c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 1

2009-2010ROTARY CLUB OF NEWTON719 WASHINGTON STREET BOX MS295

NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02460

THE SERVICE GEARVolume LXXXVI No. 24 January 6, 2010

resident Marie Presti was running late, soPresident-elect Jeff Tucker took charge andstarted the meeting, asking visitor Ken Jaffe tolead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. DennisPrefontaine offered an invocation requesting“peace, prosperity, and security” in the new year;Susanne McInerney led the Club in a chorus ofGod Bless America.

After lunch, President Marie opened forbusiness by quoting Mother Theresa: “It is nothow much we do, but how much love we put inthe doing; It is not how much we give, but howmuch love we put in the giving.”

Marie thanked today’s Club Greeters, BillGarr and Jeff Tucker, who handed out NCSCtote bags along with handshakes.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMSBill Garr announced that 22 members were

present, including the long-absent MichelleDesimone and Pat Palmer. Bill recognized Pat’sguest Mary Kern of the YMCA as well as BillLowery’s guest, wife Helen Lowery, and ourspeaker, Srdjan Nedeljkovic. Visiting fromBrookline was that club’s president-elect, KenJaffe.

P

PresidentMarie Presti

617-620-6948

President-ElectJeff Tucker

617-340-1263

Vice PresidentLaurisa Neuwirth

617-291-0572

Past PresidentMarc Epstein617-244-1212

TreasurerPeter Mahler

617-630-5289

Recording SecretaryJohn Hurney

617-332-7412

DirectorDick Bowen

617-969-9134

DirectorJeff Chin

617-965-1988

Sergeant-at-ArmsBill Garr

617-969-5906 x116

Newsletter EditorScott Lewis

617-293-6371

DirectorJustin Sallaway617-244-0065

DirectorTony Bibbo

781-237-1144

MEETS TUESDAYS; 12:15 P.M. BRAE BURN COUNTRY CLUB, 326 FULLER STREET, NEWTON, MA

District No. 7910Club No. 6580

CONTENTS PageANNOUNCEMENTS 2SERGEANT-at-ARMS 1THIS WEEK’S JOKE 2STUDENT of the MONTH 3HAPPY DOLLARS 4SPEAKER/PROGRAM 3RAFFLE 1

With $493 on the line, Dr. Bob Staulo could findonly the Three of Spades in the diminishing deckof cards. Only 31 cards left in the deck with over$500 in the jackpot next time!

MEETING GREETERS NEXT MEETING:January 13: Bill Garr & Jeff Tucker

c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 2

10 thing a father will never say:

* Well how ‘bout that? I’m lost! Looks likewe’ll have to stop and ask for directions.

* You know Pumpkin, now that you’rethirteen, you’ll be ready for non-chaperoned car dates. Won’t that befun?

* I noticed that all your friends have acertain “up yours” attitude. I like that in ayoung person!

* Here’s a credit card and the keys to mynew car. GO CRAZY!!!

* What do you mean you want to playfootball? Figure skating not good enoughfor you, son?

* Your mother and I are going away forwhile. You might want to considerthrowing a party.

* Well, I don’t know what’s wrong withyour car. Probably one of those doo-hickie thingies - you know - that makes itrun or something. Just have it towed tothe mechanic’s and pay whatever theyask.

* No son of mine is going to live underthis roof without an earring. Now quityour belly aching and lets get to the mall.

* Whaddaya want to go and get a jobfor? I make plenty of money for you tospend.

* Father’s Day? Ah - don’t worry aboutthat - it’s no big deal.

ANNOUNCED FROM THE PODIUM

Paula Kirrane first asked the Club to singHappy Birthday in honor of Dick Bowen’smilestone January 10th.

Death by Chocolate: Paula thanked themany members who brought silent auction itemsto the meeting, and reminded us to bring inLottery Scratch tickets for the “ticket tree” thatwill be auctioned off as well. Last year’s tickettree was sold for over $400! Bruins Hockeyitems are needed as well for the Clun “BruinsBasket.”

Tony Bibbo reported that this year’s Mar-tin Luther King Jr. Celebration will take placeat Our Lady’s Chuch on Monday, January 18,10:00 AM. Tony is helping organize the eventwith Mayor Setti Warren.

UPCOMING...

January 13, 2010: WEDNESDAY Meetingscontinue at Brae Burn

January 31, 2010: DEATH by CHOCOLATEFundraiser at the Crown Plaza Hotel

PAUL M. KERRISSEYAttorney at Law

277 Auburn StreetSuite BAuburndale, MA 02466Office: (617) 964-5800Fax: (617) 969-9850

c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 3

PROGRAM: Extending the Green Line to NeedhamSpeaker: Dr. Srdjan Nedeljkovic

Dr. Srdjan Nedeljkovic is an accomplishedanasthesiologist at Brigham & Womens Hospitaland is a Newton resident. His presentation today,however, was about transportation, not medicine.

