More photos follow

DUDLEY - Dudley Firefighters paid tribute to retired Dudley Fire Chief Jeffrey Emerson Phelps, who died on Wednesday June 6th at the age of 56, following a short battle with cancer.

Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Ceccarelli, President Local 4271, says that Chief Phelps was the most active president that this organization has ever seen.

"He was the start-up of Dudley’s Union. As a proactive member of the PFFM, he would use vacation time to attend the annual union conference, and traveled across the state to attend the monthly meeting, whether it was held in the Berkshires or on the Cape. He fought to organize for the rights of the firefighters. From the Union standpoint, he was a big grizzly bear. He really was. He was a soft-spoken man in other things, but for the Union, he was a grizzly bear."

"He had a passion and was the best advocate possible for the firefighters" says Kerry Kozlowski, a former Dudley firefighter who worked with Phelps for ten years.

Phelps joined the Fire Department in 1975 and became one of the town’s original career firefighters two years later. He served as a firefighter for the town of Dudley for 35 years, spending 30 of those in command roles and retiring as fire chief in December 2010.

Chief Phelps was a long-standing member of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts (PFFM) as well as a Local President for many years, and also a member of the Massachusetts Fire Chiefs Association.

Ceccarelli says that on Monday morning, June 11th, the department followed a ceremonial motorcade parade route from Bartel Funeral Home on 33 Schofield Avenue, turning left on W. Main Street to pass the Dudley Fire Station, turning right on Mason Road, then left on Dudley Oxford Road passing by the Shepherd Hill Regional High School to Center Road, ending at the First Congregational Church of Dudley at 135 Center Road.

In observance of National Missing Children's Day

Dudley Police Department press release: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC), in partnership with The Dudley Police Department and The Dudley Middle and Elementary Schools, will be observing National Missing Children’s Day this year by participating in the national Take 25 child safety campaign.

May 25 has been observed as National Missing Children’s Day since it was first established in 1983. National Missing Children’s Day serves as an annual reminder that there are thousands of children who are still missing and stresses the importance of making child protection a national priority. The Take 25 campaign is a national child safety public awareness campaign created in 2007 by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The campaign encourages parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and ways to prevent abduction. The campaign begins on May 1 and continues through May 25 every year in communities throughout the country.  “We know that teaching children about safety works. Community events play an important role in helping parents understand how they can help save a child’s life,” said Ernie Allen, President and CEO of NCMEC. “We are very grateful to our local partners who share our interest in keeping children safe. They play an important role in raising public awareness in communities throughout America.”

As part of the program in Dudley, every Student, in grades Kindergarten through Eighth will be given information to take home on Friday, May 25th. The documents include “Conversation Starters” which contain several age specific questions parents can use to begin this important discussion.  The hope is these questions will lead to further dialogue about topics and issues which relate to each family’s specific situation.  The goal is for parents and children to take at least 25 minutes of their time to talk about safety and ways to prevent abduction.  This is a great opportunity for parents to have this meaningful discussion with their child.

Every year in America, an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing, more than 2,000 each day. Of that number, 200,000 are abducted by family members and 58,000 are abducted by non-family members, for which the primary motive is sexual.  Each year, 115 children are the victims of the most serious abductions; they are taken by non-family members and either murdered, ransomed, or taken with the intent to keep.  An analysis of attempted abduction cases by NCMEC found that in 84% of the cases, the child escaped would-be abductors through their own actions. Teaching children about safety works.  It saves lives.

The Dudley Police Department is excited to begin this partnership with the local schools and the National Center for Missing and Exploited children to promote Take 25 in Dudley. Thanks go out to Superintendent Sean Gilrein, and Middle and Elementary School Principals Greg Desto, Terri Caffelle, and Theodora Dono (as well as their staffs) for all their assistance in promoting this program.  If there are any questions, please feel free to contact Dudley Police Chief Steve Wojnar at 508-949-8023 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Additional information may also be found at www.take25.org.

approve $850,000 water main project,
give Bay Path a no vote

Janet Stoica
Patriot Correspondent

After a half-hour delay, the Dudley Town Meeting moved forward at a fairly sharp pace led by Town Moderator Patrick Flynn. With well over 100 voters present, articles passed included acceptance of revolving funds for multiple boards; transfers for Highway, Sewer Commission, Police Department, Veterans Services, and the Fire Station’s grant account.

