Town Of Dedham: What's Happening This Week Here In Dedham

Press release from the Town of Dedham:

08/30/2021 3:51 PM

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DEDHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT SHARES SAFETY INFORMATION FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

As the new school year is about to begin, the Dedham Police Department would like to take the opportunity to provide some important back to school safety information.

Parents of school aged children, as well as commuters traversing Dedham roads, are asked to familiarize themselves with the traffic patterns around our schools and walking routes used by students. Child safety should be the first and foremost consideration when determining how a child is dropped off and picked up while traveling to and from school.

Each year across the United States, tragedies are reported involving children getting injured or even tragically killed by darting between cars, not using a cross-walk, or motorists simply not being observant.

We can help to ensure the safety of all children by doing the following:

• Familiarize yourself with the schools drop-off and pick-up practices: One of the biggest complaints by Police and School Officials is that parents find a reason to be the exception to the rule. If the curb says, “No stopping, standing or parking at any time,” that means for everyone. Children are required to use designated cross walks. Don’t walk your child across the middle of a street just because you’re holding their hand. 
• Resist the urge to speed or make any traffic rule exceptions because you are running late: Whipping your car around, getting your child to dash out of the car to reach the classroom before the school bell rings, or encouraging a “drop-and-dash” drop-off is a recipe for disaster in terms of child safety. You would rather your child receive a tardy notice than to be in an accident.
• Refrain from using your cell phone, even hands-free, or being subject to any other distractions while around school zones: This commonsense advice applies whenever a motorist is behind the wheel, but especially when in a driving situation around young children.  Remember, it is illegal to read, compose, or send a text while driving.  Pedestrians should also refrain from being distracted. Your fullest attention is strongly recommended.
• Know all traffic rules concerning school buses and school zones: Speed limits are 20 miles per hour in school zones, unless otherwise posted. Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load/unload children. Slow down and prepare to stop, regardless of your direction of travel. Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on/off. You must stop and wait until the red lights stop flashing and the extended stop sign is withdrawn before you may start driving again.
• Driveways: Use and restrictions of driveways are posted at each school please learn and adhere to your schools use and restrictions policy.
• NO PARKING, STOPPING OR STANDING: This means exactly that, the posted signs cover from curb to curb.
• U-Turns: Making a U-Turn in a school zone to change direction can cause serious safety hazards.  Depending on road markings, such turns may also be illegal.
• Take your time: Please leave yourself enough time to follow the proper traffic patterns.
• Solar Glare: During the beginning of the school year, the sun can create significant solar glare on certain roads.  Please use extra caution when such conditions exist.

It is encouraged that you walk with your children to and from school.  Our schools were designed during a time when most children walked to and from school. Unfortunately, the schools are not designed to handle the traffic they receive.  The fewer vehicles we have around the schools the safer they will be. The safety of all the children is our concern. Please help us to ensure that we have a safe school year. 

LABOR DAY AND TOWN HALL SUMMER HOURS END

The weather lately may not be any indication, but we are inching closer and closer to the end of summer here in New England and it will be September in just a couple of days. Labor Day is Monday, September 6th, and Town Offices and Buildings will be closed.

Summer Hours at Dedham Town Hall will end on Friday, September 3, 2021. Beginning on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, Town Hall will operate at normal business hours, as listed below (except for holidays):

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Some departments, such as Engineering and Public Works, may have different hours of operation. Please check individual department pages for schedules.

Note: Police Department and Fire Department remain open 24 hours / 7 days a week:

• For emergencies: Call 911
• For Police Non-Emergency: Call 781-751-9300
• For Fire Non-Emergency: Call 781-751-9400

WEEKLY BOARD OF HEALTH UPDATE - COVID-19 VACCINES, BOOSTERS, FACE MASKS, AND MORE

The Board reports that as of Thursday, August 26th, there have been 2,555 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Town. This is an increase of 23 cases from last week’s update. Currently, there are 26 active confirmed cases. The Commonwealth is not sequencing all positive COVID-19 specimens, and as a result, it cannot be determined that all cases are related to the Delta Variant. 

COVID-19 Vaccine

The Board encourages anyone who is eligible and unvaccinated to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone 12 years and older is eligible for the vaccine. The vaccine is safe, free, and effective – even against the Delta variant. Getting vaccinated will help Dedham get back to normal.  

Go to Vaxfinder.mass.gov or contact your local pharmacy or healthcare provider for information about getting the vaccine. 

FDA Pfizer Vaccine Approval

On August 23rd, the FDA approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for individuals 16 years and older. The vaccine remains available to individuals 12 years to 15 years under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).  At this time, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have not been approved beyond EUA, but it is likely that they will be approved soon. 

Third Dose for Immunocompromised Individuals

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends a third dose of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine for some individuals with compromised immune systems. This recommendation is for people with the following conditions: 

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Residents who have questions about whether a third dose of vaccine is recommended for them should contact their healthcare provider to discuss these recommendations.

Booster Dose for the General Public

More guidance from federal authorities is needed before administering booster shots to the general public.  At this time, a booster for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not been recommended. The Board will continue to update residents as more information becomes available.

