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Town Hall

Joint Town Boards Meet to continue large project planning and prioritization for voter consideration

Four town boards met again for a joint meeting on July 30th to discuss upcoming financial planning,
operating budget and capital planning status. Moderated by the Select board and Town Administrator a presentation was given by the Capital Planning Committee (CapCom) and then opened up for comment
and discussion by the CapCom, School Administration and School Committee (SC), Select Board (SB) and Finance Committee (FinCom) in preparation for Fall Special Town Meeting (STM) and the initial steps on fiscal year 2026 budget process and 3-year General budget forecasting.

Board presentation can be found on boarddocs.com here:

In the top right corner choose select board, then click meetings and 2024. Click on the July 30 meeting on left. Finally scroll to bottom and click view agenda icon to view The July 30 CapCom presentation. It is also attached as a .pdf below.

Excerpts from CapCom:

Discussion after the CapCom presentation focused again on the need for a updated process for town leaders to make clearer public access to summarize upcoming projects and priorities for town voters. The CapCom and FinCom especially are helping to view a “bigger picture” that can aid in choosing when a project fits our targeted available funding and fits within our developing revenue forecast and property tax, fees, grants and state and local funding projections. The town boards are providing a new emphasis on proactively prioritizing within our revenue capacity, sometimes looking to bond “bundled” projects to save on interest etc, and choosing project timing to allow for a sustainable revenue/expense balance and debt structure. Budget Subcommittee meetings in August or September to begin to prepare for both the October Special Town Meeting and the budget preparation calendar as found here.

The Maynard Marketing Task Force strongly encourages voters to follow these updates and participate in the discussions where possible and make tough decisions/votes about how we choose the “what and when” to invest in to maintain the future health of all the various benefits of our town.

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Maynard Office of Municipal Services

The Office of Municipal Services (OMS) includes Building and Inspections, Conservation, Planning, Public Health, Zoning, Affordable Housing, and Economic Development. The divisions work independently and collaboratively to enforce all codes, laws, and ordinances relating to their respective divisions. OMS also provides various levels of support to the Board of Health, Conservation Commission, Economic Development Committee, Master Plan Implementation Committee, Parking Authority, Affordable Housing Trust, Planning Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Long-term planning, conservation and environmental protection, permitting of projects, and the inspection of properties are all important to the development of a healthy and vibrant community. To that end, the OMS continues to ensure that those who need to do business with the Town receive prompt, courteous, and knowledgeable service. We strive to maintain the core services that our residents and businesses expect and build upon implemented initiatives to improve current practices. Efficiency with the safety and health of the public is always our highest priority.

Steven Silverstein	Executive Director of Municipal Services (hired November 2023)
Richard Asmann	Building Commissioner
Wayne Caldwell	Alternate Plumbing & Gas Inspector
Moira Carter	Public Health Nurse (hired September 2023)
Jim Downing	Assistant Inspector of Wires
Danielle Edmonds	Food Inspector
Julia Flanary	Conservation Agent / Assistant Town Planner
Ivan Kwagala	Health Director
Peter Morrison	Inspector of Wires
Bill Nemser	Planning Director
Zoe Piel	Administrative Assistant
Adam Sahlberg	Plumbing & Gas Inspector

Located on the lower level of Maynard Town Hall

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (978) 897-1302

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Community Voices

There’s A Lot to Love About Maynard

By Joshua Morse

I grew up in New Hampshire and joined the United States Navy in 2000. After serving as a nuclear mechanical operator with advanced training in nuclear reactor plant chemistry and radiological controls on a fast attack submarine for several years, I was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2006.

My wife and I moved to Maynard in 2008 shortly after starting my career with the City of Newton, and I immediately started attending school committee and selectboard meetings. From 2008 to 2011, I volunteered to serve on the Capital Planning Committee. Since then, I have served on the High School Building, High Performance Building, Facilities Manager Search, Fire Station Building, Green Meadow Future, Green Meadow School Building, and Senior Center Committees. Since 2013 I have served as the Public Buildings Commissioner for the City of Newton.

As Ghandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” When I arrived in Maynard, there was a ton of work to do. It wasn’t that Maynard needed to change, but it did need to evolve, and we needed to make a ton of significant investments in our infrastructure to keep Maynard a thriving small town. Along with lots of other volunteers, I leaned it to try and help Maynard become the best version of itself. We’ve made incredible investments in our community, with a new high school, fire station, roads, sidewalks, parks, and more. We’re about to start construction on the new Green Meadow Elementary School. Like any community, we have more to do, but together we have so much to be proud of.

Maynard is an incredible community. We boast a small town feel with big amenities that most communities can only dream of. Where else can you walk through a beautiful downtown area ripped straight from the pages of a childhood novel, be flanked by an active and vibrant cultural district, pass by incredible historic properties like Mill and Main which, being nearly 200 years old, actually produced fabric for Civil War uniforms, and then in a matter of a few short minutes be immersed in 2,000 acres of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge enjoyed by walking along the incredible Assabet River Rail Trail? Are you hungry or do you need a cup of coffee for your walk? Maynard has you covered. With locally owned businesses throughout our downtown area, you’ll find small businesses with locally sourced goods, run by our friends and neighbors, at nearly every turn. When businesses invest in Maynard, Maynard invests in them, and that’s a rare trait these days.

Maynard has top-tier Police and Fire Departments. They’re always striving to improve and the positive interactions they achieve through community policing and public engagement is yet another reason I am proud to call Maynard my home.

If you’re contemplating a move to Maynard, whether as a business, resident, or both, let me assure you that this is the place to be. The sky’s the limit for Maynard, and we’re on the assent.

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Events

Jane Oneail-Downeast Connections:
Artists Inspired by Maine

Thursday, August 22nd, 7-8:45PM

Maynard Public Library, Roosevelt Room

Jane Oneail will visit the Maynard Public Library in person for a presentation titled Downeast Connections: Artists Inspired by Maine.

Maine’s remote, rocky shoreline has been a beacon to American artists for generations. This program will survey the work of some of the most celebrated artists inspired by the state’s distinct landscape and way of life. The program features work by artists including Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, and Ashley Bryan.

This is a free event but please register here.

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Tree Talk & Ice Cream

Thursday, August 29th, 6:30-7:30

Veterans Memorial Park

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Movie screening: ‘Common Ground’, in support of Gaining Ground

Maynard Fine Arts Theatre

Saturday, September 14th, 1-3PM

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For more on events, shopping, things to do, and dining head over to Discover Maynard

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Education

UMass student Spotlight on local MHS Alumnus:
Noah DeCastro ‘24

Noah DeCastro ’24 chose UMass Amherst to get the enriching experience of a large school. The Maynard, Mass., native says his experience at Isenberg has pushed him beyond his comfort zone, provided invaluable experiences, and laid a solid foundation for a promising career in finance.

How did you choose Isenberg and UMass Amherst?

I grew up in Maynard, a very small town in Massachusetts, and went to a very small high school. I appreciated this experience as it allowed me to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities such as athletics, band, and clubs while maintaining my academic course load and working part-time. While this was helpful in me becoming a more well-rounded individual, when it came time to choose a college, I wanted to have a different experience and have a large school experience. This was something that I knew would push me outside of my comfort zone
and help me to put myself out there more.

What did you major in?

During my time at Isenberg, I majored in finance on the financial analyst track as well as received a certificate in real estate analysis.

How did you choose this combination of majors?

Given my desire to work in high finance, I focused on the finance path early on. Once I decided on this, I utilized the mentorship network I had built through my classes and on-campus clubs to choose the financial analyst track as I was told it had the most carryover. In terms of the certification I received, I was early on placed in the REITs sector of the on-campus Equity Fund and through the mentorship of my senior analyst and the dedication of my roommate who was a member of the Real Estate Fund, I developed a passion for the industry and wanted to specialize more in it.

What have been your favorite classes and experiences at Isenberg so far?

Advanced Investments, taught by Robert Feingold, was my favorite course. Not only was Professor Feingold an engaging and talented lecturer who showed a real interest in helping his students break into high finance, but he was also able to interject the lessons he had learned as a portfolio manager, which made for an extremely beneficial course. Finally, by providing us with the tools to perform an actual stock analysis on a company of our choosing, I credit it with being an indispensable experience that helped get me to where I am today.

