Senator Spilka, Allyson Perron from the American Heart Association, and Rep. Atkins pose after the event.

LAWMAKERS PROMOTE HEART DISEASE AWARENESS: Calling it the nation’s number one killer, more than 40 lawmakers gathered at the State House Wednesday to raise heart disease awareness and promote choices people can make to stay healthy. Women’s Legislative Caucus co-chair Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord) recalled the late Rep. Deborah Blumer of Framingham, who died after suffering a heart attack in 2006, and she she believes men’s heart problems often receive more attention than women. “This movement to call attention to the dangers for women is particularly important,” said Atkins, who joined her colleagues in wearing red clothing as part of “Go Red For Women” awareness activities held with the American Heart Association. Caucus co-chair Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) urged anyone who believes they may be experiencing heart problems to immediately call for help. “Unfortunately,” Spilka said, “so many families, if not all families, have been touched by heart issues.” According to the heart association, Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than other women and more women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Also, while eight million women in the United States are living with heart disease only one in six American women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat. Awareness campaign organizers advise women to take steps to understand the history of heart disease in their own families, adopt or continue healthy eating habits and exercise frequently to avoid developing risks for heart disease. 1:44 P.M.

January 24, 2012 617-722-1500

Senate President Announces Changes in Leadership Team; Welcomes Newest Member to the Senate

BOSTON – Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) today added a second woman to the Senate’s top posts after a full Democratic caucus approved a reconfigured Murray leadership team.

Senator Jack Hart (D-Boston) moves up into the role of Assistant Majority Leader. Senator Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester) also moves up, taking the position of Majority Whip. And the newest member of the leadership team, Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland), takes over as Assistant Majority Whip.

“All three senators have demonstrated the commitment and ability to lead in this body and deliver on important issues for the Commonwealth,” Murray said. “They each have the respect and support of their colleagues, and I am proud to have them on my leadership team.”

The changes were made possible by the departure last year of the former senator from the Second Suffolk and Middlesex District, Steven Tolman, who served as Assistant Majority Leader under Murray.

“I am honored to be afforded this opportunity by Senate President Murray, a woman and a leader whom I admire greatly,” Hart said. “In this position, I hope to work with the leadership and the members to continue to do good things for the people of the Commonwealth.”

“It is truly an honor to serve as the new Majority Whip of the Senate,” Chandler said. “I am grateful for this opportunity, and I will continue to carry out my duties in the Senate as an advocate for my constituents and the rest of Massachusetts.”

“It is an honor to be appointed by Senate President Murray to serve as Assistant Majority Whip,” Spilka said. “I look forward to taking on this new role in supporting the Senate’s agenda and remain steadfast in my commitment to being a responsible steward of the taxpayers and an advocate for working families across the Commonwealth. I am eager to work with my colleagues on continuing our efforts to bring about necessary reform, promote job growth and economic development, and support the important services and programs our most vulnerable citizens depend on.”

—more—

The Senate President’s entire leadership team is now set as follows:

Senator Fred Berry (D-Peabody) remains as Majority Leader;

Senator Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst) remains as President Pro Tempore;

Senator Hart moves up from Majority Whip to Assistant Majority Leader;

Senator Chandler moves up from Assistant Majority Whip to Majority Whip; and

Senator Spilka moves into the role of Assistant Majority Whip after three years as Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

The moves result in several changes in committee chairmanships. With Spilka going into leadership, Senator Gale Candaras (D-Wilbraham) takes over as Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

Senator Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) moves from Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Public Service to take the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue, formerly held by Candaras. And the newly sworn-in Senator William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) becomes the new Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Public Service, formerly held by Clark.

“I welcome Senator Brownsberger,” Murray said. “He brings a commitment to responsible public policy that we all share here in the Senate, and I look forward to working with him.”

Brownsberger won the seat vacated by Tolman in an uncontested general election January 10 and was sworn in today by Governor Deval Patrick during a formal session in the Senate Chamber.

“I am very grateful to the Senate President and her staff, and all of my new colleagues, for all the support and encouragement they have given me,” Browsnberger said.

In two other moves, Senator James Timilty (D-Walpole) joins the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, replacing Spilka; and Senator Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) becomes a member of the Joint Committee on Revenue, also replacing Spilka.

Lawmakers work to prevent abuses alleged in Billerica

By Michael Rezendes | Globe Staff January 25, 2012

Save Against the backdrop of federal and state corruption investigations, the Massachusetts House unanimously approved legislation yesterday designed to increase oversight of the state’s troubled network of 30 educational collaboratives, which serve more than 8,000 special needs students.

