The Garlick Press – Monday, December 7, 2020

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

At the State House above the doorknob of my office door to the hallway is a postcard with the following quote from Mary Anne Radmacher, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow.” Our families, schools, local businesses, the Needham YMCA, and the MBTA Commuter Rail are all strained and it feels like they may break. We address the challenge of each day and then we rest and plan for tomorrow. Our State budget proposed by the Legislature and presently before the Governor is framed by the goal of sustainability. My goal as your Representative is to promote our stability by protecting services and building our resilience; defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Please see the summary of the budget and the letters addressed to the MBTA. With you, “I will try again tomorrow” and keep on trying until we reach a time of health and safety and an ability to experience fully our resilience.

Yours in Service,

Denise

• In Needham, the Needham Free Public Library is now offering Chromebooks for checkout in an effort to help those without computers at home stay safe and access the information they need. There are five Chromebooks available and they can be checked out for five days. For more information, click here.
• In Dover, the Board of Health issued a COVID-19 update on December. This update includes information on the December holiday season and cases of COVID-19 in Dover. To read the update, click here.
• In Medfield, the Mt. Nebo Water Tower Maintenance Project has been completed. The tank is being gradually refilled, which may disturb some debris resulting in discolored water. Residents that experience discolored water are advised to run the cold-water until it runs clear.

• In Needham,
  • the Select Board will be holding a public hearing on Tax Classification on Tuesday, December 8 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. This hearing is regarding the allocation of the FY2021 tax levy among the various classes of property in Needham. For more information, click here.
  • the School Committee will be meeting on Tuesday, December 8 at 6:30 PM via Zoom and the Needham Channel. This meeting will include a discussion on student learning and the Superintedent’s FY22 operating budget request. For more information, click here.
• In Dover,
  • the Carly Community Center Building Committee will be meeting today, Monday, December 7 at 6:30 PM via Zoom. They will be discussing the community forum held on December 1. For more information, click here.
  • the School Committee Meeting will be meeting Tuesday, December 8 at 5:00 PM via Zoom. They will be holding a period for community comments before entering into executive session. For more information, click here.
• In Medfield,
  • the Dale Street School Building Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, December 9 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. They will be discussing the project schedule and a budget update. For more information, click here.
  • the Historical Commission will be meeting on Thursday, December 10 at 7:30 PM via Zoom. The commission will review and consider actions to protect the archaeological conditions of the plot of land on Elm Street that is under consideration for a new elementary school. For more information, click here.

• The State is currently in Phase 3 of Massachusetts Reopening. If you have questions, input, or comments regarding the Reopening Massachusetts plan, you can submit comments online. These comments can be used by the Administration to support efforts to methodically reopen the economy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the form.

• If you are in need of resources, information, or support, please visit my website for a list of resources. Additionally, our local boards of health, the Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control are continuing to maintain websites with the most updated information regarding COVID-19 that you can access here:
• Needham Health Department Updates
• Medfield Updates
• Dover Updates
• Department of Public Health: Click here or Call 2-1-1.
• Reopening Massachusetts
• COVID-19 Travel Order
• Centers for Disease Control