IMPORTANT NOTICE about TRASH & RECYCLING

You may have noticed a packet of information under your door recently concerning the new trash and recycling program recently instituted by the City of Salem. Read it carefully.
The skinny is that the new program is mandatory, so we have no choice but to comply.
The city has established an 8-week "grace" period during the implementation of this program to allow people to adjust to the new requirements. After that 8 week period, fines will be levied for violations of the recycling rules . These fines can add up quickly. That is a bad thing because eventually those fines will come out of your pocket, so.... please help avoid additional and unnecessary costs by only recycling those materials allowed and by not putting items that are eligible for recycling in the dumpster. Take a look at the sheet. Familiarize yourself with the allowed and disallowed items. PAY ATTENTION to what you are throwing away.
We encourage you to visit www.salem.com for further information.

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT PETS

There are still some tenants who are unclear on the rules about pets in the building. I recently encountered a woman from the building walking her dog by the dumpsters. When I told her that dogs are not allowed in the building, she replied "Yes they are, lot's of people in the building have dogs."
Besides being disingenuous, she was also completely wrong. As a trustee I would know who has approval for a dog, and she most definitely did not. In fact only one person in the entire building has permission to have a dog, and that is a small (service) dog in the building by special permission of the management company and the board.  This is the only exception and was the result of a long process of medical documentation, review and approval by the board.

Let me clearly restate the official policy here so there is no longer any confusion.

From the original Condo by-laws:
 (b) No animals shall be permitted in any unit without approval of the Managing Board.

 From the 2013 amended rules and regs:
No animals shall be permitted in any unit or on the common areas without written approval of the managing board

If you are contemplating getting a pet of any kind, you need to contact Markwood Management and submit an application for permission to have that pet. If you somehow overlooked or ignored the condo bylaws and already have a dog, contact Markwood Management immediately, because if you do not, and there is any complaint about that animal, (barking, poop, etc.) the unit owner will be fined until either the animal or you, are removed from the building.

In a building this small, where smells and sounds are a real quality-of-life issue, we cannot afford to have people assuming that rules about pets do not apply to them.

SMOKING: A Reminder

As we start closing up our windows for the cold weather, interior smells become more noticeable, especially that of cigarette smoke. This is a reminder that this is officially a Smoke Free building. There is NO SMOKING allowed anywhere in the building, that includes all individual units, and all common areas.

We know that people who live in the building, smoke, because we them smoking around the front door or in the side lot and we see their cigarette butts on the ground outside.
Many of those who smoke are at least considerate enough to go outside to do so, but as happens every year when the cold weather starts, people start fudging it: smoking in the back stairway, just outside the front and back doors, or in their units.
This is unfair to the majority who do not smoke. Besides smelling bad, causing eye, throat and nose irritations, and increasing the risk of fire, it also exposes everyone to carcinogens.

According to this article, smoking in the home can reduce the value of the property on resale by up to 29 per cent. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/16/smoking-house-prices_n_3093543.html
I'm sure your landlord and neighbors are going to love that.

So what to do? One might consider quitting smoking, however if the overwhelming certainty that smoking causes cancer has not been enough to deter you, that's probably not going to happen.
You could  try switching to an e-cigarette, or move to a building that allows smoking.
But be dead sure that smoking in the building will not be tolerated.
You might be able to get away with it for a while, but you can't hide the fact that you are smoking in a building this small. Interior doors are not that tight, and neither are the floors between units. It doesn't take a bloodhound to sniff out where the smoke is coming from. Sooner or later someone is going to complain to Markwood about the smell of smoke coming from your end of the hallway, or your unit, or if you will be seen smoking in the building. If that happens, you will be fined, $100 for each offense until you stop. Is that worth it? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

So once again... DO NOT SMOKE IN THE BUILDING.

IMPORTANT Recycling/Trash Changes

You may have noticed some new recycling bins in the side driveway.
A new and improved trash and recycling collection program will begin November 2, 2015.
Please read the following carefully. 

Remember — recycling is mandatory in Salem. 

New Recycling Collection Program
Beginning in November, recycling carts will be collected by an automated process in most neighborhoods. Special trucks with ‘arms’ will pick up your carts and deposit their contents into the truck.
NOTE: Recycling will be collected every other week in the blue 96-gallon cart instead of every week. The old bins will be going away DO NOT USE THE OLD BINS after November 2. Only supplied carts will be collected - trash barrels, blue recycling bins, or any other
receptacles will no longer be acceptable or collected.

Trash & Single Stream Recycling Collection
Salem is now offering ‘single stream’ recycling, which means that paper, plastic, glass bottles and cans may all be mixed together in your recycling cart. That is the good news. The bad news is that they will a lot pickier about what is in the bins. Pay careful attention to what items are allowed and what are not. There is a handy guide on the lid of each bin. If you are in doubt, put it in the dumpster. If you place disallowed items in the bins we run a strong risk of not having our recycling picked up, which besides being a pain in the neck, will be an additional expense for Markwood, and therefore for you.

So to RECAP
• Use the 96-gallon blue cart with the green lid.
• Recycling will be collected every-other-week.
• No sorting is needed.
• DO NOT put recyclables in plastic bags.
• Containers that held food should be rinsed and FREE of FOOD DEBRIS.
 For example: no pizza boxes with grease of cheese on them.
Acceptable materials for curbside recycling include:

A more detailed list of materials that can be recycled will be distributed later this week to all 24 Norman Street residents. You can also obtain more information by visiting  www.Salem.com.
Thank you for your cooperation.

