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Good Mental Health?
On Aug 1st an email was sent out to the Minuteman Library Network for a Library Aide position at the Randall Library. This employment ad also appeared on the Stow town website. In this ad under Physical demands were the requirements of “good physical and mental health.” I found the good “mental health” requirement unusual and did a search of Library employment ad’s and found no other ad with this demand. Has the town of Stow ever put a good mental health demand in employment ad’s before? Who at the library has the training and qualifications to conduct an interview to determine the mental health of an applicant? Recently the employment ad has been changed on the Stow website and the good “mental Health” demand has been removed. I wonder what prompted the change and who approved the wording of this ad in the first place?
Bob Flynn, Stow
First Parish Completes First Phase of Capital Improvements
When worshippers return to First Parish Church of Stow and Acton on September 9th for the beginning of the 2012-2013 church year, the building will greet them with a shining new face.  The historic building, built in 1848, sits prominently on the Stow Common, where onlookers have observed work progressing as the building has been reroofed and repainted this summer.  These projects represent the bulk of the first phase of several major Capital Improvements Projects being undertaken at First Parish.
In January, 2012, First Parish embarked on an ambitious Capital Campaign to improve and upgrade its facilities, which are used both by the congregation and local community groups.  The church initiated the first phase of the Improvement Projects shortly afterward, with most Phase 1 projects being completed this summer.  In addition to the exterior work, the interior of the church has been significantly improved with additional lighting fixtures in the sanctuary, updated electrical wiring, added insulation and other structural improvements.  One of this summer’s most welcomed improvements was the installation of air-conditioning in Fellowship Hall.
Overall, the first phase focused on necessary facility maintenance, while subsequent work will be intended to provide improved accessibility and allow First Parish to better serve the community.  Specifically, future phases of the project include plans to build a new two-story Connector Building between the church Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall to improve transit between the two buildings during inclement weather, add needed meeting space, and create a centralized entrance to the facilities.  Accessibility will also be improved by the inclusion of an elevator in the new construction and a redesign of the grounds to provide better parking and access to the buildings.  The design for the Connector is nearing completion, meetings with town officials are ongoing, and the Building Committee is currently finalizing cost figures for the project.  For more information on this campaign, please contact the church office at 978-897-8149 or email fpc-stow-acton.org.
This summer’s roofing project is the first time the roof of First Parish Church has been fully replaced in about 130 years.  To celebrate the occasion, the church is offering some of the antique slate roof tiles for sale with a “commemorative certificate” to those interested in supporting the improvements and owning a piece of Stow history.  Tiles will be sold for $20, along side the traditional apple pies, during select weekends in September and October at the church’s apple pie shed.  Other donations to support the improvement projects will also be gratefully accepted.  Checks can be written to First Parish Church of Stow and Acton (note “Capital Campaign” in the memo line) and sent to:  Capital Campaign, First Parish Church of Stow and Acton, PO Box 526 Acton, MA 01720.
First Parish Church of Stow and Acton