education
Under the direction of Robert M. Pimental, Student Services and School Facilities
Director, the school offers one of the largest adult evening education programs in the
region. Each semester, students are able to choose from dozens of courses in a wide range
of fields, from computer technology and computer aided drafting to arc welding and basic
carpentry. Additionally, courses are offered in Spanish, Portuguese, and American Sign
Language. Practical arts classes, including oil and water painting, upholstering, power
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machine quilting, and jewelry making are also popular. Finally, the school offers several
courses that are required for licensing in various trades.
Tuition generally ranges from $60 to $300 per course, depending on the subject.
Residents of New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fairhaven – the three communities in the
district – get a break on tuition costs.
Enrollment in the Adult Education program, by community, was as follows:
New Bedford
Dartmouth
Fairhaven
Non-District Residents
Totals
Fall 2006
Winter 2007
382
140
657
246
833
366
130
57
183
736
Spring 2007
240
84
47
162
533
Looking Ahead
While many things were accomplished in 2007, several more initiatives were still in the
planning stage as the year drew to a close.
First, we have begun planning for the decennial visit to our school by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) in 2009. NEASC is the regional
accreditation agency for schools in the six New England states. Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational Technical High School and its predecessor institutions have been
accredited by NEASC since the mid 1940s. We certainly want to continue our longstanding affiliation with that agency. Prior to the visit, we need to undertake a
comprehensive self-study of virtually every aspect of the school. This is a year-long
process that will involve everyone in the school. We have selected several members of
the staff to help guide us through development of the self-study. They include Social
Studies teacher Frank Gracia and Culinary Arts teacher Jennifer Gaumont, who will serve
as co-chairs, and English teacher Joanne Moniz and Information Technology teacher Rick
Quintin, who will assist them. They certainly have a large and important task ahead of
them.
Second, we have already put in place an 18-member planning group to assist in
development of a Five-Year Plan for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
Improvement Act grant. This grant brings our school approximately $300,000 each year –
money that is used primarily on large equipment purchases for our career and technical
education programs. The planning group will be led by Principal Michael P. Gagliardi
and Cluster Coordinator Steven C. Sharek.
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Third, we need to plan for a Coordinated Program Review by the Massachusetts
Department of Education in the fall of 2008. This review will cover, among other things,
our Special Education and career and technical education programs. DOE did the first
part of the review in December of 2007 when an inspector from the Department of
Occupational Safety visited our career and technical programs for four full days.
Finally, we are preparing to host the south section district SkillsUSA competition here in
the spring. While we are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our school for students
and staff from throughout the region, we also know that this is a huge undertaking. We
will need help and cooperation from the entire staff to make it successful.
Michael R. Shea, Superintendent-Director
Greater New Bedford Regional
Vocational Technical High School
BOARD OF HEALTH
2007 ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
As we struggled to adapt to increased budget cuts, Sue Costa our skilled and dedicated
Assistant Animal Inspector /Animal Control Officer was furloughed. In the wake of this
unfortunate situation, the Board carefully considered the prioritization of Animal
Inspector responsibilities and there was also a significant reduction in emergency response
on call hours. The Department of Public Works has assisted with removing large road kill
from roadways. Residents have had to assume responsibility for burying wildlife that dies
or is dispatched on their property. With a robust rabies incidence in the Fall, concern with
this new policy was amplified.
The Select Board’s decision to implement the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) trash collection
program occupied much of the department’s time developing regulations and working
with the DPW and the Collector’s office to implement the program. The education
component of this very new program extended from town employees, residents, and trash
haulers as the trash fees and orange bags became a new way of life. The immediate
success of the program in increasing recycling and reducing the trash volume was
astounding.
Budget cuts and an increased Elderly Nutrition Program assessment necessitated
renegotiation of the public health nursing contract. The Community Nurse and Hospice
Care, Inc. agreed to reduce the public health nursing contract from $30,000 to $15,000 in
light of the town’s budget constraints. In addition to the appropriated $15,000, the nurses
received office space, utilities and maintenance and $27,782.91 from the Elliott D. and
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Louise T. Stetson Charitable Trust, through the Board of Health, to cover free care
provided to Dartmouth residents without adequate insurance.
The Board of Health was very pleased to learn of the progress the Greater New Bedford
Regional Vocational students are making on the Bullard Wellness Center at the Council
on Aging complex. As Town Hall becomes increasingly cramped with volumes of files,
the completion of this facility will provide an accessible wellness resource to the
community, new quarters for the nurses and free up much needed space to the Town Hall
offices. The generosity and tireless work of the Friends of the Elderly and all of the
community supporters allowed progress to continue on this project.
As students returned to school in the fall, a new public health concern: community
acquired MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) reached us. First seen in a
few students at the High School this antibiotic resistant strain of Staph bacteria, more
commonly found in health care settings, but increasingly seen in community settings, was
eventually found in 9 students throughout the school system. The school nurses and
administration worked with the Board of Health and the MA Dept of Public Health taking
a proactive approach to educating the school community and developing a cleaning
protocol to contain any incidence. The value of hand washing and personal protection is
key in preventing many communicable diseases of concern including MRSA.
Emergency preparedness and planning for a community wide medical emergency
continued with the development of a Medical Reserve Corp. All residents are urged to
consider volunteering to assist in the event of an emergency. The Reserve Corp is
comprised of volunteer citizens who will be trained in response procedures. Volunteers
must be pre-credentialed to establish their fields of expertise and training level and will be
cleared for voluntary deployment in time of an emergency. Clerks, couriers, greeters,
interpreters, technicians, food service, childcare, and all people from all facets of the
medical profession are needed. Trainings are scheduled in the area on a regular basis to
familiarize volunteers with emergency response. Please call the Board of Health to
volunteer and for more information.
The dedication, diligence, and positive attitude of the Board and staff to provide our
services, contain expenses, and recover costs wherever possible has allowed the
department to return $241,895, or 78% of our operating budget to the general fund in
calendar year 2007. Assistance from Police Department and Department of Public Works
has been a great asset in light of the significant cutbacks in Animal Control/Inspection
services. The patience and understanding of residents is appreciated as we work with the
resources we have to assure and improve the health of our community.
Wendy W. Henderson R.S.
Director of Public Health
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BOARD OF HEALTH
Linda Motha
Gail Davidson, M.D.
Thomas W. Hardman
Wendy W. Henderson, R.S.
Christopher Michaud
Janice Young
Patti DeMello
Kathleen Grimley
Sandra J. Gosselin
Cheryl Jackson
Susan Costa
Marianne DeSouza,
Chair, Health Agent
Vice Chair, Board Physician, Health Agent,
Board Member Health Agent,
Representative to Soil Board
Director of Public Health, Health Agent,
Animal Inspector
Health & Sanitary Inspector/Health Agent
Health & Sanitary Inspector/Health Agent
Principal Clerk
Animal Inspector/Rabies Control Agent
Assistant Animal Inspector/Rabies Control
Agent, (resigned 6/2007)
Assistant Animal Inspector/Rabies Control
Agent (furloughed 6/2007)
Director, Greater New Bedford Tobacco
Control Program, Health Agent
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PERMITS 2007
Alcohol
Animal
Body Art Establishment
Body Art Practitioner
Burial
Cabin, Motels
Camps
Demolition
Food:
Bed & Breakfast
Cider Mill
Food Service
Grange
Ice Cream
Mobile
Residential Kitchen
Retail
Sausage
Seasonal
Funeral Directors
Haulers:
Garbage
Septage
Installers
Massage Establishments
Massage Therapists
Sewage Disposal:
New
Plan Review
Repair
Septic Abandonment
Title 5
Swimming Pools:
Residential
Semi-Public
Tanning
Well
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1
116
4
5
110
6
6
17
4
1
147
3
12
8
3
65
1
12
5
37
21
59
19
49
21
79
49
45
49
24
20
8
40
COUNCIL ON AGING
Cynthia Marland, Ed. D., Chairman
Christine Rider, Vice Chairman
6/30/09
6/30/08
Beverly Quintin, Secretary
Wayne Whalley, Member
Cecelia Denwood, Member
Joan Foster, Member
Alan Mercer, Member
Jodi Saikali, Member
Mary Sciscento, Member
*Thomas Lindsay, Member
Robert Carney, Member
*Completing the unexpired term of Ralph Schmarsow
6/30/09
6/30/10
6/30/09
6/30/09
6/30/10
6/30/08
6/30/08
6/30/08
6/30/09
Mary Ellen Gomes, Director
Susan Pierce, Administrative Clerk
Brenda Mentembault, Outreach
Nancy Miller, Activity Director, Senior Center
Debra Ann Raymond, Social Day Coordinator
Ana DeBarros, Assistant Coordinator
Linda Lally, Activity Director SDC
Toni-Ann Cormier, Coordinator/Activity Director Vaz Center
James Pimentel, Maintenance Custodian
Van Drivers
George Silva
Joseph Abreu
Gerald Bramwell
Robert Braga
*Joseph Monteiro, resigned 12/31/07
Marcel Trahan
George Frias
The Town of Dartmouth has over 6000 elders and the Council on Aging serves
approximately 150 to 350 participants each day through social services, health services,
transportation, educational programs, or for socialization. We served 1,535 individuals
and provided over 50,000 units of service. What is a unit of service? It could be any of
the Services listed below.
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Social Services:
Food Bank
Holiday Food Baskets
Legal Services
Smoke Alarms
Tax Assistance
Information & Referral
Fuel Assistance Applications
Medicare Part D Applications
Outreach Program
Congregate Meal Site
Tax work-off Program
Telephone Reassurance
Emergency Funds
SHINE
Identification Cards
Thrift Shops
Meals on Wheels
File of Life
Norma Vaz Center:
The Norma Vaz Center completed its first full year of operation. The center is open three
days a week, Monday, Tuesday and Friday. The acceptance by the community is
overwhelming. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and many of the participants give of
their time and energy to volunteer to help serve at their frequent luncheons, or to make
muffins on Muffin Mondays. Many of the activities at the Vaz Center encourage a
healthy lifestyle such as exercise, line dancing, massage, blood pressure clinics or scrabble
to keep the mind active. A quick look at the numbers will reflect the success of the North
End Site, 4,700 units of services were provided at the Norma Vaz Center.
Social Day Care:
The Dartmouth Social Day Care Program provided 5,887 units of service to over 70
separate individuals during 2007. Although the numbers are very important, to
understand the success of the program it is really necessary to observe the smiles and
happy faces of the clients during the average day. The Adult Day Care is run strictly on
the funds generated from the program and is not funded by the Town Budget. Debra Ann
Raymond is the coordinator of this excellent program, which not only provides for the
needs of elders, but also gives much needed respite to their caregivers. The Program is
located in a beautiful wing of the Senior Center and we invite prospective clients, family
members and anyone interested in this program to come and visit between 9:00 AM and
3:00 PM. Please call Debra at (508) 991-6018 for more information or to arrange for a
visit.
Health Services:
Many of the health services provided by the COA are aimed at prevention rather than a
cure. They participate in classes in Tai Chi, Stretching and Weight Training and many
people come in each week for a chair massage to help relax mind and body. The Blood
Pressure Clinic and Podiatry Services are well attended. There are a variety of support
groups available to help elders and their loved ones with issues of Parkinson’s,
Alzheimer’s or Grandparents raising Grandchildren.
Transportation:
The most visible service provided by the COA is our transportation because our name is
on the vehicles. Transportation is provided to the Senior Center, banks, pharmacy,
therapy, grocery shopping and many other destinations. On a limited basis escorted
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transportation is available. During 2007 the Council on Aging provided 14,249 rides to
the elders of our community.
Socialization:
One of the dangers involved with the aging process is isolation and the senior center is the
perfect antidote. Many people have enjoyed our monthly soup/sandwich & movie.
Volunteers, including members of the Board of Directors and some of the staff, prepare
homemade soup and sandwiches. We end the day with a current movie. These events are
so successful that we have to limit the number of people who attend so we don’t
overcrowd the dining room. Listed below are the activities currently available and there
will be additional programs coming in the future:
Senior Clubs
Ball Room Dancing
Arts and Crafts
Trips/Outings
Bridge & Table Games
Bingo
Library
Scrapbooking
Dartmouth Wanderers
Theme Parties
Line Dancing
Quilters
Card Playing
Billiards
Book & Tape Lending
Soup/ Sandwich & Movie
Knitting & Crafts
There are three core responsibilities of the Council on Aging:
1) To identify the needs of the community’s elder population and link them with
available resources.
2) To educate the community at large about the needs of the elders.
3) To design, promote, and implement needed services and coordinate with existing
service providers.
The Council on Aging and the Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly work together and share a
common goal, to provide a better way of life for the elders in Dartmouth. The DFOE
provides support to the Council on Aging and this year supplied goods and services in
excess of $16,000 including new tables, window treatments and educational opportunities
for the COA staff. Thank you to the Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly.
Major accomplishments of 2007 were the following:
Painting of the outside of the building by the Sheriff’s Department, reestablishment of the
Friendly Visitor Program, technology upgrade including data collection via Key-tag
system, Activity Coordinator position funded by the Coastline Elderly Services, and an
expanded food bank utilizing students from UMASS Dartmouth for delivery of food.
Dartmouth Council on Aging lost a dear friend and long time Board Member in the
passing of Ralph Schmarsow on May 25, 2007. Ralph served with wit, humor and a
strong concern for the community.
Mary Sciscento continues to be a Council on Aging Board Member but has retired as
SHINE Counselor after more than 15 years of dedicated service. Thank you Mary.
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Mary Ellen Gomes, Director
Dartmouth Housing Authority
This Authority would like to publicly extend its sincere appreciation to all Town Agencies
for their continued support. We encourage all residents of Dartmouth who are seeking
affordable housing to apply. It is the intent of the Dartmouth Housing Authority to
continue to address the housing needs of all our citizens. We feel that affordable housing
is an issue, which affects virtually every community.
The Dartmouth Housing Authority Board Meetings are held at 4:00 P.M. on the second
Monday of each month. Our Annual Meeting is scheduled in April. The citizens of our
community can truly be proud of the 124 units of housing the Authority provides at the
following Projects:
667-1 SOL-E-MAR: 44 units, Sol-E-Mar Lane, South Dartmouth. Completed for
occupancy November 1967. State-aided Project.
667-2 MUNROE: 80 units, 2 Anderson Way, North Dartmouth. Completed for
occupancy November 1980. Federally aided Project.
Eligibility Requirements for the two (2) programs are as follows:
667-1 SOL-E-MAR:
Minimum Age: 60 years, except for handicapped units.
Income Limits: Persons in household: One: $41,000.00
Two: $46,85.00
Assets: There is no limit on the amount of assets, which a household may possess and still
be eligible for admission into State-Aided Public Housing. However, if a household’s
assets exceed $5,000, the income from the assets or 1% of the value of the assets,
whichever is greater, is included as income.
667-2 MUNROE:
Minimum Age: 62 years, except for handicapped units.
Income Limits: One Person: $25,600.00
Two People: $29,250.00 (Very Low)
One Person: $41,000.00
Two People: $46,850.00 (Low)
Assets: There is no limit on the amount of assets, which a household may possess and still
be eligible for admission to Section 8 subsidized development. However, if a household’s
assets exceed $5,000, the income from the assets or 1% of the value of the assets,
whichever is greater, is included as income.
On April 1, 2001, the Dartmouth Housing Authority accepted the responsibility of 200
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units of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. This is a HUD funded program for
families. Eligibility requirements for this program are as follows:
INCOME LIMITS
1
2
3
4
5
6
Person
Persons
Persons
Persons
Persons
Persons
$25,600
$29,250
$32,900
$36,600
$39,500
$42,450
In addition to the above income requirements, preference will be given to persons
who reside or work in the Town of Dartmouth, are employed or are unable to work
due to age or disability, or pay 50% or more of monthly household income for rent
and utilities.
Due to the enormous response to this program, the Section 8 waiting list is closed
until further notice. The Authority’s Annual Audit is made public when received
from the Office of State Auditors.
Sincerely,
Constance Desbiens, PHM
Executive Director
VETERANS SERVICES
The Veterans Services Department operates in accordance with Chapter 115 of the
Massachusetts General Laws for the purpose of assisting veterans and their dependents in
time of need. This assistance includes medical, financial, shelter, food, employment and
training, vocational rehabilitation counseling, preparing and processing VA claims and
other veterans’ benefits and programs.
The Dartmouth Veterans Service office continues to expand its outreach to town
citizens. As a result of that outreach, the number of benefits for veterans and their
families continues to expand. Since 2006, the Veterans Service office has seen a 122%
increase in Chapter 115 cases. With continuing outreach by the Veterans Service office
and veteran related events in the South Coast area, these figures will increase further as
more veterans and eligible family members are educated on what they are entitled to.
One such veteran related event took place on August 4, 2007. The Dartmouth
Veterans Advisory Board put together the Veterans Identification Cookout, a first of its
kind event in the state. The cookout was designed to bring veterans and their families
from Dartmouth into a friendly, social atmosphere where they could not only congregate
with other veterans while enjoying the cookout, but also pick-up useful information from
vendors with veteran related material. When planning began in February of 2007, the
event was to be for Dartmouth veterans and family members only. As the event planning
took shape though, the Board realized that it should not limit anyone in the South Coast
area to such important information. The result was an overwhelming success as more then
a dozen vendors and a few keynote speakers disseminated information to more then 500
visitors.
The citizens of Dartmouth are extremely lucky for having one of the most active
and caring Boards in the state. The Dartmouth Veterans Advisory Board worked
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tirelessly to raise donations from area citizens and businesses to ensure that the event did
not cost veterans and their families any money. The Dartmouth Veterans Advisory Board
takes pride in serving all veterans in the area and thanks to the success of the cookout, will
make the Veterans Identification Cookout an annual event.
Applications for VA healthcare still continues to be the most requested service the
Veterans Service Office offers. Certain priority groups for enrollment still remain closed
unfortunately.
The Veterans Service Office and the Dartmouth Veterans Advisory Board
continue their hard work to help all veterans and their families in Dartmouth. Sometimes
though, no matter how hard we work, we cannot reach all veterans in the town. This is
where we depend on every citizen to lend a hand to any veteran you know. If a veteran is
not receiving the care or benefits that you think they are entitled to, let me know and I’ll
continue to do my best to make sure that all of Dartmouth veterans and their families
receive the assistance they are entitled to.
Shawn Goldstein
Dartmouth Veterans Service Officer
Dartmouth Youth Commission
2007 Annual Report
About Us
The Dartmouth Youth Commission is a youth and family service agency that provides
support, referral, counseling and resources to residents of the Town of Dartmouth. The
Commission began in Dartmouth in 1972 as a collective response for the community to
the growing needs of the Town's youth. The Youth Commission is comprised of nine
residents who set policy and guide the work of its youth advocate, Kevin Lee. Currently,
the Commission also employs a part-time clerical assistant.
Mission Statement
To meet the needs of Dartmouth young people and families who are: 1. At risk from either
their own dangerous behavior, or, by the abuse of others; 2. To provide assessment,
intervention and counseling to children and teens at risk; 3. Provide information and
referral services to teens, their parents, the public, schools, police, juvenile court and other
appropriate human service providers. To carry out the specifications of Chapter 40,
Section 8E, of the Massachusetts General Laws under "Youth Commissions."
Youth Advocate
The Youth Advocate's role involves counseling, crisis intervention, presentations, group
facilitation, outreach and consultation with parents. The Youth Advocate typically works
with children, early adolescents, and teens in office settings, home visits, and schools.
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The Youth Advocate is an employee of the Town of Dartmouth. The Youth Commission
sets the policies of on-going programs provided and the Select Board, through its
Executive Administrator, provides administrative supervision of the Youth Advocate.
Our agency does not provide psychotherapy in either individual or group settings.
The Youth Advocate is available to meet with young people on an individual basis. The
Youth Advocate's involvement with young people may be for brief intervention or last
over an extended period of time. While the Youth Advocate is prepared to meet with
young people in crisis, extended services are provided to Dartmouth residents only.