The bill, which follows Senate approval of a similar measure, stems from last year’s scandal surrounding the Billerica-based Merrimack Special Education Collaborative, in which John B. Barranco, its former executive director, stands accused of transferring $11.5 million to a related nonprofit and using the funds to cover lavish salaries for himself, a former girlfriend, and a close circle of associates.

“This puts in place a new governance structure, new reporting requirements, and new requirements for transparency that are designed to prevent the kind of abuses that took place with Merrimack,’’ said state Representative Alice Hanlon Peisch, a Wellesley Democrat and the House chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Education.

The bill approved yesterday, a version of which legislators expect Governor Deval Patrick to sign, would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to name a voting member to each of the collaborative’s board of directors. It would also require all collaboratives to undergo an annual financial audit.

In a move aimed directly at abuses allegedly uncovered at the Merrimack collaborative, the legislation would bar any employee of an educational collaborative from working at a related nonprofit or for-profit organization. It would also prohibit collaborative board members and their executive directors from simultaneously serving as board members, executive directors, or employees of related nonprofit or for-profit groups.

Last June, Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan accused Barranco of transferring $11.5 million from the Merrimack collaborative to a nonprofit that he controlled, the Chelmsford-based Merrimack Education Center, and using the money for excessive salaries and perks, including $50,000 in personal expenses and Kentucky Derby tickets.

In addition, State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump found evidence that the Merrimack collaborative misspent more than $30 million in public funds. And she found a pattern of lax accounting practices and questionable compensation at other collaboratives.

The collaboratives are consortiums of local school districts that band together to reduce the cost of educating students with mental, physical, medical, and behavioral disabilities.

In August, the Globe reported that federal prosecutors are conducting a wide-ranging inquiry into spending and accounting practices at the Merrimack collaborative.

The Globe also reported that the collaborative has been the subject of several additional investigations by state agencies and officials, including state Attorney General Martha Coakley and state Treasurer Steven Grossman, who are investigating possible abuses of the state pension system.

Sullivan discovered last year that Barranco hired some individuals to work for the nonprofit education center but listed them on the payroll of the collaborative, a public agency, allowing those individuals to enhance the value of their public pensions.

Yesterday, Senate President Therese Murray, Democrat of Plymouth, said legislators moved swiftly to prevent additional abuses like those at the Merrimack collaborative, in part because of longstanding concern about the high cost of educating special needs students.

“One thing we get cautioned about all the time by school superintendents and mayors is the high cost of special education,’’ Murray said. “With Merrimack, you had more than $10 million diverted from students with special needs to people who lined their pockets. It’s pretty outrageous.’’

Murray said the House bill approved yesterday is so similar to a Senate bill approved earlier this month that legislators could do away with naming a conference committee and instead sort out minor differences informally before sending a final version to Patrick. Murray expects the governor to sign the measure.

Yesterday, Bump lauded the Legislature for taking swift action. “It’s terrific to have such a determined response by the Legislature in such short order,’’ she said.

Stephen J. Theall, executive director of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives, an umbrella group of collaboratives, also praised the bills approved by the House and Senate.

“These reforms will greatly enhance collaboratives’ ability to achieve their core mission of bringing quality education to special needs students throughout Massachusetts, all while saving taxpayers millions of dollars by pooling school district resources,’’ he said.

Michael Rezendes can be reached at rezendes@globe.com.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/77789660/Winter-Newsletter-January-2012#source:facebook

November 7, 2011

Rep. Atkins joins the House in Passing Pension Reform

Changes Will Save Money and Help Secure the State’s Financial Future

Representative Cory Atkins joined her colleagues in the House in passing groundbreaking pension reform legislation, which will save Massachusetts an estimated $6.4 billion.

“This is what I mean when I talk about government reform,” said Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord). “Our pension system is too expensive. At the rate it was going, our grandkids would have been up to their ears in our debt. I am pleased that my colleagues in the House joined me in reforming our state pension system to make it more sustainable. Much remains to be done, but this is a step in the right direction.”

Last month, Standard & Poor’s increased the state’s bond rating from A- to AA+, stating “Standard & Poor’s believes that Massachusetts’ active management of future cost pressures is important.” The passage of the current legislation puts Massachusetts in a position to maintain this new bond rating and strengthen it in the future.

The bill contains the following highlights:

• Minimum retirement age. Sets the minimum age set at 57 for Group 1. By doing so, this keeps the same 10 year retirement window that currently exists in the calculation table.

• 3-5 year pensionable income averaging. Members who enter service after January 1, 2012 will have their pension based on an average of 5 years of regular compensation instead of 3.

