Latest UPDATES

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We are happy to report that on Tuesday the Select Board voted to move the  draft FY2024 budget forward.  The budget includes the first major set of  steps for a Quiet Zone in Needham.

Now begins a series of steps,  including more votes, are followed before this turns into a warrant  article for the May 2023 Town Meeting.  Plenty to stay on top of in the  coming months.

There is still a lot of work to do, but THANK YOU to everyone for your continued support and interest in this effort.

We  will follow up in January about what comes next for how to help  encourage the continued progress toward establishing a Quiet Zone in  Needham.

SELECT BOARD CANDIDATE

Speaking of  the Select Board, as you may know Select Board member Matt Borrelli  will not be seeking re-election at this coming April town election.  We  won’t know everyone who will be seeking to fill the vacant seat until  papers can be pulled in January.  Nonetheless, we have had the pleasure  of hearing from and speaking with one such candidate, Cathy Dowd.

Cathy  is a long-time Needham resident and a long-serving Town Meeting Member.   She teaches at Needham High School and has been an active member of  the League of Women Voters for many years.  Regarding a Needham Quiet  Zone, Cathy signed the SQN petition early this year after learning about  the petition and the information behind it.

While we cannot  endorse any candidate, we are excited to share with you the feedback and  comments we receive from those Needham residents willing to volunteer  their time to serve our community.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

As  mentioned, town elections will be held this coming April.  Have you  considered running to be a Town Meeting member?  Candidates elected in  April will first vote in the May 2023 Town Meeting.  If you might be  interested in contributing your perspective on the Quiet Zone topic and  other important topics affecting Needham, please reach out to learn  more.

And if you are running for Town Meeting  or any other position in Needham, please let us know and we are happy to  highlight your civic participation.

Last, as always,  please ask all voting-age household members, neighbors and friends to  sign the petition:  https://saferquieterneedham.com/petition .  Every  signature matters A LOT.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year with your friends and family! 

The Select Board met last night as scheduled and the first step of  the Quiet Zone investments remains on the draft FY2024 budget.

The Board will meet on the 20th to vote to recommend the FY2024 budget.

As always, please ask all voting-age household members, neighbors and friends to sign the petition:  https://saferquieterneedham.com/petition .  Every signature matters A LOT.  

Thank you

The Select Board met tonight to review the preliminary 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY2024-FY2028.

We learned that the Town Manager's office is actively advancing efforts on a Needham Quiet Zone, including a meeting tomorrow.  The Town Manager anticipates providing an update to the Board in the next six to eight weeks (thus, sometime in January).

The Select Board will next meet on December 6th to further discuss the preliminary 5-year CIP (which is for FY2024 and includes the engineering and design for a Needham Quiet Zone).

The Board will meet again on December 20th to vote to recommend the first year of the CIP.  This will start the Finance Committee process to generate the Town Meeting warrant articles for review/recommendation to Town Meeting.

We will update you again after the next meeting on 12/6.

As always, please ask all voting-age household members, neighbors and friends to sign the petition:  https://saferquieterneedham.com/petition .  Every signature matters A LOT.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving with your friends and family!

Yesterday the Select Board released the preliminary Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) recommendations for FY2024 (which runs 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2024).

GOOD NEWS:  The CIP recommendation for a Quiet Zone is the same as last year.  This means that, if approved as drafted, the first major step for a Quiet Zone will be before Town Meeting this coming May.

The Select Board will deliberate the CIP recommendations starting this coming Tuesday, 11/22.

It is expected that the Select Board will approve the CIP before the winter break.

As always, please ask all voting-age household members, neighbors and friends to sign the petition:  https://saferquieterneedham.com/petition .  Every signature matters A LOT.

Thank you for your continued support and interest.

We hope everyone has been having a great summer!

Please read ... your help is needed.

This coming Wednesday, August 3rd, the Select Board will be meeting to review its goals ( http://www.needhamma.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=23907 ).

One of the Select Board's current goals is to "Seek Funding for Noise Reduction / Quiet Zone Feasibility and Design."

This goal has been backed by many Select Board actions, including two tranches of specific funding in its FY2023-FY2027 Capital Improvement Plan ( https://www.needhamma.gov/5070/FY2023---FY2027-Capital-Improvement-Plan) .

The first tranche flags $1.34 MM to fund Quiet Zone design and engineering, the first vital step in establishing a Quiet Zone in Needham.

Importantly, the first tranche is currently scheduled to be included in the FY2024 budget.  This means it will be included in the Town Meeting warrant article in spring 2023.

It is vitally important the Select Board hear from you before their meeting on Wednesday.