Confidentiality
It is the policy of the Dartmouth Youth Commission and the professional practice of the
Youth Advocate, that all names and related information are kept strictly confidential. Only
the Youth Advocate has access to client names and private information. Student interns
and other volunteers who assist with various programs are also required to abide by a
signed statement of confidentiality. Our motto in both individual and group work
is..."Whom You See Here, What You Hear Here, When You Leave Here, Let It Stay Here.”
Support Groups
The Dartmouth Youth Commission, through its Youth Advocate, Kevin Lee and other
colleagues, offers both time-limited and on going support groups for children, teens and
families. Support Groups are detailed below. Additional information on each group is
available on our Web site, or by calling our office.
Dartmouth Girl Power is a time-limited support Group for girls in grades 6, 7 and 8 who
reside in Dartmouth. Kevin Lee, Youth Advocate, and three female interns facilitate this
group. Dartmouth Girl Power meets every Wednesday, 2:30 - 4:30 PM, from October
through May.
Banana Splits is a support group for children whose families are coping with the effects
of separation and/or divorce. We have offered this group continuously for the last twelve
years. We offer two Banana Splits Support Groups; a 2nd and 3rd grade group and a 4th
and 5th grade group. Each group meets every other week for a total of ten weeks, from
October though March.
Teen Zone Support Group meets on Mondays from 3:00 – 4:30 PM throughout the
school year, and at group agreed times during the summer months. Teen Zone is open to
Dartmouth teens in grades 8 through 12.
Online Support for Dartmouth Families
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In addition to regular appointments for consultations, counseling and group facilitation, a
growing number of clients and residents use our Web site, www.dartmouthYouth.com
for seeking additional information and support throughout our area. Visitors to the
Parent’s Center at DartmouthYouth.com will find extensive resources and links on the
following topics:
Area Hotlines
Reporting Abuse
Cyber Safety
Local Support
Groups
Dartmouth Schools
Family Support
Sites
Local/State
Agencies
Single Parenting
Info
Special Needs
Human Service
Providers
Online Medical
Legal Assistance
Dartmouth Youth Sports
Teen’s Center
Children’s Center
New Resident Info
The Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund
Many people fondly remember with respect and admiration, the good heart and boundless
generosity of Alvin Glaser. Alvin was a founding member of the Dartmouth Youth
Commission. Alvin was more than a philanthropist. His generosity sprang not from his
ability to give but from a deeper place. Alvin took the time to look into the eyes and hearts
of people and then asked, “Tell me what you need.” Alvin, businessperson, family man
and beloved town resident was a quiet giant who over the course of his life set the
standard for living and giving in community.
The Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund was created to assist Dartmouth
families and individuals within families, during times of financial hardship caused by
illness, death, unemployment or other unexpected events. The Glaser Fund exists solely
for the purpose of helping persons in need and is not part of the Youth Commission’s
regular operating budget. To learn how to donate to the Glaser Trust Fund, or to receive
Application Guidelines, please visit us online or call our office.
Youth Commission Members
NAME
TERM ENDS
Gale Schultz, Chairperson
June 30, 2010
Rosalyn Glaser-Bernstein
June 30, 2010
Valerie Alves
June 30, 2010
Debra Brejcha
June 30, 2008
Lorraine Gagne
June 30, 2008
Alyson Bellora
June 30, 2009
Justine Clarke, Clerk
Kevin Lee, Youth Advocate
Part-time
Full-time
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Contact Information
Location:
Dartmouth Town Hall, Room 118, 1st floor
Office Hours: 8:45 AM – 4:30 PM, and by appointment.
Office Phone: 508-910-1855
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.dartmouthYouth.com
Kevin Lee, Youth Advocate
COMMUNITY NURSE AND HOSPICE CARE
Chairman of the Board
1st Vice Chairperson
Treasurer
President & CEO
Pat Flynn
June Smith
Eric Strand
Jane R. Stankiewicz
Nursing Supervisor
Joyce Cummings, RN
Community Nurse and Hospice Care is a private non-profit Visiting Nurse
Association that provides a full range of home care and Hospice services to residents in
the Southcoast area. We also provide Public Health Services to Dartmouth residents
through a contract with the Board of Health. Our Dartmouth office is located at 400
Slocum Rd, on the first floor.
Our Public Health work provided to Dartmouth residents includes a monthly blood
pressure clinic at the Council on Aging, Flu Clinics, Immunization Clinics,
Communicable Disease follow up, and home visits. We also provide education sessions
on health topics and wellness. In recent years, a great deal of time has been spent working
with the Board of Health on Emergency Preparedness Planning. The Eliot D. Stetson, Jr.
& Louise T. Stetson Charitable Trust provides funds that enable Community Nurse and
Hospice Care to provide skilled care to Dartmouth residents not covered by insurance.
The staff of Community Nurse and Hospice Care has enjoyed working with the
Board of Health and we look forward to the coming year.
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Community Nurse and Hospice Care
Dartmouth Public Health Annual Report
2007
Clinics
Blood Pressure Clinics
Dartmouth COA
Norma Vaz Center
811
100
Communicable Disease Case
Lyme
Hepatitis B
Salmonella
Tuberculosis
Viral Meningitis
Chicken Pox
Pertussis
Other
Total:
27
6
6
2
2
0
6
28
77
Meetings
Emergency Preparedness meetings
Adult Immunization Conference
Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses
Presentations
Heart Health
High Blood Pressure
Town Visits – 8
Adult Vaccines
1 Mantoux
Flu Clinics
Flu Vaccine
365
Pneumonia Vaccine 28
LEGAL DEPARTMENT
The Town’s Legal Department has offices in Town Hall and is staffed by outside
Counsel through the New Bedford firm of Anthony Savastano, Attorney At Law, P.C.,
with part-time assistance from Linda Torres.
197
The Legal Department provides advice and assistance to all Town departments,
boards and commissions on various matters of concern to them, including but not limited
to contracting, bidding procedures, permitting and licensing issues, zoning issues, by-laws
and regulations and personnel matters.
The Legal Department defends the Town’s position in disputes including but not
limited to these involving its Zoning By-Law, subdivision, regulations, wetlands
regulations, permitting decisions, soil removal, labor and health issues. The Department
assists Town Officers in the enforcement of Town-By-Laws, ordinances, rules and
regulations, and applicable statutes and codes.
The Legal Department also represents the Town in contractual and employment
disputes, eminent domain, tort claims and other claims asserted by and against the Town.
The Legal Department reviews and drafts warrant articles to be presented to Town
Meeting and carries out the direction of Town Meeting, such as street layout and
acceptances, transactions involving real property, easements, donations of land, and
enacting and amending by-laws and regulation. Questions concerning public bidding
requirements and contract forms are submitted for review.
During the past calendar year, the Legal Department was involved in litigation,
that included but was not limited to zoning disputes, wetland enforcement, eminent
domain, comprehensive permits, land acquisition, health code enforcement, agricultural
restrictions and workmen’s compensation before state and federal administrative, trial
and appeals courts.
The Legal Department advises and defends the Town in personnel matters
involving union grievances, industrial accidents disputes, employee discipline, reviewing
collective bargaining agreements, and similar personnel issues.
The Legal Department aggressively pursues its goal to provide early intervention
and preventative advice to the Town’s departments, boards and commissions in the
interest of minimizing costly, avoidable litigation.
GRANTS & HUMAN RESOURCES
Doris J. Copley, Paralegal/ Grants Program Manager/ Human Resources Coordinator
David Brunette - Housing Rehabilitation Inspector
Pamela Simmons, Grants Clerk
The town has been fortunate to have consistently secured funding since 1999 for its block
grants from the Department of Housing & Community Development. Each year, applications for
funding must be more competitive and creative due to the reduced amount of available funding by the
federal government. A contributing factor of the town’s success is the excellent grant rating the town
maintains with the state. Another major factor is the submission of comprehensive, competitive grant
proposals. The application is based on a points system and we aggressively go after every extra point
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we can get. The exhaustive attention to detail in administering the day-to-day grant program is also
crucial to its success. There is a genuine concern and sensitivity by the Board for low income and elderly
residents of the town who are in dire need of assistance with housing rehabilitation and/or social services.
To date, the town has received over $3,056,085 in grant funding starting with the 1999 Rte. 6/Hathaway
Rd./Lake Noquochoke / Sol-E-Mar Sewer project involving over 750 households. Those grant funds
assisted residents with over 150 tie-ins and 50 sewer abatements for a total amount of $543,000.
In 2002, the town was funded for $800,000 to rehabilitate 26 housing units. Also funded were 3 social
service programs for homeless families. In 2004 & 2005, the town received a combined total of
$563,175 for 20 more units of housing rehabilitation. Another tremendous benefit to the town is the
inclusion of all the housing rehabilitation projects (approx. 75) into its Ch. 40B affordable housing stock.
The town’s percentage is now very close to meeting the required 10% goal. The new ADA & Transition
Plan of the town’s public buildings has been completed and is available for public inspection. This
survey addresses handicap compliance issues along with recommendations to rectify those areas that are
currently non-compliant.
The success of the grants department in administering these labor intensive grant programs
depends on the cooperation of nearly every town department, including the Building Dept. for permits,
zoning and inspections, the Accounting & Treasurers Depts. for handling of funds and accounts, the
Conservation Dept. for conservation restrictions, the local Historical Commission for determining
historical significance of older homes, the Select Board Office for shared administration, the DPW &
Board of Health for septic and tie-in permits, the Assessors’ Dept. or owner verification, the Collector’s
Office for tax issues, the Council on Aging for assistance with elderly programs, the Planning Dept. for
USGS maps, and the Legal Dept. for opinions.
In addition to utilizing in-house departments, the grant also requires interaction with the MA
Dept. of Housing & Community Development, who awards and monitors the grant programs, HUD, Dept.
of Labor, other supplemental funding sources such as PACE, Citizens for Citizens and USDA, the MA
Historical Commission, Board of Building & Regulation Standards, Office of Neighborhood Development
for Lead Abatement, grant consultants, engineers and numerous other agencies.
Town residents who meet the income guidelines and can show clear title to the subject property
may be eligible for assistance. For more information or to request an application, call Pam @ 508-9101868 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mon. - Fri. The Grants Dept. held two public
informational workshops in 2007 regarding grant regulations, along with assistance with the preparation of
required paperwork.
FY ‘07 INCOME LIMITS FOR DARTMOUTH HOUSEHOLDS
1
person
Very Low 25,600
Income
41,000
Low
Income
2
people
29,250
3
people
32,900
46,850
52,700
6
people
42,450
7
people
45,350
8 people
36,600
5
people
39,500
58,550
63,250
67,900
72,600
77,300
4 people
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48,300
HUMAN RESOURCES
In addition to providing paralegal support to the Legal Department, the Grants Program Manager
also serves as the Human Resources Coordinator for the Executive Administrator. Her HR duties include
providing day to day support to department heads regarding numerous human resources issues including,
contract renewals, updating job descriptions, grievances, reclassification requests, labor negotiations,
writing and updating policies, conducting training workshops and various other human resources activities.
RECLAMATION AND MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD
BRISTOL COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL PROJECT
140 NORTH WALKER STREET * TAUNTON, MA 02780
Tel: (508) 823-5253 * Fax: (508) 828-1868
ANNUAL REPORT - DARTMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS
January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2007
In June 30, 2007 the Bristol County Mosquito Control Project completed forty-eight years
of service to the cities and towns of Bristol County. The mosquito control project works
year-round in its efforts to reduce mosquito breeding sites and adult mosquito populations.
The Project uses several different measures of control in its never-ending fight against
mosquitoes.
Spring and Summer Larviciding - To reduce the emergence of adult mosquitoes in areas
where mosquito larvae are present.
Catch Basin Treatment - To stop mosquito emergence from rain-filled catch basins and
storm drains.
Mosquito Surveillance Program - To monitor mosquito populations as to their type and
number - a program necessary in encephalitis surveillance. Light trapping of mosquitoes is
also useful to determine what areas have nuisance populations of mosquitoes.
Water Management - A year round endeavor to clean and maintain mosquito drainage
ditches in areas to reduce standing water conducive to mosquito larvae.
Public Outreach: - Providing important information to the residents of the county with
respect to personal protection against mosquito bites, mosquito breeding prevention on
one’s property and mosquito data.
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It is the policy of the Bristol County Mosquito Control Project to use pesticides that are
environmentally sensitive so that they do not negatively impact people or the
environment. We use as many of the biological insecticides as are practical with the
environmental conditions present in the New England area.
All of our spray equipment is calibrated periodically in order to insure that dosage rates
remain at legal levels but are adequate to reduce mosquito populations. The operators of
our spray equipment are state licensed pesticide applicators that are required to attend
classes on pesticide safety on a yearly basis.
During the time period January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2007 the Bristol County
Mosquito Control Project:

Sprayed over 25,781 acres
Treated 67.4 acres in 119 locations with BTI for mosquito larvae
Received 790 requests for spraying
Cleared and reclaimed 11,581 feet of brush
6,252 feet of tractor work
Treated 2,453 catch basins
The Bristol County Mosquito Control Project in a cooperative effort with the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health – State Laboratory Institute has been trapping
mosquitoes throughout Bristol County and sending the collections to the State Virus Lab.
I would like to thank the town officials and the people of Dartmouth for their continued
support and cooperation and look forward to serving them in the coming year. Should
anyone have a question as to what might be done to relieve a mosquito problem in their
area, whether it is water management work, treatment of a breeding site, or just having an
area checked, please feel free to call our office.
Wayne N. Andrews, Superintendent
December 31, 2007
Bristol County Mosquito Control Commissioners:
Arthur F. Tobin, Chairman
Gregory D. Dorrance
Christine A. Fagan
Joseph Barile
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DARTMOUTH CONSERVATION COMMISSION
2007 ANNUAL REPORT
The Dartmouth Conservation Commission was established to carry out the
provisions of M.G.L., Chapter 131, Section 40, the Wetlands Protection Act. The
Dartmouth Wetlands Protection Bylaw, adopted by the Town in 1980, is a vital link to the
Wetlands Protection Act for the protection of the Town's natural resources. The
provisions of the Wetlands Act and the Wetlands Bylaw combined, affords the
Conservation Commission the supportive authority to control activities which border upon
or are within wetlands. As defined by the Wetlands Protection Act, the wetlands are
determined by the Conservation Commission through a filing procedure.
In 2007, the Conservation Commission received 91 requests for Wetland Site
Inspections, which resulted in the delineation and verification of wetlands within the
Town. The Site Inspection process is a procedure allowed under the Dartmouth Wetlands
Protection Bylaw to determine the extent of wetlands on an applicant-owner's property.
During 2007 the Conservation Commission held 23 public meetings during which
there were 187 public hearings. The Commission reviewed 43 Notice of Intent
applications and 53 Requests for Determination of Applicability filings. A majority of
these filings were a direct result of the Wetland Site Inspection application process. Fiftyeight (58) Orders of Conditions were granted upon closure of the public hearings. Within
the year, the Commission also granted 5 Extension Permits, and 21 Certificates of
Compliance on Orders of Conditions
In addition to the mandated duties of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act
and the Dartmouth Wetlands Protection Bylaw, and the day-to-day operations of the
Conservation Commission office, the Conservation Commission has made decisions on
numerous conservation issues in an effort to protect and enhance the Town's natural
resources. The Conservation Commission and its staff were involved in the following
special projects or additional activities during 2007.
SALT MARSH RESTORATION PROJECTS
The year 2007 was a productive year with salt marsh restoration projects in
Dartmouth.
Padanaram Marsh Restoration Project:
In May of 2003 the Padanaram salt marsh project restoration was completed, and
yearly monitoring has continued since than. The remediation work involved the
improvement of a historic culvert that was severely impeding tidal exchange to the 10acre salt marsh. With the assistance of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration officials and the assistance of Town of Dartmouth Department of Public
Works staff and equipment, culvert was replaced with a larger culvert allowing for a
significant improvement in tidal flows to the salt marsh system. Monitoring in 2007 of
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environmental conditions within the marsh system showed a dramatic shift in the salt
marsh ecology from its previously degraded state to a more natural plant and animal
community.
Nonquitt Marsh Restoration:
The 85-acre Nonquitt salt marsh restoration project made significant progress
throughout 2007. The design option for replacement of an undersized culvert was
finalized. The project has continued to gather significant support and momentum
throughout the wetland restoration professional community. The project has many
potential areas of research and study that the scientific communities are interested in
pursuing. The final design was agreed upon by all participating parties in 2007 and the
acquisition of necessary regulatory permits and construction will commence in 2008.
TURN THE TIDE PROJECT
In 2007 the Turn the Tide-Restore Dartmouth’s Estuaries continued to make
significant progress. Turn the Tide is an integrated, watershed-based, $1.8 million, fouryear plan to assess and restore Dartmouth’s estuaries. The Turn the Tide partnership was
formed in 2002 among the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, the Town of Dartmouth, the
UMass Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST), and The Lloyd
Center for Environmental Studies (LC), and is modeled upon and integrated with the
methodology of the Massachusetts Estuaries Project.
Turn the Tide is a watershed-based approach to assessment and restoration, with
tasks that include: data collection focusing on watershed source analysis (including stream
nutrient and bacterial loading measurement), nutrient distributions, development of a
hydrodynamic model, mapping of eelgrass and wetlands, and survey of benthic indicator
species. These parameters, when coupled, provide the database for synthesis of
contaminant dynamics within each system, enabling construction of a water quality
numerical model and overall evaluation of the current and potential ecological health of
the various subsystems of the Slocum-Little River Complex and Apponagansett Bay. The
synthesis, model and evaluation will then support management and restoration plans for
Dartmouth’s estuarine systems. Along with the assessment and management tasks, Turn
the Tide has a strong advocacy component that is designed to inform and to mobilize
watershed residents and is being coordinated by the Coalition for Buzzards Bay. Thus
residents will become invested in the research and will be able to make informed
decisions concerning watershed management.
In 2007 water quality testing was completed and drafts of the final reports were
completed. Final reports and action plan are expected in Spring 2008.
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEMBERS
Gerald Franklin, Chairman (Resigned 4/07)
Jacquelyn McDonald, Chair
Patricia Sweriduk
Michael A Kehoe, Vice-chair
Richard T Mallen
Daniel Gioiosa
Jennifer Brindisi
Term Expires 2007
Term Expires 2009
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2010
CONSERVATION COMMISSION STAFF
Michael O'Reilly, Environmental Affairs Coordinator
Donna Farias, Conservation Aide
NATURAL RESOURCES
Due to the financial crisis in Dartmouth, there was no funding appropriated for the
Natural Resources Department for FY 2008. Due to this, the hours of the Shellfish
Constable were reduced from 40 to 10 hours per week beginning the second week of
August 2007.
Because of this drastic reduction in hours, my Catch Reports are incomplete and
will not be published for 2007. On a better note, Dartmouth will receive the Grant from
the Harbor Trustee Council, which is $116,000 for three years for shellfish propagation.
As of this writing the negotiations are in process.
Respectfully submitted:
Kenneth Pacheco
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Harbor Master/Waterways Director:
Steven L. Melo, JD.
Assistant Harbormasters:
Stephen Turner
Stephanie Saikali
Martin Casey
Julian Race
Charles J. Howland
Robert Miller
Thomas Gill
Waterways Commission:
Gerald Hickey, Chair
Term
2010
Chris Hemingway, Vice Chair
Robert Metcalf, Secretary
Warren Hathaway
Roger Race
Norman Peloquin
Ira Perry
2008
2008
2010
2009
2010
2009
DARTMOUTH HARBORMASTER
WATERWAYS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
1 Bridge Street, Rear
www.dartmouthharbormaster.com
[email protected]
Telephone: (508) 999-0759 / Fax: (508) 990-7759
Dartmouth
Waterways
Department
is
comprised
of
the
The
Harbormaster/Waterways Director, Assistant Harbormasters and the Dartmouth
Waterways Management Commission. Assistant Harbormasters are appointed by the
Harbormaster with approval of the Select Board. The Select Board also appoints 7
volunteer Waterways Management Commissioners who develop fair and equitable
regulations and policies for Dartmouth Waterways. Increasing safe and responsible public
access to Dartmouth’s popular waterways remains a primary focus for the Waterways
Department. Monthly meetings are typically held in the Waterways facility at 12 Rogers
Street on Clarks Cove in Dartmouth.
