Valentine’s Day is on the way …

For town information, community building and pragmatic solutions

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This month we’re covering:

– Shout-out to our Sequoia Club at Maynard High School

– Volunteer opportunities on town boards/committees

– Multiple spotlights

– Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget planning

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• And some history: Come hear the backstory of the “Ammo Dump” that became the Federal Wildlife Reserve in a large part of Maynard January 20 at 1pm at the Library

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Links to Newsletter content

1. Did You Know?…
   1. Upcoming Town/Schools Operating Budget Development calendar
   2. History of the Ammo Dump
2. Around Town (Hall):
   1. State Rep Kate Hogan’s year end summary:
   2. Economic Development Topics:
      1. New Wayfinding signage coming in February
      2. Next steps for Powder Mill Road Corridor
3. Business Spotlight – ArtSpace finds new home:
4. Maynard Advantage ’New Residents’ Testimonial :
5. Featured upcoming events in Town:
   1. Soul City Valentine’s Dance Party
   2. Maynard Cultural District Ice Sculpting Winter Celebration!
6. Education in Maynard:
   1. Celebrating the Maynard “Sequoia” Club Teachers
   2. Info on Green Meadow School Building plans:
      1. Related Capital Planning Context:
7. Artist of the Month…Andy Moerlein :
8. Volunteer Opportunities:
9. Maynard Public Library:
   1. Congratulations to Mark Malcom for 25 years of spectacular service!
10. History and plans for Water Resources in Maynard
    1. A Must Read…
11. Maynard Residential Real Estate update for 2023:

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Did You Know?…

Upcoming Town/Schools Operating Budget Development calendar

Don’t miss upcoming chances for your voices to be heard!

Below please find information and recent historical background to understand the budget process and decisions facing town voters in the coming fiscal year(s). 

This period, between February and Mid-April, offers the chance for citizen input and is the best time for collaborative discussion to review tough budget choices and better understand near and long term plans for sustaining our town’s financial health. 

Upcoming next steps: Saturday, Feb 10 Joint Finance Committee and Select Board initial budget review. and Maynard Operating Budget Calendar for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025

For Background, Last year’s (FY 2024) Joint Budget Session: Town Administrator, Finance Committee , Schools and Capital Planning Committee presentations here:

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=40

Finance Committee Presentation Feb 11 2023:

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/199

Town Administrator (TA) Presentation Feb 11 2023

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/200

FY25 budget preparation calendar (as outlined in Finance Policy Manual):

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/958/Financial-Policy-Manual-PDF:

Maynard Budget Calendar for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025

• First Tuesday of September, 2023 TA asks department heads to develop capital project requests
• First week in October, 2023 Capital requests submitted to TA
• First week in November, 2023 TA gives Capital Planning Committee recommendations
• First week of November 2023 TA receives estimated revenues for next FY, and requests Operating expense budget estimates be developed by departments by mid November
• Nov 15 TA presents a rough draft five-year Financial Forecast for General Fund, Enterprise Funds, and Capital Improvement Plan based upon current service levels and current funding sources.
• After review, the Budget Sub-Committee to provide input to the Select Board prior to budget guidelines being issued by the Board. This review will place an emphasis on the most significant areas of the budget, collective bargaining, health insurance, State aid, and School Department requirements, etc.
• By November 15, the Select Board, after consultation with the Town Administrator and the Budget Sub-Committee, shall issue budget guidelines to all department heads relating to the budget for the next fiscal year.
• 1st week of January , 2024 All department FY25 budget requests due to TA
• Third week of January 2024 TA submits recommended operating budget to town stakeholders for FY25 with challenges outlined for reaching a balanced budget
• Saturday, Feb 10 Joint Budget Planning Session held at Library or Firehouse
• Third week of March, The Select Board (SB) to adopt a Capital Improvement Plan for the next fiscal year
• Third week of April, The Select Board to approve balanced FY25 operating budget proposal to Annual Town Meeting and authorize its publication in the warrant.
• In early May the Finance Committee (FinCom), representing the Town Meeting voters, shall hold at least one public hearing to discuss both operating and capital budget proposals and share its recommendations on all warrant articles before the mid-May Annual Town Meeting.

