East Brookfield Sel June 21 wc- 605

East Brookfield selectmen form bandstand committee

By Ruth M. Lyon

Turley Publications Reporter

EAST BROOKFIELD – It’s official. Selectmen voted on Monday to form a bandstand committee, charged with the management of matters involving the bandstand, this to include scheduling of events held there.

The gazebo, constructed two years ago with funds raised by the Friends for the Community on the site near the town’s recreation area and ball fields, was placed into service on a regular basis last year.

At that time, Joan Bedard, a long time resident of this town, approached the selectmen with a proposal that concerts be presented at the gazebo on a weekly basis. She, with the help of local musician and sound expert Dennis Lebeau, had come up with a series of free concerts.

The selectmen, supportive but leery of taking on responsibility for the project, gave Bedard the go-ahead, and sought the support of police and highway departments to assist with the venture. Eventually, concerts were presented most Thursday evenings of July and August, rain and hordes of mosquitoes notwithstanding, to an increasingly appreciative audience.

This year, however, Bedard informed the selectmen that she could not continue with the concerts. She and Lebeau had organized a July 1 concert, featuring the Air National Guard of New England, to be held at East Brookfield Elementary School, she said, but further commitment from her was impossible.

However, just as selectmen were bemoaning the fact that the bandstand might be vacant this year, help appeared in the doorway. Dan Lambert appeared and offered his assistance. He and his wife, Amanda, would like to help, he said.

On Monday night, Amanda Lambert, granddaughter of Joan Bedard, was named chairman of the brand new bandstand committee, along with two friends who have already volunteered to assist her. Heather Messier and Heather Gablaski are the committee’s second and third members.

Lambert has already made some headway, she said, and hopes to arrange the first bandstand concert for Thursday, July 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., thus avoiding the invasion of mosquitoes which seem to appear at about 8 p.m.

“We’re looking into bands, and for help in the way of contributors to expenses. We enjoyed the concerts last year, and feel this is a worthwhile effort for this town. We want to see this program continue, and are pleased to make this contribution,” Amanda said.

The selectmen expressed appreciation for her willingness to assume the chairmanship. “We felt disappointment that no plans were in place for this year, but just didn’t feel we could take this on as another responsibility,” said Chairman Leo Fayard. “We are all grateful, and will provide whatever support we can. Thank you for coming forward.”

If interested in helping or making a contribution, please e-mail the Lamberts at ebscs01515@gmail.com.

Special town meeting Monday, June 28, 7:30 p.m.

In other business, selectmen reminded voters that a special town meeting will be held Monday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the municipal complex. The seven articles on the warrant deal principally with money transfers. The first article seeks to purchase a water department wireless standpipe alarm, to replace an antiquated and unreliable dialup system.

Although the $10,000 cost is listed as an “appropriate, borrow or transfer” article, the funds will actually come from monies received from recent payments for MBTE contaminants in the water supply. Those payments are in addition to funds received last year in a class action settlement.

According to Fayard, about $32,000 has been paid to the town in addition to the original settlement amount. Other articles on the warrant reflect those payments.