Minutes of past meetings are posted on the
Waterways website, www.dartmouthharbormaster.com. This informative website also
contains Waterways and Mooring Regulations, registration and other forms, important
local notices, indispensable boater information, and a wealth of practical nautical links.
E-mail messages may be directed to the Waterways Commission and Harbormaster from
this site. Continuously-refreshed scenes of Padanaram Harbor may be viewed on our
website with a link to a web cam.
All funding for the operation of the Waterways Department is maintained separate
and independent of the Town’s general fund and tax levy. User-based fees and grant
funding constitute the revenue of our self-sustaining enterprise fund. Fees assessed for
mooring permits, vessel waterways use permits and related services remain at the same
level for the fourth year. Stringent collection efforts on behalf of the Waterways
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Enterprise Fund allows for increased patrols to protect Dartmouth Waterways. The
Dartmouth Harbormaster and Staff are responsible for enforcing all local, state and federal
waterways and boating rules and regulations. Equitable application of these regulations
results in safe and enjoyable use of our waterways. The Department continues its noted
tradition of rendering assistance and guidance to mariner’s based-in or passing through
Dartmouth waters. Collaboration with local, regional, state and federal agencies allows
the Dartmouth Waterways Department to better educate, serve and protect individuals
who enjoy or work on our waterways. The Department maintains year-round, constant
readiness responding to VHF (Marine channel 09) radio summons, telephone or
Dartmouth Police dispatch.
Enforcement of the “No Discharge” designation of all Dartmouth waters resulted
in the collection of thousands of gallons of vessel sewage in 2007 and prevention of that
pollution from entering our waterways. Our waste pump-out efforts have positively
contributed to the restorative efforts of our local fisheries, wildlife habitats, and overall
water quality.
The 2007 season saw a successful second annual Slocum River rowing regatta
hosted by the Lloyd Center for Environmental studies. Hundreds of participants and
spectators gathered in September to enjoy this well-organized human-powered craft
competition on the scenic Slocum River. Dartmouth waters into Buzzards Bay also
played host to the 35th annual Buzzards Bay Regatta during August of the 2007 season.
This event followed on the heals of the move of Concordia, Inc. Boatyard from their
historic waterfront home on Padanaram Harbor to a new facility about one mile west of
the harbor on Gulf Road. The United States Coast Guard focused considerable effort
defining their federally-designated channel in Padanaram Harbor throughout 2007. Two
existing aids to navigation were re-located, and a seasonal buoy was added to carefully
define the 50-yard wide navigable channel through our harbor. The resulting loss or
relocation of nearly 30 scarce mooring sites is being addressed into the 2008 season.
The Waterways Department, with guidance and assistance from Dartmouth
Environmental Coordinator Michael O’Reilly, increased efforts in 2007 to close out DEP review
of Town-owned land adjacent to the Waterways facility on Rogers Street. Grant funding
received from Community Preservation resources in 2007 was designed to help restore this
adjacent area to some form of productive public access to the Clarks Cove waterway.
SOIL CONSERVATION BOARD
The Soil Conservation Board is responsible for issuing permits concerning earth
removal and reconstruction of sites from which earth has been removed. Permits are
renewed annually and projects are bonded according to the Soil Conservation By-Laws.
The properties also have official bi-annual inspections.
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For FY08 the Soil Board budget was reduced by 21%. Despite the significant
reduction, the staff has continued to perform the required duties. This reduction will make
the bylaw revisions difficult to move forward due to associated costs for advertising.
The Soil Board, in 2007, voted to amend the permit renewal policy bringing it
more in line with the revised budget. Permit holders are now requested to submit one
annual payment including permit renewal and bi-annual inspection fees. The other
significant change would be that current site photos will be provided by the applicant as
part of the permit renewal process.
The larger operations permitted by the Board are for reconstruction of vacant land
into cranberry bogs and agricultural land.
The Board also investigates complaints from abutters and concerned citizens about
un-permitted activities.
Before they can be granted a permit from the Soil Conservation Board, all
applicants, except for incidental acts related to agriculture, must have received permission
from the Board of Appeals. There are currently 7 active permits and 2 tabled permits.
The Board is made up of one Select Board member, one member from the Finance
Committee, two members from the Conservation Commission, one member from the
Board of Public Works, one member from the Board of Health and one member of the
Planning Board.
The Board employs a part time clerk and inspector. The Soil Conservation Clerk
and the Inspector may be contacted through the Department of Public Works Office, 759
Russells Mills Road, and Dartmouth (508) 999-0740.
SOIL CONSERVATION BOARD
Diane Gilbert
Richard Medeiros
Gregory Lynam
Richard Mallen
Joseph Toomey, Jr.
Jacquelyn McDonald
Thomas W. Hardman
Chris Michaud
Bonnie J. Souza
Select Board
Board of Public Works
Finance Committee
Planning Board
Board of Health
Soil Board Inspector
Soil Conservation Clerk
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PARK DEPARTMENT
John P. Costa, Chairperson
Lisa B. Tavares, Vice-Chairperson
Shaun E. Westgate, Clerk
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2009
Timothy J. Lancaster, Superintendent
Rebecca V. Amaral, Principal Clerk
For the first time in recent history the Park Department began its summer season
with great concern regarding our revenue stream and a requirement by the town to offset
our operating budget through fee generation. This charge forced the department to begin
looking at new ways of generating revenue with only minimal impact on our residents.
As a result the Board of Commissioners implemented new policies for the purpose of
moving towards a self-funded operating budget. Most notably non-resident passes were
developed and sold for $150.00 each with access to all seven parks and beach sites in
town. This very successful program generated thousands of dollars in new reoccurring
revenue for the department, kept resident passes at a reasonable cost, and had no impact
on parking, or beach overcrowding during the 2007 summer season. It was the hope of
the Park Commission to increase the cost of these stickers and reduce the available
number for 2008, increasing revenue further while allowing less non-residents access.
However, in the Fall an article preventing the sale of these new stickers was put forth and
passed at Town Meeting. As a result the department will have to look at increasing
existing fees to offset the loss of these funds for the upcoming summer beach season.
As in past years the summer was a very busy time for the Park Department. Our
lifeguards and seasonal gate guards were on duty starting June 14th and staffed our
beaches through Labor Day weekend. Warm weather and the absence of any tropical
storms made for an excellent beach season and very high park usage throughout the
system. Staff lifeguards responded to numerous requests for first aid throughout the
summer, with no serious incidents reported.
Apponagansett Park was utilized heavily again this year as a site for recreational
camps, family outings, and the Park Department Summer Concert Series. This past
summer marked the eighth year that the self-funded summer concert events have taken
place at the park. As in past years the event continues to grow allowing us the opportunity
to introduce new names and larger well-known bands to our concert schedule. The Park
Department would again like to thank the Dartmouth YMCA, the Dartmouth Harbor
208
Master and his staff, Dartmouth Emergency Management, and Dartmouth Fire District
One for offering assistance during our concert events.
Use of the ice cream bucket at Apponagansett Park was put on hold until next
season in a hope that the municipal sewer project on Gulf Road will be complete allowing
for us to tie in so our new concession facility can operate properly. The building
restoration is near completion with the exception of the decorative crank handle, which we
hope to install in 2008.
As always, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the residents and
officials who have supported the direction in which the department has been moving over
the past several years. Your ongoing commitment and assistance has allowed us to
improve and develop our facilities for both the residents of Dartmouth and our deserving
staff. We look forward to the continued progress and growth of this department as we
head towards our goal of town-wide park and recreational development and access.
Timothy J. Lancaster
Superintendent
RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Paul Coucci, Jr., Chair
Cynthia Karl, Vice-Chairperson
Cynthia Shorrock
Timothy J. Lancaster, Director
Rebecca Amaral, Principal Clerk
In 2007, the Dartmouth Recreation Department was informed by the town that it
must offset its entire operating budget and become a self-funded entity, due to the Town’s
current fiscal crisis. As a result the department adjusted all fees, relocated the swimming
program and combined resources with our U-Mass camp in an effort to save the program
under the new funding guidelines. As a result, through re-structuring and adjustment of
our fee schedule the Town’s recreation department is now a completely self-funded
operation.
Over the last year the department was relocated from the Smith Neck School to the
former Town Hall due to the Town’s decision to sell the old school. In the Spring the
Bristol County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Work Crew painted and cleaned the building for
use as the new recreation center. By summer the building was ready for use by our camp
programs and will be utilized year round for indoor activities. We are hopeful that the
move to this more centrally located facility will lead to an increased enrollment in our new
winter and spring programming.
209
The tyke program saw continued increased enrollment in 2007. This new
program, which is totally self-funded, is geared towards children ages 4-5 years old. The
program allows participants the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities such as
arts and crafts, group games, story time and much more. It is the intent of the department
to expand the tyke program in the future.
In addition to our new tyke program the Recreation Department offered a variety
of programs to the residents of Dartmouth. These programs, some of which are sponsored
by the Recreation Department, offer the Town’s youth and in some cases adults “how to
classes” in a particular area. It is the goal of the department to continue exploring the
possibility of adding new classes to our current program.
With the arrival of summer, the department conducted its annual tennis, golf, and
swimming programs. The tennis program held at Dartmouth High School was a very
popular program open to residents of all ages for a period of seven-weeks. The program
concluded with a “Beginners Tournament”. The golf program was again held at the
Hawthorne Country Club and was open to children and young adults for a four-week
period. Finally, our swimming program held at UMASS Dartmouth had another
successful year. This program offered a wide variety of lessons ranging from water babies
to basic rescue. Each class consisted of a daily 30-minute lesson over a period of seven
weeks.
The department operated two summer playground/swim centers during the
summer vacation months. The two-playground swim centers, one at Apponagansett Park
and one at UMass Dartmouth, were again very successful programs enjoyed by many
Dartmouth youth. These programs which ran for seven weeks contained activities ranging
from arts and crafts and games, to field trips to play bowling, miniature golf and to the
Roger Williams Zoo.
During the spring and summer months the department sponsored archery programs
put forth by Ace Archers. These programs were held at the Dartmouth Regional Park &
Trails and were a huge success. These new programs took place in the afternoon for a
one-week period. It is the intent of the Recreation Department to hold additional archery
programs in the upcoming year.
Over the past year the Recreation Department has continued to work with the
DYAA and DGAL with the scheduling of gymnasiums for their worthwhile activities.
These non-profit organizations have developed and maintained growing programs that
serve hundreds of children and young adults on a yearly basis.
On behalf of the Recreation Commission, I would like to thank all of our devoted
staff members who have worked diligently to make our programs a continued success.
Timothy J. Lancaster
Director
210
Dartmouth Animal Control
2008 Annual Town Report
Sandra Gosselin, Animal Control Officer
Susan Costa, Assistant Animal Control Officer (Laid off June 2007)
Cheryl Jackson, Assistant Animal Control Officer (Resigned February 2007)
The New Year started out as busy as ever in the small but very effective department.
Even with the cold temperatures and snow there always seems to be a call waiting to be
answered or an animal in need. The office managed to get out license billing notices to over
3,400 dog owners by the end of February. This would ensure that everyone would have proper
notice of the new $5.00 late fee that would be attached as of May 1st.
Unfortunately not everyone paid attention to these notices. Some dog owners have had to
pay far more than they would have if they had come in on time. This is very disheartening since
the Town Clerk’s Office starts the new licensing on January 2nd of each year. This gives
owners four months to get their licenses before the actual late fee deadline. This also puts more
strain on two already understaffed departments. The Town Clerk’s Office starts to make phone
calls as early as June but eventually the citations have to be mailed to the owners of unlicensed
dogs. Many different approaches have been tried by Animal Control and the Town Clerk’s
Office. What will be next! Who knows? I can tell you this; it sure is generating some funds
for the town with all the extra money for late fees and such.
In February Cheryl Jackson resigned her position with Animal Control to head the
Fairhaven Animal Control Department. Cheryl worked for Dartmouth since April of 2005. She
brought a happy energetic personality to this department and always wanted to take animals
home and befriend them. Due to budgetary cuts her position was not filled leaving only one
part-time officer for nights and weekends.
These are some of the issues that we as Animal Control Officers deal with, but we
also have to learn where to draw the line. It is not easy to be an animal lover and not take
everything home with you. That is why this job, as well as the shelter jobs, have such a high
employee turnover. You sometimes get so burnt out dealing with people who seem to think
animals can be thrown out or sent to a animal shelter and it’s not a big deal. I am not saying that
it is not hard for some, but for the most part what we see is the person who has a dog or cat on a
whim and now they are too much trouble, so they surrender them to the shelter. Or worse they
dump them on the side of the road to fend for themselves. Some owners don’t even bother to
claim their so-called beloved pet because they don’t want to pay the boarding fees.
In June 2007 the department was cut once again. Due to budget cuts the Town laid
off one of the best Animal Control Officers that they ever had. Sue Costa was an exceptional
211
person who required the very best of herself and expected no less from anyone who owned an
animal. Sue’s commitment to animals started over 10 years ago at Capeway Animal Hospital
where she worked as a Vet Tech. Her knowledge in the medical field was a great asset to this
department. The spay/neutering of pets was very important to her and she tried to educate
everyone that she dealt with in the importance of it. She was driven by the love for animals to
make sure anyone she dealt with did what needed to be done. Sometimes this did frustrate her
when she had an animal dumped off that lead to a dead end, or she could only enforce the laws
of Massachusetts to a standard that most of us in the animal control field consider substandard.
She always wanted to save the day and go well beyond her shift just to get things done. The not
so responsible owners were in for a surprise dealing with her.
On January 20, 2008, Sue Costa passed away taking a big piece of our hearts with her. I
truly believe that she is in a better place where no animal is treated wrongly.
The Humane Society has had animals dropped off at their door as well as the Police
Department, and in some instances these animals are from other towns or cities. No one likes to
think that someone was not telling the truth when turning in an animal but in this field it is all
too common to find out that the animal was theirs to begin with. The cost of these unwanted
animals that require a holding period are shifted to the Town.
People are always telling me that they could not do my job, and in fact most could not,
and at times it seems that I too feel that way. One of the most disrespectful comments that
anyone can say to an Animal Control Officer or shelter worker is “You’re not going to put the
animal to sleep, are you?” “Isn’t that what you people do?” We are not the one who
abandoned the animal, allowed them to roam in the street, or reproduce to astronomical
numbers.
It is not an Animal Control Officer or a shelter workers’ desire to do such a thing, and in
most cases the animal is adopted out to a loving home. The reality is that some are not adopted
and are enthanized. The decision to do this is not an easy one to make for anyone in this field,
and certainly we all would like to find a home for every animal no matter the circumstances.
You know the old saying, “what comes around goes around”.
In any case we plug on and when the day is done I can honestly say I can be proud of the
job I have done that day. Whether I saved a kitten from a life in the wild or a dog from being
hit by a car, I know when I meet my maker I and the rest of the dedicated Animal Control
Officers and shelter workers will stand proud.
Statistics for 2007
Dogs
Picked up
Adopted
Transferred
Claimed
Euthanized
Cats
Picked up
Adopted
Transferred
Claimed
Euthanized
84
21
1
46
12
212
74
23
15
4
29
Found Dead
Rabbits
1
Found Dead
25 Dumped on Fisher Road
20
24 placed by Alder Brook Farm
1 Adopted by H.S.
These numbers do not include the numerous animals that are returned to their
owners before they are brought to the shelter.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Antonio Moniz, Clerk
Frank Freitas
Debra J. Corte-Real Secretary
The I.D.C. is an advisory Board consisting of seven members. The Board reports
directly to the Select Board concerning all non-commercial development.
In the coming year, the I.D.C. plans to continue its marketing follow-up to our
produced brochure featuring Dartmouth’s desirability to prospective quality industry.
We intend to target specific businesses that have announced relocation or
expansion plans. The Board also wishes to develop closer relationships with other town
boards and regional organization that deal with industrial development.
We continue to work to refine certain Industrial By-laws so as to ensure flexibility
for quality development, while offering protection for the environment and
neighborhoods.
The Board meets monthly and encourages the participation of any and all
interested residents. Finally, we will work to fill current vacancies on the Board to insure
a more active and effective Industrial Development Commission.
213
Summary of Capital Improvement Planning Committee Recommendations
In Priority Order
FY 2008
The CIP Committee has prioritized all of their recommendations using the following
scale:
A – Top priorities; the Committee believes these items must be funded.
B – High priorities; the Committee believes these items should be funded
since they are still of high priority.
C – Important but not critical priorities; the Committee believes these items
would be useful but if funds are not available, other priorities should be
funded first.
D – Non-critical requests; items that are not priorities and are requests that
could be excluded without negative impact.
Also, please be advised that the CIP Committee has reduced the original list of
requests from the departments to this list of recommendations.
The following recommendations are coded as “A” top priorities:
Police Department
(6) Police Cruisers
Mobile Computer Upgrade
(60) Portable radios
(3) Police Detective Vehicles
$234,000
$ 51,000
$ 75,000
$ 51,000
The CIP Committee recommends this be the top priority in terms of capital needs for the
upcoming Town Meeting. For the last two-plus budget cycles, no front-line cruisers have
been purchased. The Town had been on an annual cruiser replacement program of
purchasing 3-4 cruisers per year, which yielded significant savings in repairs and
maintenance. The Committee strongly believes the Town should resume its annual cruiser
replacement program. Since no requested cruisers were funded in FY 2006 and FY 2007,
this has severely impacted the Police Department’s projected plan and, therefore, now
they need to catch up to bring the fleet to lower mileage status and weed out the older
higher mileage vehicles that we currently keep repairing at substantial cost.
The Mobile Computer Upgrade is also a necessity. Our present mobile computer
equipment is now obsolete due to the upgrading of the State CHSB network. Our
equipment in that network is much too slow for the features that the new system has onboard at present. Coupled with the fact that cellular providers have phased out CDPD
and are going to a new CDMA interface for connection at a substantial monthly cost, we
have no choice but to upgrade to the radio interface.
The current portable radios are at least seven years old and are suffering from a lot of
fatigue from constant use. They are constantly being repaired and only have an average
useful life of three years. The Police Department would take the best of the old ones and
214
give those to the traffic supervisors and then take the 60 new ones for officers,
intermittents, and administration.
The three Police Detective vehicles would be either Ford 500’s or Ford Fusions. In the
past, Ford Taurus vehicles have been purchased but since Ford has phased those out, the
comparable vehicle would now be the 500 or Fusion. The existing Taurus vehicles would
be transferred to inspectors at Town Hall in order to begin to standardize their vehicles.
This program of using the Fords for administration vehicles has been very successful.
Administration
(Funded 1/3 General Fund, 1/3 WEF, 1/3 SEF)
Mid-size vehicle
$22,000
The existing truck used by the Superintendent would be transferred to the Highway
Division where it can be better utilized during winter storms to plow in small areas. The
cost of this vehicle would be split evenly between the General Fund, Water Enterprise
Fund, and Sewer Enterprise Fund.
Highway
(1) 34,000 GVW Dump Truck w/plow & Slide-in sander $145,000
(1) Recycling Truck
$165,000
(1) 40-yd packer (Mack)
$200,000
(1) Sand blast unit, Operation Protection Suit, Air Supply
System.
$ 28,500
Road reconstruction
$350,000
These requests of equipment for the Highway division are of extreme importance. The
current Highway division dump trucks are aging rapidly. The old trucks also do not
calibrate the spreading of salt with the speed of the vehicle, which can cause a buildup of
sand and salt in intersections or any time the truck had to slow down. The new sanders
would decrease the rate of spreading as the truck slows down. These sanders are needed
to properly address the Town’s snow removal needs.
For a Town this size, five reliable recycling trucks are needed and we only have 3 reliable
ones bought in 1998, 2001, and 2005. The ones the Town owns from 1993 must begin to
be replaced. It is also due to the success of the Board of Public Works and Select Board’s
combined efforts to enhance the Town’s recycling program and the increase in the volume
of recyclable items collected at curbside.
