Presenter:

Paul Munchbach, Town Clerk

2023 Election and Town Meeting Dates:

• Annual Town Election: April 8, 2023
• Dedham Spring Town Meeting: May 15, 2023
• Dedham Fall Town Meeting: To Be Announced

Core Functions:

• Vital Records

  • Birth Records: Are held in the town where a birth occurs as well as the town of residence (At the time of birth)

  • Death Records: Are held in the town where the person passed as well as the town of residence

  • Marriage Licensing: Marriage Licenses in Dedham are by appointment only and can be scheduled by calling 781-751-9200. Filing a Marriage License costs $40 (cash or a check).

  • Certified Copies of vital records are $10 each in cash or a check

• Voting and Election Administration
  • Voter Registration: this can be done in person at our counter, through the mail, online, or through the RMV
  • Census: Approximately 11,000 mailed out every January
  • Certification of nomination Papers and Petitions: Last year we certified close to 3,000 signatures
  • More about Elections:
    • We prepare Ballot Machines and Election equipment for our 7 precincts
    • We train more than 100 poll workers and staff
    • There are 5 polling locations throughout the town
    • We process the provisional ballots, early voting and absentee ballots
    • We certify Election Results and prepare a report for the Secretary of State’s Office
    • We collect Campaign Finance Reports (8 days prior; 30 days after)

  • Interested in Becoming a Poll Worker? We are accepting new applications! Please contact 781-751-9200 to inquire

• Annual Census
• Public Records Management
  • We process all Public Record Request in a timely manner
  • Requests Include: Annual Street Lists, Campaign Finance Reports, Meeting Minutes, Open Meeting Posting, Voting Lists and More.
  • To open a Public Record Request go to: https://townofdedham.nextrequest.com/
• Ethics Training and Compliance
• Business Certificates
  • Also known as a Doing Business As or “DBA”
  • Charge is $40.00 and if valid for 4 years. Must be renewed every 4 years
  • A DBA is not a license to operate
• Dog Licensing
  • Over 1,600 dogs are licensed in Dedham through the mail or in person annually
  • Dogs in Massachusetts need to be licensed each year, starting in January
  • There is a mail-in form attached to the census each year
  • An updated rabies certificate is needed each year
  • Licensing after May 1^st will incur a $25 late fee
  • Fees:

    Male/Female	$15
    Spayed/Neutered	$10
    Kennel License	$75
    Replacement Tag	$1
    Late Fee	$25

• Marriage Licensing
• Town Meeting

Contact Information:

Town Clerk's Office: 781-751-9200

Presenters:

Dr. Dennis J. Teehan, Jr., Select Board Chair

Contact Information:

Select Board: freshideas@dedham-ma.gov

Town Manager: 781-751-9100

Presenter:

Sara Rosenthal, Vice Chair

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is an essential part of our town’s government, responsible for hearing and deciding on applications for Special permits and Variances with respect to particular land or structures. The ZBA is made up of five members and two alternates, all of whom are appointed by the Select Board and whom shall be an attorney at law, one civil engineer, one architect, structural or mechanical engineer, or a master builder, or a person with 10 or more years of experience in construction or supervision of construction of buildings. The ZBA meets on the third Wednesday of every month, and all activities of the Board are conducted in open meetings, in accordance with Chapter 39 of the Massachusetts General Laws. The ZBA is supported by the Planning & Zoning Department, and goal of the ZBA is to treat all applicants fairly and to render decisions in a timely manner.

The Zoning Board of Appeals had a busy year in 2022, with 44 petitions for variances and special permits considered over 12 meetings. Notable cases included:

The Board's thorough review of these cases demonstrates their commitment to upholding zoning bylaws while supporting the community's growth and development.

Looking ahead further into 2023, it appears to be a quieter year for development projects in the Town going through the ZBA process. In January and February, the ZBA reviewed two commercial applications, one for micropigmentation services and another for floral designs. March will consist of one commercial application for veterinary services and a kennel.

While the volume of applications may be lower than in previous years, the Zoning Board of Appeals remains committed to reviewing each application thoroughly and ensuring that they comply with the Town’s Zoning Bylaws and Regulations.

Contact Information:

Planning & Zoning Department: 781-751-9240

Presenter:

Kylee Sullivan, Health Director

About the Health Department/Board of Health 

The Dedham Board of Health is a three-member elected board. Members are elected to 3-year, staggered terms. The Board creates and enforces local, state, and federal regulations to promote and protect the environment and health of the community. There are many permits issued and inspections conducted to ensure compliance with these public health regulations. Permits issued include:

• Food establishments (restaurants, one-day events, farmers markets, retail stores, & schools)
• Tobacco retailers
• Public and semi-public pools
• Saunas and steam rooms
• Septic systems
• Septic system installers
• Tanning facilities
• Body art facilities (tattooing & needle piercing operations)
• Domestic animals (including chickens)
• Recreational camps for children
• Wells
• Cryogenic chamber therapy facilities
• Funeral directors
• Burial permits (for deaths occurring in Dedham)
• Dumpsters
• Waste haulers

In addition to the inspections conducted for the permits listed above, there are other inspections conducted under the authority of the Board of Health. These inspections include:

• Housing inspections to enforce the state’s minimum standards of fitness for human habitation. Typically, these inspections are conducted when a renter or occupant has concerns about the conditions of their apartment or dwelling. Inspections are also conducted when there cluttered or squalid conditions at a property.
• Nuisance inspections are conducted for health concerns about odors, noise, wildlife, and more.

Annual vaccination clinics and household hazardous waste collection, as well as year-round medical sharps collection, are resources provided to the community through the Board of Health.

More information can be found by visiting the town’s website at https://www.dedham-ma.gov/departments/health or by calling the Health Department at (781) 751 – 9220.

COVID-19 Federal Emergencies

On January 30^th, President Biden announced that the federal emergencies in response to COVID-19 will end on May 11, 2023. The end of these emergencies will affect the federal government’s response to the pandemic. 

A pandemic is defined by the CDC as the following:

Pandemic: A higher number of disease cases than expected in an area within a certain time period and which has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people.

The end of the emergency designation to COVID-19 will transition to an endemic response to the virus. This will mean a more traditional health care coverage for COVID-19. Endemic is defined by the CDC as:

Endemic: The constant amount of a specific disease that is usually present in a geographic location, like a state or country.

Some changes to COVID-19 responses will include:

1. Treatment expenses will change based on individual health care insurance coverage. This will be similar to the costs that may be experienced for other treatment through traditional coverage.
2. Coverage for COVID-19 testing will change:
   • Private insurers will no longer be required to cover testing without charge for both lab and OTC test. However, coverage may continue if plans choose to continue to include it.
   • Medicare Part B will cover laboratory testing ordered by a provider, but OTC tests will no longer be free;
   • Medicaid coverage will exist through 9/2024.
3. COVID-19 vaccines will generally be covered through private insurance, Medicare Part B, and Medicaid.
4. Free OTC tests from the federal government will be available based on supply and resources.
5. Many telehealth options in Medicare and Medicaid will not change.
6. Reporting of COVID-19 data for cases and vaccination rates to the CDC will no longer be required.

The full spectrum of effects is not solely due to the ending of the PHE but also due to the lack of additional funds being allocated by Congress.

Recommendation: check with your health insurance provider to determine how you will be affected by the lifting of the federal emergencies.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/scienceambassador/documents/module-1-defining-a-pandemic-lesson-plan.pdf

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/02/09/fact-sheet-covid-19-public-health-emergency-transition-roadmap.html

https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-covid-public-health-2a80b547f6d55706a6986debc343b9fe

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SAP-H.R.-382-H.J.-Res.-7.pdf

https://nashp.org/states-covid-19-public-health-emergency-declarations/

Contact Information:

Board of Health: dedhamboardofhealth@dedham-ma.gov

Health Department: 781-751-9220

Presenter:

John Heffernan, Member

About the Finance and Warrant Committee: 

The Finance and Warrant Committee oversees and makes recommendations on all municipal financial matters including the annual budget, financial management policy and planning as defined in the Town bylaws.

2023 Meeting Schedule:

Beginning on March 8, 2023, the Finance and Warrant Committee will be conducting nine public hearings during the following four weeks.

The Committee meetings are typically held in the O'Brien Room at Town Hall (unless otherwise noted) and the agendas are posted on the Town website.  All meetings will be hybrid and the public is invited to attend in person or via zoom.

Recommendations for Town Meeting:

At the conclusion of the public hearings, the committee will deliberate and make recommendations for Town Meeting consideration.

Contact Information:

Finance Department: 781-751-9150

Presenters:

Stephanie Radner, Conservation Commission, Chair

Elissa Brown, Conservation Agent

About the Conservation Commission:

The Conservation Commission is responsible for the protection and management of Dedham’s wetlands and natural resources, largely through the administration of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (MGL Ch 131 Section 40; 310 CMR 10.00), the Town of Dedham Wetlands Protection By-law (Chapter 271) and the Dedham Stormwater Management Bylaw (Chapter 246). These regulations are designed to protect resource areas that are considered valuable to humans based on eight statutory interests from activities, including construction projects, that may cause disturbance or alteration of wetland areas. These areas are important components in mitigating the effects of flooding, pollution, and climate change and are also crucial to the ecological health of the Town and the region overall. Further, the Stormwater Management Bylaw seeks to manage the generation and treatment of stormwater runoff from proposed projects, as stormwater has a high potential for damaging these assets by creating an inundation of unmanaged flow and carrying pollutants such as sediment, sewage, and excess nutrients into these sensitive areas.

Dedham Town Meeting Article 36, March 1962: Establish Town Conservation Commission

MGL Chapter 40, Section 8C: Conservation Commission; establishment, powers and duties

Resource Areas:

310 CMR 10.02 (1) - The following areas are subject to protection under M.G.L. c. 131, § 40:

(a) Any bank, the ocean, Any freshwater wetland, any estuary, Any coastal wetland, any creek, any beach bordering any river, any dune, on any stream, any flat, any pond, any marsh, or any lake, or any swamp
(b) Land under any of the water bodies listed above
(c) Land subject to tidal action
(d) Land subject to coastal storm flowage
(e) Land subject to flooding
(f) Riverfront area.

Statutory interests (the reasons why wetlands are important to humans):

310 CMR 10.01 (2) – activities in resource areas are regulated to contribute to the following interests:

• protection of public and private water supply
• protection of ground water supply
• flood control
• storm damage prevention
• prevention of pollution
• protection of land containing shellfish
• protection of fisheries
• protection of wildlife habitat

Conservation Commission Members and Staff:

The Conservation Commission is comprised of 7 Associate Members and 2 Alternate Members who serve Three-year terms and are appointed by the Select Board. The current associate members of the Commission are Stephanie Radner, Chair (term expiring May 2024), Nathan Gauthier, Vice Chair (term expiring December 2023), Tim Puopolo, Clerk (term expiring June 30, 2025), Erik DeAvila (term expiring May 2024), Leigh Hafrey (term expiring June 30, 2025), and Anne Gotay (term expiring June 30, 2025). One additional associate position and both alternate positions are currently vacant.

Elissa Brown functions as the Town’s Conservation Agent. Her role includes reviewing applications for work in and near wetlands, drafting permits (Orders of Conditions), and monitoring construction activities to ensure compliance with the Wetlands Protection Act and the Town By-law. In addition, the Conservation Agent provides educational and outreach material on the wetland permitting process for residents and developers. She is also responsible for reviewing applications requiring Stormwater Management Permits, drafting permits, and monitoring construction activities to ensure compliance with the Town By-law.

Patrick Hogan, the Assistant Conservation Agent, helps with these duties and serves as municipal liaison to both the Open Space and Recreation Committee and the Sustainability Advisory Committee.

Wetlands Protection Act and Stormwater Management By-law Administration:

Persons contemplating any work in or within 100 feet of a wetland, or within 200 feet of a river or stream which flows continuously throughout the year require an Order of Conditions per the Wetlands Protection Act.

During Calendar Year 2022, the Conservation Commission held 24 meetings and issued the following permits:

• 15 Orders of Conditions
• 15 Determinations of Applicability
• 5 modifications to Orders of Conditions.

The Commission also issued 18 Administrative Approvals, 15 Certificates of Compliance, 5 Notices of Violation, and 2 Emergency Certifications.

In addition, the Commission continues to enforce wetland and dumping violations at properties that border wetland areas, issuing notices to correct various violations. The Conservation Commission, Planning Department and Department of Infrastructure Engineering are working together to address compliance with Federal EPA-mandated municipal stormwater improvements.

Stormwater Management By-law Administration:

Alteration or disturbance of more than 500 square feet of ground surface requires a Stormwater Management Permit. During Calendar Year 2022, the Commission issued 20 Major Stormwater Management Permits, 15 minor Stormwater Management Permits, 6 modifications to existing permits, and 10 Certificates of Compliance to close out previously issued Stormwater Management Permits.

Goals:

The Conservation Commission has identified the following goals:

1. The Commission will continue to review and issue permits. Much of this work is done in-house by department staff, but projects with complicated engineering plans sometimes require outside peer review which is funded by the applicant.
2. The Commission will work with the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals to streamline the permitting process. Sometimes applications move through the various permitting processes simultaneously, sometimes sequentially, but often with different reviewers and varying degrees of input from Town Engineering staff. A more systematic approach and potential coordination of peer review amongst the different boards might be helpful to streamline the permitting process.
3. The Town is under an unfunded mandate by the US EPA to reduce the amount of pollutants entering into our rivers. The stormwater permitting work done by the Conservation Department and Commission is a critical piece of this effort. In the future, Conservation expects to further enhance collaboration with the Town Engineering Department to comply with these requirements.
4. The Commission will expand our outreach to Dedham residents and business owners in an effort to increase the number and diversity of native plantings (trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses and ground covers) to counter the impacts of climate change, habitat loss, and the spread of invasive species.
5. The Commission would like to expand our stewardship of conservation lands, both from a planning and implementation perspective. Throughout the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness and Master Plan processes, residents regularly expressed a desire for more open space and increased access to existing open space. Inadequate resources have been devoted in recent years to acquiring new open space, managing the open space that the Town owns, and reducing the impact of private development projects. The Commission seeks to assign dedicated resources to this effort.

Contact Information:

Conservation Department: 781-751-9210

Presenter:

John Bethoney, Planning Board, Chair

About the Planning Board:

• The Planning Board is comprised of 5 elected Board members and one Associate member.
• The Board serve 5-year, staggered terms. I have been on the Planning Board for over 20 years.
• The Board is supported by the Planning & Zoning Department.

• The Board approved a 120-room hotel at 95 Eastern Avenue in 2022 by the Salentin Group. The as yet unbranded hotel is slated to begin construction in early Spring 2023.As part of the approval, the developer has committed to:
  • Provide a local hiring preference
  • A Dedham resident employment program
  • Improvements to Lechmere Road
  • $75k in pedestrian safety improvements to the Eastern Avenue/Providence Highway intersection; and
  • $30k to the Town of Dedham Sidewalk Repair Fund
• Currently under construction on Lowder Street is a 26 single family dwelling Planned Residential Development approved in 2021.As part of the approval, the developer Old Grove Partners, LLC has committed to:
  • Install pedestrian crossing beacons at the intersection of Lowder Street/Route 109
  • $100k for a Lowder Street traffic study; and
  • Work with the Planning Board and community to donate 20 acres of protected open space to the Town
• Kelly’s Roast Beef located at the Dedham Plaza properties, approved in 2022, is currently under construction. As part of the approval, the developer committed to:
  • Signal and pedestrian improvements to the Providence Highway/Dedham Plaza/Best Buy intersection.
• A mixed unit development, consisting of 293 dwelling units and 20k of commercial space at 124 Quabish Road was approved by the Board in 2022. As part of the approval, the developer committed to:
  • Provide a local hiring preference
  • $50k for improving Wigwam Pond
  • $45k for pedestrian crossing beacons
  • $55k for Safe Routes to School programs
  • Future infrastructure improvements to Legacy Boulevard

Upcoming Planning Board Projects

• 2023 is so far presenting a busy year for development projects in the Town of Dedham.
• iFly, an international indoor skydiving company, is planning a 7k sq. ft. facility at the former Chili’s restaurant at 930 Providence Highway.
• A 16 residential unit Mixed-Use development at 359 Washington Street is proposed by local developer Hub Development.
• 150 residential units are proposed as part of a Mixed-Use development at 110 and 125 Stergis Way by Nordblom of Burlington, MA.
• Tesla is seeking to expand dealership at 800 Providence Highway
• The Planning Board is also aware of rumors of the sale of the properties known as 130 Haven Street and 213 Westfield Street, totaling approximately 38 acres. While a future owner or use is currently unknown, the Board will rigorously review and vet any development at these properties as required.

Zoning/Town Meeting:

• The Planning Board is charged with the duty of holding public hearings and evaluating proposed amendments to the Dedham Zoning By-Law and the Zoning Map. The Planning Board also proposes zoning articles and amendments at most Town Meetings.
• The Planning Board has submitted four (4) zoning articles for Spring 2023 Town Meeting. The first is to address the recently enacted MBTA Communities state legislation. That legislation requires municipalities within the Commonwealth that have MBTA transit stations to have a zoning district that would allow a certain number of multi-family dwelling units by right or lose certain state funding opportunities. Dedham is required to provide a by-right multi-family zoning district within a half mile of a commuter rail station that would allow the ability to construct almost 1,600 dwelling units at a density of at least 15 units an acre.
• The Board hired a consultant in 2022 to understand the impacts of the MBTA Communities legislation. After a series of meetings with the consultant, a potential zoning district centered around the Dedham Corporate Center highlighted that Dedham already would meet 70% of the number of housing units to allow for via existing development and recently approved development.
• As such, the Planning Board has put forth a new overlay zoning district that would be compliant with the MBTA Communities guidelines.
• The Planning Board has also put forth a zoning article to regulate the accessory use of electric vehicle charging stations.

Planning Projects/Studies:

• The Board is currently reviewing the Designing Dedham 2030 Master Plan, with $150k in funding provided by Town Meeting and a $75k match by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
• The Planning Board has initiated the Bridge Street Corridor Plan to develop a roadmap for the future growth and preservation of the Bridge Street corridor. The Board has appointed an eleven-member Advisory Committee to work with a consultant team and the Town to establish development guidelines and zoning recommendations to fulfill the community’s vision.
• Begun in 2022, the Wigwam Pond Access and Recreation Plan is the Board’s efforts to develop a vision for future active and passive recreational usage of this important natural resource. The Board appointed a twelve-member Advisory Committee to guide the development of the plan.
• In Fall 2023, the Planning Board in conjunction with the Planning & Zoning Department will begin the second of phase of developing a District Improvement Financing, known as a “DIF” District, for Providence Highway. Town Meeting approved the district, and the second phase would develop plan for potential public infrastructure improvements through a community process.