HALLOWEEN PARKING NOTICE for 24 Norman Street

The side parking lot at 24 Norman Street will be chained and locked starting noon Friday 10/30/15 until Sunday 11/1/15. This means the side lot will be unavailable for parking for the pretty much the entire weekend. Be aware, and plan ahead. If your car is found parked there when Markwood closes the lot, your car will be towed, or will be locked in for the weekend. This is in anticipation of record crowds in Salem. In past years we have had issues with non-residents parking in the side lot during the Halloween festivities, and because of road closings and heavy traffic, were unable to have them towed.
If you have any questions about this or other issues, please contact Markwood Management at 781-639-4080.

Halloween Parking Reminder

This is a warning for for new tenants and a reminder for long term residents of 24 Norman Street.
If you are not already aware, October is a very difficult month for traffic and parking in Salem. This is true for much of Salem but for the downtown area especially.
Haunted Happenings, the month-long program of events and activities brings in a huge daily influx of tourists, especially on the weekends, meaning your usual parking spots (including Riley Plaza) are frequently filled with the cars of day-trippers, out-of-town gawkers, evening revelers and and other Halloween visitors. Parking enforcement is generally very stringent.
Markwood wants to remind everyone that parking restrictions for the side parking lot are in full effect. 

Parking restrictions for the side parking lot are somewhat more relaxed during the rest of the year.
Although it is a temporary drop/off, pick-up area and Markwood prefers that you park there a maximum of 20 minutes, they are aware that many people exceed this time limit, sometimes by several hours, (which you always do at your own risk).

There are however, several instances where the parking restriction is ruthlessly enforced. (1) When a vehicle is blocking access to the driveway. (2) When a vehicle is blocking access to the dumpster on a trash day (3) When a vehicle is interfering with snow removal (4) The entire month of October. 

Case in point: This last weekend this blue Hyundai was parked in middle of the side lot from Saturday evening until Monday morning , (when it was towed away). 

Markwood has no easy way of confirming if a car belongs to a resident of 24 Norman Street, a visitor, or friend of a tenant, or is just some random tourist. Markwood also has no way of contacting the owner of any particular vehicle. (We do not have the ability to look up and cross-reference registration and the police will not get involved with parking violations on private property)
Markwood has no choice but to call the tow company.
If your car is broken down and you are unable to move it, it is your responsibility to call Markwood and let them know the circumstances.

If your car has been towed, it will have been towed by Bill's Towing Service, located at  2 Commercial St, Salem (978).  It is an expensive and inconvenient experience to retrieve it,
so please avoid parking in the side lot for longer than 20 minutes. Also warn any visiting friends or relatives about this restriction. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Recycling Etiquette

There are a number of recycling bins available for the use of residents at 24 Norman Street, but after finding loose cardboard blowing around the side parking lot and a pile of boxes next to the bins, we thought it might be helpful to go over some basic rules of recycling and trash "etiquette".

1. Put the appropriate item into the appropriate bin.
People are generally in a hurry to dispose of their trash and recycling as quickly as possible, but taking a few seconds to read the labels on the recycling bins and/or check what is already in them before placing your items would be helpful. The recycling is sorted by item, both by where they put it in  the truck and where it is processed at the plant, so mixing different items in the bins just makes it a slower and more difficult process.

2. Make sure the materials to be recycled are relatively clean.
That means rinsing out bottles and cans and food containers so that there is no visible food residue in them. If you have something with food really stuck in it, say some cardboard food container such as a pizza box, if it is permeated with grease or has cheese stuck to it, please throw it in the trash, not the recycling bins. It's hard enough to keep the dumpster from smelling and being infested with flies, let alone the recycling bins.

3. Break down those cardboard boxes.
Too often people do not take the time to break down their cardboard items (such as large boxes) and leave them in a pile next to the bins.
This is a problem in several instances; when it is raining, when it is windy, when there is mixed packing material (such as styrofoam) in the box. These are all circumstances that either make an unsightly mess, make it almost difficult to recycle the material, or both.
Even if anitem is small enough to fit into the bin without breaking it down, you should break it down as much as possible, or you make it difficult for other tenants to use the bin, leading back to the unsightly piles of stuff outside the bins.

4. Leave the caps on those bottles
Rather than removing the caps from bottles, or throwing them into the bins by themselves, please put the caps back on. We have been told that when they sort the materials, the smaller items often fall into the machinery, and gum up the works.

If everyone could make an effort to follow these 4 guidelines, it would make for a much cleaner, more efficient and less ghetto-looking recycling area. Thank you!

NOTICE: DO NOT LEAVE LARGE ITEMS OUT BY THE DUMPSTER

To 24 Norman Street Residents:

Please do not leave large articles, furniture, rugs, electronics, etc.,  in the dumpster area.  Waste Management does not pick up these items when they empty the dumpster and we must send someone, at a cost to the Association, to remove and dispose of them.

Lifebridge in Salem may take some of these items.  There are many small, independent trash haulers in Salem who will take unwanted furniture for a reasonable fee.  In addition, Salem holds "EWaste" disposal days every three months at the High School.  With proof of Salem residency, electronics and household appliances may be disposed of for $10 per item.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping the grounds clean and keeping costs down.

Thank you,
Markwood Management

As always, we ask that those of you who rent your units pass this information on to your tenants.

If this practice continues, Markwood may be forced to review security camera footage and fine those responsible.