Parents and Dudley-Charlton School Committee members voiced their strong opposition to school budget cuts when several individuals rose and spoke passionately about the admirable qualities of the Dudley school system, their reasons for moving to the Town, and the excellence of the school academics. Their comments were met with voters’ loud applause, which Town Moderator Flynn sought to diffuse in keeping with Town Meeting rules. Selectman Paul Joseph presented a 2 ½% increase over last year’s school budget but a voter recommended an amendment which was seconded by another audience member/voter and then passed with a 3.38% school budget increase, thereby approving the proposed FY 2013 Dudley-Charlton Regional School District budget in the amount of $6,437,283. Due to voters’ school budget override, it was noted that additional budget cuts will now have to be made in Fire Dept and EMS night-time coverage, general highway and library expenses, municipal services such as streetlight turn-offs, Veterans’ Memorial Day Flag program elimination, and not filling the position of Town Collector.

The Highway Department’s $5,600 request for upgrading two-way radios to comply with FCC mandatory narrow banding requirements was passed over for further information.

Jay Spahl of the Water Commission then presented details on the need for constructing and installing a water main on Dudley-Oxford Road from Center Road to Jaybee Avene. Mr. Spahl clarified the need for replacing the older mains with an $850,000 ten-year note that will be the funding source. Water users would pay for the note. Voters approved and passed the article. Mr. Spahl also justified the purchase of a new backhoe due to the great amount of usage hours on the older model andindicated the funding for the backhoe would come from retained earnings. Voters approved the article.

William Fyffe, a member of the Library Trustees, was then asked to speak about the article regarding the Library Building Needs Committee and the procedure for dissolution of the Committee as their job was complete. After Mr. Fyffe’s explanation, the dissolution measure was accepted and passed.

Article 16 then came into play concerning the Bay Path Regional High School’s addition/renovation project. The Finance, Appropriation, and Advisory Committee had not recommended Dudley’s share of the passage of the $73,722,405 project. Several selectmen spoke in favor of the Bay Path project due to the State’s high reimbursement percentage. After a member of the Bay Path School Committee stood and explained the project’s necessity and its debt exclusion status, newly-elected selectman John Marsi rose and further explained the positive aspects of a debt exclusion, which included the fact that this was not a tax increase and how the exclusion was a set number of payments that ended on a set date.

Voters passed over the article at this point, erroneously believing the debt exclusion could now be brought up at a later date. Further along in the meeting, however, Selectman Joseph took the podium and explained that he had just consulted with Town Counsel and learned that the aforementioned vote was unqualified to allow future consideration of the Bay Path project. He explained to the voters that they now had to rescind their earlier vote, vote again on the original article presented, and, if agreeable, the voters should consider a “no” vote as that would then allow the article to come before them again at a later date. Voters then took the recommended action voting “no.”

Voters next approved a by-law change for the annual Town election date. The new date would be the first Monday following the second Saturday of June thereby allowing a newly-elected Selectperson to have a full-year’s experience with the Town budget before voting on line items, etc.

A 50-foot rule by-law change was also approved, disallowing any campaigning materials to be disseminated within any area of buildings and/or doors where meetings were to be held for Town purposes.

A criminal history check authorization article was passed for peddler, alcohol beverage, public conveyance, second-hand dealer, pawn dealer, hackney drivers, and ice cream truck vendors licenses, essentially allowing Dudley to obtain background CORI-check information from anywhere in the U.S.  Sex offender residency by-law changes were also approved, bringing Dudley in line with other cities and towns in the state.

Additional zoning by-laws adopted included renewable energy resources and large-scale solar photovoltaics. Lastly, a stabilization fund appropriation was passed over for more information as recommended by the FAA.

