Talk Over Tea

We're pulling this episode from the archive as Amesbury and other communities in our region initiate changes in community trash pickup. Kassandra and Claudel talk trash with Jason Mello of G. Mello Disposal and review trash and recycling pick up programs, changes in resident behavior, navigating the industry, costs, and more. Did we ask a question you’ve always had on your mind? What didn’t we ask? Visit the recyclopedia at www.recyclesmartma.com to learn more about how to properly dispose of your waste. Amesbury and many other communities now have drop off locations for hard to dispose of items. Check with your local officials for details.

*Note: this episode was recorded in early 2025 and some data may be out of date.

Joined by Noah Berger, Administrator of MeVa, the Regional Transit Authority for the greater Merrimack Valley, Kassandra and Claudel learn with you about public transit in our neighborhoods. As MeVa celebrates their 50th Anniversary, they have raised the bar for service, gone fare free, increased ridership, adjusted fixed routes, grown staffing, and more in just the last few years. Listen to this episode to hear more about how to ride the bus and encourage others to do the same, as well as the next big thing for MeVa, and Amesbury.

Kassandra and Claudel have shared with you why diverse experiences help build good government and better communities. In this episode they will share how City Councilors reflecting on what they would need to support their civic engagement turned around and made that available for Amesbury residents during an important public meeting. How could you help make your community more family friendly?

The City of Amesbury developed a new brand for their voice and visual communications. Kassandra and Claudel will discuss the importance of an established brand and how it impacts the way stakeholders identify factual and authentic correspondence. In a time of information overload, cutting through the noise is a constant challenge. Hear from them about where they see value and where they struggle the most. Together we must strengthen trust in local government, the level of government closest to the people, and we can do that through communication.

It’s March Madness in the world of local and state government. Kassandra shares a piece of legislation making its way through Beacon Hill that’s important to cities and towns in Massachusetts. Since this episode was filmed a bill extending remote meeting laws has been approved, moving the expiration to 2027. Otherwise, tune in to hear more about the Municipal Empowerment Act (MEA) and the ways it could provide municipalities with new and updated tools to meet their needs - from utilities and purchasing to revenue and regionalization. The MEA Portal is available online at https://www.mass.gov/municipal-empowerment-act.

In this episode Kassandra interviews Claudel. Take this opportunity to get to know a City Councilor in a new way. She keeps Claudel on his toes with questions that are personal and professional. Learn more about his habits, motivations, favorite things, and family recipes. Something you won’t find out about him on google… well, you’ll have to listen.

In this episode Kassandra and Claudel share stories about the places they’ve lived. Learn more about the cities they’ve lived in, what brought them there, and how their experience shaped their personal and professional life. 

Municipal officials across the Commonwealth have just returned from the annual Connect 351 Conference with Mass Municipal Association (MMA). Kassandra and Claudel will share conference highlights with you to give you a sense of what’s top of mind for leaders this year. Listen for keynote speakers worth a follow, why attending gets our elected officials and staff fired up, and how it benefits the community.

2025 is a local election year, consider this the first call for candidates. Deciding to run for office takes internal motivation, external encouragement, and a lot of logistics. In this episode Kassandra and Claudel will cover some of the reasons you might consider running for office and the challenges that keep many from getting involved. These are important considerations for candidates and for voters evaluating your ballots. And if you’re not willing to put your hat in the ring, they’ll talk about what you can do instead.

Kicking off the new year like you did, in this episode Kassandra and Claudel talk about tax bills. As another step in the annual budget process property values are certified and a tax rate is set in the fall so that January tax bills can be sent on time. Learn more about how bills and rates change, why New Growth makes a difference, and a little about split tax rates.