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MINUTES OF THE NEWMARKET BUSINESS ASSOCIATION |
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Membership Meeting held on December 12, 2001
The meeting was called to order at 8:00am by President Joseph Cefalo. Members in attendance introduced themselves, representatives from standing committees gave their reports, and then Wally Stevens led a strategic planning session.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Budget & Finance:
Please pay your dues if you have not already done so.
Contributions:
At this meeting Newmarket Business Association members donated toys and cash to provide gifts to underprivileged children in the neighborhood.
Mason School:
The Mason School continues to surpass its peers. Thank you to all the Newmarket Business Association members who have helped the Mason School during 2001! Special thanks to the Slade Gorton company for its generosity. Slade Gorton employees have adopted each of the Mason School’s classrooms and work with the kids constantly throughout the year!
Safety/Neighborhood Outreach:
No incidents to report. There is graffiti on the back of several buildings including Kennealey, Connelly, and Boston Brisket. Lt. Nancy O’Laughlin at the MBTA Police is the person to call. They have a library of sample of work by suspects. Public facilities recently cleaned under the bridge. The same meeting to address this issue can also focus on cleaning up the dead trees, litter, etc.
Public Affairs:
The breakfast fundraiser for Mayor Menino hosted by friends (not the NBA itself) took place yesterday morning at the Victoria. The event was well attended and gave members a chance to speak individually with Mayor Menino. The Mayor spoke briefly and reiterated his support for the small business community of Boston. He has been helpful to the concerns of the Newmarket Business Association and his Backstreets Program focuses on the needs of our members.
The website has had 3,700 visitors to date this year, over 330 hits last month. It can be found at www.newmarketboston.org. It is terrific! Please give the website a try and let us know how we can make it even better. Roundhouse Suites is promoting their business on our website for a monthly charge. If you are interested in pursuing this for your business, please call Bob Patcha at Webmasters Boston.
The Newmarket Business Association has received a $5,000 grant from the City of Boston for community outreach and new membership.
Issues:
The issues committee discussed a proposal to put together a seminar on Emergency & Contingency Planning for businesses in our area. This seminar could be designed together with UMass, the Backstreets Program, and public safety experts.
Representative Jack Hart will be invited to speak to the membership at the January meeting.
Tomorrow night there is a meeting scheduled to discuss the future of the Crosstown site. In his remarks yesterday, Mayor Menino specifically mentioned this development as one he would like to see completed.
There is no change to the status of the triangle site since the November meeting.
The Issues Committee is working with the developer of the Public Storage site to get a demolition permit in order to improve the condition of the site until development can begin in the Spring.
There is no change to the status of the incinerator site or its legislation since the last meeting.
The MBTA Board of Directors did vote to do an eminent domain taking of the LMB land parcel behind Waldo Bros. The NBA supports this decision because the additional land should enable the Silver Line Maintenance Facility to have less effect on the traffic on Southhampton Street and it should enable Waldo Bros to stay in business. We have been promised a letter by the General Manager of the MBTA to Boston Mayor Menino stating that there will be no future expansion of this Southhampton Street facility (the maximum capacity is 77 buses). A meeting with the MBTA will take place in March. The Silver Line route from Dudley to Temple Place begins on December 29th.
NEW BUSINESS:
If your business has seen a large, inexplicable, increase in your electric bills recently, please contact Joe Cefalo. He will try to arrange a meeting with representative from NSTAR to investigate. NSTAR may be installing a new generating station in Newmarket.
Pam Koval from the Best Western Roundhouse Suites Hotel invited all members to attend an open house there from 11:30 to 3:00 today.
The SBA held their HUBZONE sign up day. There is funding available to assist businesses damaged by the effects of September 11th.
STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION:
Wally Stevens introduced the general membership to the materials generated at two strategic planning sessions held during recent Issues Committee meetings. The first set of charts showed the “Newmarket Business Association Vision 2003”:
I. NBA maintained as functioning private sector/industrial district.
II. NBA recognized and emulated as controlling entity in this area.
III. Membership value recognized.
A. Development of incinerator site
B. Triangle Parking
C. Maintaining commercial/industrial base
D. Good relations with public sector
E. Traffic circulation plan/public transportation excellent
F. NBA is “Go To” organization
G. Double membership base
H. Role model for its support to education and to other members
I. Trainer
J. Apprentice program/intern program
K. Health insurance provider
L. Member services increased
M. Infrastructure improved
N. National recognition
O. Press relations
P. NBA at table with Government entities
Q. Grants issued to NBA
The second set of charts showed “Newmarket Business Association Critical Issues 2001” (Concerns and Opportunities)
I. Timely involvement of NBA in Process regarding Development and Land use.
II. Government involvement in area without representation
III. Government inhibiting business growth
IV. Traffic/Parking
V. Committed Membership
VI. Public Relations
A. Development and land use
B. Traffic/Parking
C. Price of Land
D. Evolution of Businesses in area
E. Government interference
F. Inability of businesses to grow
G. Process for zoning use changes
H. Intervention of public sector
I. Maintaining a power position
J. Trash dumping
K. Delivery of city services
L. Non compatible uses
M. NBA membership and participation
N. Documentation/plans
O. Mason School relationship
P. PR about NBA Re: Website
Q. Leadership development
R. Appearance of area
Wally asked the members present to ponder the materials and make suggestions at this and future meetings. Some tactical comments that came during the presentation and immediately thereafter included:
Studies that support the NBA’s vision should be published on the website.
MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning and UMass Boston students and faculty are available to do studies such as traffic and planning for development of area – similar to work undertaken in Hyde Park under a Pew grant.
The February meeting should be a “New Member” meeting. There should be a specific membership chairperson responsible for recruiting and orienting new members. All new members should be invited to join one of the NBA’s standing committees in order to play an active role in the organization.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 am.
Membership Meeting held on November 14, 2001
The meeting was called to order at 8:00am by President Joseph Cefalo. Members in attendance introduced themselves, our guest speakers, representatives from the Small Business Administration gave their presentations, and then representatives from standing committees gave their reports.
GUEST SPEAKER: ELAINE GUINEY OF U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The SBA is an independent agency of the federal government. The agency provides counseling and training as well as various loan guarantee programs to foster the success of small businesses. The SBA is also in charge of registering companies so that they are eligible to sell products to and bid on contracts for the federal government. The SBA administers micro-loans (from $100-$35,000); section 7A loans ($1,000-$1,000,000); and 504 loans (for expansion or equipment purchases); in additions there are equity investment companies licensed by the SBA; and the SBA serves as the federal government’s disaster loan program bank (the deadline is January 21, 2002 to apply for assistance due to the September 11th catastrophes).
