Westport in Brief!

EverythingWestport.com

Thursday, February 26, 2015

photos/EverythingWestport.com except as noted

 

Quick Article Index . . .

 

Westport April election update. Five are in, one is out.  

 

Westport’s Veterans’ Services Agent is stepping down to pursue other interests.

 

Appointed vs. elected – what’s going on with the Westport town Treasurer’s position?

 

Letters to the Editor define difficult issues facing Westport Assessors.

 

Westport’s Claude Ledoux to speak at Dartmouth’s Russells Mills Schoolhouse on Sunday, March 15th.

 

 

Westport April election update. Five are in, one is out.  

EverythingWestport.com

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

 

Former Highway Surveyor Harold “Jack” Sisson, one of six who pulled nomination papers for the two contested seats on the select board did not return them to the Registrars’ office by yesterday’s 5:00 p.m. deadline.

 

Selectmen Craig Dutra and R. Michael Sullivan will be joined by challengers Pam Costa, William Harkins, and Maurice May for the two select board seats up for grabs.

 

Besides the two select board seats there are only three races involving multiple candidates in this year’s town elections: one Assessor, one Planning Board seat, and one Housing Authority seat. And there is no candidate for the one Fish Commission position.

 

 

For Three Years:

Two Selectmen - Selectmen Craig Dutra, 65 Union Ave., and R. Michael Sullivan, 149 Cherry & Webb Lane are joined by challengers Pam Costa, 1185 American Legion Highway; William Harkins, 660 Gifford Road; and Maurice May, 1878 Main Road.

 

One Assessor - William Burns, 909 Horseneck Road will challenge incumbent and Chairman Robert Grillo of 388F Old Bedford Road.               

 

One Board of Health - Incumbent John J. Colletti will run unopposed for another term. Stuart M. Davidson, 442 Hixbridge Road had pulled nomination papers but then decided to withdraw.

 

Two School Committee - Incumbents Antonio M. Viveiros, 20 Sandpiper Drive and Sylvia C. Africano, 65 Union Avenue will seek reelection. They will be unopposed. Woodrow E. Wilson decided to withdraw from the competition and did not submit his nomination papers.

 

One Fish Commissioner - Incumbent Peter Kastner is not running for reelection. There are no candidates for this elected position. Write-ins welcome!

 

Two Trustees of Free Public Library - Incumbent Paul Cabral, 111 Mouse Mill Road will run unopposed for another term. Newcomer Mark E. Pawlak, 1 Olin Howard Way will run unopposed for the seat being vacated by incumbent Nancy M. Dawson, who decided not to seek reelection.

 

Two Landing Commissioners - Carl Tripp of 24 Perseverance Lane and Jefferson L. Bull, 149 Horseneck Road are running uncontested for reelection. Highway Department employee Scott J. Boyd, 22 Amory Petty Way had pulled nomination papers but decided not to run.

 

One Commissioner of Trust Funds - George Foster, 196 Sanford will be unchallenged. Incumbent Charles W. Nichols is not running for reelection.  

 

For Five Years:

One Housing Authority - Incumbent Elizabeth A. Collins will be challenged by newcomer Craig D. Mignone, 666 State Road.

 

One Planning Board - Challengers Charles Gerrier Jr., 47 Union Street, Andrew M. Sousa, 408 Gifford Road, and Richard W. Brewer, 1971 Main Road vie for the seat currently held by Elaine Ostroff who will not seek reelection.

 

For Two Year Unexpired Term:

Treasurer - Brad C. Brightman, 13 Judges Way will be uncontested for the position vacated last year when former longtime Treasurer George Foster retired. Lisa Mauk of 6 Princess Pine Way had pulled papers for this position but did not return them by the deadline date.

 

Four prospective challengers for four different seats did not return their nomination papers by the February 24th deadline.

 

 

 

Westport’s Veterans’ Services Agent is stepping down to pursue other interests.

Selectmen appoint interim services agent at Monday’s Selectmen’s meeting.

EverythingWestport.com

Thursday, February 26, 2015

 

Westport’s Veterans’ Services Agent is stepping down to pursue other interests. Jerry LeBoeuf’s last day will be March 1st.

