Happy Halloween!
Tuesday, November 3, is the state election, with all four precincts voting at the Holliston High School gym from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and nine statewide questions on the ballot along with the races for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress and the Legislature. Otherwise it was a light week at Town Hall: the Conservation Commission met Tuesday, October 27, and tabled a request for an administrative plan change for the stream crossing at 385 Prentice Street until its next meeting on November 10, so the applicant can explain how he would prevent pollution during concrete pouring, and it issued a certificate of compliance for 10 Laurel Glen Court on the condition of a $15,000 cash bond covering two years of invasive species treatment, while the Board of Health approved a $600 bill for October visiting nursing services. The first meeting ahead is the Keefe Tech committee on Monday, November 2, at 6 p.m., where members vote on an owner’s project manager contract for the feasibility study.
All four precincts vote at the Holliston High School gym, 370 Hollis Street, on Tuesday, November 3. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and anyone in line at 8 p.m. can still vote. Early voting ended Friday, and the deadlines to register (October 24) and to apply for a mail ballot (October 27) have passed.
If you still have a mail ballot at home, the Town Clerk recommends putting it in the drop box outside the side entrance of Town Hall, 703 Washington Street, by 8 p.m. Tuesday rather than mailing it, because mail delivery can take anywhere from 3 to 11 days, and mail ballots can’t be handed in at the high school. If the clerk’s office hasn’t received your mail ballot, you can still vote in person on Tuesday by filling out extra paperwork and showing ID. Once the office has your ballot, it counts as your vote and you can’t vote again at the polls. The clerk also advises everyone to bring ID, since some voters will be asked for it. Town Clerk’s voter guide
Holliston’s ballot has the races for U.S. senator, governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, U.S. representative, governor’s councillor, state senator, state representative, district attorney and register of probate. It also has nine statewide questions:
Expanding the public records law
Collective bargaining for employees of the state’s public defender agency
State primary elections
Election Day registration
A state revenue limit and rebate
A natural resource conservation fund
Single-family homes
Prohibiting retail sale of recreational marijuana
Firearms regulation
Questions 1 through 8 propose new laws. Question 9 asks whether to keep a law already in force: a yes vote keeps it and a no vote repeals it. The state’s Information for Voters booklet has each question’s summary, the arguments for and against, and the full text.
Holliston Public Schools has no classes for students on Tuesday.
Decisions
Board of Health, Tuesday, October 27 (from the meeting recording)
Visiting nurse bill: approved payment of a $600 bill for October visiting nursing services (unanimous). Recording, 0:40:50
Conservation Commission, Tuesday, October 27 (from the meeting recording)
Linden Street recreation area (D801): issued a negative 3, positive 2B determination for the request for determination of applicability at 100 Linden Street, meaning the work is not subject to the wetlands regulations as described but needs no further filing for the repair and plantings discussed (5–0-1). Recording, 0:50:13
Prentice Street culvert plan change: tabled the request for an administrative plan change for the stream crossing at 385 Prentice Street until the next meeting on November 10, so the applicant can explain how he would prevent pollution during concrete pouring (6–0). Recording, 1:51:35
Laurel Glen Court certificate of compliance: issued a certificate of compliance for 10 Laurel Glen Court on the condition of a $15,000 cash bond held by the Conservation Department to cover two years of invasive species treatment (6–0). Recording
Envisioning Future Holliston Committee, Tuesday, October 27 (from the meeting recording)
Annual public report format: adopted a rule that the committee’s yearly report to the public be a document of no more than three pages covering what was accomplished, what is planned for next year and the challenges faced, with an appendix giving full detail (unanimous). Recording, 1:02:18
Coming Up
Saturday, October 31
Sunday, November 1
Overnight parking ban begins: no on-street parking 1 to 5 a.m. through March 31
Metrowest Symphony opens its season with Beethoven’s Fifth at Framingham State, 2 p.m.; seniors $10
Butterfly Garden reunion planned at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
Monday, November 2
Three agencies present business loans, tax credits and grants at Upper Town Hall, 5 to 7 p.m.
Small business owners can meet SBA and state officials at Town Hall, 5 to 7 p.m.
Keefe Tech committee votes on owner’s project manager contract for feasibility study at 6 p.m. Agenda
Holliston hosts Westwood in a boys varsity soccer conference match
Tuesday, November 3
State election: polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holliston High School gym, 370 Hollis Street
Wednesday, November 4
Thursday, November 5
Wellhead Bylaw Subcommittee to wrap up the year’s work at 1 p.m., Town Hall Room 105 Agenda
Ages 8+ can swing by the library’s Gilman Room from noon to 2 p.m. for a Fall Festival
Friday, November 6
Saturday, November 7
Holliston Mill Studio artists open studios to visitors at 24 Water Street, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free pumpkin launch and composting at Weston Pond Recreation Area, 1 to 3 p.m.
Pumpkin Catapult and Compost event set for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Holliston
Monday, November 9
The Holliston Ledger reports from posted agendas, minutes and meeting recordings. Items marked “from the meeting recording” were written before the board approved its minutes and may change when it does. If something here is wrong, reply to this email, and the correction will run at the bottom of the post and in next week’s edition.