Newmarket Business Association member companies are encouraged to stop in at the SBA information center located at Crosstown to find out the details of SBA programs. Please call the director of the SBA One Stop Capital Shop - David Polatin (617) 445-3413 to make an appointment. On December 6, 2001 they will be hosting a “Sign Up For Success Day” to register companies for the SBA programs and certify companies in the HUBZone Program which makes companies eligible to sell goods and services to the federal government. David Polatin spoke about the criteria for bidding on government contracts and he described some programs that give HUB Zone cetrtified companies the edge in the bidding process. The Newmarket area falls in the census tracts that qualify most area companies as Hub Zone certifiable. 35% of employees must live in HUB Zone.
Margaret Somer from the UMASS Small Business Development Center described the SBA programs that her office administers. The focus has traditionally been on start ups, but with the softening of the economy and recent terrorism shocks, the focus has shifted to survival techniques for small businesses. There is training and continuing education available through her office. Please call Margaret Somer at (617) 287-7758 to discuss ways that her office can help your company to survive and thrive.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Budget & Finance:
Please pay your dues if you are one of the 29 members who have not already done so.
Contributions:
The NBA donated $300 to the Multicultural Festival of Dudley Street Neighborhood group and $250 to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for medical research. Members are asked to nominate a charity to receive the contributions for toys at our December meeting. Past recipients have let us know that cash contributions give them the ability to select the most appropriate toy for each child, rather than trying to pair up the donated toys with kids. Please bring a donation of $10-$20 to the December meeting.
Mason School:
Boston has the second highest graduation rate of any urban school system in the country. The Mason School MCAS results were announced: out of 80 4th grades in Boston, the Mason came in first in math and eighth in English. No Mason School students failed math and only one student failed English. Thank you to all members of the NBA for all our your assistance. Special thanks to Wally Stevens and the many employees of Slade Gorton who have adopted individual classrooms at the Mason School.
Safety:
No incidents to report.
Public Affairs:
All are welcome to attend a breakfast fundraiser for Mayor Menino hosted by friends (not the NBA itself) rescheduled for December 11th at the Victoria.
The website has had 3,700 visitors to date this year, over 330 hits last month. It can be found at www.newmarketboston.org. It is terrific! Please give the website a try and let us know how we can make it even better.
Sixty to Seventy people enjoyed our recent Oktoberfest event which was a delicious success. Thank you to everyone who helped put this annual event together.
Issues:
The incinerator site legislation has been filed by Representative Byron Rushing. It is currently before the Ways and Means Committee who are busy with the state budget right now. The site has been planted with grass. Approximately one year is left of the environmental cleanup of the site.
The Crosstown development has arranged financing of the parking garage and is still looking for financing for a 150 room Hampton Inn. It is our understanding that the BRA will not let them build the garage without the hotel.
The MBTA Board of Directors did vote to do an eminent domain taking of the LMB land parcel behind Waldo Bros. The NBA supports this decision because the additional land should enable the Silver Line Maintenance Facility to have less effect on the traffic on Southhampton Street and it should enable Waldo Bros to stay in business. We have been promised a letter by the General Manager of the MBTA to Boston Mayor Menino stating that there will be no future expansion of this Southhampton Street facility (the maximum capacity is 77 buses).
The developers of a proposed carwash called “Bubbles” gave a presentation to the Issues Committee. This development is a permitted use as of right at this location, 90 Southhampton Street.
In a speech that took place at the Boston Flower Exchange, Mayor Menino kicked off his “Backstreets” initiative on November 13th. This program is intended to assist businesses like Newmarket’s. Informational brochures were distributed at the NBA members meeting.
Bill Moy gave an update on the Central Artery project as it nears completion.
Joel Miller reported that the Agar Supply site may be converted into industrial condominiums for food processing businesses.
NEW BUSINESS:
Hilario Reyes from Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries described their job placement program. He distributed job posting forms. If your company has a position available, please call Hilario Reyes at (617) 541-1262 and he will try to identify qualified applicants. This position at Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries is funded by the Boston Water and Sewer Commission as part of the neighborhood improvements they agreed to when they moved into their new building on Harrison Avenue.
The meeting adjourned at 9:05 am.
Membership Meeting held on October 10, 2001
The meeting was called to order at 8:10am by President Joseph Cefalo. He called for a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the tragedies of September 11th. Members in attendance introduced themselves, representatives from standing committees gave their reports, and then our guest speaker, Chancellor JoAnn Gora from the University of Massachusetts gave a presentation. Members and Guests then celebrated at the Oktoberfest Networking Night.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Contributions:
No news to report at this meeting.
Mason School:
The Mason School was featured in the September South End News. The Newmarket Business Association sent flowers to all of the teachers for Back to School Night. Thank You to Jacobsen Floral Supply for their donation for the disaster fun, and to Dancing Deer Bakery for donating cookies for Back To School Night. There is a tour planned for the schoolchildren of the Slade Gorton facility. Slade Gorton continues to be an angel to the entire school with 49 employees working in eleven classrooms. The Mason School is now recognized as a Leadership School; at the most recent state conference, the Mason School was named as one of two schools in Boston that has achieved high MCAS scores. The Mason School will be included in the Newmarket Business Association website. Our website has met with excellent response and has logged 3500-4000 visitors.
Safety:
There was a drag-racing incident in the neighborhood. The perpetrators were captured together with the videotape they made of themselves. Newmarket Business Association has been researching ways to offer health insurance to our members.
Public Affairs:
All are welcome to attend a breakfast fundraiser for Mayor Menino hosted by friends (not the NBA itself) scheduled for October 25th at the Victoria.
The website can be found at www.newmarketboston.org. It is terrific! Please give the website a try and let us know how we can make it even better.
Issues:
The incinerator site legislation has been filed by Representative Byron Rushing. It is currently before the Ways and Means Committee. DCAM has sent a letter to the Chairman of Ways and Means endorsing the legislation. The legislation is part of a two-year calendar cycle. The legislation will also need support from Steve Lynch’s successor as State Representative. Approximately one year is left of the environmental cleanup of the site.
The Crosstown development has arranged financing of the parking garage and is looking for financing for a 150 room Hampton Inn.
The MBTA Silver Line Maintenance Facility is a very active issue for Newmarket. The proposed eminent domain taking of LMB’s property is on hold until the November Board meeting. We have been promised a letter by the General Manager of the MBTA to Boston Mayor Menino stating that there will be no future expansion of this Southhampton Street facility (the maximum capacity is 77 buses).
The Mayor will be kicking off his “Backstreets” initiative on November 13th. This program is intended to assist businesses like Newmarket’s. Look for more information on location, etc. at our next meeting.
