Letter to the Editor: Hamilton Town Counsel Should Resign

Jack Lawrence of Hamilton, a former co-chairman of the Government Study Committee, writes to suggest that the Hamilton town counsel should resign.

To the Editor: Having been away from July 19 until Aug. 5, I returned to read The Chronicle’s Aug. 2 headline ”Brewer prevails, reappointed town counsel.” In the discussion that followed, it would seem that what was voted affirmatively was the principle that the Town Manager should be able to pick his team. That was a good thing. It is the actions of that team - the department heads and professional staff of the town government - which will determine how his job performance is rated. If he is subjected to the sort of micromanagement that brought about the demise of Raleigh Buchanan, how can he be held accountable? In setting this up, the Government Study Committee (GSC) consciously gave the position that authority with the countervailing …

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Attorney: Hamilton Water Supply Can Handle New Development

Hamilton's water withdrawals are below the amount allowed by a state permit, but the town faces lawsuits challenging the amount of water it uses.

The chances are slim that Hamilton will run out of drinking water any time soon. But the town may face some additional state restrictions on its usage in coming years, town officials said last week. “The town presently has significant withdrawal capacity under our existing permit and continues to take steps to reduce seasonal water use through education, restrictions and capital investment,” wrote John Tomasz, director of the Department of Public Works, in a letter to the Planning Board last week. The issue of Hamilton's water supply came up in the Planning Board's consideration of permitting the Canter Brook Estates senior housing project. Tomasz and Ray Miyares, special legal counsel for water issues, concluded that there was no concern …

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Jay Burnham

3:50 am on Friday, August 10, 2012

What lack of funding? 10 years of Proposition 2.5 overrides? Costing the taxpayers more than $45 million cumulatively over the past 12 years? That's not a lack of funding. That's a lack of accountability.   more ›

Canter Brook Housing Plans Downsized by One Third

The opposing neighbors say they might support a smaller project after the developer proposing to build senior housing on the Canter Brook property in Hamilton said he wants a smaller project.

The Canter Brook senior housing project is likely to be a lot smaller - probably one third smaller - than the 43-unit project currently being proposed. Frank Tavares, the Hamilton attorney who represents the owners of the Canter Brook property, told the Hamilton Planning Board on Tuesday night that his clients have grown frustrated at the lengthy process of winning approval of a special permit and want to downsize the project to win approval. They also hope a downsized project will avoid an even more expensive and time-consuming appeal. Tavares said he and the engineer, Robert Puff with Prime Engineering, were told during a 4 p.m. Tuesday conference call with the owners, Jack Larmar and Jerry Dawson, to begin redesigning the project to …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Jan. 10

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

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 10. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Warm: Temperatures are forecasted to rise well into the 40s on Tuesday – another unseasonably warm day on what has been a remarkably warm winter so far. A cloudy start will turn to sunny skies and winds will gust to 20 miles per hour at times. 2. Owl Moon: Children age 6 and up can learn about great horned owls at Appleton Farms on Tuesday night. The Owl Moon program, which runs from 5:30-7 p.m., will include a reading of Jane Yolen's “Owl Moon” and end with a cup of hot chocolate. The cost is $8 for Trustee members and $10 for non-members. 3. Pan-Mass Challenge: Registration opens on Tuesday for “alumni” of past Pan-Mass Challenge bicycle rides to enter the 33rd annual …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Dec. 20

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

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 20. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Weather: Tuesday will be a beautiful day, but will be cooler than Monday. The forecast calls for temperatures to hold in the 30s with sunny skies and gusty winds again. 2. Hanukkah: The Jewish holiday Hanukkah begins at sundown on Tuesday. Also known as the Festival of Lights, it runs eight days and nights and involves lighting one of the lights of the Menorah each evening. 3. Canter Brook: The Hamilton Planning Board had originally planned to meet on Tuesday night to continue reviewing a plan to building a senior housing complex on the Canter Brook Equestrian Center property. But that meeting was moved to last week. 4. Gas prices: The lowest priced gallon of regular …

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Canter Brook Housing Project Could See 100 Conditions Imposed

The Hamilton Planning Board will hold two more hearings in December - including one with 90 minutes devoted to hearing from neighbors - on a controversial plan to build 43 senior housing units on the Canter Brook property.

After about 14 months of public hearings, the Hamilton Planning Board agreed Tuesday night that it may close the public's input in two weeks on the proposed 43-unit senior housing project planned for Canter Brook Equestrian Center property. The board plans to begin its own deliberations a week later - five days before Christmas. But it is doubtful if closing the public hearing will end the public scrutiny of the controversial project. John Hamilton, who is an attorney for some of the neighbors, said the project may well come under the review of other boards and agencies after the Planning Board issues a special permit for its construction. Among those boards could be the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals, which might be required to approve …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Nov. 29

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

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 29. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Warm again: Tuesday is shaping up to be much like Monday, with overcast skies and temperatures well into the 60s. The chance of rain showers increases late in the afternoon and evening. 2. Gas: The least expensive gallon of regular gas in the two towns early this week is at G & M Motors in Hamilton at $3.17 per gallon. Downtown at both Oliver Gulf and Hamilton Convenience, a gallon of gas is selling for $3.29 per gallon. At Fallon’s in Wenham, a gallon of gas is selling for $3.79. 3. Football: The football Generals will be in playoff action on Tuesday night at Andover High School with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. If the team beats Newburyport, it advances to the Div. 3A Super …

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Canter Brook Project May Not Need Zoning Board Approval

The senior housing project planned for the Canter Brook property in Hamilton will use concrete pavers to decrease amount of impervious surface on the site.

The proposed 43-unit senior housing project on the Canter Brook Equestrian Center property in Hamilton may be able to avoid the Zoning Board of Appeals permitting process by adding concrete pavers to decrease the percentage of impervious surface on the site. Robert Forbes with Prime Engineering told the Hamilton Planning Board on Tuesday night that the owners decided three weeks ago to add the 50,000 square feet of pavers in hopes of reducing the amount of pavement on the site to below 15 percent. It had been 21 percent. Under town regulations, a project that exceeds 15 percent of impervious surface on the entire property must be approved by Building Inspector Charlie Brett, who would decide if the town would require it to get a special …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Nov. 1

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

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 1. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Storm Brush: Both Hamilton and Wenham officials made arrangements on Monday to allow residents to drop off brush from the weekend storm. In Hamilton, the landfill on Chebacco Road will be open again on Nov. 9 and in Wenham dropoff is at the West Wenham playground and at the Iron Rail property. 2. Leaves: Wenham’s curbside loose leaf collection was scheduled to begin on Monday but won’t get started until later this week because of the tree damage and other duties that require attention after the weekend Nor’Easter. 3. Senior Day: The boys’ soccer team had Senior Day planned for Monday but it has been bumped back to Tuesday. The team faces Ipswich High School at 3:45 p.m. at…

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Sept. 27

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

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 27. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Weather: The past weekend far exceeded what we expected based on the forecast. And Monday was great too. Tuesday will deliver another stellar fall day with sun by midmorning with temperatures in the 70s. 2. Book Night: The Scholastic Book Fair has arrived at Buker Elementary School and will be open to the community on Tuesday night from 5-8 p.m. It is a great way to stock up on some new books and help benefit the purchase of books for classrooms and the school library. 3. Topsfield Fair: Tuesday is the final day to buy advance discount tickets to the Topsfield Fair from the Topsfield Fair website. The discounted price is $8.50 and the regular price at the fair is $10 on …

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