What clubs and extracurriculars do you participate in?

The clubs that I participated in during my time at UMass were first and foremost the Minutemen Equity Fund—I was accepted and participated in this club for six semesters as an Equity Research Analyst covering REITs, Financials, Energy & Utilities, and Healthcare. I also served as the chairman of the fund for a year. I participated in the UMass Finance Society from the first moment I got on campus, eventually being selected as the co-president of the club for a year. Finally, I was involved in Smart Woman Securities, where I acted as a senior mentor for prospective young students wanting to learn more about finance.

Have you had any jobs or internships during college?

As a rising sophomore, I was an associate marketing analyst at a behavioral telehealth startup in my area, and following a successful summer I came back for a winter internship as a business development analyst. As a rising junior, I moved down to North Carolina to work as a treasury intern at Advance Auto Parts. As a rising senior, I worked in Boston at Fidelity Investments in their asset management division as an equity research associate intern. I am currently working at a nonprofit called CareerSpring which caters towards helping first-generation college students find success in business and finance.

What are you planning after graduation?

Following the conclusion of my work at the nonprofit CareerSpring, I will be starting work full-time in July back at Fidelity Investments as equity research associate.

If you could go back and give your first-year self some advice, what would you tell them?

The main advice I can give to first-year students is that there is no such thing as a bad experience. Getting internships and jobs is a challenging and scary process—one that often leads to a lot of dead ends and rejections. Expecting things to work out perfectly right away is a surefire way to end up disappointed—your first pitch doesn’t have to be your best pitch, your first internship doesn’t have to become your first full-time job, and your first full-time job doesn’t have to be your career. I tried a variety of different internships, jobs, and extracurriculars that weren’t right for me, but I wouldn’t trade any of them away as they all helped me become a little bit better of a person, student, and professional and led me to the place where I want to be. As I go into a job that I couldn’t be more excited about, I go in with all the experiences I have had before propping me up and leading me forward.

Do you have a mentor from the Isenberg community who has helped shape your experience?

I have many mentors from my time at UMass, but the one I would like to highlight is Veda Nagaraja ’23—my first senior analyst from my time in the Minutemen Equity Fund. Upon coming to this school, I was unsure about how I could accomplish the lofty goals that I had set for myself, and once I was accepted into MEF I knew the real work was only just beginning. However, while navigating the first semi-normal year post-COVID, my standard class load, and trying to find ways to enjoy college and socialize, my mentor was always there for me—meeting every single day of the fall semester of my sophomore year to help shape me into the person I am today. I am happy to say that I still regularly keep in contact with her and consider her one of my closest friends.

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Around Town

Maynard Historical Commission

You probably drive by it at least once a day but how much do you know about Alumni Fieldhouse, the beautiful stone building right next to the track?

At a business meeting in 1928, Donald Lent, Coach of athletics at the Maynard High School, stated that football would no longer be able to be played at the John A. Crowe Park. He suggested that the town owned Town Farm land, on the southerly side of Great Road, would be a suitable site to become the new Alumnae Field. At Town Meeting of that year, voters passed the article to transfer a part of the Town Farm land over to the school department for athletic and playground purposes. The 1928 football schedule was played on the new field. In 1931, two tennis courts and a quarter mile cinder track were constructed. That same year, the Maynard high school football team tied for 1st place in the Middlesex League. Don Lent was their coach. In 1934, the stone field house was built as well as a hockey rink and bleachers.

The gates to the track are also historical and built at the same time. The fieldstone posts are capped in the “cock’n hen” capping design, often seen in the early 20th century secondary gated entrances. When you pass by, you can see the top of the posts have stones that are facing upwards, a historical marker of the time.

Efforts are underway to preserve this building and its unique structure and its historical relevance to the town. To learn more about the field house and the other historical assets in our town, visit our page on the Maynard Town website or email us at [email protected]

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Maynard Cultural Council Grant Cycle is Open

We are seeking proposals for arts, humanities, and science programs that benefit and celebrate our local community. Individuals, organizations, schools, and non-profits can apply! Application deadline is October 16th, 2024. Click here for details or email [email protected] with any questions!

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