Arlington Police Get Standing Ovation at Town Meeting

Local officers were on the 'front lines' during Friday's manhunt for one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine said.

Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine and Town Meeting members recognized Arlington police officers Monday for their work in the aftermath of last week’s bombing at the Boston Marathon. The local officers assisted Boston police with operations, including the president’s arrival Thursday, and formed part of the perimeter around suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, when he was found hiding in a boat behind a Watertown home Friday, Chapdelaine said. “Our men and women from the Arlington Police Department were there on the front lines helping to bring the suspect to justice,” he said at the beginning of Town Meeting’s opening session. Lt. Ronald Kerr led the Arlington officers in Watertown, while Chief Frederick Ryan commanded the local officers in Boston, …

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Selectmen to Vote on Overnight Parking Ballot Question Tonight

The ballot question would be non-binding but could lead to action being taken.

The Board of Selectmen will vote tonight on a non-binding ballot question on overnight parking, according to its agenda. If the board approves the wording of the question (it’s already supported it in theory), the question will go before voters at the Town Elections on Saturday, April 6. Basically, the board wants to know if residents would like to see the town relax its overnight-parking ban. Selectman Steven Byrne proposed the idea of the question last meeting. At that time, selectmen disagreed on possible actions, or lack thereof, that should be taken after the vote. [More: Selectmen Pursuing Non-Binding Ballot Question on Overnight Parking] Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, who was sworn in one year ago Wednesday, will also have his …

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Town Manager Thanks All for Assistance During, After Blizzard

The following is from Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine.

With today's sun and mild temperatures, it is hard to believe that just a week ago we were preparing for a winter storm that turned out to be one for the record books. For the past week, the Town, residents, and businesses alike have been working to clean up from that storm and bring life in Arlington back to normal. Given all of this effort, I want to take a moment to say thank you. I want to thank Town staff, most notably the men and women of the Department of Public Works, for their round the clock efforts over the past week. DPW staff demonstrated their commitment to the Town in their response to this storm and I feel that we are lucky to have such a team. I also want to thank residents for both their efforts and their patience. Across…

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Some 60 People Attend ‘Conversation’ on Public Transportation's Future

Some offer complaints, kudos and ideas.

Remember the hue and cry early this year when the T proposed to cut road and rail service or raise rates for riders? Fares went up. So did ridership, across public transportation modes, according to Jonathan Davis, acting general manager and rail and transit administrator of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which is part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). What do residents of the Commonwealth want in their public transportation system statewide? MassDOT, which oversees public transportation on roads, rails and tarmacs here, held a meeting at the McGlynn Middle School Tuesday night, part of a series of “conversations” statewide, to hear ideas about the transportation system people want and what the …

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Letters to the Editor

Town Manager: Thank You Town Staff, Residents

Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine writes that the East Arlington microburst showed how "strong and resilient" the Arlington community is.

The following is a Letter to the Editor from Arlington Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine. Last Wednesday evening, as most of us were either heading home from work or preparing to sit down for dinner with our families, a powerful force of nature unexpectedly hit East Arlington and quickly caused a great deal of damage. Fortunately, this weather event known as a microburst did not seriously injure any residents or visitors of Arlington. However, it did cause trees to topple, limbs to break, wires to fall, and chimneys to collapse. In the aftermath of this event, a combination of Town and State resources were brought to bear in order to clear roadways, restore power, and begin the removal of debris left by the storm. As I am writing this message…

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Town Officials to Look Into Parking

A recap of Town Meeting's fourth session on Wednesday.

At its fourth session Wednesday night, Town Meeting passed the halfway mark, in terms of the number of articles addressed. The town’s legislative body, which has now taken up 42 of the 72 articles on the Town Meeting Warrant, voted in the affirmative on all 12 articles that were discussed, accepted the Board of Selectmen’s recommendation of no action on four more articles (Articles 31, 33, 35 and 53) and received a report from Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine (Article 32). Most of the articles approved Wednesday were pretty standard articles that are approved every year in unanimous or near unanimous votes, such as the articles that appropriate funds to the town’s committees and commissions, celebrations and other areas (Articles 42, 43, 48, …

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Meet New Town Manager on March 8

Arlingtonians are invited for a reception ceremony to meet Adam Chapdelaine, the town's incoming top administrator.

Editor's note: The following comes from a Town of Arlington press release. The Board of Selectmen is hosting a public reception to introduce Arlington’s new town manager, Adam Chapdelaine. Residents are invited to attend this reception on Thursday, March 8, 5-7 p.m., in the Selectmen’s Hearing Room at Town Hall. Light refreshments will be served. “We look forward to the people of Arlington getting to meet and know Adam Chapdelaine,” said Clarissa Rowe, chair of the Board of Selectmen. “He brings a wealth of government experience and expertise necessary for town business and a thoughtfulness and care for the overall quality of life for Arlington.”  Chapdelaine has 10 years of government experience and has been the Arlington deputy town …

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Selectmen OK Manager's Contract

Find out the details of Adam Chapdelaine's employment offer with the town of Arlington.

Arlington's new town manager will make a salary of $158,000, the Board of Selectmen decided. The selectmen on Monday voted unanimously to approve Adam Chapdelaine's contract, with Selectman Diane Mahon and board Vice Chair Kevin Greeley not present. Arlington Patch received a copy of the contract on Tuesday. Chapdelaine will also be eligible for 20 vacation days per calendar year, retirement benefits and a town-sponsored car for professional and personal use—including insurance, fuel, maintenance and repair costs. He replaces retiring Town Manager Brian Sullivan, who was Arlington’s top administrator for eight years before announcing his retirement last year.  In January, the Board of Selectmen offered Chapdelaine the job after a final …

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PHOTOS: New Town Manager Sworn In

Adam Chapdelaine was sworn it during a ceremony at the Town Clerk's Office.

It's official: Adam Chapdelaine has signed his paperwork and is Arlington's new town manager. In January, the Board of Selectmen offered Chapdelaine the job after a final round of interviews. Until then, he had been Arlington's deputy town manager. Chapdelaine on Friday signed his paperwork with Town Clerk Stephanie Lucarelli presiding. He will make his first appearance at the Board of Selectmen's meeting tonight, Feb. 27, 7:15 p.m., at Town Hall. Town officials are planning a meet and greet with Chapdelaine on March 8 at Town Hall.  Chapdelaine replaces retiring Town Manager Brian Sullivan, who was Arlington’s top administrator for eight years before announcing his retirement last year.  Selectmen Chair Clarissa Rowe has called Sullivan’s…

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New Town Manager to Take Oath Friday

Adam Chapdelaine takes over this week, meet and greet scheduled for March.

Arlington’s incoming town manager will be sworn in this Friday at Town Hall. Current Deputy Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine will take the Town Manager’s Oath of Office at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24 to become Arlington's new top administrator. The brief swearing in ceremony will be performed by Town Clerk Stephanie Lucarelli and held in her office at 730 Massachusetts Ave. In January, the Board of Selectmen offered Chapdelaine the job after a final round of interviews . Ashland Town Manager John Petrin was the runner-up. Town officials are planning a meet and greet with Chapdelaine on March 8 at Town Hall.  Chapdelaine replaces retiring Town Manager Brian Sullivan, who was Arlington’s top administrator for eight years before announcing his …

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