 

LeBoeuf has been on the job for only a few years, but the energetic ex-marine leaves the office better than he found it, and that’s saying something as long-serving, former veterans’ agent Ron Costa left very large shoes to fill.

 

He will be missed by veterans and veterans’ groups alike.

 

http://aldenhill.com/Community_Event_Text/2013_Events/Westport_in_brief_November_03_2013_files/image005.jpg

Above: VSO Jerry LeBoeuf visiting with veterans at the Westport Council on Aging. Photo/EverythingWestport.com

 

Selectmen moved quickly, appointing a search committee to recruit a replacement, but in the meantime Selectman Richard Spirlet suggested at last Monday’s Selectmen’s meeting that they fill the vacancy with an interim assignment to provide uninterrupted services to Westport’s veterans.

 

He could hardly have recommended a better candidate.

 

“I would like to appoint Donat J. “Dan” LeBlanc of Freetown as an interim services’ agent,” Spirlet told Selectmen Monday night.

 

LeBlanc served as the VSO for the City of New Bedford for eight years, before retiring October, 2010.

 

Click here to read LeBlanc’s resume.

 

Donat "Dan" LeBlanc a veteran of the Vietnam War, talks about the mission that cost him his arm when he was a gunner aboard a YZ64 hellicopter like the model in the foreground.

Above: Ex-marine Donat J. “Dan” LeBlanc Photo/Peter Pereira-The Standard-Times

 

The Veterans' Service Officer (VSO) or agent works out of the Town Hall, and is knowledgeable about an array of federal, state, and local benefits to which veterans and dependents may be entitled. The primary job of a service agent is to administer

Massachusetts Chapter 115 Public Assistance.

 

Their job is to help veterans in the community learn about, apply for, and in some cases, receive benefits.

 

Every VSO is a veteran.

 

Chapter 115 Public Assistance

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers a need-based program of financial and medical assistance for veterans and their dependents known as M.G.L. Chapter 115 (Chapter 115). Qualifying veterans and their dependents receive necessary financial assistance for food, shelter, clothing, fuel, and medical care in accordance with a formula which takes into account the number of dependents and income from all sources. Eligible dependents of deceased veterans are provided with the same benefits as if the veteran were still living.

 

Click here to learn about all the assistance programs supported by the Tow of Westport through the Veterans’ Service Agent.

 

 

Biography

Donat  J. “Dan” LeBlanc

148 County Road, E. Freetown, MA

 

After graduating from New Bedford High School in 1964, Dan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1965, where he trained as a helicopter mechanic and machine gunner. He served in Vietnam from April to October of 1966. He received two meritorious combat promotions, and was awarded the Expert Riflemen’s badge, Combat Aircrewman Wings with 3 strikes, 3 Air Medals, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal (w 2/ Bronze Stars)Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Gross Medal w/ Palm) and the National Defense Service Ribbons. He was retired with an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps in February of 1967, due to his severe combat disabilities sustained in action in Vietnam.

 

After his return from Vietnam he attended Southeastern Massachusetts University in Dartmouth, Mass.  In 1968 he was employed by the United States Post Office as a letter carrier then later as a clerk. Then in 1972, Dan joined the Department of Veterans Affairs, continuing his career in the Federal Government.  During his 27 years with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DV) he worked at 11 different VA Medical Centers throughout the country, from Massachusetts to California, including a brief time in the VA’s Central Office in Washington, DC. At each of these posts he received numerous awards for service, dedication, ingenuity and commitment to the Department. Dan retired from Federal service on July 31, 2002, with over 32 years of combined Federal Service, upon retirement he received the Secretary of Veterans Affairs “Distinguished Career Award” for excellence in Government service from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Anthony Princippi. Dan is especially proud of this award as he was submitted for this award by his staff in New England upon his retirement which required numerous higher level approvals throughout the DVA which he received.

