Geoff Beckwith of the Mass. Municipal
Association congratulates Chapdelaine.

An estimated 100 people semi-circled the Town Hall stage, as a number of state officials helped say goodbye to Adam Chapdelaine, with generosity and humor, on June 17, his last day as town manager after serving here 12 years.

In September, he becomes deputy director of Boston’s Green Ribbon Commission, an agency begun in 2010 by then-Mayor Menino seeking to help the city adapt to climate change.

Following an indoor event on Friday, June 17, which almost seemed prepandemic, except for a few wearing masks, here is a summary of farewells to the town's manager on his last day. Jim Feeney, deputy town manager, served as emcee.

Lenard Diggins, Select Board chairman, let wit leaven a heart-felt opening:

"So, can you imagine having five people to whom you directly report? Whether they see themselves as your bosses or the presidents of your fan clubs, members of the Select Board are a handful; and with there being five members on the Select Board and five digits on a hand, the metonymymay be apropos.

Dishing up some Arlington restaurant-related news morsels: 

Hot weather is on the way, and we’ll soon have a new venue to enjoy refreshing Japanese food—sushi, sashimi, maki, salads, teriyaki specialties and more.

Summer Sushi, 474 Mass. Ave., where USushi used to be, will serve lunch and dinner. Hours are Monday through Thursday and Sunday noon to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m. The restaurant has seating for 18 patrons.

More than 150 EMS workers at Armstrong Ambulance Service have voted to join Teamsters Local 25 in Boston, the union has reported. 

It is believed to be a first for employees of the the Arlington-based company, founded in 1946, which has not responded to requests for comment.

The union called the June 15 vote "overwhelming," but did not report a vote count. The union said the victory follows a nearly yearlong campaign, which "faced aggressive union busting by the company."

Sandy Pooler

UPDATED: The evening before Adam Chapdelaine's Town Hall farewell on June 17, the Select Board voted, 5-0, to name Sandy Pooler as Arlington’s new town manager.

His contract, which described his title as acting town manager and ends on July 28, 2023, spells out his annual salary at $225,000. See his contract >>

Despite the title, Select Board Chairman Len Diggins told YourArlington, "he is as much the town manager as Adam was, with the exception that his contract ends . . . about 13 months from now instead of running for three years.”

In January 2016, Pooler was named the town’s deputy town manager and in 2018 became director of the then-formed finance department. He began his new role June 18.

Friedman

The state Senate has passed a $5.07 billion general government bond bill to fund construction projects related to health care, higher education, information technology, workforce development, the environment, affordable housing and local projects. Sen. Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined her colleagues on June 16 to pass the bill, which includes a moratorium on the construction of new prisons in Massachusetts.

“The Senate bond bill sets the stage for important long-term investments in the Commonwealth,” said Friedman, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I’m really proud of the bond authorizations I secured for projects in the 4th Middlesex district. I am also pleased to see the bill includes a feasibility study for a replacement to Bridgewater State Hospital, whose oversight needs to be moved from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Mental Health.”

Fidelity House youths spread the news.

Fidelity House has been awarded a $100,000 grant, to be given in two installments, earmarked for its youth transportation feeds for this year and beyond.

It is the among 140 local nonprofits -- and the fifth in Arlington -- to receive a 2022 award through the Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant program. The others are Visiting Nurses & Community Care, AYCC, Food Link and the bIRch House.

Fidelity House, serving the youth of Arlington since 1955, is dedicated to meeting community needs by providing affordable, diverse and quality services for all ages. Youth participate in its summer day camps, school-age child-care program, preschool as well as children and teen services.

Fidelity House has been dealing with the impact of regulation on transportation affecting both the school year and summer programming. That was further complicated by the disruption of services during Covid-19, resulting in the lack of available vehicles.

Arlington VNCC staff celebrates Cummings gran

Visiting Nurse & Community Care,  in East Arlington, is the fourth nonprofit in town to announce it has been awarded a Cummngs grant. It will receive $500,000 over 10 years.

Others in town receiving awards through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program are AYCC, Food Link and the bIRch House.

Visiting Nurse & Community Care, at 37 Broadway, is among the few remaining independent, nonprofit home health-care agencies in Massachusetts providing quality community and home nursing, personal care and hospice services.

The Cummings grant will allow Visiting Nurse & Community Care to provide technology to families and our home health and nursing staff so that there can be ongoing video communication to enhance care. 

PacSana technology, which encompasses wearable devices aimed at improving care while facilitating independent living, will be provided to families. The technology allows users to monitor the activity levels of loved ones via an app.