Contact Information:

Planning Board: dedhamplanningboard@dedham-ma.gov

Planning & Zoning Department: 781-751-9240

Presenters:

Dr. Melissa Pearrow, School Committee Chair

Dr. Ian Kelly, Interim Superintendent

Over the last six years the District has made significant changes to its leadership structure. Key leadership positions focusing on curriculumx development, professional development, special education, counseling services, and health services have had a direct, broad, and positive impact on teaching and learning.

Recently, Superintendent Mike Welch retired after nine years of dedicated service. During his tenure Mr. Welch accomplished much and provided stability for the District ensuring that students and teachers continued to learn and grow. Upon his retirement at the end of December, Dr. Ian Kelly assumed responsibilities for the District’s operations as Interim Superintendent. With over seven years as the District’s Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Kelly is well positioned to maintain stability and direction for the District as it anticipates the arrival of Ms. Nan Murphy on July 1, 2023 to fill the Superintendent’s role.

Ms. Murphy will join the district following an exhaustive search process conducted by the School Committee with assistance from the New England School Development Council (NESDEC). Nan is currently the Assistant Superintendent for the Marblehead Public Schools. Nan Murphy brings a wealth of educational experience to the district and community. She has served districts and students as a classroom teacher and principal. Her work transforming an underperforming elementary school was recognized by DESE Commissioner Chester and she was subsequently recruited to work for DESE supporting statewide school improvement efforts. Ms. Murphy has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Gordon College, a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Trinity College of Vermont.

Dedham’s young people continue to flourish as they work, learn, and grow in our schools. Participation rates in advanced placement coursework remain high and the vast majority of DHS graduates remain college bound. The District’s strategic focus on curriculum development, data use, and professional learning structures have ensured that all students have a unified, coherent learning experience as they proceed through the elementary years and into the middle school experience. Major initiatives have brought continuity and quality to our PK-8 programs of study in Reading, Writing, Science, and Mathematics. The alignment and renewal of the PK-8 History and Social Sciences, Health and Wellness, Fine and Performing Arts curriculum are on the horizon and will remain a strategic priority for the district in the months and years ahead.

Student athletes continue to demonstrate a high degree of success in the Tri-Valley League. Boys and girls varsity soccer teams both won the Tri-Valley League championship and went on to the finals in the Division Three State Championship. The girls varsity hockey team recently took the Tri-Valley title as well. The performing arts program continues to engage students in high quality programming and productions.

While there is much to celebrate, the District still has a great deal of work to do in the months and years ahead. We remain focused on remedying learning loss that resulted from school closings during the pandemic and, at the same time, building systems and structures that address learning recovery and mental health needs due to COVID. From a budgetary perspective, we have been extremely judicious with the use of ESSER funds to address the learning gaps. One primary strategy has been to increase access to summer academic and enrichment programming. These opportunities have been enhanced with our partnership with the Parks and Rec Department. Additionally, our efforts to support the mental health and substance use issues of our youth are being supported in collaboration with DOSA within the Dedham Public Health Office and community resources, such as Interface and Riverside Community Care.

The stability and skill of our educators has always been and will continue to be a critical area of focus and need for the district. While our general and special education teaching force remains relatively stable, critical labor shortages in other employee groups have appeared and are creating acute issues that have a direct and negative impact on teaching and learning. Specifically, highly specialized teachers, paraprofessionals, daily substitutes, food service, bus monitors, and traffic directors are increasingly hard to find and even more challenging to keep. Employees in these groups are highly mobile, remain in positions for short periods of time, and often move quickly to higher paying positions within and beyond the field.

The pandemic and post-quarantine economy have created a situation in which hiring, training, and retaining a highly skilled and stable workforce is more challenging than ever before. In the months and years ahead the district will need to look critically and creatively at strategies to address these issues. There is no question that the District will need to consider carefully how to remain competitive with municipalities and districts that are able to offer more attractive overall compensation packages.

Beyond compensation, the District will also need to evaluate critically the way the business of education is conducted and how the system is structured to meet the needs of children and families while, at the same time, meeting the needs of prospective employees whose needs, wants, and desires vary greatly and seem to be inconsistent with the traditional operational systems and structures of public school districts. We remain hopeful that our investment in technologies and support from school and community leaders permit exploration of creative educational solutions.

Over the last 20 years Dedham has made significant investments in its school facilities and continues to support teaching and learning by ensuring that the maintenance and renewal of our school buildings remains a high priority.

The replacement of three school buildings in the last 20 years is no small feat and these investments will continue to pay dividends for our students well into the future. Our oldest facility, the Oakdale School, is currently being considered for replacement as part of an exhaustive feasibility study in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The Riverdale School (103 years old) and the Greenlodge School (68 years old) are also being studied as part of the building process. The Oakdale project represents the community's next major investment in its schools and is a key focus for the District in the months ahead.

In addition to the development of the Oakdale project, the maintenance of the other aging buildings continues to require significant resources. For example, some of the needs of the high school require rehabilitation to address the exterior walls and windows as well as the heating and climate control challenges. Addressing these basic facility needs also impact the district’s ability to transform learning spaces that can prepare our students for the workforce demands of the future.

Finally, if the Oakdale project moves forward along the MSBA timelines, new construction could begin by March, 2025. Addressing these facility needs also impacts how we can address the quality of the fields that are used by numerous community groups. We have the desire to improve these fields at a pace faster than the building project allows, and we balance this with the prudent use of resources. We look forward to continued partnership with the Parks and Rec Department to improve the fields for community-wide usage.

Contact Information:

Melissa Pearrow:  melissa.pearrow@gmail.com

Dr. Ian Kelly: ikelly@dedham.k12.ma.us

Presenter:

Jon Briggs, Parks & Recreation Commissioner

During this year's summit, the Parks and Recreation Department plans to discuss its goals for the near future. The department has made significant strides in recovering from the pandemic years, which led to the closure of many programs and facilities. This year, program revenue has exceeded even the department's best pre-pandemic years. According to the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), program revenue typically comprises around 20% of an operating budget. However, our department is nearing 50% with projected revenue of $500,000. Additionally, we are planning to relocate our Recreation Center to the Capen School, which will provide us with a full-size gym and expand our programming opportunities.

On the Parks side we continue to advocate for more funding for our fields. Maintaining ball fields is crucial for ensuring the safety of athletes and promoting a positive sports culture. Regular upkeep of athletic fields prevents accidents from occurring due to uneven surfaces, holes, or other hazards. Additionally, proper maintenance of the fields ensures that they remain usable and attractive to athletes and fans, enhancing the overall experience. However, maintaining ball fields can be expensive, as it requires ongoing efforts such as mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and repair work. Therefore, increasing the budget for ball field maintenance is essential to provide athletes with safe and well-maintained facilities, which in turn promotes a healthy and thriving sports community. We will be addressing maintenance costs in the FY24 budget preparations.

Our aim in the medium to long term is to devise strategies that can help alleviate the current shortage of playing fields. Due to the limited availability of open space, obtaining additional land is a challenging option. Therefore, we are again exploring the potential of the Striar property, which appears to be the most promising source of land for our purposes. To that end, we intend to request funding for a new engineering plan for the Striar property at the upcoming Town Meeting in the fall of 2023.

Contact Information:

Parks & Recreation Department: 781-751-9250

Presenter:

Kevin Doyle, Director of Assessing

About the Assessing Office:

For those that don’t know me, my name is Kevin Doyle and I am the current Director of Assessments and have been a part of the Assessing Office in Dedham for the past 10 years. In 2013, while working as a real estate consultant and appraiser, I was elected to the Board of Assessors, where I served for 2 years prior to being hired as the Assistant Director. I worked as the Assistant Director for over 6 years and have been the Director now for almost 2 years. I have been very fortunate to have worked with not only great Board Members, but an excellent staff along the way and learned under the direction and great leadership of the previous Director, Rick Henderson.

Over the years, I worked with several wonderful long-time employees that I am thankful for, like Jackie Koons and Adrienne Albani, both of whom I learned a lot from over the years. My current staff consists of two Assessing Specialists, Sue Munchbach and Colleen McGourty, who are the frontlines of my office and a huge part of the success and reason that the Assessing Office is so well run and has become a well-respected Office by both co-workers and taxpayers and am always receiving high praise for their service. Derek Sergi is our Data Collector who is often out on the road with my Assistant Director Paul D’Olimpio, who was the previous Data Collector for almost 10 years here in Dedham. Both Derek and Paul are often helping taxpayers and lending Sue and Colleen a hand when needed or out on the road doing inspections. Although we have decades of experience combined working here at Town Hall, we have collectively only been working together for the last 2 years and I couldn’t ask for more upbeat and fun colleagues who are always willing to step up and go the extra mile for anyone who calls, emails or comes to our Office.

About the Board of Assessors:

The Board of Assessors is a 3-member board, who oversee the annual valuation of real estate and personal property within Dedham for taxation purposes. The current Board of Assessors consists of long-time Board Member and current Chair, Richard Schoenfeld, who has been serving on the Board for almost 8 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. The other Board Member here is life-long Dedham resident, Mike Polito, who has been another great addition and has been serving on the Board for the last 2 years and is currently seeking to serve 3 more years through the upcoming election. The 3^rd Board Member position is currently vacant and open for a 1-year term in the upcoming election, which was previously held by Cheryl Sullivan, who served on the Board for almost 5 years until recently, when she moved out of Dedham.

Role of the Assessing Office:

As many of you have often heard me say, the Assessing Office does not raise or lower taxes and is not responsible for the total amount of taxes collected, but rather our primary responsibility is to find the full and fair cash value of your property so that you pay your fair share of taxes within the Town of Dedham. All values are approved every year by the Department of Revenue and are required to have a full valuation and certification done every 5 years. These values are based on fair market value of your property and are derived by an in-depth review of sales and market analysis each year.

The tax rate is the basis for the Town Budget needed to provide services, such as schools, roads, fire, law enforcement, etc. The tax rates are determined based off the valuations placed on properties to provide the funds to pay for those services.

Currently, there are almost 10,000 real estate and personal properties in Dedham, with just under 600 properties being exempt from taxes. Residential properties make up roughly 88% of the remaining 9,400 taxable properties in Dedham. Of those remaining 9,400, about 750 or roughly 8% are personal property, and only 280 are commercial properties (about 3%) and only 57 industrial properties (less than 1%), which includes vacant parcels of land. One of the biggest misconceptions in town is the amount of commercial real estate in Dedham, because most of them are visible and located along route 1.

This year, the Town Budget was just under $137 million, which means that is the amount needed to run the entire Town of Dedham with the current demand of the level of services we provide as a Town. From that estimated $137 million dollar budget, $35 million (roughly 25%) was collected from local receipts and other revenue sources, leaving the remaining 75% or roughly $102 million to be raised through property taxes. This is what is called the property tax levy. Of the 9,400 taxable properties, the total valuation of all properties in Dedham is about $6.7 billion, with residential values comprising about $5.6 billion or 83%. From the $6.7 billion in valuation, the tax rate is derived from and produces the $102 million dollars remaining needed to operate the Town.

The average single family in Dedham this year is just over $668,000, which is $70,000 more than last year’s assessment of $597,000, almost a 12% increase in value. While the residential tax rate decreased from $13.35 last year to $12.84 this year, the average single family tax bill still saw an increase of over $600, with the average single family tax bill now at $8,580 (in comparison to last year at $7,980).

While these increases have been significantly higher in recent years, the Assessing Office has done a tremendous job explaining to the taxpayers and breaking down the valuation process in laments terms so that the average taxpayer can understand how their properties are being valued and how it is used to calculate their property taxes and how it indirectly relates to the Town Budget and Property Tax Levy. Through the hard work of the Assessor’s Office and providing such high level of communication and customer service, the Assessing Office received less than 60 abatement applications this year, which is incredible considering we were receiving more than 200 applications each year when I first joined the Board 10 years ago.

On top of determining the values on all properties in Town, our Office works in conjunction with the Treasurer and Tax Collectors Office in assisting in the production of the quarterly tax bills for the 9,400 properties along with the 25,000 excise tax bills, which produces about $4 million in tax revenue. The Assessing Office also processes all property tax exemptions, such as veterans, elderly, blind, etc. and process over 200 exemptions, relieving roughly $400,000 to qualifying taxpayers under state guidelines.

Our office also works hand in hand with both the Veteran’s Office and Council on Aging to oversee the Veterans and Senior Tax Work off programs as well as the newly Tax Aid Committee and Tax Aid Fund established to provide tax assistance for elderly and disabled Dedham residents to defray the costs of their property taxes. The veterans and senior tax work off programs assisted roughly 20 residents and the Tax Aid Fund assisted 34 residents.

One accomplishment I am proud of is where I worked in conjunction with our Veteran’s Service Officer, Joe Hamilton. Together, we discovered 17 Dedham residents who were receiving close to $2,000 in tax relief through Clause 22E of the Veteran’s Exemption, and only being reimbursed $825 from the State, who now qualify for Clause 22D which provides full property tax exemption for surviving spouses of military personnel who have died as a result of an injury or illness contracted during active duty service. Through this clause, these residents are now receiving full relief of their real estate property taxes and the Town is now receiving full reimbursements, dollar for dollar, back from the State, saving the Town tens of thousands of dollars.

The Assessing Office works with the Collector’s Office on a daily basis and works closely with the Town Accountant and Finance Director. We also work with the Building Department to stay up to date on building permits to perform inspections to keep our records up to date and as accurate as possible. We work with the GIS Department to make sure their maps and boundary lines and addresses are up to date for all properties within the Town. We work with several other Departments such as Engineering and Conservation to produce Abutters Lists as requested, DPW to assist with locating addresses and helped provide the distribution list for the new trash barrels, the Town Clerks Office to identify and confirm addresses of registered voters.

I work with the Select Board and Finance Committee and create the Classification Hearing Presentation & Property Tax Analysis presented to them annually. I am also a member of the Design Review Team run by the Planning Department to keep open communication with all departments and keep up to date with all town-wide projects working with the Police and Fire Chief, Engineering, GIS, Planning, Building and Conservation.

While there are several other responsibilities and functions performed within the Assessing Office, you can see how well we work not only within our Office, but amongst several other departments and are an integral part of Town Hall and am fortunate to work with such a great group of people, especially within the Assessor’s Office.

Contact Information:

Assessors Office: 781-751-9130

Presenter:

John Tocci, School Building Rehabilitation Committee Chair

Members:

• John Tocci, Chair, Town Moderator Appointment
• Steve Bilafer, Vice Chair, Town Moderator
• Kevin Coughlin, Member, Selectboard
• Mayanne MacDonald Briggs, Member, School Committee
• Victor Hebert, Member, School Committee
• John Heffernan, Member, Finance & Warrant Committee
• Phillip Gonzalez, Member, Town Moderator
• Nancy Baker, Ex-Officio, Assistant Town Manager
• Dr. Ian Kelly, Ex-officio, Superintendent of Schools

Projects:

Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) Close Out (Late 2021)

The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Commission closed the financial books on the construction of the Dr. Thomas J. Curran Early Childhood Education Center in late 2021. Construction of the ECEC was completed in January of 2019 and the ECEC opened in February. Minor finishing work was completed later that year and the financial accounting, submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”). The ECEC was constructed on time and nearly two million dollars under the amount appropriated by Town Meeting. Dedham had appropriated $19.1 million from its Robin Reyes funds for the anticipated $30,394,562 project, which included a $600,000 feasibility study and traffic mitigation costs of $563,000.  The MSBA was to fund the remaining $10.7 million. The final project cost was $28,510,637.

This ECEC project was the first time the MSBA had approved a designated combined Kindergarten and Pre-School/Early Education project. Its superior design and construction have lead the MSBA to utilize the ECEC as a model for early education design and construction throughout Massachusetts.

Oakdale School Project

In April of 2021, State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the MSBA, and MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy announced that the MSBA Board of Directors voted to invite the Town of Dedham into the MSBA’s funding program, commencing with an “Eligibility Period” for the Oakdale Elementary School. Dedham’s application was one of only fifteen projects accepted by the MSBA from 161applying municipalities. Dedham will be eligible to receive state funding through the MSBA for elementary school renovation/construction costs.

Under the guidance of Superintendent Welch, Dedham successfully completed the MSBA’s “Eligibility Period” requirements. Dedham is now in the “Feasibility Study” phase of the MSBA Capital Pipeline. In November of 2021, Town Meeting appropriated up to one million dollars for a feasibility study. The SBRC is charged with guiding school construction or rehabilitation projects in Dedham. We chose Vertex as our Project Manager after a very competitive process this spring and in November, Jonathan Levi Associates, as our project designer.

The reconstruction process is very much driven by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The MSBA has been in existence since 2004 and helped fund the construction of the Middle School, the Avery School and our new ECEC. The MSBA ranked the condition of every school physical plant in our community and Oakdale was rated as in most need of rehabilitation. Oakdale got us into the program. But we have two of four elementary schools over 100 years old (Oakdale and Riverdale) and the other (Greenlodge), plus the Oakdale annex are 70 years old.

The feasibility process is the process by which the School Committee and SBRC — together with the community — develop and evaluate alternative options for addressing the building conditions of the Oakdale school. Our goal is determining the most educationally appropriate and cost effective solution for the community. Since we are availing ourselves of the MSBA funding process, we must play by MSBA rules and on their timeline. There are required deliverables to the MSBA.

• We will have to provide a preliminary design plan to the MSBA in March. By the end of March there will be an analysis of existing conditions, consideration and analysis of various sites and narrowed options. This is what we are doing now and prospective building sites have been narrowed to Oakdale, Greenlodge, Riverdale, the Curran Center (on Sprague Street) and the Striar Property.
• By the end of July we need to submit a Preferred Schematic Report to the MSBA. This will include a detailed analysis of narrowed options, decisions regarding enrollment for the options and Dedham’s preferred solution.
• Schematic Design will be due by the end of 2023. This will be an initial, partial architectural design of the chosen option. This will allow us to prepare the project budget – MSBA has anticipated the project cost to be between $60 and $90 million.
• We anticipate a town meeting vote on the chosen project in the spring of 2024.
• If the town votes to move forward, we expect construction to begin in the spring of 2025.
• The MSBA will require us to consider several options:
  • They have indicated that if we go with a single school replacement for Oakdale, they will fund a school for 235 students. Enrollment at Oakdale is currently 251. Greenlodge is 261 and Riverdale 172.
  • The MSBA requires us to consider school consolidation. Since consolidation must include the Oakdale population in the solution This could mean:
    • Oakdale-Greenlodge combination in which case the MSBA will agree to a structure for 550 students.
    • Oakdale-Riverdale combination in which case the MSBA will consider a structure for 450 students.
• The SBRC, our Project Manager and Project Designer are currently assessing the pros and cons of each site and soliciting and receiving community feedback. JLA has determined that all five sites can meet the size guidelines for school, fields, parking and drop off. We hold public meetings every two weeks. SBRC members have also met with each PTO (including the ECREC and Middle School PTOs) and has held two community meetings. We have also walked the grounds of each site. Another full community meeting will be held in March.

