letters to the editor
Resident praises results of photography contest

To the Editor:

In the Wes tb orough Community Land Trust's first-ever photography contest, local nature photographers preserved cherished pieces of Westborough. But the exhibit, in total, was more than the sum of its parts. It conjured up an impression of Westborough and a feeling for our town. There was love in that exhibit room for Westborough as a natural place.

Mill Pond, milkweed pods, and monarch butterflies topped the list of mostphotographed sights, and each was represented among the 18 prize-winning and honorable mention photos. We were treated to baby snapping turtles, stones and stonewalls, and a nest full of baby wrens. All four seasons made an appearance. Photos captured the soft light of dawn, the beauty of ice. Leaves, from fern to maple, singly and collectively. Blossoms. Magnificent trees.

The town's well-known natural places drew the photographers' attention. Most evident were our ponds - not only Mill Pond, but also Lake Chauncy, Sandra Pond, Gilmore Pond, Hoccomocco, and even Cedar Swamp. Other natural areas in focus included Wile forest, the Walkup and Robinson reservation, Mass Fish and Wildlife lands, Tufts Veterinary field, Picadilly Mill, Heath Street extension, the view out to Mt. Wachusett, and spots near the Willows, behind the golf course, and near Pine Grove and St. Luke's cemeteries.

Our remaining farms were represented - Nourse Farm, Harvey's Farm, Glen Rock Farm with its cows, and the Hennessy pasture with its horses …

Photographers shared special sights from their own yards and private land. They brought us the perfect rose, bright foliage behind a blue spruce, the pattern of shadows across a small pond.

In many cases the judges gave awards to photos that offered unusual views of what might otherwise be ordinary natural sights, helping us to see bits of Westborough's natural environment in a new way. Winning photos showed the uncanny light after a storm, a ground-level view of forest mushrooms and princess pine, a whitebreasted nuthatch in perfect detail, a bird taking off from a pond and leaving a track of ripples behind, and much more.

The photo show is over, but fortunately for us, Westborough's natural environment is not gone - at least not yet. After 30 years of development in town, the installation the two first-ever stop lights on Main Street reminds us that unprecedented change continues.

Let's join together in preserving and caring for Westborough's natural environment. Let's preserve as many pieces as possible, so that the whole will persist. The natural environment celebrated in this photo show supports our native plants and remaining wildlife. It enhances the economic and aesthetic value of our homes. It nourishes our children's spirits. Let's do our best to keep it intact.

Annie Reid Westborough Resident concerned about town's CPA spending

To the Editor:

The town of Northborough is about midway through the five-year term of the Community Preservation Act. Now would be a good time to access its progress.

State law required that a minimum of ten percent of the annual community fund revenues be spent in three areas, i.e. historic resources, community housing and open space, after which the remaining seventy percent can be used in any proportion toward i.e. historic resources, community housing and open space/recreation.

If we look at the amount of funds available in 2007, $681,000, over $400,000 went to open space/recreation, $132,000 to historic resources and $68,000, the absolute minimum required by the state, to community housing. This mirrors what occurred in the disbursement of funds in 2006 when community housing received the 10 percent minimum.

A disturbing trend is developing in which the lion's share of the CPA funds continue to go to open space/ recreation.

We can all agree that open space is important and nice to have, but Northborough, with an abundance of playing fields and twenty miles of walking trails, is not devoid of open space, shouldn't community aff ordable housing have a higher priority?

Northborough continues to fail in meeting the 40B aff ordable housing units required by the state. When any become available, we have to hold lotteries and there are many losers. Seniors wait for a year and longer to get into senior housing. The senior populace is due to increase by eighty percent in the next fifteen years.

I heard recently that there have been twenty-five foreclosures in town.

Taking this circumstance into account, are there anyone amongst us that doesn't think that community housing isn't a more serious problem and that funding $68,000 for it is a travesty.

The CPA, if managed correctly, is a wonderful program and a win-win for any community, but it is only as good as the people responsible for its success.

Keith Lane

Northborough

To my dear students and parents, teachers and principals:

This is from Southboro School Bus #8 Driver Steve…

I wasn't able to say goodbye, for I needed to move on to another bus company, and since I have left I have wanted to personally let you know that I miss you kids and I hope you're doing well and…"Staying SAFE!!!"

I want to thank all the parents for their support and morning and afternoons hellos!!!

I also want to thank all the teachers and principals I have met and sincerely thank you, too, for your support over the years.

I wish all of you kids the best in your school years!!!

Great holiday season and for my old Finn & Woodward students, keep on air guitaring!!!

Stay SAFE!

All the best,

Steve Weston Bus #8 Driver