News

Planning Board to hear Master Plan Presentation 12/17

The Town has completed a final draft of a new Master Plan available here and on the Planning Board page. A Master Plan requires approval of the Planning Board to enact the plan and as such the Merrimac Planning Board will hear a presentation on the draft plan at its December 17, 2024 meeting. The meeting will be held at 7:00 PM at Town Hall. The 2024 Master Plan Update lays out a vision for the Town’s future and is made up of the following sections: Vision, Goals and Key Issues; Land Use; Natural and Historic Resource Areas; Open Space and Recreation; Housing; Economic Development; Transportation; Community Facilities and Services; and Implementation. The Planning Board will take comments and questions from the public during the December 17th meeting.

Santa’s 2024 Christmas Eve Route

Follow Santa’s route live at: www.merrimacpolice.org on Christmas Eve starting at 3:30PM.

Toys for Tots Donations Accepted through December 11th

The Merrimac Public Library, Merrimac Light Department, Senior Center, Police Department and Fire Department are all accepting donations for Toys for Tots through December 11th.

Toys for Tots, a 76-year National charitable Program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, provides year-round joy, comfort, and hope to children in need across the Nation through the gift of a new toy or book. The impact of these toys and books offers children in need recognition, confidence, and a positive memory for a lifetime. It is such experiences that help children become responsible citizens and caring members of their community. Since 1947, the Program has evolved and grown exponentially having delivered hope and the magic of Christmas to over 291 million children in need. Because the need isn’t just at Christmastime, the Toys for Tots Program also provides support year-round to families experiencing challenges and exceptional circumstances, thus fulfilling the hopes and dream of millions of less fortunate children beyond the holidays. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.

Town of Merrimac Invites Community to Attend MBTA Communities Workshop 12/10

The Town of Merrimac invites residents to attend a public workshop with Merrimac Valley Planning Commission on Tuesday, December 10th at 6PM at Town Hall. The Community Meeting will provide an overview to the MBTA Communities Act and give residents the opportunity to discuss a potential location for the Zoning District and for staff to address questions. This is the kickoff meeting for this project as there will be additional meetings as we move forward. The development of the Town’s MBTA Communities Zoning District is funded through a grant received by the Town.

If you have any questions please reach out to Alyssa Sexton at asexton@townofmerrimac.com.

LEVEL 3 CRITICAL DROUGHT PLEASE CONSERVE WATER

Change your water habits

It takes only a shift in mindset to change your water habits.

In the Bathroom

Don’t run the water while you’re brushing your teeth. Wet your toothbrush and then turn the faucet off until you’re ready to rinse.
Don’t run the water while you’re shaving, either. Fill a small glass with water and just rinse your razor as needed

Extra measures during droughts and dry spells

If it takes awhile for your shower to warm up, put a bucket in to catch the water before you get in. Then use that water for house plants, cleaning floors or hand-washing sweaters or delicates.

In the Kitchen

Instead of letting the water run while washing veggies and fruits, just fill a bowl, dunk them in and wipe them dry
Hand-washing the dishes uses more water than a dishwasher. If you do hand-wash, don’t run the water – fill a large bowl, add water and wash your plates and utensils. Then dump the bowl and fill it with clean water to give them a quick rinse.
If you use a dishwasher, wait until it’s full before you run it.
Chill a pitcher or bottle of water in the fridge instead of letting the water run until it gets cold each time you need a drink.

In the laundry room

Wait until you have a full load of laundry. Don’t wash just a pair of jeans or just a couple of shirts.

Set the load setting (small, medium, large) to match the amount of laundry you’re putting in.

The average American family washes about 300 loads of

Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, and Amesbury Fire Departments Receive $614,728 from FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant

Georgetown Fire Chief Matt McKay, Groveland Fire Chief Robert Valentine, Merrimac Fire Chief Larry Fisher, and Amesbury Fire Chief James Nolan are pleased to share that the Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, and Amesbury Fire Departments received a joint federal assistance grant for equipment.

The four fire departments received a joint grant of $614,728 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.

