Discoloration Possible After Water Main Break

A water main break in the Hamilton water system could could discolored water.

The Hamilton Water Department is letting water customers known that they could see discolored water or lose water for a short time because of a water main break. The water main break occurred on Walnut Road on Sunday, just over the Wenham town line near the intersection with Chestnut Street. The repairs had the road down to one lane during the repairs on Monday. “During this repair, you may experience water discoloration or short periods of time with no water,” the Water Department said in a statement. “The discoloration can occur anywhere throughout town during this repair.” If discolored water occurs, the Water Department recommends that residents run an outside spigot until the water runs clear. “We appreciate everyone's understanding …

• Photos (1)

May Date Set for Leaf Pickup in Hamilton

A May date is set for townwide roadside leaf pickup in Hamilton.

You Ask...Patch Answers

Is There Any Money Left in the Snow Plowing Budgets?

Winter kicked into high gear during the second half of the season, dumping several storms of plowable snow.

April is here and it appears winter is over After a snowless landscape in January and early February, winter kicked into high gear for the second half of the season. And with it came a lot of snow removal work by both Hamilton and Wenham? So did they overspedn the snow and ice budgets? No. "We budgeted $213,183 this year, which represents 85 percent of a 5 year high average," said Hamilton Finance Director Deborah Nippes-Mena. And there is still $2,560.82 left in the budget. "Should there be another major storm, we will run a deficit," she said. In Wenham, the annual snow and ice budget is $106,000, which has been the same amount since Highway Department Director Bill Tyack started, even though the price of salt has doubled during that …

• Photos (4)

Hamilton DPW Has Interim Leader

A permanent director will be hired later this year to replace John Tomasz as director of the Hamilton Department of Public Works.

The Hamilton Department of Public Works has an interim director until the position is permanently filled, the Salem News reports. David Hanlon is working part-time as the interim director. He is the former director of the North Reading Department of Public Works. He takes over for John Tomasz, who has become the new director at the Salem Department of Public Works. Hanlon was scheduled to be introduced to the Board of Selectmen on Monday night but had a scheduling conflict. The deadline to apply for the director position was last Friday, according to a job ad on the Massachusetts Municipal Association website. Lombardo told the Salem News that about 24 candidates applied and that the field will be narrowed down over the next few weeks.

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Bob Gray

6:26 am on Friday, March 22, 2013

Let's hope even more that the "Challenge Innovations Grant study" shows that merging the Hamilton and Wenham DPW's is the way to go! Just think how much the towns could save by sharing personal and equipment !!! And also include the schools maintenance !!!   more ›

Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on March 15: Last Day to Get A Discounted Beach Pass

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Friday, March 15. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Clouds: It is expected to be a cloudy day on Friday, with temperature again topping out at about 40 degrees.  The wind will blow from the west up to 14 miles per hours. 2. Register: Friday is the deadline to register to vote if you want to be added to the voter rolls for the Annual Town Meeting and town election next month in both towns. Town Clerks offices will be open until 8 p.m. to register voters. 3. Beach: Do you enjoy Crane Beach in Ipswich each summer? If you’ll go more than a few times this summer, a season parking pass may make sense. And Friday is the deadline to buy that pass at a discount. "Early-bird" pricing of $55 for a season pass …

• Photos (1)

DPW Head to Leave, Takeover in Salem

John Tomasz has been hired in Salem and will begin there next month.

The head of Hamilton's Department of Public Works has been hired as the new director of Public Services in Salem, the Salem News reports on Tuesday morning. John Tomasz started in Hamilton in 2008 after 10 years as the DPW director in Rockport. Tomasz, who lives in Newburyport, has 30 years of experience in public works and engineering, the News reports. Tomasz will replace Richard Rennard and be paid $105,000, the News reports. He is scheduled to start in Salem on Feb. 19. In recent years in Hamilton, Tomasz lead a project to replace aging water lines in the downtown and began a project to make improvements to the town's sidewalks. Last summer, he also began improvements to several town roads using state Chapter 90 money, including a …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Robert Foringer

6:26 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013

Hamilton will be better served   more ›

You Ask...Patch Answers

What if I Missed the Regular Recycling Pickup This Week?

Trash and recycling pickup went on as scheduled this week, even though Veterans Day on Monday was a holiday.

Typically when there is a holiday on a Monday, trash pickup is delayed by a day. But this week, trash pickup happened as usual, starting on Monday in Wenham and moving on to Hamilton on Wednesday. That was despite the town-issued trash calendar in Hamilton that said pickup would be delayed by a day this week. "There was a mix up," said Allison Jenkins, administrative assistant to the Hamilton Department of Public Works. The solution, she said, will be that for any residents who normally have trash pickup on Wednesday, the town's trash contractor, Hiltz Disposal, will pick up Wednesday and Thursday. And again, anyone with pickup typically on Thursday, Hiltz will pick up on Thursday and Friday. For those with Friday pickup, Hiltz will pick …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

UPDATED: Which Roads are Closed?

A look at the roads in Hamilton and Wenham that are closed on Tuesday after Hurricane Sandy.

There are still about a half dozen roads in both Hamilton and Wenham that are closed as of early Tuesday afternoon. Hamilton Asbury Street (upper section), reopened at about 2 p.m. Tuesday Echo Cove Road, at the end of the street, reopened 9 a.m. Wednesday Fox Run Road, entire length, reopened 9 a.m. Wednesday Partridgeberry Road, at the cul-de-sac, reopened 9 a.m. Wednesday Wenham Kimball Avenue (cul-de-sac loop) Larch Row, blocked just west of the S-curves, reopened at about 5 p.m. Puritan Road, between the two intersections with Mayflower Drive "The problem that we're facing right now is that until National Grid informs us that the power lines on these roads are dead we cannot do any work," said John Tomasz, Hamilton Department of …

• Photos (1)

You Ask...Patch Answers

When Does Roadside Leaf Pickup Happen?

A look at the schedule for leaf pickup in Hamilton and Wenham this fall.

Curbside and roadside leaf pickup in both Hamilton and Wenham will get underway in November. Roadside collection of loose leaves in Wenham will begin Nov. 5 with one to two passes on every street in the town. That will be followed by a bagged leaf pick-up in December - if needed. The Department of Public Works says it makes every effort to pass through each street twice, but due to the uncertainty of the weather it is not always possible. The DPW recommends residents check the town website for updates but the DPW cannot predict an exact day they will be on a certain street. The Wenham Department of Public Works will start the loose leaf pick-up on the west side of town with Maple Street at the Danvers town line, then continue down Maple …

• Photos (2)

Hamilton Hydrant Flushing to Run for Next Three Weeks

The Hamilton Water Department plans evening hydrant flushing for the next three weeks.

The Hamilton Water Department will be flushing hydrants Monday through Thursday nights for the next three weeks. The flushing will be conducted from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. during the week of October 22-25, Oct. 29-Nov. 1 and Nov. 5-8. The water department said to minimize dirty water getting into your system, do not use water during these hours. That includes drinking water, laundry and flushing the toilet, among other uses. Discoloration may happen in any area of the town at any time so before using water, residents should run their cold water or turn on outside spigots until the lines run clear, the Water Department said in its announcement. A Connect-CTY phone call and e-mail went out to residents last week to alert them about the hydrant …

• Photos (1)