 

He was selected by the Mayor of New Bedford and appointed by the New Bedford City Council on June 30, 2002 as the Director / Veterans Agent of the Department of Veterans Services for the City of New Bedford and began that position on September 9, 2002. During his 8 years with the City he upgraded the operations to full computerization enabling the small staff of five employees to go from serving 53 clients in 2002 to over 530 in 2010. As reported by the State Department of Veterans’ Service which was the highest number of clients per captia of any City or Town in the Commonwealth he retired from that position on October 10, 2010 receiving Certificates of Appreciation from both the Mayor and the City Council of New Bedford. During his Federal Service he also served as an Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator and a diversity facilitator for the Department of Veterans Affairs and a Civil Service Examiner for the U.S. Post Office.

 

His last position in the DVA was as the first Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) # 1 Prosthetic Program Manager overseeing the VISN Prosthetic Consolidated Program for the entire New England Healthcare System (VISN #1). This included 8 DVA Medical Center facilities and co-coordination of a $38 million dollar budget. During his tenure in VISN #1, Dan was involved as the on screen co-host and the subject matter expert for the DVA Learning Network television program televised live from Washington, D.C to the entire country.  This proved to be very successful in educating field staff with new computer technology for the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Program.  He co-hosted more than six two hour live broadcasted shows during a two year period.

 

Dan has also been involved in many public speaking efforts over the last27 years. He has been an annual participant over this time in the Brookline Public School system’s “handicapped awareness program” speaking to over 300 fourth graders annually. He has also been and continues to be an annual participant guest speaker at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and at the Bridgewater State University speaking on the subject of “amputations and prosthetic development from the personal and professional perspective”. These presentations are made to post graduate students in Physical Therapy and to Adaptive Physical Education students. Professor Joseph H. Huber, Ph.D. of Bridgewater State University has written to state, “I wish you to know that I treasure your generous nature, community spirit, and fellowship. Bridgewater State University is most fortunate to have you as a dear friend.”

 

Dan is also the recipient of numerous private and public awards.  In 1996, he won the State of Rhode Island’s Federal Executive Councils Employee of the Year award in the “Community Service” category competing with all other federal agencies in the State of Rhode Island. In November of 1999, he received the Veterans’ Transition House “Veteran of the Year” award for Southeastern Massachusetts. Also in 1999, he was selected as the “Man of the Year” for Freetown, MA, by the New Bedford Standard Times.  In 2000, Dan was awarded the Veterans Health Administration’s “Scissors Award”, along with five other workgroup members, for their efforts in reducing waste in government with the development of time saving computer software.

 

On June 15, 2006 he was awarded “The New England Patriots Community MVP Award” at the awards ceremony he was presented with an engraved football trophy by Patriots owner Mr. Robert Kraft and his wife Mira on behalf of the Kraft family. The Kraft family also awarded a $1,500.00 grant in Dan’s name to the SE Mass Veterans’ Transition House for use by that organization because of Dan’s efforts as a volunteer at that facility. On May 3, 2010 he received the first University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Department of Health and Environment, Department of Physical Therapy, Distinguished Service Award for his participation in their program.

 

In his community of Freetown Dan has served as Post Surgeon, Service Officer, Junior Vice and Senior Vice-Commander of the Freetown Memorial, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6643 in Freetown, Mass. He currently serves as the Post Adjutant and was a Post Trustee both positions he has held for 13 years. He recently resigned as Trustee to assume a position on the Post Corporation Board of Directors serving now as the President of the Board.  Dan was asked to participate as a member of the Freetown Memorial Park Committee working to develop a memorial Park in Freetown for veterans of all Wars, POW/MIA’s, as well as Firemen and Policemen. A Cobra Helicopter with 2 flagpoles, Police and Firefighters stones as well as a POW/MIA memorial with POW/MIA flag pole as well as a stone to honor CPO2 Tyler J. Trahan USN who was killed in the War on Terror in Iraq have been erected at the site on Chace Road in Freetown, work continues towards completion of this beautiful park where the Towns WWII Memorial was relocated this past summer to the Park and a duplicate of the Towns WWI Memorial will be placed at the site very soon. Dedication ceremonies are planned for 2013. Dan also enjoys riding his motorcycle trike as a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, to honor families of those lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan he has completed over 36 missions in the last 9 years.

