Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Quick Article Index . . .
Candidate’s Letter – Richard Brewer for Selectman
Candidate’s letter – Anne Boxler
for Selectman
Candidate’s
Letter – Zachary Rioux for Selectman
Westport Affordable Housing Trust Fund offers grant
program for developers!
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Using new Spot device increases eye-testing accuracy,
while saving time over traditional methods. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
March 28, 2018 Information for this
article submitted by the Lions Club of Westport. Photos |
Submitted
WESTPORT - Recently the Lions Club of Westport conducted vision
screening at the Westport Macomber School utilizing an innovative, hand held
device called a Spot camera. Click here to learn more
about the Spot camera technology. Over 2 days and a total of about six hours, 158 students in
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten were screened. Screening was
conducted by the club’s President Claire M. Sullivan and Lion Linda Harrop with assistance from school volunteers, Allison
Pereira and Stacy Silva-Boutwell. For the screening, the child looks into the device which is equipped
with a flashing red, amber and blue light and “chirping bird” auditory cue to
attract the child’s attention. Within a few seconds, a series of photos of
the child’s eyes using infrared light is taken, and then analyzed to
determine if their vision is “in or out of range”. If out of range, the parent can be notified with a recommendation to
do a follow up screening with an ophthalmologist. For the past 150 years, ophthalmologists
have used the Snellen chart - with its rows of letters in descending sizes -
to check patients' vision. While it has done the job reasonably well, PediaVision CEO David Melnik
believes that his Spot device offers some distinct advantages. Most importantly,
instead of being required to read and recite letters, patients simply look
into the device as it takes some pictures. Based on those images, it will
proceed to notify clinicians if it detects potential vision problems. Conditions that Spot can identify include near- and far-sightedness,
unequal refractive power, eye structure problems, pupil size deviations, and
eye misalignment. Using the SPOT device can increase accuracy of testing and saves many
man hours for the school nurse. Tracey Pereira, RN, the nurse at
the Macomber, noted that to screen that same number of students
utilizing a letter/numbers program would have taken her about ten days.
It also helps with screening students who do not read or speak,
pre-verbal children, and those who speak a different language from the
screener. Under Mass DPH guidelines, grades Preschool
to Grade 5 should be screened yearly, then again in Grade 7 and once in Grade
10. Currently, Grades 1 and 2 at the Macomber each have about 100 students
enrolled who cannot be screened as the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health only allows students up to age 5 to be screened using this camera. Massachusetts Lions District 33S owns the
camera as part of Lions mission of improving eye health. Lions Club
International is the largest all volunteer organization in the world with
over 1.4 million members. Its programs focus on sight, youth support,
disaster relief, various humanitarian needs and now diabetes awareness. For
more information on Lions Clubs, see www.lionsclub.org.
Above: Spot screening in action at the Macomber School.
Pictured above from the left are: Tracey Pereira, RN, school nurse; Zyhiar Dotson, Ethan Baldwin, Lion Linda Harrop. Holding the SPOT camera is Club President Claire
M. Sullivan. Photo |
Submitted Candidate’s letter – Richard Brewer for Selectman EverythngWestport.com Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Dear Friends: My name is Richard Brewer and I am a candidate for the Board of
Selectmen in Westport. I would like to
tell you why I am running and about the credentials I offer as a
candidate.
Presently I serve as vice chairman of the Finance Committee. This has been a valuable experience and has
provided me with the opportunity to further understand our town and its
finances. It has also allowed me to
meet many people including the large number of volunteers who serve the town
on various committees. In addition to the Finance Committee, I am on the Capital Improvements
Planning Committee and the Energy Committee.
Capital improvements are essential to the town and I understand the
importance of maintaining and enhancing our capital assets. The Energy Committee supports the need for
the town to receive grant money for special projects that increase energy
efficiency. My background includes a 43-year career in the insurance business as
the president of two major Massachusetts insurance companies, Arbella Insurance and Medical Professional Mutual. In 2009 I received the Insurance Professional of the Year award from the Insurance
Library Association of Boston.
Currently I serve on the board of directors of Hospitality Insurance
Group of Southborough, Massachusetts.
My educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in economics
from Fairfield University and an M.B.A. from the University of Bridgeport. My wife and I have owned property in Westport for 25 years and we have
been full-time residents since 2011.
During that time, we have made many friends while developing an
appreciation for the unique character of the town. We have three children and three
grandchildren. If elected, you will have someone with experience and competence. I will be an energetic member of the Board
of Selectmen and will work to confront the challenges that face our
community. Please support me with your vote on Tuesday, April 10th. Thank you. Richard Brewer Candidate’s letter – Anne Boxler for Selectman EverythingWestport.com Thursday, March 29, 2018 I, Ann McDermott Boxler, would like to ask
for your support and help elect me to the Westport Board of Selectman at this
year’s election. I am a lifelong
resident of Westport, and Westport business owner. My husband Matt and I live off of Drift
Road with our two Children, Catie and AJ.
I feel like both my work and volunteer leadership experience will help
me with budgeting and negotiations.
