Hello Burlington,

The town lost a long-time public servant this Friday with the passing of Al Fay. Al served the town in a number of capacities over his 68 years as a resident, including as one of the first professional firefighters; a charter member of Town Meeting; a Select Board member; and much more. He also started an informal Truck Day celebration, which has grown into a town-sponsored event enjoyed by thousands of residents.

Al’s funeral will be held on Wednesday, January 10, at 10:00 AM at St. Margaret’s, with a visitation on Tuesday, January 9, from 4:00 to 7:00 at Sullivan Funeral Home. Learn more about Al’s life and legacy.

The Buzz wishes Al’s family peace and the comfort of a lifetime of memories.

We’re in the middle of the season’s first snow, and so far it’s dropped six to eight inches onto our fair town. Cleanup is underway, but the snow is scheduled to continue falling for another several hours at least. Stay safe and snuggle up with a loved one and a warm beverage today, or head out for some snow shoeing, sledding, snowball throwing, or snowman making. Whatever you decide to do, snap a quick pic, post it on social media, and tag us (@burlingonbuzz on Facebook and @buzzburlington on Instagram).

Today’s Parks & Recreation Zumba class and BHS Hoop-a-Thon are canceled, as well as the JV hockey game.

Candidates Are Already Preparing for April's Election

Nomination papers for this April’s local election have been available for just four business days, and already some ambitious community members have begun their campaigns. So far the Select Board and School Committee are shaping up to have competitive races.

For the two seats up for election on Select Board, incumbent Joe Morandi has taken out papers, as have long-time member of town government Brad Bond and newcomer Sarah Cawley. Martha Simon (incumbent) and Megan Nawoichik have both declared their intent to run for the single available seat on School Committee.

With more than a month before papers need to be returned, anything could happen. Be sure to stay up-do-date on local election coverage at the Buzz’s Local Election section. We’ll be conducting interviews with candidates for contested office after the ballot is set and providing updates throughout election season.

The current status of nominations, updated continuously, can be found here. If you haven’t yet taken out nomination papers, head on up to the Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours and start working on getting signatures! Town Clerk, Amy Warfield, can answer any questions you have over email or by phone at 781-270-1660.

This Week in Burlington

Municipal Meetings and Community Events

Monday, January 8

• 8:00 AM - Planning Sub Sculpture Park (Virtual)
• 5:00 PM - Board of Registrars/Town Clerk (Town Hall - Clerk’s Office)
• 6:00 PM - Recreation Commission (BHS School Committee Room)
• 6:00 PM - Select Board (Town Hall Main Hearing Room and Virtual)
• 7:00-8:00 PM - Teen Event: Pour Paint Night for Students in Grades 6-12 (Library; Register)
• 7:00-8:00 PM - Chess Club (Library; No Registration Required)
• 7:30 PM - ISSAC (Virtual)

Tuesday, January 9

• 8:00 AM - Ways & Means Subcommittee TH1 (Town Hall Main Hearing Room)
• 6:00 PM - Human Services Committee (Virtual)
• 6:30 PM - Fox Hill School Building Committee (BHS School Committee Room & Virtual)
• 7:00 PM - Board of Health (Town Hall Main Hearing Room and Virtual)
• 7:00 PM - School Committee (BHS School Committee Room and Virtual)

Wednesday, January 10

• 9:00-10:00 AM - Career Pathway Program Parents’ Breakfast (BHS)
• 4:00 PM - Council on Aging (Human Services Building, Room 136; and Virtual)
• 4:00-5:00 PM - Teen Volunteering: Lego Sorting - Grades 6-12 (Library; Registration Required)
• 6:30 PM - Zoning Bylaw Review Committee (Virtual)
• 7:00 PM - Democratic Town Committee (Grandview Farms and Virtual)
• 7:00 PM - Ways and Means (Town Hall Main Hearing Room and Virtual)
• 7:00-8:00 PM - The Woman Who Stole Vermeer (Library and Virtual; Registration Required for this FREE event)

Thursday, January 11

• 9:00 AM - Housing Authority (Tower Hill Community Room)
• 12:30-3:00 PM - Bridge club (Human Resources Building, 2nd floor)
• 4:00-4:45 PM - Mosaic Coaster Craft for Grades 4-8 (Library; Registration Required)
• 6:30 PM - Conservation Commission (Town Hall Main Hearing Room and Virtual)
• 6:45 PM - Burlington Scholarship Fund (Grandview Farm - Marion Tavern)
• 7:00-9:00 PM - Board of Library Trustees Meeting (Library)

Friday, January 12

• 11:00 AM - School Policy Subcommittee (BHS Business Office Conference Room)
• 4:00-4:45 PM - Still Life Drawing for Grades 3-8 (Library; Registration Required)
• 6:00-8:00 PM - Snowman and Valentine’s Day Crafts (Made In Burlington; Get Tickets)

Saturday, January 13

• 10:30-11:30 AM - Musical Story Time (Library; No Registration Required)
• 10:00 AM-2:00 PM - Small Acts, Big Impacts: A Day of Service (Acton Discovery M

Sunday, January 14

• Reminder: There will be no school on January 15 for MLK Jr Day. All town offices will be closed until Tuesday.
• Library will be closed Monday; come in Sunday to grab books, movies, games, and more!

Sports and Activities

Girls’ basketball brought home a 47-33 win from Melrose on Friday; boys lost a very close game with a score of 48-50. Boys’ hockey yesterday came out on top of Watertown with a score of 4-2.

At yesterday’s Freshman/Sophomore Small School Track Meet, Burlington’s Ryan Brooks took home first in long jump, setting a new meet record, and earned a nomination for outstanding male athlete. Great work, Ryan!

Looking ahead, we’ve got a full week of athletics on the agenda including gymnastics, swimming, basketball, and more.

Enjoy this busy week, Burlington!

Nicci

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