 

He previously served on the Board of Directors at the Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans’ Transition House, a position he held from 2002 to 2007.  He was elected to serve as the Vice President of that Board in 2005.  Dan is a very dedicated individual and works very closely with veterans and staff to resolve issues for veterans regarding their Federal DVA and Massachusetts State Veteran benefits. He is a highly regarded resource to many that know and work with him he continues to advise veterans, families and widows of their rights. He was selected by Devol L. Patrick, Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts to serve as a member of the Selective Service Board #3, on June 3, 2009 and appointed for the President by Acting Director of the Selective Service on July 23, 2009 and continues to serve in that position to this day.

        

Dan lives in Freetown, Massachusetts with his wife Susan and their son D.J. who graduated in May 2011 from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, and is the President of Le Blanc Embroidery a successful business of thirteen years in Freetown, Massachusetts. Dan has three other children Christopher, Justin and Bonnie and has seven grandchildren.

 

He served his community as the Director/Veterans Agent in Freetown appointed on November 1, 2012 with 6 active Chapter 115 clients on the rolls he retired for good from that position on December 1, 2015 having served over 23 Chapter 115 clients. But still advises veterans and widows of their veteran benefits.

 

 

 

Appointed vs. elected – what’s going on with the Westport town Treasurer’s position?

EverythingWestport.com

Friday, February 27, 2015

 

Voters will face a ballot question this April to change the elected position of Treasurer to an appointed one.

A similar ballot question a while back changed the Highway Surveyor’s position from elected to appointed.

 

Once again, voters are being asked the same question vis-à-vis the town Treasurer.

 

The fly in the ointment with the Treasurer’s job, however, is that on the same ballot a candidate is running for the two-year unexpired term that was vacated with the retirement last year of then Treasurer George Foster (pictured right.).

 

If the ballot question is rejected by town voters, then the elected Treasurer will immediately assume the office

 

 

The non-binding 2014 ballot Question 4, appointing rather than electing the town’s Treasurer, was soundly defeated by the Westport electorate 2137 to 1145.

 

 

But what happens if the ballot question is approved, and the position becomes appointed.

 

Well, the answer to that question is a lot more complicated than you might think!

 

According to Michelle Tassinari, lead counsel for the Massachusetts Election Division, if voters approve the change of the office to appointed, then the candidate who wins the election will immediately assume the position of Treasurer until Selectmen can appoint one.

 

To further add to the complexity of this question, if the town has a charter or special act that requires the position to be elected, then Selectmen can’t immediately appointment someone to the vacant position until the Massachusetts Legislature approves the results of the ballot question, a process that could take between 30 and 90 days.

 

Most ballot questions requiring legislative approval usually receive consent by the state’s lawmakers – but happily it appears the town may not have such a provision in its charter.

 

And, if there is an appointed treasurer already occupying the post at the time of the election, than that individual would continue as treasurer, and the newly elected official is out of luck!

 

Had enough?

 

There is one more thing: last year Assistant Treasurer, Christine Sylvia (pictured right) was appointed by Selectmen as interim Treasurer.

 

Interestingly, under the town’s charter, the Treasurer’s job requires that only a Westport resident can run for election.

 

Ms. Sylvia is a Dartmouth resident, so she couldn’t put her name on the ballot.

 

But if the ballot question is approved, she could be appointed Treasurer by the Selectmen.

 

Got all that?

 

Good!

Photos/EverythingWestport

 

 

 

Letters to the Editor define difficult issues facing Westport Assessors.

April ballot question seeks full assessment of Westport properties by outside firm.

EverythingWestport.com

Friday, February 27, 2015

 

To the editor:

 

In response to Mr. Baron’s letter to the editor dated February 22, stating “Bill Burns, who is one of the leaders of the attack on the assessors has quite famously lost in the courts in his effort to have his assessments reduced.  The other claimants may well be people who would themselves benefit from a reduction in valuation.”

 

I offer the following clarifications and observations.

Mr. Baron please note that I have applied to the Appellant Tax Board in Boston four times after my requests were denied by the Westport Board of Assessors (WBA). 

