‘Superheroes’ rescue dog off Riverhead Beach

BY WILLIAM J.

DOWD

Two people are being praised as “superheroes” for rescuing a dog that swam too far from shore at Riverhead Beach on May 12.

Fire Chief Jason Gillilan told the Marblehead Current that he happened to be there to see David Haley of Marblehead Marine Construction save the pup. “As a witness to a rescue of a dog in distress last Friday, I laud the selfless act of David,”Gilliland said. “Had David not responded with his boat to the rescue of a dog that had swam too far out and became exhausted, the dog most certainly would have met his

Arpa

the ARPA criteria. “We didn’t even consider some of the eligible uses for ARPA funds that are now allowable.” Belf-Becker didn’t think that was necessary.

“Thatcher’s working group has done a stellar job following their parameters, the prioritization criteria adopted by the Select Board with input from a community survey,” Belf-Becker said. “I don’t feel comfortable talking about another meeting like next week, or whatever it would be, because they have work to do.”

Noonan and Singer suggested the working group’s prioritization rubric should be updated to reflect the needs of the Marblehead community now.

“We’re not in a public health emergency — the Center for Diseases and Control has declared it over. We’re not using ARPA funds for personal protective equipment or contract tracing,”

Noonan said, referring to early COVID-19 interventions that ARPA funds covered.

“Circumstances have changed, rendering some of these priorities irrelevant as we’ve already addressed them.” She and Singer believed more attention and support should be placed on reversing students’ learning loss.

Election

From P. A1

Paul Baker

Baker has lived in Marblehead for 22 years and is the head of school at the Devereux School in town and the Devereux at Waring School in Beverly. He is also a board member at the Marblehead Community Charter Public School. Baker has two sons: a freshman at American University and a sixth-grader at Village School.

Baker proudly supports the override.

“I’m happy to share that I voted for the town override and am delighted that the warrant article passed. Allowing the entire town to vote on such an important question at the June ballot is essential. Marblehead can no longer rely on ‘free cash.’

From P. A7

It appears that a simple, not to mention serious eye-safety concern, just didn’t warrant being scheduled over the past three-and-a-half months.

What were the other priorities on the work list? Was the schedule so over-heated that a spare few minutes couldn’t be shaved off?

In the meantime, the warden is planting more trees that his department will have to care for, and neglecting a taxpayer’s demise.”

The dog’s owner, Jennifer Diamont O’Leary, took to social media to express her gratitude.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you to Dave Haley from Marblehead Marine Construction and Jill Dillon Hough for saving my dog’s life today,” she wrote.

O’Leary said her dog swam out too far while chasing a family of ducks. Jill Dillon Hough and her daughters were there and swam after the dog, but couldn’t catch him. Hough then asked Haley, who was nearby on his boat moving a dock, for help.

“He drove me out immediately, dock attached still and saved my dog who was struggling to swim and breathe,” O’Leary wrote on Facebook.

“My dog would have definitely drowned today if it wasn’t for Dave and Jill,”she wrote. “I was a bit shaken after and didn’t thank you as much as I would have liked but you’re both superheroes and saved a beloved family dog.”

Kezer acknowledged a public sentiment that the working group should work at a faster pace. However, the town has until 2026 to spend its ARPA funds. “We also evaluate projects that have other funding sources,” Kezer explained. “That’s why some of these haven’t moved up because we’re working on identifying grants or state programs to maximize ARPA dollars.”

“I look at where these children are now and about what the impact is on their learning,” Singer said. “They will be the ones paying for this, so how are we accounting for that?” ‘A moral hazard’

Select Board Chair Moses

Grader acknowledged some of Noonan and Singer’s points as “valid,” but he largely concurred with Belf-Becker. He emphasized the criteria’s focus on broader aspects of public health and safety, beyond COVID-19 interventions, and

“Our town and our schools don’t deserve additional funding, our town and our schools need additional funding and I will be campaigning to ensure that the override does pass on June 20.”

Sarah Gold

Sarah Gold has served five years on the School Committee and says she’s looking forward to continuing her work there.

“I look forward to addressing the structural deficit and taking the feedback from district administrators, educators, parents and taxpayers to make sure the children of Marblehead receive an exemplary education in a way that doesn’t overburden residents,” said Gold, who also supports the override.

“As a mental health therapist and current school counselor, I am also laser-focused on town safety concern; both while his department isn’t properly caring for the trees already in the ground.