Janet Stoica
Patriot Correspondent

The Dudley Board of Selectmen met in the Shepherd Hill High School cafeteria prior to the start of the Spring 2012 Town Meeting (May 21) to approve their May 14^th regular meeting minutes as well as their Executive Session minutes voting not to release the Executive Session’s transcripts due to ongoing issues.

The Board also voted to accept with regret the resignation of Joy Glynn, Library Trustee. Local advertising for another member to be appointed will begin soon. Members then reviewed briefly the imminent Town Meeting’s warrant articles along with recommendations from the Town’s Finance, Appropriation, and Advisory Committee. Just minutes before the Board had met with the FAA Committee at the Town Hall.

Their final two agenda items included a request to waive $540 in building permit fees for repairs to the historic Black Tavern and a review of the Dudley Police Sergeant selection process. The Board unanimously waived the Tavern’s permit fees and then focused on Police Chief Steven Wojnar’s presentation regarding the procedures to be followed in the selection of a new sergeant. The Chief reviewed the stages of the process in selecting three candidates through a promotion board after which Selectman Paul Joseph moved to accept the process and to authorize Chief Wojnar’s actions with the provision that questions posed to the candidates would be provided to the Board and would also comply with the candidates’ civil rights.

Dudley, MA – Two vehicle operators escaped serious injury Friday night as the trucks they were driving collided at the intersection of Dresser Hill Road (Route 31) and Dresser Hill #2.  The collision left a one ton dump truck on its side, and a pick up truck engulfed in flame.

The accident was first reported just before 9:00 PM, and members of the Dudley Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene.  Initial reports to the Dudley Fire Alarm Office stated that one of the vehicles was overturned and the other vehicle was on fire.  Police arrived on scene to find that both drivers had fortunately been able to extricate themselves from their respective trucks, and had got away from the immediate area as the pick up truck began to burn furiously.

Paramedics from the Dudley Fire Department arrived on scene and checked out both drivers.  Both of the individuals involved denied being injured and refused transport to a hospital for evaluation.  Firefighters arrived on scene and knocked down the truck fire.  They also had to cover leaking and flowing hazardous fluids emitting from both of the trucks.

The cause of the early evening accident is being investigated by members of the Dudley Police Department.

Janet Stoica
Patriot Correspondent

Selectmen gathered at their first May meeting to welcome John Marsi, newly-elected board member, and then to vote in Jonathan Ruda as their new Chairman, Steven Sullivan as Vice Chairman, and Peter Fox as Clerk.

The board also approved the appointment of Richard Carmignani, Jr. as interim Town Collector with his term to expire on 5/4/2013.

A public hearing was held for Shields Packaging Co. located on Oxford Avenue with Richard Androwlewicz as the company’s representative reviewing their permit application for soil and loam removal. The soil removal’s purpose was to bring the area to the same grade level as the nearby railroad tracks. The procedure would occur over a three-year period in order to prep for a warehouse. The board granted the request.

Drafter’s Sports Café was then reviewed at a public hearing with Richard Androlewicz as its representative as well. The establishment had come before the Board on 4/23 seeking to alter its premises by building an outdoor addition, but was asked to provide additional information regarding exterior emergency egress as well as information on the addition’s foundation. Mr. Androlewicz provided blueprints to the board members and explained that the existing asphalt of the outside lot was to be cut away and pavers installed, which would not entail any grading changes. He further explained that there would be an emergency exit on the outdoor addition.

A local resident near the Café came before the board to ask if there would be outdoor music allowed in the addition’s area and Mr. Joseph explained that this would be a code violation and there would be no outside music permitted.

The last public hearing on the agenda was the Chapter 61A right of first refusal continuation regarding Wayne and Marie Rozenas’ sale of property known as Lot #1 on Baker Pond Road. Chapter 61A pertains to the change of tax status of the property and the Town’s right to purchase once the status changes. Selectmen Fox and Sullivan had personally viewed the well-kept site, commended the Rozenas, and noted that the Town did not have funding to make the purchase. The Board passed on the right of refusal releasing the Rozenas to sell the property privately.