Contact Information:

Submit questions and comments about the Oakdale Elementary Building Project: oakdaleproject@dedham.k12.ma.us

Presenters:

Tom Turner, Board of Library Trustees, Vice Chair

Annette Raphel, Board of Library Trustees, Member

Amber Moroney, Library Director

Library Numbers:

• Total 2022 Circulation: 218,241
  • Digital and physical circulation has increased 25% from 2021!)
• Dedham is one of just NINE Minuteman Libraries to have FY22 to be their highest year
  • Circulation is at an all time high, in 2022 the Library circulated 163,481 physical items. The Library has books, magazines, DVDs, audiobooks, video games, board/card games, laptops, portable hotspots, yard games, and small appliances/tools available for checkout.
• Increase in digital content usage: 5.9%
  • In 2022 nearly 55,000 digital items were checked out. E-books, digital audiobooks, digital videos, and magazines are all free to check out with your library card.
• Hours the Library is open every week: 104
  • The Main Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 OM and Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Endicott Branch Library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
• Visitors to the Library in 2022: 76,229
  • This is the first year with reliable visitor counters. People counters were installed on all public entrances in June 2021, this will help us track accurate usage.
• Increase in new library cards: 184%
  • About 40% of Dedham residents have library cards. The Library has worked with the schools and senior facilities to help increase this number and help provide library access to more residents.
• Percentage of Dedham residents that used their library card in 2022: 20%
  • In January 2022 only 16% of residents had used their card during the prior year. That number had increased to 20%. The Library's goal is to reach 25% by the end of 2023.
• Discounted museum passes checked out in 2022: 734
  • With your library card, you have access to discounted passes to 18 museums and attractions.
• Year the Main Library Opened: 1888
  • The Main Library is the oldest town-owned building. While it is a beautiful, historic building, there are physical limitations that prevent it from being accessible.
• Number of Values included in the Library's new value statement: 8
  • Inclusion and Access, Intellectual Freedom, Lifelong Learning, Innovation, Respect, Integrity, and Excellence
• Number of Goals outlines in the FY 23-26 Strategic Plan: 5
  • The goals include addressing the physical infrastructure of the library, establishing a marketing and communication plan to increase usage, increasing community partnerships, creating a fundraising program to support major library initiatives, and enhancing professional development and training for the library staff and the board.

FY23-FY26 Strategic Plan:

Mission Statement

The Dedham Public Library: Facilitating lifelong learning and cultivating strong connections throughout our community and beyond.

Vision Statement

As the heart of the community, the Dedham Public Library fosters an inclusive and inviting environment, supports lifelong reading, learning, and cultural enhancement, and provides innovative programs and services to meet the needs of the Dedham community.

Value Statement

The Dedham Public Library Values:

Inclusion and Access: We provide information, programs, and services that are open to all.

Intellectual Freedom: We uphold the right to privacy and the right to seek, access, and express diverse points of view.

Lifelong Learning: We encourage reading, literacy, creativity, and curiosity

Innovation: We encourage organizational and staff innovation that adapts to emerging needs.

Respect and Integrity: We treat our community, staff, and partners with respect and dignity in a transparent and accountable manner.

Excellence: We hold ourselves to the highest standards in everything we do.

Goals:

1. To undertake action to address the deficiencies in the physical infrastructure of the Library that impede DPL’s ability to meet our mission and vision.
2. To establish and implement a comprehensive marketing and communication plan for the Library to increase visibility and usage.
3. To partner with key organizations in the Town of Dedham to leverage complementary strengths and resources creating greater community impact.
4. To create a comprehensive funding program to support major library initiatives.
5. To enhance and implement ongoing professional training and development programs for Trustees and Staff to maintain a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Contact Information:

Board of Library Trustees: librarytrustees@dedham-ma.gov

Main Library: 781-751-9284

Endicott Branch: 781-751-9178

Presenter:

Bob LoPorto, Open Space & Recreation Committee, Chair

About the Open Space & Recreation Committee: 

Created by a vote of Town Meeting in April 2004, the Open Space & Recreation Committee conducts continuous review and oversight of the Open Space Plan for the Town. Its duties include:

1. Keeping the Town current with State requirements for open space or recreation plans and with opportunities and eligibility for State funding;
2. Reviewing and revising a Five-Year Action Plan for open space preservation and recreational needs;
3. Increasing public awareness and support of open or recreational space through education, advocacy, and promotion of land trusts, conservation, or agricultural restrictions for suitable properties; and
4. Submitting an annual report to the Board of Selectmen

Review and download the 2019 Open Space & Recreation Plan and Appendix using the links below:

2019 Open Space & Recreation Plan (5 Year Action Plan in Section 9) 

Contact Information:

Open Space & Recreation Committee: bobloporto30@gmail.com

Presenters:

Joe Borsellino, Human Rights Commission, Chair

Chris Kelly, Human Rights Commission, Member

Contact Information:

Human Rights Commission: dedhamhrc@gmail.com

Town Manager's Office: 781-751-9100

Prepared By:

Danielle DeLuca, Chair

Bryan Plummer, Vice Chair

About the ATWG:

The Select Board approved the Active Transportation Work Group (ATWG) to allow for a broader and sustained focus on the many active modes of transportation including, but not limited to walking, bicycling, motor vehicle, public bus, train and ride hail companies. The purpose of the Active Transportation Work Group is to provide residents, local stakeholders and committed professionals with an opportunity to work together to advance mobility in Dedham where all modes of transportation are represented and valued.

Members:

Appointed by Select Board:

• Sharna Borsellino (Regional transportation planning professional)
• Bryan Plummer (Dedham resident with an interest in improving alternative modes of transportation)

Representing Planning Board: Jim McGrail

Representing Dedham Cycle Club: Danielle DeLuca

Representing Livable Dedham: Howard Ostroff

Representing Dedham Public Schools: Trish Sullivan

Representing Disability Commission: Bernie Chirokas

Representing Parks and Rec: Lisa Farnham

Appointed Ad Hoc Members:

• Planning Director or his designee: Jeremy Rosenberger / Michelle Tinger
• DPW Director or his designee: Joe Flanagan
• Council on Aging Director or her designee:  Vacant

Other Regular Participants:

• Jessica Porter, Planning Board
• Vivian Ortiz, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program

Goals (Prioritized in 2022):

• Provide support to the DPW as it implements a Complete Streets improvement plan in Dedham.

• Work closely with the Master Plan Committee to address pedestrian, bike and other alternative transportation needs.

• Provide guidance to our community to promote Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Safe Routes to School Program.

• Facilitate better pedestrian, bicycle and transit travel for users of all ages and abilities in Dedham.

• Advocate for safe transportation connections between Route 1 and Route 1A in the Dedham corridor.

• Identify opportunities for State and Federal grants for technical assistance and additional resources.

Highlights of Work and Achievements:

• Master Plan 2030:
  • Group members participated in outreach sessions coordinated by Master Plan Committee and Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) related to the Transportation  Goal, and other related goals
  • Provided written feedback on first draft transportation goals
  • Provided oral feedback on review of draft of transportation goals by Planning Board
  • Regular communication with Jessica Porter of Master Plan Committee
  • ATWG is mentioned 23 times in the draft Implementation Plan.  We want to establish clear ways we can provide input on the issues we’re tagged to support, and productive pathways for collaborating with other boards, committees
• Grants:
  • 100% success rate for grant funds that we have applied
  • We have received 4 grants over the last year:

  1. Safe Routes to School Signs & Lines program: $6,000 - (Completed)

  • Paid for a new crosswalk on Mount Vernon @ Barrows St
  • Improved signage in drop off/pick up area in front of Avery School
  • Added crosswalk box at High St & Maverick

2. Safe Routes to School Infrastructure program: Approx. $1.2 million

• Improve sidewalks along Whiting Ave - (In process)

• Riverdale school street art project to reduce crashes and increase pedestrian safety on Needham St.

• ATWG is actively seeking additional funding through State and Federal Programs

• Building a Bike Network:
  • Working with Joe Flanagan to map existing, planned, and potential for bike lanes on Dedham streets, with the goal of created a connected network of safe routes for riding a bike in Dedham. (Visit Google Maps)

• Participation in all sessions of the Transportation Safety Working Group towards the potential establishment of the Local Road Safety Plan

• Working with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Legacy Place to move Washington and Elm Street bus stop onto Legacy Place to prevent dangerous pedestrian crossing at Providence Highway and Elm Street.

• Via ATWG member Jim McGrail, we reached tentative agreement for developer Joe Federico to provide $50,000 for budget on improving safe routes to school.

• Coordination of Safe Routes to School Walk Bike and Roll to school days at schools. ATWG is the official SRTS Task Force for the Town of Dedham.

• Informing public via Dedham Times of MBTA bus route changes that affect Dedham.

• Created  “Snow Angels” campaign encouraging voluntary sidewalk shoveling and integrated with Amanda Smith to spread message during snow storms along with info on DPW snow removal and parking rules.

• Launched a ‘sub-committee’ on sidewalk snow removal looking at possible policy, budgetary, or voluntary solutions, following up on the now disbanded Town Meeting Snow Committee

• Conduct Walk Audits at the request of community members

Goals:

• Greater visibility: currently building an ATWG site on the town website
• Create stronger linkages across groups in town, for example, working more closely with the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Engineering Department
• Advocate for best practices to achieve safe and active transportation through better design
• Encourage Complete Streets through repainting street lines to a safer standard - 10ft wide lanes
• Become a town resource on quick and low-cost pedestrian infrastructure
  • Quick Build Materials
  • Pop-up Projects
• Build out town-specific recommendations with policies and frameworks (local and state) that impact pedestrian safety and active transportation (i.e., Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and 85% rule)
• Work with Select Board to seek lower speed limits (i.e., on Bridge/Ames via MassDOT)
• Use data to learn from fatal and near fatal crashes to reduce Dedham’s abnormally high rate of pedestrian fatalities

Contact Information:

Town Manager's Office: 781-751-9100

Prepared By:

Deni Goldman, Animal Control Officer (ACO)

The ACO intended, and succeeded, in serving the citizens of Dedham in the most professional, effective, and efficient manner possible - with calls for service that included (but are not limited to) patrolling (and taking possession of) stray, ill, injured, deceased, dangerous – dogs, and other animals (domestic and wild) that posed a threat to the safety and health of the community, while providing humane treatment and handling of those animals themselves– as well as the investigation of reports of animal cruelty, neglect, attacks/bites, quarantines, missing/lost pets, and suspected rabies specimen submissions to the MA State Laboratory.

The ACO also educated the public with cases, material, presentations-through social, broadcast and print media, as well as interpersonal community relations on issues related to animal health and safety -ensuring that the public remained informed in a manner that allowed animals and people to coexist in a safe environment.

2022 ACO Calls for Service:

• Loose Dogs: 223
• Dog Bites: 56
• Dog Barking: 81
• Cat Issues: 134
• Bite and Wound of Unknown Origin Quarantines: 116
• Wildlife Issues: 578
• Miscellaneous*:  261
• Total Calls: 1449

*(i.e., dogs left in hot motor vehicles, dog kennels, tethering, missing pets, hoarding, injured pets, citations/court matters, neighbor complaints/concerns, veterinary financial assistance programs, suspect rabies testing; etc.)

Additional ACO Response:

Animal Control Impounded a total of twenty-one (21) dogs and twelve (12) cats – all of which were either claimed by their owners, adopted into new homes, or treated and released* (*healthy, unadoptable stray cats).

Three (3) dogs were found abandoned in Dedham -all of which were case-investigated, case-closed –the dogs ultimately placed into new homes.

Two injured hawks, an owl, multiple young raccoons, rabbits, a woodpecker, ducklings, a fawn, a woodchuck, were captured and either released or transferred to the New England Wildlife Center and/or the MA Dept of Fisheries & Wildlife.

With the assistance of the Dedham Fire Department, 21 ducklings were rescued from subsequent storm drains – one brood reunited with their mother: the other brood taken for rehabilitation.

With the assistance of the Facilities Department, one cat was rescued from approximately thirty feet high in a tree.

Joint efforts between the ACO, BOH, COA and the Building Department, secured a temporary residence, pet foster care, and some much-needed health and human services, for a senior who found herself homeless due to condemnation of her home. Those efforts are ongoing through all departments and the resident has remained safe, employed, and receptive of help for both her and her pet.

ACO worked closely with a relative of a resident to seek resolution for a ‘dangerous dog’ that had been running at large threatening the neighborhood, had bitten persons, and as well caused delays in multiple first responder calls to the home to render aid to a hospice patient resident. The resident has since moved to a nursing home.

ACO and the Town Manager held an Administrative Hearing to remedy a situation with a ‘dangerous dog’ through the instilment of a Town Order that would protect the community. The dog’s owner was receptive to the Town Order and has been diligent in adhesion to it. To date, no further issues have been reported.

Along with the Town Clerks office, Parks & Recreation, and Dedham’s PIO, initiatives were created to curtail loose dogs on public parks, fields, and properties, and to help in increasing annual dog licensing.

The ACO has maintained a mutually-beneficial relationship with the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston, and per contract with the town of Dedham for sheltering lost and stray pets picked up by the ACO, the ARL has assisted in holding, reuniting and/or rehoming, as required.

The ACO also partnered with the ARL hosting a Low Cost ($10) Rabies Vaccine and Microchip clinic, which not only vaccinated over 100 pets on site of the Dedham ARL campus, but also provided on site dog licensing with the assistance of the Dedham Town Clerk’s office.

The ACO completed all Y2022 MA State Animal Control Officer required training as well as all Dedham Police Department training, so to continue to provide the most professional, dedicated, and knowledgeable community service as possible.

Dogs in Hot Cars Campaign:

While the ACO primarily focused on a system of education and warnings for state and local animal law infractions, twenty-four (24) Civil Disposition Violations were written for: failure to restrain, failure to license, failure to vaccinate, and for confining an animal inside a motor vehicle in a manner that could reasonably be expected to threaten the health of the animal.

Fourteen (14) dogs were found to be left locked inside hot motor vehicles – pet owners were identified, educated, and as necessary, charged via MGL.

To help protect pets and combat the alarming number of calls for dogs locked inside hot motor vehicles, the ACO created a summer initiative with the help of 12 Dedham based businesses owners/managers, who posted educational/warning signs in their parking lots and store fronts. These businesses included: Dunkin Donuts, Star Market, Costco, BJ’s, Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, East Dedham Gas, Papa Gino’s, Staples, Advanced Auto Parts, CVS, Armando Cassano Hair Studio, Ron’s Ice Cream, Dedham Bike, and East Dedham Liquors.

Contact Information:

Animal Control Officer: 781-751-9106, dgoldman@police.dedham-ma.gov

Prepared By:

Emily Reynolds, Chair

The Commission of Trust Funds continues to oversee 32 individual funds totaling just over $2 million. In the past year, the Commissioners have voted to disburse up to 80 Dedham High School scholarships totaling $111,250. Additionally, the Commission recently voted to award over $30,000 to local organizations serving Dedham residents.

The Commission remains committed to monitoring the market and balancing its responsibility of making fiscally prudent allocations with generously supporting programs and scholarships that benefit residents of Dedham.

Contact Information:

Treasuer/Collector: 781-751-9160

Prepared By:

Sheila Pransky, Council on Aging Director

Diane Barry Preston, Council on Aging Board, Chair

Council on Aging at the Ames Senior Center

The Dedham Council on Aging (COA) at the Ames Senior Center is thriving. Since June of 2021, we have steadily increased our program offerings, our services, and our participants. 

Our estimated annual attendance has increased from 2500 seniors in FY21 to 14,500 in FY22, and this year we are on track to reach more than 18,000 participant contacts. We are delighted that the seniors who participate in our programs represent all phases of older adults.

While a temporary site constraint for us is parking, we have continued to provide services and offer classes both onsite and offsite, and have utilized our transportation vehicles to assist, as needed. Whether we host a program here at the Senior Center or offsite at another local venue, we all come together to make sure the Ames Senior Center is welcoming and feels like home. 

After much recent research has identified mental health issues as a primary problem in our communities, we worked toward hiring a clinical social worker to join our COA staff.  Happily, we have been able to hire a clinical social worker and her initial project has been to start bereavement support group, which was enthusiastically embraced by so many seniors, we quickly filled the group and began a wait list for future participation. 

Transportation has been a primary need in our community, and we have a fleet of three vehicles and three regular drivers.  We are finding more and more demand for transportation and are building a constellation of options to answer that need, both here at the COA and with other organizations.  We have one 15 passenger bus, which is aging, and we have requested a new bus, as our current bus is spending more and more time in the shop.  Trying to hire more drivers has been a challenge as well, and one that we are working on. 

In the fall of 2022, we expanded our operating hours to include every Wednesday evening until 7:00 pm.  We are providing weekly fitness classes during that evening as well as additional programming twice monthly in the evening hours. 

Lastly, we have a growing number of seniors who would like to enroll in the Senior Tax Work Off Program, which enables them to earn money toward their property taxes by working for the Council on Aging and other Town Organizations.  Finding job positions for these seniors has been difficult, and we are working with other town department heads to identify a variety of volunteer openings within their departments.  We are also going to be asking Town Meeting to approve an increase in the income limits for the program and to raise the pay from $10 per hour to $15 per hour. 

Accomplishments

• Equipping and getting new Ames Senior Center up and running.
• Expanded all aspects of programming and social services.
• Provided expanded transportation services with over 1600 trips for the first six months of FY 2023 (through January 2023). 
• We are continuing ongoing efforts for expanding our new programming including new schedule with late operating hours each Wednesday and providing new fitness classes each Wednesday evening. 
• We have hired the new staff social worker, increasing social service availability including individual counseling and new bereavement group.
• Through grant-seeking, we have been able to acquire a professional-level pool table and equipment, as well as two fitness machines (treadmill and recumbent bicycle). 

Future Outlook

As our population continues to age, (according to the 2020 census, Dedham has a population of 23,649 with 8062 over age 60, more than one-third of the total, we will continue to expand our services and will need to request additional staff members to provide the services.  We will strive to continue to expand transportation availability (request for new bus) and to hire additional per diem drivers.  We are working on a project to assess all programming and will make decisions which programs to keep in the regular schedule. 

We will be expanding all outreach and communications efforts, striving to reach homebound seniors and younger seniors who might benefit from learning about what the COA has to offer.

We look forward to a rich and rewarding future of the Dedham Council on Aging and the Ames Senior Center, and the likelihood that soon we will need to begin the discussion how to expand the Center or start a search for a new (free-standing) site where we can provide more and more services for a larger and larger senior population.

Council on Aging Board

The Council on Aging (COA) Board is preparing for some exciting changes and opportunities in 2023.  With the upcoming retirement of our director, Sheila Pransky in July, we will hire a new director to lead the Ames Senior Center into the next decade with programs and services that meet the needs of a growing and diverse older adult group that now represents a third of Dedham residents.   