So, anyone passing on the commercial end of Atlantic Avenue’s sidewalk, beware. There is the serious possibility of eye damage while passing the trees.

Jody Magee Guernsey Street

An unpleasant stroll

To the editor: I gave birth to my first expressed hesitation about digressing from the established process. The Select Board, as the town’s executive branch, retains exclusive authority to allocate and expend ARPA funds, meaning they don’t have to seek approval from the town’s legislative body — Town Meeting. While several Bay State communities have already allocated their ARPA funds, about half of Marblehead’s $6.1 million award remains unspent. To ensure fairness, the Select Board established the ARPA ensuring that the Marblehead Public Schools continue to provide robust behavioral support to students in the postCOVID landscape,” she added.

Brian Ota daughter this spring. My husband grew up in Marblehead, and we are temporarily staying with his mom as we adjust to parenthood and get some renovations done at our home. The coastline and neighborhoods of Marblehead have been places I enjoyed walking in my final weeks of pregnancy, and until recently, my first few weeks of motherhood with my little one — when weather and outerwear allow.

Ota served as Glover School principal for five years before being let go last June. Previously, he worked as assistant principal at the Village School and the dean of students in the DennisYarmouth School District.

“One of my goals is to continue building a collaborative working environment within the School Committee, school administration, Select Board and Finance Committee to ensure our students receive the very best education,” said Ota, who will vote for the override.

While working in Marblehead schools, Ota says he accomplished a lot at the district level.

On a sunny but windy afternoon, on Sunday, April 2, I put my daughter in a baby carrier and zipped my oversized working group and its criteria, which functions like a rolling grant program. “We took a decidedly different tack [than other communities], obviously, I think we just cast a very wide net,” Grader said. “And we ultimately pulled together $18 million in funding requests, and it was like, ‘OK, thank God we have these criteria where we can evidence the system that Thatcher is, putting us through.’” He added, “There is kind of a moral hazard with changing criteria midstream.”

“I led a team of principals to develop the first District Curriculum Accommodations Plan which defines best teaching practices to ensure all students — general education and special education — get what they need to be successful. I took over the math adoption committee that replaced the longstanding outdated math books. I was an instrumental member of the District Safety Committee updating and rewriting the safety protocols and helped bring the ALICE protocols into the district.”

Jenn Shaeffner

Schaeffner is hoping to return to the School Committee, where she served five years. She lists several goals for her new term, including “Stop and reverse learning loss” and “Insist, starting immediately, on a fleece around her and I. Baby gets to stay warm and sleep, mom gets fresh air and some exercise. As I began walking on the causeway towards the Neck, a silver Saab drove by full of teenagers. One stuck his head at the window and said, “What the f*** is that? Look at that fat f***!”

For sure, five weeks postpartum I haven’t lost all of my “baby weight,” and maybe the large lump under my jacket jarred this delicate teenager of his ideal that all women should be thin — especially those who are about to be near the Neck zero-based budget that creates budgets for each school building from scratch based on existing student headcount, needs and appropriate staffing levels.”

Currently, Kezer stated that the group’s primary focus lies in addressing infrastructure needs, including water, sewer, drainage and networking technology. They are also committed to supporting the local business community. The May 10 affirmative votes from the Select Board, officials noted, demonstrate a commitment to tackling the issue of learning loss among COVID-era students. The ARPA spending votes approved include the following: — $27,313 for new classroom equipment at local schools, replacing outdated and broken science equipment, such as microscopes, balances, hotplates and centrifuges. — $67,200 for new school technology, including Smart panels for the Village school. These panels will replace outdated projectors and incompatible touch boards.

Schaeffner says she supports the tax override “in large part because I am unwilling to punish our children for the misdeeds of adults. If the override doesn’t pass, the School Committee will have to revisit the budget in late June. The currently proposed cuts are not likely to be the final ones, and I commit to reevaluating all options in order to remove the cuts that most directly impact student outcomes.”Stay with the Current for complete coverage of the town’s June 20 election, including the permanent tax override, and races for Select Board, Board of Health, Light Commission and more.

— but shame on me for having expectations as a woman, new mom and innocent walker, that I could take a Sunday afternoon stroll. Too bad this also occurred two days after the conclusion of Women’s History Month. To anyone out there with an outfit, body type or general appearance that could make someone else say “What the f*** is that?” keep on walking and keep the others asking those big life questions. I hope those boys had a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Alayna Tress Atlantic Avenue