Author: Deb Cleveland

The Framingham DPW has been enforcing the guidelines regarding waste and recycling pickup.  Trash barrels that hold more than 35 gallons are getting stickered. 

Disposal is limited to 3 barrels holding no more than 35 gallons and weighing no more than 40 each, or the equivalent.

These limitations save the town money and reduce worker injuries.

The Town’s website has an extensive list of questions and answers about the solid waste policy and how and why it is enforced.

The larger yellow barrels, available at the Recycling Drop-Off Center and at the DPW office make recycling easier than ever. 

The more we recycle and comply with the regulations, the better.  And maybe the longer we have before going to a “pay as we throw” system. 

And to think, back in the day of Tony Colona, we had trash pickup twice a week!  We were the envy of all our friends and family members who didn’t live in town.

John Harvard’s just hosted a meeting of the Cochituate Rail Trail and their back function room was SRO.

Slowly, but surely the trail is evolving.

Support from John Harvard’s who donate’s proceeds from their Rail Trail Ale ( over $ 4300 this batch) and from REI were acknowledged.

As the DPW has determined that it would be easier and less expensive to run replacement sewer lines along the proposed trail route, the trail is being incorporated into a plan to build the trail as the sewer line is put in place.  A real serendipity.  And the funding may come through an economic stimulus package.

Instead of ripping up roadways, and causing detours and traffic interruptions, the construction of the new sewer lines would take place behind the scenes while enhancing the community by adding the rail trail.

This proposal brings the tFramingham part of the trail a lot closer to reality.

After much back and forth negotiating, the Framingham Historical Society (renamed the Framingham History Center) has come to terms with the Town over long-term leasing of the Village Hall, Edgell Library, and the Old Academy Building.

For a token $ 1 a year, for a 50 year lease, the buildings will be under the supervision of the Framingham History Center.  With the lease in hand, the Framingham History Center hopes to better attract donations and grants.

Hope so.  These buildings are a part of what makes Framingham unique and special.  So at least for a while they will be exempt from being sold off during our current economic crisis.

Last year Town Meeting members indicated their interest in preserving many town structures by approving funding of many infrastructure projects long overdue.  Thank goodness they did so before the economy took a dive.  There are too many buildings that have suffered due to lack of basic maintenance funding and the subsequent costs of repairs and replacements keeps increasing geometrically.  Town Meeting members seemed to realize that underfunding today is more expensive tomorrow and voted accordingly.

When we stopped in the Sudbury Town Hall recently, we noticed a copy of an old map on the wall.

The map was “Saxton’s Map of Suffolk 1575.”

Many names on the map were unfamiliar, or in different locations from where they are now.  “Ipswitche” was closer to Rhode Island than to New Hampshire.  “Saxted” and “Bedfeld” were east and north of the area labeled “Framlinghm,” which by 1600, dropped the “l” to become “Framingham.”

As we gingerly walked on ice and trudged through snow this week to retrive our newspaper from the front walk, we asked ourselves why.

We can get news online, but not the smaller local stories.  And, at least for us, there is nothing like reading and holding a paper or a book. 

Two stories that caught our eye today were about Robert Wright, 1973 graduate from Framingham High, and 1977 graduate from Framingham State who has been promoted to Navy Rear Admiral and local comedian Peter Gross who is competing in a comedy festival. 

Framingham has and is the home for many talented and worthy people who have made a difference and made a mark in the world. 

We invite submission of news about past and present Framingham residents to share with our visitors.

We are having withdrawal symptoms because McAuliffe is closed due to problems with the HVAC compounded by the neighborhood power outage during the recent storm.

We hope that the smoke from the HVAC meltdown doesn’t penetrate the books and materials and the problems are a fairly routine fix.

This is the winter of ice storms and power outages.

The Framingham Police even put out a call urging people not to venture out last night if possible. 

Many stores closed early. 

During one storm before Christmas, even a sidewalk plow slid off the way and into a gully near the Mass Pike Overpass on Old Conn Path.

We went to return some books tonight about 6 o’clock and noticed that the library was dark as we drove up.

At first we thought the library’s hours had changed because of budget constraints.

There was a sign in the window that stated that the library closed at 5 p.m. due to lack of heat.

Sad to say, the building’s HVAC has had its problems, either being too hot or cold, making it hard for employees and patrons alike.  Many’s the time the staff have to resort to fans or heaters to stay comfortable. 

At least McAuliffe is still there to serve us, despite occasional efforts to close this very cosy, friendly library.