Thursday, May 9, 2013
The time would allow Braintree officials to draft zoning rules for the medical marijuana dispensaries.
The Town Council will take up in the next few weeks an ordinance that would block medical marijuana dispensaries from coming to Braintree for a year while local officials use finalized state guidelines to create new zoning regulations. The mayor's office has drafted a temporary moratorium that will likely come before the council by the end of May, Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin said. Councilors-at-Large Sean Powers and Lelang Dingee are the probable co-sponsors. "The regulation of medical marijuana treatment centers raises many novel and complex legal, planning and public safety issues, and the Town needs time to study the anticipated regulations from the Department of Public Health and to address the potential impacts of these …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The state also boosted Braintree's Chapter 90 transportation funding for next year by half a million dollars.
Braintree is preparing to take out $8.5 million in loans to pay for road resurfacing, school security, the East Braintree Fire Station project and more, taking advantage of favorable interest rates and potential revenue from a proposed meals tax. "We are being more aggressive in our capital expenditures than we would be otherwise because of the rates," Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin told the Committee on Ways & Means as it examined Mayor Joseph Sullivan's capital spending proposal Tuesday night as part of its ongoing budget review. The Town Council will likely vote on the entire budget at the end of May. Responding to earlier concerns raised by Committee Chair Paul "Dan" Clifford, Morin also said that the mayor's office will …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council last week.
Below is a break-down of the revenue streams Braintree will use to fund its government during fiscal year 2014, starting July 1. The Committee on Ways & Means will examine the budget more closely, department-by-department, during a series of upcoming public meetings. See the schedule here: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/braintree-s-fiscal-year-2014-budget-review-schedule Return to Braintree Patch for more coverage of the budget. For a budget spending breakdown, go to http://braintree.patch.com/articles/2014-braintree-budget-breakdown Type of Revenue Amount in FY2014 Difference From 2013 Tax Levy $76,069,177 $2,692,649 State Aid $15,453,909…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan put the meals tax in his fiscal year 2014 budget.
Braintree restaurants and patrons are likely to see the implementation of the local options meals tax this year, as a proposal by Councilor John Mullaney has gained traction through Mayor Joseph Sullivan's advocacy before business groups and his inclusion of it in his 2014 budget. "This modest increase – an additional 15 cents on a $20 meal – will allow for continued investment in our community," Sullivan said in his budget speech last Wednesday. "I am committed to putting the realized revenue towards the principal and interest of an expanded capital plan." The proposal would bring the tax at Braintree restaurants from 6.25 percent to 7 percent, with Braintree retaining the extra revenue on a quarterly basis. The state Department of …
The snow budget will go up $50,000 for next year.
During a winter marked by the Blizzard of 2013 and several other smaller storms, Braintree spent more than $850,000 on snow and ice removal – about half a million dollars over budget. Mayor Joseph Sullivan said during his fiscal year 2014 budget presentation last week that the town had spent $857,000 so far on those costs, with more calculations still to be made. Braintree budgeted $350,000 this year for snow and ice. The final number could be about $25,000 more, Chief of Staff and Operation Peter Morin said, as remaining fuel charges are calculated. Though cities and towns are allowed to roll-over snow debt for up to three years, Braintree has regularly paid off the balance with reserves each year. Last year, the town spent just under its…
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council Wednesday night.
Below is the department-by-department breakdown of what Mayor Joseph Sullivan has proposed for funding for fiscal year 2014. Sullivan's $106 million fiscal year 2014 budget targets nearly two-thirds of a $4.76 million increase over the current year to the school department, with much of the remaining funding hike going to public safety, retirement and benefit costs and a variety of other departments. The Committee on Ways & Means will examine the budget more closely, department-by-department, during a series of upcoming public meetings. See the schedule here: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/braintree-s-fiscal-year-2014-budget-review-schedule Return to Braintree Patch for more coverage of the budget. Department FY2014 …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council Wednesday night.
Mayor Joseph Sullivan's $106 million fiscal year 2014 budget targets nearly two-thirds of a $4.76 million increase over the current year to the school department, with much of the remaining funding hike going to public safety, retirement and benefit costs and a variety of other departments. Sullivan commended his town employees for their hard work in his annual budget address to the Town Council Wednesday night and for helping him navigate the town through an "ever-changing" economic landscape. Despite several years of fiscal difficulties in Massachusetts, throughout the United States and globally, Braintree has almost tripled its reserves, to $17 million, balanced its budget for three consecutive years without appropriating free cash and …
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Polls are open until 8 p.m.
Polling locations in Braintree have seen steady but slow participation so far on Tuesday, with a midday turnout of 12 percent. That could deliver an end-of-day number of 24 percent, slightly lower than Town Clerk Joe Power's prediction of 26 percent. "These are the dedicated voters," Powers said. Secretary of State William Galvin predicted 19 percent turnout statewide. There was little visible political activity in Braintree Tuesday. The sign holders that dotted each polling location during the November election were nowhere to be seen. U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, whose Congressional district includes Braintree, is expected to do well in Braintree and surrounding communities. For interviews with each of the candidates in today's primary, go …
Mayor Joseph Sullivan selected Lt. James O'Brien as Braintree's next fire chief.
When Mayor Joseph Sullivan was interviewing candidates for fire chief earlier this year, he was looking not just at job qualifications on paper but also for a certain combination of experience and perspective. "The interviews are important," Sullivan said. "There is an intangible element that comes through that process.” There has been some head-scratching since Sullivan announced his selection last week of Lt. James O'Brien as the Braintree Fire Department's newest chief. He beat out fellow finalists Deputy Chief Steven Sawtelle and Lt. Edward Bulger, and was, by the mayor's own admission, "not the traditional 'next in line' choice." But in a follow-up interview, Sullivan explained his decision by saying that the department is undergoing …
Monday, April 29, 2013
The town is looking for applicants.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, April 29
Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan has announced that he is seeking interested Braintree residents to fill vacant seats on the Board of Health and the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Each board currently has one vacancy. It is the responsibility of the ZBA to review and rule on any applications for relief from zoning by-laws. Residents seeking to apply for the opening seat on ZBA should preferably have a background in the construction and building trade or be familiar with current zoning regulations. The mission of the Board of Health is to assist the Health Division to protect, promote and sustain the health, well being and quality of life for residents, the community and the environment through health assessment, education and prevention. Those …
SG
11:21 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013
They can't tax it, so their heads start spinning in bewilderment and they need a timeout. more ›