Also, as the Town should do with police cruisers again, we should begin a regular
replacement program for the 40-yd packers. Some of them are aging and wearing down to
the point of being very costly to maintain.
Also, for this division, the Town could save a lot of repair money by purchasing a sandblast unit in order to perform a lot of maintenance and body repair work on our own rather
than sending it out to be done. Of course only properly trained individuals would use this.
215
Finally, many roads in Town need to be repaved or reconstructed. This will go towards
some of the roads that need to be redone. Chapter 90 funds are not nearly enough to
complete all the work that needs to be done.
Construction Division (Funded 1/3 General, 1/3 WEF, 1/3 SEF)
(1) Replacement Dozer
$100,000
The Construction Division, created in 2005, has yielded great savings for the Town by
being able to perform various projects in-house. A top priority for them this year would
be to purchase a replacement dozer. The current dozer they use, which is borrowed from
the Water and Sewer departments, is too big to be practical for the work they need to do.
It cannot even get to some areas where they are working because of its size. This would
be funded evenly from the General Fund, Water Enterprise Fund, and Sewer Enterprise
Fund.
School Department
Electrical circuit panel upgrade (Middle)
$70,000
Underground fuel tank replacement (Potter and DeMello) $125,000
Educational Technology upgrade
$125,000
The Committee believes that, for the School Department, these two items are their most
pressing capital needs. All of the school buildings have updated their electrical panels
except for the Middle School, which still has its original, obsolete panel from 1956. To
save money, the schools would use their own licensed electricians.
Replacement of the underground fuel tanks at the Potter and DeMello schools is also of
great importance. The tanks are approximately 50 years old and if there were to be a leak,
the Town would incur substantial cleanup costs. Last year, the old fuel tank at the Quinn
School was replaced.
The request for a technology upgrade was a FY 2006 and FY 2007 request that was not
brought forward for funding consideration at either of those Town Meetings. Our District
Technology Plan includes the replacement of 250 computers annually. Currently, through
the school appropriation, approximately 60 computers are replaced per year. In order to
maintain adequate technology in our school facilities to adequately educate our children,
authorization to fund this request is of great importance.
216
Renovations, Town Buildings
$65,000
Various renovations and maintenance need to be performed at Town buildings, including
the Old Town Hall, the current Town Hall, Police Station, Library, and Council on Aging.
For example: roof, trim, and window work needs to be done at the Old Town Hall as well
as replacement of some old carpeting at the current Town Hall. In addition some interior
painting needs to be done. When this type of work needs to be done, the cost cannot be
carried by the regular operating budget.
Libraries
Southworth Emergency Doors
$25,000
The two emergency doors and the boiler room door at Southworth Library need to be
replaced since their condition is worsening due to their age. They have been patched as
much as possible.
Water Pollution Control (Sewer Enterprise Fund)
Rebuild Plant Grit Collection Equipment
$50,000
Add Biofilter media to Soil filter
$15,000
(5) New Compost Exhaust blowers w/
energy efficient motors and drives
$75,000
The Sewer Plant grit collection equipment, installed in 1992 and in continuous operation,
is well beyond its useful life and must be replaced. Due to its location and operational
schedule, it has been exposed to the effects of hydrogen sulfide, which has caused
extensive rusting of the chain parts, as well as wear caused by the exposure to the grit it is
designed to remove. Replacement of both mechanisms at this time is absolutely necessary
to protect downstream equipment from the wearing effects of the grit.
The addition of 400 cubic yards of media to the biofilter will extend the life of the filter by
at least 18 months, thus delaying the replacement of the whole biofilter media.
The replacement of the five Compost Exhaust Blowers, with new energy efficient motors
and drives, is required to update the existing blowers, which have operated 24 hours per
day since 1992. The use of energy efficient motors shall reduce the energy requirements
217
of these blowers. Their replacement will also update the blowers to more efficient blower
mechanisms.
Water Department (Water Enterprise Fund)
Filter Media replacement 299 Plant
$120,000
Upgrade of SCADA system
$120,000
$ 21,000
½ ton pickup with Cap and Radio
These filters capture iron and manganese from the five wells on this site. They were put
on-line in 1999 and the media is reaching its useful life. It is recommended that the media
get replaced within less than every ten years.
The term SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) usually refers to a central
system that monitors and controls a complete site or a system spread out over a long
distance of miles. The bulk of the site control is actually performed automatically by a
Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) or by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). Host
control functions are almost always restricted to basic site override or supervisory-level
capability. The RTU’s we have cannot be replaced and we cannot get anyone to repair
them. We need to upgrade to PLC’s. This will create an improvement in the
effectiveness and efficiency of the Water Division.
This truck would replace a 1996 ½-ton pick-up with over 107,000 miles with a similar
vehicle with a cap and a new 2-way radio.
The following recommendations are coded as “B” high priorities:
Highway Division
(1) 34,000 GVW dump truck w/plow & slide-in sander
(1) Street Sweeper
$145,000
$155,000
Construction Division (funded 1/3 General Fund, 1/3 WEF, 1/3 SEF)
(1) Loader w/side dump
$115,000
(1) Utility truck, diesel 4x4 w/2-way radio GVW 15,000 $ 40,000
The current Highway division dump trucks are aging rapidly. The old trucks also do not
calibrate the spreading of salt with the speed of the vehicle, which can cause a buildup of
sand and salt in intersections or any time the truck has to slow down. The new sanders
would decrease the rate of spreading as the truck slows down. These sanders are needed
to properly address the Town’s snow removal needs. (Please note there is an additional
dump truck/sander listed as an “A” top priority).
218
Due to the expansion of Town roadways, an additional sweeper is needed to enable the
Department of Public Work’s efforts to clean a majority of the roads during the summer
months. This sweeper would replace the 1992 Johnson model. This old model uses
vacuum type parts that are always getting corroded. A new Elgin model would require
considerably less maintenance and would move at a much better speed on the roads.
The loader with side dump for the Construction Division is specialized equipment to help
with the installation of water, sewer, and drain lines in narrow roadway areas.
The utility truck would allow the Construction Division to carry all the necessary tools
and equipment needed in an organized and efficient way when they are on a job-site.
School Department
Phase I and II Window replacement over 2-3 years at Quinn
$1,350,000
The Committee would recommend that this project be put out to bid altogether even if it is
done in phases – the Town would most likely get a better price. The windows being
replaced were installed in 1967. They are single-pane windows, which are susceptible to
leaking and are not energy efficient. These windows are no longer serviceable.
Replacement costs will be mitigated over time by savings in energy. This project will be
phased in over two to three summer recess breaks.
Libraries
Southworth Library Heating, Venting, and Air-conditioning
$250,000
The system is over forty years old and has undergone several extensive repairs over the
last few years. It is also not energy efficient since there is only one zone – it is not
necessary to heat both floors if no one is using the lower level. Therefore, energy costs
should be reduced with a new system.
Park Department
Compartment Body Truck
$ 30,000
The current truck used by the foreman has a high number of miles and is not designed to
meet the current maintenance demands of the department. With large facilities now
spread throughout the Town, the foreman needs a vehicle that can carry the necessary
equipment required for maintaining our growing park system.
The following recommendations are coded as “C” Important but not critical
priorities:
Highway Division
Highway Garage Expansion
$385,000
219
This would fund an addition onto the newer Highway garage including two additional
stalls totaling 40’ x 80’ with an additional 35’ overhang. In return, the Park Department
would be able to use part of the old Highway garage since they are in dire need of storage
and maintenance space. The Bridge Street garage that the Park Department is currently
using is currently beyond repair and is not sufficient for their needs.
Police Station parking lot repaving and woods cleanup
$45,000
The parking lot at the police station is in serious need of repaving and reconstruction,
especially since the additions and renovations were completed at the station. Also, a
section of woods would be cleared in order to lay down a gravel lot, which would be used
to park equipment that is not used as much.
Personnel Board
The Personnel Board was a five-member board appointed by the Town Moderator. Janice
Estes resigned from the Board and was succeeded by Brian J. Sylvia. Upon the expiration
of his term, Brock Cordeiro was succeeded by Scott M. Corin. The Fall Town Meeting of
October, 2007, voted to expand the Board to seven members. Mark Eisenberg and Brian
Faria were appointed to the newly-created seats. The Personnel Board meets on the third
Thursday of the month.
At its May meeting, the Board reviewed correspondence from Town Counsel Anthony J.
Savastano citing the following duties and responsibilities for the Personnel Board
according to the provisions of the Personnel Bylaws:
Maintaining records to properly evaluate the worth of service by elected Town
officials and making recommendations to the Finance Committee upon request;
Administering the provisions of the By-laws as well as collective bargaining
agreements covering employees, and establishing Rules and Regulations
governing personnel administration;
Investigating the positions covered by the Classification Plan and proposing
amendments to the Plan or other provisions of the By-laws accordingly;
Serving by designation or request to hear grievances of Town employees;
Considering amendments to the Classification Plan, Compensation Plan or the Bylaws and reporting recommendations to the Finance Committee and at Town
Meeting;
220
Determining the information to be submitted to the Town Accountant by all
departments, committees, and boards for the purpose of maintaining adequate
personnel records of Town employees;
Maintaining written job descriptions or class specifications for positions in the
Classification Plan, describing the specific duties, requirements and characteristics
that distinguish a classification from other position classes;
Reviewing a department head’s opinion that an employee who advances to a
higher classification should start at a higher step than prescribed due to special
circumstances;
Approving step-rate advances of employees within their designated compensation
grade, and hearing appeals of employees who are not recommended to receive
step-rate advances;
Advising as to the appropriate classification to which positions shall be allocated
when those positions are to be filled by a new employee;
Administering the terms of administrative/supervisory employee contracts entered
into by the governing Commission, Board, or Committee, and promulgating Rules
and Regulations to interpret and clarify those contracts;
Appointing physicians to conduct physical examinations of candidates for
employment;
Providing advice and assistance to the Select Board, department heads and
supervisory officials on personnel matters:
Studying the classification, assignment and utilization of personnel in Town
departments (excluding the School Department) and making recommendations for
improvements;
Developing and establishing uniform personnel practices and procedures for Town
departments, including standardized forms and records;
Approving variations in the Classification and Compensation Plans as necessary
for the proper functioning of the Town, subject to ratification by vote of Town
Meeting and the availability of appropriated funds;
Collecting written performance evaluations of Town employees; and
Appointing Personnel Action Forms and distributing them to the proper Town
departments.
Attorney Savastano closed by saying that the powers of the Personnel Board are limited to
administering the terms of contracts for administrative/supervisory personnel and do not
include participating in the negotiation of the terms of those contracts.
221
The Personnel Board voted at its July meeting to make the following recommendations to
the Select Board on the subject of town employment contracts and related matters:
No employment contracts for terms greater than 1 year, except for critical
positions, being limited to Executive Administrator, Finance Director, Police Chief
and Town Accountant. All proposed employment contracts to be subject to review
and recommendation of the Personnel Board.
Elimination of all job protection clauses, so-called, in all employment contracts.
Fringe benefits in employment contracts not to exceed those fringe benefits
available and set forth in the Personnel Bylaws.
No automatic COLA increases for employees. Employees that are subject to the
Classification Schedule receive salary step increases per the Classification
Schedule; employees subject to employment contracts receive salary merit
increases under the terms of the employment contract. Adding the COLA salary
increase means, in essences, a double raise. Employees should get the step
increase or merit increase, as appropriate and warranted, but NOT also the COLA
increase on top of that.
All step increases and merit increases must be supported by evaluations and
recommendations from supervisors and subject to review and approval by the
Personnel Board.
More employees should be moved back into the Classification Schedule and not
provided with employment contracts. Salary increases would be based upon the
Classification Schedule and not individual employment contracts, which vary from
contract to contract.
The Personnel Board recommends a full review of the existing Personnel Bylaws
fringe benefits, and amendments as necessary to control the costs of these benefits
to the Town.
The Personnel Board recommends a full review of the current Classification
Schedule to (a) move more positions into the Classification Schedule and away
from employment contracts, and (b) adjust grade and step level increases.
The Personnel Board continues to retain the services of Audrey Quail as secretary.
Personnel Board Members
Christopher C. Cassara, Chair
Jeffery W. Stauffer, Vice Chair
Scott M. Corin
Brian Faria
Alison G. Nastanski
Brian J. Sylvia
Term Expires July 1, 2009
222
TOWN CLERK
CURRRENT STATISTICS
FOR THE YEAR 2007
Area..............................61.82 Square Miles
Miles of Highway..............................218.68
Population as of January 1, 2007…………………………….33,833
Prec
Democra
t
Green-
Libertarian
Republican
Unenrolled
Others
Rainbow
GRAND
TOTAL
01
711
1
8
206
1218
3
2147
02
615
6
6
160
866
3
1656
03
343
2
3
81
673
4
1106
04
852
2
7
213
1109
5
2188
05
966
2
8
245
1172
1
2394
06
1079
1
9
151
930
7
2177
07
981
2
5
238
1096
3
2325
08
1012
0
8
178
844
6
2048
09
876
4
8
386
1236
5
2515
10
761
4
6
317
1283
9
2380
Total
8196
24
68
2175
10427
46
20,936
223
ELECTIONS
Annual Town Election
Special Town Election
April 3, 2007
July 31, 2007
TOWN MEETING
Spring Annual Town Meeting
Fall Annual Town Meeting
June 5, 2007
October 16, 2007
BOARD OF REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
Term Expires 2010
Term Expires 2008
Term Expires 2009
Clerk, Ex-Officio
Randall T. Weeks, Jr.
Thomas M. Brooks, Jr.
Mary Ellen DeFrias
Eleanor J. White
TOWN CLERK/ELECTIONS
Eleanor J. White, Town Clerk
Lynn M. Medeiros (Appointed 10/7/02)
Term Expires 2009
Asst. Town Clerk
Moderator
Steven Sharek (Elected 2004)
Term Expires 2009
224
er
TOWN CLERK
Vital Statistics
BIRTHS
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Males
Females
Totals
106
121
96
81
95
78
105
105
83
108
118
88
111
107
109
97
90
106
101
116
93
95
97
124
93
95
94
101
88
98
103
100
91
90
97
89
109
105
89
79
83
98
89
93
107
91
103
89
114
105
100
98
96
84
207
209
194
184
195
169
196
202
172
217
223
177
190
190
207
186
183
213
192
219
182
209
202
224
191
181
178
225
MARRIAGES
DEATHS
AVERAGE
AGE
DECEASED
166
145
154
137
149
122
129
136
122
130
142
114
152
144
155
121
119
138
134
145
115
124
111
124
93
133
135
224
229
271
253
250
206
231
269
229
265
250
256
274
250
267
273
257
247
268
287
275
289
304
276
257
298
286
74.2
75.5
71.5
75.2
74.3
74.5
78.0
65.9
75.4
73.5
73.2
75.5
73.9
73.1
77.9
76.3
77.9
75.9
77.7
76.0
76.7
77.0
76.7
79
77.3
75.4
77
TOWN OF
DARTMOUTH
MINUTES
226
SPRING ANNUAL AND SPECIAL
TOWN MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2007
ART
SPRING ANNUAL AND
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
JUNE 5, 2007
INDEX
SUBJECT
PAG
E
APPROPRIATI
ONS
SOURCE
OF
FUNDIN
G
$1,851,378
SWEF
$64,147,062.74
See Sch.
A
#
1*
7
Enterprise Fund, Solid Waste and Recycling Division,
Transfer Station (SWEF)
2*
8
Funding Solid Waste Enterprise Fund
3*
8
Authorization for Expenditures
4*
9
Salaries of Elected Officials
5*
9
Schedule A-FY/2008
6
20
FY/2008 Budget Funding Through Contingent Appropriation
7*
21
Funding Water Department Budget – Enterprise Fund
3,667,001.97
WEF
8*
21
Funding Sewer Department Budget – Enterprise Fund
3,225,047.88
SEF
9*
22
Funding Dartmouth Senior Social Day Program
196,044.61
10*
22
Funding Waterways Management Department –Enterprise
209,959
Senior
Social
Day
WMEF
178,400
CPA
Withdrawn
Fund
11*
23
Community Preservation Act – FY/2008 Budget
12
23
Acceptance Of Capital Improvement Planning Committee
Report and
227
Funding FY/2008 Capital Plan
13*
27
Capital Improvement Appropriations
14*
27
Appropriation To Correct Sewer System Inflow
70,000 School
125,000 Fuel
Tanks
25,000 Library
100,000
Excess
Bond
Proceeds
SEF/II/RE
and Infiltration Issues
15*
28
Funding For A Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan
650,000
Borrowing
16*
28
Supplemental Funding Bayview Sewer Project
750,000
Borrowing
17*
29
Amendment To General By-Laws – Dogs – Fee Schedule
18*
29
Dartmouth General By-Laws –Alarms—Fee Schedule
19*
30
Amendment To General By-Laws – Parking Violations – Fee
72,500
WEF/RE
Schedule
20*
33
Town Clerk Fee Schedule
21*
33
Weights and Measures Fee Schedule
22*
35
Police Promotional Examinations
23*
37
Petition For Special Enabling Legislation To The Great and
General Court Of The Commonwealth
24*
37
Acceptance Of Report Of The Dartmouth School Building
and Renovation Study Committee
25*
37
Street Acceptance – Lucy Little Road
26*
38
Street Acceptance – Christine Drive
27*
38
Department Of Public Works Water Division Land
Acquisition
28*
38
Sewer Easement Tucker Road To Allen Street
228
29*
38
Acceptance Of Right Of Way Easements And Land Takings
30*
39
Zoning By-Law Amendment -- Residential Size, Land Base
Wind Energy Conversion Facilities
31
49
Tucker Road Sewer Easement
Withdrawn
32*
50
Community Preservation Act – Historic Building Inventory
42,600
CPA
33*
50
Community Preservation Act – Land Acquisition
150,000
CPA
34*
50
Community Preservation Act – Recreation Master Plan
40,000
CPA
35*
51
Services Contract For Apponagansett Park Concession
36*
51
General By-Law Amendment Enforcement Of Red Light
$184,000
Tax Levy
Running
Violation – Violations – Non-Criminal, Section 9
37*
53
Amendment To Town Charter – Department Of Public Works
38*
54
Stabilization Fund
SPRING ANNUAL
1ST
55
JUNE 5, 2007
INDEX
Line Item Transfers/Supplement to Schedule A – FY/2007
55
Authorization for Appropriation – Waterways
$41,000
Waterway
s/RR
55
Senior Social Day Program
$3,579
SSD
56
Waterways Enterprise Fund –Retained Earnings
$1,903.31
WWE/RE
M*
2ST
M*
3ST
M*
4ST
229
M*
5ST
56
Sewer Enterprise Fund – Retained Earnings
$50,000
SEF/RE
56
Community Preservation Act
$38,669.45
CPA
URFB
56
Water Enterprise Fund – Retained Earnings
Withdrawn
57
Appropriation for Funding of Collective Bargaining Union
M*
6ST
M*
7ST
M
8ST
M*
9ST
$90,000
STAB
$746.10
STAB
Settlement
57
Prior Year Invoices
M*
230
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS
SPRING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
JUNE 5, 2007
Gross Appropriations
$73,579,163.20
Tax Levy
Borrowing
Water Enterprise Fund
Sewer Enterprise Fund
Waterways Management Enterprise Fund
$61,320,579.24
1,400,000.00
3,667,001.97
3,225,047.88
209,959.00
(SWEF
1,851,378.00)
(WEF
75,000.00)
(SEF
25,000.00)
(Conservation Receipts
40,000.00)
(Overlay Surplus
150,000.00)
(Sr. Social Day Trust Fund
196,044.61)
(CPA Surcharge
646,612.50)
(Excess Bond Proceeds
220,000.00)
(Dartmouth Cable
30,016.00)
(SBA Resd for Debt
40,490.00)
(Water Receipts/Constr. Div. 204,704.00)
(Water Retained Earnings
72,500.00)
(II Retained Earnings
100,000.00)
(II Receipts/Const. Div.