Pets Policy Clarification

There are no dogs allowed in the building. This includes all dogs no matter how small they are. There is currently only one exception;  (1) small service dog is in the building by special permission of the management company and the board.  This is the only exception and was the result of a long process of medical documentation, review and approval by the board. The official policy for the building is that there are no pets allowed in the building. The management maintains this rule and right to control the presence of all pets especially if they can potentially become a noise or health issue. Thank you.

Fall Entrance Corridor Street Sweeping Schedule

Entrance corridor street sweeping will begin on Tuesday, September 1 and run through September 11.

Entrance corridor sweeping will take place between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on the following dates.  New this year, we have stream-lined the sweeping of entrance corridors and re-aligned some of the days corridors will be swept, so please take an extra minute to review this fall schedule.  Each corridor will be swept over a period of two consecutive days which will alternate between the odd and even side of the streets.  Also, as we did last spring, City workers will be utilizing blowers to clear corridor sidewalks of debris prior to the street sweeping.

Each corridor will be posted with temporary ‘No Parking/Tow Zone’ signs and parking will be prohibited between the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Tuesday, September 1: Odd side of Boston Street and Essex Street (from Boston St. to North St.).
Wednesday, September 2: Even side of Boston Street and Essex Street (from Boston St. to North St.).

Thursday, September 3: Odd side of North Street.
Friday, September 4: Even side of North Street.

Tuesday, September 8: Odd side of Loring Avenue and Lafayette Street (from Derby St. to Marblehead line).
Wednesday, September 9: Even side of Loring Avenue and Lafayette Street (from Derby St. to Marblehead line).

Thursday, September 10: Odd side of Bridge Street.
Friday, September 11: Even side of Bridge Street.

Please be aware that certain weather conditions prohibit the use of the street sweepers: during moderate to heavy rainfall and extreme cold temperatures sweepers will not be able to operate. Weather cancellations will be posted on www.salem.com

Residential neighborhood street sweeping will begin on September 14 and continue through October 9.  The residential schedule will be released shortly.


CLICK HERE FOR ENTRANCE CORRIDOR SWEEPING SCHEDULE

Salem residents get free pass to New England Aquarium all of September

With Salem schools not starting until Wednesday, September 9, summer is longer and more challenging for weary and cash-strapped parents and caregivers, continually looking for creative and entertaining ways to keep children busy for a few more days.

The New England Aquarium has just the remedy, exclusive to SALEM RESIDENTS ONLY: Free admission for the entire month of September. That is nearly a $100 savings for most families to see the Aquarium’s new exhibit on sea turtle rescue as well as penguins, fur seals, sea lions, harbor seals, sharks, sting rays, and thousands of more aquatic animals.

PROOF OF SALEM RESIDENCE - At the Aquarium’s box office, Salem residents need to show either their licenses, state identification cards, passports, or current mortgage, insurance, utility, or banking statements. Here is the link for more information: www.neaq.org/salem.  This offer is not available for phone or online orders, or for school or other group reservations. It may not be combined with other offers and is not valid on the New England Aquarium Whale Watch or in the Simons IMAX Theatre.

SALEM’S BENEFACTOR - Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll stated, "Salem is so fortunate to be the beneficiary of the Norman H. Read Trust, which focuses on funding science education and technology in our schools and for our children.~This September, Salem Days gives all of our residents the opportunity to explore marine science with free admission to the New England Aquarium."
Norman Read, who died in 1992 at age 100, made his fortune in the sciences of oil and natural gas in Texas and Alaska.~ Before he died, he created the trust as a means to enhance excellence in science education for all Salem residents.~Generations of his family were residents of Salem since colonial days.

OTHER FREE & LOW COST ACTIVITIES NEAR THE AQUARIUM – To build out a full, low cost day with kids in Boston beyond a free visit to the Aquarium, Salem residents might consider these other no or low cost entertainment options that are nearby. The Rose Kennedy Greenway in front of the Aquarium is now fully grown in, vibrant and exciting. Kids of all ages should wear their swim suits under their light summer clothing as they are welcome and encouraged to run through the unpredictable water jets of the Rings Fountain on the Greenway. Shrieks of excitement and laughter are guaranteed at no cost. Wander down the green path among the skyscrapers to see the widely acclaimed aerial sculpture that floats between the high rises. Hurry to see it as this ethereal, moving creation will come down in October before late autumn winds create havoc with it.
Stroll over to Quincy Market and check out their always amazing street performers. A bounty of cheap food options abound there, but if cash is really tight, pack a lunch and cross the Greenway to have a pleasant picnic on the wide lawns of Christopher Columbus Park overlooking sailboats tied up in the harbor. This park is truly one of Boston’s best kept secrets as it is tucked between the Long Wharf Marriott and the North End. The lawns are big enough for the kids to play with a ball or a Frisbee as adults get off their feet. Save your dessert for a gelato run as you explore Boston’s iconic Italian neighborhood.

TAKE THE SALEM FERRY - For a car-free adventure, Boston Harbor Cruises offers discounted tickets for Salem residents on the Fast Ferry that runs five crossings a day from Salem’s Blaney Street Pier into Boston’s Long Wharf North, adjacent to the Aquarium.          

Semi-Annual FREE Book Swap

GreenSalem.com is sponsoring another of their semi-annual book swaps at the Senior Center on Broad Street. (That is only 2 blocks from us) If you've never been to one, these swaps are busy and surprisingly fun.

The swap is September 19, 2015 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
 
If you have a lot of items, they can be dropped off ahead of time on Friday, September 18th from 5-7 p.m and on Saturday, September 19th from 9:45 a.m.-12noon.

