Conference 7.286::maynard

    1.  Art, the first thing that comes to mind is your hat!
    
    Beyond that, I recall being slapped around by the Moderator a while
    ago when I suggested a "what's nice and what's not so nice" note.
    Seems that we could be held liable for picking on slum lords or 
    ladies and people who are out and out slobs.  I think I turned this
    into a "what's nice" instead.
    
    What's nice, IMO, over the past few months, include:
    
    1.  The resurrection of the Red Door into what I hope will someday
    turn into a nice restaurant for the Basile Brothers.
    
    2.  The nice reconstruction job done at the Tierney Square Mobil
    Station (if I keep referencing the Squares, someone will notice).
    Nice trees and other plantings.
    
    3.  All the yellow ribbons on the trees in Memorial Park.
    
    4.  Steve Morgan's brick walk (you owe me a coffee at the next 
    Thanksgiving Football game at Alumni Field, if there is one).
    
    5.  The care and attention paid to the War Memorial in the Park.
    I have taken my boys to see the names of their two Grandfathers
    and they have been very impressed.  BTW, I got my father's name
    tag from the original Memorial from Ralph Sheridan.  He may have
    others.
    
    I think I can say this:
    
    What's not so nice:
    
    1.  The bench at the entrance to Maynard High School.  It was 
    donated by a Class (forgot what year) but doesn't have a seat.
    I suspect that $20 worth of pressure treated lumber will fix
    this eyesore.
    
    2.  The Crowe Park Bandstand- it's not too late to save this 
    beautiful structure from the elements, just a little TLC.
    
    3.  The curb in front of my house that was shmucked by a plow 
    this year, and ended up all over my front lawn.....
    
    Regards,
    Frank
     

    Aw shucks, Frank, you've done it again.  The next Thanksgiving football 
    game at Alumni won't be for another two years (and there WILL be one), 
    so I'll have to see you sometime before then, lest I forget another 
    compliment!
    
    I think it would be against company policy to take aim at any business
    or group outside of DEC.  
    
    I think that DEC can be commended for refurbishing the wall running 
    alongside the Assabet on Walnut St.  This must have been a costly 
    undertaking with all the precautionary measures required for environmental 
    reasons.  I also noticed this morning that the Mill Pond water level is 
    back up to the normal level.  I don't know if this means they've finished 
    work on Bldng. 21 or not though.  Anyone have any idea?
    
    I also agree that the Red Door Cafe building resurrection is probably
    the most remarkable feat accomplished in the Maynard construction world
    over the past year.  :-)
    
    The work of a few, resulted in a Memorial Park we can all be proud of.
    Nice job, guys!
    
            					Steve

    
    
    
    We moved to Maynard last June and enjoy the town. 
    
    One of the things we like most are the sidewalks.  It is so nice to go
    for a walk without fearing for your life.  (We moved from Acton)  We 
    like being able to walk down town to shop or go to the movies.
    
    I also like going down town on Saturday.  The people are so friendly.
    Folks smile and say hello.  They have no idea who I am but greet me 
    anyway. 
    
    I am glad we selected Maynard as the town to buy our house in.  
    
    I agree, there are some eye soars but every town has eye soars.
    
    

    Steve,
    
    Do you have a brick wall in front of your house????  If so, I am as
    blind as a bat.
    
    As for my number 1 eyesore, it has got to be Silver Hill Rock, which is
    directly in my back yard.  Many years of grafitti and litter (glass
    mostly) have made it a very undesirable place (except for loud
    children).  Thank god the trees get leaves in the spring, so I don't
    have to look at it.
    
    Tracy

    
      I am for .1
    

    It's too bad Silver Hill Rock ain't what it used to be.  When I was a
    little girl, my friends and I used to take picnic lunches there on
    Saturdays sometimes and play on the rocks....times have changed.
    
    I, too, like the fact that Maynard has so many sidewalks and walking
    downtown on Saturday when I get the chance.  The people and the
    merchants are very friendly.
    
    I also agree with the points in .1  The Memorial Park is a very nice
    addition to Maynard and so well done.
    
    All in all, I think Maynard's eye soars are at a minimum.
    
    Linda
    

    See also note 86 for Maynard Eyesores...
    

    OK, I'm going to lay my Digital Badge (#2169) on the table for a
    moment and make a comment about the Mill. 
    
    While we should all agree that the improvements made to the interior
    of the Mill through the years, and the overall appearance of 
    the main entrance are outstanding, I think that the Thompson Street 
    side of the Mill is not up to the standards of a Fortune 50 Company.
    
    The chain-link fence, the crumbling stone wall at the visitor's 
    parking lot, the overgrown banking and poorly-lit walk way to the
    upper lot are eyesores for both Digital and Maynard.
    
    Frank

   Yeah, but it is only the employee's entrance...
   
   Perhaps a comment to the "Chief Packaging Engineer" that his company
   headquarters is not packaged properly...
   
   q
   

    RE: .9
    
    Ouch! I didn't see any flame on or flame off or any cute little 
    smiley face :*) so I don't know how to interpret this.
    
    AND, I certainly didn't intend to bite the hand that feeds me,
    since Digital and Maynard have been very good to each other through
    the years.
    
    BUT, I did live on Thompson Street for 13 years.  It just seems to
    me that this side of the Mill could use some work to make it look
    more attractive.  The restoration of the iron fence on the Thompson
    Street side would be a nice touch.
    