New public business included a request by Sarah White of H.A.N.D.S. to hold a bucket brigade fundraiser on Saturday, May 26^th, from 9 a.m.-12 noon at the Webster/Dudley town line. The organization provides fuel assistance for Dudley’s senior population and Ms. White stated that since the local organization’s inception they had assisted approximately 45 seniors with fuel/heating assistance.

Matt Hall, Dudley’s Library Director, then presented video surveillance bid results for the Town library. The lowest bid was provided by Eyewitness Systems of Broad Brook CT in the amount of $27,799.80. Selectman Marsi asked Mr. Hall if the bid solicitations were from local vendors. Mr. Hall advised him that a 60-mile radius of Dudley was included in the bid advertising. The funding would come from the library’s state aid account and installation would be completed in less than a week. The board granted the library trustees’ request to award the bid to Eyewitness Systems.

Fire Chief Dean Kochanowski gave a status report on the Fire Department Building Committee and introduced Steve Mita, a fire department building consultant. A slide presentation was made by Mr. Mita with numerous photos taken of the Dudley Fire Department’s engine and personnel building on West Main Street. Mr. Mita stated that “Dudley’s existing fire dept building was beyond obsolete.” He supported his claim with facts demonstrating the need for additional space for fire apparatus, most notably the height restrictions imposed by the low overhead doors as well as bay area vehicle conflicts, lack of personnel areas including bunk areas, lack of office space, poor restroom facilities, no ventilation, causing mold habitation, as well as the facility’s overcrowding not being ADA-compliant as it is considered publicly accessible.

Mr. Mita showed a new floor plan which would include a 9,500 sq. ft. addition to the right side of the West Main-facing building, bringing the number of bays up to five as well as moving all administrative areas and offices to the right side of the building. It was suggested by Chairman Ruda that Town Administrator Peter Jankowski and the Building Committee meet to suggest the next course of action.

The board then approved new oil burner permit fees and also approved giving the Fire Department oil burner inspection and permitting authority.

It was additionally noted that the 2012 Memorial Day Parade will step off at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 28^th with James Brinker as Grand Marshall.

A discussion was held regarding two by-law proposals. The first proposal was to make the Town Treasurer/Collector a single position. Chairman Ruda requested that Town Administrator Jankowski work with the current Treasurer to determine the feasibility of a singular position and to return with an update to the Board within 60 days.

The second proposal entailed having a “one-stop customer service desk” for residents/commercial entities at the Town Hall. The desk personnel would provide assistance with town permits/bylaws/registrations, etc. conceivably making it easier for residents/entities to conduct their town business. Mr. Sullivan expressed his reservations about such an undertaking as he felt the knowledge base would have to be extensive for the individual manning the desk. Further research would be done by the town administrator.

A town resident came forward to request if out-of-town residential transfer station stickers were available. Selectman Joseph asked Highway Superintendent Dan Gion if this type of sticker was available. Mr. Gion advised that this type of request had not been made previously and he would survey area towns to determine the possibility and would report back at the next Selectmens’ Meeting. Mr. Gion also briefed the selectmen on the recovery of eight stolen catch-basin drain covers. Local thieves had removed the 150-200 lb covers and tried to sell them to metal buyers. With the assistance of the Worcester Police Dept the eight covers had been returned to Dudley. Metal stamping of Dudley’s name to the covers will be looked into.

A brief discussion was then held regarding Selectman Fox’s query regarding the Intermunicipal Sewer Agreement with Oxford and Webster and the redirection of funds due to bid cost savings. Student Representative Katie Racicot then gave a brief report on Shepherd Hill High School’s athletic team game records, spoke briefly about the upcoming high school graduation
scheduled for June 3^rd, and thanked the fire and police chiefs for their assistance during her tenure with the board. All board members thanked Katie for her past few years’ service as student representative and wished her well in her future endeavors.

Dudley. Registered Democrats turned out last Thursday night to re-establish a Democratic Town Committee and to meet state representative candidate Kathleen Walker (D-Charlton).