The book swap is a great way to recycle any of your unwanted books, greeting cards; and commercial CDs, DVDs and videos. Take home a whole new selection of items, cards and even some bestselling books. All books are accepted—even text books.
No swap is needed - you can donate materials, take materials, or both.

SalemRecycles is the City’s volunteer recycling committee which works to increase recycling and encourage positive recycling practices through educational outreach and special events. Through the last eleven Book Swaps, SalemRecycles has hosted over 4,200 participants; recycled an estimated 57,000 books, and avoided over 28 tons of landfill disposal.

For more information about SalemRecycles or the Book Swap, please call(978)-619-5679 or visit www.salem.com/recycling or GreenSalem.com. Like SalemRecycles on Facebook.
All left over materials will be donated or recycled.

54th Annual Salem Heritage Days Begins August 1st

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll today announced this year’s Heritage Days schedule of events which begin on Saturday, August 1st and continue through Sunday, August 9th. 

Mayor Driscoll stated, “Another week of fun filled activities are in store for this annual tradition.
I want to thank all the event managers that have worked so hard to bring almost forty different activities to choose from during Heritage Days this year.” 

Heritage Days kicks off this year with the 27th Annual Salem Maritime Festival at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Derby Wharf from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The 27th Salem Maritime Festival will host an exciting array of free family fun festivities, including free harbor cruises, traditional craft demonstrations, and children's activities. Come cruise, sail, paddle, and row through four centuries of Salem maritime history. Explore the Friendship of Salem and visiting vessels.  It doesn’t stop there folks, there are also three different events happening at the Willows on Saturday.  Be entertained by the Bridgin G.A.P.S. concert with performances ranging from local and non-local recording artists, live bands, dance groups, poets and other performance beginning at noon and running until 6:00 p.m. The Firemen’s Muster takes place at 12:30 p.m. where crews will compete to throw the longest stream of water with an antique hand pumped fire engine.  Clown Day will be also be happening from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. where clowns will be on hand all day to make balloon figures for your children, get their face painted and let them be entertained by a special performance at 2:30pm.

New this year is the City and the Salem Moose Family Center joining forces to combine Sunday’s August 2nd tour-a-truck event with Public Safety Day that usually happens in September.  Along with all of the kids’ big truck favorites, there will be some music and many new things to do and see.  The Ladies of the Moose will be donating 50 bike helmets to be fitted by the Salem Police Department (first come first serve).

Also new this year, something a bit different, Sail Salem will be hosting the 2015 Optimist New England Championship Sailing Regatta at Winter Island with over 400 young sailors from around the country. Although you may only catch a glimpse of the races from Waikiki Beach or the Willows Pier, the best view will be on spectator boats, so think about booking passage. (for rates and reservations go to Sea-Shuttle.com or www.MahiCruises.com. For more information about the Regatta go to www.sailsalem.org

Don’t worry, all your favorites are packed into the schedule:  Salem’s Best Pizza Contest, the Salem Community Concert Band; the Ice Scream Bowl; Kids Night on the Common, the Essex Street Fair and the 14th Annual Phillips House Antique Car Meet to name a few.

During Heritage Week there are also four activities just for Salem Seniors: an ice cream social; a barbecue; a wellness fair and a dinner dance.

For our residents, Salem is the perfect place for your STAY-CATION.  Spend a day being a tourist and take advantage of the generosity of our tourist related business community. Many are free to Salem residents all year long like the Peabody Essex Museum, the Salem Witch Museum, the Salem Trolley (June-September), and the House of the Seven Gables.  The Witch House will be free to Salem residents during Heritage week and Pioneer Village will be free to residents on Saturday August 1st. The Salem Ferry always has discounts for residents and during Heritage Days the Sea Shuttle, Mahi Mahi Cruises and the Schooner Fame are offering discounts for residents.

As part of the celebration, the City of Salem will double the merchant one-hour validation stamps at both garages, so spend a little bit longer enjoying downtown (some restrictions do apply).

CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Some Trash Etiquette

With several new people having moved into the building recently, we thought it might be a good idea to go over some basic dumpster etiquette.
When disposing of cardboard boxes in the recycling bins, please take them apart and break them down as much as possible. Please don't do this:

Also, when throwing your bags of trash into the dumpster, please make sure that they go INSIDE the dumpster. Do not throw them on top, beside or in front of the dumpster. The dumpster looked like this recently, even though there was plenty of room in the back half of the dumpster.

 We ended up with trash all over the surrounding area.

This is always an issue, but especially during the summer months, when stray trash attracts all kinds of vermin such as flies, rats and even fat squirrels. (As well as smelling and looking bad).

Another issue is the disposal of large furniture or other trash items . We recently had this to contend with this discarded toilet.

The dumpster is not intended for construction debris, or large furniture items. If an item doesn't fit in the dumpster, you need to make your own arrangements to dispose of it.
If you are having work done on your unit, you must make sure your plumber or carpenter will dispose of these kinds of items off-site.
The new trash disposal service is not required to take these kinds of items, and if you leave them we run the risk of not having our regular trash picked up.
If you place an item of this kind out by the dumpster, it requires Markwood to hire someone other than our regular trash service to dispose of it, which costs extra money. The more money we take from the operating budget, (i.e. your condo fee) to haul this crap away, the less we have for other expenses and repairs.

Your cooperation is much appreciated.

Your Input is Needed for the Salem Artists Row Public Forum

The City of Salem has hired The Cecil Group to coordinate a process to re-envision Artists’ Row, with a goal to spur revitalization of the space so that it can be a renewed focal point of Salem’s creative economy.  A plan for Artists’ Row will be developed and focus on design, uses and programming, and management and operations.  We would like to know your thoughts on how the City can address these critical issues to improve Artists’ Row in the short term and for years to come.