Guest Speaker: Chancellor JoAnn Gora, University of Massachusetts
Chancellor Gora started the job on August 1, 2001. She explained that one of the University’s public missions is to partner with the community and there are opportunities to do so in conjunction with both traditional degree and certificate programs for NBA members, employees and family members, and non-traditional programs offered by their Division of Corporate, Continuing and Distance Education such as customized training programs in sales, marketing, manufacturing, programming, languages, etc. Faculty expertise, field studies, and interns are available to Newmarket businesses. She encouraged members to contact John Cicciarelli (617) 287-7893) at the Office of Economic Development or Jack Hughes (617) 287-7900) to learn about the continuing education programs and resources that UMass can make available to the Newmarket business community.
NEW BUSINESS:
All members and guests were invited to partake of the delicious Oktoberfest feast prepared by the Victoria restaurant immediately after the meeting adjourned.
The meeting adjourned at 5:45pm.
Annual
Meeting held on July 19, 2001
The
meeting was called to order at 5:15pm by President Carl Lizio who welcomed
members and guests. The
Chairperson of each of the standing committees was then introduced.
Chairman
of the Nominating Committee, Charles Killian, then read the proposed slate of
new officers and directors. The
slate was elected by unanimous vote of members present at the meeting.
Joseph
Cefalo, the newly elected President then spoke briefly about the mission of the
Newmarket Business Association in the next few years. He then introduced the keynote speaker, Mayor Menino, who
spoke about his support of Boston’s business community and his “Backstreets
Program”. The Mayor then answered
questions from members and guests.
President
Cefalo and Mayor Menino then presented “Member of the Year” awards to
Charlie Georgenes, Carl Lizio, and Susan Sullivan.
Charlie
Georgenes was a founding member of the Association 25 years ago.
He has served as both President and Chairman of the Board.
In his current position as Chairman of the Neighborhood Outreach
Committee, he worked diligently with the Boston Parks Department to bring about
the complete renovation of Clifford Park. Through
his unwavering dedication, the renovations were completed this Spring.
In addition, Charlie Georgenes spearheads an annual Neighborhood Clean-up
to beautify the Newmarket Square area.
Carl
Lizio has served as President of the NBA for the past two years. Prior
to that her served as Chairman of the NBA/Mason School Partnership Committee.
During his tenure as Chairman, the Partnership was instrumental in
providing computers to every
classroom at the Mason School. Carl
Lizio encouraged members of the Association to provide technical assistance and
personal interaction between the students of the school and the business leaders
of the area. The strength of the
Partnership has been integral to the School’s success.
As President, Carl Lizio has brought a renewed sense of activism to the
Association and the strength of the NBA has been solidified.
Not one to shy away from the tough issues, Carl Lizio has positioned the
Newmarket Business Association to be aggressive in its promotion and protection
of the Newmarket District in the coming years.
Susan
Sullivan has served the Newmarket Business Association for twenty years.
Her talent and dedication have been vital to the success and efficacy of
our organization. She is the key to
continuity in an organization of volunteers with changing Presidents and
officers. She has earned her title
of “Ms. Newmarket” by being the brains, heart and soul of the Association.
Following
the awards presentations, a dance troupe of students from the Mason School
entertained members and guests.
The
meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm
Membership Meeting held on May 9, 2001
The
meeting was called to order at 8:10 am by President Carl Lizio.
He took the opportunity to announce that member John Francis had been
awarded the distinguished alumni award from Northeastern University, and members
Dancing Deer Bakery and Pier Fish had recently been selected by Inc. Magazine
to be included on the list of the top inner-city companies in the nation.
Members in attendance introduced themselves then representatives from
standing committees gave reports.
Committee Reports:
Budget and Finance:
Second invoices will be sent out. Please
pay your dues if you have not yet done so.
Mason School: Principal
Janet Palmer-Owens announced that the school had been featured on television on
channels 56, 4 and 5. The
woman from Kenya who won the Boston Marathon met with the schoolchildren.
The Clifford Park dedication will be a special event for the
schoolchildren. It will take place on Tuesday, May 15th and the
Mayor will be speaking at 2:00 pm. The
MCAS exams will be the focus of the school for the next month.
Contributions: Thank you to everyone for the
donations from the Caribbean Night event. The
committee met and voted to donate $500 to the Greater Boston Food Bank; $300 to
the Emanuel Park for Children; $400 to St. Mary’s Place of Promise; $1,000 to
the Orchard Park camp program; $1000 to the Morgan Memorial camp program; and
$200 to Rosie’s Place. Donations
this year total $3,800 to date. Special note: donations to the Mason School are in a separate
fund of the Newmarket Business Association.
Clifford Park: The work is completed!
A dedication ceremony will take place on May 15th.
Please come at 1:30 pm!
The Spring clean up effort organized by Charles
Georgenes is completed. He publicly
thanked the many volunteers who helped.
Safety: Please report any incidents to Wally Stevens
or Susan Sullivan.
Issues:
The Crosstown project has been reconfigured and the
latest version features satellite parking for MASCO. Newmarket Business Association is firmly opposed to any
satellite parking and has sent letters informing the developers that the NBA
withdraws its endorsement of Crosstown as long as satellite parking is part of
the project.
The incinerator site legislation was filed by
Representative Byron Rushing. The
NBA seeks to have an RFP put out so that the site is eligible for private
development. A meeting took place
with Senator Lynch who took the matter under advisement.
The Newmarket square parking triangle proposal to
construct a 1700 car parking deck (also intended as satellite parking for MASCO)
is no longer going forward. At this
time, the owners and the easement holders are negotiating to continue to use the
triangle and keep it cleaned up.
A meeting was held with the Mayor’s Office of
Neighborhood Services at which representatives from the NBA urged the Mayor’s
office to look at the overall, comprehensive picture of traffic and parking in
the neighborhood immediately.
The MBTA has proposed siting the Silverline Bus
Repair Facility on Southampton Street on the MBTA Police station site.
There are numerous, significant impacts of this project on the Newmarket
area. The MBTA has provided little
information – a copy of the Environmental Impact Study they submitted to the
Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) and the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA). There is a
hearing on this project at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 10th at 6:30 pm
at the MBTA Police Station. On
April 25th, members of the NBA met with the MBTA to discuss this
proposal. The MBTA paints a rosy
picture: the impact study does not acknowlege the gridlock on Southampton
Street. The study did not even
consider access from the rear of the site. The study did not gather data on all of the intersections
involved in the bus routes. The
MBTA answered the question about what happens when trucks are loading so buses
cannot get past, “MBTA Police will ticket and tow them”. The study talks about future uses for the site – adding
even more buses. Waldo Bros, the
immediate abutter, has met with the MBTA and is being threatened and pushed
around. The MBTA plans to take
Moore Street which will put Waldo Bros out of business.