104,830.00)
Total
$73,579,163.20
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS
JUNE 5, 2007
Gross Appropriations
$225,897.81
Transfer from:
231
Water Ways Enterprise Fund Receipts
Waterways Management Enterprise Fund
Sewer Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings
Senior Social Day Program
CPA Unreserved Fund Balance
Stabilization Fund
Foundation Reserve
41,000.00
1,903.31
50,000.00
3,579.00
38,669.45
90,746.10
Total
ARTICLE 5
$225,897.81
SCHEDULE A – TOWN CHARGES
General Government
2,655,856.27
120,761.00
94,771.00
8,011.00
40,000
22,946
Tax Levy
Soc. Sen. Day
Conservation
Waterways
Public Safety
5,489,075.24 Tax Levy
Health and Sanitation
657,669.30 Tax Levy
4,517.00 Water Enterprise Fund
3,506.00 Sewer Enterprise Fund
713,135.46
510,944.00
315,482.00
841,137.00
Veteran’s Services
137,133.30 Tax Levy
Schools
Tax Levy
Solid Waste Enterprise
Fund
32,933,713.00 Tax Levy
Libraries
860,322.16 Tax Levy
Parks and Recreation
260,696.54 Tax Levy
Pensions and Retirement
2,966,956.00 Tax Levy
128,233.00 Water Enterprise Fund
142,481.00 Sewer Enterprise Fund
Unclassified
8,993,294.85 Tax Levy
232
TOTAL
155,165.00
166,411.00
150,000.00
30,016.00
5,468,727.12
235,612.50
40,490
64,147,062.74
Tax Levy
Other
SWEF (Solid Waste Enterprise Fund)
61,136,579.24
919,620.00
722,651.00
527,075.50
841,137.00
Debt
Overlay
Dartmouth Cable
Tax Levy
CPA Surcharge
Debt Bal. Excess
TOWN OF DARTMOUTH
SPRING ANNUAL & SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
JUNE 5, 2007
Pursuant to a warrant duly issued the Spring Annual and Special Town Meeting of the
inhabitants of the Town of Dartmouth, represented by their duly elected and qualified
Town Meeting Members, was held in the auditorium of the Dartmouth Middle School on
Tuesday, June 5, 2007.
The Meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM o’clock in the morning by the Moderator,
Steven Sharek.
The Moderator declared that their being 189 Town Meeting Members present out of a
total of 373 and 187 being a quorum, a quorum was present. Additional Members
checked in after the meeting was called to order.
Precinct
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Membership
39
39
23
39
39
38
39
39
39
Attended
27
33
12
30
34
26
24
33
34
233
Absent
12
6
11
9
5
12
15
6
5
10
TOTAL
39
373
100%
35
288
77%
4
85
23%
The Moderator asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of Gilbert Fernandez –
Town Meeting Member, Friend of the Library and Conservation Commissioner and Teacher
at Dartmouth High School, Kathryn C. Glennon – Town Meeting Member, Frederick R.
Hawes – Volunteer Fireman in District #3 and programmed Town Voting Machines, Mary
L. Martin – Poll Work for Town Elections, Ralph Schmarsow – Library Trustee, Town
Meeting Member, Housing Authority, Writer/Interviewer for the “Dartmouth Wanderers”
with DCTV and Council on Aging and Beverly Glennon – Town Meeting Member and
Member of Historical Commission.
The Moderator appointed Lynn M. Medeiros and Michelle DeFranco as Tellers.
MOVED and duly seconded:
That the meeting note the correct call of the Warrant and the lawful posting and return
of service thereon.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
9:14 AM
That the Moderator is hereby relieved from reading each article in its entirety
and is allowed to refer to them by title and number.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED
9:14 A.M.
That the Moderator is hereby allowed to take up action on any of the several
articles out of numerical sequence as he may determine.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 1:
9:14 A.M.
ENTERPRISE
FUND,
RECYCLING DIVISION,
234
SOLID
WASTE
AND
TRANSFER STATION (SWEF)
That the Town accept the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 53F ½, that
authorizes the establishment of a separate account classified as the Enterprise
Fund; and further that the Town vote to authorize the establishment of the Solid
Waste Enterprise Fund (SWEF).
The Solid Waste Enterprise Fund shall be separately maintained by the Town
Treasurer and all receipts, revenues and funds from any source derived from all
activities of the Solid Waste and Recycling Divisions (“Divisions”) of the
Department of Public Works, and the Transfer Station and all receipts, revenues
and funds otherwise received by the Divisions or the Transfer Station or for their
benefit or account shall be deposited in such separate account. The Treasurer may
invest the funds in such separate account in the manner authorized. Any interest
earned thereon shall be credited to and become part of such separate account. The
books and records of the enterprise shall be maintained in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principals.
Adoption of this Article is to go into effect on July 1, 2007.
Motion made to postpone Indefinitely.
Motion FAILS
9:56 AM
Now comes the vote on the main motion.
SO VOTED.
10:14 AM
FUNDING SOLID WASTE ENTERPRISE
ARTICLE 2:
FUND
That the Town appropriate $1,851,378 pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 44
Section 53½, Enterprise Fund – Solid Waste Operating Budget:
Estimated
Solid Waste Expenses
Salaries
Expense
Capital Outlay
Administrative Costs
235
FY2008
Estimated
$574,143.00
$272,084.00
$161,000.00
$320,625.00
Town Overhead
$523,526.00
TOTALS
$1,851,378.00
Estimated Revenue
Solid Waste Base Rate
Pay As You Throw (PAYT)
Fees
TOTALS
SO VOTED.
FY2008
Estimated
Revenue
$925,689.00
$925,689.00
$1,851,378.00
10:15 am
To recess the Annual Town Meeting and go to the Special Town Meeting
10:15 AM
The Annual Town Meeting was called back to order at 10:30 AM
ARTICLE 3:
AUTHORIZATION FOR EXPENDITURES
That the Town authorize the Select Board to enter into contracts for the expenditure of
funds allotted, or to be allotted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for construction,
reconstruction and improvements to Town roads and ways.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 4:
9:16 AM
SALARIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS
That the Town fix the salaries and compensation of the following elected officers of the
Town as provided in M.G.L., Chapter 81 Sec. 108 and Acts; in Amendment thereof:
Finance Com
Rec.
Town Moderator
Select Board
Town Clerk
1@
5@
1@
$
250.00
$ 2,400.00
$ 62,834.38
236
$ 250.00
$12,000.00
$62,834.38
0
0
$62,834.38
Town Assessors
Planning Board
Board of Health
Town Agent
3@
5@
3@
1@
$
$
$
$
1,000.00
525.00
525.00
1,871.00
$
$
$
$
3,000.00
2,625.00
1,575.00
1,871.00
0
0
0
0
Motion made to amend by restoring the salaries of Elected Officials.
Motion FAILS.
11:30 AM
SO VOTED.
11:32 AM
ARTICLE 5:
SCHEDULE A—FY/2008
That the Town appropriate $64,147,062.74 from various funding sources, for the
purpose of funding expenses, salary and compensation of all elected and appointed
officers of the Town, for payment of debt and interest, charges and outlays of the various
and several Town Departments for the ensuing 2008 fiscal year.
FY 2008
Request
(by line
item)
Recommendat Recommendatio
ion
n of
Finance
FY 2008
of Finance
Committee
Request
Committee 2% reduction
(by dept.) (by line item)
(by dept)
General Government
Town Meeting
Police Off Duty salaries
Expense
500.00
3,200.00
total
Moderator
Salary of Moderator
Expense
3,700.00
0.00
3,200.00
3,200.00
3,136.00
250.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
250.00
0.00
total
Office of the Select Board
Board salaries
Professional salaries (Exec. Administrator)
12,000.00
118,809.41
237
0.00
118,809.41
Professional salaries (Administrative Asst)
Professional salaries - Other Salaries
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
total
Finance Committee
Clerical salaries
Expense
48,396.72
34,094.23
85,889.19
1,450.00
35,200.00
335,839.55
0.00
34,094.44
56,143.67
1,450.00
25,000.00
235,497.52
230,787.57
9,856.34
7,637.07
310.00
7,947.07
7,788.13
161,847.04
77,756.87
82,435.17
750.00
905.00
161,847.04
158,610.10
5,451.00
0.00
3,580.00
3,580.00
3,508.40
9,546.34
310.00
total
Town Accountant
Professional salaries (Town Accountant)
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
77,756.87
82,435.17
750.00
905.00
total
Town Agent
Salary of Town Agent
Expense
1,871.00
3,580.00
total
Assessors
Board salaries
3,000.00
Professional salaries (Admin. of Assessing)
82,745.52
Professional salaries (Asst. Admin. of
Assessing)
0.00
Clerical salaries
115,608.38
Longevity
2,400.00
Expense
7,900.00
Appraisal services
20,000.00
total
231,653.90
0.00
115,608.38
2,400.00
7,900.00
20,000.00
228,653.90
Director of Budget & Finance/Treasurer
Professional salaries (Director of Budget &
Finance /
Treasurer)
Clerical salaries
Overtime and Additional Hours
Longevity
Expense
119,244.02
127,012.95
10,000.00
1,800.00
75,210.00
119,244.02
127,012.95
39,500.00
1,800.00
75,210.00
238
0.00
82,745.52
224,080.82
Capital outlay
Banking services
Tax Title expense
5,000.00
100,000.00
40,000.00
total
Town Collector
Professional salaries (Town Collector)
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
507,766.97
0.00
100,000.00
30,000.00
463,266.97
454,001.63
314,091.08
80,903.21
187,537.87
2,250.00
51,128.00
321,819.08
315,382.70
80,903.21
187,537.87
2,250.00
43,400.00
total
Town Counsel
Professional Salaries (Town Counsel)
Prof/Other Salaries (Municipal Paralegal
Specialist)
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
0.00
0.00
34,094.23
22,845.98
300.00
219,700.00
276,940.21
34,094.43
22,845.98
300.00
219,700.00
276,940.41
271,401.60
1,785.00
1,268.00
200.00
1,468.00
1,438.64
Computer Services
Professional salaries (Information Systems
Manager)
75,823.90
Other Salaries
50,253.68
Longevity
300.00
Expense
243,087.00
total
369,464.58
75,823.90
50,253.68
300.00
243,087.00
369,464.58
362,075.29
62,834.38
77,712.56
450.00
8,400.00
149,396.94
146,409.00
total
Personnel Board
Clerical salaries
Expense
1,585.00
200.00
total
Town Clerk
Professional salaries (Town Clerk)
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
62,834.38
77,712.56
450.00
8,400.00
total
239
149,396.94
Election & Registration
Board salaries
Other salaries
Expense
2,390.00
20,000.00
7,100.00
total
Clerical salaries
Inspector salary (Environmental Affairs
Coordinator)
Conservation Officer salary (Inspector)
Longevity
Expense
29,490.00
Board of Appeals
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
38,787.62
69,378.87
0.00
450.00
7,300.00
115,916.49
69,378.87
0.00
450.00
7,300.00
115,916.49
113,598.16
160,424.78
0.00
76,916.28
0.00
70,617.50
2,000.00
1,800.00
6,466.00
157,799.78
154,643.78
45,287.05
41,689.55
450.00
3,147.50
45,287.05
44,381.31
7,370.84
2,903.94
2,673.90
400.00
5,977.84
5,858.28
912.74
730.74
0.00
730.74
716.13
2,625.00
76,916.28
0.00
70,617.50
2,000.00
1,800.00
6,466.00
41,689.55
450.00
3,147.50
total
Soil Conservation
Clerical salaries
Inspector salaries
Expense
3,628.94
3,341.90
400.00
total
Capital Planning Committee
Clerical salaries
Expense
912.74
0.00
total
240
36,358.00
38,787.62
total
Planning Board
Board salaries
Professional salaries (Planning Director)
Prof/Other salaries (Asst. Planning Director)
Clerical salaries
Other salaries
Longevity
Expense
total
0.00
30,000.00
7,100.00
37,100.00
Industrial Development Comm.
Clerical salaries
Expense
0.00
0.00
total
Town Hall/Office Buildings
Custodial salaries
Longevity
Expense
Capital outlay
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
449,080.73
122,299.73
1,500.00
292,700.00
0.00
416,499.73
408,169.74
3,176,525.2
4 3,002,393.14
2,942,345.27
154,880.73
1,500.00
292,700.00
0.00
total
SUMMARY-GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Public Safety
Police Department
Professional salaries (chief)
Clerical salaries
127,538.45
216,086.53
3,504,177.9
8
53,868.82
250,000.00
388,945.82
5,600.00
135,149.70
36,000.00
5,375.18
21,600.00
577,435.00
0.00
Police Officer salaries
Police Officer holiday pay
Police Officer overtime
Dispatcher salaries
Dispatcher holiday pay
School Crossing Guard salaries
Dispatcher overtime
Holiday salaries (chief)
Longevity
Expense
Capital outlay
78,842.67
81,867.23
139,084.06
31,400.00
1,200.00
11,670.00
241
3,357,503.15
53,868.82
250,000.00
388,945.82
5,600.00
67,574.85
36,000.00
5,375.18
21,600.00
577,435.00
0.00
5,321,777.4
8 5,107,527.80
total
Building Department
Professional salaries (Dir. Of Inspectional
Services)
Clerical salaries
Inspector salaries
Other salaries
Longevity
Expense
127,538.45
216,086.53
78,842.67
81,867.23
139,084.06
31,400.00
1,200.00
12,620.00
5,005,377.24
total
Sealer of Weights & Measures
Salary of Sealer
Expense
344,063.96
345,013.96
338,113.68
3,710.00
2,508.00
575.00
3,083.00
3,021.34
2,700.00
2,700.00
2,700.00
2,646.00
103,365.19
53,470.42
0.00
300.00
30,550.00
84,320.42
82,634.01
1,350.00
960.00
150.00
1,110.00
1,087.80
62,322.52
7,842.00
0.00
3,000.00
10,842.00
10,625.16
3,135.00
575.00
total
Emergency Management Agency
Expense
2,700.00
total
Animal Control
Animal Control Officer salary
Asst.'s Animal Control salaries
Longevity
Expense
53,470.42
19,044.77
300.00
30,550.00
total
Parking Control
Salary
Expense
1,200.00
150.00
total
Natural Resources
Professional salaries (Shellfish Officer)
Other salaries
Expense
52,722.52
0.00
9,600.00
total
Street Lights
95,000.00
95,000.00
30,000.00
29,400.00
Traffic Lights
16,500.00
16,500.00
16,500.00
16,170.00
5,950,789.1
5 5,601,097.18
5,489,075.24
SUMMARY-PUBLIC SAFETY
Schools
2,098,055.0
0
33,715,200.
71
12,000.00
GNB Voc-Tech
Public Schools
Bristol County Agricultural High School
242
1,200,000.00
31,721,713.00
12,000.00
35,825,255.
71 32,933,713.00 32,933,713.00
total
35,825,255.
71 32,933,713.00 32,933,713.00
SUMMARY-SCHOOLS
Public Works
DPW-Salaries
Board salaries
Professional salaries (Supt of Public Works)
Professional salaries (Asst Supt of Public
Works)
Admin. Clerical salaries
Engineering salaries
Highway salaries
Solid waste salaries
Transfer Station salaries
Solid waste/recycling salaries
Construction Salaries
Longevity
750.00
116,350.41
0.00
116,350.41
0.00
185,071.18
336,041.50
880,694.65
358,840.03
94,446.43
120,407.06
478,904.40
12,300.00
0.00
185,071.18
336,041.50
824,694.65
0.00
0.00
0.00
478,904.40
12,300.00
total
DPW-Expense
Admin. Expense
Engineering expense
Highway expense
Solid waste expense
Transfer Station expense
Snow & Ice removal
Solid waste/recycling expense
Construction expense
2,583,805.6
6 1,953,362.14
1,914,294.90
748,006.25
21,450.00
13,392.00
362,230.00
0.00
0.00
45,000.00
0.00
33,850.00
475,922.00
466,403.56
20,000.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3,351,811.9
1 2,429,284.14
2,380,698.46
21,450.00
13,392.00
362,230.00
100,400.00
90,694.25
45,000.00
80,990.00
33,850.00
total
Highway-Chapter 90
20,000.00
total
SUMMARY-DPW
Health & Sanitation
243
Board of Health
Board salaries
1,575.00
Professional salaries (Public Health Director)
80,762.09
Clerical salaries
69,906.49
Inspector salaries
106,940.84
Other Salaries
5,540.42
Rabies Control salaries
5,776.08
Longevity
1,650.00
Expense
14,600.00
Elderly Nutrition
8,644.20
Rabies Control expense
2,500.00
Nursing Services
24,975.00
Mosquito Control
1.00
total
322,871.12
0.00
80,762.09
69,906.49
106,940.84
5,540.42
5,776.08
1,650.00
14,600.00
8,644.20
2,500.00
15,000.00
1.00
311,321.12
305,094.70
Ambulance Contract Service
286,000.00
286,000.00
76,120.45
66,393.30
6,908.70
600.00
2,218.00
76,120.00
74,597.60
684,991.57
673,441.12
665,692.30
139,931.94
41,281.94
1,500.00
97,150.00
139,931.94
137,133.30
139,931.94
139,931.94
137,133.30
286,000.00 286,000.00
Youth Commission
Professional salaries (Youth Advocate)
Clerical salaries
Longevity
Expense
66,393.30
6,908.70
600.00
2,218.45
total
SUMMARY-HEALTH & SANITATION
Veterans' Services
Veterans' Services
Professional salaries (Veterans' Agent)
Expense
Veterans' benefits
41,281.94
1,500.00
97,150.00
total
SUMMARY-VETERANS' SERVICES
Libraries
244
Professional salaries (Library Director)
Professional salaries (other)
Clerical salaries
Custodial salaries
Other salaries
Longevity
Expense
Expense-books, etc.
79,927.85
242,214.56
350,082.94
93,583.83
68,348.03
6,750.00
138,000.00
186,500.00
total
SUMMARY-LIBRARIES
Park & Recreation
Recreation Department
Professional salaries (Recreation Director)
Clerical salaries
Custodial salaries
Other salaries
Expense
total
Park Commission
Professional salaries
Clerical salaries
Other salaries
Expense
Capital Outlay
79,927.85
189,347.40
321,725.87
81,405.32
34,223.31
6,750.00
107,000.00
57,500.00
1,165,407.2
1
877,879.75
860,322.16
1,165,407.2
1
877,879.75
860,322.16
81,480.45
0.00
4,982.65
0.00
23,592.80
12,300.00
40,875.45
40,057.94
225,141.43
60,364.93
24,969.06
113,260.44
26,547.00
0.00
225,141.43
220,638.60
306,621.88
266,016.88
260,696.54
0.00
4,982.65
40,605.00
23,592.80
12,300.00
60,364.93
24,969.06
113,260.44
26,547.00
0.00
total
SUMMARY-PARK & RECREATION
3,237,670.0
0
Pensions & Retirement
3,237,670.00
3,237,670.0
0 3,237,670.00
Pensions & Retirement
Unclassified
Council on Aging
Professional salaries (Director of COA)
57,736.18
245
57,736.18
3,237,670.00
Clerical salaries
Custodial salaries
Longevity
Expense
38,962.21
35,396.38
900.00
63,195.60
38,962.21
35,396.38
900.00
58,195.60
191,190.37
187,366.56
4,650,860.3 4,650,860.3
5
5 4,650,860.35
4,650,860.35
total
Group Insurance
196,190.37
Elected Officials Health Insurance
37,149.60
37,149.60
6,380.92
6,380.92
Funding DTEA FY07 Contract Settlement
90,000.00
90,000.00
90,000.00
90,000.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Police Medical
750,000.00 750,000.00
750,000.00
750,000.00
Assessment Reserve
898,055.00 898,055.00
898,055.00
898,055.00
Salary & Budget Adjustments
Tuition Reimbursement
1,500.00
1,500.00
0.00
0.00
Buzzards Bay Action Committee
992.50
992.50
0.00
0.00
Agricultural Trust Council
400.00
400.00
0.00
0.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
0.00
0.00
Center for Non-Violence
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Agricultural Commission
400.00
400.00
0.00
0.00
S.R.P.E.D.D.
