Winchendon MA
WINCHENDON WEATHERTown of Winchendon MA on Gardner Magazine
Winchendon MA Local News and Community Information
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- Winchendon BOS 3-11-24
Complete Agenda, CLICK HERE. (Note: We are working with Town of Winchendon to get quality of document improved.)
Winchendon Select Board Meets 3-11-24
The Winchendon Board of Selectmen met on March 11, 2024. Listen to the meeting on any device. CLICK PLAY.
- Winchendon Select Board 2-26-24
The Winchendon Select Board met on February 26, 2024 in a more than 3 hour meeting.
There was considerable discussion about the landfill and concerns about trucks and contamination to residents.
Order is as follows: Selectmen’s comments and announcements —- public comments and announcements — public hearings — appointments and resignations —- Permit – license applications — Boards – Committees – Commissions — New Business —- Old Business —- Town Manager’s Report —- Minutes —- Communications —- Agenda Items —- Executive Session —- Adjournment. View Complete agenda, CLICK HERE. Listen to the meeting on any device. CLICK PLAY.
- Winchendon 2-12-24
Town of Winchendon Holds Meeting with Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee
The lengthy meeting on February 12, 2024 concerned many budget matters and included a presentation by Interim Town Manager Bill McKinney on historic & projected expenses and revenues of the town. The amount of the increase in State Aid will be far less than usual and expenses are up considerably, so the Town Manager was there to share the figures with the various Boards so decisions could be made on how to proceed. The meeting also heard from School Superintendent Goguen on the School Budget. Listen on any device. CLICK PLAY.
Moonlit Hikes in Winchendon, February 24th 7pm: “Join us at the Winchendon Community Park for our Moonlit hikes! Hikes to take place under the full moon! Meet at the parking lot and be lead on a trail hike.“
Winchendon Fall Festival – complete information on Town of Winchendon website, CLICK HERE.
- Winchendon – Water Main
from town of Winchendon at 4pm on 2-1-24: ATTENTION-EMERGENCY SITUATION-LARGE WATER BREAK-CONSERVE WATER Crews are actively looking for the large water break. Please be visual. Call dispatch with any information pertaining to the water break. 978-297-1212
- Winchendon Meeting
Winchendon Town Meeting will be Monday, May 20, 2024 at 7pm, to be held at Murdock Middle High School. The Town Manager’s office will be accepting warrant articles through Monday, April 8, 2024 until 5pm. Any questions, call the Town Manager’s office at (978) 297-0085 extension 5.
- Winchendon 1-22-24
More on crumbling foundations on the Town of Winchendon website, CLICK HERE.
Winchendon Select Board Hears About Pyrrhotite in Concrete
The unusual iron sulfide with variable iron content can really screw up concrete, and the problems in house foundations sometimes takes 10 to 30 years to show up. The Winchendon Select Board heard about the problem at its January 22, 2024 meeting. Listen to the meeting on any device. CLICK PLAY.
Rick Ward reminded people interested in running for Town Office that nomination papers can be picked up at the Town Clerk’s Office on the first floor of City Hall, but must be returned by March 18th.
Karen and Brian from Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Foundations gave an information presentation on the issue stating, “We’re here tonight in the hopes of just bringing some awareness that there are some homes in Winchendon that have been affected by pyrrhotite.” The problem is expensive. According to the presenters, “The only remedy at this point is to actually lift a house up in the air, demolish the old foundation, and pour a new one.”
- School Air
Students have been temporarily utilizing facilities at Elm Street School in Gardner and the Cornerstone Church in Winchendon since a boiler issue contaminated the air and required the schools to be closed to students.
Murdock Middle and High School Reopen Thursday, December 7, 2023– Air Quality Passed
Winchendon Superintendent of Schools Goguen has announced that the buildings passed air quality tests. “…samples were sent to Hayes Microbial Consulting, and the results state the building is a PASS for safe occupancy on all samples.”
However, the gym will be closed for the month according to Goguen. “While the building air quality is safe and the building is clean, the gymnasium will remain closed through the month of December to allow for the proper cleaning of this large space. The gymnasium has its own HVAC system which has already been cleaned; however, the beams and walls in the space still need to be cleaned. The doors of the gymnasium are sealed, and the construction crew will be monitored by school facilities staff during this process.” Goguen also thanked all who aided the School District during this situation. Air quality Test results are attached, CLICK HERE.
- Exploding Boiler
Update December 1, 2023: Learning to take place at 2 locations, 1 in Gardner and 1 in Winchendon
Watch the complete Emergency Winchendon School Committee Meeting, CLICK HERE.
Winchendon School Committee met in an emergency meeting on Thursday, November 30th
Facilities Manager Brian Croteau’s statement to the School Committee characterized the boiler incident as a “malfunction” rather than an explosion even though a Facebook post from the School District to the community indicated the boiler had “blown up” See screenshot. During the Emergency School Committee meeting, Croteau explained that this particular boiler was a “summer boiler”, providing hot water when the heating boilers were not being used. Therefore, as they are now being used, there is no shortage of hot water. Insurance company is still investigating, and the plan is to replace the malfunctioning boiler with an electric one to avoid a repeat of this problem in the future.