Board of Health Vaccine Clinics

Currently, there are no scheduled COVID-19 vaccination clinics through the Board of Health. When more guidance about booster shots is available, the Board will look into holding clinics. Flu clinics are in the process of being planned. The Board will send out notification once the flu clinic schedule has been finalized.

Face Masks Required in All Town of Dedham Municipal Buildings

Effective August 10th, face masks are required inside municipal buildings for all individuals aged 2 years or older, regardless of vaccination status. Individuals unable to wear a face mask due to a medical condition or disability are exempt. According to the CDC’s Risk Map, Norfolk County remains at substantial risk for COVID-19 transmission.

Face Masks for the 2021-2022 School Year:

On August 25th, the State’s Education Commissioner Jeff Riley issued an indoor mask mandate across the Commonwealth for all staff and students aged 5 and above in public schools through October 1st. The Commissioner will provide additional guidance in the weeks leading up to October 1st. On the evening of August 25th, the Dedham School Committee voted in favor of Superintendent Michael Welch’s recommendations for the 2021-2022 school year. His recommendations require masks indoors for all students PreK-12 so that students younger than 5 years are also masked. Additional recommendations included staff providing COVID-19 vaccination status or consenting to COVID-19 testing twice per week and social distancing measures for students during indoor lunches when feasible. Individuals with medical conditions or disabilities who are unable to wear masks are exempt from wearing masks.

MassNotify

MassNotify is a tool that works through smartphones to privately alert users who may have been exposed to COVID-19. You can enable MassNotify on your iPhone or Android phone to add another tool to our fight against the spread of COVID-19.

• By opting in, your smartphone will share anonymous codes with other MassNotify users using your phone’s Bluetooth.
• MassNotify codes contain no personal information or location data and are completely anonymous.
• If another user you’ve been near tests positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period, you will be notified. If you test positive, you can easily and anonymously notify others to stop the spread of COVID-19.

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

Originally launched in 2004, National Preparedness Month was created to help provide educational resources and raise awareness about emergencies experienced all across the country. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) manages and sponsors their “Ready Campaign” throughout the year that include a series of outreach programs and initiatives to help equip the public with the knowledge and tools to better prepare for and respond to emergencies that often arise unexpectedly.

From Ready.Gov: National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. The 2021 theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” For more information, please visit the Ready.Gov website by clicking on the image below:

PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING & ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Public Safety Building Project

What to expect August 30, 2021 (Monday) through September 3, 2021 (Friday):

• The project site remains closed to the public.
• Structural steel assembly is complete, and the crane will not be onsite.
• Steel crews will continue to detail the steel and floor decking.
• Beginning Monday, August 30, 2021, site crews will begin to prepare for utility work around  the foundations and begin to layout the underground utilities within the new parking garage.
• Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical contractors will be onsite this week to begin to layout the installation of systems prior to concrete slab placements.
• The dewatering system remains in place and operational.
• Expect periodic entrance and exit of large trucks at the project site entrance, located at the intersection of Washington Street and Bryant Street. Please expect minor traffic delays at this intersection.
• No additional traffic impacts or pedestrian impacts are anticipated during this week.

For more information and to sign up for weekly construction updates, visit the Public Safety Building Project page.

Road Construction Updates (as of 8/27/21 from DPW)

Eastern Avenue: 

• Revoli continue the permanent patch on their water trench from Memorial field to the intersection in East Street

Madison Street:

• Monday; pave sidewalks and prep for paving
• Tuesday pave Madison Street from Cedar Street to Mount Vernon Street
• Tuesday is trash day; WM will make their collections at 7AM Tuesday morning
• If the road is not paved Tuesday, then we will pave after Labor day so we do not interfere with the first week of school

Shiretown Road, Adams Street, Netta Road, and Lilly Lane:

• We will continue to prep sidewalks for paving

Eversource Gas:

• Trench patching on Charles Bank Road, Oak Tree Road, Pine Hill Road, Riverside Drive, and Samoset Road
• Monroe Street and Elmwood Avenue continue main installation and prep for new work
• Monroe Street, from Mount Vernon Street to the dead end: prep for paving trench patch
• Eastern Avenue construction to begin on September 7th from memorial park to Whiting Avenue

Ames Street and Bridge Street:

• Sidewalk installation will continue
• Utility companies will continue to transfer their wires

Rustcraft Road:

• Utility work will continue on the side of Rustcraft Road

Pine Street:

• The contractor will be paving the trench at 272 Pine Street Monday and Tuesday weather permitting.  This job should only take two days.  

PUBLIC MEETINGS & COMMUNITY EVENTS THIS WEEK

Monday, 8/30/21:

• Snow Committee at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom

Tuesday, 8/31/21:

• Open Space & Recreation Committee at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

Wednesday, 9/1/21:

• Dedham Farmer’s Market, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at First Church Green
• COA Event: Evening of Sock Hop Music at 5:30 p.m. at the Senior Center
• Charter Review Committee at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom
• Select Board at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom
• Design Review Advisory Board at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

Events shown as listed on the Town calendar as of 8/30/21. Don't forget to check out the Dedham Public Library events calendar!

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This press release was produced by the Town of Dedham. The views expressed here are the author’s own.