Waste Management Curbside Collection Program
The Department of Public Works, the Town Manager’s Office and the Select Board are aware of a rise in curbside pickup delays. Staff have been in communication with Waste Management on these issues. If a resident has a pickup issue it is best to call the DPW (567-3400) who is in daily communication with Waste Management. DPW works with Waste Management to identify the households/streets that were missed and schedule collection for the next day (unless the missed pickup is due to the resident not having the barrel out). Additionally, there is an 800 number for Waste Management that is printed on the trash and recycling calendar that is distributed to residents, that number is 1-800-972-4545. The DPW updates the website anytime Waste Management reports breakdowns/missed streets. Unfortunately, the breakdowns/missed streets are usually reported in the evening and the website may not be updated until the following morning (https://www.longmeadowma.gov/1344/Curbside-Collection-Delays)

Climate Resilient Long Range Plan
This past summer, Longmeadow was awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, or MVP, in the amount of $235,555 to update our Long Range Plan, engage in robust and creative community engagement around climate change and civic action, and review internal municipal operations to ensure a climate resilient and equitable approach to our capital expenditures and our levels of service.

The Long Range Plan is our roadmap for the climate resilient, equitable future of our community. Long Range Plans shape how a community grows over the next 10 to 20 years, and ours will be unique in that it will set priorities for climate resilience and social equity in addition to the traditional arenas of development and land use, municipal services, public health, education, housing, and other quality of life issues.

Our plan will not be a relevant and applicable guiding document for all areas of municipal life if we don’t hear from you! There will be plenty of ways to make your opinions heard, from responding to surveys, participating in visioning sessions and public forums, engaging in our public art and storytelling project, and much more. Interested in getting involved? Stay in touch by signing up for our monthly Long Range Plan newsletter: www.longmeadowma.gov/LongRangePlan.

Special Election for Select Board

At the Select Board meeting of November 21, 2022, the Select Board acted on a petition that was filed to call a Special Election to fill the vacant seat on the Select Board. The Select Board adopted the election calendar and set the Special Election for March 7, with a Preliminary to be held February 7, if required. Nomination papers are available in the Town Clerk's Office for those interested in serving on the Select Board and they are due back to the Town Clerk's Office by December 20. This provides a great opportunity for someone interested in serving to "try it out" as there would only be 7 meetings before their term expires. The Annual Municipal Election will be held in June. You can find the full election calendar at www.longmeadowma.gov/CivicAlerts

School Building Committee

A first meeting of the Middle School Building Committee was held on November 29. The purpose of this meeting was to get acquainted, organized and oriented. All members were sworn in by the Town Clerk. A committee Chair was elected (Armand Wray) and Vice Chair (Julie Morgan).  A quick review/overview of the open meeting law was done and a status report on the project provided.

Auction of DPW Equipment
In a continuing effort to surplus unneeded/end of life equipment, an online auction was held for 19 plow blades. All 19 blades sold bringing in $12,610 in revenue. Not only does this help turn no long used items into revenue, it also helps to clean up the DPW yard on Pondside Road.

Auction of Town Surplus Items
Another online auction of town surplus items was held. A total of 34 items were sold ranging from more plow blades, a crane, computer carts, and a bike. The proceeds from the auction total $82,321.26.

New Town Website
In October we launched a completely redesigned municipal website. In addition to a beautiful new look, the site includes features to make information and services about Longmeadow easily accessible. With the new look comes a new website URL, www.longmeadowma.gov to better align with the government services provided. The work on the new site is the result of a 6-month long redesign process by town staff and CivicPlus, the leading government website provider. The website now has enhanced interactive resources, direct access to forms and applications, as well as a cleaner, easier layout to navigate. The success of this project is directly attributed to Mike Barbieri’s oversight as the project manager, Thank you Mike. Citizens and their local government will be able to communicate and engage through some of the refreshed featured modules:

- Stay Connected / Notify Me: This resource will allow the community, staff and local businesses to enroll in email newsletter subscriptions to become familiar and stay up to date with important topics and events in Town. You can also connect with us by following LongmeadowMA on our social media accounts.
- “Interactive Buttons”: Website users can utilize a new feature on the homepage for quick access to online bill pay, agendas and minutes, employment opportunities, forms, and much more.
- My Dashboard – visitors can create accounts to personalize their “dashboard” to stay updated on news, events and information they care about.
- Staff Directory – a link on each town department page that will direct the user to a listing of contact information for each employee of the department, including telephone and email contact information. This directory is used like a phone book.

Quarterly Legal Expense Update

Maple Center Shopping Plaza Updates
The public hearing on the site design review was held on November 2. In total there were almost 100 people in attendance both in-person and virtually, including the Planning Board and applicant. The public hearing was continued to December 7 to allow for more evaluation time in general but to especially further discussions between Town Engineer and applicant’s engineers. Another reason for the continuation was to see the outcome of the ZBA’s public hearing slated for November 29, as the Pun family/their design team is applying for a parking finding and variance that will be heard on that date—they’re proposing less parking spaces than what current codes now require.

Bliss Road Cell Tower
AT&T is operational. Verizon is in the middle of their installation so they are not live yet. I don't have an estimated time on when their work will be complete and live on the air.

Blinn Tennis Courts & Adult Center Pickleball Courts
Extending on the practice we started during COVID, we will be leaving the nets up. Last year we only left a few nets up, this year we plan to leave them all up. If we get a lot of snow we will close the courts. As long as we continue to have no problems, we will continue leaving this activity available to the residents. This will be in place at the Adult Center as well. Residents will not be permitted to shovel, sand, salt or snow blow the courts. If there is snow and ice, the courts will be closed. 

Virtual Access to Town Hall
With the new website, I want to take the opportunity to highlight all of the options and features to transact business with the Town online. This essentially provides access to Town Hall 24/7. Online transactions range from paying water, sewer and stormwater bills, property tax bills, filing a zoning complain, renewing a dog license and requesting vital records to reporting a streetlight outage and filing a building permit. The availability of online offerings will continue to be built out.

Police Sergeant Promotion
With the retirement of Sgt. Wisnouskas in September, a Sergeant vacancy was created. In early November a test was held and interviews took place last week. I am pleased to announce the promotion of Officer Amanda VanBuskirk to the rank of Sergeant, effective November 27, 2022. Sgt. VanBuskirk is known to most in the community as the K-9 Officer. Sgt. VanBuskirk has been with the department for twelve years. Congratulations Sgt. VanBuskirk! Sgt. VanBuskirk is only the second female to hold a rank higher than Officer in Longmeadow.

Staff Updates
A new Assistant Town Clerk has been selected. He is joining us from the City of Springfield where he has worked in the Health Department and cross trained in other areas. He attended the Special Fall Town Meeting as a visitor and will be joining full time on November 7, just in time for the November 8 Election!

Upcoming Topics and Events…
December 18, 2022 - Fire Department Annual Santa Ride Around Town 
December 20, 2022 - Nomination papers for the Special Town Election are due to the Town Clerk's Office.
December 22, 2022 - 4:30 p.m. Menorah Lighting on Town Green
December 26, 2022 - Town Municipal Offices are closed in observation of Christmas. 
January 2, 2023 - Town Municipal Offices are closed in observation of New Years Day.

Click Here to view the Town Of Longmeadow Manager's Newsletter - November 2022