Earlier this week, the City held one of two public forums to gather input from the community on this issue.  Below is a link to the presentation that was shown at the meeting.  Below the presentation link is a link to an online survey that we kindly ask that you fill out and submit by noon on Friday, June 26th.  If you have any questions about this project you may contact Andrew Shapiro at ashapiro@salem.com or 978-619-5685.

Thank you in advance for providing your valuable feedback on this important project.
Artists’ Row Envisioned Presentation (Powerpoint)

Survey

A Major New Initiative by the City of Salem

WHAT: Listening session on Age-Friendly Salem
WHEN: Tuesday, June 23, 2015
First Session: 2pm to 3:30pm
Second Session: 6pm to 7:30pm
WHERE: City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street, 3rd Floor

"An Age-Friendly city helps people of all ages participate in community activities and treats everyone with respect--regardless of their age. An Age-Friendly city welcomes everyone and adapts its structures and services to be accessible to all including older people with varying needs and capacities. An Age-Friendly city encourages active aging by optimizing opportunities for good health and social interaction in order to add ‘Life to Years.’ This is a vital part of Salem’s future.” - Mayor Kimberley Driscoll

Click Here to Learn More

Salem Farmers Market 2015 Opens June 11!

When the opening bell rings at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, the Salem Farmers’ Market will officially kick off its seventh season in its current format on Derby Square. With over 30 vendors, the market will be held at Derby Square on Front Street in Salem, MA every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from June 11th through October 22nd, 2015.

Opening day will set the tone for the largely volunteer-run market that, over the next five months, gives residents and tourists alike the opportunity to buy farm-fresh produce, seafood, baked goods, meat, and a variety of other goods. Every week the market will offer demonstrations and live music.

“The market has truly become a destination for the community – it’s a gathering place as well as an opportunity to get fresh, local produce and other goods,"   Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan said, adding that the 2014 market season brought an attendance of well over 35,000 market-goers. “With the great range of vendors that we have, there’s something for everyone at to our farmers’ market.” 

At the heart of the market are seven major farms who will attend this year: Clark Farm, Gibney Gardens, Maitland Mountain Farm, Grant Family Farm, Heavens Harvest Certified Organic Farm, Long Hill Orchard, and Wally's Vegetables. They are complemented by an array of specialty foods, bakery products, spices, and non-food vendors.

Exciting new additions to the market include Honey Pot Farm (honey and maple syrup), Swissbakers (baked goods), Just Herbals (herbal products), All Fruit (nuts and dried fruit mixes), and Grassy Roots (juice).
       
As in previous years the farmers market will continue to take EBT through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

The market is made possible through the leadership of Salem Main Streets and the Farmers’ Market Committee, as well as the generous contributions of numerous volunteers.  For more information please contact Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan via email at kylie@salemmainstreets.org. To get the latest updates about the farmers’ market, visit our website at  www.salemfarmersmarket.org  or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SalemMAFarmersMarket) or on Twitter (@salemfarmersmarket).

2015 Memorial Day Events in Salem

Salem Veterans Council's Memorial Weekend Events

Sunday May 24

10:15- Wreath laying ceremony at the Veterans Section of St. Mary's cemetery off of North Street
10:45- Following wreath laying there will be a navel cannon salute to those lost at sea at Winter Island
11:45- Memorial Day Mass at St. John's on St. Peter Street
1:00- Collation at the Polish League of American Veterans (PLAV) club on Daniels Street. All are welcome to attend.

Memorial Day-Monday May 25

10:30- Parade departs from Commercial Street. Free troley ride for any veteran unable to march.

11:00- Memorial Day ceremony at Green Lawn cemetery. Guest speaker is USMC LtCol Michael Hunter.
12:30- Collation at the VFW, 95 Derby Street. All are welcome to attend. Call 978-745-0883 if there are ay questions.

Waste Management to Take Over Salem Trash and Recycling Collection June 1

Good news for anyone who was completely frustrated by Northside Carting's unresponsiveness to the trash pick-up situation this February. (They basically didn't make any pick-ups at our building for the entire month).

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll today announced that the City will be transitioning to a new curbside trash and recycling collection contractor effective June 1. As of that date the City’s trash, recycling, and yard waste collection will be conducted by Waste Management.
“Waste Management will be assigned the existing contract for a period of one month, as we work to negotiate and finalize a new multi-year contract with the company to officially commence July 1,” said Mayor Driscoll. “Over the last several months the existing contractor’s performance has significantly deteriorated and become a growing source of frustration for our residents and our City staff. Several weeks ago we began the process of legally separating ourselves from them and transitioning to a new vendor. I am pleased to announce that the new vendor, Waste Management, will be starting June 1.”
Between now and June 1st, residents who experience a missed trash or recycling pick-up should report it by calling 978-619-5673 or reporting it via www.seeclickfix.com/Salem_MA. The daily list of missed collections will be sent to Elite Waste Disposal, who is being contracted by the City to supplement the current contractor, Northside Carting, and help collect missed pick-ups. Elite will work to address the missed pick-up within 48 hours.

City officials are negotiating a new contract with Waste Management that will be submitted to the City Council before the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. That new contract will commence July 1 and additional details about it will be released once they are finalized. More information about the new collection contractor and any applicable changes to the City’s trash and recycling regulations will be posted at www.salem.com/recycling and sent via the City’s News & Announcements city-wide email list (http://salem.com/subscriber).