I have learned to listen to all the facts, and do my own investigating
before making an informed decision, and believe that when making any decision I will put
the interests of the majority of Westport citizens first. I have grown up knowing that I would follow
in my Father, John McDermott’s, footsteps and eventually get more involved in
the governing of our town. This is an exciting and important time for me to get involved. Westport is really moving in the right
direction with its leaders and departments working together to get things
done. It is not as adversarial a
playing field as it was 15 years ago when I was on school committee. Westport needs to continue to move forward with improvements and keep
our spending at a reasonable level. It
is amazing what our departments have done with limited resources. These improvements need to be made keeping
both our oldest and youngest citizens in mind. We must balance the needs of the both older
retired members of our community who are on a fixed income with the funding
we need for our children’s education and the police and fire departments, as
well as improving our infrastructure. I would very much like you to support me for Selectman so I can help
the current board continue to move forward keeping Westport an incredible
place to live! Ann Boxler Resume BA 1990 from Union College, Schenectady NY President and Insurance Agent at Bradshaw Insurance Agency,
Westport/Dartmouth MA Licensed Massachusetts Insurance Agent
since 1992 School Committee for 6 years – 3 years as Chairperson; Chair of the
Superintendent Search Committee in 2004 Volunteer activities Westport Land Conservation Trust, Board Member, Vice President (2
years) Barn Dance Chair (4 years) WYAA – Board Member and volunteer Friends Academy - Board of
Trustees, Vice President, Secretary, Development Chair Fourth of July Parade Committee – Secretary, Treasurer, Volunteer Southeastern Mass Insurance Agents Association – Board Member 5 years. Adventure Blazer Ski Coach, Sugarbush
Mountain, Warren VT Candidate’s Letter – Zachary Rioux for Selectman EverythngWestport.com Friday, March 30, 2018 I am a Westport native, born and raised in this beautiful town, and a
graduate of Westport High School. I attended the University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
While attending the university full time, I also worked at a
restaurant as a manager, overseeing 45 employees and the facility. After obtaining my degree, I was offered an opportunity to start
another business in my career path that I could not turn down. I now own and operate
two businesses here in town. My inspiration stems from my roots here in Westport. My grandfather,
William was a police officer and my grandmother, Elaine, was a dog officer. I
currently have family members involved in town who are working to make
Westport a more desirable community in which to live and raise a family. Since graduating, I have become more involved in the community
attempting to follow in my family’s footsteps. I am currently on the board of
Library Trustees, a member of the Westport Education Foundation, and the Vice
President and Treasurer of Westport Business to Business. Some topics I would like to explore, when I am elected include: ·
Addressing the use of our current high school. ·
Further investigation the addition of public
water and sewer on route 6 ·
And The allowance of more businesses to open in
the community I feel that younger generations need to be more proactive in the
decision making of their towns. I have the drive and determination to make
Westport the MOST desirable town to live in. I am excited to use my knowledge
to further progress our town into the future, and I am asking for your vote
as selectmen on April 10th. Westport Affordable Housing Trust
Fund offers grant program for developers! EverythingWestport.com Sunday, April 1, 2019 WESTPORT, MA - The Westport
Affordable Housing Trust Fund (the Trust) is offering a funding program to
support the creation of new affordable housing in the Town of Westport. The
Seed Housing Funding Program (SEED) seeks applications for funds from
qualified project proponents to create multiple new affordable housing units
in Westport. Funding will be granted per affordable housing unit created, up
to a maximum grant of $25,000 per unit. The full information and application package is available on the
Trust’s page on the town website. Click here to
review it now. PDF The affordable housing units to be created with SEED funding must be
eligible for inclusion on the Department of Housing and Community Development
(DHCD) Chapter 40B
Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI). The town's current SHI is about 3.5% of
the town’s total housing stock, which means a shortage of 417 affordable
housing units to meet the state's Chapter 40B goal
of having 10% of each community’s housing inventory be affordable. On the other hand, DHCD has set incremental
thresholds for the production of affordable units in a given year. If 32 or
more affordable housing units are developed in a given year, DHCD may certify the town's Housing Production Plan as
meeting the regional need for affordable housing for one year. The SEED
program seeks to support the town's goal of meeting DHCD's
incremental thresholds. Only proposals that contain at least 10% affordable dwelling units in
the total project will be considered for funding. Strong preference will be
given to organizations with a demonstrated ability to create multiple units
of affordable housing, leverage grant resources, and address Westport's
diverse housing needs as stated in the Town of Westport Housing Production
Plan. The Trust will evaluate the projects based on target population,
environmental considerations, the community planning and outreach process,
and site plan and building design. There is a demonstrated need for affordable housing in Westport. A
family of four earning up to $57,700 per year or an individual living alone
with total earnings up to $40,400 would qualify as low-income households.
Income limits are defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD). About 25 percent of the households in Westport are considered low to
moderate income families. Over 1,500 Westport households have applied for
social services available to low-income households. For more information about the SEED program, qualifying criteria, and
to request an application packet contact Leonardi Aray, Housing Specialist, at 617.270.3912 or e-mail to: leonardi@larayarchitects.com. Visit their website. - - - - - End -
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