By Adam Swift
Precinct 2 Town Councilor Kim Dimes held a special town hall meeting last week where she updated residents on a number of projects in her precinct and across the town.
Dimes also addressed questions about the town joining a private court case for an MBTA 3A Communities Act exemption, and the prospect for economic development in town, among other issues.
In addition to Dimes, Town Council President Jim Letterie, state Representative Jeff Turco, and representatives from the office of state Senator Lydia Edwards.
Edwards’ aides highlighted the approximately $500,000 the senator was able to help Winthrop receive through the supplemental budget. Those funds include $150,000 for school security upgrades, $50,000 for CASA, $10,000 for roof and other repairs at the schools, $17,000 for new basketball hoops at the schools, and $200,000 for Neighborhood Health corporations to expand education and workforce training programs for high school students. In addition, an environmental bonding bill that was recently passed by the state senate included $1 million to permit and construct the new seawall at Pico Avenue as well as $250,000 to the town’s tree committee to plant trees and combat heat islands in the town.
Town Tree Warden Tom Derderian also gave a brief update on current tree activities in Winthrop, noting that volunteers recently helped plant 24 new trees, mostly around the Gorman-Fort Banks School along Kennedy Drive. Derderain added that there is money for a large capacity watering tank for trees included in the proposed FY27 town budget.
“My longtime goal is to enhance the tree canopy in the town of Winthrop for the next hundred years,” said Derderian.
Dimes provided a brief update on stormwater improvements in the Tileston and Girdlestone area.
“I spoke with (public works) Director (Steve) Calla today and he informed me that the design of the stormwater improvements is complete,” said Dimes. “There was a meeting today with Pleasant Park Yacht Club to finalize the easement language; once that language is finalized, that easement document will be reviewed by the town of Winthrop general counsel (James) Cipoletta. Once that easement is recorded, we can begin the permitting process for that project.”
Dimes also noted that meetings and work continue on the construction of the new centralized fire station at the old middle school site. In addition, she highlighted improvements that have been made at Ingleside Park so the park can be used by the high school softball team.
“Some of you might have noticed the great improvements that were made to the Ingleside Park softball fields for the varsity girls,” said Dimes. “The field looks great; there were some delays in getting things wrapped up with that field due to wet weather, but things are squared away.”
Dimes also said she is going to help organize a clean up at Donovan’s Beach in the near future.
“It’s a small beach, definitely overlooked,” said Dimes. “There are some floating docks up there that have been dislodged and we’ll have to have the harbormaster come and take a look at that and see what they are going to do with those floating docks.”
The Precinct 2 Councilor said Massport, as part of the sound mitigation project, recently announced that it will kick off its replacement window program with 30 homes on Point Shirley this year with plans for additional homes next year.
Dimes was asked about the town’s citizens’ climate advisory commission, and said that she hoped to see the commission become active again in the near future. She added that she hopes to have a future town hall meeting focusing on Belle Isle Marsh and environmental issues in the area.
She was also asked about the 3A exemption court case and potential costs to the town.
Dimes noted that at the most recent town council meeting, Town Manager Tony Marino stated that there would be no additional costs to the town because the legal action would be handled by Cipoletta, who is already paid by the town.
“The town manager spoke to that and said, as of now, he does not anticipate any town expenses,” said Letterie. “Now, there is a cost of time for any lawyer that works … but as of now, we cannot see a need for any request to the council to add funds … we think that the salary of the attorney is going to be sufficient to represent us in this case. Again, there is the cost of the time when he could be doing other things for the town, but there isn’t going to be a request for money because of this.”