• Group Proration. Pro-rates retirement allowance for employees who have served in more than one Group (Group 1, Group 4, etc), by taking into account the number of years of service in each Group. Allows an opt-in for current employees.

• Group-based retirement limitation. Requires that someone serve one year in a group at the end of their career to retire from that group. Only applies to current employees, as anyone entering after pension reform will be subject to the group proration clauses.

• PERAC governance. This includes procurements conflict of interest, addresses financial disclosures, and education for board members.

• “Cool off” period. An individual retiring from a position must wait at least 1 year until they can hold that public elected position again.

• Study of future costs. Will establish commissions to study Other Public Employee Benefits, pension classification and disability retirements.

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With leashes in hand, members of the House of Representatives adopted a service dog in training for the day Nov. 2.

STATE REPS HELP HIGHLIGHT WORK OF ASSISTANCE DOGS

By Colleen Quinn

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, NOV. 2, 2011….When Kevin Lambert returned from Iraq in 2006 he was suffering from a spinal injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

A dog came to the rescue of the man who once served in the U.S. Army 172nd Striker Brigade combat unit.

Lambert, the director of special populations and programs for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services, was part of a research project with the U.S. Department of Defense that placed assistance dogs with returning veterans suffering from injuries and PTSD. Now, his dog, Ronnie, never leaves his side. A black Labrador retriever, Ronnie was trained by the National Education Assistance Dog Services (NEADS), a non-profit organization based in Princeton that trains dogs for the disabled and deaf.

On Monday, lawmakers armed with doggie treats took on the task of training the dogs for the day. Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord) invited the dogs and their handlers to the State House, hoping to familiarize the canine companions with a work environment. Atkins has trained dogs for years through NEADS.

Along with Atkins, ten legislators volunteered to take dogs for the day – Rep. Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset), Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera (D-Springfield), Rep. David Linsky (D-Natick), Rep. James Vallee (D-Franklin), Rep. Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown), Rep. Sean Garballey (D-Arlington), Rep. Kate Hogan (D-Stow), Rep. Kimberly Ferguson (R-Holden), Rep. Denise Provost (D-Somerville) and Rep. Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston).

The dogs were going to spend the day at a Democratic caucus, a formal House session, and local delegation meetings, lawmakers said.

Atkins, whose district includes two prisons, said her involvement started several years ago when she was talking about workforce development for soon-to-be released prisoners and someone mentioned the program, affectionately dubbed “puppies on parole,” she said. The dogs are first trained by prisoners at no cost to the state, and on the weekends placed with “foster families” who socialize them by taking them to restaurants, shopping malls, movies, parks – anywhere someone might go.

Prisoners spend more than a year training the dogs, starting when they are puppies. NEADS places more than 50 dogs a year around the country, and since the organization’s inception 35 years ago, approximately 1,300 dogs have been placed with disabled and deaf people, according to Gerry DeRoche, chief executive officer of NEADS. Currently, there are 75 dogs placed with prisoners in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The organization privately fundraises to cover all the costs of taking care of the dogs during training, from shots to biscuits. The breeds which make the best assistance dogs tend to be labs, golden retrievers, poodles, labradoodles and some collies, according to DeRoche.

DeRoche spent his career as a banker, but about two years ago decided to make a shift to “do something I thought would have a real impact.” He brought the dogs to Beacon Hill to draw attention to the program.

“We think it is important to have as many people as possible know what the dogs do for our clients,” he said.

Many disabled clients refer to their lives as “before I got my dog, and after I got my dog,” DeRoche said.

“A lot of them go from isolation to feeling comfortable going out in the community,” he added.

The dogs become like an “ambassador” for disabled people, Atkins said, making it easier for people to approach them to pet the dog. Some dogs are placed with autistic children, and go to school with them.

For veterans suffering from PTSD, the dogs comfort them when certain situations trigger their stress and anxiety levels. Lambert, who spent more than 16 months in Iraq, said he sometimes has trouble in crowded places. The dog’s presence calms him.

“She is always focused on me,” he said, while the dog laid at his feet looking up at him. “For those of us with PTSD, the dogs break down those emotional barriers we have.”

Because of his spinal injury, Lambert walks with a cane, and has trouble bending over to pick things up. Ronnie is always there to do it for him, he said. She picks up his cane with her mouth if it drops; flips light switches on; opens automatic doors by pushing the button; and can even open the refrigerator.

“If I drop my keys under the car, she will go into a low crawl and go under the car for the keys,” he said.

