001[Music] hello clockers welcome to another segment of waca news blog my name is hi silver and today I will be giving you a brief summary of the Ashlin Town manager's newsletter Ashlin is born in the loss of Roy Korea deputy director of operations for the ashin DPW Roy was known for his humor kind heart and commitment to the town his efforts were seen throughout the community from keeping kid spot in great shape to building dugos at Stone Park Roy's hard work and will willingness to help will be deeply missed by all who knew him but his legacy of dedication to Ashland will be remembered some news you need to know Ashland has maintained its top AAA credit rating from standard and pores signaling strong Financial Health and lowrisk obligations this rating lowers borrowing costs and
002benefits taxpayers S&P praised ashen's strong economy solid Financial reserves and excellent management but noted potential challenges with pension liabilities and one-time budget fixes the town remains committed to sound financial practices thanks to teamwork from town leadership and the finance department vote by mail ballots the town clerk's office has mailed out ballots for the November 5th 2024 state election to all precincts residents can track their ballots online and are encouraged to contact the town clerk if they don't receive theirs by Tuesday make sure you know your precinct number which can also be verified online SM O's home energy assistance program haap formerly known as fuel assistance offers seing Bill support for low-income households from November 1st to April 30th eligible participants may also qualify for additional services such as weatherization and Appliance Management Programs sustainability popups
003the office of sustainability is hosting pop-up events to inform residents about eco-friendly practices this Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to noon the popup will be at Pine Hill Road interested residents can host future pop-up events in their neighborhoods by contacting the sustainability office Town Hall Renovations ongoing Renovations at Ashton's historic town hall involve exterior repairs siding Replacements and painting portions of the parking lot will be closed but Public Access will be maintained during business hours the project is expected to take two months weather permitting residents are asked to use Main Street parking for drop boxes as some areas will be closed new firefighter Ashlin fire department has welcomed firefighter Isaac Carlson who was sworn in this week he will undergo a 1month orientation before attending firefighting training in December at the Massachusetts Department of fire services
004Academy some Town job openings Ashland is hiring for several positions including part-time roles like a police department cross crossing guard ban driver for the Council on Aging and after school Recreation assistant full-time positions include water technicians and heavy equipment operators a full list of available jobs can be found online cultural Council grants the fy2 grant cycle is open for applications through October 16th grants of up to $1,000 are available for projects that enrich the Ashland Community provideed they are open to the public or benefit Ashland residents cultural Council survey the Ashland cultural council is seeking Community input to better serve residents needs through a brief survey the survey results will help guide future projects and priorities for the council don't forget car seat check the ashin fire department will hold a free car seat check
005on Saturday October 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the ashin community center parents are encouraged to bring their child's car seat for safety inspections some voting information with the November election approaching the town clerk's office is preparing for the event and the special town meeting here are some key dates to remember inperson early voting October 19th to November 1st with specific times for each day last day to register to vote 5:00 P p.m. on Saturday October 26th the town clerk's office will be open for registrations last date a request a vote by mail ballot 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday October 29th 9 election day Tuesday November 5th at Ashlin High School from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. a special town meeting Tuesday November 19th at 700 p.m. also at Ashland high school now department
006Spotlight the Ashland human resources department the latest episode of inside Ashland explor exploring local government highlights in the human resources department it focuses on how this department supports ashlin's Workforce ensuring that employees feel valued and are equipped to serve the community effectively facts and polls last week's poll results a poll about participation in the comprehensive plan survey revealed that 27 people completed the survey while six did not The Envision ashin comprehensive plan will serve as a 10-year road map for the town's future guiding decisions on growth and preservation additional public engagement opportunities will be available Community Shout Out Mr Josh wixer col for his dedication as a math teacher and student council co-advisor Mr wixer significantly impacts ashin students in the community he is involved in events like Ashlin day and pumpkinfest and helps connect
007students with volunteer opportunities his positive spirit and hard work make him a valuable asset to the Ashland Public School System in the community and I personally can attest to that shout out nomination form residents are encouraged to nominate individuals who contribute positively to Ashland upcoming meeting meetings residents can stay informed about local governance by attending meetings which can be viewed as town hall or remotely via waca TV here are some upcoming meetings October 8th sustainability committee at 7 p.m. zoning board of appeals at 7:15 p.m. and historical commission meeting at 7:30 p.m. October 10th planning board meeting at 7:15 p.m. for full agendas check the town website and select view all calendars now some exciting upcoming events in Ashland Fall Fest the date for Fall Fest is Saturday October 19th from 3 p.m. to 6:
008PM a community event featuring games food drinks and live music by hit the bus band vendors include Joey D's Wings and Things and refreshing concessions enjoy seasonal treats and fun activities for all ages Halloween bash routines the date is Friday October 25th from 6:m to 800 p.m. a safe space for kids aged 12 to 18 with activities like a Haunted Trail henna tarot face paint and crafts and a costume swap enjoy spooky snacks and entertainment build wave will run from October to December a creative building program for students utilizing various materials like Lego and Plus+ sess sessions are held on Wednesdays at Warren school and Thursdays at MES registration is available online halfday explorers will be October 28th 29th and 30th a program for K through five students on early release days childrens will be
009picked up from school for an afternoon adventure and return to the community center by 5:00 p.m. the greater Ashlin Lions annual porchetta the date will be Friday October 18th at 6 pm at the Ashland VFW fundraising event to support the Lions Community efforts finding William Lewis will be held on October 20th 2024 at 2 p.m. it will be held at the ashin Historical Society at two Myrtle Street this will be a free presentation in exploring the life of William Lewis through his extensive writings presented by Bruce Craven and Christy higginbottom parent and caregiver book read and discussion will be Wednesday October 23rd from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the ashin public library discussion of the anxious Generation by Jonathan ha registration is required for a seat and complimentary book copy The Haunt dates will
010be October 18th to 20th and October 25th to 27th this will be a spooky attraction returning for two weekends tickets available online with proceeds benefiting local arts and YMCA initiatives the wicked pickle ball tournament will be October 26th this will be located at hopkington YMCA outdoor Center this will be a Halloween themed pickleball tournament open to all skill levels costumes are optional with a competition for the best costume registration and details available on online The Rocky Horror Show show join the Ashland Community Theater for The Rocky Horror Show featuring live music in Ashland on October 24th to 26th at 8:00 p.m. and October 27th at 4 p.m. tickets are available online and if you cannot attend consider donating to support the theater lastly the Salem and Sanctuary cave walk on October 26 10:00 a.m. to
01112:00 p.m. the location will be in the Ashen toown Forest Winter Street parking lot Ashland Mass join us for a captivating walk through through the Ashland toown Forest where we will explore the rich history of the land this event will cover significant stories including nitm settlements refugees from the Salem witch trials and the ongoing efforts to preserve the forest against invasive species for more information on any of these events you can check respective websites or contact organizers directly that is all for today thank you for our town manager Michael Herbert for writing this newsletter and keeping us all informed and thank you all for tuning in today my name is hi silver with waca and this has been your Weekly Newsletter summary good night and go clockers