Notes from April 10, 2017 HDSNA meeting
HDSNA notices
March's meeting featured Matthew Smith, Salem's first
director of traffic and parking. Mr. Smith was appointed last fall and is
still collecting information about the traffic and parking situation throughout
the city. Mr. Smith can be reached at msmith@salem.com and we hope to engage him in an ongoing
manner to address neighborhood issues. (For immediate parking or traffic
issues, call the Salem Police Department non-emergency number; see below under
City Updates.)
HDSNA dues have been a voluntary $5 per household for many
years (last increased at least 15 years ago). Starting in May, we will be
suggesting $10 per household. Among other things, dues help cover our
summer picnic and holiday potluck, fund the web site, and cover meeting space
and speakers fees when necessary.
HDSNA is developing a neighborhood resident-sourced list of
home repair and maintenance companies and individuals. HDSNA is not
endorsing any particular company or person, but rather facilitating the
exchange of information. If you know a tradesperson, particularly if they
have experience working on historic homes and/or appearing before the
Historical Commission, please share a recommendation. The plan is to
compile the information into a PDF document that will be circulated to those
interested. For more information, contact Brianna Kenny at briannake@yahoo.com.
If this is a list you'd be interested in having, please complete the form at
the following address by May 28:
Street sweeping will begin next week (April 18) and run
through May. Entrance corridors will be swept in April and neighborhoods
in May. Our neighborhood is scheduled to be swept May 23, but be alert
for updates and posted no parking signs. Alternate parking will be
available in the South Harbor Garage that day. For more information and
the full schedule, see http://www.salem.com/home/news/city-salem-releases-spring-street-sweeping-schedule.
The year's first yard waste pick-up for our neighborhood
will be Monday, April 24.
The Imagine Salem survey is still available and all who have
an interest in Salem's future are encouraged to participate. Learn more
and find the survey at https://imaginesalem.org/.
There will be a benefit for the victims of the March 16 Pickering
Wharf fire on Thursday, April 20 from 7 to 10 PM at Finz. For details,
see https://www.facebook.com/events/210643816084419/.
The Salem Arts Festival will have its fashion show
fundraiser at Old Town Hall on Friday, April 14 at 7 PM. Find details at http://salemartsfestival.com/2017-fashion-show-fundraiser/.
Our next meeting will be Monday, May 8 at 7 PM at the House
of the Seven Gables and will feature representatives from Footprint Power.
City updates
Councilor McCarthy reported that there has been an increase
in people going through unlocked cars, so please be sure to lock your car
doors. Paving will resume shortly; information will be provided as the
paving schedule is created.
Officer Ryan Arundel, one of the beat officers for our
neighborhood, was in attendance. Officer Arundel advised that any
non-emergency issues regarding parking should be reported to the Salem Police
Department non-emergency number at 978-744-1212. Issues may be triaged when demand is
high, but they will not be ignored and will be handled. They will arrange
for towing in front of driveways, but have no jurisdiction over parking on
private property (so they can't tow if somebody has parked in your driveway).
The House of the Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables annual appeal is going on
now. Find out more and help support the site at http://www.7gables.org/support/annual-appeal/.
The Seven Gables is featuring special programming on
Caroline Emmerton's 1916 Settlement from April 15 to 23, included as part of
admission to the site. Find details on this and other events at the Seven
Gables at http://www.7gables.org/events/.
National Park Service
Paul DePrey and Michael Parr of the National Park Service
were in attendance. Superintendent DePrey reported that during
Friendship's haulout in Gloucester, more issues than expected were discovered
(as often happens). In this case, rot was found in the stem, a fairly
serious matter. The NPS is working on funding for the repairs. As a
result, Friendship will not participate in Sail Boston this year, but it is
hoped that she will be a part of the Gloucester Schooner Festival. The
NPS is doing all they can to make sure that Friendship is back in Salem by July
4.
Destination Salem
Kate Fox, Executive Director of Destination Salem, spoke
about Destination Salem and its role in the city.
Residents are encouraged to contact her if tour buses are
seen fumbling in narrow streets; this is often due to GPS directions that are
inappropriate for buses, so tour companies will need to be educated.
Pictures of the buses can help in this correspondence.
There will be interruptions to commuter rail service this
summer due to necessary maintenance. (Interruptions due to budget
concerns were canceled.) There are upcoming MBTA commuter meetings in the
region.
More information about Destination Salem can be found at salem.org.
Harbormaster
Captain Bill McHugh, Salem's harbormaster, spoke about the
role of the office of the harbormaster in the city.
Cruise ships require restricted and secure areas, but the
harbormaster tries to keep the parking lot's closed space and time to a minimum
and give a week's notice on restrictions. It is hoped that once the
powerplant construction is finished, some space will be dedicated there for
cruise ship excursions and the Blaney Street lot can be left open. There
may be a cruise ship coming in May, but by and large the cruise season in our
region aligns with foliage season.
A new pier will be built at the Willows. The pier will
be almost entirely grant funded and will resemble the recently built Oak Bluffs
fishing pier. The current pier was build in the 1970s as a steamer wharf
but is now experiencing safety issues.
Blaney Street commercial wharf was finished in July
2016. This was supported by a seaport grant and will support additional
water traffic such as fishing excursions, Misery Island and Bakers Island
ferries, and the Salem harbor shuttle (if it returns).
Find out more about the Harbormaster's office at http://www.salem.com/harbormaster/.
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