Capital Planning Committee Presentation Feb 11 2023:

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/197

Maynard School District Feb 11 2023 Joint Budget Meeting Presentation plus dates for upcoming School FY25 budget calendar:

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/198

Source: Bob McCarthy and Town website:

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/261/Select-Board

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Did You Know?…

History of the Ammo Dump

“The Ammo Dump: A Taking of Heritage”, a newly published book by Maynard native Paul Boothroyd and sons Paul Jr. and Todd

Join us for a talk about this important history at the library on January 20, 2024 at 1pm. For more, see the library’s event calendar to register:

https://maynardpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/the-ammo-dump-a-taking-of-heritage-the-backstory-to-the-assabet-river-national-wildlife-refuge-author-talk-and-signing/

The book is for sale at Russell’s convenience store, Main Street, Maynard, for $21.99.

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Source: Paul Boothroyd and Family and David Mark

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Around Town (Hall):

State Rep Kate Hogan’s year end summary:

Excerpts from full report:

Earlier in 2023, I joined fellow MetroWest legislators, non-profit groups, and community leaders for an inaugural food access, equity and justice summit at the MetroWest Food Collaborative Legislative Breakfast.

I’m also delighted to show our partners in state and federal government how special the Third Middlesex District is. Last month, I co-hosted an event with the 495/MetroWest Partnership to welcome State Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbitts-Nutt to the region for an important discussion on the Future of Transportation in 495/MetroWest.

In the fall, I joined with the Massachusetts state legislative delegation in welcoming Congresswoman Katherine Clark to the newly-opened Assabet Co-Op Market for a working lunch discussing Maynard’s infrastructure needs and strategies for housing, the Powder Mill Road project, school building project and water needs.

Funding in the FY24 budget for Maynard initiatives like:

• $50,000 for the Maynard Commuter Shuttle 
• $35,000 for Maynard Senior Center study to conduct a needs assessment for a permanent facility

I’m proud to represent Maynard and the Third Middlesex District in the state legislature. If you’d like to reach me for any reason, please send email to Kate.Hogan@mahouse.gov or call (617) 722-2600. You can also find me online at www.repkatehogan.com and on social media at @RepKateHogan

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Economic Development Topics:

New Wayfinding signage coming in February

An effort by the Maynard Economic Development Committee (EDC) is resulting in new and improved wayfinding signage that will lead new visitors -and maybe remind some old ones – to visit Downtown Maynard!

A $7417.50 grant from the Cultural District Enhancement Fund will add or repair directional wayfinding signage highlighting Downtown and the Cultural District. All work is expected to be completed in February.

This effort is part of a broad, phased effort by the EDC to continually promote Downtown and the Cultural District as an activity destination for a variety of activities.  A key component of this initiative is to locate wayfinding signage in areas outside of Downtown: particularly where there is a concentrated population of visitors or residents. 

Next steps for Powder Mill Road Corridor

The Planning Board Quorum attended the Powder Mill Road Corridor Open House on November 15, 2023. See materials shared at the November 15 open house here:

https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Powder-Mill-Road-November-Open-House-Materials.pdf

The next step in the process will be for both Acton and Maynard to consider and vote on zoning law changes at their respective Town Meetings in Spring of 2024.

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Business Spotlight – ArtSpace finds new home:

In September of 2023, ArtSpace moved from the former Fowler School building on Summer St. to this new location in downtown Maynard. ArtSpace has been a presence in Maynard for 23 years. This transition was challenging but we have turned the page and are looking ahead at an exciting future. Located on the 2nd floor of 74 Main st. our new space puts us right in the heart of Maynard and the Cultural District. We have 10 studios, 19 talented artists, a hallway gallery, kitchen and the administrative office within our new space. Being downtown has allowed us to jump right to the downtown cultural scene.  In just a few short months we have hosted Open Studios, a Holiday Pop Market, a Gallery Dedication and participated in Maynard events. And we’re just getting started! ArtSpace will continue to offer creative opportunities for the community in the Cultural District.

