SERVE NEW ENGLAND COMMUNITY-BASED VOLUNTEER SERVICE ORGANIZATION AND FOOD COOPERATIVE
For the month of November Serve New England has all the fixings for a Turkey dinner available for $16. The Holiday Package includes: an 8-10 lb turkey, potatoes, onions, apples, cranberry sauce, celery, stuffing and a frozen veggie. You can place your order by leaving an envelope at St. Margaret's Rectory with your name, phone number & $16.00 (in cash, money order or EBT) by November 5th.  Your order will be available for pickup on November 18th at 10:30 in St Margaret's church hall.  We have no means to store orders that are not picked up so if you choose to order please arrive on time to pick up your order.
If you have any questions please call Nora @ 617-265-7508. The same package will be offered in December.  Give it as a gift!

PRESIDENT'S CHOICE
The recipient of October's President's Choice Award was John Majerick. With close to 20 years involvement, he is a long time volunteer for youth activities at the Little House. He lives on Dot Ave, as a long time member of the community, with his son. This is just the type of person Annissa created this award for. Thanks for your dedication John.

OCTOBER 30TH MEETING OF PLANNING COMMITTEE
There will be an extended report from the Planning Committee at the November 6th general membership meeting because of a heavy agenda at their October 30th meeting. All are welcome to weigh in on the following issues at the Little House at 7PM.

-Charlie Donovan's
Arthur Donovan proposes to extend the closing time of his new restaurant/bar until 1 am from its current closing time of midnight. Charlie Donovan's is to be located at the site of the former Rock Hill (Savin Hill Ave and Sydney Street). He also is petitioning for an entertainment license. Each of these changes requires a hearing and community input is considered by the Board. 

-1023 Dorchester Avenue
The landlord from Lincoln promises to attend the Planning Committee once again. At the last meeting, he remained committed to his original proposal of 7 units. As you may recall, Mr. Brey is under court order to return his illegal rooming house to its legal occupancy of a single family with an office. He was also ordered to post a bond of $35,000. which he has not done. We'll see what he has to say ... 

-1121 Dorchester Avenue 
Quality Auto Sales is located near the McLaughlin Youth Center, and is proposing to build a large addition (approximately 23'x47' by 22' high) behind its business at this address. Currently, the business replaces auto glass, does car inspections, and sells used cars. The addition is proposed so that the petitioner can expand its car dealership. 

-C2C Communications
The company that proposes to dig up Morrissey Blvd in order to install an internet backbone that will serve Quincy and points along the South Shore intends to present its plan at the meeting. The general membership will look to the Committee to recommend offering its opinion on available mitigation, etc.

As always, we welcome everyone to come. You will be heard. However, in order to vote you must become a member. But even that is not difficult. By committing to regular attendance you can become a voting member of the Planning Committee after attending three consecutive meetings. 
 

Letter to the Editor
The following was originally published as a Letter to the Editor in the Dorchester Reporter:

Dear Editor,

I cannot speak on the subject of Boston or Dorchester's cleanliness or lack thereof and I will not. But I can speak of the lack of Savin Hill cleanliness and I will. For reasons of health my wife and I walk each morning for at least a half-hour throughout the neighborhoods of Savin Hill. Each morning we venture into another section of Savin Hill and we observe as we walk. 

I'll be blunt. Savin Hill is a garbage dump. Most homes and their tiny lawns are neat and attractive, with flowers and imagination everywhere. But, the civic pride ends at the front gate and steps. Very few of these residents do anything about the garbage and animal feces on the sidewalks and streets even in front of their own well-tended homes. It seems as though these citizens are above the menial task of stooping to pick up litter, even their own. The street sweeper visits every other week are a laugh. They don't touch the sidewalks and frequently drop more dirt than they pick up. It isn't difficult to see that their main reason for being is the fines generated by unwary citizens who are caught parking on the wrong side of the street. 

A short list of the type of garbage left on the sidewalks and streets of Savin Hall should point to where some of the answers lie. 
1. Dog feces. The city would never allow this outrage in the tonier neighborhoods of Boston. 2. Fast food trash. Maybe a way could be found to enlist the help of these businesses. 
3. Cars that regularly drive through the neighborhoods and empty their trash and ashtrays on the street. Maybe posted photographs of these litterers would help. 
4. Tidy up the trash receptacles on trash removal days. The trash truck crews are one of the few city services that earn their way but they can't do the job alone. 

But the job of making Savin Hill clean and keeping it clean belongs to the homeowners and the renters, themselves. The all too obvious Savin Hill Garbage Dump could disappear if dwellers of each home or the proprietors of each business were to take personal control of the street and sidewalk right in front of them. For my own part, I have adopted my small street and its sidewalks. I fill a garbage can every week with my fellow citizen's trash. It takes about ten minutes a day but my street and its sidewalks are clean. 

Respectfully, 
Carl W. Lundquist
JD Colonel AUS (Retired) 
Hartland Street 

DORCHESTER BAY EDC TO FORM FOCUS GROUP
In my business as a consultant, I have been retained by Dorchester Bay EDC to facilitate a strategic planning process for the organization.  As part of that process, I want to invite you and any members of your groups who may wish to participate to a focus group for community residents.  The purpose of this discussion is to get your perspectives on neighborhood needs and trends as well as what you think Dorchester Bay does well now and what you think they should be focusing on in the next five years. 

It will be held on Monday, October 30 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Strand Theater in the Gallery, 543 Columbia Road, Uphams Corner.  Light refreshments will be served. 
Please let me know who from your group will be attending. 

I look forward to seeing you on the 30th. 
For more information, contact: 
Joan Tighe 617/287-8758 (email) joane234@aol.com