    Frank
    
    
                                                        

   Well perhaps the bit about being the employees entrance was cutting a bit
   deep, but I am serious about the rest. 
   
   While I understand Ken is enamoured with the charm of the whole old mill
   complex, I dare say that given where he works/parks and the direction he
   normally travels in, he probably never sees Thompson st. I presume there is
   a mechanism down there for bringing such things to either facility
   management or even Ken's attention. And I am sure, that such a suggestion
   would probably be taken quite seriously and acted upon quickly..
   
   Peter Q.
   

Has anyone else noticed the improvements going on at the corner of
Brooks and Summer? The guy who bought the house has cleared his lot
to the tune of five truck loads of junk. He spread loam, planted
rhododendrons and grass seed, now has a lawn, and plans to install
a white picket fence. He's planted a little flower garden in the
back and is apparently fixing up the inside too! He's really changed
the character of that corner. And he's friendly, too. Stop by and
thank him next time you're walking by.


Liz

	SET FLAME/ON

	I don't know if this is an eyesore to anyone else, but is there
	a leash law in Maynard?

	It is almost impossible to walk down the sidewalk in my 
	neighborhood without stepping in piles of dog feces.  As for
	walking on my own lawn, forget it.

	The dogs run about freely and deposit their offerings wherever
	they please, and the owners don't seem to care.

	SET FLAME/OFF

	Thanks, I feel better now.

    Yes, there is a leash law, but I believe it is only in effect from 
    8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.  We have two dogs that don't leave our backyard,
    but our front lawn, bushes, etc. fill up with the stiff rather quickly
    from other dogs.
    
    					Steve
    
    P.S. - My grandmother once told me that if you step in dog mess it's
    good luck.  Come to think of it, her dogs were always allowed to roam
    the neighborhood!

Why have a leash law only in effect during 1/2 the day?  Seems that would be
ineffectual, and .13 is a good indication this is the case.

Is there a dog/animal officer in Maynard?  What are his duties?  Does he or
anyone handle complaints?

If you know where the dogs live, you can always do the neighborly thing and
return the goods to the respective owners.  ;^)

    As required by the Town Charter, the Town's By-Laws were reorganized
    and presented to the voters for approval at last year's annual town
    meeting.  Every home should have received a copy of the By-Laws in
    the "bag on the door" last April.
    
    Chapter XVIII of the By-Laws is called the "Dog Owner's Responsibility
    Law".  I will quote several sections for your information:
    
    Section 2:  "No person own or keep in the Town, any dog which by
    biting, excessive barking, howling or in any other manner disturbs the
    quiet of the public."
    
    Section 3:  "If any person shall make a complaint in writing to the Dog
    Officer that a dog owned or harbored within the officer's jurisdiction
    is a nuisance by reason of vicious disposition or excessive barking or
    other disturbance, the Dog Officer shall investigate such complaint,
    and submit a written report to the Board of Selectmen of the findings
    and recommendations, together with the written complaint.  Upon receipt
    of such report and examination of the complaint under oath the Board
    of Selectmen may make such order concerning the restraint, muzzling or
    disposal of such dog as may be deemed necessary....."
    
    Section 4: "The Dog Officer may restrain or muzzle, issue an interim 
    order to restrain or muzzle, for a period not to exceed fourteen days,
    any dog for any of the following reasons:
     
    	a.  For having biten a person.
    	b.  If found at large unmuzzled; as the case may be, while an order
    	    for the restraint of such dog is in effect.
    	c.  If found in a school, schoolyard, or public recreation area.
    	d.  For having killed or maimed or otherwise damaged any other
    	    domesticated animal.
    	e.  For chasing any vehicle upon a public way or way open to public
    	    travel in the Town.
    	f.  For any violation of Section 2."
    
    Section 8:  "No person shall permit a dog [owned] by him/her or under 
    their direct control to be off the premises of the owner or person
    responsible between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. unless the
    dog is under the full and direct control of the owner or responsible
    person and kept on a safe and adequate leash..."
    
    Most of the two and a half pages of the By-law are concerned with
    licensing and fines.
    
    As you can read from the above, the so called "Leash law" is really
    a public safety law and not a "Pet Hygiene Control Law".  
    
    This discussion is really talking about common courtesy, respect for
    other human beings, and community/neighborhood pride.   
    
    Maybe we should require that the leash be on the other end of the dog!   
      
    Frank
    

    We live in a neighborhood with many dogs, in fact we now have one.  We
    went to the expense to have our back yard fenced in.  This was for
    several reasons including the safety of the dog and the courtesy of our
    neighbors.  In our neighborhood there are only a handful of dog owners
    who have fenced in yards or otherwise control their dogs.  The
    majority, unfortunately, simply let their dogs run free at all hours of
    the day.  This includes a public official of the town...
    
    I wish that people were more considerate, my front lawn looks like a
    "mine field" with all of the "presents" that the dogs in the
    neighborhood leave

                 
    The law is easily enforced but be prepared to spend up to  1000.00
    in court cost and about 14 months of your time to get it done.
    
     bc
    
       been there

    
    re: .16  Does anybody know why the law only requires that the dogs be
    controlled from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm?  
    
    A 'historical' reason, perhaps?