Dozens of air scrubbers are working round the clock to clean the air in the school and duct work is being cleaned as well. Plans are to return students to the school when an industial hygienist certifies an air quality test that the school passes.
Learning for now: The State of Massachusetts denied Winchendon’s request for remote learning. Plans are to utilize the the 3rd floor of the Elm Street School in Gardner for Murdock Middle High School students and the Murdock High School students will use the basement of the Cornerstone Church.
Publisher’s Note: An emergency School Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 4pm at Winchendon Town Hall regarding the situation. Here is the complete meeting agenda, CLICK HERE.
We have reached out to Karen Kast-McBride, Chair of the Winchendon School Committee to gather further information.
Exploding Hot Water Boiler Closes Middle and High Schools in Winchendon MA
Winchendon Interim Superintendent Dr. Ruthann Petruno-Goguen informed the District that school is canceled for at least the rest of the week of November 27, 2023 at Murdock Middle and Murdock High School. According to Goguen, the hot water boiler blew up and filled the building with soot. Building will be reopened after officials are satisfied with the results of an air quality test.
Last week, Goguen stated, “Facilities Director, Brian Croteau, immediately contacted the insurance company, utilized the assistance from Fire Departments from other communities, and has Servpro on site for the clean-up.”
In a communication on November 28, 2023, Dr. Goguen stated, “I regret to inform you that school will be cancelled for the rest of this week at both the middle and high school. Even though we have a large crew of contractors working on the clean up, the building is not ready for us to return. I have reached out to the Commissioner of Education and he will not approve remote learning. We have secured adequate off site spaces for both the middle and high school for possibly the next two weeks. The detailed plans will be shared as soon as they are finalized. It will be required for the middle and high school students and staff to make up for this week of missed learning time, and we are looking at time during the February Vacation week (Tuesday thru Friday) and the day after the last day of school. We understand this is a disruption for the middle and the high school. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we maneuver through this crisis.”
- Winchendon – Modern
Winchendon MA has unveiled new transparency tools for citizens including Winchendon TV
The Town of Winchendon has a number of tools available. We have created a Winchendon Meetings page on Gardner Magazine incorporating the ability to easily play Winchendon Meetings, CLICK HERE.
There is an online transparency center with current facts and figures, CLICK HERE.
Winchendon makes a huge amount of information available on its website, CLICK HERE.
- Electric Update
National Grid to Update over 100 Year-Old Transmission Lines
In 1909, the 69 kilovolt transmission lines were constructed and materials were brought in at the time by horse and buggy. Today, modern equipment will be used to bring this part of the grid up to date before there are problems due to the aging system.
National Grid is proposing the A1/B2 Asset Condition Refurbishment project to replace these lines “as they are approaching the end of their asset life. The scope to rebuild these lines includes structure replacements, structure foundations, new conductor, and right-of-way access improvements where necessary along the approximate 61 miles of existing right-of-way.” An Open House is scheduled at Gardner City Hall on Thursday August 24, 2023 at 5pm. National Grid will have team members present from a variety of departments to answer questions. Note that the new infrastructure will be built, put into service, and then service to the old lines will be discontinued with the old structures subsequently removed. In that manner, power remains up during the project duration which is expected to take from 2024 to 2028.
National Grid has a short, informative video on a website put up for this project. There are also additional details on the page, CLICK HERE.
This 61 mile project originates in Vernon, Vermont, travels through Hinsdale and Winchester, New Hampshire then continues through a number of towns within Northern Massachusetts including, Warwick, Royalston, Winchendon, Gardner, Westminster, Fitchburg, Leominster, and Sterling.
Coming off the mainline, this project also includes the Athol Tap and the Crystal Lake Tap. The Athol Tap runs from Royalston Substation to Chestnut Hill Ave Substation in Athol, Massachusetts. The Crystal Lake Tap runs from Gardner Switching Station to Crystal Lake Substation in Gardner, Massachusetts.
Around the Winchendon MA Community
Community Facts
Winchendon is a town in Worcester County Massachusetts with a population of around 11 thousand people. Winchendon was incorporated in 1764.
Winchendon is also known as the “Toytown” from a history of toy manufacturing in the community.
Schools
Winchendon Public Schools: (978) 297-0031
Murdock High: (978) 297-1256
Murdock Middle: (978) 297-0509
Toytown Elementary: (978) 297-2005
Memorial Elementary: (978) 297-1305
Government
Town Manager: (978) 297-0085
Town Clerk: (978) 297-2766
Fire Department: (978) 297-2324
Police Department: (978) 297-1212
Organizations
Beal’s Memorial Library: (978) 297-0300
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