The funding will be used to purchase equipment such as portable radios and accessories including microphones, batteries, and chargers. The new equipment will replace old or failing radios. The decision was made to purchase the radios based on the needs of the communities.

The new portable radios will be able to receive and transmit communications on multiple radio bands where older technologies could only operate on one, making interoperability with inter-agency and mutual aid partners more accessible. They also offer the newest technology and security features, which are imperative for critical incidents. The portable radios are vital to firefighting operations and the safety of firefighters and the community at large.

As part of the grant funding program, each community is responsible for providing a 10 percent match toward their share of the equipment cost.

The joint grant application was written by Amesbury Deputy Fire Chief Rob Serino and Georgetown Fire Lt. Brian Belfiore.

About FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants

Assistance to Firefighters Grants is allocated to fire departments nationally to fund and aid the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. These federal grants help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

For more information about FEMA Assistance to Firefighter Grants, click here.

Winter Weather Notice- It’s Time To Place Yard Markers & Remove Basketball Hoops

FY25 Tax Classification Hearing

Monday, November 18, 2024 at 7:00PM

Merrimac Town Hall, Sargent Auditorium

The Select Board in Merrimac will be conducting a public hearing with the Board of Assessors on Monday, November 18, 2024 at 7:00PM on Property Tax Classification under the provisions of Chapter 40, Section 56 of the Massachusetts General Laws. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss whether Merrimac will adopt a split tax rate. The Town of Merrimac has never had a split tax rate, it has always had a single tax rate.

Whittier Tech/NECC Listening Sessions

October 9, 2024

Dear Community Members,

We are excited to share an update on the potential collaboration between Northern Essex Community College (NECC) and Whittier Tech (WT).

The first listening session occurred yesterday facilitated by the UMass Donahue Institute. We invite you to share your input in the following virtual sessions:

October 29, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
November 12, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
November 19, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

You can register here to attend one of the remaining sessions: https://forms.office.com/r/JEGuV9SKb4

Emphasis is placed on the importance of keeping all stakeholders, particularly local elected officials, informed throughout this process. While the group gathers feedback on whom to include in upcoming focus groups and one-on-one interviews, these are the goals:

Replace the current high school with a safe, modern facility.
Expand access to postsecondary education for WT students and the community.
Increase WT enrollment capacity.
Identify additional funding sources (e.g., state higher education capital, foundations, etc.).

Your insights and perspectives are crucial to ensuring this collaboration meets the needs of our diverse community. Whether you’re a student, educator, parent, or community member, your voice matters!

Visit our dedicated project page for updates, key dates, and feedback opportunities:
https://www.necc.mass.edu/whittier. Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Together, we can create an educational partnership that will benefit our community for years to come.

Thank you!

Water Use Restrictions November 2024

LEVEL 3 CRITICAL DROUGHT

Please Conserve Water

TOWN OF MERRIMAC WATER DEPARTMENT

PUBLIC NOTICE

EFFECTIVE November 8, 2024

LEVEL 3 CRITICAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Mandatory Restrictions on Non-Essential Water Use

Under the Level 3 Water Use Restriction:

Our Water Management Act permit defines the following:

Nonessential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include:

irrigation of lawns via sprinkler or automatic irrigation systems;
filling of swimming pools;
washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety; and
washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks except as necessary to apply surface treatment such as paint, preservatives, stucco, cement or pavement.
No establishing new lawns regardless of the time of year until ban is removed.

Water uses NOT subject to mandatory restrictions are those required:

for health or safety reasons;
by regulation;
for production of food and fiber;
for the maintenance of livestock; or
to meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation of a golf course as necessary to maintain tees, greens, and limited fairway watering, or irrigation by a plant nurseries to maintain stock).

This conservation measure will be strictly enforced. Violators will be issued a written warning for the first offense. A second offense will be fined $50.00 and $100 for each subsequent offense.

Please call the office with any questions or concerns…978-346-8407

Community Groups

Change your water habits

In the Bathroom

In the Kitchen

In the laundry room

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