Jerry Jeffrey of Mason Road took the lead to re-organize the committee and was elected as the town committee’s Chair. Adelina Healy was elected Secretary and Nicholas Trifone was nominated and elected for the office of Treasurer.

After business was concluded, Chairman Jeffrey introduced Kathleen Walker, candidate for state representative in the 6th Worcester district that will include all but one precinct in the town of Charlton, all of Dudley and Southbridge and one precinct in Spencer. Walker, a resident of Charlton who currently serves as the Vice Chairman on the town’s Board of Selectmen, spoke of how she is always warmly welcomed in Dudley and how she has visited the town’s Senior Center, Library and Transfer Station and is impressed at how hard the town has been working to provide great services to its residents.

Dudley Democrats spoke with the candidate about the town’s fiscal constraints, about services for senior citizens and about preservation issues and of trying to hold onto the character of the town. Walker identified the need for a grant writer to help identify and secure supplemental funds for capital projects in the district. She also spoke of the need for Beacon Hill to pay more attention to Central Massachusetts as something that she would work hard to change when she is elected.

Walker also shared her deep commitment to the preservation of our historic buildings by describing her work to save the Union School on the common in Burlington, Massachusetts where she once lived and of her pride in the expansion of Charlton’s library that added on to the existing beautiful structure that is so much an icon of the community.

The next meeting of the Democratic Town Committee will be Thursday, June 7 at 7 p.m. at the Dudley Municipal Center. For more information, contact Jerry Jeffrey, Chair at 508-943-1834.

Candidates express visions for town and 
entertain questions live via cable access

On Thursday evening April 26, the Dudley Women’s Club sponsored a “Candidates Night” forum at the Dudley Municipal Complex on West Main Street in Dudley. Two candidates, Richard Carmignani (treasurer) and John Marsi (selectman), who are on the May 7 ballot, were on hand to express their views on issues affecting the town. Although there are no contested seats on the ballot in Dudley this year, event organizers felt it was important to find out a little bit about the candidates and their vision for the community.

As an added bonus, two candidates vying for the seat of State Representative of the Sixth Worcester District were also on hand to introduce themselves and listen to the views of the local candidates. With redistricting in Massachusetts, State Representatives find themselves in new and sometimes unfamiliar territories. Current State Representative Peter Durrant and Charlton Selectwoman and Representative hopeful Kathleen Walker were allowed a few moments at the beginning of the forum to introduce themselves to those in attendance and at home via Dudley Cable Access Television, which was carrying the event live.

After Mr. Marsi and Mr. Carmignani introduced themselves, questions from the audience were leveled at the pair, and their views were extolled. Both candidates seemed very relaxed and comfortable with the questions that were coming from the audience. In an unprecedented twist, questions were entertained from home viewers via the internet on Twitter. So even though not everyone could make it out of the house to ask a candidate a question, there was still an opportunity and a way to ask a question and get the candidates feelings on a specific issue. It was a great way to get the viewing community involved.

Photos coming.

Dan and Cynthia Howard

Photos and text by Steev Riccardo

Dudley – On most days Dan Howard, 48, of Dudley can be found delivering mail on Vernon Hill in Worcester and on most nights running in his neighborhood, which is in close proximity to Shepherd Hill Regional High School, the high school he attended.

It’s the combination of these two regular activities that resulted in Howard running in the Boston Marathon this year, his fourth in a row and sixth marathon overall.

Howard grew up in Charlton, went to Shepherd Hill, where he played soccer and baseball, and more importantly, met his wife Cynthia.  He has also worked as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service for the last 26 years, delivering mail in the very hilly Vernon Hill region.

It’s actually the difficult route that Howard has that keeps him in great shape but “to run a marathon it has to be a lot more than that.”  He runs on a nightly basis around Shepherd Hill and the Dudley Middle School “usually every night at 7 or 8.” 

Howard, who graduated from Shepherd Hill in 1981, has always loved to run.  Before tackling the granddaddy of all marathons he ran the Lowell Marathon and the Cape Cod Marathon, but nothing was like what he had to endure this year.

