Ravine Road, School Turnover and More: Highlights from Mayor's Chat

Yesterday on Melrose Patch, Mayor Rob Dolan joined us for our monthly live chat, taking questions about the Ravine Road one-way experiment, turnover with school principals, turnover in the business community and more. ; below are highlights from the Q&A session sorted by subject. Questions are in bold, followed by Dolan's response.

Ravine Road

Walter Greelish: Good afternoon. While it's only been a couple of days since the has been implemented, indications are that it is creating a traffic nightmare on Woodland Road and at the bottom of Pond Street. If the issue is speeding on Ravine Road in Stoneham, why not just implement speed mitigation measures there?

Right now, even though all the changes have been made in Stoneham, only Melrose residents appear to be impacted by the current setup. The necessity for traffic to cross Woodland Road exiting to get to Wyoming Ave or Ravine road has always been dangerous, but to limit traffic to the Wyoming egress point only makes the problem much worse.

Dolan: As you know, the state and the DCR control the Fellsway. Not only that, it's in the town of Stoneham, as you pointed out. Not only people from Melrose but also people from Saugus up through the North Shore seem to be affected by this since Melrose is the cut-through from Route 1 to 93. The premise of the DCR's reasoning for this move was due to the documented fact that the crossing between lower Ravine Road in Stoneham and upper Ravine Road in Stoneham was classified as one of the most dangerous intersections in the area.

The issue wasn't as much speeding but that cut-across, which is lengthy, and in many cases there are blind spots. It is documented on a monthly basis that the level of very serious accidents in that area would be disturbing to anyone. DCR's engineers and traffic study people suggested this as a possible solution, and they are looking at that entire corridor. We have shared each response we have received. There have not been a lot, but We shared that with the DCR, and we have shared all the comments that have been made with the DCR, and we have made the request today that they readjust the lights at Grimsby's, because last night, traffic was backed up considerably. We have also shared, and will take the lead from, our state delegation, Senator Clark and Rep. Brodeur, who are our liaisons with that agency, and we share our feedback with them on a weekly basis.

Principals and Paying Them and Teachers

Joe: Mr. Mayor, can you sum up what happened with some of the I want to believe that Melrose is doing its best to create a good learning environment for our children. Editor's note: In each case, the principals left/are leaving for other jobs. Click the link above for a previous article about this subject.

Dolan: I think it is safe to say a couple of things. One is that the average span for an administrator these days is five to six years at most. Kerry Clery at the Roosevelt School got an incredible promotion that could set her on the track to a superintendency in her future. Dennet Sidell was very clear in that he is moving closer to home, with a bigger school, quality of life, and more money, which comes with more responsibility. Jeff Strasnick is going to Wilimington. In the Free Press, he is quoted as saying that he lives in Melrose, and he felt the stress of working and living in the same community is not ideal.

When you hire young administrators, you hope for their advancement, and I think we are seeing that. But there are some fundamental flaws that I think the School Committee has corrected. The city has a salary grid that places administrators on a grid where they can see, based on performance, salary step increases. Due to the economics of Melrose, we try to be as competitive as we can be. However, we have never had a problem with applications. We have hundreds of applications for every job in the city based on the quality of our community and our financial stability, which is very rare in Massachusetts. If we can offer a salary path that is clear and based on performance, good principals will be attracted to that. It is a model that we have used on the city side that has retained high quality staff, thus resulting in a high quality city. This is going to be replicated in our schools.

Also, , in my discussions with her, wants to mentor and tutor young administrators to be future educational leaders. If those educational leaders could then go on to be assistant superintendents, curriculum directors, and someday superintendents, ultimately that is what they want and what we want.

Ian Epstein: It is a little disconcerting that Melrose Teachers and Principals are underpaid in comparison to surrounding communities. What is the mayor's office doing to get the best Teachers and Administrators to the Melrose School District?

Dolan: Good question! However, I'd like to offer this: It is the job of the superintendent to do that. I play no role in the hiring of administrators or teachers. That is a question for the new superintendent.

Melrose is a small community. If you have read the book Moneyball, we are not the New York Yankees or the Red Sox in our ability to raise money like larger (Cambridge, Boston) or wealthier (Lynnfield, Winchester, Belmont) communities. If you look at the last question, you will see why. The communities that can offer larger salaries are 1. laying off teachers at a rapid rate, , due to reductions in local aid and the economy, or 2. are voting overrides above and beyond the 2 1/2 levy to increase salaries, (i.e. , , ) because the basic premise is the more salary you offer, the less staff you have. Unlike the state and federal government it is against the law for us to run a deficit.