Peake, one of the legislators taking a dog for the day, said she thought it would be a good opportunity to support the program. While she said she was taking the responsibility seriously, she said, “I have to admit there is a little bit of fun in this too, having a dog in the office during the day.”

Haddad, the Speaker Pro Tempore, said she planned to take her dog to the Democratic caucus, and then head to the House formal session.

“I am hoping they will let the dog in the caucus,” she joked. “I will bring the dog into the chamber. Maybe I will be in the chair today and put the dog in the chair.”

Linsky, who took a dog named Dora, said he has always been fascinated by assistance dogs. When he saw the program was coming to the State House, he signed up immediately, he said.

Garballey, who has had dogs his whole life, said he thought the day of training would highlight how “important these dogs are to some of the most vulnerable in our communities.”

“If I can bring awareness to that today as a state representative then I want to do that,” he said.

After having the dog for a little more than an hour, Dykema said, “It is so relaxing to have the dog at work, to be able to reach down and just pet her.”

“I will miss her tomorrow when she is gone,” she said.

END

11/02/2011

Serving the working press since 1910

October 31, 2011                                          

REP. ATKINS ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF NON-PROFIT DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

Representative Cory Atkins joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing legislation that allows the State Treasurer’s office to offer a tax-deferred retirement savings plan to employees of non-profit organizations.

“There are thousands of people who work for arts organizations, charities, churches, and other small nonprofits,” said Atkins.  “These organizations knit our communities together, and this bill will give their employees retirement options they deserve.”

According to the Boston Foundation, 56 percent of grassroots organizations with budgets smaller than $250,000 don’t offer any sort of retirement plan to their employees; Fourteen percent of our state’s workforce are in the non-profit sector. Pending final passage of this bill, the State Treasury plans to work with the Internal Revenue Service to establish a solid retirement savings program that would be made available to all of the non-profit organizations in our Commonwealth, a welcome change considering that statistic.

The retirement savings plan that the State Treasury is aspiring to create would be similar to a 401(k) or a 403(b). The plan that will be established for non-profit organizations will deduct pre-tax dollars from an employee’s paycheck and invest them in a tax deferred market portfolio. The Treasurer’s Office would administer the participant-funded plan at no cost to taxpayers.

Approved by the House, this bill is now on its way to the Senate and then Governor Deval Patrick for further approval.

###

Department of Conservation and Recreation Governor Deval L. Patrick

Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray

EEA Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr.

DCR Commissioner, Edward M. Lambert, Jr.

Press Release Contact: S.J. Port — (617) 626-1453 or sj.port@state.ma.us

For Immediate Release: October 11, 2011

Celebrating Investments in DCR’s Great Brook Farm Tomorrow

WHAT:    On Wednesday, October 12, 2011, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will celebrate renovations to the Great Brook Farm in Carlisle. DCR partnered with other state and federal agencies to provide $2.1 million in improvements to its year-round dairy farm.

“Together we celebrate the work done to enhance DCR’s Great Brook Farm State Park. These projects and upgrades show that multiple agencies can work together to produce terrific results for the public,” said DCR Commissioner Edward M. Lambert, Jr. “DCR is proud of what our partnership has produced.”

In April of 2011, the farm built a new annex and dairy barn, which is outfitted for 60 cows with the potential to accommodate up to 110 cows. In addition to the barn’s expansion, farm operators were able to improve the farm’s waste water system, update the manure and hay storage facility, repair the farm’s fencing and trails and install a new milking system.

“Great Brook Farm State Park provides an excellent opportunity for recreation and education, “said DAR Commissioner Scott J. Soares. “As a center piece, this state-of-the-art dairy facility provides an unmatched opportunity to learn more about dairy farming in Massachusetts, new technologies that are being implemented, and management practices that contribute to greater sustainability.”

“Agriculture is an essential component of our heritage, and I am delighted that Carlisle and the Department of Conservation and Recreation are working together to preserve that heritage,” said Representative Cory Atkins. “I hope this partnership will continue for years to come.”

To make improvements to the farm’s waste water system, DCR partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The project is a waste water disposal system for the milk room waste water, which is a traditional challenge for dairy farmers. The project provided an alternative to costly practices and systems for disposal of the past. The new system is flourishing. The pilot program will yield environmental data results that could be used for regulatory reforms for agricultural waste water statewide. Design and construction of this system was $500,000.

DCR has also worked with DAR and the USDA on $200,000 in upgrades in manure and hay storage. DCR also repaired fencing and trail work around the property.