Dr. Nedeljkovic has been involved withpromoting a promising “Smart Growth” projectto extend the Green Line train system toNeedham along an existing railroad corridor thatruns parallel to Needham Street. It branches offof the existing Riverside “D” branch of theGreen Line near the Eliot Station in NewtonHighlands and would terminate at the NeedhamHeights commuter rail station.

The idea is to encourage more commutersto leave their cars at home, and to better enablemore residential development along the way. Inaddition to the existing Avalon Bay developmentof 300 apartments, other sites are being plannedfor future growth, including Marshall’s Plazaproperty and developments in Needham.

The line would also serve bring peoplefrom Boston to work in Newton-Needham jobsites, such as Needham’s 215-acre industrialpark and stores along Needham Street.

Other benefits include increased use of theCutler Park Wetland Park, and increased taxrevenues for Newton due to increased econimcdevelopment.

Unlike most development projects, theGreen Line extension would be relatively inex-pensive, since the corridor is already in place -

only a couple of miles of tracks need to replacedand some additional rolling stock employed, toserve 3,000 to 5,000 new passengers per day.

Unlike most development projects, the GreenLine extension would be relatively inexpensive,since the corridor is already in place - only acouple of miles of tracks need to replaced andsome additional rolling stock employed, to serve3,000 to 5,000 new passengers per day.

Dr. Nedeljkovic claimed that the project issupported by many state organizations and agen-cies, including Newton’s new mayor, Setti Warren.

For more information about the project seeDr. Nedeljkovic’s paper, attached to this newsletter

Presiden Marie Presti (r) thanks Dr. Srdjan Nedeljkovicafter his presentation about extending the Green Line toNeedham.

c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 4

SCOTT LEWIS HOME DESIGN

ADDITIONSRENOVATIONSNEW HOMESHISTORIC RESTORATION12 Bencliffe CircleAuburndale, MA 02466(617) 293-6371

PAULA KIRRANE

Uniquely Designed Cakes230 Adams StreetNewton, MA 02458Tel.: (617) 969-1830fax: (617) 969-5852

www.theicingonthecake.com

HAPPY DOLLARSPaul Stone led off with happiness for his

own 90th birthday spent with children, spouses,and grandchildren. Tony Bibbo was happy forPaul birthday and for the chance to crow in frontof Pat Palmer about Americans beating Canadi-ans in Junior League hockey.

Peggy Lepore happily returned from herholidays spent in California. Bill Garr washappy for the volunteer help with the Dictionaryproject. Susanne McInerney was happy to seethe movie Invictus. Ed Casavant was happy tosee the sun shining today.

Pat Palmer was happy to introduce col-league Mary Kern to the Club. Tom Keery washappy to flaunt the dress code, wearing nonecktie, and to let Rotarians know that FrostMotors would be host to an auction sale onSaturday, to liquidate office furniture and equip-ment, as well as trade items.

Bill Lowery was happy to have his wifeHelen with him for lunch, and to declare that all

club members present could boast a perfectattendance record for 2010. DennisPrefontaine was happy to receive the gift of arobotic beer cooler. Paul Kerrissey was happyto supply Carol Kerrissey with the usefulpocket flashlight given him by recent clubgreeter Dennis Prefontaine.

Ken Jaffe was happy to be with us, andthat the Raffle jackpot at the Brookline RotaryClub is now exceeding $800. Paula Kirranewas happy to see Ken Jaffe and MichelleDesimone. She was also happy to have visitedNew York City and to have attended the WinterHockey Classic at Fenway Park.

Dick Bowen was happy to meet MaryKern, for his upcoming birthday, and for thefond memory of Jean Fox, with whom heshared the Month of January for birthdays.Marie Presti was happy to predict that 2010 willbe a great year.

c 2010 Rotary Club of Newton Page 5

CHOCOLATE, ANYONE?

DEATH BY CHOCOLATESunday, January 31, 2010

1:00 to 4:00 PMCrown Plaza Hotel, Newton Corner

Please support your club by donating scratchlottery tickets or other items for the silent

auction today!

Taste and judge the best chocolate creations from local chefsTaste and judge the best chocolate creations from local chefs

Dying for chocolate? Come to the 9th Annual

1:00 – 4:00 pm Sunday, January 31, 2010Crowne Plaza Hotel • 320 Washington Street, Newton, MA

Admission $15.00 per person • $5.00 for children under 12 FREE PARKING

Plus a great Silent Auction and a Kids’ Raffle! www.judgechocolate.com

All proceeds to benefit local charities including The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, The Salvation Army, The YMCA, Scholarships for Students, and many more!