4,953.48
4,953.48
4,953.48
4,953.48
War Veterans Graves
1,100.00
1,100.00
0.00
0.00
400.00
400.00
0.00
0.00
1,790.00
1,790.00
0.00
0.00
499,000.00 499,000.00
499,000.00
499,000.00
25,242.00
25,242.00
Training
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Memorial-Veterans Day
Medicare & Unemployment Compensation
Other Unemployment Compensation
0.00
246
0.00
School Unemployment Compensation
264,610.54 264,610.54
Historical Commission
MMA - Dues
Week's Plummer Post
Town/Finance Reports
Regional Refuse Management District
Sick Leave Incentive
Rape Crisis Center
264,610.54
500.00
500.00
0.00
0.00
4,191.00
4,191.00
0.00
4,191.00
100.00
100.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
150,568.00 150,568.00
150,568.00
150,568.00
42,850.00
42,850.00
42,850.00
630,000.00 630,000.00
630,000.00
625,809.00
42,850.00
Reserve Fund
264,610.54
1,500.00
1,500.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
500.00
500.00
0.00
0.00
Recreation/Water
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
S/L- Comp Time Buyouts
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Utility & Maintenance Reserve
25,000.00
25,000.00
0.00
0.00
Manpower Expense
25,000.00
25,000.00
0.00
0.00
Police Grant Match
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Worker Compensation & Multi-peril
Insurance
1,185,000.0 1,185,000.0
0
0 1,185,000.00
1,185,000.00
Communications
110,000.00 110,000.00
Police Dare Program
Visiting Dignitaries/Sister City
SUMMARY - UNCLASSIFIED
247
110,000.00
110,000.00
9,574,610.8
4 9,498,710.66
9,494,886.85
Maturing Debt
1,499,960.4
5
2,206,180.0
0
Principal
Principal - School
2,206,180.00
3,706,140.4
5 3,706,140.45
total
Interest On Debt
Interest on principal
1,499,960.45
505,231.72
1,417,891.5
0
5,565.95
110,000.00
Interest on principal - Exclusions
Lease payments
Interest on short-term notes
total
505,231.72
1,417,891.50
5,565.95
110,000.00
2,038,689.1
7 2,038,689.17
GRAND TOTAL
Moved and duly seconded:
Motion made to amend Schedule A to fully fund School Crossing Guards from
Stabilization Fund.
3:00 PM
Motion made to amend Schedule A/Unclassified -- MMA Dues for FY/2008 by restoring
the $4,191 from Reserve Fund.
SO VOTED. 3:57 PM
SO VOTED.
YES
244
NO
2,038,689.17
5,744,829.6
2 5,744,829.62 5,744,829.62
69,158,445.
07 64,404,967.43 64,147,062.74
SUMMARY-INTEREST AND DEBT
Motion FAILS.
3,706,140.45
8
3:59 PM
Sense of the meeting motion.
To compare the salaries of anyone who makes $90,000 and up, including the school
department with other communities.
SO VOTED. 3:07 PM
248
ARTICLE 6:
FY/2008 BUDGET FUNDING THROUGH CONTINGENT
APPROPRIATION
That the Town appropriate a sum of money from the levy by contingent appropriations
in conformity with M.G.L. Chapter 59 Sec. 21C (M) for the purpose of supplementing
various operating budgets for the FY/2008, said contingent appropriations shall be
effective upon passage of an override question at an election to be held within the
prescribed period of the law.
To WITHDRAW.
SO VOTED.
11:32 AM
ARTICLE 7:
FUNDING WATER DEPARTMENT BUDGET – ENTERPRISE
FUND
That the Town appropriate $3,667,001.97 pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter
40 Sec. 39K and Chapter 44 Sec. 53F ½, Enterprise Fund – Water Department, for the
purpose of funding the FY/2008 Water Operating Budget, as follows:
FY2006
Expended
FY2007
Appropriated
2,074,297.31
2,063,466.43
65,989.74
143,079.00
74,912.00
364,886.00
656,799.48
20,401.49
4,831.49
143,079.00
74,912.00
364,886.00
819,705.50
44,250.00
3,400,365.02
3,515,130.42
FY2006
Actual
Estimated
Water Expenses
FY2008
Estimated
Water Division
2,213,780.01
Capital Outlay
Engineering Costs
Town Overhead
Debt Service (Princ. & Int.)
Debt Service (Int. & Short term)
TOTALS
FY2007
Estimated Revenues
249
0.00
150,918.00
80,322.00
408,676.00
769,055.96
44,250.00
3,667,001.97
FY2008
Estimated
Revenues
Estimated
Revenues
286,190.00
114,251.39
27,114.44
80,523.11
3,125.04
3,483,136.79
Revenues
150,000.00
50,000.00
14,106.00
40,000.00
1,000.00
3,260,024.42
3,994,340.77
3,515,130.42
System Development Charge
Other Departmental Revenue
Interest Earned/Demands
Investment Income
Insurance Recovery
Water Rates
TOTALS
150,000.00
50,000.00
10,000.00
60,000.00
1,000.00
3,396,001.97
3,667,001.97
SO VOTED.
11:32 AM
ARTICLE 8:
FUNDING SEWER DEPARTMENT BUDGET – ENTERPRISE
FUND
That the Town appropriate $3,225,047.88 pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter
40 Sec. 39K and Chapter 44 Sec. 53F½, Enterprise Fund – Sewer Department, for the
purpose of funding the FY/2008 Sewer Operating Budget, as follows:
FY2006
Expended
548,177.00
FY2007
Appropriated
529,385.07
Estimated
Sewer Expenses
Sewer Division
21,592.74
1,422,414.20
9,662.98
53,369.00
62,426.00
62,358.00
4,831.49
1,406,676.24
9,662.98
53,369.00
62,426.00
62,358.00
361,344.00
361,344.00
Town Overhead
407,169.00
110,174.81
250,486.22
Debt Service (Princ. & Int.)
347,261.37
Capital Outlay
Water Pollution Control
Capital Outlay
Engineering Costs
Engineering Costs – I/I
FY2008
Estimated
566,708.45
0.00
1,655,257.06
0.00
56,359.00
66,935.00
62,358.00
Debt Service (Interest-Short
0.00
0.00
63,000.00
250
Term)
2,651,518.73
2,740,539.00
FY2006
Actual
Revenues
307,242.45
96,520.72
195,563.50
13,792.76
26,951.19
16,144.00
FY2007
Estimated
Revenues
150,000.00
100,000.00
150,000.00
8,605.00
10,000.00
4,300.00
2,249,195.31
2,317,634.00
Sewer Rates
2,905,409.93
2,740,539.00
TOTALS
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
TOTALS
Estimated Revenues
System Development Charge
Other Departmental Revenue
Infiltration/Inflow
Interest Earned/Demands
Investment Income
State Revenue
3,225,047.88
FY2008
Estimated
Revenues
180,000.00
100,000.00
75,000.00
5,000.00
21,500.00
4,300.00
2,839,247.88
3,225,047.88
11:34 AM
FUNDING DARTMOUTH SENIOR
ARTICLE 9:
SOCIAL DAY PROGRAM
That the Town appropriate $196,044.61 from Social Day Receipts for the purpose of
funding the Dartmouth Senior Social Day Program for FY/2008.
SO VOTED. YES
252
NO
2
11:35 AM
ARTICLE 10:
FUNDING
WATERWAYS
DEPARTMENT – ENTERPRISE FUND
MANAGEMENT
That the Town appropriate $209,959.00 from Waterways Receipts for the purpose of
funding the Waterways Management Department for FY/2008.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
11:38 AM
MOVED and seconded to amend by:
Waterways budget be added to the warrant yearly.
251
SO VOTED. YES
251
NO
1
11:38 AM
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT – FY/2008 BUDGET
ARTICLE 11:
That the Town appropriate or reserve for later appropriation monies from FY/2008
Community Preservation Fund Annual Revenues in the amount of $178,400 to be
allocated as follows:
$45,800
$88,400
$44,200
______
$178,400
SO VOTED. YES
247
Historic Preservation Reserve
Community Housing Reserve
Administrative Expenses
TOTAL
NO
5
11:40 AM
ARTICLE 12:
ACCEPTANCE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING
COMMITTEE REPORT AND FUNDING FY/2008 CAPITAL PLAN
That the Town accept the Capital Improvement Planning Committee Report for Capital
Needs for FY/2008, funding by the following: Capital Outlay expenditure exclusion of
$875,168.00, which is to be contingent on the ballot question to be placed before the
Town voters, a debt exclusion override $2,241,668.00 of M.G.L. Chapter 59 Sec. 21 C,
and borrow $232,332.00 under MGL Chapter 44 Sec. 7 for the Sewer Enterprise Fund,
and borrow $353,332.00 for the Water Enterprise Fund, further to authorize the Treasurer,
with the approval of the Select Board, to borrow $2,827,332.00 under and pursuant to
Massachusetts General Laws, Ch. 44, Sec. 7, or any other enabling authority, and to issue
bonds or notes of the Town therefore, and the Town has voted in the affirmative on a
ballot question to be placed before the Town voters in accordance with MGL, Ch. 59, Sec.
21C.
252
Item(s)
COST
Funding Source
Police Department
(6) Police Cruisers
$234,000 One-time capital exclusion
Mobile Computer Upgrade
(60) portable radios
(3) Police Detective Vehicles
TOTAL
$411,000
Administration (1) mid-size Vehicle
$22,000 1/3 one-time capital exclusion
(balance funded by 1/3 WEF, 1/3
SEF)
Highway Division
(2) 34,000 GVW dump truck w/plow
& slide-in sander
(1) Sand blast unit, oper. protection
suit, and air supply system
Road Reconstruction
$350,000 Borrowing debt exclusion
(1) Street Sweeper
Construction Division
(1) Loader w/side dump
$115,000 1/3 Borrowing debt exclusion
(balance funded by1/3 WEF, & 1/3
SEF)
$40,000 1/3 One-time capital exclusion
(balance funded by 1/3 WEF, & 1/3
SEF)
(1) Utility Truck, Diesel 4X4 w/2way radio GVW 15,000
(1) Replacement Dozer
$100,000 1/3 Borrowing debt exclusion
(balance funded by 1/3 WEF, & 1/3
SEF)
$1,100,500
TOTAL
253
Town Buildings
Renovations, Town Buildings
TOTAL
$65,000
School Department
Phase I and II Energy Saving
$1,350,000 Borrowing debt exclusion
Window replacement over 2-3 years
at the Quinn School
Education Technology Upgrade
TOTAL
$1,475,000
Libraries
Southworth Library Heating, Venting
and Air Conditioning
TOTAL
$250,000
254
WATER AND SEWER
ENTERPRISE FUNDS
Water Pollution Control (Sewer
Enterprise Fund)
Rebuild Plant Grit Collection
$50,000 Borrowing
Equipment
Add Bio-filter Media to Soil Filter
$15,000 Borrowing
(5) new Compost Exhaust blowers
$75,000 Borrowing
w/energy efficient motors and drives
TOTAL
$140,000
Water Department (Water Enterprise
Fund)
Filter Media replacement 299 Plant
$120,000 Borrowing
Upgrade of SCADA system
$120,000 Borrowing
½ ton pickup with Cap and Radio
$21,000 Borrowing
TOTAL
261,000
GRAND TOTAL OF ITEMS
$3,702.500
SEF = Sewer Enterprise Fund, WEF = Water Enterprise Fund, GF = General Fund
Total Borrowing Debt Exclusion
Total One-Time capital Exclusion
Total Borrowing SEF
Total Borrowing WEF
Grand Total
$2,241,668
$875,168
$232,332
$353,332
$3,702,500
Motion to Indefinitely postpone.
Motion FAILS.
12:04 PM
MOVED and seconded:
To Postpone to Fall Annual Town Meeting.
SO VOTED.
12:14 PM
The Annual Town Meeting recessed for lunch at 12:15 PM.
The Annual Town Meeting reconvened at 1:30 PM.
256
ARTICLE 13:
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATIONS
That the Town will vote to appropriate $220,000 from Excess Bond Proceeds from the
following funds:
Article
9
Date
5/82
50
5/95
34
5/96
43
5/97
18
6/98
1
2/98
38
11/99
24
5/00
29
5/01
21
11/01
Description
Barnet
Boulevard
School
Capital
Improvement
Park Phase
(Hawes
Land)
Town Forest
Extension
School
Capital
Improvement
New High
School
Bakerville
Road
Improvement
Town Cap.
Projects – St.
Lights
Russells
Mills Road
Improvement
Park Phase
III
TOTAL
Amount
$3,009.56
$1,930.46
$8,313.40
$1,648.24
$4,580.84
$1,260.87
$22,561.32
$147,005.73
$13,185.61
$16,503.97
$220,000.00
For the following purpose:
School Department:
Electrical Circuit Panel Upgrade at the Middle School
Underground fuel tank replacement at the Potter and
DeMello Schools
$ 70,000
$125,000
LIBRARY:
Emergency Doors replacement at the
257
Southworth Library
$ 25,000
TOTAL
$220,000.00
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 14:
AND
1:39 PM
APPROPRIATION TO CORRECT SEWER SYSTEM INFLOW
INFILTRATION ISSUES
That the Town transfer $100,000 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund (SEF) Inflow and
Infiltration (I & I) Retained Earnings Account to the FY/2008 Inflow and Infiltration
Operating Account for correction of inflow and infiltration problems throughout the
Town.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
1:40 PM
258
ARTICLE 15:
FUNDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
That the Town appropriate $650,000 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund through
borrowing for the purposes of preparing a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan,
and any incidental and related cost thereto; and to authorize the Treasurer, with the
approval of the Select Board, to borrow said $650,000 pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44,
Sec. 7, or any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor,
further to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, to borrow all or
a portion of such amount from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Water Pollution
Abatement Trust established pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 29C, and in connection
therewith to enter into a loan agreement with the Trust and the Department of
Environmental Protection with respect to such loan or any Federal or State Aide available
for the project, and to authorize the Board of Public Works to enter in to a project
regulatory agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection, to apply for,
accept, and expend all funds available for the project.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
4:06 PM
SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING BAYVIEW SEWER
ARTICLE 16:
PROJECT
That the Town appropriate $750,000 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund through
available revenues or by borrowing for the payment of unforeseen project expenses
incurred in relation to the removal of ledge necessary for the installation of sewer main;
and to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, to borrow said
$750,000 pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 7, or any other enabling authority, and to
issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, or take any action relative thereto; further to
authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, to borrow all or a portion
of such amount from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement
Trust established pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 29C and in connection therewith to enter
into a loan agreement with the Trust and the Department of Environmental Protection
with respect to such loan or any federal or state aid available for the project, or take any
action relative thereto; and to authorize the Board of Public Works to enter into a project
regulatory agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection, to apply for,
accept, and expend all funds available for the project.
SO VOTED.
PM
YES
246
NO
6
4:22
259
ARTICLE 17.
SCHEDULE
AMENDMENT TO GENERAL BY-LAWS
-- DOGS –FEE
That the Town amend the Dartmouth General By-Laws by the following:
Amend SECTION 3 Sub-Section 2 FEES:
The License Fee structure shall be the following:
FROM
(per year)
Spayed female dogs and neutered
male dogs
Unspayed
female
dogs
and
unneutered male dogs
Duplicate tags.
el Licenses
A. Not more than four dogs
B. More than four but not more than
ten dogs
C. More than ten dogs but not more
than twenty-five dogs
D. More than twenty-five dogs
Boarding Charge:
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 18:
$7.00
TO
(per Year)
$12.00
$11.00
$20.00
$0.50
$1.00
$17.00
$35.00
$50.00
$65.00
$65.00
$100.00
$100.00
$12.00 per day.
$300.00
25.00 Per Day
4:23 PM
DARTMOUTH GENERAL BY-LAWS – ALARMS – FEE
SCHEDULE
That the Town amend the Dartmouth General By-Laws; PRESENTLY:
SECTION 1. GENERAL BY-LAW REGULATING ALARMS
260
3.
Whenever three (3) or more false alarms are caused within a twelve (12) month period
(within the fiscal year July 1 - June 30), the owner(s) or person(s) in control of said alarm
shall be subject to paying a fine of $25.00 for each and every occurrence starting with the
3rd false alarm, be it a business or residential activation. Starting with the fourth (4th)
occurrence and including each and every occurrence up to the ninth (9th) occurrence the
fine shall be $50.00 be it a business or residential activation. Starting with the tenth (10th)
and subsequent alarm occurrences for the remaining fiscal year the fine shall be $75.00 for
each occurrence thereafter. Any fines
imposed and collected under this Section concerning false alarms where a Fire District of
the Town has responded to a fire alarm or smoke detection activation determined to be
false shall be turned over to the appropriate Fire District after that fine has been remitted to
the Town.
AMEND TO:
SECTION 1. GENERAL BY-LAW REGULATING ALARMS
3.
Whenever three (3) or more false alarms are caused within a twelve (12) month period
(within the fiscal year July 1 - June 30), the owner(s) or person(s) in control of said alarm
shall be subject to paying a fine of 75.00 for each and every occurrence starting with the
3rd false alarm, be it a business or residential activation. Starting with the fourth (4th)
occurrence and including each and every occurrence up to the ninth (9th) occurrence the
fine shall be $100.00 be it a business or residential activation. Starting with the tenth
(10th) and subsequent alarm occurrences for the remaining fiscal year the fine shall be
$150.00 for each occurrence thereafter. Any fines imposed and collected under this
Section concerning false alarms where a Fire District of the Town has responded to a fire
alarm or smoke detection activation determined to be false shall be turned over to the
appropriate Fire District after that fine has been remitted to the Town.
Motion made to Amend as follows:
Increase from $50.00 to $75.00
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
4:27 PM
SO VOTED.
4:20 PM
ARTICLE 19:
AMENDMENT TO GENERAL BY-LAWS – PARKING
VIOLATIONS –FEE SCHEDULE
261
That the Town amend the Dartmouth General By-Laws;
DELETE:
SECTION 2. PENALTIES FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS
The following fines for the specified violations of the Town of Dartmouth motor vehicle
parking rules and regulations as promulgated by the Select Board shall be paid to the Town Parking
Clerk and remitted to the Town Collector.
GROUP A
FINE AMOUNT: $20.00
02
03
04
05
14
21
Not within marked areas
Not parking within six inches of curb
Left-Hand side or wrong side of street
Illegal angle parking
Overtime in a time restricted area
Within a service area
GROUP B
FINE AMOUNT: $25.00
07
08
09
10
12
13
15
17
11
18
19
GROUP C
Parking within crosswalk
Parking within sidewalk
Parking within Taxi Stand
Parking within Bus Stop
Parking within a loading zone
Parking within a no parking zone
Parking within 10 feet of a driveway
Restricted parking area
Parking within 20 feet of an intersection
Double Parked
Parking less than 10 feet unobstructed lane
FINE AMOUNT: $50.00
16
1
20
22
23
Parking within Fire Lane
Obstructing passage of Fire apparatus
Parking within 10 feet of a hydrant
Parking in front of a driveway
Impeding snow removal
262
24
25
26
Parking within 50 feet of wall of fire station or Directly
across from fire station
Parking adjacent to any center strip or island within
public way
Parking within 30 feet of a safety zone
GROUP D
FINE AMOUNT: $100.00
27
28
29
GROUP E
Obstructing a handicap ramp
Parking in a handicap parking zone
Parking in striped handicap loading zone
FINE AMOUNT: $75.00
6
Violation of overnight parking time restrictions
INSERT:
SECTION 2. PENALTIES FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS
The following fines for the specified violations of the Town of Dartmouth motor vehicle
parking rules and regulations as promulgated by the Select Board, shall be paid to the Town Parking
Clerk and remitted to the Town Collector.