 

The first time I won my case based on Department of Revenue case law I received from the Mass. Farm Bureau.  The second time I won my case with the judge asking me for my appraisal values on a piece of paper which he used.  The third time I won my filing, which culminated with then Chairman Grillo  stating at a Board of Selectmen meeting, (to paraphrase) we made a mistake followed by then Selectman Coyne (to paraphrase) well then why don’t you fix it.  The fourth time I lost on my primary resident filing based on a technicality of paying my taxes late, which negated the filing.

 

Notwithstanding, if Mr. Baron is so concerned about the expense to reform the way in which property is assessed in Westport, he should first question how much taxpayer money has been misspent in the case that The Board of Assessors lost over their attempt to impose a “conveyance tax” in the 2010 Appeal Court case of Adams vs. Board of Assessors, 76 Mass.App.Ct. 180, 920 N.E.2d 879; 2010 Mass. App. Lexis 81.  The assessors lost that case and the taxpayers paid a hefty legal bill.

 

Any taxpayer may file an abatement with the state if denied by the WBA for a fee of $100 where the taxpayer can present their case.

Please note Mr. Baron: In successfully fighting my own battles with the Board of Assessors over the years, I have discovered that the way in which residential and commercial property is being assessed in Westport favors the few at the expense of the many. 

 

Because many property owners in town have been under-assessed by a factor of 10-50% for several years, thousands of other taxpayers have been overtaxed and have been made to pay more than their fair share of taxes. Most of you have been paying more than your fair share of the tax burden without knowing it.

 

Mr. Baron why do you feel the need to attack me personally in your letter to the editor?  If you are going to, please get your facts straight as I have noted here in my response I won three times.  Your letter is another indication of why taxpayers need to have a choice in the process.  In your current position as chair of the Westport Finance Committee I understand your role is to watch out for the taxpayers, therefore I know you must understand my position to making the assessment process more transparent.  I believe everyone who pays taxes should be assessed using the same unbiased and objective method.  Under the law, the process of tax assessment must treat every taxpayer equally.  Let’s all work together to pay our fair share.

 

Bill Burns

Westport

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the editor:

 

Once again, Westport seems on the verge of distracting itself from its real financial issues by lining up into competing camps over what has all the appearances of a phony one.

 

The Westport Taxpayers Association and others in town have suggested that Westport’s assessors engage in a pattern of undervaluing the most expensive residences in town.  They have occasionally expressed the belief that under-assessing some properties cuts down on the amount of property tax that the town can raise.

 

That shows a complete misunderstanding of how Proposition 2.5 works in Massachusetts.  Prop. 2.5 limits the total absolute amount of property tax that can be collected in any one year (the tax levy) to an increase of 2.5% over the last year’s tax levy.

 

Were there to be a sudden gold rush on Westport real estate (resulting from, let’s say, the news that a rail line was being planned to run directly from Boston to the Head of Westport) and that caused the total assessed value of real estate to jump by 100%, it would not increase by a single penny the amount of property tax that could be levied in any year.  It would remain increasable only at 2.5% of what had been levied the year before.

 

Thus, if there is any inequality of assessment of values like that suggested by the WTA and some others, it will not produce more tax income for the town.  Indeed, any revaluation process is likely to reduce the amount of tax available for several years.  Any wholesale revaluation will undoubtedly produce a rash of requests for abatement and consequent litigation in cases where those abatements are denied.  This means an increase in the amount of tax money that must be held up in the “overlay” to be available to cover any abatement requests that could conceivably win the day.  Although that money might eventually be freed up for use in later years, the extensive costs of defending suits would be forever lost.

 

It is hard to know if there is any merit to the claim that some of the more expensive properties, especially those near the water, are relatively undervalued for tax purposes and that some of those in other parts are overvalued.  It is even hard to know what standards those who are challenging the values are using to claim that.