Please send an individual email (the message can be the same) to each member of the Select Board letting them know about your support for maintaining the goal about establishing a Quiet Zone and keeping the Capital Improvement Plan on schedule:

• Marianne Cooley, Chair:  mcooley@needhamma.gov
• Marcus Nelson, Vice-Chair:  mnelson@needhamma.gov
• Kevin Keane, Clerk:  kkeane@needhamma.gov
• Heidi Frail:  hfrail@needhamma.gov
• Matthew Borrelli:  mborrelli@needhamma.gov

Thank you very much for your help at this critical moment.

More to come ...

Needham's Town Election is fast approaching in 6 days on Tuesday, April 12th.

PLEASE BE SURE TO VOTE !!!

Here is why it matters to you:

• All 240 Town Meeting Member seats are up for election after the most-recent U.S. census.
• The first vote on Quiet Zone-related measures is included in the May 2022 Town Meeting Warrant Article !!  Article 13 of the Final 2022 Town Meeting Warrant Article includes:  "Unless circumstances require otherwise, this Chapter 90 allocation will be     directed to the design and construction of the next phase of the downtown infrastructure improvement project including design and construction of Quiet Zone compliant infrastructure at railroad grade crossings."   

Please be sure to review the latest list (updated tonight) of TMM candidates who have responded to the Safer Quieter Needham Candidate Questionnaire at https://saferquieterneedham.com/election-2022  

If candidates that you support have not yet responded, please encourage them to do so ... we will keep updating the list with responses until election day.

Don't forget to vote on April 12th!!!

Needham's election is fast approaching on Tuesday, April 12th.  BE SURE TO VOTE !!!  Recently we reached out to candidates for Select Board, Planning Board, and Town Meeting Member.

We have compiled candidate responses at https://saferquieterneedha.com/election-2022    Please remember that all 240 Town Meeting Member seats are up for reelection due to the census.

If you do not see a response from your representatives, please encourage them to follow up and complete the questionnaire.

REMEMBER TO VOTE !!!  TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH !!!

A big THANK YOU to State Representative Denise Garlick, who earlier this week held her annual Report to the Community for Needham.  Among the many topics, Representative Garlick emphasized her support of the Needham Select Board's efforts to maintain rail service and consider a Quiet Zone to address the health and safety issues of Needham's rail crossings.

See minute 41:00 and thereafter to see her comments here:  https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/O7e6JrKKSJ3H_TX3VgEvpbSSL7Dbnrk2/media/701444?autostart=false&showtabssearch=true&fullscreen=false&jwsource=cl 

Thank you Representative Garlick!

Tonight the Select Board approved the FY2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan, which includes many of the investments needed to improve the safety of Needham's railroad crossings and establish a Quiet Zone.

One small step ... with many more to go.

Please send your thanks to SelectBoard@NeedhamMA.gov

 Earlier today the Needham Select Board reviewed the FY2022-2023 goals that they previously established.

Regarding Goal # 3 - Accessible & Connected,  and particularly Initiative # 3.3 (the Quiet Zone topic), there was a  good discussion.  One piece of great news to start:  Based on feedback  from the last Select Board meeting, the FY2023-2027 Capital Improvement  Plan has been updated to set the Quiet Zone study and design investments  in FY2023 into Tier 1 !

There  are a number of transit and transportation-related ideas that have been  or are being discussed around town.  The consensus of the Board  appeared to be that while those ideas are interesting and should be  considered, the safety improvements that are a prerequisite for  establishing a Quiet Zone are smart and worthwhile safety investments  even if some of the other ideas come together over time.

The  discussion reinforced a perspective Safer Quieter Needham has held from  the outset:  improving railroad crossing safety and eliminating  non-emergency train horns is a specific outcome that Needham can  accomplish by following a predefined process created by the Federal  Railroad Administration.  The results, which will benefit thousands of  Needham residents and businesses every day, can be achieved relatively  (emphasis: relatively) quickly.  Further, making the  needed one-time safety investments offers value to Needham for decades  to come, no matter how Needham's transit and transportation profile  evolves alongside the MBTA and other regional and local planning  efforts.

Tomorrow night the Select Board is meeting at 6pm (https://www.needhamma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=9273)  to vote on the F2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan that has been  discussed the last few meetings.  Please attend in person or by Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83686125873...) if you can.

Also, if you have not had the opportunity to do so already, please reach out to the Select Board (https://www.needhamma.gov/488/Select-Board or selectboard@needhamma.gov) to express your support for their  continued efforts in  studying and considering establishing a Quiet Zone  in Needham.

The Select Board on Monday at 11:30am will be meeting at the Memorial Fieldhouse to review its goals in advance of Tuesday night’s Select Board Meeting.