We offer a very generous, competitive total compensation/benefit package. We pay 87% of health benefits, which is unheard of in the area, we have permanent retiree health benefit of 85% paid by the city, which is the highest outside of Cambridge. We offer 70% Medicare reimbursement to retirees—we are the only city outside of Cambridge to offer that. Our teachers have very high step increases each year that range from 5 to 7 percent , with a COLA on top of that. So the issue here is not only salaries but sustainability. The communities that have overspent based on Prop 2 1/2 are the communities that are now crumbling, shutting schools, laying off teachers, and dismantling departments.

Melrose has chosen a sustainable model in which we must live within our means within the Proposition 2 1/2 boundaries. If citizens wish to invest more in a particular area, there are mechanisms where the community as a whole can vote and decide that, but we must maintain a winning model, which is competitive salary, excellent benefits, low class size, and a supportive educational environment. The new superintendent must seek out the best and the brightest using those tools. That is not unlike any business in America. After those people are hired, it is going to be her charge to provide that supportive learning environment that promotes individuals personally and professionally and brings about results.

Closing Businesses and Commercial District Renovations

Craig: What is going on with all these small local businesses closing or preparing to close like , the dog groomer on Main, and And what do you recommend we do as Melrose residents to stop the same thing happening to other local businesses?

Dolan: First, Craig, we have never had a lower vacancy rate in the City of Melrose, which is incredible considering we have a mall down the street, we have Route 1 three miles away, and Stoneham just down the road, coupled with the economy.

It is very difficult to run a penny candy store like . The dog groomer is looking for a larger store and he already has a new occupant for the space. Mary and Tim Moynihan own their building, but they are looking for a better quality of life in retirement. I am sure there will be a bidding war for that site. There is another bakery moving into Peacuddy's, and we have several larger restaurants looking for locations in Melrose.

But the citizens of Melrose can never, ever be complacent. The only way that local businesses can survive is if we patronize them. We can never forget the local store. Those are the stores that buy ads in our sports books, support our Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and never, ever say no to a child asking for a donation. They also are the leading funders of our PTOs and our schools. The Chamber of Commerce and I meet constantly to promote local business, but in order to keep our community strong, it is citizens, not government, that will ultimately make this work through their support. It also takes businesspeople evolving their product to change with the times and meet the needs of citizens. That is a constant, and there may come a time when the product or service may not meet the needs of the community. We feel our businesses do a fine job of meeting the needs of our local population. I ask that Melrose residents do their utmost to support local businesses.

Brad: What is the timeline for ?

Dolan: We need to be very sensitive to when we do this, because I can't shut down businesses. For a few of our downtown businesses, one lost day of wages could be disastrous, so although we would like to do it next week, that would not be practical.

We are also planning this summer to do a sizable but targeted rehabilitation of Main Street that will include new street, some sidewalk improvements, and some handicap curb cuts to improve accessibility and safety. We want to do this as one whole package. We plan on doing meetings with the Chamber of Commerce and business representatives to choose a period of time that will have the least impact on businesses. This has to be a carefully calculated effort to ensure that lost revenue is minimized, and it has to be cost effective for both the city budget and businesses. Piecemealing it would skyrocket the cost for the city, because it is in our interest to bid this as one job, so there will have to be compromise, but in the long run it will mean a safer Main Street, a more accessible Main Street, and more parking for what I consider to be the best downtown in the country. In this case, haste would make waste.

Public Works Changes

Dave Gray: Mr. Mayor, I'm uncomfortable with removing all oversight with regard to hiring a DPW director. If I understand correctly, . Can you explain why you think that's necessary? You already have the ability to remove unilaterally an underperforming director.

Dolan: One correction: The Board of Aldermen retains authority to appoint the Director of Public Works, as it does for every other department head in the city. I don't necessarily have a problem with it being a three-year appointment, although that is currently being reviewed by the city solicitor, and it would be the only department head that would have that designation. I don't know why this particular department would need that stipulation, since it is an employee at will.

There is unanimous agreement that and will deliver an outstanding department that is currently changing for the better. I also agree wholeheartedly, as I have for years, that the Board of Aldermen should have an appointment to the Water Commission to give them responsibility for reviewing the water and sewer budget and related projects, since they ultimately decide the rate. That is something I have supported for many years, and I would support that ordinance change.

Dog Park and Morelli Field

Chris: Mayor Dolan, is there a final date set for when the r will be completed at the Knoll?

Dolan: The Board of Aldermen will be taking their vote on May 21, and upon their final vote, construction will begin that week. It will take approximately two to two-and-one-half weeks to complete. We are looking forward to this new amenity in our community.

Chris: Is there an update on Morelli? I know there are plenty of people who would pay for permits to use that facility this summer which I would assume is something the city would welcome?