A Voluntary Milking System (VMS) Robotic Milker was purchased from the Delaval Company in December of 2010 for $350,000 with funding from DAR. The VMS allows farmers to focus on the larger management of herd by helping farm managers run more sustainable, professional and productive dairy operations. The DeLaval VMS allows round-the-clock milking designed to optimize quality milk yield. It gives farmers a more productive use of time, feed, and energy while allowing the cows within the herd to express their natural behavior and freedom to choose.

DCR recently spent $45,000 to complete an interpretive signage project at the new barn. The Interpretive panels are up on display at park, along the path to the new barn, and in the new barn itself.

WHEN:     9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2011

WHERE:  DCR’s Great Brook Farm State Park, 984 Lowell Street, Carlisle  

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Edward M. Lambert Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.

Follow Secretary Sullivan on Twitter………………………. twitter.com/massEEA

View videos on You Tube…………………………………… www.youtube.com/MassEEA

View downloadable photographs on Flickr……………… www.flickr.com/photos/masseea/sets/

Visit the Energy Smarts blog………………………………. www.mass.gov/blog/energy

Visit The Great Outdoors blog……………………………… www.mass.gov/blog/environment

Visit our website……………………………………………….. www.mass.gov/dcr

251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114 — (617) 626-1250 office / (617) 626-1351 (fax)

Rep. Atkins stands with Robert Morse of Chelmsford who received 1 of 10 statewide awards for his CPA work

Boston — The Community Preservation Coalition marked the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) by honoring 10 individuals from across the state, people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in adopting, enhancing or supporting CPA in their communities.

Among those honored was Chelmsford resident Robert Morse.

The recipients attended a ceremony in the Great Hall at the State House and received the Kuehn Community Preservation Award. The award recognized individuals who have been significant contributors to the success of CPA during its first decade – heroes of community preservation, whose work best exemplifies the spirit of Bob Kuehn’s legacy.

The Robert Kuehn Community Preservation Awards were developed to honor the memory and work of Bob Kuehn. Bob, a tireless advocate for affordable housing and historic preservation, was actively involved in the process of drafting and passing the Community Preservation Act (CPA), signed into law in the fall of 2000. Bob was also one of the founders and main supporters of the Community Preservation Coalition, and served as Vice Chair of its Steering Committee until his death in June of 2006.

“These recipients have upheld the highest standards and worked tirelessly to move CPA forward,” said Coalition Executive Director Stuart Saginor. “It is fitting they receive an award named after a true CPA hero who dedicated his life to historic preservation and affordable housing.”

Award recipients are as follows: Barbara Schneider, Falmouth; Betty Slade, Westport; Jack Brown, Harwich; Rick Burnet, Plympton;Morse; Robert Wagner, Hatfield; Leslie Duthie, Monson; Marilee Kenney Hunt, Bridgewater; Sandra Dahl Ronan, Gloucester; and Ken Elstein, Belchertown. A description of each award winner’s efforts follows this release.

Signed into law by former Gov. Paul Cellucci in 2000 and taking effect a year later, CPA has been adopted by 148 of the state’s 351 cities and towns. In the 10 years it has been available, CPA communities have preserved more than 13,300 acres of open space statewide, provided funding for more than 4,230 affordable housing units, made more than 2,000 appropriations for historic preservation projects, and completed more than 600 recreation projects, according to the Coalition, which offers support and technical assistance to CPA communities and those seeking to adopt the act.

The state Legislature is currently reviewing a bill to keep CPA a viable smart growth alternative for Massachusetts. House 765, currently undergoing review in the House Committee on Ways and Means, was filed by lead sponsors state Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton) and state Representative Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington). The bill seeks to stabilize the statewide trust fund used to match locally raised funds by guaranteeing that CPA communities receive a minimum 75 percent match.

The popularity of the CPA combined with a decline in real estate transaction fees used to generate the matching funds, has reduced the annual match from 100 percent three years ago to an expected 25 percent next month when the annual trust fund disbursements go out. The CPA as currently written would allow the match to go as low as five percent.

H 765 would also make CPA more attractive to more densely developed communities as it would allow communities to use CPA funds on capital improvements to recreational facilities not created by CPA, something currently forbidden. Advocates for the legislation, which is being co-sponsored by a majority of both the Senate and the House, are hoping for passage of the bill this fall.

Copyright 2011 Chelmsford Independent. Some rights reserved

Read more: Chelmsford resident honored for work with Community Preservation Act – Chelmsford, Massachusetts – Chelmsford Independent http://www.wickedlocal.com/chelmsford/archive/x26171394/Chelmsford-resident-honored-for-work-with-Community-Preservation-Act#ixzz1ZMHYdFE4