Sponsored by:

Newton and Needham’s Best Opportunity for Smart Growth By Srdjan S. Nedeljkovic

The best option for “Smart Growth” in Newton and Needham may lie in the unused rail bed that runs parallel to Needham Street and Highland Avenue. A proposal to restore light rail service between Newton Highlands and Needham Heights would create significant opportunities for further modest-scaled growth in the corridor. In addition, the new light rail extension would have significant environmental benefits to our communities by reducing energy consumptions and traffic pollutants in this otherwise congested part of our community. The rail line behind Needham Street and Highland Avenue was formerly part of the old Charles River line that was used to haul fill from Needham to the Back Bay in the late 1800’s. Once used as a passenger line, it remained active for freight use until several years ago. The unused rail bed connects the Riverside “D” line just west of Newton Highlands to the existing commuter station at Needham Heights for a distance of about 2 miles, extending across the Charles River and Route 128. The proposal to reestablish rail service calls for a dual track, electrified light rail line, similar to the existing Green line, that would use modern, quiet, environmentally sensitive light rail vehicles. Passengers would be able to board the line at 4 stations: Needham Heights, the Needham Business Center, Newton Upper Falls, and Needham Street. They would then be able to take the line to stops on the existing Green line, including Newton Highlands, Newton Centre, Reservoir, Brookline Village, Longwood, Fenway, and into Copley and Park Street Stations. Connecting the Needham Street – Highland Avenue corridor and the Needham Business Park to employment and population centers in the central core of Boston would place our area “on the map” for fast, frequent light rail transit service. Many municipalities have recognized the positive benefits that light rail has on local and regional economies and on the environment. New light rail systems have been built in places such as Portland (Oregon), New Jersey, Baltimore, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, and most recently Phoenix, Arizona. The effects of having light rail include new and expanded business opportunities, increased employment, a stronger local tax base, higher real estate values, greater perceived safety, decreased air pollution, and heightened tourist revenues. Rail facilities can enhance economic activity in a number of ways. Light rail offers improved access to businesses for a potentially significant pool of customers. The public senses that a community with light rail is a desirable place to live and work, which tends to attract new businesses and new jobs. In addition, people and businesses which are near a light rail line have an alternative option to using automobiles, which helps combat auto congestion on

roads. Having fast and frequent transit alternatives is one strategy to combat major forms of air pollution and is environmentally “green.” Newton’s recently approved Comprehensive Plan projects a build out potential of approximately 2 million square feet of commercial real estate in the Needham Street corridor. Needham has projected at least 2 million additional square feet of commercial real estate to be developed in the New England Business Center, in addition to the existing 2.5 million square feet. Both communities have been open to residential uses in the corridor, which now includes the Avalon Bay apartment complex (294 units) and the planned Charles River Landing complex (350 units). And the Northland Corporation has indicated that a large mixed-use project may be developed on the 21-acre Marshall’s Plaza – IVEX site in Newton. However important this new growth may be to the economic health of these two communities, there are significant concerns about increased traffic congestion. Full build out of the corridor may increase traffic by more than 10,000 trips per day along Needham Street and Highland Avenue. Many believe that the corridor simply cannot handle this additional traffic and fierce opposition to further development may result, reminiscent of the Stop and Shop battles of the 1990’s. Rehabilitating the rail line would offer a way to offset traffic increases from desired new growth while allowing economically sustainable projects to get approved. Ridership on the new rail line would be at least 6900 daily riders, which is estimated to reduce travel times and air pollution while reducing annual energy consumption by about 50,000 million BTU’s. Having light rail in the corridor will facilitate a new Needham Street to take shape, one that respects the “complete streets” concept that calls for streets to be equally accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, as well as cars. (see: www.completestreets.org). The new rail extension would initially run light rail vehicles every 15 minutes, taking about 30 minutes to get to central Boston. Trips would cost the same as on the rest of the rapid transit system, $2.00 each way or $59 for a monthly pass, which is a significant cost savings over the existing commuter rail line. The capital costs of building the line are estimated at approximately $100 million, and the project could very well be eligible for federal funding. Federal stimulus funding is intended to support projects that expand public transit and that will increase economic activity. However, Newton and Needham will not receive any of that funding unless our communities and our public officials advocate for projects that are eligible. Transportation accounts for about a third of our overall carbon footprint. The Newton-Needham rail extension represents a significant opportunity to reduce the environmental impacts of growth and traffic. The rail proposal also represents a significant opportunity for our business community and would be a great economic stimulus package for our two municipalities.