 

Real estate assessment is a complicated, nuanced, and inexact process for which experts receive specialized training.  One would have to ask experts to appraise the methodology being used by our assessors.  Perhaps that is what should be done (rather than having all the property in town reappraised at very high cost, which is what the WTA and others seem to be asking).  However, keep in mind that their work is already being overseen by the state, which gives the assessors’ work and their assessments several levels of review throughout every ten year period.

 

One would have thought that the WTA’s first resort would have been to ask the DOR what marks it gives Westport’s assessors for the job they do, rather than immediately making public attacks based on its members own untutored look at the records.

It is hard for me to understand what the WTA folks think the motivation of the assessors could be in doing a biased job of assessing — one that allegedly favors the “haves” over the “have less” folks.  My sense is that all three of our assessors have deep roots in the town and cannot be claimed to be among the newcomer “haves” with expensive waterfront properties in the south end.  They certainly do not seem to be folks who could be claimed to benefit directly from the alleged undervaluation or part of the class of people who are supposed to be so benefiting.  Is there some suggestion that they are being bribed?  Threatened?  Without that, the allegations of systematic prejudiced treatment make no sense.

 

On the other hand, the motivation of the WTA and the others making such allegations seems clear.  Bill Burns, who is one of the leaders of the attack on the assessors, has quite famously lost in the courts in his effort to have his assessments reduced.  The other claimants may well be people who would themselves benefit from a reduction in valuation.  But, even if not, they are associated with an effort to gain politically through demagoguery that pits the north end against the south end in town — an effort that we see at work in the dispute over Beach Avenue as well.  Among other things, this effort undermines the goal of trying to get the town to work cooperatively in meeting the financial challenges with which it has been faced since the state drastically cut back in local aid to towns while maintaining or increasing unfunded and underfunded mandates that it places on them.

 

Charles “Buzzy” Baron

Chairman, Westport Finance Committee

 

 

 

Westport’s Claude Ledoux to speak at Dartmouth’s Russells Mills Schoolhouse on Sunday, March 15th.

The ex-marine will share a lifetime of adventurous living on the SouthCoast. The lecture is set for 7 p.m.

EverythingWestport.com

Saturday, February 28, 2015

 

Claude Ledoux has been a farmer, author, radio show host, father, public servant, and avid historian.  The ex-marine will share a lifetime of adventurous living on the SouthCoast with a series of lectures on ethnic farming on the SouthCoast at Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society's Russells Mills Schoolhouse, 1205 Russells Mills Road.

 

The first lecture is set for 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 15th.

 

Ledoux came to the United States from Quebec in 1949 when he and his family moved to a farm in Westport.

 

“We left an environment that was about 90 miles removed from Varennes where the first Ledoux immigrant from France settled in 1668," Ledoux wrote in a letter to DHAS President Robert Harding. "Our society was overwhelmingly agrarian and 13 generations had passed on the evolutionary love of farming... luckily, we settled on a small Westport farm on the corner of Mouse Mill and Beulah (has different name now) roads, surrounded by an agrarian society similar (to) but a bit more advanced than the one we had left. The main difference was that here the farms were owned by a variety of populations: Polish, Portuguese, Jewish, Yankee, French Canadians, Russians and others.”

 

“Farmers are the same everywhere and adaptation only required learning the common language,” Ledoux said.

 

Ledoux enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1952 during the Korean War and, using the GI Bill benefit, he earned an education in electronics while cutting pulp wood and working various itinerant jobs.

 

In 1958, Ledoux went to work for the Nuclear Navy and, in 1960, joined the submarine signal division of Raytheon in Portsmouth, R.I., where he engaged in instrumentation and acoustical measurements.

 

“Learning became a way of life in order to continue in more complicated work and research," Ledoux said.

 

Since retirement, Ledoux has strengthened his relationship with the land. For more than 30 years, wood heat and solar hot water have limited his family's oil consumption to about 20 gallons per year, he claims.

 

Ledoux has been an active participant in Westport government since 1965, having served on about 12 committees, boards and commissions.

 

In 1995, he co-authored "A History Of Westport In The Twentieth Century.”

 

From 1992 to 2006, he hosted a weekly local access TV show, "Westport Matters."

 

He married his wife Clarisse in 1958 and raised four children.

 

 

 

 

 

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