The difficulty in loading trucks could also drive Slade Gorton, which is
directly across the street from the site, and the other food wholesale
businesses along Southampton Street, out of the neighborhood.
The NBA voted at our last meeting to oppose this project.
Letters opposing this project will be sent to the Mayor, MEPA and the FTA
on behalf of the Newmarket Business Association.
NEW BUSINESS:
A new member, Devon Self Storage, was welcomed into
the Newmarket Business Association by unanimous vote of the membership.
The Membership Directories were distributed at the
meeting. Thank you to everyone who
worked so hard to produce them! The
directory is in binder format so
that it can be updated easily.
Bill Taube from MetLife announced that they will be
offering longterm care insurance to NBA members
and affiliates. More information
will be available at future meetings.
Karen Beth Mael from the Mass Rehab Commission
thanked the NBA for the program booklet advertisement/donation.
Their Fenway Park event was a great success and featured Stephanie
Georgenes, daughter of Charlie Georgenes.
A motion was made to contribute $500 to assist the
Cape Verdean community in our neighborhood which is going through a difficult
time. The Mason School has a large
population of students with Cape Verdean background. There was support for this motion, and a specific recipient
organization in the Cape Verdean community of Boston will be identified at a
future meeting.
All members were reminded to attend the re-dedication
of Clifford Park on Tuesday, May 15th at 1:30 pm.
The NBA Annual Meeting will be held next month with
Mayor Menino as the keynote speaker. Members
will receive a separate notice with time and place.
Membership
Meeting held
on April 11, 2001
The
meeting was called to order at 8:10 am by President Carl Lizio. Members in
attendance introduced themselves. Norman
Steiner, Vice President of Development for Boston Medical Center gave a
presentation and then there were reports from each standing committee.
Norman Steiner is the Vice President of Development
at Boston Medical Center charged with encouraging philanthropy.
This year on May 5th the Boston Medical Center celebrates the
fifth anniversary of its historic merger the privatization of a city-owned
hospital plus a university hospital. The
experiment is a success and Boston City Hospital ably discharges its community
mission. A copy of the
detailed handout, “Making the Case” will be posted on the Newmarket website
for anyone who did not receive a copy at the meeting.
During the period from 1998 through 2000, Boston Medical Center received
$78 million less from the federal government. Nevertheless, Boston City Hospital
serves as the largest “safety-net” hospital in Massachusetts and delivers
world-class care to an urban, uninsured population (many patients are at the
income level of $16,700 annually). For
example, Boston City Hospital is #1 in Boston in cardiac surgical outcomes.
Boston City Hospital is at the forefront with many programs; they have
introduced a prostate screening program, breast health program, food pantries to
combat malnourishment yet provide the items allowed under medically restricted
diets, and a program focused on asthma. Members
are encouraged to contact Valerie Navy-Jones (617-638-8922) to find out how
these programs might serve your employees.
Newmarket Business Association members are invited to support the Boston
Medical Center by attending the 5th Anniversary Gala to take place on
May 5, 2001 at the Westin Copley Place Boston, or by joining the Walk for Boston
Medical Center planned for October 13th.
The Boston Medical Center is trying to stay fiscally sound despite
lacking a substantial endowment like other Boston area hospitals.
Please contribute to this neighborhood institution!
Committee Reports:
Budget and Finance:
Approximately three quarters of the membership has paid dues, to date.
Please pay your dues if you have not yet done so.
Mason School: Brenda
Holloway, an assistant principal intern learning from Janet Palmer-Owens, gave
the report from the Mason School. Janet Palmer-Owens sent her apologies for missing the
meeting, but it was the first day of the MCAS exams.
Both Governor Cellucci and Lt. Governor Swift were at the Mason School
for the “bully-proofing” program. The
Mason School is one of two nominees for “Exemplary School” citation being
selected by a team from the Department of Education. Thank you to the Victoria and Charles Georgenes for donating
a delicious luncheon served to the evaluation team. One of the teachers of the K-zero class has been
nominated for Teacher of the Year. Planning
is underway for the “Mason Summer Stars” summer school program.
Thanks to Wally Stevens and all the volunteers from Slade Gorton the
Adopt-a-Class program is wonderful!
Contributions: Brian Maloney and the Contributions
Committee and Public Affairs Committee organized a terrific fundraiser,
Caribbean Night. The auction and a
special $1000 contribution from Waldo Brothers in memory of Brenda Colgan’s
father, raised approximately $7,750. In
addition, Tim Riedy from South Bay Mall directed that payments for use of the
Mall’s parking lot for special events should be directed to the Mason School
fund of the Newmarket Business Association.
These donations have totaled approximately $3,000.
Thank you to Citizens Bank for hosting the party and thank you to all of
the donors, bidders, and helpers who made Caribbean Night such a success!
A pair tickets to a Red Sox game against
Seattle was auctioned off at the meeting. Proceeds
will be added to the total raised at Caribbean Night.
Public Affairs: The Caribbean Night event was a
great success and the website has been updated. Check it out!
Safety: Traffic on Southhampton Street is an
on-going safety concern. If anyone
is interested in being chair of the safety committee, please call Wally Stevens
or Susan Sullivan. Please report
any incidents to Wally Stevens or Susan Sullivan.
Issues:
The outgoing President, Carl Lizio, has agreed to
chair the Issues Committee for the next two years.
Edward Fish and Associates gave a presentation
to the Issues Committee regarding the addition they are building onto 65
Allerton Street. The plan received the endorsement of the Issues Committee and a
letter was sent to the BRA.
The MBTA Silverline project met with Waldo Brothers
and other members of the Newmarket
Business Association to inform them that they plan to go ahead with plans to
locate the Silverline bus repair facility and parking lot on Southhampton
Street. This facility involves the
taking by eminent domain of Moore Street and the anticipated use of Southhampton
Street by approximately 77 buses and 300 cars for employees of the MBTA.
No traffic studies, impact studies, air quality studies, or other
planning studies were done prior to siting this project in this neighborhood.
The members of the Newmarket Business Association voted unanimously to
oppose this project and to admonish the MBTA for its insensitivity and
disrespect in the process it has used to pursue this project.
Even though the MBTA is a State Authority
without oversight, when the MBTA wanted to take land in Newmarket for a repair
yard, Mayor Menino stood up for the Newmarket meatpacking businesses and jobs.