We are gearing up to support this new director and the COA’s future in several ways. In the fall of 2022, the COA Board welcomed four new members. Last month (January 2023) it elected new officers to guide board activities. This represents a change from the long serving and dedicated leadership over the last twenty-five years.

In the last two months, the Board has formed two new subcommittees to guide its work. The Program and Outreach subcommittee is examining current program, service, and transportation utilization data; and exploring ideas for new programs and outreach strategies, based on research into other COA’s programs and in collaboration with Dedham COA staff.  In the coming months we will have a data dashboard from which to assess program and service use and suggest improvements. The Governance subcommittee is busy revising its mission, vision, by-laws, and operating policies. It will also create a board orientation packet for new members.

The Friends of the Dedham COA is being revitalized to fundraise to support new programs and offset activity fees for seniors to attend them. A Board representative to the Friends will assure collaboration of efforts.   

A Hiring subcommittee will collaborate with the Town Manager’s Office to create a job description, conduct candidate search and hire a new director.

Future Considerations

The Dedham COA Board is excited about the future of the Senior Center/Council on Aging to be a vital part of the quality of life for Dedham’s older adults. With an age range of thirty years to consider, we must be alert to the most pressing needs and desires of residents to encourage good health, social interaction and growth with engaging programing and responsive services for Dedham seniors.

Contact Information:

COA Director: 781-751-9495 x1

Prepared By:

Dedham Cultural Council Members

Objectives and Priorities:

The Dedham Cultural Council (DCC) gathers input from the community frequently and develops funding priorities based on this feedback. As in years past, the Dedham Cultural Council will give priority to:

• Applicants who have secured a local venue and event date
• Projects that serve youth or the elderly

In addition, we consider:

• How well the program meets local needs
• Community support and involvement
• Evidence of track record and dedication of the applicant
• Ability to address the diverse cultural needs of underserved populations
• Ability to support diverse forms of cultural activities
• Financial need
• Demonstrated planning

Typical Grant Calendar:

• September:
  • DCC sets Council Priorities
  • State Announces Funding Award
• October:
  • Grant Cycle Opens 
  • Town Announces Funding Award
• November:
  • Grant Applications Due from Artists
• November to January:
  • DCC Grant Application Review Discussions
• February:
  • DCC Annual Report Due 
  • Applicant Decisions Due
• Spring/Fall:
  • DCC Conducts Annual Community Survey
  • DCC Manages Applicant Reimbursements
  • DCC Manages Ongoing Community Marketing/Advertising

Membership:

The Cultural Council has up to 22 members who have demonstrated scholarship, creativity, or service in the arts. All members are appointed by the Select Board and serve staggered, 3 year terms. Current members include those listed below:

Community Impact:

Since 1998, the DCC has disbursed approximately $350,000 in grants, satisfying half of all grant requests. Town funding typically supports less than 50% of annual disbursements.

• Fiscal Year 2023
  • Funds Requested: $54,200
  • Funds Disbursed: $25,581
  • Community Members Serviced (across all events): Approx. 245,000

Contact Information:

Town Manager's Office: 781-751-9100

Prepared by:

Joseph Flanagan, DPW Director

About the Department of Public Works (DPW)

The Department of Public Works is responsible for the maintenance and work on all public ways and sidewalks in the Town of Dedham.  We are also responsible for Solid Waste Disposal, Recycling, Road and Sidewalk Paving in conjunction with our Pavement Management Program, Line Painting, Traffic Markings,  Public Shade Trees, Beautification Projects, Streetlights, Traffic Signal Maintenance, Sewer Line Flushing, Pump Station Maintenance, Storm Water, Catch Basin Cleaning, Storm Main cleaning and Flushing, Street Opening Permits, Brookdale Cemetery and Historic Village Cemetery, Coordinating with Utility Companies that work in the Town of Dedham, MADOT for any utility projects and maintenance on Dedham Roads or roads within the Town of Dedham under MADOT Jurisdiction.

We have 22 field personnel and 2 administrative assistants and myself.  During the summer we hire anywhere from 8-16 summer kids depending on the available budget to cut and trim the cemeteries, public areas, clean public areas, water plantings, and work in Highway operations.

Roads and Sidewalks Program:  We completed our 15th year of the Pavement Management Roads program that is a tremendous success.  The Department of Public Works and the Engineering Department have worked together to make this a successful program.  When we began the Pavement Management system, the Town had a pavement condition index of 70, it is now at an 85.  This current year we have adjusted our budget to $700,000 for roads and $500,000 for sidewalks.  We meet with the contractor and review the job and look to see if we have any potential conflicts and work to resolve these issues.  One of our most common issues is sidewalk and driveway transitions grades that need to be adjusted.  All sidewalks and curb ramps on streets that we are working on are brought up to current ADA requirements and standards.    

The Department of Public Works provides labor and equipment for the road and sidewalk program to reduce the cost.  We also perform much of the preparation work for sidewalk work.  This preparation work involves jackhammering, saw cutting, grading with our own processed gravel, and removing old sidewalks and driveways and setting new Handicap Ramps.   

Public Shade Trees and Beautification Projects:  The Town of Dedham is a tree city.  The trees are planted by DPW crews under the direction of a certified arborist or by a professional arborist.  The Public Shade Trees that we plant and maintain are on the loam strips on streets, Cemeteries, Parks, Public Areas, Schools, and Town owned facilities.  We also offer to plant trees on private property for residents on the front or side lawns that abut the street.  The DPW offers trees to residents on every street that we pave.  When a Public Shade Tree is removed from an area under our jurisdiction, we try to plant two or three trees depending on the circumference of the removed tree in the general area where the tree was removed from.  We have also planted new trees, fertilized, and maintain existing trees at both the Brookdale Cemetery, Endicott Estate and the Historic Village Cemetery. 

We also work with Dedham Civic Pride on plantings, banners; adopt a spot location, and other beautification projects throughout the community.  The DPW has a 500-gallon mobile water tank on a truck that we water pots and planting locations daily.  

Storm Water:  The DPW completed many repairs of our storm water system by replacing catch basins with deep sump catch basins and upgrading deteriorating pipes.  The DPW has completed many of these jobs utilizing our employees instead of hiring out these jobs.  The Dedham Public Works employees have replaced and installed all size drainage pipes and leeching basins to stormwater rain gardens.  

The DPW takes the approved pavement management plan and replaces all catch basins to deep sump catch basins and installed new basins or leeching basins in the area needs them.   This deep sump catch basin allows the sediment to gather in the bottom of the catch basin instead of flowing down the drain line into the wetland areas. 

We also do several separate drainage projects throughout the community such as installing leeching basins, rain gardens, repairing catch basins and manholes as we find them damaged or needed for an upgrade.  These improvements are made to clean our storm water, eliminate flooding, eliminate road hazards and we try to use leeching basins whenever we can to restore the water into the ground and recharge into our aquifer. 

Each of those jobs eliminated flooding hazards and increased our stormwater collection.  We also clean our catch basins every day that we can.  We have worked with the Engineering department with our work order system and keep track of our cleaning catch basins on an app.  It makes our record keeping efficient and we need this for our state and federal reports with the new MS4 Requirements.

Clean Streets are happy streets!  This is good for the residents, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.    We sweep every day between April and November.  This helps us reduce the sediment in our catch basins.  If we sweep up dirt and debris on the road before it enters our system then we only have to handle it once.  We have two sweepers and use them constantly to clean our streets.  We try to sweep the squares and main streets 2-3 times a week depending on weather.  Our neighborhood streets are swept 4-5 times per year. 

We also have a catch basin cleaning truck in our fleet that we use to clean and flush 1/3 – ½ of our catch basins every year.  When necessary we rent a vacuum truck to clean the catch basins and flush the drain lines.

Sewer Maintenance:  The DPW flushes the sanitary sewer lines routinely and work with the Engineering Department maintaining three sewer pump stations.  The Pump Stations are maintained by a private company (Weston Sampson) who perform weekly maintenance and the public works performs quarterly grease and debris maintenance at all stations with the contractor.  We are on-call 24 hours for any emergencies to assist Weston and Sampson call for any issues at the pump stations ranging from an electric issue to pump failure.  We also work with the Engineering department and repair all sewer lines that have sags in them that are causing backups or low flow situations. 

Street lights:  The Department of Public Works is responsible for street lights.  We have completed an LED change out program where all our streetlights are LED. 

Street Opening Permits:  The DPW reviews and approves all street opening permits on public ways.  This is important to keep track of all excavations.  The Town has invested millions of dollars to improve our streets and sidewalks, so all proposed excavations are reviewed before approval is granted. We work with the Dedham Westwood Water District, MWRA, Eversource Gas and Eversource Electric and all utilities on their capital improvement projects in the Town of Dedham.  We will review their utility construction plans for conflicts with Town Utilities and their traffic management plans to try to lessen the impact of traffic detours to our residents.

Cemeteries:  The Town has two cemeteries.  Brookdale Cemetery is an active cemetery.  Public Works personnel installed some drainage and repaired some small sections of roadway as part of our capital improvements this year.  We also constantly upgrade the 50-acre cemetery. 

The Historic Village Cemetery is one of the oldest in the Commonwealth and the Town has dedicated funding in the Historic Village Cemetery for head stone and Landscape improvements.  We have repaired and cleaned headstones and also the monument for the 54th Regiment.  We are working the Old Village Cemetery Preservation Group to develop a plan and funding for repairs and long-term maintenance.  We have undertaken many of these projects with DPW personnel to do the restoration of some of the metal fences around the family plots. 

Snow and Ice:  The DPW is responsible for all snow and ice removal on all pubic ways, schools, and town owned facilities, squares, and sidewalks. 

Regulatory Signage:  The DPW is responsible for the maintenance of all regulatory signage in the Town.  We work with the Engineering Department on all the latest MUTCD and AASHTO updates and requirements.  The retro-reflectivity on our regulatory signs including street signs are in good shape because we started this process years ago.  We have installed more of the Rapid Reflective Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at our busiest crosswalks and will install more this year.

Solid Waste Disposal:  We have an automated curbside collection system that limits the trash carts to one per household.  We are constantly working with our vendor, Boston Carting, to increase our recycling rate and to educate our residents to recycle more and recycle smart.  We entered into a new contract agreement with Boston Carting in July of 2022.  This contract is for our curbsides collection and is for 5 years.  Our recycling contamination rate is currently at 16 percent.  This means that 16% of all our recycling is trash.  Solid Waste disposal regulations have become more stringent, and they will become more stringent in future years.  We will continue to work with our hauler and mass dep to promote recycling and educate residents on the correct way to recycle.

Contact Information:

Department of Public Works: 781-751-9350

Prepared By:

Jeremy Rosenberger, Planning Director

About the Design Review Advisory Board (DRAB)

The Design Review Advisory Board (DRAB) provides recommendations and professional design review for development projects and signage. DRAB is also tasked with granting waivers to the Town’s updated Sign Code, approved by Town Meeting in Fall 2021. DRAB seeks to maintain and improve the overall character and appearance of the Town and to encourage the reduction of visual clutter and uncoordinated development through knowledge of the community’s historic traditions, existing structures, environment, and proven design principles.

Members

DRAB is made up of five members: two appointed by the Select Board, two by the Planning Board, and one by the Historic Districts Commission or Civic Pride. John Haven currently serves as Chair, Bryce Gibson serves as Vice Chair, and Christine Perec serves as the third member. The Select Board recently selected Alexa Asakewicz as the fourth member of DRAB. The fifth seat remains vacant and will be filled by the Historic Districts Commission in the coming months.

Town Staff Support

DRAB is supported by the Planning and Zoning Department. The Board held 11 meetings and reviewed 46 applications for signs and façade improvements/changes in 2022. Among these were several large-scale projects including Kelly’s Roast Beef (725 Providence Highway), Dela Park Plaza (270-290 Bussey Street), and the Dedham Mall (300 Providence Highway).

Contact Information:

Planning & Zoning Department: 781-751-9240

Prepared By:

Endicott Estate Commission Members

Mission:

The mission of the Endicott Estate is to promote, protect and preserve the historic heritage, character, and architecture of the Estate by efficient management of community use and revenue generating events while striving to become financially strong and to remain a constant reminder of the rich heritage and historic grandeur of the Town of Dedham.

Goals:

It is the goal of the Endicott Estate Commission to operate as a financially self-supporting property while continuing to respect the on-going civic use by ensuring the Estate is being maintained and utilized most productively and effectively. We are pleased to report that the Endicott Estate was able to generate just over $300,000 in FY22 revenue as we slowly emerged from the unyielding regulations on gathering due to COVID.

About the Commission:

The Endicott Estate has a five-member board (Endicott Estate Commission) appointed by the Town Manager that meet regularly to discuss the operations of the Estate. The Commission was established to make rules and regulations for the use of the land and buildings on the Estate and may include provisions with respect to the necessity for permits for use of the property, policies governing the use of the Estate, and the charging of reasonable fees therefor. It is also the duty of the Commission to advise and to make recommendations to the Town Manager with respect to specific recreational, educational, and other public uses.

Estate Improvements:

Endicott Estate Roof Replacement

• $250,000 approved at May 2022 Town Meeting for roof replacement.
• Engineering design contract awarded.
• Proposal received – pending final signoff.

Barn Reconstruction

• Dore & Whittier hired for design services.
• Initial design presented to insurance company.
• Settlement acceptance in progress.
• Return to initial proposed design plans to determine next steps.

Fountain

• Installed in June of 2022
• Landscaping postponed until the spring of 2023.

Contact Information:

Endicott Estate: 781-326-0012, information@endicottestate.com

Prepared by:

Jason Mammone, Director of Engineering

The following is a brief update on some of the projects that the Engineering Department is currently working on and/or involved with:

• 2022 I/I Inspection Project – completed – This project involved the cleaning & TV inspection of approximately 125,000 linear feet (23.7 miles) of sewer mains, 36 private laterals and 579 sewer manholes. The project was completed in October. The total cost of this project was approximately $440,000.
• 2022 Town-Wide Flow Monitoring Project – completed – This project began in March 2022 and was completed in November 2022. The Engineering Department, in conjunction with Weston & Sampson, installed 24 temporary flow meters, 3 temporary groundwater gauges and a rainfall gauge to measure and identify peak inflow and infiltration from 25 sewered subareas. The data recovered from this project was compared to the Town-Wide Flow Monitoring Project conducted in 2011 and 2016. The resultant data indicated that the estimated infiltration has been reduced by approximately 900,000 gallons per day (gpd) since 2011 and that the estimated peak design storm inflow has been reduced by approximately 3,850,000 gpd. This reduction in I/I can be attributed to the ongoing annual I/I Rehabilitation Projects. The results of this project assist the Engineering Department on its 5-year prioritization plan for wet weather inspections.
• 2022 I/I Rehabilitation Project– completed – The project this year only consisted of approximately 20,000 linear feet of sewer main, and 26 sewer manholes being chemically treated for root intrusions. The total cost of this project was approximately $41,000.
• Private Infiltration Removal Project – ongoing – Back in 2020, the Private Infiltration Policy was adopted enabling the Town to remove sources of infiltration from privately owned sewer services. Using the private lateral inspections performed during our annual wet weather inspection projects over the past several years, we were able to develop a list of identified sources of private infiltration that can be removed through this project.

In our 2nd year of this ongoing project removed approximately 12,500 gallon of infiltration per day through a combination of open cut spot repairs and trenchless technologies. The project included the rehabilitation of 9 private residential properties. To date over the past 2 years, we have been able to remove approximately 63,000 GPD of infiltration from a total of 17 private residential properties. All the work associated with this project was paid for through the Town’s Sewer Enterprise Fund. The total cost of the project for Year 2 was approximately $300,000. The total project cost of the past 2 years has been approximately $420,000. As with any new project, we are learning many things as we go that will be used to improve our contracts for this work moving forward for the years to come. We anticipate rehabilitating an additional 5 to 10 private residential properties in 2023 under our current contract.

• Inflow and Infiltration Project – ongoing – The Engineering Department has been working to reduce inflow and infiltration using an in-house approach to inspect, assess, design, and oversee improvements to the sanitary sewer system. Over the last sixteen years the Town has inspected approximately 2,254,000 linear feet (427 miles) of sewer main, performed approximately 7,981 manhole inspections, installed approximately 206,200 linear feet (39 miles) of cured-in-place liners, installed approximately 3,491 feet of short liners, installed approximately 203 full-wrap lateral liners, installed approximately 35 top hat lateral liners, cementitiously lined approximately 11,710 vertical feet of manholes and chemically root treated approximately 356,000 linear feet (67 miles) of sewer main. To date, the project has cost approximately $20 million ($3,799,350 in Grants) and we estimate that we have conservatively removed 6.3 million gallons per day (MGD) of inflow & infiltration from the system. In addition, the Town’s MWRA sewer assessments have remained stable and our sewer rates have remained unchanged since 2008 as a result of our decreasing flow share. Assuming a no change in flow share scenario, we estimate that Dedham has cumulatively saved $15.9 million over the past sixteen years as a result of these efforts (See Chart 1).

• Anthony Lane Inflow Removal – ongoing – During our annual wet weather inspections, we observed a suspicious connection to the Town’s sewer main that runs from sewer manhole HH800 located on Anthony Lane to sewer manhole HH780 located on Washington Street. The existing sewer main between these manholes extends through 2 private properties (#37 Anthony Lane & #853 Washington Street). Upon further investigation it was determined that the existing stormwater utility that was supposed to be installed parallel to the sewer utility and connect into the State’s drainage system in Washington Street, was actually connected to the Town’s sewer system. The stormwater system that serves the Anthony Lane neighborhood, flows to a drain manhole located on the property of #37 Anthony Lane where it was then directly connected to the Town’s sewer system.

We calculated that an approximate amount of 500,000 GPD of peak stormwater inflow is entering our sewer system. The stormwater entering our system is being transported and treated by the MWRA at a cost to our rate payers. The inflow can also create a capacity issue for our sewer utility during significant storm events. This is a significant amount of inflow entering our sewer system that should be properly redirected to the stormwater infrastructure.

Due to the topography of Anthony Lane and the closest location of any existing stormwater infrastructure, the easiest route to redirect the stormwater was to follow the originally proposed path being parallel to the existing sewer main and connect into the State’s stormwater system in Washington Street.

Before we could perform the design, we had to perform research at the Registry of Deeds to determine if the proposed 20’ Sewer & Drain easement shown on the recorded registry subdivision plan for Anthony Lane existed on the 2 properties mentioned above. Our research, combined with Town Counsel’s assistance, resulted in determining that the 20’ sewer and drain easement was never formally granted to the Town. We worked with the property owners, Town Counsel and the Select Board to collect the required Grants of Easements.

The design for the new stormwater utility was conducted and completed in house this past Fall and we are now working alongside the DPW who plans to install the stormwater utility this upcoming Spring/Summer.

