MBTA Community Meeting

There will be an MBTA Community Meeting, Thursday, February 16, 2012 from 6:30 pm –8:30 pm at the Carlton School, 10 Skerry Street in Salem. The meeting will be to address the status of  improvements to Salem Station including the new parking garage.
The Meeting agenda is as follows:
• Project Update
• Project Impact
• Design Process
• Schedule
If you use the MBTA to commute to work in Boston or the North Shore you may want to attend this meeting.

Vandalism

It was noticed recently that someone had carved the word "FAG" into the inside of the front door. A recent hand-written note pinned to the bulletin board had "F*ck Y*u" spelled out on it. Both were near new signs from Markwood Management, one the new parking sign, the other, a request to pull the doors shut when entering and leaving the building. Both reasonable and polite requests.
It's not clear weather this is a tenant or just someone visiting inside the building. We're not sure if it's just a random act of vandalism or some kind of passive-aggressive commentary on Markwood Management. We hope its not the latter.

It would be infuriating to think that someone who can't be bothered to participate in the management of the condo or even attend an annual meeting, feels it is somehow OK to anonymously vent their feelings on the property of others.

If you have an issue, address it to the trustees or to Markwood Management. Come to the meetings, comment on the blog, speak up, but don't engage in this kind of cheap, punk behavior. If you don't like the rules, work to change them, or move someplace where this kind of behavior is tolerated. It won't be tolerated here.

Just a reminder, defacement of the building common areas, inside or out, is vandalism and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

ANNUAL MEETING

Look for your Annual Meeting package. It was sent out on Tuesday December 27.  It contains the agenda, and other information for the meeting. The Annual Condo meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17th, 6:00 PM in the Heritage Room at 10 Norman Street.
Please attend this meeting if you are able.

Disposing of your Christmas tree

Crowds gathered at the 7th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire watch as the trees are 
engulfed in flames January 6, 2010 on Dead Horse Beach at Salem Willows Park in Salem, Massachusetts. An estimated 2,500 trees were collected by the Salem Department of Public Services for the fire. (Erik Jacobs/Boston Globe) #

It is that post-holiday time of year again, when Christmas trees need to be disposed of. If you live at 24 Norman Street please DO NOT PUT CHRISTMAS TREES THE DUMPSTER. (They take up too much space in the dumpster and as trees/brush, are not supposed to be mixed in with regular trash). Instead, why don't you consider bringing your tree to the 9th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire?

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and the Salem Park and Recreation Commission invite you to join in the fun at the City of Salem's 9th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire Friday, January 6, 2012 6:30 PM
at Dead Horse Beach at Salem Willows. There will be free hot chocolate & music by The Gathering
In case of rain/snow/wind the event reschedule date will be Saturday, January 7th.
(check www.salem.com for rescheduling information)

Trees may be brought to Dead Horse Beach that evening, dropped off at the beach starting January 3rd, or left out for curbside pickup which will begin January 3, 2012.
Citywide Christmas Tree Curbside Collection will also take place as scheduled January 9–13, 2012.
You can leave your trees next to the dumpster for city pickup
Please remove all lights and decorations from your tree.

The event is sponsored by:
The City of Salem, Salem Park, Recreation & Community Services Department
and The Gathering

For more information regarding this event contact: 978-745-9595, ext. 5676

SNOW EMERGENCY PARKING BANS

The City of Salem implements a snow emergency parking ban when it is felt that we are to receive two inches of snow accumulation. If there is a parking ban in effect, it will appear on www.salem.com and SATV, and an automated telephone message will be sent out through the City's CodeRED system. In addition, flashing blue lights will be activated throughout the city at the following locations: Loring Avenue @ Vinnin Square, Loring Avenue @ Canal Street, Lafayette Street @ Loring Avenue, Lafayette Street @ Washington Street, Bridge Street @ Webb Street, Bridge Street @ Washington Street, Boston Street @ Bridge Street, North Street @ School Street, Congress Street @ Palmer Street, Tremont Street @ School Street, Highland Avenue @ Salem Hospital, Jefferson Avenue @ Dove Avenue, North Street @ Essex Street and Canal Street @ Washington Street (Mill Hill).