The Crosstown Center has been reconfigured
again; it is now planned as a hotel with retail space on the first floor and 650
parking spaces including 500 spaces to be used as satellite parking by MASCO.
The Newmarket Business Association has long supported the Crosstown
Center project, but in its new configuration, that support must be withdrawn.
Newmarket Business Association opposes satellite parking on this site or
any other site within the Newmarket neighborhood.
In regard to the Public Storage Facility proposal to
redevelop the Boston Tire site, an Impact Advisory Group sent a letter to the
Issues Committee asking what “mitigation”, meaning linkage payments, should
be required. The Issues Committee
responded with unqualified support of the redevelopment project, which can be
built as a matter of right, with no negative impact on the neighborhood, with
zero “mitigation” required.
New Business:
Four new members were welcomed into the Newmarket
Business Association by unanimous vote of the membership: Planet Self Storage;
Merrill Lynch; Liberty Mutual; and Abel Integrated Handling Solutions.
The Membership Directories will be distributed
at the next monthly meeting. It is
in binder format so that it can be
updated easily.
Following the general meeting, interested
members can participate in a seminar by Ed Onofrio and Jeff Peterson of Merrill
Lynch on cash management and financing services for small to mid-size
businesses.
The Best Western Roundhouse Suites opened on
Valentine’s day. Pam Koval
invited all members to stop by the hotel or contact her to see how this
beautiful addition to the neighborhood can serve your needs.
The meeting adjourned at 9:45.
Membership Meeting held on February 14, 2001
Tom Martin of Minuteman Trucks gave an overview of “Trends in Transportation”. Consolidation and mergers have resulted in very few manufacturers of trucks, with overseas ownership. Truck fleet operators are taking advantage of technology to handle improvements in logistics such as scheduling, global positioning systems, etc. Legal changes such as emissions standards and requirements for low sulfur fuels will lead to increased operating costs and environmentally “friendly” trucks with built in EGR valves and catalytic converters. The costs will result in increased cost of trucking freight. Massachusetts has its own set of stringent guidelines for vehicle testing and more legislation under consideration.
Committee Reports:
Budget and Finance: Please pay dues if you have not yet done so.
Contributions: A report by the Contributions Committee was distributed detailing last year’s donations. The report concludes that NBA can do more by using our “Evening in the Caribbean” event to raise funds through an auction and fundraising. Please donate! We presently donate approximately 10% of the total annual dues budget to needy causes. Please plan to donate goods or services that can be auctioned at the fundraiser. Thanks!
Public Affairs: Citizens Bank will be hosting the “Evening in the Caribbean” event on March 14th at 4:30 pm. Please plan to attend and bring a guest. Please donate items to the silent auction planned for the event.
Safety: There is a new Captain at station C6. If anyone is interested in being chair of the safety committee, please call Wally Stevens or Susan Sullivan. Please report any incidents to Wally Stevens or Susan Sullivan.
Issues: The Issues Committee is seeking a new chairman.
Public Storage Company representatives gave a presentation to the issues committee about their plan to build a facility on the former Boston Tire site. The operation will have five employees and will be open from 7am to 7pm. There will be no truck rental on site. Concerns were expressed regarding the views of the Boston skyline, signage, and security. The NBA voted to support this project with caveats expressed for those concerns.
There was an update on the parking triangle. The NBA reiterates its opposition to satellite parking in the Newmarket neighborhood on that site or any other site.
Representative Byron Rushing has filed legislation on the incinerator site including the language suggested by Newmarket Business Association. We hope this will allow private development on the site. Public hearing will begin this spring and the RFP will be issued next year.
Carl Lizio attended a meeting with representative of City agencies to discuss traffic and transportation issues anticipated when Crosstown, Biosquare, and the Albany Street/Melnea Cass intersection are completely built. It is the right time to begin the dialogue with City Hall before the gridlock puts Newmarket businesses at a severe disadvantage.
The MBTA wanted to take the land in Newmarket for a repair yard, but the Mayor stood up for the Newmarket meatpacking businesses and jobs.
New Business:
There will be seminars presented by John Shoucair and Bill Taube of Met Life on long term care and annuities to take place on March 1, and May 15. These will be informative sessions and not a commercial for Met Life products. Please save the dates.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 am.
Membership Meeting and Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors held on January 10, 2001 at the Victoria Restaurant.
The meeting was called to order at 8:10 am by President Carl Lizio. The 37 members in attendance introduced themselves. Then Committee Representatives reported to the membership.
Peter Calcaterra from MBTS Planning and Jay Doyle from Earth Tech discussed the proposed Urban Ring project. The goal is to provide public transportation options to riders with fewer transfers, with intermodal connections, without adding riders to the crowded central core stations who would be better served by using the ring routes. The six communities involved, Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea, Everett and Brookline have signed a compact to work together. There is a court order in place requiring a planning study and recommendation. During the next six months, the study will be completed. Community input is welcome. The proposed project will be phased in with phase I using crosstown buses, phase II implementing connections at radial transit lines and “bus rapid transit”, and phase III adding rail where it would be feasible. The project will take 15+ years and $2+ Billion to implement.
Dean Maki, the General Manager of the new Best Western Roundhouse Suites Hotel introduced himself and described the hotel features: 92 well equipped suites, (each suites has either two double beds and a sofa bed or a king size bed and a sofa bed), free continental breakfast, fitness center, and two meeting rooms. Winter rates will be in the $175- $195/night range. Room rates will be higher in the summer. The hotel will open in 2-3 weeks.
Then Committee Representatives reported to the membership.
Committee Reports:
Budget & Finance:
Dues bills have been sent out. Please
pay promptly.
Contributions: SNAP sent a thank
you for the generous donations of toys and checks from our December meeting.
The March meeting, which will take place in the late afternoon, and will
be a theme party, will be used as a fundraiser to enable Newmarket Business
Association to give more donations to worthy causes during the upcoming year.
We presently donate approximately 10% of the total annual dues budget.
Please plan to donate goods or services that can be auctioned at the
fundraiser. Thanks!
Public Affairs: This committee will
be planning the Mardi Gras event and continuing its efforts on the
communications projects that are underway.
Safety: There was a homeless woman
living in a tent in the parking lot of Citizens Bank. She had a fire going. The
police were notified.
There have been more graffiti hits
in the area. The MBTA Police have a
procedure in place to identify the culprit.
If the graffiti is being cleaned, first take a picture and bring it to
the attention of Lt. Nancy O’Laughlin who has gotten legislation passed to
prosecute the offenders. Often the
“artists” have to do community service in conjunction with the crew who run
the graffiti washing machine.
There are abandoned shopping carts
on Kemble Street. The “NO
DUMPING” signs have not yet been posted in that location where they are sorely
needed.