About Waste Management
Waste Management (www.wm.com) is the largest environmental solutions provider in North America, serving more than 20 million customers in the U.S. and Canada. As part of our strategy, we are committed to developing new waste solutions that can help communities and organizations achieve their green goals, including zero waste. With the largest network of recycling facilities, transfer stations and landfills in the industry, our entire business can adapt to meet the needs of every distinct customer group. In 2012, we worked with over 100 Fortune 500 companies and helped over 150 different communities become greener.

FAQs regarding Salem’s trash and recycling pick-up effective June 1, 2015

Why did the contractor change?
Northside Carting was unable to provide appropriate service for Salem residents; the City negotiated with Waste Management WM to take over the contract effective June 1, 2015. A new 10 year contract is currently being negotiated to start July 1.

How do I report a missed trash or recycling pick-up after June 1st?
You can still report these issues on SeeClickFix (www.seeclickfix.com/salem_ma) or call Waste
Management customer service at 800-972-4545.

Can I still bring my materials to the Transfer Station at 12 Swampscott Road?
Yes, Salem residents with a valid Salem driver's license and a non-commercial vehicle registered in Salem, are able to drop off up to 50 lbs. of non-hazardous materials free, over 50 lbs. of non-hazardous materials $0.06/lb, $5 minimum, white goods free), and yard waste in paper bags or loose (free). Please note: Contractors or non-residents - $150.00/ton, $50.00 minimum charge.

Will the dumpster at my building change?
If your dumpster is part of the City contract and not privately contracted Waste Management will work with Northside Carting to change out the dumpsters as quickly as possible. In the meantime, your dumpster should be picked up on schedule.

Is there any change in how Salem recycles after June 1?
Not initially. For the first few months recycling collection will remain as is with a dual stream process
(separate paper and plastic/glass). Any changes to recycling regulations will be posted at
www.salem.com/recycling and announced via City-wide email (sign up at www.salem.com/subscriber).

Are there any changes to how my trash and recycling should be placed curbside after June 1?
For the first few months, trash and recycling regulations will remain the same: unlimited dual stream
recycling and 3 barrel/bag trash limit up to 35 gallons and weighing up to 50 lbs. per container per
household. One bulk item is allowed weekly, per household. Any changes to trash and recycling regulations will be posted at www.salem.com/recycling and announced via City-wide email.

How will I know why my material is left behind?
Waste Management will leave a sticker explaining the problem; also if you call their customer service office at 800-972-4545, they should be able to address the problem.

Equipment Vault Update

If you live on the basement level of 24 Norman Street, or on the 7-11 side of the building, you may have noticed some activity in and around the electrical junction room (next to the laundry room), and the adjacent below-ground equipment "vault". 
Here is an official update dated April 23rd, from the Markwood office on the work being done at 24 Norman Street. 

 "As we have previously reported, Commtank is working in the building continuing the clean up.  All proper notifications and permits have been filed.  To date we have spent just under $6,000.

Today was the anticipated day to remove the transformers which have been evaluated and believe to be the source of the oil. Commtank has reported back today the transformers, which were thought to have been abandoned, do in fact have power to them.

With this information and information found by Carol Kenney (Markwood Management), of a possible easement with AT&T for access to this room, we felt it was necessary to immediately contact local Attorney Scott Grover.  We have asked Attorney Grover to interpret this recorded easement and advise the Board of further direction.

We will continue to update the Board as information is available."

-Kimberly Lord

It turns out that the easement has since passed from AT&T to National Grid. The condo trust attorney is on the case trying to sort out who is responsible for the clean-up.

Street Sweeping Schedule-MAY

Residential neighborhood street sweeping will take place May 4 through May 15.  Sweeping will take place on both sides of the street on the same day. Each neighborhood route will be posted with temporary ‘No Parking/Tow Zone’ signs and parking will be prohibited between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Neighborhood streets are broken down into two zones. Streets in Zone One will be swept during the week of Monday May 4 through Friday May 8. Zone Two streets will be swept the week of Monday May 11 through Friday May 15. Sweep days are usually the next day after the regularly scheduled trash day. To find a specific street sweeping date, locate what zone your street is in on the 2015 Residential Street Sweeping Schedule, and match it with the calendar. Monday sweep schedules are for the preceding Friday's trash day.

Resident cooperation is vital to the success of this program. In order for the sweepers to do the best job possible, residents are asked not to park their cars on the street during their designated sweeping day.

Residents will be able to use entrance corridor streets as alternative parking areas on the day of their neighborhood sweep. Entrance corridor streets are Boston St., Bridge St., Essex St. (from Boston St. to North/Summer St.), Lafayette St. (from Dow St. to Marblehead line), Loring Ave., and North St. Once a neighborhood street is swept, residents will be able to move their vehicles back onto their street.  Please remember that you must adhere to all current parking restrictions on these entrance corridors. All existing parking regulations on entrance corridors must be adhered to or your vehicle will be ticketed and/or towed. This includes resident only restrictions.

Certain weather conditions prohibit the use of the street sweepers: during moderate to heavy rainfall and extreme cold temperatures sweepers will not be able to operate. Weather cancellations will be posted on www.salem.com.


CLICK HERE FOR BLACK & WHITE ZONE CALENDAR
CLICK HERE FOR COLOR CODED CALENDAR

Spring Street Sweeping Schedule

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll today announced that Spring street sweeping will begin on Thursday, April 16 and run through May 15.