• Washington Street Restriping – ongoing – At the request of the Town Manager, the Engineering Department designed on-street parking spaces on Washington Street in front of the Town Hall to mitigate the lack of parking because of the ongoing Public Safety Building project.

The design for on-street parking included 8 new parking spaces, maintained the existing MBTA bus stop location and provided reduced travel lane widths to potentially mitigate the speeds at which vehicles travel along this section of Washington Street. Of the 8 on-street parking spaces, 5 will be located directly in front of Town Hall and the other 3 spaces are located on Washington Street between Spruce Street and the entrance to Town Hall.

The design was supported by the Select Board provided the property owner at 462 Washington Street did not object to having the 3 proposed spaces located in front of their property. The Town Manager is currently having communications with that owner to get their approval. This will be presented back to the SB following the Town Managers communications with the property owner for their approval. Should the SB approve the design, once the section of Washington Street gets repaved (Bryant Street to Spruce Street) as part of the Public Safety Building Project, the DPW will restripe this section of Washington as designed.

• Town-Wide Culvert & Bridge Assessment – completed – Working with our consultant, The Engineering Corp. (TEC), an inspection and assessment of our 24 Town-owned culverts and 9 Town-owned bridge was completed in April of 2022.
  Of the 24 culverts, 5 were identified as “critical”. Of those 5, 1 was recommended for replacement within the next 5 years and the remaining 4 were recommended for replacement within the next 5 to 10 years. It is extremely important to replace these structures as a failure would likely result in significant public safety issues and property damage.
  Of the 9 bridges, only 1 bridge was considered in “poor” condition and the remaining 8 bridges were rated “good” to “satisfactory”. The Bussey Street Bridge is the one bridge rated “poor” and is being reconstructed in 2023 as part of MassDOT’s Bussey Street Corridor Improvements project. Construction costs for that project are funded through a combination of State and Federal funds. Although the remaining 8 bridges were in good to satisfactory condition, 1 bridge was recommended for maintenance and repairs within the next 5 years and 5 bridges were recommended for maintenance and repairs within the next 5 to 10 years. These bridges require repairs and maintenance to extend their life expectancy and to mitigate future increased costs associated with repairs and/or replacement. Some of the repairs recommended for these bridges include various safety improvements for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
  Early this year the Engineering Department submitted an application through the State’s Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance Grant to get funding to start collecting the necessary field data for the design of a new culvert located on Highland Street. Unfortunately, we were not awarded any funding on that round of applications, but plan to resubmit again in 2023. In the meantime, the Engineering Department has requested capital funding in FY2024 for the design and permitting associated with our most critical culvert located on Westfield Street. Should the department receive funding for FY2024, the design and permitting would be complete the same year, allowing the DPW to request the capital funding needed for construction in FY2025. The complete cost estimate for the design and construction is approximately $500,000.

The Engineering Department has also requested capital funding for FY2024 for the design and permitting for necessary repairs and maintenance for the Maverick Street Over Mother Brook bridge. Should the department receive funding, the DPW would likely request capital funding needed to put the repair and maintenance project out to bid for the following fiscal year. The cost estimate for design and construction of this bridge is approximately $240,000. In FY2025, the Engineering Department will request capital funding for the design and permitting of the Maverick Street Over Water Canal, Washington Street and Eastern Avenue bridges. These bridges have spans less than 20 feet making them eligible for grants through the State’s Municipal Small Bridges Grant. Following the design and permitting, the department would submit a grant application for all 3 bridges at once for complete repair and maintenance funding in FY2026.
A copy of the report can be found on the Town’s website or downloaded by clicking the following links below.

Part 1 – Culverts
Part 2 - Bridges

• Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) – ongoing - In the winter of 2013/2014 the Engineering Department presented to the BOS four potential projects that could be considered a viable project for funding through the MPO TIP. The BOS selected moving forward with the sidewalk/corridor improvements for Bussey Street and Rustcraft Road/Elm Street. The Engineering Department hired BETA Group as the design consultants for the project.

MassDOT put the contract for the Elm Street/Rustcraft Road Sidewalk Improvements Project out to bid at the end of 2020 and awarded the contract to RM Pacella, Inc. in January 2021. In 2021, construction began in June and consisted of installation of sediment and erosion control measures, tree protection, clearing and miscellaneous drainage work. Eversource also performed several gas relocations to accommodate the drainage work and the installation of a new electrical truck line to replace the existing aged infrastructure within the project limits. In 2022, the installation of the curbing and sidewalk began along with the repaving of Rustcraft Road within the project limits. The project is currently in a winter shut down but is very close to completion. The contractor should be wrapping up the final work in the first half of 2024.

As for the Bussey Street Corridor Improvements Project, we submitted the 75% and 100% designs to MassDOT this year along with acquiring all necessary environmental permitting. The Engineering Department has been diligently working on the acquisition of all the temporary and permanent construction easements required by MassDOT for construction. This project has over 60 temporary easements and 2 permanent easements. The State has moved the construction schedule forward by several months and is now slated to be bid in the winter of 2022 with a start of construction set for the Spring of 2023. This project will included all new accessible concrete sidewalks with vertical granite curbing, new concrete access ramps, repaving of Bussey Street within the limits of work (Town Line to the Fire Station), a combination of sharrows and dedicated bike lanes, geometry changes for the intersection of Colburn Street at Bussey Street to reduce the excessive lengths of the existing crosswalks and the replacement of the structurally deficient superstructure of the Bussey Street Over Mother Brook bridge. This project is anticipated to take at least 2 years to complete.

• Sewer Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Issues – ongoing – As part of our overall inspection program the Engineering Department also has an aggressive FOG program to help eliminate back-ups and maintenance issues related to excessive grease in the sanitary sewer system. The Engineering Department has implemented a biological dosing program at key locations to help digest grease at known trouble spots.
  • Legacy Place – ongoing – The Engineering Department, in conjunction with the DPW and Health Department, has been monitoring the grease traps at Legacy Place. These grease traps have been improperly maintained to date and have been causing multiple problems at our Rustcraft Road Pump Station. We have been conducting random sampling of the grease traps throughout the year to determine if the establishments have been properly cleaning their grease traps according to their mandated cleaning schedule. When it is determined that an establishment is not cleaning their grease traps properly, the information is provided to the Health Department for their intervention. Our department will continue to monitor the grease traps to determine if the establishments are complying with the Board of Health’s cleaning schedule.
• NPDES Phase II MS4 Permit – ongoing - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) issued the new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Stormwater General Permit for Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) for the Commonwealth on April 13, 2016 and became effective on July 1, 2018. This new permit has a significant amount of requirements that the Town will be responsible for annually reporting on.

Most of the new requirements affecting the Engineering Department pertain to Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination (IDDE). IDDE involves the inspection and testing of our stormwater infrastructure for the presence of pollutants (i.e. ammonia, phosphorus, fecal coliform, surfactants, nitrogen, etc.). If any pollutants discovered exceed tolerable levels in our waterways, the source of the pollutant must be discovered and eliminated.

In our Year 5 submission (due 9/30/23) the Engineering Department will be responsible for providing information and/or confirmation on the following:

• Update as necessary our Inventory of all Town owned outfalls/interconnections with required pertinent information. Based upon our existing data we have 176 outfalls/interconnections that will require inspection and testing before the end of Year 3.
• Continue development of a Phosphorous Control Plan
• Develop a Nutrient Source Identification Report
• Continue wet weather outfall inspections for High Priority outfalls
• Continue catchment investigation for High Priority catchments
• Update as necessary our Inventory of all Town owned stormwater utilities
• Update as necessary all of the catchment areas responsible by the Town.
• Assist in the development of a written Operation & Maintenance procedure manual for all municipal activities.
• Annual IDDE training for all Engineering and DPW Staff
• Inspect all 87 Town owned Best Management Practices (BMPs). Some BMPs require monthly inspections.
• Developing the Town’s Phosphorous Control Plan

The Engineering Department is also responsible for obtaining the services of a consultant to assist the Town in its compliance with our permit. The Engineering Department also acts as the Town’s MS4 coordinator for all the other departments that must perform work and activities that fall under their departments (DPW, Conservation, Environmental, Planning, Facilities and Parks & Rec).

For detailed information regarding the Town’s MS4 permit please visit our webpage at https://www.dedham-ma.gov/departments/engineering/municipal-stormwater-ms4

• Town Green Project – ongoing – At the Annual Town Meeting in May 2022, Town Meeting approved $2.55 million in funding for a new Town Green to be constructed on the property of the former Police Station located at 600 High Street.

The Engineering Department is acting as the Project Manager for this project and is working closely with the DPW, SB and Town Green Working Group (TGWG).

Currently, the Engineering Department has been working with our consultant BETA Group on the design and contract specifications for the demolition of the existing Police Station building. The contract and specifications have been completed and the Invitation For Bids was made available on 12/28/22. The bid opening is scheduled for 1/26/23. The project is anticipated to be completed within 120 days from the Notice To Proceed which is likely to be issued by the end of February.

During this same time, the Engineering Department has been working with the Town Manager’s Office and the TGWG on the development of an RFQ to select a qualified engineering firm for the design, permitting, and construction services for the new Town Green. The TGWG received 5 RFQ submissions from engineering firms to which they invited 4 in for interviews. Following interviews, the TGWG recommended their selection to the Town Manager for consideration. The Town is currently in negotiations with the recommended firm and are hopeful to have a professional services agreement in place in the first half of January.

The Engineering Department is also working alongside its consultant, Tighe & Bond to conduct a traffic study for the immediate area of Dedham Square including the intersections of High St/ Maple St/Church St, High St/Washington St and High St Eastern Avenue. The consultant has collected existing traffic data while the Police Station is still currently in full use and will use this data as the base line. The consultant will perform another study a few months following the demolition of the building and making the angled parking on High Street available for public parking. This will help the consultant determine if there has been a positive or negative effect of traffic conditions in the Square following the demolition. A final traffic study is anticipated to be undertaken once the Town Green project has been completed to determine if there has been a positive or negative effect of traffic conditions in the Square with the new use of the property. The consultant will make any recommendations necessary to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety in the Square following collection of all 3 studies.

• Pavement Management – ongoing – The Engineering Department, in conjunction with the Department of Public Works, has continued the pavement management program which began in 2007. Through sixteen years of the program, the Town completed approximately $27 million worth of repairs and maintenance to approximately 73 miles of roads and 24 miles of sidewalks. During this time the pavement condition index has risen from 70 to 85.

In December of 2021, the Engineering & DPW department presented our next 1-year Town-wide road program to the SB. As part of our presentation, we discussed our switch in the Town’s Pavement Management Program (PMP) from consultant’s Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) program to BETA’s program. The reason for the switch is that BETA’s PMP will be able to provide the Town with the ability to develop a more comprehensive program that will allow the Town to prioritize our rehab efforts on all of our existing roadway assets including roads, sidewalks and access ramps based upon their condition and their compliance with the American Disability Acts (ADA).

Back in 1992 the United States Department of Justice and Department of Transportation mandated that any public agency with more than 50 employees develop and submit a 504 Transition Plan before 1995. The 504 Transition Plan requires public agencies to assess its existing Right-Of-Way infrastructure specifically utilized by those with disabilities (sidewalks and access ramps) for compliance with ADA requirements. The agencies must then develop a 3-year ongoing plan to repair non-compliant sidewalks and access ramps to be in compliance with ADA.

The Town of Dedham developed and submitted a 504 Transition Plan in 1993 but was more geared towards addressing accessibility issues with our publicly owned properties/building rather than our sidewalks and access ramps.

Although this plan was approved by the State a strategy for addressing our non-compliant sidewalks and access ramps was never addressed and developed to make these required improvements. It imperative that the Town correct this and develop a comprehensive plan that can be incorporated into our ongoing 3-year PMP that would be updated yearly. Every year we receive emails and phone calls from those with disabilities pointing out areas in Town where our sidewalks and access ramps are non-compliant and asking when we plan to repair these deficiencies. By combining sidewalks and access ramps into our roadway PMP, it will provide the residents of Dedham the ability to view our 3-year PMP on the Town’s website and see exactly where improvements are being made and when they are anticipated to be completed. Having a comprehensive 504 Plan will also allow Dedham to apply for various ADA grants in the future.

The Engineering Department and DPW will be presenting our new comprehensive 3-year PMP for consideration by the SB in the early 2023.

• 2022 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program Action Grant – ongoing - The Town of Dedham, acting as the lead applicant, along with other communities within the Neponset River Watershed applied and was awarded $387,457 in grant funding for the Neponset Watershed Regional Adaptation Strategy and Flood Model project.

This project will bring together the communities of the Neponset River Watershed to:

1. Prepare a strategic framework for regional collaboration on adaptation implementation priorities,
2. Develop a regional flooding model for the freshwater portion of the Neponset River Watershed and evaluate regional scale flood impact reduction options,
3. Demonstrate the use of the model to conduct more detailed analysis of local flood mitigation strategies for the Manor neighborhood in Dedham,
4. Provide communities with technical assistance on deploying the MAPC municipal adaptation toolkit and
5. Conduct public outreach and engagement activities in support of the other project objectives.

All the communities under this project will be working closely with our consultants Weston & Sampson, the Neponset River Watershed Association, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. To date, we have held a regional public meeting that invited various environmental justice populations to understand their priorities and challenges pertaining to flooding and have also began collecting data necessary for the flood model. A regional public meeting and survey for all are being planned for January 2023.

• Central Avenue Sidewalk Design – ongoing – A traffic calming request was submitted to the Transportation Advisory Committee in 2019 for Central Avenue. Unfortunately, the initial evaluation determined that Central Avenue did not meet the minimum criteria for traditional traffic calming measures. However, during the time data was collected for the evaluation, it was observed that there was heavy pedestrian use along Central Avenue, not only by the residents but also by employees at the General Dynamics/Red Cross Building on Rustcraft Road during their lunch break and by parents that have kids playing sports at Fairbanks Field who like to walk this stretch of roadway while their kids are at practice.

As a result of this observed pedestrian usage, the TAC recommended that Central Avenue be considered for capital funding for the installation of sidewalks. Currently, Central Avenue is without continuous sidewalks on either side of the roadway between Wentworth Street and Rustcraft Road. Pedestrians using this roadway have been doing so by walking in the roadway. This section of Central Avenue is also the location of 3 Oakdale School bus stops. The TAC requested that the applicant of the traffic calming request to collect the signatures of more than 50% of the property owners along this section of Central Avenue that would be in favor of sidewalks on this section of Central Avenue. The applicant returned signatures from 68% of the property owners in favor of sidewalks. The TAC then made a recommendation to the SB for $175,000 for the installation of new sidewalks consisting of vertical granite curbing and asphalt sidewalks. The SB approved the recommendation and the DPW requested the $175,000 at Town Meeting which was approved in May 2022. Once funding was approved by Town Meeting, the Engineering Department designed the sidewalks for this section of Central Avenue all in-house to be installed by the DPW also using it’s own personnel for construction. The design includes approximately 2,500 linear feet of sidewalk, 25 concrete access ramps, and 4 new crosswalk locations across Central Avenue. The sidewalk construction will narrow the roadway width by about 5 feet to mitigate the speed at which vehicles travel. The DPW anticipates construction to take place in the summer of 2023.

• Traffic Calming – ongoing – In 2012, The SB approved the traffic calming policy created by the Engineering Department. The Engineering Department will continue to work with the SB and the Town Manager to refine and revise the policy, as needed, in order to give clear guidance to residents wishing to implement traffic calming strategies in their neighborhoods through the submission of Traffic Calming Request Forms to the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). The Engineering Department sits as an ex-officio member of the TAC responsible for general oversight of the committee and performing preliminary investigations consisting of traffic counts, intersection turning movement counts, and speed surveys using in-house equipment and labor.

To date, the TAC has received and decided on twenty-four (24) traffic calming requests. The majority of the requests were determined not to require traditional traffic calming measures based upon the initial traffic evaluations performed by our department (i.e. speed tables, speed humps, road narrowing). However, for those requests that did not warrant traditional traffic calming measures, the TAC does provide low-cost traffic calming alternatives that the concerned neighborhood could implement on their own (i.e. staggered parking, step 2 kid alert). Of the twenty-four requests, only three (Lower East Street, Upland Road and Colburn Street) were determined to require traditional traffic calming based upon the results of the initial traffic evaluation. The Engineering Department generated a Traffic Calming Needs Assessment report for each of these roadways to determine what traffic calming measures would be appropriate. Lower East Street was discussed in detail in our 2019 annual report. For Upland Road we recommended temporary speed humps be installed on Upland Road and Tophill Avenue. The SB approved the installation of the temporary speed humps which were installed in June 2021. In January of 2022 a ballot was sent out to all of the property owners that abut Upland Road and all the affected property owners that live on Tophill Ave, Hermaine Ave, Pine Grove Ave and Walters Ave to ask if they want to have the temporary speed humps to remain permanently. According to the Town’s Traffic Calming Policy, at least 75% of the of the property owners abutting Upland and at least 60% of the property owners on the affected roadways must vote in favor of the speed humps in order to have them remain permanently. The ballots returned met the minimum requirements as stated above and the temporary speed humps are now permanent. For Colburn Street, we recommended speed humps for Colburn Street and speed cushions for Curve Street and Maverick Street. The DPW installed the speed humps and cushion in July and we are planning to send out ballots to the affected area in January. Should the ballots meet the minimum requirements, the DPW will be requesting $100,000 to permanently install the speed cushion and to reconstruct the sidewalks adjacent to the speed cushions to include vertical granite curbing to mitigate on-street parking within these areas that are restricted for “No Parking”. The TAC is currently working with the applicants of the Curve Street (Maverick Street to Washington Street) and Brookdale Avenue applications to determine what traffic calming measures will work best in their neighborhood as the initial evaluations determined that traditional traffic calming measures were needed to mitigate ongoing traffic issues.

All meeting, minutes, evaluations, and decisions are posted on the Town’s website at the following link:

https://www.dedham-ma.gov/government/transportation-advisory-committee

• High Street & Bussey Street Speed Study – completed – At a Select Board public meeting held in July 2021, the Select Board listened to several residents discuss their concerns pertaining to the speeding that occurs on Bussey Street and the section of High Street from Churchill Place to its intersection with Bussey Street, Milton Street and Sawmill Lane. As a result of their discussion, the Select Board requested for the Engineering Department to perform a speed study for both roadways and apply to MassDOT to have the speed limits reduced from their current posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour (mph) to 25 mph.

