flowers grouped to create the number five

Top 5 in Town News

A snapshot of town government news.

1 - Town Center Improvement Project

The contract for the biggest roadway reconstruction project in Weston's history has been executed and the pre-construction meeting with the contractor, P. Gioioso & Sons, Inc., DPW, Police, Fire, and other Town Officials was held last week. This is a very exciting time! So what is next?

The contractor will be seen in the Town Center over the next week or two conducting some test pit work before the serious excavating gets underway
When the serious work begins, it will start at the west side of the Town Center
Road work this year will be "between the curbs." Parking in various areas will be disturbed but there will be pedestrian access
Road construction signage will be installed shortly and will indicate that Town Center businesses are OPEN
The Selectmen will be appointing a Working Group consisting of representatives from the Town Center Planning Committee, Selectmen, Planning Board, Traffic & Sidewalk Committee, DPW, Fire, Police, and the Town Manager
A Town Center Construction email/text notification listserv is active. If you wish to receive construction updates or follow progress, subscribe at Weston.org/StayInformed. As the project progresses, communications will be issued through this notification system. Updates will also be posted to the Town's website at Weston.org/TownCenter

Again, this is going to be a massive construction project. The last time the Town of Weston made any improvements to its town center was over 100 years ago when the Town Green was created. This project will be disruptive but only for a short time when compared to the great benefits for many years to come. Your patience will be greatly appreciated.

2 - Meeting on the Case Estates Ecological Management Plan

Weston's Conservation Commission has engaged Mass Audubon’s Ecological Extension Services to draft an Ecological Management Plan for the Case Estates. The Plan will help guide the maintenance and stewardship of the Case Estates property over the next seven years.

On June 12th at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall, residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the challenges and opportunities at the property and can share their ideas on how best to protect the land and to identify the pressing ecological needs at the Case Estates, among other stewardship activities.

3 - 751 Boston Post Road at the Zoning Board of Appeals

On June 10th at 7:30 p.m., Weston's Zoning Board of Appeals will open the public hearings for the Comprehensive Permit of this 40B development. Further, the Planning Board will also be holding a special meeting on June 12th at 7:30 p.m. to review the comprehensive permit application.

A lot of information, including the permit application materials, can be found on the Town's website. Residents can subscribe to receive agenda notifications from the Zoning Board of Appeals to follow the public hearing process.

4 - Dog Behavior Education Seminar

Weston's Animal Control Officer is hosting Vera Wilkinson of The Cooperative Dog on Thursday, June 20th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Police Station. This event is free and open. The presentation will address:

Dogs and Kids and Babies, OH MY!: Keeping everyone safe, happy & together
Trail Etiquette with Dogs: Considering others while enjoying the outdoors

5 - Volunteer Opportunities and Feedback Sought

If you've ever thought about giving back to Weston by serving its Town Government, there are a few opportunities available. See weston.org/volunteer for current openings (Sustainability Committee and Finance Committee) and watch for notices regarding future openings.

The Board of Selectmen is also conducting its annual review of committees and membership reappointments. During this time, the Selectmen are asking for resident feedback on any of their appointed committees or members. They're also accepting informal interest to serve on these committees. More information, including a list of Selectmen-appointed committees, is available on the Town's website.

Summer Fun in Weston

It all starts on June 8th!

Memorial Pool Opens June 8th

Get your pool badge or sponsor an out-of-town friend or relative. Extended Recreation Office Hours are being offered to accommodate residents:

Sat., June 8 - 11:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Wed., June 19 - 8:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sat., June 22 - 11:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Wed., June 26 - 8:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Find pool hours, badge application, and concession card information on the Memorial Pool web page.

The Annual Ice Cream Social is June 12th

This annual favorite will begin at 6:30 p.m. on the Town Green on June 12th. Ice cream will be served until 7:30 p.m.

The Summer Concert Series Starts June 12th

Kicking off the weekly Concerts on the Green is the Sixties Invasion on June 12th at 7:00 p.m. on the Town Green. Concerts are held every Wednesday through July 17th (weather permitting). Pack your lawn chairs, blankets, and dancing shoes and find the full line-up on the Community Events Calendar at Weston.org/Events.