Residents should plan to move cars from streets on designated days from May 4 through May 15

Entrance corridor sweeping will take place between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on the following dates. New this year, City workers will be utilizing blowers to clear corridor sidewalks of debris prior to the street sweeping.

Thursday, April 16: Odd side of Boston Street, Essex Street (Boston to North), and Bridge Street (Washington to Boston).
Friday, April 17: Even side of Boston Street, Essex Street (Boston to North), and Bridge Street (Washington to Boston).
Tuesday, April 21: Odd side of North Street and Lafayette Street (Ocean Ave to Marblehead line).
Wednesday, April 22: Even side of North Street and Lafayette Street (Ocean Ave to Marblehead line).
Thursday, April 23: Odd side of Loring Avenue and Lafayette Street (Derby to Ocean Ave).
Friday, April 24: Even side of Loring Avenue and Lafayette Street (Derby to Ocean Ave).
Tuesday, April 27: Bridge Street (Washington to the Salem/Beverly bridge).
Wednesday, April 28: Bridge Street (Washington to the Salem/Beverly bridge).

Residential neighborhood street sweeping will take place on both sides of the street on the same day. Each neighborhood route will be posted with temporary ‘No Parking/Tow Zone’ signs and parking will be prohibited between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Resident cooperation is vital to the success of this program. In order for the sweepers to do the best job possible, residents are asked not to park their cars on the street during their designated sweeping day.

Neighborhood streets are broken down into two zones. Streets in Zone One will be swept during the week of Monday May 4 through Friday May 8. Zone Two streets will be swept the week of Monday May 11 through Friday May 15. Sweep days are usually the next day after the regularly scheduled trash day. To find a specific street sweeping date, locate what zone your street is in on the 2015 Residential Street Sweeping Schedule, and match it with the calendar. Monday sweep schedules are for the preceding Friday's trash day.

Residents will be able to use entrance corridor streets (Boston St., Bridge St., Essex St. [from Boston St. to North/Summer Street], Lafayette St. [from Dow St. to Marblehead line], Loring Ave., and North St.) as alternative parking areas on the day of their neighborhood sweep. Once a neighborhood street is swept, residents will be able to move their vehicles back onto their street.  Please remember that you must adhere to all current parking restrictions on these entrance corridors. All existing parking regulations on entrance corridors must be adhered to or your vehicle will be ticketed and/or towed. This includes resident only restrictions.

Certain weather conditions prohibit the use of the street sweepers: during moderate to heavy rainfall and extreme cold temperatures sweepers will not be able to operate. Weather cancellations will be posted on www.salem.com

CLICK HERE FOR 2015 STREET SWEEPING SCHEDULE

Help the City Address Park, Recreation, and Open Space Needs

Residents are invited to complete a survey about Salem’s park, recreation, and open space needs. The City has hired Gale Associates to conduct a Recreational Facilities Needs Assessment & Master Plan and to update the City’s Open Space & Recreation Plan. These plans, based on input from the community, will help guide investment in Salem’s parks and open spaces.

English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/salemmpeng
Español: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/salemmpesp

This survey will be online until noon on Friday, April 10.

Please contact Tom Devine at the Department of Planning and Community Development at 978-619-5685 or tdevine@salem.com with any questions.

New Salem Police Chief

SALEM, MA – Acting Chief Mary Butler will be sworn in as Salem’s new Chief of Police in a formal ceremony at Salem’s historic Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, on April 9th at 10:00 a.m. The event will be free and open to the public.

 Following brief remarks from City officials, including former Chief of Police Robert St. Pierre, former Chief of Police and current State Representative Paul Tucker, and Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Chief Butler will take the oath of office and offer remarks.

Chief Butler was promoted from Lieutenant to Acting Captain in the Salem Police Department in 2014. In that capacity she was commanding officer of the department's special operations division, with oversight of the community impact unit, special response unit, traffic division, and records office. She has served with the Salem Police Department since 1987, where she has overseen patrol division and the community impact unit as a Lieutenant, served as public information officer and detective, and worked as administrative aide to former Chief St. Pierre. She has served as Acting Chief of the department since her appointment by Mayor Driscoll was announced in early March.

Two great recycling opportunities!

Two great recycling opportunities on 
Saturday, March 28, 2015

Free Book Swap
10am-1pm
at Council on Aging
5 Broad Street!

Just in time for Spring Cleaning - SalemRecycles is holding another free book and media swap on Saturday, March 28, 2015 from 10 AM - 1 PM at the Senior Center, 5 Broad Street, Salem. All~books will be accepted. Everything that doesn’t find a new home will be donated or recycled.

Materials can be dropped off in advance on Friday, March 27 from 5:00-7:00 PM or bring them with you on Saturday (before noon). Volunteers will be available to help unload.

Everyone is invited to take books, etc.—no “swap” needed.

E-Waste Recycling
8am-noon
at Salem High School
77 Willson Street!

The City has contracted with RMG Enterprises to recycle residential e-waste.  RMG will accept anything with a plug-most items are free.  There will be a $10/unit fee for TVs, Computers, Monitors, Laptops, and Large Appliances (Refrigerators, A/C and Freezers).

This event is for Salem residents only, ID required.

For more information on either event contact Julie Rose at jrose@salem.com or 978-619-5679.
.

Dryer Jam

The jammed coin mechanism on the middle dryer in the laundry room was fixed today. The culprit, a damaged quarter.