Dolan: The In order for sod to establish for the long term (which is in all our interests), the following needs to happen:

The root system of the sod needs to take and establish. The professionals we have hired have sent a series of recommendations for periodic use and rest to ensure that the sod makes it through the stress of the summer weather conditions. The field will open on May 21. However, because everything we do has to be sustainable for the long term, in the initial period of this grass it is in all our interests to do as the professional sod experts say to ensure that this field will look as it does not only this year but five or ten years from now. We will allow people to use the field but it will be managed and limited, especially in this first season to ensure that this sod takes.

The good news is that we have had excellent grass growing weather over the last month, cold nights, wet days, so we have had to cut the grass twice, which is the professionals say is a sign that the roots are establishing and it will be high quality sod.

We will have the opening ceremony at 5:30 on May 21. We will rededicate the field to Dr. Morelli and Melrose HIgh School will play Matignon HIgh School. We will have a special opening pitch to honor Dr. Morelli and the Williams family. The Williams family will be there to remember their son, Danny Williams for whom the scoreboard is named. it will be a very touching ceremony but it will also be exciting to see our high school seniors play on Morelli Field.

City Budget

Paul: Mr. Mayor, last night when discussing administrator raises, you made the comment that "Melrose really doesn't have a budget shortage." Quite honestly, that didn't compute. What exactly were you trying to say?

Dolan: That we are able to meet the needs of this community with the resources provided to us by the citizens of Melrose under Proposition 2 1/2. In the worst economy in our lifetime, we are adding staff, evolving departments, avoiding layoffs, improving services, cutting fees, balancing the budget, and investing in our stabilization fund, which is four times higher than when I took office in 2002.

A lot of communities are talking about preserving what they have. We are evolving what we have. This community has been very clear that we want to live within our Prop 2 1/2 allocation, and I totally respect that. Many communities around us, such as Arlington, Reading, and Lynnfield, periodically vote overrides to increase funding, particularly for education. I respect the will of the taxpayers, and not only do we work within a 2 1/2 levy that is often taken up with salary increases, insurance premiums, and pensions, we have in turn been innovators in regionalization, health care, and consolidation of services, in a city that is 96 percent residential, whose largest tax paying business is Johnny's Foodmaster. The future is only going to be harder, so it's important that each department set goals as to needs and we try to meet those goals based on the revenues that we have. Ultimately it is the citizens' responsibility as taxpayers as to what they choose to invest in their communities, and as the caretaker it is my job to ensure we can distribute that money as fairly as possible and with accountability.

Street Parking

Becky: Mayor Dolan, what is Melrose's current plan for street parking? I live on Vine Street, and there is currently no overnight parking in our surrounding area. I can understand this during the winter, when cars on the street might get in the way of a snow plow or sanding trucks, but when we are not in snow season, these limits make no sense. Parking in my apartment building is limited to one spot per apartment. Street parking would help me be able to have guests overnight without having to drive them to Wellington Station (the only overnight parking close by).

Dolan: Becky, although we may disagree, I would never support any movement to change the no overnight on-street parking law. It not only helps snow plowing, it helps keep our neighborhoods safer, it helps us enforce zoning (i.e., illegal apartments), and it most certainly helps to maintain the quality of life that our residents currently enjoy. I think it is one of the laws that supports value in our community, building, and responsible home ownership in our community. I would never support a law that would limit that in any way.

However, in the case of visitors or a sick relative, on a limited basis, Chief Lyle encourages residents to contact the police department for a temporary special accommodation. On Vine Street, you can park in our municipal lot for $85 per year for pennies a day; the lot is monitored and well lit. There is no movement afoot to change the law.

Melrose High School Renovations

Daniel DeMaina, Melrose Patch Editor: Can you give an update on the Melrose High School renovations? Who's on the High School Building Committee, where does everything stand for the moment and when do you expect to return to the Board of Aldermen with a request for funding the project?

Dolan: 1. We just received

2. We have submitted an application to the SBA and have received final review, last Monday, for the . We are anticipating approval or denial in the beginning of June. We feel confident of our chances in this very competitive process.

3. We received five proposals from architectural firms. The design committee cut it down to three, and there will be interviews next Tuesday, with a final recommendation. The members of the building committee are Mayor Dolan, Denise Gaffey, John McLaughlin, Dan Richards, Monical Medeiros, Joe Nevin, Chris Casatelli, Mike Lindstrom, and Joe Casey. Other senior department heads are brought in on an as-needed basis. That is as much as we have right now; once we pick our design team, ideas will be turned to plans and action will be funded. It should be noted that as of right now, t which is this summer's initiative. It will be open for students in September.