Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Members are unhappy with the condition of the practice field.
A key ingredient to a suitable athletic practice field is grass, and that's exactly what the new Dedham High School field is missing, officials said Monday. School Building Rehabilitation Committee members said they will withhold roughly $30,000 from Fillion's Landscaping until the SBRC is satisfied with the condition of the Dedham High School practice field. The field was hydroseeded in April, and little grass has grown in since. "You just have to look at it to realize it isn't what we bargained for," SBRC member Andrew Lawlor said. "It's just not in good condition at this point," SBRC chairman Michael Butler said. But Todd McCabe, of Consigli, the construction contractor, said rarely does hydroseeding produce a thick field of grass on…
42.248209
-71.161943
Avery Elementary School
336 High St, Dedham, MA
/articles/sbrc-rips-dhs-practice-field-landscaper-withholds-payment
2078853
/locations/7032831
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Neighbors displeased with the vote, saying they were looking for many more.
Homeowners on Whiting Avenue and Hazelnut Place will get some measure of privacy and shade back after the School Building Rehabilitation Committee voted Monday to spend up to $25,000 to plant trees - enough cash for up to 35 trees. Construction crews began chopping down the trees last fall without notifying the SBRC, members said at the time - then the committee approved removal of other trees during the final phases of the new Avery Elementary School project. In all, according to a town document, 96 trees were cut down; 21 near a new practice field and 75 along an old railroad bed, where the committee authorized to store roughly 11,000 cubic yards of fill. "That's a long railroad bed to put 35 trees," said Whiting Avenue resident …
42.248209
-71.161943
Avery Elementary School
336 High St, Dedham, MA
/articles/sbrc-approves-trees-for-dirt-pile-far-below-keegan-s-promise
2078853
/locations/7010526
Friday, April 13, 2012
Officials praised the opening of the new Avery Elementary School, and students will move after April vacation.
Principal Clare Sullivan - a 30-year Avery School stalwart - planned to hold a closing ceremony Friday for the current and about to be "old" Avery Elementary School. She'll take down the Avery Pride banners that line the gymnasium and watch as schoolchildren play on a grass-less playground for the final time. In less than 18 months, Avery students went from digging the first dirt to welcoming parents and state officials to their new $21 million school Thursday morning. "I can remember a few short months ago when we gathered at what is now the 50-yard line of the new athletic field to celebrate the setting of a ceremonial beam on this new magnificent structure. At that time the discussion focused on a vision we had for the new Avery …
42.248209
-71.161943
/articles/video-cornerstone-of-east-dedham-opens
/locations/6794938
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The three-year plan was presented Thursday evening to the Board of Selectmen.
Town officials laid out plans for the next three years of road improvements to Dedham streets that will invest about $6 million through fiscal year 2015. The Board of Selectmen approved the plan Thursday. "It has a pretty good spread throughout the town," said Jason Mammone, Dedham's resident engineer. "It includes a little reclamation, preventive maintenance, and routine maintenance." The road management plan reflects how the town would spend about $1.5 million in local funding and $500,000 in state funding. If either of those funding sources are changed, the management plan will change. For six years, town officials have used a computer program to generate roads due for maintenance based on balance of work and need, Mammone said. Under …
42.24667
-71.17349
Dedham Town Hall
26 Bryant St, Dedham, MA
/articles/dedham-plans-to-use-6m-on-roads-through-2015
421309
/locations/6668204
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Following new state legislation, the town looks to save $1.7 million, officials say.
The Town of Dedham and town employees reached a new deal on health benefits that officials say will save the town $1.7 million. The state’s Health Insurance Reform Act, passed in 2011, opened the door for towns to work with unions to cut back health care costs. “People recognize that it’s a nice step in controlling something that became uncontrollable,” said selectman Michael Butler. Under the new insurance plans, employees will pay lower monthly premiums, but require higher co-pays. Approximately $484,000 of the first year savings will be devoted to a Health Reimbursement Account established to fund some of the increases in employees’ out-of-pocket costs in the initial years of the new program, according to a statement released by the …
42.24667
-71.17349
Dedham Town Hall
26 Bryant St, Dedham, MA
/articles/dedham-unions-reach-health-care-deal
421309
/locations/6582487
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
With a new facilities director, the Board of Selectmen are pressing for utility cost updates.