We have had issues with jams caused by Canadian (or other non-U.S. coins), but this one was the result of someone not only using a damaged quarter, but jamming it into the mechanism in an effort to get it to work.
It is unlikely that you will be visually checking all of your quarters every time you do laundry, but if in handling them you happen to notice that a quarter is warped, or knicked on the edge, do not put it into the slot, and more importantly, if the coin slider mechanism is proving difficult to push it, don't force it, check your quarters and try another quarter.
This particular jam was caused by someone really forcing it. Luckily this didn't damage the mechanism permanently, but it did render the dryer inoperable for almost two weeks. With only 3 washers and 3 dryers for 39 units, that makes for a lot of inconvenience. Please be more mindful in the future. Thank you.

Alternative Parking Options During Snow Clean-Up

With the huge amount of snowfall we have received during the last two weeks and are likely to continue receiving, and with Riley Plaza looking more like Ice Station Zebra than a parking lot,  you may have had trouble finding off-street parking during the snow emergencies. Here is a list of possible alternative locations. It never hurts to have a plan "B".

The City of Salem offers the following locations as alternative off-street parking options for residents as snow clean-up gets underway. Please note that parking in school lots is only permitted during snow emergencies. Once the snow emergency is lifted, cars must be removed from school lots. Park and playground parking lots and the Salem Wharf lot may continue to be used for alternative parking. In addition, Salem has added some additional options (see below) and reminds folks about the existing lots that can be used for off street parking, as follows:

Church Street parking lot

Residents may park for free here overnight (6pm to 7am). After 7am, regular lot rates will apply.

Universal Steel parking lot (297 Bridge Street)

Residents may park here for free. There will be no charge to park in this lot, pending further snow clean-up efforts. There are approximately 120 spaces here.

Salem Willows parking lot

DPW is performing additional plowing in this lot. There are approximately 125 spaces here. Meters will not be in effect.

Forest River Park

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 30 spaces here.

Gallows Hill Playground lower lot

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 70 spaces here.

Mack Park upper and lower lots

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 35 spaces here.

Castle Hill Playground

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 40 spaces here.

Blaney Street/Salem Wharf parking lot

Currently a designated snow emergency lot. Parking may continue in this lot until further notice. There are approximately 45 spaces here.


Good luck!

13th Annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival

February 6 - 15, 2015
Is living in a polar vortex getting you down? Is cabin fever making you cranky and unpleasant? Not sure what to do with your significant other on Valentine's Day?
Well help is on the way with the 13th Annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival! A week-long festival of food, wine, chocolate and winter-time fun!

Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival officially kicks off with a Chocolate and Wine Tasting, on Friday, February 6 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, at Colonial Hall, 227 Essex Street. This luscious tasting event features wine and chocolate samplings from premier Salem restaurants, stores and sweet shops. To reserve your tickets please click here.

In celebration of the chocolate weekend, many of Salem's finest restaurants will feature special chocolate offerings on their menus, including deserts, cocktails, and inventive sauces. Participating Salem retailers will also take part with in-store events and promotions, displays and items geared toward chocolate and Valentine's Day. For more information about Salem's So Sweet please visit www.salemmainstreets.org/festivals/salem-so-sweet/. 

There will be more than 15 large ice sculptures around downtown Salem, with themes including a a mermaid, ruby slippers, a film projector, and many more! A map of sculptures and locations will be available below and on brochures distributed around town closer to the festival. The Salem Trolley will be offering trolley rides around the festival route weather permitting on Feb. 7 and 8 from 12 pm to 4 pm for $2 a person.  Pick-up locations will be at the Visitors Center, Pickering Wharf, and near Rockafellas on Washington Street.


HAVE FUN!

Christmas Tree Disposal Reminder

Some people like to prolong the Christmas season as long as possible. We had a discarded Christmas tree make an appearance in the side lot this week. Markwood would like to remind tenants that all Christmas trees should be disposed of before the city-wide Christmas tree pick-up, which is generally the first week of January.
We had a large collection of about 6 trees sitting out by the dumpster after Christmas. (By the way, everyone did a great job of not putting their tree into the dumpster this year, thank you!) Markwood paid maintenance to come and dispose of the trees, since we were too late putting them out by the curb for city pick-up. With this late addition, rather than having it taken all at once with the other trees, now Markwood has to pay maintenance to come again and dispose of this one tree. Hopefullly next year, everyone will be on board with getting rid of their tree in a timely fashion.
Another more interesting alternative is to take your tree to Dead Horse Beach here in Salem for the annual Christmas Tree Bonfire. Which is fun, impressive, and gives your tree the Viking funeral it really deserves.

Salem's 12th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire!

Join in the fun at Salem's 12th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire
Friday, January 9, 6:00 p.m., Dead Horse Beach

SALEM, MA –  Mayor Kim Driscoll and the City of Salem’s Park & Recreation Department will hold the City’s 12th  annual Christmas tree bonfire at Dead Horse Beach on Memorial Drive on Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:00 p.m., weather permitting.

“The Bonfire is one more great Salem tradition. I look forward to it every year,” said Mayor Driscoll.

Northside Carting trucks will be picking up trees curbside on the same day as your regularly scheduled trash day beginning January 5th.  If you really want to make sure your tree is part of the bonfire, you can drop it off at the entrance to Dead Horse Beach after January 2nd or bring it to the bonfire on the 10th.  Please don't forget to remove all decorations and lights from your tree.

In case of inclement weather (rain/snow/wind) the bonfire will be held on Saturday evening January 10th at 6:00 p.m.
Check www.salem.com for rescheduling information.

City-wide Christmas tree curbside collection will continue to take place January 12 -16, 2015.  Please leave your tree curbside on the same day as your regularly scheduled trash day and Northside Carting will pick up your tree.