There have been a series of daytime
car break-ins in the area along the park and Shirley Street.
Rear windows are smashed and belongings are stolen by perpetrators who
run away through the park. Broken glass along the sidewalk shows this to be a common
occurrence. Do Not Leave Belongings
in View in Your Car. Police reports
have been filed.
Issues:
The MBTA bus repair facility
proposed for the site on Southhampton Street will provide employee parking on
its roof. They are going to do a
traffic impact study and will try to schedule runs in order to
minimize conflicts with Newmarket truck traffic.
The Newmarket Business Association wants to keep the MBTA Police at that
location. The MBTA representative,
probably Margery Madden the project manager, will do a presentation on this
proposed facility to the Issues committee.
A letter was sent to the Boston
Redevelopment Authority endorsing the Crosstown Center
and reiterating NBA’s opposition to MASCO or any other satellite
parking use. All parking should be
project-related. The letter also
points out that the Massachusetts Avenue/Melnea Cass/Albany Street intersection
needs a traffic plan since that area is already close to gridlock without all
the new developments.
A letter was sent to Captain
Cellucci of Police Station 4D regarding the police-only parking in the area
where the new station is being built on Harrison Avenue.
The letter requests a meeting to discuss this issue.
A meeting has been scheduled on
January 18, 2001 regarding the future of the incinerator site.
Representative Byron Rushing filed legislation without the agreed upon
changes.
The Newmarket parking triangle is
owned by James and Serena Chang. There
exist 10-13 easements to park on the site.
An attorney and broker were working with the owners to develop structured
parking on the site that did not acknowledge the rights of the easement holders.
The owners put up a fence and locked out the easement holders.
The easement holders sued the owners and got an injunction and
restraining order preventing the owners from locking the easement holders out.
Commissioner Joyce of ISD refused to grant a permit for parking 300 cars
on the site (approximately 150 spaces for the easement holders and approximately
150 spaces for a satellite parking user like MASCO).
The Newmarket Business Association has worked to get the players to
negotiate a resolution. The NBA
supports the rights of the easement holders to park in this area and opposes any
satellite parking use of any part of the Newmarket area.
Carl Lizio has arranged a meeting
with Project Place to keep the parking triangle area clean of litter, etc.
A letter was sent to request
sidewalks near the Mason School.
Bill Moy from the Central Artery
Tunnel will arrange to have the landscape architect present the landscape
beautification plan to the Issues committee as soon as it is drafted.
The membership will discuss a
response to the City of Boston Site Cleanliness Ordinance at the February
meeting. This is the new Dumpster
Law.
Real Estate:
There is a 7,500 square foot building for lease at the corner of
Massachusetts Avenue, East Cottage and Columbia Road.
Call Joel Miller if you know of an interested party.
The Agar site may also become
available, since the telecommunications use planned for this building is
unlikely to occupy it.
The building that formerly housed
New England Coffee Cake will house the wholesale operations of Rosie’s Bakery.
New Business:
There will be seminars presented by
John Shoucair and Bill Taube of Met Life on long term care and annuities to take
place on March 1, and May 15. These
will be informative sessions and not a commercial for Met Life products.
Please save the dates.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 am.
Membership
Meeting held on September 13, 2000 at
the Victoria Restaurant
The meeting was called
to order at 8:10 am by President Carl Lizio. The 42 members in attendance
introduced themselves. Then
Committee Representatives reported to the membership.
Budget & Finance: Dues bills
are being sent out. Effective with
the new calendar year, dues have been set at $100 per single individual; $150
for companies with 2-10 employees; $300 for companies over ten employees.
This new schedule of dues was set by the unanimous vote of the
membership. It has been 5+ years
since the NBA dues last increased.
Mason School: The Mason School
hosted the November membership meeting. Superintendent
Payzant of the Boston Public Schools was the speaker.
Thank you for the warm welcome and hospitality.
Wally Stevens and the staff of Slade Gorton have adopted classrooms at
the Mason School. Charles Georgenes’
years of effort on Clifford Park have paid off with a tot-lot playground for the
Mason School. Chuck Levin and Joe
Cefalo have compiled a “wish list” of items to be donated to assist the
Mason School.
Contributions: The Newmarket
Business Association has made donations to Casa Esperanza and Place of Promise.
Total contributions for the year are $3,134.38.
At the December Membership Meeting toys and checks were collected for
South End Neighborhood Action Program “SNAP” to make the holidays brighter
for needy children.
Safety: Please report any areas of concern to Wally Stevens.
The MBTA Police have been very helpful on behalf of concerns shared by
members of the NBA.
Public Affairs: No news to report
at this meeting.
Issues: subcommittee reports
Real Estate: Rosie’s Bakery has moved to 70 Newmarket
Square. Judy Rosenberg and Eliot
Winograd of Rosie’s attended that meeting as new members.
Argent Ventures is the owner of the former Agar site.
They had arranged to lease the space to a telecommunications company from
New York but new City of Boston zoning has made that a conditional use.
The owners are therefore looking for other uses for the site.
There was a meeting taking place regarding the incinerator
site simultaneously with the Newmarket Business Association membership meeting.
There will be more to report on this site at the next meeting.
If any members are interested in a potential use of this site, please
notify Carl Lizio or Joe Cefalo.
The Crosstown Development site is going ahead with
development. Newmarket Business
Association voted unanimously to send a letter supporting Crosstown but
emphatically stating for the record that we are adamantly opposed to satellite
parking in the Newmarket area by
MASCO or any other entity.
There is also concern about traffic congestion on Mass Ave,
Melnea Cass and Albany Street.
The Newmarket parking triangle is a contentious issue that is
currently under negotiation by Mr. Chang, the parcel’s owner, the easement
holders, and Commissioner Joyce of the ISD.
It is likely that the courts will decide this issue ultimately, but the
NBA has made every attempt to bring the parties together to encourage a
resolution.
The new D4 police station is under construction and has taken
over the on-street parking restricting it to police vehicles only.
The NBA has sent a letter requesting a meeting with the chief to discuss
this situation. At hearings prior to the construction of the station, the
chief promised not to take all the street parking.
The MBTA is planning a major bus repair facility on
Southhampton Street to repair the buses for the Silver Line.
They have to provide 300 parking spaces for their employees (who
apparently don’t use public transportation).
The NBA will set up a meeting to try to protect the interests of members
whose property will be involved in this development.
The MBTA Police site may be taken. The
MBTA Police has been a benefit to the Newmarket Neighborhood and they may be
squeezed out by this repair facility. The
NBA will try to work with the chief of the MBTA Police to try to keep them in
the neighborhood. A representative
of the MBTA will be invited to speak to the members at an upcoming Newmarket
Business Association meeting.