You can attend the Select Board meeting via zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84383409541) or in person.  More info here:  https://www.needhamma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=9268

The Select Board is scheduled to vote on its 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan on Tuesday night, which includes many of the investments needed to establish a Quiet Zone throughout Needham.

Let’s continue to encourage our town leaders to make this specific, measurable, achievable, and near-term investment in the safety and quality of life of Needham.

We asked Select Board Special Election candidates Karen Calton and Kevin Keane for their views on improving railroad crossing safety and establishing a quiet zone in Needham.  See their statements HERE.


Please note: Safer Quieter Needham does not endorse either candidate.  We appreciate the time and attention each candidate has given to this important issue.

We are excited to announce that at the 11/30 Select Board meeting, implementing the required safety improvements and establishing a Quiet Zone were included in the *draft* 2023-2027 Capital Request!

The 11/30 meeting was the first of three meetings on the Capital Request.

The Select Board is responding to the community, and hearing from you right now at this critical time is vitally important.  PLEASE CONSIDER CONTACTING THE SELECT BOARD DIRECTLY (selectboard@needhamma.gov) EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND QUIET ZONE.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Please join our next Neighborhood Petition Drive on Sunday, November 7th from 11am to 1pm.

To RSVP:  https://forms.gle/ViQ8hrM2iQ3WruSw8

CommonWealth Magazine has published a report on Needham's efforts on pursuing a Quiet Zone.

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/some-towns-yearn-for-commuter-rail-silence/

Join us for our first Online Community Meeting on Monday, October 18th at 7:00 PM!  

Click here to RSVP:  https://forms.gle/u4br2ZhNRaBPdnV39

We will provide updates on the current status of our efforts, provide an overview of next steps, and answer questions and comments.

The Select Board will meet tonight to discuss its Quiet Zone goal and next steps in its process.  This will be a discussion among Board members regarding process going forward.  No public comment is anticipated.

This will be part of its regularly scheduled meeting, available both in-person at Powers Hall and via Zoom link:   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82014186576?pwd=ak5vM01jRVR1MGhGQ1RyNWtjTVBiQT09 

The Select Board voted to “Seek Funding for Noise Reduction / Quiet Zone Feasibility and Design.”

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who has expressed their support for Needham to reconsider this important, one of many, in our community.

Thank you to the Select Board for taking this first step.

Stay up to date and get involved.  Find us on Facebook, sign up for email updates, and please be sure to sign the letter of support petition.

The Select Board will be meeting on Tuesday at 6pm to review and vote on its goals for the 2022-2023 planning cycle.  Included in the draft goals is conducting a study of the implementing a Quiet Zone in Needham.

https://needhamma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=8960

And the full Agenda Packet, including goals to be reviewed:

https://needhamma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=8961

The Needham Channel published a video segment reviewing the Needham's discussions regarding implementing a Quiet Zone.

https://youtu.be/-qENjme7lWs

Congratulations to Waltham for making these important infrastructure  investments and moving forward with re-establishing their town as a Quiet Zone!

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/07/22/waltham-train-railroad-crossings-horns-noise-massachusetts/

Select Board Member Dr. Lakshmi Balachandra has published a community-wide survey requesting feedback on numerous issues on her radar and/or before the Board already.

There is also the option to provide feedback on other topics that you can recommend for further consideration.

The survey will be available until July 15th.

Safer Quieter Needham has launched a petition to support pursuing a Quiet Zone in Needham.  You can sign online securely or request a paper petition.

The Needham Select Board is reconvening tonight at 6pm to discuss their recommendation to the MBTA regarding restoring weekend commuter rail service.  https://www.needhamma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/8791

As indicated last week, the Board will not be taking additional comments from the public this evening, but they are accepting additional email comments prior to tonight's hearing.

Tonight's discussion is focused on the MBTA's proposal of Option 1 and Option 2.  While that is the immediate issue before the Board, we believe that the train horns have a major influence on whether Needham residents want to see better commuter rail service.  Were it not for the train horns, the overall views would be much different.

Recently, Chelsea and Waltham have lost their Quiet Zone status.

All communities must ensure they are compliant with current standards to maintain their Quiet Zone status.

Both towns are now working to install the needed safety measures to re-instate their Quiet Zones.

A noteworthy quote from the WBZ article:  "The MBTA told WBZ it has no role in the matter and that it’s between individual communities and the [Federal Railroad Administration]."

Link to Article

Tonight the Select Board held a public hearing on two potential options of restoring weekend Commuter Rail service.  Many thoughtful comments and issues raised - it is a complicated issue.

While the Select Board stayed focused on Option 1 and Option 2 this evening, they intend to hold additional discussions in the future, which we welcome and support.