Pool-side Events Start June 15th

As if swimming wasn't fun enough, the Recreation Department has planned a season-long series of family-fun pool events complete with games, music, challenges and more. "One BIG Pool Party" is June 15th at 1:00 p.m. Find the rest of the pool-side parties on the Community Events Calendar at Weston.org/Events

2019 Roadway Construction

A lot of road work is underway in Weston, which means two things: it'll be inconvenient for a short time but the end result will be worth it. Be sure to allow a little extra time when driving through town. Residents interested in following DPW work can subscribe to the weekly update

Conant Road - a portion is closed as MassDCR crews work to unblock the underpass as the final phase of the Mass Central Rail Trail. A detour is in place
Merriam Street - several portions of the road will be under construction at different times over the next several weeks
Church Street and Concord Road - work to create the parking areas for the Mass Central Rail Trail will begin soon
Sylvan and Glen roads - reconstruction work will begin on Sylvan Road and then move to Glen Road
Pigeon Hill Road, Hill Top Road, and Old Road - will be reconstructed after Conant Road is reopened

Expanded Library Programs

Weston's Librarians know what we need - even if we don't know it, yet.

Tech Help @ WPL

The library is happy to offer FREE technology education and assistance to library patrons. A variety of structured classes are offered, but a one-on-one appointment on a specific topic can be arranged. Topics covered include, but are not limited to:

purchasing new technology
using a mobile device (smartphone, iPad, Kindle Fire, etc.)
using social media
optimizing computer performance and strategies to prevent viruses
email for beginners
downloading eBooks and using other digital library resources

If you would like to book an individual 1-hour appointment, please use our online booking tool. If you are unable to book online, call our Assistant Director, Allison Palmgren, at 781-786-6150.

Hoopla

Patrons will soon have another great option for borrowing movies, digital music, digital audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and TV shows on your computer, tablet, phone, and even on your TV! The best part? Titles can be streamed immediately or downloaded for offline enjoyment later.

We'd Like to Hear From You!

The Weston Cultural Council is collecting opinions and information from residents to help us set our funding priorities for the next few years. The Council is charged with distributing money in the form of grants allotted to the town by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency supporting the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as a matching fund from the Town of Weston.

Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous online survey. We're interested in learning more about what types of Weston-based arts and cultural events you'd be interested in. The survey is open until June 10th.

Recycle Ink Cartridges at Weston's Transfer Station

Printer ink cartridges can be dropped off at the Transfer Station for recycling. The bin can be found to the right of the solid waste compactor, near where lightbulbs are placed. All varieties of ink cartridges are taken; however, toner cartridges are not taken at this time.

In North America, more than 40,000 tons of plastic and metal is saved from landfills annually as a result of cartridge recycling. If 100,000 used cartridges are recycled, it can save over 21,000 lbs of aluminum, 40 tons of plastic, and 264,000 gallons of oil. Reusing the cartridges (for remanufacturing) is even better for the environment.

No Permit? No Problem.

If you use a private hauling service, you can still recycle at Weston's Transfer Station. A Recycle Only permit can be purchased at the Treasurer/Collector's Office in Town Hall. Cartridges can also be dropped off at Town Hall.

How to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle?

There are so many opportunities available at Weston's Transfer Station for residents to keep many recyclable materials out of the solid waste stream. Initiating just one or two new habits can make a difference. Learn more at Weston.org/RSW

Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

Well, to, uh, get to the other side? But if you happen to come across a turtle in the road, how do you get it out of the road so it doesn't get squished?

Make sure it's safe for you to be in the road
Hold onto both sides of the shell and don't be timid. Expect the turtle to wiggle or even pee. You don't want to drop it, which could cause the shell to crack
Move the turtle in the direction it is heading and release it in the shoulder of the road

More information - and a short instructional video - is available online. It also includes some helpful tips if the turtle you're trying to save is a snapping turtle (they bite), such as getting it to bite a stick and gently dragging it or lifting the back of the shell by the legs and walking it towards its destination.

Town Hall Summer Hours

From June 3rd to August 31st, Town Hall offices will be open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays.

DPW is also its summer hour schedule, which is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If there is a DPW-related emergency after hours, please call the Weston Police Department for assistance at 781-786-6201

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