“This year was very difficult due to the extreme heat,” he Howard. “Four thousand people chose not to participate because of the heat. Last year’s winner actually dropped out at mile18 while in the lead because of the heat.”

“My time was slower this year, but all in all I was very happy with it. They say marathoners hit a wall at mile 19 and I hit the wall at mile 7 this year and had to stop and walk about 100, 200 yards. Thank God, I just started back up and got my rhythm and tempo back and was able to get it done. It was a different ballgame this year.”

Howard gets great support from his wife Cynthia who said, “I think it’s contagious, all of us end of doing some sort of sport or exercise because we see him doing it and he makes it seem so effortless.”

Every year the entire family, which includes Howard’s mother and father, wife Cynthia and their four children, Melissa, Timothy, Matthew, and Jack, all attend the marathon together.  This year was no different.

“It’s really a family effort, we are all in it together, it’s a good thing.” said Howard.

For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Janet Stoica
Patriot Correspondent

A group of bright-yellow-shirted Charlton parents sat together at the Dudley-Charlton School Committee meeting Wednesday, April 11, to participate in the citizen's forum section of the meeting.

Several addressed the committee to express opposition to proposed school budget cuts.  Their statements encompassed the fact that they felt their children were getting a “world class education in the Charlton schools” and that “many residents moved to the area not for the employment aspects nor for the big-money jobs, but for the excellent school system.”

They did not want to see the budget cuts happen in technology or school staffing and were emphatic about this.  They insisted that the school committee keep the budget levels intact in order to maintain the high-quality education their children deserved.

They also praised the entire teaching staff for the remarkable work they do. Chairman Geraldine Nowicki thanked all the speakers for their comments, told them all was appreciated, and suggested they also bring their comments to each Town’s selectmen and finance boards.

Superintendent Sean Gilrein reported that the school’s accreditation process was beginning in anticipation of next year’s visit by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges. He also noted that the Massachusetts House's proposed education budget had increased funding by $163.8 million over the 2012 budget, approximately $40/student increase. (This budget has yet to be approved by the Senate.)

Mr. Gilrein also spoke about the Masonic Angel’s Fund and the group’s extraordinary acts of kindness that have made a big difference to many regional school children and their families. He thanked all groups for their tireless fundraising efforts.

Turning to the FY2013 budget, the committee recommended further cuts in staff, including one full-time elementary school specialist, one district-wide speech and language pathologist, and at Shepherd Hill one foreign language teacher and one English teacher.

These actions would reduce the budget by an additional $169,000, still leaving a gap of $858,595. The number of district staff positions lost due to budget considerations would increase from 25 to 29.

The committee had already cut staff positions and other costs totaling $3.3 million to close a projected $4.3 million deficit.

In other business, the committee reviewed ESL usage of buildings based on availability; approved an additional year leave-of-absence for teacher Karin Curran; and reviewed and approved Finance Director Trifone’s awarding of the net metering credits, thereby reducing electricity costs.

Superintendent Gilrein closed the meeting with an impassioned speech, saying that he was all for the students, knew the value of the District’s excellent school system, and that the committee would work diligently to ensure that all 4,000 students continue to receive the absolute best education in the area.

Mr. Gilrein further commented that “these were difficult economic times but we will make it work for the students. I am proud to say that parents who moved here did so because of the sterling reputation of the Dudley-Charlton School District. I want this budget to work for everyone.” He then thanked all the teachers and parents for attending the meeting.

Next meeting dates are Wednesday, April 25, at the Charlton Middle School and Wednesday, May 11, at Shepherd Hill Regional High School, both meetings begin at 7 p.m.

School Committee members in attendance were: Liz Canney, student rep.; Elaine Rabbit; Raymond Chalk; Geraldine Nowicki, chair; Pauline Aucoin, vice-chair; Catherine Kabala; and Joseph Pietrzak. Absent was Michael McConville. Also attending were: Sandra Sullivan, recording secretary; William Trifone, finance director; and Sean Gilrein, superintendent.