The Flaws of Zero Tolerance Policies

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A Senior Seminar Editorial by Colman Flanagan, MHS 2010

The overreaction of school administrations to cases of poor behavior by students has quickly become one of the biggest problems in society today. The reasons for some expulsions being handed out have left parents, as well as the students both baffled. The requirement by congress put in place in 1994 that forced states receiving federal education money to expel students who bring guns onto school property has quickly been blown way out of proportion. The zero tolerance policy can have a domino effect on a young student who gets in trouble and gets expelled from school. Many of these students will decide to just bag the whole school idea, and are much more suspect to more trouble down the road once they get involved in the juvenile justice system. This system is also subject to racism. The stats show that blacks and Hispanics are being shipped off to court at a higher rate then white students are.

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First snow!

Good morning! And what a good morning it is!

Here are some shots we took earlier this morning on a quick walk in town. What is it about the season’s first snow that makes us feel young?

We welcome and encourage readers to submit their pictures of the snow or anything else Milton. Please send submissions to editor@mytownmatters.com

There are a number of holiday events today. The cub scouts are holding a wreath sale down by the Citgo station on Canton Ave and there is a holiday concert at the library at 3:00pm. You can learn more here. Have a great day!

Click on an image for a larger view.

Milton’s political wallet is big

A story in today’s Boston Globe discusses the financial contributions various towns on the south shore have made to the different candidates for US Senate.

Milton is one of three communities that appears in the top five lists of not one but three of the four democratic candidates! Whoa. Coakley reportedly raised $45,000 followed by Capauano with $20,000 and Khazei with about $8,000.

You can read the full story here.

Planning Board post Temple Shalom article for upcoming Town Meeting

The Planning oard has posted the full text of the article they recently voted 4-1 to submit to the Board of Selectmen for inclusion in the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting currently scheduled of February 22, 2010. The temple is seeking to redevelop the property. The current structure is one they no longer need nor can support. It has become a financial burden. Their hope is to stay on the location in a smaller temple and have the remaining lot commercially developed.  You can read a series of posts on this issue here.

The article begins:

Article ________. To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 10 of the General Bylaws, known as the Zoning Bylaws, by adding the following Subsection L to Section III:
L. Institutional/Commercial Development
In a Residence C district on a lot which has at least 500 feet of frontage on a state highway, which contains at least 150,000 square feet, and which contains tax-exempt uses in a building deemed too large for its uses, the Planning Board may grant a special permit for an institutional/commercial planned unit development (“Institutional/Commercial Development”) for a building to contain a tax exempt use or tax-exempt uses and for two buildings to contain certain commercial uses upon satisfaction of all requirements specified in this subsection and upon such other requirements, terms and conditions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Planning Board as specified in the special permit.

You can find the full text here.

Planning Board vote 4-1 to submit Temple Shalom zoning article

After months of discussions, deliberations, and debate that at times was quite contentious, the Planning Board last night voted 4-1 to submit an article to the Board of Selectmen for inclusion in the Warrant to be put forward at a Special Town Meeting currently scheduled for February 22nd.

The article requests the town to allow the zoning bylaws to be amended to permit construction of a new temple along along with two buildings to contain commercial uses. These are likely a CVS and food market.

Board member Ed Duffy was the lone dissenting vote. Member Bernie Lynch requested confirmation that a “yes” vote was only to submit the article for the warrant and not a recommendation for adoption. The board confirmed that was the case.

The article as submitted contained the edits and revisions recommended the previous evening. The most notable of which was the inclusion of a property value analysis, which reads:

A reliable analysis as to the effect that the development, at the one-year anniversary of the completion of construction, will have had on real estate property values of real property within 500 feet of a lot line of the develpment. In the event that the analysis projects a decrease of real estate property values attributable to the development of this date, measures to mitigate this impact shall be included in the analysis.

[note: You can find the full text of the Planning Board’s article here.]

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Suspects arrested after trying to cash stolen lotto ticket

from Fox News

Two Boston men were arrested after attempting to cash a $5,000 winning lottery ticket that they had stolen during a home invasion in Milton last month.

A 59-year-old Milton man was kidnapped at gunpoint by three men, blindfolded and taken to the basement of a random home on Nov. 20. The victim was an employee of Hatoff’s Service Center, a convenience store in Jamaica Plain. (Read the full story here.)

Planning Board finalize revisions to Shalom zoning article

The Planning Board met last night to grind through the final copy edits and revisions to a zoning article that would be the first step in the potential redevelopment of the Temple Shalom property to contain a CVS, second retail structure, and new, smaller temple.

Together with Coffman Realty and their attorney Milton resident, Ned Corcoran, the board reviewed everyone’s comments in turn and made edits accordingly after some discussion on the point in question.

Alex Whiteside had the lion’s share of revisions to the draft which he authored with input from Corcoran and one of his revisions sparked the most debate. Whiteside proposed inclusion of a property value analysis. Peter jackson, Chairman did not see the need for it arguing that the board had heard sufficient testimony. Whiteside pressed the issue expressing concern for residents whose values might go down as a result of the development, “What do you say to these people? Tough luck?” After discussion with regard to the area encompassed (e.g. should it only be the abutters?), time frame (do values go down in 3 years, 5 years) and consequences of other development on property values (i.e. if a 40B development went in would impact on property values be any more or less?) the board agreed to include language on a property analysis. Most likely it will be restricted to abutters at the time development is complete and conform to appraisal industry standards. The final language will be in article to be reviewed this evening.

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Selectmen hear first hand from residents on Temple Shalom development

At an abruptly called special meeting by the Board of Selectmen, residents voiced their thoughts, opinions, and concerns regarding the development of the Temple Shalom property. The Board also heard from Peter Jackson, chairman of the Planning Board, and gave him their input.

The temple was the principal agenda item for a meeting that was scheduled sometime over the weekend. It came just three days before the Planning Board intends to vote on whether to recommend a zoning overlay to Town Meeting. The Planning Board will be meeting twice this week. First on 12/2 to continue deliberations and then again on 12/3 to take a vote. December 3rd is the deadline the Board of Selectmen has set for receipt of a recommendation from the Planning Board. Jackson said the Planning Board will meet that date.

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Brian Joyce voices his views on NECN

Brain Joyce, MA state senator from Milton, recently appeared on NECN’s “Broadside” along with Joe Malone. They spoke their minds on a number of issues including the race for senator and Sarah Palin.

from NECN



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