We have a few exciting initiatives you will see in 2024. We recently entered into an agreement with 6 Bridges to use the back half of 77 Main St. for Programming. We are putting together a line- p of classes and workshops. And we are looking at a way to make that space available for artists to use for quiet Studio Hours. It’s just another way we hope to create creative connections. If you want to stay connected I invite you to join our new Membership Program. The program is designed for artists and non artists to have more access to the arts. Visit www.artspacema.org to learn more and sign up. Our presence extends beyond 74 and 77 Main St. In February, thanks to a grant from the Local Cultural Council, we are bringing two free programs to the Maynard Public Library (MPL). The first is on Feb. 3 and is a talk and slideshow by Andrew Child (featured artist in last month’s Maynard Advantage) on his work and travels to Cuba. The second is on Feb. 10 and is two Valentines Day Card making workshops. You can learn more on our website or the MPL.

Lastly, I want to extend my gratitude for the warm welcome we have received from local businesses and the community in the Cultural District. The support and inclusion has meant the world to us. We will continue to build on our new foundation. And we hope to grow which includes looking for new spaces for our artists and programs.During our Holiday Pop Market, many people approached me to share what ArtSpace has meant to them and how glad they are that we have landed in a new space. I share that sentiment. Maynard is a gem of a town with a community that cares. We are so pleased to be here with you.

https://artspacema.org/

Source: Armand Diaberkirian and ArtSpace Director Suchitra Mumford

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Maynard Advantage ’New Residents’ Testimonial :

The stage was set in the late 2000’s when both of Mary Ann’s children independently moved from out of state to different Boston suburbs. Our moving to the Boston region was eventually going to happen, someday. Just, not now. It was always a vague 5-10 year plan. For a long time.

Mary Ann had been near Boston in late 2019 helping her daughter who had just given birth to twins. One night the son-in-law played a movie to help everyone relax… Knives Out. You know, the one with the chase scene toward the end, filmed in downtown Maynard? Mary Ann jumped up and yelled, “Where is that? I want to live there!” Later, back home in Indianapolis, she bought a map of Greater Boston and drew a line from the Harbor to Fitchburg, roughly in between the towns where our two family units lived. And she discovered Maynard was very close to that line. We filed that knowledge away. Out of curiosity, Mary Ann began reviewing real estate listings and learning about all of the cities and towns in Metrowest. Maybe… a two-year plan instead?

Dan applied for early retirement toward the end of 2019, fixing a date of April 2, 2020. (Mary Ann had already been retired for a while due to previous eldercare commitments.) The very next day, we were to hitch up our Scamp travel trailer and head West for months, seeing all of the great parks … Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, and so many others. We’d previously been on two other epic Scamp voyages, including a “Lewis and Clark Trail” jaunt of over 10,000 miles and 72 days. We were ready. Unfortunately for us and the entire world, COVID struck. For us it was a full stop: not only retirement travel, but Dan’s participation in two bands (one of which traveled extensively), Mary Ann’s incoming presidency of the Indianapolis Early Music Festival and their upcoming International Baroque Competition, and Dan’s leadership over two decades of a major Indianapolis bicycling event which drew thousands of riders each year. We couldn’t do anything! But… we could move.

So that 5-10 year plan to move to the Boston region – or two-year plan – suddenly became… now. Mary Ann’s research already had confirmed Maynard was a great choice. Dan had always wanted our next home to be where we could walk downtown for a sandwich, or a cup of coffee. And of course Maynard offers so much more: doctors, dentists, Post Office and Town Hall, dog grooming, shops, a movie theater, and over a dozen restaurants, all right downtown. And its own Community Band! All of this, with much lower purchase cost than other towns in the area. So we packed up our Indianapolis home, turned it over to a realtor, got an apartment in nearby Acton, started shopping… and hit the jackpot. On just our first full day here, we signed a purchase contract for a house Mary Ann had been watching for weeks but which had gone off-market just as we were leaving Indianapolis. It had come back on-market, that very morning.
Three years later… we are thrilled to live here, part of the Maynard community. It’s a great place to be!

