Above: A past Christmas display at the Southborough Historical Museum (photo by Susan Fitzgerald)
It’s time for another open thread.
What’s on your mind this week, Southborough?
For those of you new to the blog, the open discussion thread is your place to ask questions, sound off on town issues, or share information with other readers. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Ask questions about programs in town or the town itself
- Post a note about things that you’re selling or giving away, or things that you want
- Share notices about upcoming events (Southborough or otherwise)
- Register your thoughts on town issues or news stories
- Point out interesting or helpful resources
You can add comments to the thread throughout the week. Check back often to see new comments. (If you read the blog via email or RSS, you might want to check the site from time to time for new comments.)
To view past open discussion threads, click here.
I think that Southborough would benefit greatly from having a good, local bakery. I would love to be able to buy warm, fresh bread in the morning in town. I also think a bakery would add to the character of the town while staying in line with Southborough’s existing style. Does anyone know if there is a specific reason why we don’t have one?
The issue is that it is so hard to get anything approved to go into town that business owners go outside of Southborough instead where it is easier. Look at the corner of Newton and Main Streets. That lot has been vacant for YEARS. The owner wants to put something there and the town is making him jump through hoops. It would seem to me that something there is better than what is there now. Unfortunately, I don’t see a bakery in town anytime soon, sadly. That and an ice cream/candy store across for the playground on Central Street would be wonderful.
I think if there is a specific type of business that you feel would do well in Southborough then you should consider renting one of the several available vacant spots in town and give it a go. Why not? Why wait for someone else to do it?
I’m new in town so please excuse the ignorance. What is the process for reporting deteriorating roads to the DPW in Southborough? I drive on Pleasant St. Connector to get on the Mass Pike. The section of Pleasant St. Connector between Rt 30 and Crossing Blvd seems to be breaking down and caving in.
Welcome to Southborough, Vinod. You can call the DPW and speak directly to them. The phone number can be found on the town’s website under “departments.” Here’s the link:
https://www.southboroughtown.com/
Welcome to Southborough Venod. I’ve been talking to our state representative Carolyn Dykma for years about this issue. Caroline will be at the meeting next week in Southborough that you may want to attend. But there are state roads in town roads in Southborough. I’ve actually got all the receipts for excise tax and a very small portion of it is going towards our roads. I’ve asked Carolyn Dykma to please sponsor a bill that the excise tax taken every year from us only goes to the roads in Southborough. We have state roads going through Southborough which makes the matters worse and they’re in such bad shape. The on and off ramps to the mass pike in Framingham bordering Southborough, the 495 off ramp onto Route nine, almost down to the subsurface. I know that the DPW head, Karen, is very responsive and a very nice person if you bring concerns to her. Our State rep will be at the meeting next week January 15 at the senior center at 7 PM. It would be great to see you there and address what you see as a new resident. As you know our taxes are very very high in Southborough, we pay a high excise tax for our vehicles, and that’s on top of the 6% state tax that we pay from our individual payroll. I don’t see anybody except for the schools and special interest getting what they need. Or should I say what they want.
Vinod- that area you drive might belong to the state and not the town. If it is the town, they may not be very responsive due to their small size and resources . Often times it takes a lot for them to do a lot . And who knows how responsive the state will be either .
That section of road is actually Framingham. Good luck with any serious road repair
As I walked thru Trottier today (New Year’s Day) I was thinking that The GobbleWobble took place 5 weeks ago on Thanksgiving Day and the large pillars with the poles are still standing in front of Eric Green’s memorial. Where do these ‘finish line’ pillars live the rest of the year? And who’s job is it to move them back there? They were in the road blocking the buses the first week of December and were moved out of the bus line to the side of the road, but they are still there.
Can anyone provide information about why and when Prime Volvo on Rte. 9 closed. Seems like one day it was open and cars on all their lots and the next day all cars are gone and the showroom empty. I don’t remember hearing anything about their closing leaving yet another eyesore on Rte. 9.
Southborough Wicked Local covered the sudden closure. It seems it was relocated to Rockland. The reporter didn’t get a response (though it was the Friday before Christmas). I’d presume it was for financial reasons. You can read the story here: https://southborough.wickedlocal.com/news/20191221/prime-volvo-cars-in-southborough-closes
Received a letter in the mail recently from Volvo USA to let us know they had closed, and that the closest dealers were in Natick, Worcester or Nashua, but no rationale or any additional information was listed.
Some internet sleuthing reveals that prime automotive is majority owned by a company called GPB Capital, which is currently undergoing investigations alleging that they are running a ponzi scheme. One would have to assume that has a little something to do with it.
https://www.pressherald.com/2019/12/06/ousted-prime-automotive-group-ceo-sues-to-be-reinstated/
Does anyone have any more information about the bylaw those people were gathering signatures for at the transfer station recently? One of them provided me with a blog address on a strip of paper and I accidentally washed the pants it was in.
Does anyone have that blog address? How can I get in touch with these people again?
Thank you.
I’m guessing that you are referring to the residents organizing support for a Citizen’s Petition Article to create a noise bylaw. I will be writing a post about their efforts. For now, I can point you to their blogspot here and more background from my coverage of selectmen’s decision to hold off on bringing a Town sponsored Article to voters here.