Boston Marathon 2013 Application is Submitted

Dropped off my completed application and entry fee at the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) office today, at 1 Ash Street in Hopkinton.  Looking forward to start my training plan for Boston 2013 in a week or so.  Fundraising for Hopkinton SPEAC is already underway! 

 

Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

 

I'm Running the Boston Marathon - for SPEAC

I'm running the Boston Marathon in 2013

• I'm running to raise funds for Hopkinton's Special Education Advisory Council (SPEAC). 

• SPEAC a group of dedicated volunteer parents and guardians who work with Hopkinton schools to ensure quality education for children with special needs and learning disabilities. 

Read more and donate on my fundraising page!
 

10 x 1000m at the new track by joemarkeygarmin at Garmin Connect - Details

Self driving vehicles and automated traffic management

This kind of thing just fascinates me from every direction: big data, computing, lean sigma, human change management, disruptive technology, transportation, traffic efficiency, and public policy. Wall Street Journal Special Report on "Innovations in Transportation, September 2012."

Hopkinton Economic Development Progress Update

In January 2012, the 20/20 Economic Development team, a public private partnership on which I serve, provided a quarterly update to Town Selectmen.

Two areas of interest are opportunities to advance economic growth by building upon

• existing life sciences industry presence in Hopkinton
• Hopkinton's reputation as a hub for health, fitness and the marathon starting line.

Here's an article and video from HCAM, the local cable access channel, providing more coverage of 20/20 and economic development in Hopkinton.

Business Community Partners with Town to Drive Economic Development

Hopkinton Selectmen formalized an arrangement with the Chamber of Commerce to drive Economic Development in Hopkinton. Metrowest Daily News covered the story here.

Wrenching Budget Choices as municipal revenues decline

This NY Times article spotlights the difficult service cuts facing towns and cities across America.

• "Nationwide, the decline in municipal revenues has accelerated in each of the last four years, draining billions from direct services like police protection and garbage pickup. Local governments have shed nearly half a million jobs, and are expected to lag well behind any recovery in other sectors."

Center School maintenance, repairs and upgrades

Center School repairs are needed now. Over the past 10 years, the School administration has invested minimally in maintenance and upgrades at Center, in hopes that the town would be approving a new $40M school this year. The $40M new school proposal resoundingly failed to pass, and our students will continue to use Center School for the foreseeable future if not longer.

Repairs such as connecting the new boiler to the heating ventilation system have been postponed because they are "difficult to complete in the 8-10 weeks available over a summer." But the alternative (having a new boiler but not having heat in some rooms) is not acceptable to many. Likewise, drafty windows can be repaired and replaced, with grant money available for energy efficient upgrades. Now that we know we will be in Center School for the foreseeable future if not longer, we have work to do to catch up on repairs, maintenance and upgrades that have been postponed over the past 10 years.

MetroWest Daily News article: Residents raise concerns, press for fixes at Hopkinton's Center School

Goal: Pedestrian Transportation Plan for Hopkinton

The MAPC Pedestrian Transportation Plan provides useful information for communities like Hopkinton interested in improving pedestrian connectivity.

Planning board closes public hearing on Golden Pond site plan review

Link to news coverage from MetroWest Daily News.