The Milton School Committee will be meeting in the Milton High School Library @ 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 7th.
They will be acknowledging the Boston Globe Scholastic Art awards, reviewing the status of the new MPS web site, and getting an update from the Finance sub committee among other items of business.Please click on the “Continue reading . . . ” link for the full agenda.
Rene Castro
While Rene Castro was not an All-Scholastic. He is featured in one of the winter sports seasons special moments. Please see; “Boys night out at the Garden”
The All Scholastics are:
Boys Hockey All Stars: Jack Brown and Kevin Joyce
Girls Hockey All Stars: Mary Carmody and Brianna Kelly
Boys Basketball Super Team: Marcus McDermott
Div 2 Boys Basketball Coach of the Year: Sean LoPresti
Boys Track All Star: Paul Connor
Girls Track All-Stars: Emily Hughes and Cheryl Tran
Alpine Skiing All Stars: Inez Cambell and Zach Beaulieu
from Boston Globe
The crowd surrounded the three graves early yesterday afternoon, forming a sea of black that was at times a dozen people deep. Over the harmonies of Haitian folk songs and the drone of an excavator, came the sound of wailing. (read the full story here.)
Among the items and issues discussed by the Board of Selectmen in their meeting of 04.02.09 were the following:
Habitat for Humanity
Listening to a presentation from the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, “an ecumenical, nonprofit organization dedicated to building simple, decent homes in partnership with families in need.”
This affiliate serves the 35 cities and towns south and southwest of Boston.
You can visit their web site here.
Abby Park Restaurant
Vance Welch updated the Board on his plans for the restuarant in East Milton. He has renamed the restaurant from Stone Park to Abby Park. He showed some menus designed by the local firm, Jackrabbit Design. He is currently planning to open June 15th.
Milton Yacht Club
Members of the Milton Yacht Club also say down to inform the Board of what they are up to. They have made some capital improvements in the structure they maintain. The Milton Yacht Club is located in Lower Mills (see map below). Many residents may not be aware that Milton even has a yacht club; but it is a great group. They provide the money, time, and energy to maintain the town owned property and building. They make the space available to other town groups.The Framers Market sets up shop down there and the Milton Players use the building for rehearsal space. This is civic minded group that is an asset to the community. The next time errands take you to Lower Mills, take a moment to walk down to the water and enjoy the view.
from the Boston Globe
More than 1,500 people attended a funeral service today in Boston’s Mattapan section for two Milton sisters and the man who killed them — their own brother.
Samantha Revelus, 17, and Bianca Revelus, 5, were stabbed to death by Kerby Revelus, 23, last Saturday when an argument escalated into violence. Kerby Revelus was then shot to death by police. (read the full story here).
from NECN
For the first time in twenty-eight years the Milton ballot will not list Kevin Sorgi as a candidate for Treasurer & Collector. After nearly three decades in office, Kevin Sorgi has chosen to move on.
That amount of time and experience gives one a knowledge and perspective about the both the office and the town that is unique. Kevin agreed to sit down and do an exit interview, sharing his thoughts about the office, town government, and lessons learned. We met a man who is blunt and independent-minded with a head for numbers and a passionate heart for the town.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” says Sorgi.
Kevin Sorgi is a lifelong resident of town. He attended St Agatha’s elementary school and graduated from Milton High in 1965. He went to Northeastern, where he received a BS in Education and History. Upon graduation, his hope was to become a teacher, but at that time (early 70’s) “there were more teachers than students.” He secured a position with Dun and Bradstreet. He performed well both in the office and on the softball field.
But then came a Sorgi moment: when offered a promotion, he asked, “What if I don’t want to be promoted?” Informed he would need to leave the firm, he replied, “OK.” So Sorgi left Dun and Bradstreet and became a Milton police officer.
He served on the force from 1972 to1981, where he freely admits his arrest record was not especially remarkable. Instead, he points to his work with the Juvenile Citation Program as being on the plus side of that balance sheet.
As time went on, his personal situation and responsibilities were not compatible with a police officer’s schedule.
When the office of town treasurer became available, he decided to run. Sorgi quips, “I don’t think anyone grows up wanting to be Town Treasurer.” But he won the election. He would win re-election for the next 27 terms.
According to Sorgi, becoming Town Treasurer “is like learning a foreign language.” The outgoing treasurer took Sorgi under his wing and showed him the way, something Sorgi is committed to doing for his successor.
The Treasurer/Collector is responsible for:
On that last point, there are very few properties under foreclosure, maybe 75 out of 8300, according to Sorgi. Usually they come about due to illness, death, or college debt and are typically temporary deliquencies. Regarding investing the town’s funds, Sorgi states there are three priorities. In order of importance they are: safety, liquidity, and yield. Approximately $86 million flows through the town coffers on an annual basis.
From Sorgi’s perspective, “the trickiest part of the job is managing the cash flow.” There is the $3 million a month in payroll, and then there are vendor payments which are very difficult to project.
But while that may be the tricky part, it is clearly the contact with the public that has kept Sorgi in office for so long. “I spend a lot of time with the public. I listen to [their] problems, questions, and concerns. People know that they have someone here who will listen and respond. And that is very important for them to feel about their government.”
It is that commitment to the town and its people that is the likely reason prior Town Administrator David Colton selected Sorgi to assist when Standard & Poor was re-evaluating Milton’s bond rating. Sorgi squired them around town and showed them “the strength of Milton: Indian Cliffs, Curry College, Turner’s Pond.” Standard & Poor gave Milton’s bond rating an upgrade.
Sorgi claims to have it pretty easy. When he speaks to Town Treasurers from other communities, “I can’t relate to what they are talking about. We have good citizens. They pay their bills on time; they maintain their properties, and they show town pride.”
Stephen M. Tart, a teacher at Milton High School and a member to the Massachusetts Education Association, has an opinion piece in today’s Patriot Ledger.
He begins:
Education is expensive. Most teachers carry a load of student loan debt incurred over the course of four years of undergraduate study in addition to another year of graduate study.
That is why very few are able to afford homeownership early in their career.
(Read the full story here.)
Frank Santos, Comedy Hypnotist, will be putting on a show to benefit the senior all-night Graduation Party. This is the single most important fund-raiser for the Senior All Night Graduation Party, an annual drug-free, alcohol free even.
Join in the fun!
WHERE: Milton High School Auditorium / Gile Road / Milton, MA
WHEN: April 9th @ 7:00 p.m.