Source: Armand Diaberkirian

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Featured upcoming events in Town:

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Join us on Saturday, January 27th to celebrate winter with at a magical display of Ice Sculpting. Stop by your favorite downtown spot to pick up a cozy beverage or indulge in the cheesy goodness of Ben’s Raclette. And El Huipil will be offering hot chocolate and churros for purchase in the park during the event.

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For more on events, shopping, things to do, and dining, go to: http://discovermaynard.com

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Approach

• Prioritize Projects based on scores, discussion, available funding, and Department Heads priorities 
• Highest Prioritized projects to recommended list. For current spend, we use approximately $1M as the cut off per year to plan and adjust when we get numbers from TA.
• Build the 5 year plan
• Defer non-recommended projects in order of priority to future years targeting approximately $1M/Year
•  Review Town asset list to add in projected replacement of obsolete equipment (in progress)
• Review debt service levels projected 5 years out and identify timing opportunities of debt funded projects  
• Source: Bob McCarthy and Jon Larkin

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On the Menu… El Huipil

Alma came to Boston in 1995 from Mexico to study English after she finished college in industrial engineering.  Needing to make some money, she got a job as a cashier at Boca Grande, a Mexican restaurant in Cambridge.  Alonso, the man who would become her husband, was the restaurant’s general manager.  By 1998 they were married and, expecting their first child, they bought a house in Maynard in 2002.

“We love Maynard but we realized there was no Mexican restaurant. We both worked two jobs, and had two babies, saving our money so we could open our own restaurant,” Alma said.  “We kept looking around for a space and one day we saw this.  It had been a hot dog place and the former owner sold us his kitchen equipment.  We felt very lucky.”

“The first day we opened the line was around the corner.  We started with simple things like burritos and a Mexican plate.  All our corn tortillas are made here by hand.  Ever since we opened the community has been amazing, encouraging us and asking us to expand our food offerings,” said Alma.

In 2013 the Moreno’s were able to get a liquor license.  And ever since Friday and Saturday nights are for margaritas and their delicious Mexican food, especially burritos and carne asada, meat that has been marinated in citrus, jalapenos, and spices .  “The community likes that we try to improve constantly,” said Alma. “We put in the bar and expanded our tables and chairs to make this comfortable for more people.

“It was very hard during the pandemic.  We had to close for two weeks and figure out what to do.  We decided to open for takeout only with just the four of us, my husband and me, and our two boys.  People called us up to order and then the boys ran their order out to their cars.”

The restaurant has done so well that the Moreno’s opened a second El Huipil restaurant in Acton in 2016.  Then in 2019 the family opened Azucar on Main Street in Maynard serving small plates and cocktails.  As busy as the Morenos are, Alma hints that there is more to come.  She won’t say what yet but the smile on her face means we should all keep checking back, knowing whatever it is will be good.

Source: Mark Alston-Follansbee

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Artist of the Month…Andy Moerlein :

Completed “Mountains and Clouds”

I have been an artist all my adult life. I have always maintained a studio on my property…. The ability to walk to restaurants of great character, see a movie at Fine Arts Theater and enjoy the river and our many friends in town has made us feel at home here.

Maynard’s proximity to Boston and Logan Airport, the bike trails and the many conservation hiking areas, the many artists that live here and the easy access to music/theatre/culture are all key to our happiness here. We travel nationally and internationally 6 months of the year, but still find ourselves smiling every time we arrive home.

As an artist, I am most drawn to sculpture because of the physical and tactile interaction with materials. I have been a wood carver all of my life, first as a woodworker and home builder, and now as a sculptor, working with logs and trees to shape nature as I imagine it. My wood work can be both massive and delicate. I show my work in galleries in Boston as well as NH, Alaska and internationally. My current solo show, Ten Thousand Labors is at Boston Sculptors Gallery through 1/28/2024 and features a massive carved log that I have been working on for three years.

andymoerlein.com
andymoerlein.blogspot.com
Andy Moerlein on facebook

Source: Armand Diaberkirian

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Volunteer Opportunities:

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/

Scroll down on Home Page to ‘Latest News’ for current openings on the Senior Center Committee and Recreation Commission

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Maynard Public Library:

Congratulations to Mark Malcom for 25 years of spectacular service!