New Business:
Boston Medical Center offers programs to the community.
At future meetings there may be an opportunity to schedule prostate
cancer screenings, mammography screenings, flu shots, etc. for members and
employees.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 am.
Membership Meeting and Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors held on August 9, 2000 at the Victoria Restaurant.
The meeting was called to order at 8:20 am by President Carl Lizio. Members in attendance introduced themselves. Candidates were nominated and a unanimous vote was taken to fill vacant positions on the slate of Officers and Board of Directors for the coming year, and then representatives from standing committees gave their reports.
Bill Moy from the Central
Artery project stated that the Newmarket and Massachusetts Avenue interchange is
almost finished; there is only about one month of work to go.
The BU garage is almost done. The
Crosstown project is going forward with the helipad moving behind the power
plant. The frontage road connector
will be completed in one month. A
landscape consultant will be selected to beautify the Massachusetts Avenue
interchange. The consultant will be
invited to a Newmarket Business Association meeting.
After Bill Moy had to leave, the Association voted to send a letter to Commissioner Natsios complimenting Bill Moy on his work with Newmarket.
Contributions Committee:
No applications were received since the last meeting, and therefore there were no new donations.
Clifford Park:
The three baseball diamonds are just about done. The entrance and tot lot and memorial to Buster Carmine are being landscaped. The playground across from the mason School is being redone, new trees have been planted, and the walking/jogging path is almost done. The renovation of this park has been ten years in process with continuous effort by Charles Georgenes to make it a reality.
Development:
Joel Miller reported that Argent Ventures is closing on the Agar space in September. Spaulding and Slye will represent them to lease the building for telecommunications users. The group doing the design work on the Agar building will be invited to a future Newmarket Business Association meeting. CB Richard Ellis and Cabot, Cabot & Forbes are doing the Casey & Hayes project at 157 Hamden Street, Capital Woodwork will be the new user. The Branch Electric building has been sold. The Crosstown project should be getting underway in the first quarter of 2001. Corcoran Jennison is speaking with the principals about becoming a partner in this project which is slated to include a hotel, ratial, and corporate space. It was reported that Loews theater has backed out of the Crosstown project.
Mason School:
Thirty percent of the students at the Mason School are special needs students. The Mason School was one of seven finalists in the national competition for the Disney Spotlight award. The Mason School ranked seventh out of sixty-two Boston schools on the MCAS exams. The Mason School has a community learning center. Thanks to NBA member Bob Patcha of WebmastersBoston.com, the Mason School has a web site. The Mason School subcommittee is collating a “wish list” of in-kind contributions from Newmarket members, culled from teachers’ requests. The School may ultimately need its own development director to attract grant money, since the City of Boston does not fully support the costs of operating the school.
Safety:
Please report any safety issues or concerns to Wally Stevens.
Public Affairs:
The Mardi Gras party held at Citizens Bank and the Tall Ships Cruise on Boston Harbor were well-attended successful events. Thank you to all who helped out!
The membership drive has brought in nineteen new members, bringing our total membership close to 200 businesses. The new stationery has the Newmarket website on it. If you have not checked out the website recently, it can be found at www. NewmarketBoston.org, and it includes links to City offices as well as member companies.
If there is enough interest, the Newmarket Business Association will offer baseline seminars on how to use the internet.
Issues:
A letter was sent to the Zoning Board of Appeals endorsing the project at 33 Bradston Street, praising the efforts by developers Long and Gordon in fixing up a derelict site, but expressing opposition to any continued expansion by the Sheriff’s department into the Newmarket neighborhood.
The owner of the parking triangle has been cited for code violations. The owner has filed a preliminary application for a seven story, 1626 space parking facility to be used by Massco for parking for Longwood Avenue facilities. Newmarket Business Association is against the use of the Newmarket neighborhood as an overflow parking site for other neighborhoods.
Legislation is still being
drafted for the incinerator site. Newmarket
representatives have a meeting scheduled with Byron Rushing.
The convention center is interested in the incinerator site as a location
for staging trucks and materials. A
letter will be sent to the convention center staff to establish a direct line of
communication with the Newmarket Business Association.
RF Walsh, LMB, and Spaulding & Slye are trying to secure options on the the land north of Southhampton Street. If their proposal firms up, the Issues Committee will review it and have the principals present their proposal to the membership.
New Business:
Concerns were raised about the MBTA Urban Ring Plan. The four Dorchester stations are being redone. There are no stops planned between Mattapan and South Station. Newmarket Business Association will try to obtain more information to share with members.
The South Bay Harbor Trail has received $50,000 in grant money for a landscape architect to design the bike and pedestrian path from Ruggles to the South Boston waterfront. Representatives will be invited to a future meeting to present this design.
A unanimous vote authorized Charles Georgenes to spend $275 on a new banner for the Association.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 am.
Membership Meeting held on September 13, 2000 at the Victoria Restaurant
The meeting was called to order at 8:10 am by President Carl Lizio. The 50 members in attendance introduced themselves. John Meaney, Principal Health for the Boston Inspectional Services Department, discussed the new “Site Cleanliness Ordinance” enacted by the City of Boston. Representatives from standing committees gave their reports.
On July 1st the City of Boston passed a
new law called the “Site Cleanliness Ordinance”, requiring businesses that
use dumpsters to apply for a license. Each
year, in order to obtain a license, the business must pay a $25 fee, and submit
a “site cleanliness plan” together with a detailed form identifying the
location of the dumpster (ward & precinct), the property location, the
property owner’s name, address and telephone number, the name and address of
the disposal company, the schedule for pickups, the cleaning schedule, the name
and address of the person responsible for cleaning, and requiring DPW approval.
To be granted a license requires the signature of the Commissioner or his
designee. Fines of up to $1000 per
day and/or closure of the business are the penalties for violating this
ordinance. The ordinance is
enforced by the Community Sanitation Division of the Boston Inspectional and the
Code Enforcement Police.
1500 of these
licenses have been issued. Any
business that uses a dumpster is covered by this law.
There was no
consultation with small businesses in the drafting or passage of this unfair,
unnecessary and draconian law! This
law imposes costs and penalties on every single small business in Boston
regardless of whether the business has ever caused a problem!
John Meaney
was not part of the legal process of drafting or passing this ordinance. His job involves issuing the licenses and enforcing the new
rules.
Polite
discussion during the meeting turned to the issue of illegal dumping in the
Newmarket neighborhood. Illegal
dumping is already covered by other City ordinances.
The full text of the law and the license application form will be posted on the Newmarket Business Association website by Bob Patcha.