GROUP A
FINE AMOUNT: $30.00
02
03
04
05
14
21
Not within marked areas
Not parking within six inches of curb
Left-Hand side or wrong side of street
Illegal angle parking
Overtime in a time restricted area
Within a service area
GROUP B
FINE AMOUNT: $45.00
07
08
09
10
12
13
15
Parking within crosswalk
Parking within sidewalk
Parking within Taxi Stand
Parking within Bus Stop
Parking within a loading zone
Parking within a no parking zone
Parking within 10 feet of a driveway
263
17
11
18
19
Restricted parking area
Parking within 20 feet of an intersection
Double Parked
Parking less than 10 feet unobstructed lane
GROUP C
FINE AMOUNT: $60.00
16
1
20
22
23
24
Parking within Fire Lane
Obstructing passage of Fire apparatus
Parking within 10 feet of a hydrant
Parking in front of a driveway
Impeding snow removal
Parking within 50 feet of wall of fire station or Directly
across from fire station
Parking adjacent to any center strip or island within
public way
Parking within 30 feet of a safety zone
25
26
GROUP D
FINE AMOUNT: $125.00
27
28
29
Obstructing a handicap ramp
Parking in a handicap parking zone
Parking in striped handicap loading zone
GROUP E
FINE AMOUNT: $85.00
6
Violation of overnight parking time restrictions
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 20:
4:29 PM
TOWN CLERK FEE SCHEDULE
That the Town revise the adoption fee schedule for Town Clerk, M.G.L. Chapter 262
Sec. 34 as follows:
Certified Copies: Births, Deaths and Marriages
Recording Certificate of Marriage for persons
married
Outside of the Commonwealth of MA
FROM
$5.00
$5.00
TO
$10.00
each
$10.00
264
Marriage License
Business Certificate
SO VOTED.
PM
$25.00
$20.00
for 4
yrs
YES
ARTICLE 21:
251
NO
1
$40.00
$40.00
for 4
yrs.
4:30
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES FEE SCHEDULE
That the Town amend the fees of the Weights and Measures as follows:
Delete Present Schedule:
Device
Type
Balances
Scales
Fees
&
Over 10,000 lbs
5,000 to 10,000 lbs.
1,000 to 5,000 lbs.
100 to 1,000 lbs.
100 lbs.
10 or less
$150.00
$105.00
$ 75.00
$ 60.00
$ 35.00
$ 35.00
Avoirdupois
Apothecary
Troy
$1.00
each
$1.00
each
$1.00 each
$1.00 each
Gasoline
Vehicle Tank Pump
Bulk Storage
$ 20.00
$ 60.00
$100.00
Fabric Measuring
Reverse Vending
$ 8.00
$ 20.00
1
–3
Register/Terminal’s
$ 75.00
Weights
Metric
Liquid
Measuring
Meters
Other Devices
Weights
265
4
–
11
Register/Terminal’s
12 or more
$150.00
$250.00
Insert New Schedule:
DEVICE
DEVICES
MEAS.
CAPACITY
MEASURES
Taxi Meters
Odometer
Leather Meas.
Fabric Measuring
Wire-Rope-Cordage
Reverse Vending
Yard Sticks
Tapes
AUTO
RETAIL
CHECKOUT
OTHER
Inlet ½ “ or less
Oil, Grease
Inlet more than ½ “ to 1"
Gasoline
Inlet more than 1 “
Vehicle Tank Pump
Vehicle Tank Gravity
Bulk Storage
Company Supplies Prover
LINEAR
Vehicle Tanks
Each Indicator
Each 100 Gals. Or
Fraction Thereof
Liquid
1 Gallon or less
More than 1 gallon
LIQUID
MEASURING
METERS
WEIGHT
S
BALANCES
& SCALES
Over 10,000 lbs.
5,000 to 10,000 lbs.
1,000 to 5,000 lbs.
100 to 1,000 lbs.
100 lbs.
10 or less
Avoirdupois
(Each)
Metric
“
Apothecary
“
Troy
“
1 - 3 Register/Terminal's
FEE
175.00
150.00
100.00
75.00
50.00
50.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
30.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
20.00
25.00
40.00
60.00
75.00
100.00
60.00
40.00
30.00
30.00
30.00
30.00
30.00
5.00
5.00
100.00
266
4 - 11 Register/Terminal's
12 or more
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 22:
200.00
300.00
4:31 PM
POLICE PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS
That the Town petition the General Court for a Special Act relative to Police Promotional
Examinations, as follows:
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE TOWN OF DARTMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT
PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS.
Notwithstanding G.L. Chapter 31 and other statutes and Special Acts to the contrary, the
appointment authority of the Town of Dartmouth Police Department may make a police
promotional appointment within a departmental unit on the basis of a police departmental
promotional examination.
1.
For promotion to title of Sergeant: There shall be no such promotional
examination until there are at least two (2) employees who have been employed in
the Dartmouth Police Department for at least (3) three years of fulltime permanent
employment immediately preceding the date of the examination as a civil service
employee in a title equal to that of which the position for which the examination
is to be held or the next lower titles, as determined by the administrator, as a
police officer, but excluding from the calculation of employment absences greater
than thirty (30) continuous calendar days, including but not limited to such
absences arising out of or related to injury on duty, extended sick leave,
administrative leave, or any continuous combination thereof, not to be included in
such absence any active duty status in the United States Military.
2.
For promotion to any title above Sergeant: The examination shall only be open to
employees who have been employed by the Dartmouth Police Department for at
least (5) five years of fulltime permanent employment immediately preceding the
date of the examination as a civil service employee in a title equal to that of which
the position for which the examination is to be held or the next lower titles, as
determined by the administrator, including service in an acting capacity in the title
being examined or higher title, but excluding from the calculation of employment
absences greater than thirty (30) continuous calendar days, including but not
limited to such absences arising out of or related to injury on duty, extended sick
leave, administrative leave, or any continuous combination thereof, not to be
included in such absence any active duty status in the United States Military.
Except that if the number of applicants eligible is less than two (2), the
examination shall be opened to permanent employees in the next lower titles in
267
succession in such force until either two (2) such eligible employees have applied
for examination or until the examination is open to all permanent employees in
lower titles in such force.
This Act shall be in effect upon enactment.
Motion made to amend by adding the following language:
Not to be included in such absence any active duty status in the United States Military.
SO VOTED.
4:30 PM
SO VOTED. YES
ARTICLE 23:
251
NO
1
4:41 PM
PETITION FOR SPECIAL ENABLING LEGISLATION TO THE
GREAT AND GENERAL COURT OF THE COMMONWEALTH
That the Town petition the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
for the following:
AN ACT EXEMPTING THE POSITION OF DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE IN THE TOWN
OF DARTMOUTH FROM THE PROVISIONS OF CIVIL SERVICE LAW
Section 1. The position of Deputy Chief of Police of the Dartmouth Police Department shall be
exempt from the provisions of Chapter thirty-one of the Massachusetts General Laws.
Section 2. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.
SO VOTED.
PM
ARTICLE 24:
YES
248
NO
4
4:42
ACCEPTANCE
OF
REPORT
OF
THE
DARTMOUTH SCHOOL BUILDING AND RENOVATION
STUDY COMMITTEE
That the Town accept a status report of the work of the Dartmouth School Building
and Renovation Study Committee as to their work to date.
268
UNANIMOUSLY.
4:46 PM
STREET ACCEPTANCE – LUCY LITTLE ROAD
ARTICLE 25:
That the Town accept the layout of a portion of Lucy Little Road. All as detailed on a
plan, entitled “Layout of Lucy Little Road” in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, dated May 3,
2007 by Boucher and Heureux, Inc., and recorded in the Bristol County Registry of
Deeds (S.D.) in Plan Book 161 Page 13.
Motion made to amend by deleting “ from Old Westport Road to Chase Road.
SO VOTED.
4:53 PM
SO VOTED.
YES
249
NO
3
4:57 PM
STREET ACCEPTANCE – CHRISTINE DRIVE
ARTICLE 26:
To see if the Town will vote to accept as a public way the layout of Christine Drive, as
shown on a plan on file with the Select Board entitled “Street Acceptance Plan, Christine Drive,
Dartmouth, Massachusetts” dated December 14, 2006, Scale 1” = 40’, prepared by Kenneth R.
Ferreira Engineering, Inc. (the “Plan”), including in said layout the portion of the land labeled on
Drawing No.2 of the Plan as “Pedestrian Access Right of Way See Special Permit Dated
December 10, 1997 Recorded in Book 4199, Page 283” but in no way removing or otherwise
altering any limitations or restrictions currently
affecting said Pedestrian Access Right of Way, and excepting from said layout Open Space
Parcels “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” on said Plan; and further to authorize the Town to acquire said
land which is laid out by gift, purchase or by eminent domain.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 27:
YES
251
NO
1
5:00 PM
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WATER
DIVISION LAND ACQUISITION
That the Town appropriate $72,500 from the Water Enterprise Retained Earnings for
the purpose of acquiring by purchase, approximately 30.44 acres of land owned by the
269
Town of Dartmouth, for the purpose of protecting town drinking water supply around the
new Panelli Wells, said land is described by the Dartmouth Assessors as Map 52, Lot 7,
and Map 48, Lot 35.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 28:
STREET
5:06 PM
SEWER EASEMENT TUCKER ROAD TO ALLEN
That the Town accept by gift, purchase or eminent domain, the sewer easements, as
shown on a plan entitled “Approval Not Required Plan of Land in Dartmouth, MA drawn
for Tucker Lane Properties, LLC” and dated March 3, 2006, prepared by Boucher &
Heureux, Inc., and dated March 3, 2006 on file at the Department of Public Works, and
recorded at the Bristol County Registry of Deeds (S.D.) in Plan Book 158 Page 27.
SO VOTED. YES
251
NO
ARTICLE 29:
AND
1
5:07 PM
ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY EASEMENTS
LAND TAKINGS
That the Town acquire by purchase, gift or eminent domain, the easements and land,
all as described on the Parcel Summary, on a plan on file at the Office of the Department
of Public Works entitled “Dartmouth Gulf Road Over Apponagansett River, Right-ofWay Plan” prepared for the MassHighway Department (MHD), Project File number
602473.
Motion to Delete the following language:
That the Town submit to MassHighway the findings of the National Oceangraphic and
Atmospheric Administration as to tidal flooding and restriction improvements.
SO VOTED.
5:25 PM
Now comes the vote on the main motion
SO VOTED.
YES
244
NO
8
5:25 PM
Sense of the meeting motion.
270
A Vote of the Dartmouth Town Meeting that MassHighway consider the findings of
NOA and other state agencies including Federal Review Authorities on the issue of the
Title Restrictions as proposed in their design and address these environmental concerns.
SO VOTED.
YES
250
NO
1
5:26 PM
ARTICLE 30:
ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT – RESIDENTIAL
SIZE, LAND BASE WIND ENERGY CONVERSION FACILITIES
That the Town amend the Dartmouth Zoning By-Laws by adding the following:
INSERT NEW SECTION:
SECTION 33 - RESIDENTIAL WIND TURBINE BY-LAW
33.100
PURPOSE AND INTENT
This bylaw is intended to encourage the appropriate development of wind resources
by residents of the Town of Dartmouth in a manner consistent with preserving the
environmental quality of the Town. It is designed to establish the public processes
needed to identify preferred locations for wind turbines and other devices that convert
wind energy to electricity, and create a clear regulatory path that will address
specifically wind turbine deployment.
This bylaw pertains to residential-size facilities, i.e., turbines with a rated power of
less than or equal to 10 kilowatts. Section 33 also governs the installation of wind
monitoring or meteorological towers.
Although Dartmouth has been the site of wind machines in its past, typically those
were used for water-pumping for agriculture and in salt works. The types of machines
now being contemplated and proposed differ from those historic devices in purpose,
size, technology, cost and potential environmental impact.
Whereas the existing Town bylaws and the permitting processes do not specifically
prohibit wind turbines, the lack of appropriate regulations to govern today’s modern
wind machines creates uncertainty for those wishing to deploy wind turbines and
leads to ad hoc decisions. As renewable energy technology develops, particularly
wind power, we see a rapidly changing field as more and more individuals give
serious consideration to wind turbines as a means of supplying some or all of their
electricity requirements. This growth exacerbates the disconnect between the existing
bylaws in the Town and the current state of the art.
271
It is therefore the intent of this bylaw to provide the Town of Dartmouth with a set of
rules to understand the land use issues regarding wind power and to enable the Town
and its residents to plan for the installation of modern wind electrical generating
equipment. It is the express purpose of this bylaw to accommodate distributed
generation, residential-size wind energy conversion facilities in appropriate locations,
while minimizing any adverse visual, safety or environmental impacts of the
facilities. Furthermore, this bylaw is intended to provide for a permitting process to
be followed by anyone wishing to install a residential-size wind turbine.
The bylaw enables the review and approval of proposals for wind energy conversion
facilities by the Town’s Special Permit Granting Authority within the framework of
the Town’s existing bylaws. This bylaw is intended to be used in conjunction with
Massachusetts state regulations and other regulations adopted or enacted by the Town
and its departments, boards, and committees, including but not limited to historic
district regulations, site plan review, and other local bylaws designed to encourage
appropriate land use, environmental protection, and provision of adequate
infrastructure development in Dartmouth.
33.200
DEFINITIONS
Clear Area: Area surrounding a wind turbine to be kept free of residences or places of
business as determined by the Special Permit Granting Authority. See Section
33.303.B.2.
Commercial-size WECF: A wind energy conversion facility (WECF) having a rated
electrical power output greater than 10 kilowatts. (Not covered by this bylaw.)
Distributed Generation: Energy generation that is located at or near the end-user.
HAWT: Horizontal-axis wind turbine.
Height: The height of a HAWT measured from the natural grade at the base of the
tower to the tip of a blade at its highest point, or the maximum height of a verticalaxis wind turbine (VAWT).
Hub Height: The height of a HAWT measured vertically from the natural grade at the
base of the tower to the centerline of the rotor.
Nacelle: The frame and housing at the top of a HAWT tower that encloses the
gearbox, generator, and other accessories, and protects them from the weather.
Residential-size WECF: A wind energy conversion facility (WECF) having a rated
electrical power output equal to or less than 10 kilowatts.
Rotor: The blades and hub of the wind turbine that rotate during turbine operation.
272
Special Permit Granting Authority (SPGA): The Special Permit Granting Authority
(SPGA) for the Town of Dartmouth shall be the Select Board of the Town and shall
have the authority to issue Special Permits for wind energy conversion facilities.
Technical Research Group (TRG): The group designated in Section 33.801 of this
bylaw with the authority to review applications for Special Permits for wind energy
conversion facilities and to make recommendations on such applications to the
SPGA.
Tower: The structure that supports the turbine, rotor, generator, and accessory
equipment. The tower may be a monopole or lattice design, with or without guy wires
depending on the height and other factors.
VAWT: Vertical-axis wind turbine; sometimes called a Darrieus-type wind turbine.
WECF-Setback: The distance measured at grade from the center of the base of the
tower to the nearest property line.
Wind energy conversion facility (WECF): All equipment, machinery and structures
used in connection with the conversion of wind energy to electricity. This includes,
but is not limited to, all transmission, storage, collection and supply equipment,
substations, network of cabling, transformers, site-access and service roads, and
machinery associated with its use. A wind energy conversion facility may consist of
one or more wind turbines.
Wind monitoring or meteorological (MET) tower: Tower used for supporting
anemometers, wind vanes and other equipment to assess the wind resource at set
heights above the ground.
Wind turbine: Any electromechanical device that converts kinetic energy of the wind
into rotational energy to turn an electrical generator shaft. Wind turbine facilities
usually consist of a horizontal-axis rotor, nacelle and supporting tower (HAWTs).
Both HAWTs and vertical-axis wind machines (VAWTs) of residential size are
covered by this bylaw.
33.300
DISTRICT REGULATIONS
33.301
Use Regulations
All WECF's shall require a Special Permit from the Special Permit Granting
Authority, defined as the Select Board. Subsequently, a building permit shall
be required for all WECF's in accordance with the Special Permit and the
standards of this bylaw. Wind monitoring towers shall require a building
273
permit.
A. Residential-size WECF
The construction of any residential-size WECF shall be allowed in all
zoning districts of the Town, subject to the issuance of a Special Permit
by the SPGA, and provided the proposed use complies with all
Dimensional and Special Permit Regulations set forth under Sections
33.300 and 33.400 of this bylaw (unless waived by the SPGA).
B. Wind Monitoring or Meteorological Towers
Wind monitoring or meteorological towers shall be allowed in all zoning
districts of the Town subject to issuance of a building permit for a
temporary structure. No electrical or telephone wires, except those
underground, can be closer to the tower than a distance equaling 1.5
times the height of the tower.
33.302 Site Control
The applicant shall submit documentation of the legal right to install and use
the proposed facility at the time of application for a Special Permit.
Documentation should also include proof of control over the clear areas, if
required under Section 33.303B. “Control” shall mean the legal authority to
prevent the use of any structure within the clear area for a residence or place
274
of business.
33.303
Dimensional Requirements
All WECFs shall comply with the requirements set forth in this section,
unless those requirements are explicitly waived by the SPGA as part of the
Special Permit review process.
A.
Height
The height of any residential-size WECF shall be constrained by (i) the WECFsetback requirement as described in Section 33.303.B.2. which must accommodate
the dimensions of the applicant’s property, and (ii) the clear area requirement, as
stated in Section 33.303.B, if applicable. The SPGA may allow this height to be
exceeded as part of the Special Permit process if the project applicant can
demonstrate that the additional height is needed and that the additional benefits of the
higher tower outweigh any increased adverse impacts. However, in no case shall the
total height of the WECF exceed 165 ft (50 m).
B.
WECF-Setback and Clear Area
1.Each WECF and its associated equipment shall comply with the
building setback provisions of the zoning district in which the
facility is located.
275
2.In order to ensure public safety and to protect the interests of
neighboring property owners, a setback shall be required from
the nearest property line to the center of the base of the tower
equal to the total height of the WECF. This is the WECF-setback
requirement.
3.In the case of a residential-size WECF intended for a nonresidential site, the applicant shall be required to maintain a clear
area free of all structures containing residences or places of
business as determined by the Special Permit Granting Authority.
The clear area shall comprise the area of a circle centered on the
center of the tower and having a radius equal to the total height
of the WECF. This is the clear area requirement. The SPGA may
reduce the clear area requirement at its discretion, based on sitespecific considerations, if the project is otherwise consistent with
the Special Permit Granting Regulations.
33.400
SPECIAL PERMIT GRANTING REGULATIONS
The SPGA shall grant a Special Permit for a residential WECF only if it finds that the
proposal complies with the provisions of this bylaw or has explicitly been granted
waivers from those provisions.
33.401
General
Proposed WECFs shall be consistent with all applicable Town,
state and federal requirements, including, but not limited to, all applicable
electrical, construction, noise, safety, environmental and communications
requirements.
33.402
Visual Impact
The applicant shall minimize any impact on the visual character of
surrounding neighborhoods and the community by painting the WECF a
non-reflective color that blends with the surroundings.
33.403
Equipment Shelters
276
All equipment necessary for monitoring and operation of the
WECF should be secured within the wind turbine tower or base. If this is
infeasible, ancillary equipment may be located outside the tower or base,
provided such equipment is either contained within an underground vault,
enclosed within a separate structure, or hidden behind a year-round
landscape or vegetated buffer.
33.404
Lighting and Signage
Unless required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
wind turbines shall not be lighted on a continuous basis. The WECF shall be
free of all company logos, advertising, and similar promotional markings.
Signs on the facility shall be limited to those needed to warn of any danger;
and educational signs providing information on the technology. All signs
shall comply with the requirements of the Town’s sign regulations.
33.405
Noise
The WECF shall conform to Massachusetts noise regulations (310
CMR 7.10).
33.500
MODIFICATIONS
All modifications to a WECF made after issuance of the Special Permit shall require
approval by the SPGA.
33.600
MAINTENANCE
33.601
Maintenance Requirement
The applicant shall maintain the WECF in good condition. Such
maintenance shall include, but not be limited to, painting, maintaining the
structural integrity of the foundation, support structure and security barrier
(if applicable), and maintenance of the buffer areas and landscaping, if
present.
33.602
Penalties
Failure to comply with the requirements in Section 33.601 shall result in the
assessment of fines or other sanctions as specified in Dartmouth Bylaw
27.400.