In his own beautiful words:

Dear Jean (Maguire) and “Friends:”     Thank you for my glorious 25th Anniversary gathering. With all the people there that I love, the cake, the slides, the presentations – it was like the Bar Mitzvah I never had! It was my sesquicentennial (minus 125 years)! It was my own Kennedy Center celebration! And there was even free musical entertainment – the Maynard Kazoo Orchestra, of course. (A group that large would normally cost a fortune.) The orchestra sounded so good, it was like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, only with kazoos instead of singers. And how about the snazzy jacket I received? When I wear that with the logo patches on either side, I look like a decorated general!     Everybody likes to feel validated for the work that they do, but I feel something far greater – honored! Thank you again for helping to make me feel like there’s no other place I’d rather be in the whole wide world than the Maynard Public Library.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Malcolm

Beat mid-winter cabin fever and line up outings for February school vacation with Library Passes to local venues;

https://maynardpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/museum-passes/by-museum/

Free Tax Assistance and Preparation: The Maynard Public Library is again hosting the AARP Tax-Aide program for the upcoming tax season. The Tax-Aide program provides tax preparation for anyone, free of charge, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income. IRS-certified volunteers can prepare and e-file your Federal and Massachusetts tax returns. 

The service covers most personal tax returns, but not business returns or returns for those who own rental property. The service begins the first week of February. Appointments are required and can be made by calling (978) 760-9146 starting January 15.

The local group of volunteers covers six towns. Last year they did returns for 122 Maynard residents and the average refund, from both Federal and Massachusetts returns, was about $1,150.

Source: Jean Maguire and Jack MacKeen

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Deeper dives on town challenges and opportunities:

History and plans for Water Resources in Maynard

A Must Read…

https://www.townwidemall.com/news/the-hidden-story-of-water

Coming in February: First in a quarterly series on status of Maynard water resources and planned steps to establish a realistic long term sustainable supply

Source: Bob McCarthy and Glenn Koenig

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Maynard Residential Real Estate update for 2023:

The single family residential real estate market in Maynard continues to be reflective of the greater Boston area with an overall lower volume of homes listed throughout last year.
In 2023, the number of properties listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) dropped significantly in town from a total of 111 in 2022 to just 66 in 2023. The average days a property remained on sale in the market rose slightly from 22 days to 27 days, with days to offer showing a similar increase of 12 days in 2022 to 18 days in 2023. The average sale price rose relatively significantly from $554,261.00 to $613,646.00 with the first million-dollar single family residential sale listed in the MLS taking place in 2023. Perhaps the most dramatic data is the five-year comparison of the Median Home Price which has grown from $382,100.00 in 2018 to $626,250.00 in 2023 for MLS listed homes.

We continue to experience a strong seller’s market with many properties still receiving multiple offers. The current overall sales price to offer price ratio in Maynard is 103% meaning buyers are offering more than asking to secure their new home. Although initial increases in mortgage rates initially impacted buyers, the current pent-up demand seems to continue to be strong. The greatest number of homes sold (19) were between $600,000.00 and $699,000.00. Maynard residential real estate continues to be in high demand

Source: Steve Smith, Keller Williams Realty Boston Northwest

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To read future newsletter issues, simply bookmark:

 maynardadvantage.org

and then click on most recent newsletter posts at the top of the home page.

To be alerted by email when new posts are published subscribe by adding your email in the link below.

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Some links for more town information:

Email: MaynardAdvantage@townofmaynard.net

Website: maynardadvantage.org

http://discovermaynard.com

http://townwidemall.com

https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov/27/Government

info@assabetvalleychamber.org

https://www.maynardpubliclibrary.org/

Copyright © 2023 Maynard Marketing Task Force

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