When applying for a speed reduction on a regulated roadway, we are required to follow the latest version of MassDOT’s “Procedures for Speed Zoning on State Highways and Municipal Roads”. We had to conduct a traffic study following the procedures that would show that a speed reduction was warranted. The biggest task when conducting a speed study is the collection of the necessary data which included gathering the number of driveways that exist along the roadway, the number of signals or controlled approaches to intersections, on-street parking activity and usage, pedestrian activity, bicyclist activity, average daily traffic volumes, vehicular speeds and crash data. Most of the information can be found using our GIS data, but the collection of vehicular volumes and speeds had to be done by a combination of manual counts using a radar gun and counts taken by a radar that was mounted on a utility pole. After collecting all the data, it was turned into a 45+ page study that included a background, existing conditions for both roadways, presentation of the volume and speed data collected for both roadways, crash data for both roadways over the past 3 years, supporting maps and conclusion showing the need for the proposed speed reduction. This study was conducted completely in-house and took approximately 120 hours to collect the data and generate the report required by MassDOT for their review. The report was sent to MassDOT in October of 2021 for their review. MassDOT completed its review of our study in March of 2022, but denied our request to reduce the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph. MassDOT stated that amount of crashes and the types of crashes experienced along these roadways were not significant enough to warrant a speed reduction at this time.

• Private Ways – ongoing – The Town By-laws for acceptance of private ways as public ways were updated and accepted at the 2014 Annual Town Meeting. The Engineering Department worked with the private ways subcommittee that developed the updated policy/standard by which the residents of a private way would have to adhere to in order to become a public way. The policy also includes the construction standards/specifications by which a private way must be reconstructed. There are 3 phases that must be completed and approved by the SB in order for a Private Way to be presented at Town Meeting for acceptance as a Public Way. Those phases include the “Public Way Layout Petition Form”(Phase 1), “Acceptance of Conceptual Overlay Plan Form”(Phase 2), and Design and Layout (Phase 3). Since 2015, The Engineering Department has received 18 Public Way Layout Petitions. Of those 17 petitions, only 2 (Birch St & Quarry Rd) have been through the entire process and became Public Ways.

Below is a summary, of the last 3 years, of those Private Ways that have requested Public Way Petition Forms from the Engineering Department and their to date progress. Please refer to previous reports for past year petitions:

•  2020 - Wiggin Avenue – Phase 3 ongoing
• 2021 - Karen Pines – Phase 1 ongoing
• 2022 - Clisby Avenue – Phase 1 ongoing

All of these Private Ways that are ongoing in a particular phase have either stalled due to 100% of the abutters to the Private Way not agreeing to have their way become Public or the applicant is still acquiring signatures from all abutters required to move forward in the acceptance process.

• Greenlodge Street Corridor Improvements Project – ongoing – Over the past few years the Engineering Department has been working alongside our consultant Dewberry Engineers to design a new sidewalk on the northern side of Greenlodge Street extending from Sprague Street to Colwell Drive (southerly connection).

This project was a result of a traffic evaluation performed by the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) at the request of the Select Board. The results of the traffic study showed that there was a speeding issue along this section of Greenlodge Street particularly during school pick-up and drop-off times in excess of up to 12 mph over the school speed limit of 20 mph. The study identified two intersections (Greenlodge St at Colwell Dr & Greenlodge St at Fox Meadow Lane) that could benefit from geometric changes to mitigate speeds at which vehicles travel and improve pedestrian safety. The study identified that Greenlodge Street is excessively wide with variable widths and could be reduced to a consistent width to also mitigate the speeds at which vehicles travel. This reduction in roadway width could be accomplished by installing a new sidewalk on the northerly side of Greenlodge Street. This would also improve pedestrian safety by adding a sidewalk that currently does not exist on that side of the roadway.

As a result of the study, Town Meeting approved $84,000 for the design to make the improvements and the subsequently approved $700,000 at the following Town Meeting for construction. The Engineering Department put the project out to bid in June of 2022, but the bids submitted exceeded the amount available and were not able to award a contract. The Engineering Department put the project out to bid again in October of 2022 and this time was able to award the project to Richard D’Ambrosia, Inc. We are currently finalizing contract paperwork and construction is anticipated to begin around May 2023 and be competed by November 2023. We will be putting together a project page on the Town’s website for public outreach and coordinating with the Greenlodge School over the next few months to mitigate the inconvenience of the construction during the months school is in session.

• Grants – ongoing – The Engineering Department applied for 5 grants in 2022. The grants, amounts and status are detailed below.
  • 2022 Shared Streets & Spaces Grant (MassDOT) – Applied for $225,000 to offset the local funding of $700,000 approved at Town Meeting for the Greenlodge Street Corridor Improvements project. The State awarded $25,000 for the purchase of the Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons to be installed at the main Greenlodge School crosswalk located at the intersection of Colwell Drive and Greenlodge Street. The Town did not receive any additional funding from this grant for the current year. This project is anticipated to be started and completed in 2023.
  • Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance Grant Program (MassDER) – Applied for $44,850 for the field data collection necessary for the design of a replacement culvert for the existing culvert located on Highland Street. The Town was not awarded any funding this year but will reapply again if it is available in 2023.
  • Local Bottlenecks Grant (MassDOT) – MassDOT created this grant to fund innovative solutions to address congestion bottlenecks on local roadways to improve traffic flow. The Engineering Department submitted an application for the signalized intersections of High St/Ames St/Court St, High St/Washington St and High St/Harris St/East St/Harvard St. These intersections were studied by MassDOT and was determined to be a good candidate for funding to make improvements along this corridor of High Street. The design and construction of recommended improvements is undertaken by MassDOT. MassDOT determined that the installation of video detection at the intersection of High St/Ames St/ Court St and minor signal retiming and replacement of existing traffic signal controllers at all three signalized intersections to be able to implement traffic signal timings that can be adjusted throughout the day with specific emphasis on peak periods should improve conditions along this corridor. The cost of the improvements is estimated to be approximately $100,000.
  • Safe Streets & Roads For All (U.S. DOT) – Applied for approximately $260,000 to hire a consultant to develop a comprehensive Local Roads Safety Plan (LRSP). This plan would study all of the Town’s public collector and arterial roadways to identify improvements that can be made to improve safety for all modes of transportation (vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian). U.S. DOT is anticipated to announce award recipients in January 2023.
  • 2022 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program Action Grant – The Town of Dedham, acting as the lead applicant, along with other communities within the Neponset River Watershed applied and was awarded $387,457 in grant funding for the Neponset Watershed Regional Adaptation Strategy and Flood Model project.

• Public Safety Building – ongoing – As part of the Public Safety Building construction project, the Engineering Department has attended various meetings to discuss potential design changes associated with the sewer and drainage infrastructure. We have been on-site to perform inspections of all sewer work and the reconstruction of the 24” drain line that had to be relocated to accommodate the location of the new public safety building.

• East Street Bike Lane Redesign – completed – In 2011, the section of East Street from the Dedham/Westwood Town Line to the Endicott Roundabout was restriped follow our repaving of that roadway. Dedicated bike lanes, using the current guidelines of 2011, were designed for along this section of East Street by our department and installed by the DPW. Since 2011, the guidelines for designing bicycle accommodations have improved making our current bike lane out of date. The pavement markings along this roadway have also deteriorated significantly requiring a new application. This made for a perfect opportunity to redesign the bike lane using current guidelines. Improvements included creating a “No Parking” restriction on both sides of East Street with associated signage, dashed bike lane marking through intersecting streets and increased bike lane signage along the corridor. The installation of the pavement markings and signage is anticipated to be completed by the DPW in the Spring/Summer of 2023. The Engineering Department also reviewed the bike lane design for the section of East Street from the Endicott Roundabout to High Street as designed by our consultants Environmental Partners as part of our approved MassDOT Complete Street project for Eastern Avenue. This section is also to be completed in 2023.

• MWRA’s Southern Extra High Pipeline Project – completed – The MWRA’s project will be conducted in two phases (North and South Phase). Construction of the North Phase of the project started in December of 2017 and includes the installation of a 36-inch water line from the Town line on Dedham Boulevard to East Street. During construction, our department will be providing daily inspectional services to ensure that our sewer and drainage infrastructure remains intact. We will also be involved in attending construction meetings to stay up to date on construction activities and to address any issues to our infrastructure. The North Phase was completed in 2020. The South Phase started construction in 2019 and our department provided the same inspectional services as in the North Phase. The South Phase extended from East Street, down Rustcraft Road to the train station then under the track towards Route 128 where it will enter Westwood. The South Phase was completed in 2021. 

• Trenton Road Playground – completed – At the request of the Select Board and Town Manager, the Engineering Department was tasked with assisting the Manor Neighborhood Association (MNA) in applying for a Notice of Intent with the Town’s Conservation Commission. The property located at 96 Trenton Road was purchased by the Town in 1999 following a foreclosure. The property has become overgrown, unsightly, and unused over the past 21 years. The MNA had a vision to turn this piece of land into a neighborhood playground and began to secure donations to secure the funds necessary for design and permitting.

A portion of the property contains wetlands and is located within the flood zone. A significant portion of the property lies within the 100’ wetland buffer which also consists of a 40’ Undisturbed Buffer Area. Due to the sensitive wetland and flood zone issues, the Engineering Department hired consultant Activitas with extensive experience with environmental permitting and playground design.

A Notice of Intent and Major Stormwater Management Permit were submitted to the Conservation Commission in March 2021. After a few meetings, the Commission approved all permits associated with the project in May 2021. The project was then placed out to bid in June 2021. Unfortunately, the all the bids came in higher than what we were appropriated for funding due to an increase in materials and labor resulting from the pandemic. The DPW graciously provided their services to handle the majority of the construction work so the project could be rebid just for the installation of the boardwalk. The second bid went out in September 2021 and was awarded to Paqcon LLC. In 2021 and 2022, the DPW performed a majority of the site work for the playground and contractors installed the playground equipment and installed the boardwalk. Earlier this year the MNA had a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the new playground.

• Sewer Billing Project – ongoing – The Engineering Department has been working with the Collectors Office to identify properties which were likely on sewer but not receiving bills using billing data and GIS information. To date 156 properties have been added to the sewer billing system. Of the 156 properties, 24 are properties located in Westwood and 3 are properties located in Boston. We are currently utilizing our sewer TV inspection data and GIS to plot locations where active sewer connections are made to the Town’s system to identify additional properties that are likely connected but not receiving bills. We are hopeful in 2021 to develop another round of lettering, similar to the letters sent in 2010 & 2011 to residents believed to be connected to sewer but not receiving bills. We will be working again with the Collector’s Office, Town Manager and Select Board with this effort.

• Pump Station Operation – ongoing – The Engineering Department, in conjunction with the DPW, oversees the operation of the three sanitary sewer pumping stations, including the weekly maintenance, routine and emergency repairs, and upgrades of various components. The Engineering Department and DPW monitors alarms at all stations 24 hours a day and responds as needed.

• Sewer Connection, Extension, and Repair Inspections – ongoing - The Engineering Department reviews, issues, and inspects permits for the installation and satisfactory testing of sewer lines and manholes on a daily basis. We spend a great deal of time responding to questions from residents and builders and we provide them with locations of existing facilities from record plans or television inspections. Over the past year, the Department reviewed, issued and/or inspected 45 permits. In addition to sewer permits, our department administered Drainlayer Licenses to 27 bonded and insured sewer contractors. 

• Storm Drainage Improvements/Inspections – ongoing – The Engineering Department routinely responds to complaints and flooding issues throughout Town. As part of our evaluations of drain lines we have cleaned and inspected approximately 29.6 miles of pipe. In addition, we design improvements as needed. Over the past year the Town has installed 3 new deep sump catch basins.

• Neponset Stormwater Partnership – ongoing - The Engineering Department sits as one of the representatives from Dedham as part of the regional stormwater collaborative with 14 other Neponset Valley Communities. This partnership was formed through the Community Innovation Challenge Grant awarded to the MAPC and Neponset River Watershed Association. The collaborative is working together to prepare the communities for the challenges that are anticipated to arise from the new MS4 permit to be issued to the Commonwealth from the EPA.

• Charles River Watershed Association – ongoing – The Town of Dedham is 1 of 23 communities the reside in the Charles River Watershed. The Engineering Department is currently working with the CRWA to develop a strategy to remove sources of Phosphorus pollution from the Charles River. The Charles River has a Phosphorus Impairment and the EPA (as part of our NPDES Permit) is requiring us to lower the load (lbs) of Phosphorus that exists within the river to acceptable levels.

• Subdivision and Site Plan Review – ongoing - The Engineering Department reviews numerous site plans and subdivisions for consistency with Town regulations and acceptable design standards. We provide written comments to the respective boards on the adequacy of those plans and calculations.

• Town of Dedham Construction & Design Standards – ongoing – The Engineering Department is responsible for updating the Town’s Design and Construction Standards. Every few years we review all the standards and update and/or revise those standards to meet local and state requirements. Our last update/revision of the standards took place in 2018.

Geographic Information System (GIS) Administration – ongoing - The GIS Division, led by its GIS Manager, manages the administration of the GIS for the Town. The role of the GIS Division within the Engineering Department is to respond directly to the various needs of the Town’s various departments, as they relate to GIS. Some of the responsibilities of the GIS Division include database administration, software application development, generating reports, creating maps and updating the Town’s geospatial data. Below is a listing of some of the projects that the GIS division has been involved with:

• Addressing – ongoing – The GIS Division is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date Master Street List and Master Address File (MAF), and for carrying out the duties contained within its regulations. This data is crucial for the First Responders, all departments, residents and the general public. The GIS division continues to add new addresses, modify and update existing addresses and solve conflicts.
• Aerial Imagery (Spring 2020) – complete – Prepared the specification, contracted and acquired 3” pixel resolution suitable for producing 1”= 40’ scale planimetric data Aerial Photographs/Images for the Town of Dedham. The new aerial imagery was flown in mid-April of 2020 is to be utilized for updating the Town’s planimetric data. New aerial imagery is recommended every 2 to 5 years. Aerial imagery is vital in providing vast amount of data at low cost. The consultant has delivered the Town-wide 4-band (color and CIR) orthophotograph with 3 inch pixels or better in June of 2020.
• Planimetric Update (phase II) – complete – Working with the consultant on Phase II of The Town of Dedham, MA Spring 2020 Aerial Photography and Mapping Services Project which will consist of:
  • New DTM to support creation of accurate Orthorectification
  • Set of 1-foot contours and spot elevations
  • New 40 scale Planimetric mapping features from stereo
  • Add new, modify, delete, migrate, and consolidate the existing data with the newly collected data while maintaining integrity
• Migration to ArcGIS Pro – In the next few years, ESRI will be discontinuing the ArcGIS Desktop platform and moving to ArcGIS Pro. Over the past year, we have been simplifying the architecture of our GIS server to prepare for the migration of our assets, web applications and custom applications to be compatible with ArcGIS Pro.
• Data Integrity – ongoing – The criticality of having and providing accurate data is imperative, and data integrity is key in facilitating that. Therefore, The GIS Division continues to not only conduct deep and thorough evaluation, modification, and maintenance of the existing and newly created data, but also continue to embrace and adopt the standard recommended structures by the GIS community.
• Data Update – ongoing – The GIS Division continues to update the underlying data such as parcels, road centerline, street regulation, and right of way…etc. to better represent/replicate the real world.
• Partnership with ESRI – complete –The Town's GIS Division has recently partnered and collaborated with a GIS consultant (ESRI) to work together to draft a plan to not only leverage ESRI's latest technologies and available services, but also taking into consideration migrating the current Town wide GIS system to be in alignment with the current industry wide path going forward. The contract will end of March 2021. This project has been divided into 4 phases:
  • System migration (Phase I) – complete / maintenance – Migrating all the infrastructure, GIS software, data and all supporting software needed to bring the Town with up-to-date technology.
  • Application Migration (Phase II) – complete – In this phase each existing application is being examined carefully and either migrated to the new system or was replaced with a newly developed application.
  • New Application (Phase III) – complete / maintenance – New application and functionality are being developed to provide both citizen and employees with tailored functionally for their specific area of need.
• Mapillary – ongoing – The Town's GIS Division has collaborated with Mapillary to provide street level images for the whole Town that is captured by the Town and to the Towns preferred accuracy. This technology allows the Town to capture its georeferenced high-resolution images and geographically attach it the street allowing for a 3D view, this capability allows the Town to check features such as asset type, sign syntax, and visibility of structures from street which enable the Town to update its assets and data in the office instead of a site visit, which saves time and effort. First set of images capture for the Town was completed in September 2019. Second set of images was captured in August and September of 2020. (Please click on the link to access the application)
• Department Outreach – ongoing – The GIS Division continues to conduct informational sessions with individuals and/or small groups of departments’ representatives to have a focused discussion and better understand their needs.
• Department Training – ongoing – The GIS Division continues to train individuals and/or small groups of departments on utilizing the GIS technology to meet their needs.
• Departments’ Special Projects – ongoing – The GIS Division continues to work closely with many departments to create, and produce data, and maps that can facilitate and support their needs and decision making by migrating, modifying, evaluating, and analyzing the available information.
• Web GIS for Town staff – ongoing – The GIS division has been implementing cloud and web-based GIS technology called ArcGIS Online. This technology provides GIS capabilities to departments and staff that do not otherwise have GIS. These tools allow sharing and collaboration of information between departments. The GIS Division continues to develop new content on ArcGIS Online to enhance the Town’s GIS.
• Public Web/Mobile GIS – ongoing – The GIS Division continues to maintain, enhance, update and publish mapping content through the Town of Dedham Maps Online application. Information is available as downloadable PDF files, web maps, and applications.
• Infrastructure Engineering Operations – maintenance – As part of the MS4 Permit the Town is required to inspect, test and monitor its outfall. The GIS Division worked closely with The Engineering Department to analyze the need, propose solutions, create data, design, test and implement a web-based application that enables the Town Engineer to report the inspected outfall in the field using any mobile device. The application allows the Engineers to report findings and monitor the inspection status on the fly. The application is designed to maintain a historical record of the activities associated with each outfall allowing the Engineers to analyze the data and generate the needed reports and information required for the Permit.
• Sewer Billing Project – ongoing – The GIS Division has been working with the Engineering Department, Collectors Office, Department of Public Works, Dedham Westwood Water District, and Boston Water and Sewer Commission to identify properties which were likely on sewer but not receiving bills. Properties determined to be severed will be notified and billed, which will allow the Town to collect money for the services provided. In order to get to this goal, data from various departments and agencies were collected, compared, field verified in some cases, and a new set of data was generated and is being maintained.
• Stormwater Outfall Catchment area – ongoing – As part of the MS4 Permit the Engineering Department is required to submit a detailed geo-analytical report for each outfall catchment area. The GIS Division performed several data manipulation and analysis to create the outfall network, assign the related structures a unique identifier, and factor in data (geographically and tabular) gathered from other departments to generate the catchment delineation statistics.
• Work Order and Asset Management for Public Works – complete/ongoing – This project has been divided into 3 phases:
  • Analyzing the need (Phase I) – complete – The GIS Division surveyed and analyzed the Department of Public Work needs
  • Work Order System Implementation (Phase II) – complete – Working with the consultant to implement a new work order and asset management solution allowing Public Works staff to create, assign and track service requests and work orders to completion. The implementation allows DPW to track maintenance history on specific assets (e.g. sign, sidewalk, Drain Manhole, etc.).
  • Integrating Trash Bin in the Work Order System (Phase III) – ongoing – In this phase GIS Division is working closely with DPW and a its contract and consultant to locate all sites in the Town that shall be assigned a trash bin that have a unique serial number and incorporate this information into the work order to manage and maintain going forward
• Citizen Access Service Requests – complete - The GIS Division is working with DPW and its consultant to implement new applications for the public to be able to report issues and for the Department Public Works to receive, categorize, assign, resolve and manage all reported issues in a timely manner. The solution will have both a web interface and mobile application. Applications will integrate directly into the new Public Works work order management system, allowing staff to access all service requests.
• Catch Basin Cleaning for Public Works – maintenance – Working closely with the Department of Public Works, the GIS Division was able to analyze the need, create data, design, test and implement a web based application that empower DPW staff and contractor to inspect, collect and report Catch Basin information in real time, such as whether it was cleaned or not, by whom and when, type of pollutant (if existed), number of scoops collected, condition…etc.
• Cemetery – ongoing – Continue to maintain and enhance the data and web application for the Brookdale Cemetery. The Brookdale Cemetery web application was redesigned for better support on various tablet and mobile devices. This allows the Cemetery Division to access burial record information from the field. The same application was repackaged for the Village Cemetery.
• Clerk – ongoing – Verify and update the Town Precinct and Street List Voting data and Map. Data from Census, State voting list, Town active street name list and active addresses is being used to generate an up-to-date Street voting list and map.
• Fire – ongoing – Working with the Symposium Technologies to automate updating the Fire database with the most recent GIS data.
• Police – ongoing – Police department have adapted a new system which will require implementing new GIS processes to automate mapping the incident information from the police database. The process will provide the police and engineering department with a secured web map of incident data updated every six hours and categorized for their need. The data is also made available to other GIS users for mapping of accident or other relevant police incident information
• Drug and Zoning Violation – ongoing – To fully enforce the law, evidence must be provided. In some cases, location-based analysis and maps can be one of the essential proofs of violation. The GIS Division works with Police to generate and produce these specific kinds of maps that gets submitted to the court.
• Police Sectors – complete – Police depend on maps to identify and assign police to different sectors. Street name list and key facility locations along with police sectors were updated to produce an accurate map for the Police to use.
• Safety - School safety – ongoing – In an effort to protect against the threats that Dedham schools may encounter, and to ensure safety for all students, teachers, parents, and other individuals involved in the education system, the Police department took proactive and precautionary measures to generate safe escape routes and plans for quick and effective response. The GIS Division is working closely with the Police department to generate these plans that will be used in various scenarios for all Dedham schools. A set of plans has been produced for the escape routes for all Dedham public schools. A set of control plans for Dedham public schools has been completed and is currently working to expand the solution to the private schools and major malls in the Town.
• Economic Development – ongoing – Working closely with the departments on various projects to collect, extract, link and analyze data, and produce maps to better assist in decision making.
• Providence Highway - Create Better Corridor – ongoing – When the Town is well informed about its resident opinion, it can take the right decision that will affect the Town future, that is why the Providence Highway - Create Better Corridor crowdsource application was implemented to gather not only ideas for improving but points of shortage, categorized in well-defined groups that will be the foundation for the next step of the project.
• Planning and Zoning
  • Firearms regulation, adult use overlay district – complete – Firearms regulation, adult use overlay district and housing study are some of the many projects that needed the data to be collected, extracted, linked, and analyzed to better assist the department and the board in the decision-making process.
  • Zoning Map – ongoing – Working with Panning and Zoning Department and consultant to review the zoning map and identify any historical discrepancies to fix.
• Town’s Trail Inventory – ongoing – Collecting, modifying, and validating the Town’s Trail Inventory to better serve the resident and be able to evaluate the different areas’ needs along with other projects.
• Town’s Open Space – ongoing – Working closely with the Open Space Committee to collect, modify, validate, and categorize the Town’s Open Space to better serve the resident and be able to evaluate the current resources and identify the needs for improvements.
• Conservation Department – ongoing – Protecting our nature is important, therefore the GIS Division is working with the Conservation Department to generate an inventory of Potential Vernal Pool and implement an application that will allow Conservation Department to collect and maintain the data and for the public to view.
• Information Technology – ongoing – Supporting and solving IT related issues during the transition period to minimize the impact on the GIS database and the availability of GIS applications and data to all of its customers.
• Assessors – ongoing – The Assessors department has migrated their system to a new technology which impacted previous existing procedures and software. The GIS Division is working with consultant to evaluate the impact and recreate new procedures and reconnect the previously connected systems to retrieve the up-to-date data.
• Town wide Permitting System – ongoing – The Town has adopted a new permitting software that shall be utilized in all Town departments. The GIS Division is working with various departments and consultant to automate generating the underlying data that the software depends on by generating this information on the fly from various databases, systems and resources residing in different Town’s department.
• State/Regional Collaboration – ongoing –
  • MassGIS – ongoing - Working with MassGIS staff to provide updated standardized structure data for the Town of Dedham to the state. Standardized parcel and structure information are critical data layers for creating statewide address information to support E911 services.
• Other notable completed projects:
  • Illicit Discharge Removal – Dedham Mall (2022)
  • Town-Wide Traffic Signal Evaluation (2021)
  • MWRA’s Southern Extra High Pipeline Project (2021)
  • Heavy Commercial Vehicle Exclusion – Subcommittee (2021)
  • 2018 Rustcraft Road Sewer Improvements Project (2021)
  • Gonzalez Field Expansion (2021)
  • Nobles & Greenough – Private Infiltration Removal (2021)
  • Private Infiltration Removal Policy (2020)
  • Whiting Avenue Restriping & Signage Plan (2020)
  • Dedham Square Pedestrian Signal Evaluation (2020)
  • Liana Estates Subdivision (2020)
  • Fox Meadow Lane Crosswalk Design (2020)
  • Gonzalez Field Sewer Design (2020)
  • Crane Street Stormwater Design (2020)
  • 106 Washington Street Sewer Extension (2019)
  • McDonald Square Sidewalk Improvements Project (2019)
  • Colburn Street Dam Project (2017)
  • Needham Street Bridge (2017)
  • Dedham Mother Brook BMP Implementation Project (2017)
  • Greenlodge School Parking Lot Expansion (2017)
  • Dedham Square Improvement Project (2016)
  • Town-Wide Flow Monitoring Project (2016)
  • Sewer System Hydraulic Flow Model Project (2016)
  • Vincent Road – Illicit Connection Detection & Elimination (2016)
  • Massachusetts Avenue Stormwater Utility Design (2016)
  • Lancaster Road/Kennsington Road Sewer Design (2016)
  • 2015 Inflow Investigations (2015)
  • Violet Avenue at Pine Street Intersection Realignment (2015)
  • 2014 Inflow Investigations (2015)
  • Striar Property (2015)
  • Private Building Inspections (2014)
  • Violet Avenue Drainage Study (2014)
  • Gonzalez Field – Accessible Parking Design (2014)
  • 2013 Inflow Investigations (2014)
  • Washington Street Discontinuance (2013)
  • Municipal Building Inspections (2012)
  • Town Wide Inflow & Investigation & Rehabilitation Program (2012)
  • Lowder Street at Highland Street Intersection Realignment (2012)
  • Town-Wide Flow Monitoring Project (2011)
  • Highland Street Sidewalk Design (2011)
  • High/Lowder/Westfield Street Traffic Calming (2011)
  • Stormwater BMP Retrofit Grant (2012)
  • Lowder Street Culvert Replacement (2011)
  • Cedar Street Culvert Replacement (2011)
  • Colburn Street Reconstruction (2011)
  • Pacella Drive Illicit Discharge Removal (2010)
  • Traffic Regulations Update (2010)
  • East Street Reconstruction – Phase II (2009)
  • East Street Reconstruction – Lowe’s Money (2009)
  • Condon Park Parking Lot Design (2009)
  • Bussey Street Culvert Abandonment (2009)
  • Maverick Street Wall Replacement (2009)
  • Zoar Avenue Sewer Replacement (2009)
  • Rustcraft Road Sewer Replacement (2009)
  • Gaffney Road Sewer Improvements (2009)
  • Brookdale Cemetery Expansion (2008)
  • Flanagan Place/Orphan Line Drainage (2008)
  • Bridge Inspections (2008)
  • Intersection Redesign, Greenlodge Street at Sprague Street (2008)
  • East Street and Washington Street Sewer Replacement (2007)
  • Street Opening Regulations Update (2006)
  • Sewer Regulations Update (2006)
  • Salt Shed (2006)

Contact Information:

Engineering Department: 781-751-9350

Prepared by:

Denise Moroney, Director of Facilities

During FY22 from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, in addition to the regular day to day cleaning and maintaining of the twenty two School and Town buildings, the Facilities & Maintenance Department completed several notable building improvements even in the midst of the challenging COVID pandemic environment creating delays in materials availability:

SCHOOL BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS

Dedham High School ADA and Security Improvements – there are several accessibility improvements needed within the high school for students and staff with disabilities.  All round door knobs in the A and B wing of the high school were replaced with lever door handles and new high security door locks installed.  We will continue with the installation of lever door handles and high security door locks throughout the building in phases.  All exterior doors in all schools also have the high security door locks in order to improve the security of our buildings with keys that cannot be duplicated by anyone outside of Dedham Facilities.

The Principal’s office door was also removed and replaced with a wider door to allow students and staff in wheelchairs to enter this space.  A permanent ADA stage lift was designed and constructed to the right of the auditorium stage to replace the portable stage lift from the 1970s.  All four sets of cafeteria doors were replaced and new push bars and lever door handles installed. Handicap door openers were also installed inside the safety vestibule leading to the Main Office.

Capital funds were approved during Town Meeting in May 2022 to add an elevator at the high school and to modernize the two existing elevators at the kitchen loading dock and gym sections of the building.  A feasibility study is underway to explore the different locations where a new elevator can be added at the high school.  Once this feasibility study is complete in 2023, we can then hire a designer to provide plans and specifications that will include all of the mechanical, electrical, structural and ADA requirements to construct a new elevator, which would go out to bid in 2024.  The actual construction of a new elevator is estimated to be completed by Fall 2025.  Provided the modernization of the two existing elevators does not require full replacement, we are hoping to bid the modernization work out in Spring/Summer 2023.

Dedham High School Kitchen Renovations – the design for the new HVAC system, kitchen exhaust hood and ceiling and LED lighting improvements were completed for the DHS Kitchen space.  The next step is to put the project out to bid for a general contractor.  However since the walk in freezer replacement project is a higher priority for the Food Service program due to the recent Health Department inspection and problems with the more than 50 year old freezers, we are planning to complete those replacements over the Summer of 2023 and the integral epoxy flooring would be replaced as well.  The interior renovations of the kitchen space will then be planned for the Summer of 2024.

Dedham High School Library Renovations – due to the importance of this project and the scope of work estimated to take more than the typically available two month Summer period, we started the renovations in April 2022.  Dedham Facilities ordered the mobile furniture and shelving along with the carpet and ceiling tiles in advance due to the long lead times on these materials so that we would be able to close out the project in late August/early September 2022.  The project included the demolition of three computer classrooms in order to open up the space for more flexible learning spaces.  We also installed a sound attenuator on the HVAC equipment to reduce the noise experienced in the space when the rooftop units are operating.  There were also 150 new LED Lighting fixtures installed throughout the 9,000 sq.ft. space, which results in 10,000 annual kWh electricity consumption reduction and we submitted for an LED Lighting energy rebate with Eversource for $5,480. 

Dedham Middle School Safety Vestibule – a designer RFP was issued in April 2022 and D21 Architects was awarded the design contract.  We are finalizing the design now and have a request in for additional funding due to a combination of price increases we are seeing during COVID for all construction projects as well as an increase to the original size of the vestibule in order to design an appropriate size for the volume of visitor traffic to the Middle School and to ensure proper sight lines to incoming visitors for the Main Office staff. This safety vestibule is planned for construction during the Summer of 2023 provided the additional capital funding is approved.

Riverdale ADA Playground Improvements – thanks to a Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) grant combined with Town capital project funding as well as PTO donations, we were able to install two accessible play structures at Riverdale that provide a rubber surface on the majority of the playground which allows access for all students to the new play structures.  The project was split into phases with the Needham Street side being completed in April 2022 and the second phase towards the field being completed in July 2022 with a very successful community build effort involving school staff, parents and residents.

Riverdale Calming Room –  the large paper storage area beside the art classroom was converted into a calming space for students.  Facilities Department staff removed all of the shelving inside the space and the asbestos flooring was professionally abated and replaced.  The calming space also includes a new door with a window, ventilation, vandal proof outlets and lighting and a two way communication speaker.

Oakdale MSBA School Building Project – In April and May 2022, the Facilities Department assisted with the procurement process for the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Owners Project Manager (OPM) to be hired as the first step in the process of hiring the project team that will ultimately oversee the new building design and construction.   The School Building Rehabilitation Committee members reviewed all submissions and voted to approve Compass/Vertex as the OPM from a group of ten (10) firms and a contract was finalized in June 2022.

TOWN BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS

Pool Building HVAC Replacement -  In a continuing effort to improve the Pool building, during March 2021 we installed a new HVAC system (below) designed by BLW Engineering and installed by J.F. White Contracting to provide the proper dehumidification as well as Heating, Ventilation and Cooling to the Pool building to create a more comfortable environment for Parks and Recreation department staff and town residents using the Pool.  The rooftop units were removed with the new HVAC unit being installed on the ground level along the south side of the building for ease of maintenance as well as for ease of future roof replacement.

The Pool building reopened post COVID in June 2021 and we were unable to close out the Siemens controls commissioning until October 2022 due to long lead times on sensors and troubleshooting first year operational warranty issues.

DPW Generator and Electric Service Upgrade – a generator manual transfer switch and electric service upgrade project was initiated at the DPW building for providing generator power during power outages to the main DPW building.  We experienced a major delay in receiving the meter cabinet and other materials needed for this project due to what we are seeing in the industry due to the COVID pandemic.  The project is scheduled for final service upgrade with Eversource in March 2023.

New Public Safety Building Construction Project - A very exciting and long awaited project to build a new Public Safety building for the Dedham community finally became a reality with a groundbreaking held in March 2021.  This new facility is a huge upgrade from the present buildings and some of the highlights include an underground parking garage for the Police and Fire Department personnel, a fitness center, a training center, much larger office spaces, male and female locker rooms, a centralized HVAC system, a commercial kitchen, over 85 cameras and the latest in technology. 

The Dedham Facilities Department has assisted with many aspects of this project including security installation, door and hardware, IT department coordination needs, and custodial supplies.  We are now trying to identify space where we can store attic stock from this project.  With the size of the building at more than double the size of the existing Police and Main Fire buildings, we will need additional custodial services in order to properly maintain this beautiful new building.                   

GREEN COMMUNITIES GRANT PROJECTS

In April 2021 the Facilities Department applied for a Green Communities grant and the Town received $31,279 to support two LED Lighting Improvement projects at the DPW Main Garage and Dedham’s Main Library, which are estimated to save $5,500 annually in electricity costs.  The grant funding also supported three of our Facilities Maintenance Trades staff to attend the Building Operator Certification classes offered by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council.  Building Operator Certification is a professional credential in energy efficiency that our employees can now be more aware of ways to implement more energy efficient practices in our daily operations within our school and town buildings to help reduce our annual utility expenses.   

COVID-19 PANDEMIC – We must continue to extend our most grateful thanks to all of the School and Town Facilities staff for their dedication to serving the staff, students and residents of Dedham as the school and town buildings would not have been able to reopen without our Facilities staff ensuring an adequate inventory of COVID supplies including masks, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes and disinfectant, etc. along with keeping the buildings clean and safe to return.  I want to extend my personal thanks to our entire group and hope you will too:

Barbara Smith, Facilities Department Assistant

Bernardo Rodriguez, Project Manager

Steve MacDonald, Trades Supervisor

Bob Lazdowsky, Custodial Supervisor

Maintenance Staff: Jim Abdallah, Charlie Baker, Bob Newell, Steve Marbenas and Chris O’Neill

Dedham High School Custodial Staff: Scott Downey, Paul Jenkins, Brian Donohue, Renee Zarthar, Brian Geary, and Delmy Aquino

Dedham Middle School Custodial Staff: Bill Quinlan, Tom Evans, Peter Kaltsunas, Bob Foley, Justin Baker and Eric Randlov

Early Childhood Education Center Custodial Staff: Rich McCann, Steve Arki and Simon Pierre

Capen YMCA Program Custodial Staff: Phil Buchanan and Dimitri Costa

Avery Custodial Staff: Sue Pimentel, Mitchel Kaltsunas, and Max Purcell

Riverdale Custodial Staff: David O’Brien and Joe Spada

Greenlodge Custodial Staff: Keith Begin and Joan Begin

Oakdale Custodial Staff: Jim McAllister and Daryl Begin

Library Custodial Staff: Walter Kieseling and Dave Podolski

Town Hall Custodial Staff: Ron Mammone, Herold Jn-Paul and Ricardo Estrada

Police Custodial Staff: Jim McDonough and Ricardo Estrada

Endicott Estate Caretaker: Mike Waishek

DPW, Cemetery and Dolan Center Custodial Staff: Don Long and Bill Lauro

Contact Information:

Facilities & Maintenance: 781-751-9172

Prepared By:

Fire Chief William Spillane

The Fire Department responded to over 5,500 emergency incidents in 2022, which is about an 8% increase from the previous year. These incidents include building and other types of fires, emergency medical services, hazardous conditions and fire alarm activations. Of the 156 fires that the department responded to, 21 were actual structure fires.

Emergency medical services comprise about 60% of the fire department’s emergency responses. All firefighters are certified to the level EMT-B or First Responder and are capable of rendering basic life support care. Coastal Medical Transportation Systems recently completed the acquisition of Transformative Healthcare / Fallon Ambulance Service and became the emergency ambulance service provider for the Town of Dedham. Fallon Ambulance Service provided excellent service to the town for nearly 25 years, and it was gratifying to see that all their paramedics and EMT’s who have been working in Dedham for many years were maintained by Coastal.

Over the past year we have sworn in 7 new firefighters filling the positions of those who had recently retired. All new firefighter recruits are required to attend a 16-week training program and receive Firefighter I & II certifications prior to beginning their career as a firefighter. All firefighters receive 100+ hours of in-service and specialized training throughout the year.

The fire department members are looking forward to moving into the new public safety building within the next month. This is more than just a building…it is an opportunity. An opportunity to provide a positive and healthy work environment for our fire, police and dispatch personnel. We look forward to joint training exercises and wellness programs that are essential to our professions.

Looking forward, the fire department will continue to find ways to maintain and improve upon the level of service that we provide to the citizens of our town. Our staffing levels, equipment and training will continue to be the focus of our success as we cope with demographic changes. Muti-unit residential properties, over-55 communities, day care facilities and mixed-use occupancies are now a part of our community and we must be able to service their needs.