The Siemens project to revamp and update several of Dedham's buildings with more energy efficient equipment was pitched to Town Meeting in 2010 as a project that will pay for itself. But as selectmen evaluate the fiscal year 2013 budget, they're still waiting to see the cost savings. "Debt service for that project was going to be funded from reduction in line items," board chairman Jim MacDonald said. Selectmen are asking facilities staff to provided a breakdown of utility use for each building in order to track savings. "I don't have it," said selectman Michael Butler at Thursday's meeting. "I don't know what's happening. I need it. It's sort of counterintuitive to see heat going up in next year's budget versus down." The town's …
42.24667
-71.17349
Dedham Town Hall
26 Bryant St, Dedham, MA
/articles/dedham-selectmen-want-to-see-utility-cost-savings
421309
/locations/6573470
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
As the elementary school nears its opening, the School Building Rehabilitation Committee got a good look at its budget Monday.
With the new Avery Elementary School a month away from opening, the School Building Rehabilitation Committee is eyeing its contingency fund as the project nears a close. Rough estimates pin left over monies at $168,000, but that number could increase depending on how the state rules on reimbursements. "Given that we haven't gotten a response from them to date, it is hard to make a decision based on that unknown," committee member Andrew Lawlor said at a SBRC meeting Monday evening. The committee has several decisions left including additional change order requests and additional costs associated with extra soil on the site. The school's budget took major hits from under-estimated utility and heating costs associated with last winter, …
42.23952
-71.16474
The Endicott Estate
656 East St, Dedham, MA
/articles/unforeseen-costs-tear-into-avery-contingency-budget
420917
/locations/6524498
42.24806
-71.16037
Pottery Ln & High St, Dedham, MA
New Avery Elementary School
/articles/unforeseen-costs-tear-into-avery-contingency-budget
/locations/6524499
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The School Building Rehabilitation Committee will give neighbors time to think over which option they favor before voting.
Neighbors of the new Avery School that are upset about the clear-cutting of 40 trees and a large pile of dirt in their backyards heard three options Monday evening for solving the problem. The School Building Rehabilitation Committee will consider three options next month, when a vote is tentatively planned. "I thought the last couple months have been designed to listen to concerns," SBRC chairman Michael Butler said. The cheapest would extend the existing 11,000 square yards of material behind homes down to Walnut Street. The pile currently extends about halfway between the high school teacher's parking lot and homes on Whiting Avenue. The second option would call for the removal of 2,000 square yards of material and grading of the …
42.24668
-71.15711
Cass Ave & Hazelnut Pl, Dedham, MA
/articles/grading-options-shown-for-avery-dirt-pile
/locations/6043968
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Police are investigating the incident that occurred late last week.
Dedham Police are working with school and town officials to investigate a brash strike by vandals late last week at the site of the new Avery Elementary School. Police were informed Saturday that several areas of the construction site were vandalized. Officials estimate as many as 20 spray paint markings were put on fences, sidewalks and playground equipment. New graffiti was also found on a fence on the outside of Dedham High School near the construction site. Selectman Michael Butler, who chairs the committee overseeing the project, and school's superintendent June Doe were mum Monday evening about the incident, both citing the ongoing investigation. Doe called the vandalism "disappointing" and "upsetting" minutes after Monday evening's …
42.24806
-71.16037
Pottery Ln & High St, Dedham, MA
/articles/vandals-strike-new-avery-school-with-graffiti
/locations/6041811
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The School Building Rehabilitation Committee heard bid prices to remove all of the soil.
Barring an accounting miracle, it would be financially impossible for the School Building Rehabilitation Committee to have 11,000 square yards of dirt hauled off-site, the committee learned this week. The soil has sat behind homes on Whiting Avenue and Hazelnut Place for the past year, but wasn't a major issue with neighbors until construction crews chopped down nearly 40 trees surrounding the pile. Neighbors are looking to the SBRC for a fix - both for the pile of soil and replacement of trees. A dozen residents attended Monday's SBRC meeting. The committee considered removing all of the soil and sending it to a landfill - they've been told the soil is not of structural grade, and therefore doesn't have much value - but that would cost $…
42.24668
-71.15711
Cass Ave & Hazelnut Pl, Dedham, MA
/articles/avery-dirt-pile-would-cost-500k-to-remove
/locations/5964014
Telling it like it is
4:28 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Elizabeth how short sighted you are. It's really only $100.- per tree. And $600.- per for the cop working the detail, staring at the hole being dug. more ›