We want to take a minute remind residents not to pour or sweep anything down a storm drain. This includes: pet waste/baggies, motor oil, paint, litter, leaves, sand or any other substance that could be harmful to the environment. And it's also not a good idea to block storm drains with refuse or debris. Stormwater on parking lots and streets flows into storm drains, due to the way that they are graded, so that the pavement will not flood. Storm drains have underground pipes that channel the stormwater directly to a nearby water body, usually without any treatment or cleansing. So whatever flows down a storm drain comes out in a nearby water body, such as a wetland, stream, or pond. We all need clean water for drinking, swimming, fishing, boating, and for protecting wildlife.

Due to construction at Memorial Park for the new athletic fields the Needham Exchange Club fireworks will not be held this year. The parade on the 4th will take place as usual. The day will start with a 5K road race at 8:45 am, (registration takes place between 7:15 and 8:30 am at the Carter Memorial Church), followed by registration for the children's parade of decorated bikes and costumes at Greene's Field on Pickering Street at 8:30 am, a salute and flag raising ceremony on town common at 9:00 am, followed immediately by the Grand Parade with bands, floats, musical groups and antique cars. A craft fair and flea market will take place at Sudbury Farms from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. From 12:00 to 2:00 pm there will be a Minuteman Model Yacht Club Regatta at Rosemary Lake and a swim meet at 1:00 pm at Rosemary Pool. The annual Little League All-Star game will be at Mills Field (off Gould Street) at 2:00 pm.
The 4th activities are solely put on by the Exchange Club of Needham with your support and donations. All funds go directly to support this celebration. For further information go to www.needhamexchangeclub.org
[Needham Exchange Club]

The Needham Board of Selectmen requests applications to fill existing vacancies on the following boards and committees:

Board of Appeals
Cable Television Advisory Board
Cultural Council
Design Review Board
Golf Course Advisory Committee
Historical Commission
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Needham Community Television Development Corporation
Regional Transportation Advisory Council
Solid Waste Disposal/Recycling Advisory Committee
Technology Advisory Board
Town Hall Display Committee
Water & Sewer Rate Structure Committee

Applicants must be registered voters of the Town.

Interested individuals are requested to submit an application consisting of a brief letter of interest and resume, and should indicate which vacanc(ies) is/are being applied for. The Selectmen have received applications for some of the listed vacancies. Current applicants do not have to reapply, but may contact the Selectmen's office to confirm that their application has been received. Applications may be submitted in writing or by email, and are requested to be submitted by July 1.

Applications, or any questions or requests for information, may be submitted to:

Needham Board of Selectmen
Attn: Ms. Sandy Cincotta
1471 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA 02492
Tel: 781-455-7512
Email: scincotta@town.needham.ma.us

Expanded Opportunity to Conduct Business in Town Hall on Tuesdays

Needham Town Hall will be instituting summer hours for the months of July and August 2008.

From July 7 to August 29, 2008, Town Hall hours will change on Tuesdays and Fridays ONLY, as follows:

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday hours: 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday hours: 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Town Hall will close at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays between July 7 – August 29, 2008.

Please Note: the Town Clerk’s Office will also be following this schedule and will NOT be open until 9:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of July and August, as it has been in the past.

Implemented two years ago as a pilot program, this summer hours program has received positive feedback. Opening earlier and staying open later on Tuesdays will provide the Needham residents, whose typical weekday schedule does not permit time to conduct business in Town Hall, an opportunity to visit Town Hall before or after regular work hours. This program does not reduce the weekly hours of operation and provides a greater opportunity for Needham residents to conduct business with those departments located in Town Hall.

The Downtown Study Workshop 3 presentation will be on Needham Cable Channel & is currently available at the Library Reference desk to take out.

This week the Needham Center Study Presentation will air at the following times on our municipal channel (Comcast 10, RCN 13, Verizon 30):

June 26 at 5pm

Friday June 27 at 10am

Saturday June 28 at 4am

Sunday June 29 at midnight

Monday June 30 at 9pm

Tuesday July 1 at 7pm

Wednesday July 2 at 5pm

The timeslots differ from week to week depending on how many municipal meetings The Needham Cable Channel covers, with the preference being an airtime between 9am and midnight. This is the first of four weeks where this presentation will be featured.

[Additional info on Downtown Study...]

The HIgh Rock School will be closed for construction and renovations from January 2008 through August 2009. The High Rock School has been the designated polling location for Precinct D for voting purposes. As a voter in Predinct D, you will now vote at the Newman Elementary School gymnasium for the following scheduled elections and another other special elections that may be called from January 2008 until further notice: Presidential Primary - Tuesday, February 5, 2008; Annual Town Election - Tuesday, April 8, 2008; State Primary - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; State Election - Tuesday, November 4, 2008; Annual Town Election - Tuesday, April 14, 2009. All voters in Precinct D will be notified by mail of the change in polling location.