Lastly, but not least, the fire department continues to provide fire and life safety education to all pre- and elementary school students. Last year our fire department educators engaged with over 1,500 students throughout the town as they visited schools and held an open house during fire prevention week in the month of October. We are currently planning CPR training and other programs for members of the community once our new public safety building opens.

Contact Information:

Fire Department (Non-Emergency): 781-751-9400

Emergency: 911

Prepared By:

Stanton Lyman, Historic Districts Commission/Historical Commission, Chair

About the Historic Districts Commission/Historical Commission

The Historic District Commission (HDC) is a volunteer Board of Dedham residents appointed and approved by the Select Board The Commission is composed of persons with professional expertise in Law, Architecture, History, Historic Preservation, Conservation, local Real Estate and Finance. The Commission is the official agent of municipal government responsible for historic preservation, contextual compliance, and regulatory design review within the designated local Historic Districts. The Local Historic Districts are areas with specific boundaries (see map) that have been recognized for their historical and architectural significance, as defined in Town Bylaw Chapter 168 and Chapter 40C of the Massachusetts General Laws.

In its capacity as the town's Historical Commission, the HDC is also responsible for identifying and evaluating historic properties throughout the town as a whole. The Commission is available to provide guidance to historic property owners regarding potential eligibility as a Local Historic District or nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. 

List of Cases Review (by street address):

Contact Information:

Town Manager's Office: 781-751-9100

Prepared By:

Police Chief Michael J. d'Entremont

Mission:

The mission of the Dedham Police Department is to protect and serve the citizens of Dedham through collaboration, preventative programs and the judicious enforcement of the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the by-laws of the Town of Dedham.

While life for all drastically changed with the outbreak of Covid-19, members of the Dedham Police Department remained on duty throughout all stages of the Pandemic to serve the community.  We are most grateful to the many community members and organizations who supported our personnel through donations of personal protective equipment to help keep all safe and healthy during this very challenging time.

Services:

The Police Department provides services to the community in the form of:

Uniformed Patrol: The uniformed officers who patrol the community and respond to calls for service;

Traffic Enforcement:  Officers who primarily focus on traffic enforcement efforts throughout the community;

Investigations:  Plain clothes officers with specialized training to respond to serious crime scenes and conduct protracted investigations;

School and Community Resource Programs:  Uniformed officers with specialized training who focused on working with youths in the community, schools and senior citizens.  Two School Resource Officers are trained as handlers for our Community Resource Dog, Ruby.  Ruby is trained as a comfort dog and in tracking.  She is a 3 year old English Cream Golden Retriever trained by Golden Opportunities of Independence.

Animal Control:  One uniformed civilian with specialized training in managing issues related to domestic animals and wildlife.  This position also provides parking enforcement in the Dedham Square area as well as assistance with the maintenance of parking meters.

Court Prosecution and Diversion:  Works in conjunction with the court system and District Attorney’s office representing the Department in all matters related to criminal charges, protection orders and civil traffic issues submitted by department members.

Administrative Services:  A variety of administrative services and support for Department operations including management, licensing, training, property and evidence, information technology, police details, public records and more.  

Parking Enforcement:  The first parking enforcement officer was hired to focus on parking violations in Dedham Square and throughout town.

Domestic Violence:  The department is fortunate to have the services of a Domestic Violence Advocate made available to us through a Violence Against Women Act grant by Domestic Violence Ended (DOVE).  Sarah Kinnae works with members of the community and Department members on domestic violence issues one day a week and is available as needed.

During December of 2020, the Department entered in an agreement with Riverside Community Care to work in collaboration with a Master Level Clinician (“Riverside Clinician”) to provide on-site clinical support to serve the community as part of Riverside Community Care’s Law Enforcement Clinical Support Program.  Our clinician works 20 hours each week with our personnel and members of the community.  Examples of the duties of the Clinician include:

1. Provide flexible mobile or station-based intervention, counseling, assessment, triage, referral and education to the community as requested by the police department.
2. Meet with the family members of a struggling minor in the community at an agreed upon location, which may include school, home or the library.
3. Assist with referrals for mental health treatment and support services.
4. Respond with law enforcement to calls requiring mental health support.
5. Outreach with community members to provide guidance in the development of safety plans.
6. Provide crisis evaluation and assistance to community members seeking substance abuse treatment.
7. Complete data related tasks.

Recognition:

The Department’s 2021 Officer of the Year award was presented to Officer John Barrett.   It is important for the Department to recognize those officers that consistently do more than is expected of them.  Self-motivated, professional and dedicated police officers provide immeasurable value to the Department and the citizens of Dedham.  The basis for Officer Barrett’s selection for this recognition included the following:

• You consistently and reliably carry out your day-to-day duties. Some specific examples cited include:
  • On January 30, 2021, you safely de-escalated a situation and disarmed an individual wielding a knife at a commuter rail train station thus ensuring a positive outcome for all.
  • On March 12, 2021, an officer was needed to cover for officers escorting a detainee to a hospital. While it was late in the evening, you responded to communication from a supervisor and came in to work. Your recognition of the need and safety implications for your fellow officers demonstrates an admirable level of Departmental commitment.
  • While conducting routine patrol activities, you are thorough and attentive. This is demonstrated by your activity at the Capen School on May 23, 2021 reporting a cracked window which was photographically documented, July 17, 2021 reporting tire marks on the school field which were photographically documented and notification made to Town Facilities to secure a gate allowing vehicular access to the field, October 1 2021 reporting an open storage container along with an open window on the school building which you were able to close and discovery of an open door at Advanced Oakdale Dental during a foot patrol on December 11, 2021, to name a few. 
  • On December 12, 2021, in response to a family’s concern for the well-being of a loved one at a nursing and rehab facility, you demonstrated great effort to ensure that the patient was ok and received necessary assistance. You subsequently returned later to follow up with the patient and communicated with the patient’s family via telephone.
• You report to work in a timely manner and usually early, prepared, in proper uniform attire and ready for your shift. You have taken responsibility for calls for service early allowing officers from the prior shift to end their day.
• The reports that you produce are detailed and consistently some of the best written reports composed within the Department.
• You go about your business in a professional manner with little need for supervisory intervention, representing the Department in a positive manner. 

Officer Frasca was recognized with a commendation for Excellence in CIT, presented to him by the Brookline Police CIT-TTAC Team during March of 2022.

Personnel Changes:

• Lt. Mark Black retired from the Department effective July 11, 2021, after serving the citizens of Dedham for over 32 years.  Lt. Black continues to serve as a Special Police Officer assisting with traffic assignments.
• Sergeant Richard Keane retired from the Department effective April 29, 2022, after serving the citizens of Dedham for over 39 years.  Sergeant Keane continues to serve as a Special Police Officer assisting with traffic assignments.
• Sergeant Michael Feeley retired from the Department effective May 4, 2022, after serving the citizens of Dedham for over 39 years.  Sergeant Feeley continues to serve as a Special Police Officer assisting with traffic assignments.
• Animal Control Officer Bethany Yates resigned on November 10, 2021, to seek another opportunity.
• John Connolly was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on October 10, 2021.  He has been assigned as a Shift Commander on the Midnight to 8:00 AM shift;
• Jason Sullivan was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on October 10, 2021.  He has been assigned as a Patrol Supervisor on the Midnight to 8:00 AM shift;
• Officer Meghan Jenkins assumed the role of School Resource Officer working primarily with the Dedham Middle School during December of 2021.
• Officer Matthew McMillan graduated from a police academy and began service the community as a police officer during December of 2021.
• Officer Will James graduated from a police academy and began service the community as a police officer during February of 2022.
• Renee Johnson joined the Department as our first Parking Enforcement Officer on August 16, 2021.
• Deni Goldman joined the Department as Animal Control Officer/Animal Inspector on December 27, 2021.

Combined Public Safety Building:

Department members continued to work with Dore and Whittier, Commodore Builders, Vertex and other Town Departments on the new Combined Public Safety Building during the construction phase.  We are most appreciative of the community’s support to make this project a reality. We are confident that this building will serve the needs of the Town’s Public Safety Departments for decades to come.  We are particularly pleased that this new facility includes a multi-use room off of the public lobby which will support community needs.  We were pleased and excited to take part in the steel beam topping off ceremony on August 18, 2021.

Community Engagement:

Building relationships and trust between community members and police officers is a foundation for effective policing and community safety.  Non-enforcement interactions help to develop relationships and build trust.  While not all inclusive, the Department took part in the following community engagement events during FY2022:

• Citizen Police Academy sessions during the summer of 2021 and spring of 2022;
• National Ice Cream Day at Ron’s Ice Cream on July 18, 2021;
• Café with the Cops at the Dedham Council on Aging on July 21, 2021;
• Annual Bike Rodeo at the Endicott Estate on July 27, 2021;
• National Night Out Events, August 2021;
• Child safety seat installations throughout the year;
• Pink Patch sales during October lead to a donation of $2,000 to Dana Farber;
• Dedham Day on September 26, 2021;
• Walk and Bike to School on October 6, 2021;
• DEA National Drug Take Back Days during October of 2021 and April of 2022;
• Trunk or Treat at Town Hall, October 2021;
• Holiday Stroll and Santa’s arrival at the Cushman house, December of 2021;
• Holiday visits to Dedham Housing Authority properties for coffee and treats;
• Annual holiday donation to the Dedham Food Pantry, 988 lbs. of ham was donated on December 19, 2021;
• Launch Trampoline Park Middle School event on February 23, 2022;
• Training and Intervention Procedures for Alcohol Servers during January and June of 2022;
• Distribution of reflective straps to enhance pedestrian safety courtesy of grant funding provided by EOPSS;
• Autism Awareness patch sales led to a donation of $1,240 to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation, April 2022;
• 4th community survey launched April 1, 2022;
• High Five Friday at schools on April 20, 2022;
• Community Resource Dog “Ruby” official graduated from training on May 1, 2022, #GOFIDOG;
• Memorial Day celebration;
• ECEC raffle ride to school;
• Flag Day Parade;
• 8th Grade Cookout, June 2022;
• Assistance unloading food deliveries at the Dedham Food Pantry one day per month

2022 Statistics:

Motor vehicle infractions cited:  8,077

Top three infractions cited: 

• Speeding
• Failure to stop
• Use of electronic devices.

Arrests:  72

Criminal complaints submitted to the courts:  181

Part 1 crimes reported to the FBI:

• Forcible rape - 5
• Robbery – 8
• Assault – 151
• Burglary – 14
• Larceny – 297
• Motor vehicle theft - 21

The men and women of the Police Department show up to collaborate with and serve the community day in and day out to provide public safety services under circumstances which are increasingly complex and challenging.  The dedication and professionalism of all personnel is truly remarkable and appreciated.

Contact Information:

Police (Non-Emergency): 781-751-9300

Emergency: 911

Prepared By:

Taxation Aid Committee Members Geoff Tegnell and Michael Perna

About the Taxation Aid Committee:

The Taxation Aid Fund was established to provide financial help in paying real estate taxes for elderly and disabled Dedham resident homeowners of limited means. On May 19, 2014 the Annual Town Meeting voted to approve Article 37, thereby accepting Section 3D of Chapter 60 of the Massachusetts General Laws. Chapter 166 of the Acts of 1998 authorizes cities and towns to establish a fund for the purpose of accepting donations for property tax relief for certain seniors and disabled taxpayers. Since 2014 taxpayers have been designated contributions on their quarterly tax bill to this Fund. As of 2022 more than $30,000 has been raised, allowing allocation of the first annual awards. In all, this past December thirty-four qualified applicants received awards of $400 each.  

Members:

The Fund is overseen by a five-person committee. Three are volunteer citizens members, Chair Geoff Tegnell, Michael Perna, and Jo-Anne Richard and two are town employees, namely interim Dedham Treasurer Jason Caravaggio and Chairman of the Board of Assessors Richard Schoenfeld.

Work of the Committee:

Since 2023 was the first year that awards were to be made, the Committee was tasked by the Select Board with establishing qualifying application criteria, publicizing the Fund, facilitating the application process, evaluating thee applications, and determining the amount of awards. It was a total team effort, with a little help from our friends. Lauren Perna is to be thanked for designing the Fund’s brochure and its printing was paid for by the Council on Aging. The brochure was disseminated to all of Dedham’s churches as well as the government offices, libraries, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Knights of Columbus, Rotary, Elks, Hope Club and numerous businesses.  

In addition, a PowerPoint presentation about the Fund was added to the Dedham town website in both English and Spanish. Thanks to Alexandra Shumway for producing the English version and to Erick Straghalis for producing the Spanish version. The response was gratifying in that over 40 applications were received, most of which qualified for awards.

Starting in July 2023, Dedham elderly and disabled homeowners may apply for 2024 taxation aid.  Directions to do so may be found on the Taxation Aid Committee page on the Town website.

Since they are based on both the number of qualifying applicants and available funds, awards will vary in amount from year to year. In order to increase both the amounts awarded and the number of recipients, the Taxation Aid Fund will need additional funding. Therefore, donations are always needed and will be gratefully accepted by the Select Board in any amount and at any time.  Donations can be conveniently made on each property tax bill, or by sending a check payable to the Town of Dedham to: Treasurer/Collector: Town of Dedham, Taxation Aid Fund, 450 Washington St., Dedham, MA 02026. Note: Per Massachusetts law governing this program, taxation aid donations made via a property tax bill must amount to at least $1.

Contact Information:

Taxation Aid Committee: 781-751-9160, TaxAid@dedham-ma.gov 

Prepared By:

Joe Hamilton, Veterans Services Officer

The Veteran’s office has been engaged in outreach events to inform Veterans and their families of benefits available. A monthly meeting is scheduled for the last Monday of every month at 10am in the Senior Center.” Military Mondays” is open to all Veterans, family, and friends of veterans. Every three months the veteran’s office has a scheduled meeting at the West Roxbury Elks. Our first meeting was held last week, The head of the VHA and the leading nurse practitioner of the West Roxbury VA were in attendance to present benefits as well.

The Veteran’s Office has been working with the Council on Aging, the Youth Commission, The Health Department, The Brookdale Cemetery, and the Assessor’s office to help provide information and benefits to veterans and their families. Working with Assessing Director Kevin Doyle, The Town of Dedham now participates in a state funded DIC pension program (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation) that waives homeowners property tax that are receiving a DIC pension. Dedham currently has 17 homeowners receiving a DIC pension. In past practice a DIC recipient homeowner would receive a $2,000 tax exemption on each year’s property tax. This new program waives the property tax, and the state fully reimburses the town for each DIC homeowner.

Our state CH115 program has 9 recipients. This past year Dedham CH 115 recipients were paid a total of $40,068.98. Our state reimbursement back to the town was $31,823.82, this is over the 75% reimbursement requirement from the state.  We are working to make more Dedham residents aware and enrolled in the Chapter 115 program. This program has strict guidelines and financial requirements to be able to participate.  The Veteran’s Office has seen a significant increase in federal claims in the last year. The Veteran’s office has had an increase of over 100 federal VA claims in the last year.  Not just with Dedham residents but also with neighboring towns and cities. West Roxbury, Hyde Park and Roslindale are some of the other communities seeking Veteran Benefits at the Dedham office. I believe this is happening for a few different reasons. One, the Dedham office is more accessible than the Boston offices to some communities. Another is the cost of living and tax increases. Veterans and their families are looking for ways to help with these costs. Lastly, I think word of mouth is a big component. We can only submit ch115 applications to Dedham residents. Federal VA compensation, pension and Health care has no residential restrictions. We try to be present, understanding, informative and trustworthy to every person that walks into the office.

The Veterans Office coordinates Veterans Day and Memorial Day Ceremonies and events. We will be having a religious service on Memorial Day followed by a ceremony at Brookdale Cemetery. Afterwards a brunch will be hosted at one of the Veterans Posts. 

The Council on Aging and the Veterans Office host a luncheon a day or two before Veterans Day. On Veterans Day we have the ZERO-K road race followed by a thank a veteran, town wide lunch in. Proceeds from the road race go to the PFC John Andrew Barnes III Armed Forces Scholarship. This scholarship is managed by the Dedham Combined Veterans Council. 

The Veteran’s Office is open to all of Dedham. Anyone who has any concerns, ideas or thoughts is encouraged to call, email, or come in. Dedham is a strong Veteran community and will only become stronger.

Contact Information:

Veterans Services Office: 781-751-9267

Prepared By:

Rob Blaney, Youth Commission Director

The Dedham Youth Commission provides award winning positive youth development opportunities and services to the young people and families of Dedham. We have proudly served the youth and families of Dedham for over 50 years. We are also very proud of the fact that we have never charged a fee for any of our programs or services. We make this possible through our grant writing and fundraising efforts, along with our collaborative efforts with a myriad of town departments, local organizations and community volunteers. 

1. Current accomplishments
   • Through sponsorships, donations and community fundraising events, we raised over $40,000 in Visa Gift Cards for our annual Holiday Gift Giving Program. Over 400 under privileged youth each received a $100 gift card. Some of our biggest community fundraisers included Drive-in Movie Nights at Endicott Estate and a mobile photo booth featuring Santa Claus.
   • Through our collaboration with the local non-profit, Ripples of Hope, we successfully planned and facilitated another successful Turkey Trot 5K. This event, through sponsors and participants, raised $20,000 for the food pantry and Youth Commission respectfully. These funds are used by the DYC to sponsor our annual College Bound Program; a 3-week summer residential program at Regis College for rising 8th grade students.
   • Secured a grant for $10,000 to develop a community service paid internship program for graduating 8th grade students. This resulted in 20 new paid internships for Dedham Youth.
   • We continue to offer free programs and services on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Some of our most popular programs include the following: College Bound, Launch, Journey, REAL TALK Club, ELL Club, Young Chefs, Video Game & Volunteer Club, Boyz 2 Men, and TLT Internships.
2. Spring 2023 Goals
   • We have one full time licensed therapist on our staff and she provides individual and family counseling, along with facilitating health related workshops to the community. The need for her services has increased over the years and continues to do so. Therefore, we are looking at grant opportunities and other means to add another licensed therapist to the staff.
   • We would like to recruit a group of Dedham Youth and plan a student driven “Health and Wellness Conference.” This will be a paid internship for the students, as they will be responsible for the development, planning, marketing, and implementation of this event.
   • To bring back some of the community events and fundraises that we postponed during the pandemic. Specifically, we want to bring back our “Spare a Job” event at Kings Bowling. This event will lead to at least 20 new summer paid internships for local teens.
   • We also want to bring back our “Character Day” events as they are beneficial to Dedham for a myriad of reasons. Local business become involved by sponsoring a character costume, high school students get to earn community service hours by volunteering at the event, families and little kids have a blast and memorable time, and the DYC raises thousands of dollars to set aside to help youth or families in need.

Contact Information:

Youth Commission: 781-751-9190