33.700
TERM OF SPECIAL PERMIT FOR A RESIDENTIAL WECF
A Special Permit issued for the construction or operation of any WECF shall be valid
for twenty (20) years, unless extended or renewed. Upon request, the SPGA may
277
extend the time period or renew the Special Permit, if there has been satisfactory
operation of the facility.
Any Special Permit issued under this Bylaw shall lapse within one (1) year from the
grant thereof if construction has not sooner commenced except for good cause. In
such a case, a new application process must be undertaken before the WECF can
proceed.
Upon expiration or termination of the Special Permit, the WECF shall be removed by
the applicant.
33.800
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
33.801 Technical Research Group (TRG)
The SPGA shall designate a Technical Research Group (TRG) composed of
five (5) members: (1) a Town Engineer (DPW), (2) a member of the Town
Planning Board, (3) a member of the Town Zoning Board of Appeals, (4) a
member of the Town Alternative Energy Committee, and (5) a member-atlarge. In the case of members (2), (3) and (4), each individual shall be
appointed by his or her respective Board or Committee. The member-atlarge shall be appointed by the Town Select Board. The members shall serve
staggered three-year terms and may be reappointed.
33.802
Pre-Application Conference
Prior to the submission of an application for a Special Permit under this
regulation, the applicant is strongly encouraged to meet with the TRG at a
public meeting to discuss the proposed WECF in general terms and to
clarify the filing requirements. The TRG shall meet with an applicant under
this provision within twenty-one (21) days following a written request for
pre-application conference submitted to the SPGA and the Town Clerk. If
the TRG fails to hold the pre-application conference within 21 days of the
request and said conference has not been postponed due to mutual
agreement, the applicant may proceed with a Special Permit application
under this Bylaw without need for a pre-application conference.
33.803
Pre-Application Filing Requirements
The purpose of the pre-application conference is to inform the TRG as to the
general nature of the proposed WECF. As such, no formal filings are
required to be presented at the pre-application conference. However, the
applicant is encouraged to prepare sufficient preliminary drawings or to
present manufacturer’s drawings and specifications to inform the TRG of
the location and overall design of the proposed facility, as well as its scale,
noise levels, and proximity to abutting residential structures.
278
33.804
Professional Fees
The Town may retain a technical expert/consultant, pursuant to Mass. G.L.
c. 44, s. 53G, to verify information presented by the applicant during the
pre-application conference. The cost for such a technical expert/consultant,
if needed, will be at the expense of the applicant.
33.805
Application Filing Requirements
The following shall be included with an application for a Special Permit
for each WECF:
A. Name, address, telephone number, and original signature (photoreproductions of signatures will not be accepted) of applicant and any
co-applicants. Co-applicants may include the landowner of the subject
property or the operator of the WECF.
B. If the applicant or co-applicant will be represented by an agent, the
name, address and telephone number of the agent shall be provided as
well as an original signature authorizing the agent to represent the
applicant and/or co-applicant. Photo-reproductions of signatures will
not be accepted.
C. Documentation of the legal right to install and use the proposed WECF
and proof of control over the clear area, as required by Sections 33.302
and 33.303.B of this Bylaw. A copy of the recorded deed to the
property shall be sufficient for this purpose.
D. If the property is to be leased or subject to an easement, the applicant
shall provide a copy of the lease or easement instrument.
E. Identification of the subject property by including the name of the
nearest road or roads, and street address, if any;
F. Assessors map and parcel number of subject property;
G. Zoning district designation for the subject parcel with a separately
submitted locus map;
H. Residential applicants shall submit a line map, drawn to scale, showing
the lot lines of the subject property. All non-residential applicants shall
submit a line map, drawn to scale, showing all properties within 200
feet of the property lines as well as the location of all buildings,
including accessory structures, on all properties shown.
279
I. A one-inch-equals-40-feet vicinity plan, signed and sealed by a
Professional Land Surveyor showing the following:
1. Property lines for the subject property (for residential
applicants), and all properties adjacent to the subject property
within 200 feet (for non-residential applicants).
2. Proposed location of WECF, including all turbines, fencing,
associated ground equipment, transmission infrastructure and
access roads.
3. For non-residential applicants, the outline of all existing
buildings, including their purpose(s) (e.g., residential buildings,
garages, accessory structures, etc.) on the subject property and
all adjacent properties within 200 feet, and the distances, at
grade, from the proposed WECF to each building on the
vicinity plan shall be shown.
J. Specifications for the proposed WECF shall be provided for all
equipment and attendant facilities.
K. Materials of the proposed WECF shall be specified by type and
specific treatment. This information shall be provided for the wind
turbine tower and all other proposed equipment/facilities.
L. Colors of the proposed WECF shall be represented by a color board
showing actual colors proposed.
M. A noise performance guarantee from the WECF manufacturer shall be
sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the noise standards of
Massachusetts noise regulations (310 CMR 7.10) and consistency with
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection guidance for
noise measurement.
N. To ensure safe operation of the WECF, the applicant shall provide a
statement from the wind turbine manufacturer giving the
recommended maintenance procedures and schedule, and a declaration
by the applicant to follow said schedule.
O. The SPGA may require additional information and data from the
applicant.
280
33.806
Adjudication of Special Permit Applications
The TRG shall make a formal recommendation to the SPGA regarding
each application for a Special Permit for a WECF. A positive
recommendation from the TRG shall require four (4) affirmative votes of
the TRG. All matters before the TRG shall be
decided by four (4) votes.
An application for a Special Permit for a WECF to the SPGA shall require
four (4) affirmative votes of the SPGA for approval. All matters before the
SPGA shall be decided by four (4) votes.
33.900
CHANGE OF OWNER
Once a Special Permit for a residential WECF has been approved, the applicant shall
duly record a copy of the Special Permit with the Bristol County Registry of Deeds.
All subsequent deeds to the property shall refer to the Special Permit and incorporate
it by reference. All conditions under which the Special Permit was originally granted
shall be binding on all successive owners of the property.
33.1000
SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS
The provisions of this Bylaw are severable. If any provision of this Bylaw is held
invalid, the other provisions shall not be affected thereby. If the application of this
Bylaw or any of its provisions to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
application of this Bylaw and its provisions to other persons and circumstances shall
not be affected thereby.
SO VOTED. YES
247
ARTICLE 31:
NO
5
5:35 PM
TUCKER ROAD SEWER EXTENSION
That the Town appropriate $87,070 by borrowing for the purpose of constructing a
sanitary sewer from a point north of Fairway Drive south, including costs incidental and
related thereto, including engineering design and administration of the project; that to
raise said appropriation, the Treasurer with the approval of the Select Board, be
authorized to borrow $87,070 under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44 Sec. 7(1) or any
other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; and that
betterments pursuant to the provisions of
281
Massachusetts State Statutes, shall be assessed to the abutters of the project in accordance
with the Law.
To WITHDRAW.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 32:
5:35 PM
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT – HISTORIC
BUILDING INVENTORY
That the Town appropriate monies from the FY/2008 Community Preservation Fund
Annual Revenues in the amount of $42,600 to the Dartmouth Historic Commission to
update the Town’s Inventory of historic buildings built before 1851 in accordance with
the standards set by the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
SO VOTED.
5:54 PM
ARTICLE 33:
ACQUISITION
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT – LAND
Annual Revenues in the amount of $150,000 to the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust
for the acquisition of an undeveloped property consisting of approximately 52 acres off
Collins Corner Road to be preserved as open space and included as part of the Dartmouth
Natural Resource Trust Ridge Hill Reserve.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 34:
MASTER PLAN
5:55 PM
COMMUNITY
PRESERVATION
ACT
–
RECREATION
Annual Revenues in the amount of $40,000 to the Dartmouth Recreation Association to
engage the necessary professional services to assess the Town’s recreational needs and
282
resources as permitted by M.G.L. Chapter 44B, to develop a master recreational growth
plan, and to conduct a preliminary feasibility study that will address the Town’s unmet
recreational needs.
SO VOTED.
6:04 PM
ARTICLE 35:
SERVICES CONTRACT FOR APPONAGANSETT PARK
CONCESSION
That the Town authorize the Dartmouth Park Commission to enter into a long term
services contract in conformity with an open and competitive bid process pursuant to
M.G.L. Chapter 30B, and with the bid specifications as drawn, for the operation of the
Apponagansett Park Concession Stand, located in Dartmouth at 77 Gulf Road and
consisting of 620 square feet, more or less, and shown on Dartmouth Assessor’s Map 111
as Lot 11, for an initial contract term of ten (10) years, with an option to renew for one
additional term of ten years.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 36:
6:08 PM
GENERAL BY-LAW AMENDMENT ENFORCEMENT OF
RED LIGHT RUNNING VIOLATION – VIOLATIONS-NONCRIMINAL, SECTION 9
That the Town amend the Dartmouth General By-Laws to include the following as a
Non-Criminal Violation as follows:
Section 9. Non-Criminal Disposition – Automated Red Light Violations
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Dartmouth General By-Laws to the
contrary and consistent with M.G.L. Chapter 40 Sec. 21D and M.G.L. Chapter 90C,
the Town of Dartmouth hereby adopts a civil enforcement system for automated red
light camera system violations as outlined in this section. Said system imposes
monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure of an operator thereof to
comply with traffic control indications in the Town of Dartmouth in accordance with
the provisions of this Section. Unless otherwise stated, the provisions set forth in
Dartmouth General By-Law, Section 1. Violations (Non-Criminal) are applicable to
this Section.
As used herein, the term, “Automated Red Light System”, is the equivalent of
283
“Traffic Control Signal Monitoring Device” or Traffic Control Photographic
System.” Said system/device is an electronic system consisting of a photographic,
video or electronic camera and a vehicle sensor installed to work in conjunction with
an official traffic controller and to automatically produce photographs, video or
digital images of each vehicle violating a standard traffic control.
The Dartmouth Police Department shall be responsible for administering the
Automated Red Light System. Specifically, the Dartmouth Police Department shall
be empowered to install and operate red light camera systems within the Town of
Dartmouth. The Dartmouth Police Department shall maintain a list of system
locations where red light camera systems are installed. The Dartmouth Police
Department will make the determination as to which intersection locations will be
utilized.
Any citation for an automated red light system violation pursuant to this Section
known as a “Notice of Liability” shall:
(a) Be processed by a sworn Police Officer authorized to issue citations for violation
of traffic signals;
(b) Be forwarded by first-class mail or personal service to the vehicle’s registered
owner’s address as given on the State’s motor vehicle registration;
(c) State the violation alleged, the location of the intersection where the violation
occurred and the date and time of the alleged violation;
(d) State the amount of the civil penalty to be imposed for the violation and the date
by which the civil penalty must be paid; and
(e) Inform the person named in the Notice of Liability of the person’s right to contest
the imposition of the civil penalty and the manner and time in which the imposition of
the civil penalty may be contested.
It is prima facie evidence that the person registered as the owner of the vehicle with
the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (or with any other State vehicle
registration office) was operating the vehicle at the time of the offense set out in the
Notice of Liability.
Notwithstanding the above, the owner of the vehicle shall not be responsible for the
violation if, within twenty-one (21) days from the date listed on the “Notice of
Liability”, he or she furnishes the district court judge, clerk or assistant clerk, as the
court shall direct, with an official record from a law enforcement agency and/or
record bureau stating that the vehicle involved was reported as stolen before the time
of the violation. In that event, the district court judge, clerk or assistant clerk shall
find that the violation did not occur or was not committed by the person notified.
That finding shall be entered on the docket and operate as a final disposition of the
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case.
Any person cited for a violation of this Section who otherwise desires to contest the
violation alleged in the “Notice of Liability” may do so within twenty-one (21) days
from the date listed on the “Notice of Liability” consistent with the provisions set
forth in Dartmouth General By-Law, Section 1. Violations (Non-Criminal).
Any violation of this Section shall be deemed a non-criminal violation for which a
civil penalty of $100.00 shall be assessed and for which no points authorized by
M.G.L. (“Point system for license suspension”) shall be assigned to the owner or
driver of the vehicle, nor shall such imposition of a penalty be subject to a merit
rating for insurance purposes and no surcharge points shall be imposed in the
provision of a motor vehicle insurance coverage.
Failure to request a hearing to contest the violation or to otherwise pay the civil
penalty within twenty-one (21) days from the date listed on the “Notice of Liability”
shall constitute a waiver of the right to contest the violation and will be considered an
admission. Said failure shall result in an additional penalty of $50.00 for a total
penalty of $150.00. A decision in favor of the Town of Dartmouth may be enforced
by means of a civil action.
The Town of Dartmouth, via its Police Department and Town Counsel, may establish
procedures for the collection of the civil penalties imposed herein, and may enforce
the penalties by a civil action in the nature of a debt. If the penalties imposed
pursuant to this Section remain unpaid for more than thirty (30) days after the date on
which the “Notice of Liability” was issued, the penalties shall be collected, together
with any interest and penalties thereon, by civil suit or other appropriate means of
collection.
An imposition of liability under the Section shall not be deemed a conviction as an
operator and shall not be made part of the operating record upon whom such liability
is imposed.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability of an operator of a
vehicle for any criminal automobile violation.
This Section shall not apply to violations involving vehicle collisions.
Any penalties imposed under this Section shall enure to the Town for use as the Town
may direct.
SO VOTED.
6:24 PM
AMENDMENT TO TOWN CHARTER – DEPARTMENT OF
ARTICLE 37:
PUBLIC WORKS, SECTION 4-5(C)
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That the Town amend Section 4 – 5 (c) of the Town of Dartmouth Charter as follows:
SECTION 4-5 (C): DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
DELETE:
(c) Superintendent of Public Works - The board of public works shall appoint, for a term of not more
than three years, and fix the compensation of a superintendent of public works who shall exercise and
perform, under its supervision and direction, such of the powers, rights and duties assigned to it under
sub-section (b), above, as it may from time to time designate. The superintendent of public works shall
be specially fitted by education, training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The
superintendent of public works shall be responsible for the efficient exercise and performance of such
powers, rights and duties. The superintendent of public works may be removed for just cause only and
by a vote of at least two members of the board of public works. The superintendent of public works shall
be given a written notice at least fourteen days prior to the date of removal, which shall specify the
reasons for such removal. A public hearing shall be held on the charges brought against the
superintendent of public works if such officer specifically requests such hearing be held.
The superintendent of public works shall hold no other elective or appointive office not engage in any
other business, occupation or profession while serving in such office. The superintendent of public
works shall give to the town a bond with a surety company authorized to transact business in the
commonwealth as surety, for the faithful performance of the duties of the office in such sum and upon
such conditions as the board of public works may require, and shall, subject to the approval of the board
of public works appoint such assistants, agents and employees as the exercise and performance of the
powers, rights and duties may require. The superintendent of public works shall render to
the board of public works, as often as it may require, a full report of all operations under the control of
the superintendent of public works during the period reported upon, and annually, and from time to time
as required by the board of public works, shall make a synopsis of such reports for publication and shall
keep the board of public works fully advised as to the needs of the town within the scope of its duties,
and shall annually, not less than sixty days prior to the expiration of the calendar year, furnish to the
board of public works a carefully prepared and detailed estimate in writing of the appropriations
required during the next succeeding fiscal year for the proper exercise and performance of all said rights
and duties.
INSERT:
(c) Director of Public Works – The board of public works Shall appoint, for a term of not
more than three years, and fix the compensation of a director of public works who shall
exercise and perform, under its supervision and direction, such of the powers, rights and
duties assigned to it under sub-section (b), above, as it may from time to time designate.
The director of public works shall be specially fitted by education, training and
experience to perform the duties of the office. The director of public works shall hold no
elective office nor engage in any other business, occupation or profession while serving
in such office. The director of public works may be removed for just cause only and by
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a vote of at least two members of the board of public works. The director of public
works shall render to the board of public works, as often as it may require, a full report of
all operations under the control of the director of public works during the period reported
upon, and annually, and from time to time as required by the board of public works, shall
make a synopsis of such reports for publication and shall keep the board
of public works fully advised as to the needs of the town within the scope of its duties,
and shall annually, before the expiration of the calendar year, furnish to the board of
public works a carefully prepared and detailed estimate in writing of the appropriations
required during the next succeeding fiscal year for the proper exercise and performance
of all said rights and duties.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 38:
YES
250
NO
2
6:34 PM
STABILIZATION FUND
That the Town will vote to appropriate $184,000 from the Tax Levy to the
Stabilization Fund.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
6:36 PM
MOVED and duly seconded.
To dissolve Spring Annual Town Meeting.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 1STM:
6:37 PM
LINE ITEM TRANSFERS/SUPPLEMENT TO SCHEDULE A –
FY/2007
That the Town amend the appropriations and various funding sources as
voted at the June 6, 2006 Spring Annual Town Meeting under Article 19, Schedule A Town
Charges, by transferring between line items within the various categories and budgets, as voted,
and further authorize the Town Accountant to make the necessary changes and disbursements to
effectuate said changes.
FROM:
Police Dispatcher Salaries
Library-Prof. Salaries
AMOUNT
$46,731.00
$20,000.00
Library Custodial Salaries
Group Insurance
$13,000.00
$50,000.00
TO:
Police Salaries
Library
Clerical
Salaries
Library Substitues
Reserve Fund
AMOUNT
$46,731.00
$20,000.00
$13,000.00
$50,000.00
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Principal-Long Term Debt
$15,975.00
$55,564.32
$44,435.00
SO VOTED.
1
Principal-Long Term
$15,975.00
Exclusion Debt
Interest-Long
Term $55,564.32
Debt
Interest-Long Term
$44,435.00
Exclusion Debt
YES 251
10:16 AM
ARTICLE 2 STM:
NO
AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATION –
WATERWAYS
That the Town transfer $41,000 from Receipts Reserved for Appropriation – Municipal
Waterways Boat Excise Tax to the Waterways Management Enterprise Fund.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
10:20 AM
SENIOR SOCIAL DAY PROGRAM
ARTICLE 3 STM:
That the Town appropriate $3,579.00 from Senior Social Day Trust Fund to supplement the
FY/2007 Dartmouth Senior Social Day Program.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 4 STM:
10:21 AM
WATERWAYS
RETAINED EARNINGS
ENTERPRISE
FUND
–
That the Town appropriate $1,903.31 from the Waterways Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings
to supplement the FY/2007 Waterways Enterprise Operating Budget.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 5 STM:
EARNINGS
10:22 AM
SEWER ENTERPRISE FUND – RETAINED
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That the Town appropriate $50,000 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings to
supplement the FY/2007 Sewer Enterprise Operating Budget.
10:23 AM
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 6 STM:
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT
That the Town appropriate from Community Preservation Unreserved Fund Balance
$38,669.45 for the payment of debt service and other related costs for FY/2007 fiscal year.
$18,725.00
$19,944.45
$
0.00
$38,669.45
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 7. STM:
EARNINGS
Long term Debt-Interest
Interest on Short term Debt
Borrowing Cost
Total
10:24 AM
WATER
ENTERPRISE
FUND
–
RETAINED
That the Town appropriate a sum of money from the Water Enterprise Fund Retained
Earnings to supplement the FY/2007 Water Enterprise Operating Budget.
To WITHDRAW.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 8STM:
10:24 AM
APPROPRIATION FOR FUNDING
BARGAINING UNION SETTLEMENT
OF
COLLECTIVE
That the Town appropriate $90,000 from the Stabilization Fund for the purpose of funding a
settlement of Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Dartmouth Town Employees Association
Union, and to authorize the Town Accountant to make the necessary adjustments within
Schedule A as voted in Article 19 of the June 6, 2006 Spring Annual Town Meeting.
289
SO VOTED.
10:29 AM
ARTICLE 9STM:
PRIOR YEAR INVOICES
That the Town appropriate $746.10 from the Stabilization Fund, for the purpose of
paying any outstanding invoices for the previous fiscal year.
SO VOTED. YES
251
NO
1
10:30 AM
MOVED and duly seconded.
To dissolve Special Town Meeting.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
10:30 AM
Attest:
____________________________________
Eleanor J. White, Town Clerk
290