Contributions:
Newmarket Business Association donated $300 to the Dudley Street neighborhood. Place of Promise sent a thank you letter.
Clifford Park:
After ten years of effort, the Park is being rebuilt! The walking path is almost done. The tot lot is being installed while this meeting is taking place. There will even be a flagpole.
A grand opening ceremony will be scheduled soon.
The Mass Rehab Commission encourages Newmarket companies to hire people with disabilities. Depending on the circumstances, the Commission will assist by providing special tools, etc. They wanted to draw attention to the “Abilities to Work Expo”, which features equipment for people with disabilities, and is being held in New England for the first time, and to the “Celebration 2000 Career Fair”, which is taking place on October 20-21. Newmarket Business Association is invited to buy a table for $800 where any interested member company could publicize employment opportunities.
Development:
Joel Miller pointed out some corrections to the prior meeting’s minutes.
A building on Howard Street has been rehabbed and two new tenants are moving in. The Spaulding and Slye is doing the leasing for the Crosstown project. Current plans call for no movie theater. Argent Ventures will be the user for the former-Agar building. It will be a telecommunications facility.
An application for a permit for surface parking has been submitted by the owner of the Newmarket triangle.
The Biosquare garage is scheduled to open by the end of September. Parking meters are being installed on surrounding streets.
The Boston Water & Sewer building is scheduled for completion by year end and the employees will move in by Martin Luther King day. Once the building is done, Newmarket Business Association may hold a meeting there or arrange tours for interested members.
Mason School:
An event is scheduled for November 8th. More details to follow.
Safety:
Police arrested drug dealers after a recent incident was reported to the Safety committee. The crosswalks have been put in place on Southhampton street. Some of the “NO DUMPING” signs have been installed. A meeting will be scheduled to try to eliminate the conflicting school bus and trucking schedules.
Public Affairs:
The member directory will be completed in October. Please respond promptly to calls to confirm the information. We are considering adding advertisements for member’s companies to the website. We are also able to make a page within the Newmarket website available to each interested member.
The October meeting will be our annual networking event, “Oktoberfest”. We are inviting City Councillor Kelly to be a guest speaker.
Membership Meeting held on May 10, 2000 at the Victoria Restaurant
The meeting was called to order at 8:15 am by President Carl Lizio. Members and guests in attendance introduced themselves. Mr. James Sylvia, the Director of Real Estate for Stop & Shop Corporation gave a short presentation, and then representatives from standing committees gave their reports.
36 members were in attendance:
Congratulations to the MBTA Police for catching the culprit from the Mass Ave Station!
Catherine D’Amato from the Greater Boston Food Bank introduced the speaker, James Sylvia the Director of Real Estate for Stop & Shop corporation. Stop & Shop is an extremely generous sponsor of the Greater Boston Food Bank, donating over $13 million in product and over $250,000 in cash. Stop & Shop is also a major sponsor of the Jimmy Fund. The South Bay location is the most productive store in the chain. Stop & Shop is trying to learn from the success of the South Bay site and apply the lessons to their new store program, particularly in urban markets. James Sylvia described the history of the Stop & Shop supermarkets founded in 1918 by the Rabb family and owned today by a Dutch company with holdings all over the world.
Representatives from the Boston Water & Sewer Commission spoke about the upcoming water main relining and recementing project. The project will extend the useful life of the pipes under Massachusetts Avenue from Boston Street to Southhampton Street. A temporary by-pass system will be put in place. NB: a heavy truck or bus driving over the by-pass pipes can break the by-pass. All customers along the route will be notified and receive a magnet with contact information. There will be a series of shut downs; these will usually be scheduled between 9am and 4pm. There will be 48 hours notice in advance of shut downs. Fire alarms may go off during the shut downs. The Boston Water and Sewer Commission will need advance warning of businesses that need water to stay in business. The project will happen in two phases: Columbia Road to Newmarket Square is phase 1 and Newmarket Square to Melnea Cass is phase 2. Sue Sullivan pointed out to the speakers that in this neighborhood the impact on businesses is greater than the impact on residents. Federico Construction is the contractor; they will dig access pits which will be secured with steel plates overnight. Telephone numbers to reach the representative at Boston Water & Sewer Commission are as follows:
24 hours: 617-330-9400
Irene direct: 617-737-5976
Justine direct: 617-737-5982
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
The minutes of the April meeting were accepted.
Budget & Finance:
Please pay your dues. The third dues notice is being mailed this week. Collections are ahead of last year at this time.
Mason School:
The subcommittee meeting held on April 27 at the Flower Exchange resulted in three major ways that the Newmarket Business Association can assist the school, 1. A resource for materials, 2. a source of cash donations, 3. a source of expert advice and neighborly assistance for annual projects. The subcommittee developed a “wish list” of donations sought by the school, such as school supplies, book cases, computer paper, etc. Mason schoolteachers currently buy these materials with personal funds. The Mason School was one of the top seven finalists for the Walt Disney Company spotlight award. The school is in the last stages of preparing to take the MCAS tests which will be administered next week. A camera crew was at the school videotaping three teachers while the Newmarket Meeting was taking place.
Contributions:
The committee would like to find a way to increase the funds available for contributions above the current level of approximately $2,500 annually. Suggestions were that members could add $100 to $200 to the annual dues to be earmarked for contributions. It was also suggested that retirees may choose to send a check for contributions even after they are exempt from regular dues. When members donate to charities in the area, they could include a mention the connection to Newmarket Business Association. The focus of giving for Newmarket Business Association remains children in the neighborhood. members contribute so generously to many of the charities that Newmarket Business Association spotlights. A greater effort should be made to publicize the good works achieved by NBA in the community. Fundraising events may be increased in order to have more money available for contributions.
Safety:
A meeting has been scheduled with the Methadone clinic to discuss traffic and trafficking. The Sheriff’s department will be meeting with the committee to discuss the proposed new building. A building at 965 Massachusetts Avenue is being renovated for “Victory Programs” which are alcohol, drug addiction and psychological problem recovery programs. Supposedly Aerosmith is chairing the event for the June opening of this facility. Newmarket Business Association was never informed of this use in this location.
A questionnaire was distributed to the membership to collect information about health insurance. There may be a way for the Newmarket Business Association to facilitate package deals on health insurance.
Public Affairs:
Please give the website a try and let us know how we can make it even better.
In late June there will be an event to launch the refurbished Clifford Park. It will be a cook-out with a tent in Clifford Park. The Mayor, Commissioner of Parks, Mason School parents and kids, and, of course, Newmarket Business Association members and their employees will all be there! Notices will be sent out. Please plan to attend!
Charlie Georgenes gave a report