As always, you may contact The Department of Public Services (978-744-3302) or the City of Salem Police Station (978-744-0171, ext. 166) to find out the status of the parking ban. Parking regulations are strictly enforced to ensure that streets remain accessible for snowplows, fire apparatus and other emergency vehicles. Any vehicle that impedes the snow removal process will be towed.

To sign up for CodeRED automated messages log onto www.salem.com and click on the 'CodeRED' icon on the left side of the home page, email DataProcessing@salem.com or call Data Processing Department at 978-619-5646. You may also obtain snow emergency information by becoming an E-Mail Subscriber to Salem.com News and Announcements, just log onto www.salem.com and click on the green 'E-Mail Subscriber' box.

City of Salem to begin “CFL Swap” program:

Residents can exchange incandescent bulbs for energy and money-saving Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs on Monday and Thursday afternoons during the month of January

The City of Salem is launching a “CFL Swap” program to encourage residents to exchange their old, inefficient incandescent bulbs for energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL).   Efficient lighting decreases utility costs and reduces environmental impact. For each incandescent bulb that is exchanged for a CFL, a consumer can save an average of $8 - $11 a year in electric costs. CFLs also have a much longer service life than incandescents, greatly reducing bulb replacement frequency.

Beginning on January 5th, residents can exchange their bulbs from 1 – 4 PM on Monday afternoons, or 4 – 7 PM on Thursdays at the Salem Department of Planning and Community Development on the third floor of City Hall Annex at 120 Washington Street.
Residents are eligible to exchange up to six incandescent bulbs of any wattage for any combination of 60, 75 or 100 watt CFL equivalents (outdoor lighting not included). Participants must bring in an equal number of old incandescent bulbs to exchange for the new ones.
The program will run throughout the month of January.   A limited quantity of bulbs is available and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.  Participants are encouraged to call ahead to ensure product availability.

The CFL Swap program will also include door-to-door bulb exchanges beginning in January 2012 in a few Salem neighborhoods selected at random. The program is one element of a more comprehensive home energy and water conservation program that includes conservation workshops for residents and home energy auditing and efficiency retrofit services.   Details of those programs will be announced at a later date.

Under a new federal law set to begin taking effect in 2012, inefficient lighting technologies, like conventional incandescent bulbs, will be phased out in favor of more efficient technologies (like halogen and LED, in addition to CFLs). The law is designed to improve energy efficiency while reducing the nation’s carbon emissions. Conventional 100 watt incandescent bulbs will be no longer be supplied in consumer retail channels beginning this year, while conventional 75 watt bulbs will be phased out in 2013, and 60 and 40 watt in 2014. Through the swap program, Salem residents can get a head start on replacing their incandescent bulbs and begin saving energy and money right away, while taking an immediate step to reduce their carbon footprint.

For more information, contact Paul Marquis, City of Salem Energy and Sustainability Manager, at pmarquis@salem.com, or the Department of Planning and Community Development at 978-619-5685.

TRASH AND RECYCLING PICKUP ON SCHEDULE DURING THE WEEKS OF DECEMBER 26TH AND JANUARY 2ND

Please be advised that the Christmas and New Year weekend holidays will not affect the curbside trash and recycling pickups.

Trash and recycling pickup will occur on your normally scheduled trash date during the weeks of December 26-30, 2011 and January 2-6, 2012.  Please put out your trash and recyclables on your normally scheduled weekly trash day.

City-wide curbside Christmas tree pickup will take place during the week of January 9th - 13th.  However, you may leave your Christmas tree curbside beginning on January 3rd for pickup or bring your tree down to Dead Horse Beach for the City's 9th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire scheduled for January 6, 2012 at 6:30pm.

Have a happy and safe holiday season.