Stephen Richardson
Social Security Regional Communications Director

 Social Security and its Office of the Inspector General continue to receive reports about fraudulent phone calls from people claiming to be Social Security employees.  These scammers try to trick people into providing personal information or money, and often threaten their victims with arrest.  Don’t be fooled.

Our employees will never threaten you for information or promise a benefit in exchange for personal information or money.

Real Social Security employees also will not:

o   Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.

o Contact you to demand an immediate payment.

o Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

o  Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.

o  Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.

o  Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.

If you receive a suspicious call or are unsure of the identity of someone who claims to be from Social Security:

o   Hang up.

o  Do not give money or personal information.

o   Report the scam to our Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov.

The National Guard arrived on Sunday with much needed protection gear for Plympton first responders including N-95 masks and other protective equipment.  Since the arrival of COVID-19, protective gear has been in the news because it is so difficult to get.  Fire Chief Stephen Silva said that the supplies have loosened up and now his department is in good shape.

The chief made the news this week with his war against the giant online retailer Amazon.  Plympton Fire Department has been a municipal customer of Amazon for years, and has enjoyed a good business relationship with them.   Once the COVID-19 virus pandemic hit, Amazon restricted the purchase of many protective equipment items so they would be available to hospitals and emergency responders, and not hoarded by resellers.

All Plympton had to do is fill out a form.  And another form.   And fill it out again.   Weeks went by, Silva said, and no product orders came through.  Other fire departments recommended to Amazon by Silva were getting their orders, but Plympton was not.   Silva finally enlisted the aid of Channel 25 News to put their media might behind it, and Amazon did call them back, assuring them that Plympton would be taken care of.  Problem solved!

After reading an announcement on the Plympton’s Facebook page April 8 that the town would close the transfer station at the end of business on April 9 for a period of two weeks because of a health emergency that could not be discussed due to HIPPA regulations, cars and trucks poured into the transfer station Thursday morning, with the line of vehicles lined up Ring Road, as far as Crescent Street at one point in the morning, creating a traffic jam.

It didn’t take long for town officials and the Board of Health, to modify that order and by Thursday mid-morning decided that curtailed transfer station hours would be the better solution.

Chairman Joy was pleased with the quick response and praised Arthur Morin, chairman of the Board of Health and head of the transfer station attendees, for the new plan.  The new transfer station hours will be Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sundays, 9 a.m. to noon.  It will no longer have Tuesday hours.

Morin told the board that the compactors will no longer be used and residents will toss bagged trash only into open top containers, leaving no need for anyone to touch any of the equipment at the Transfer Station.   The office building remains closed to the public.  “Now you can come in, drop your trash, and go,” Morin concluded.

Morin said that residents, perhaps in an attempt to be helpful, were touching the buttons, levers, and equipment, without protective gloves, not practicing social distancing, and were trying the doorknob to get into the office, despite signage stating not to.  Morin said he took steps to protect the health and safety of workers at the transfer station.

The bottle redemption center is also closed, as they are throughout the state during this COVID-19 emergency, and the recycling compactors at the Transfer Station are closed for the present time.

Any recycling, glass, plastic, and paper now go in with the regular bagged refuse until the pandemic emergency is over and the Selectmen and Board of Health announce new protocols.  Electronics, appliances, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, will also remain closed.

Morin reported that he was notified that there are two additional  COVID-19 positive cases in Plympton, raising the total, as of last Thursday, to four.

Plympton’s Board of Selectmen met via ZOOM Thursday evening, April 9, at 5:50 p.m. following an executive session at 5:30.  All three selectpersons were in attendance, ready to tackle the town’s business on this new platform.

Chairman Christine Joy called the meeting to order and with the board acted on some housekeeping items from the posted agenda:

• Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy’s contract vote on March 2, 2020, was ratified.  She will serve the town for another three years.

• Nathan Cristofori’s appointment as Special Police Officer that was voted on April 2, 2020, was ratified

• Arthur Morin, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Health and Cathy Ferguson, Board of Health Administrative Assistant, were voted as members of the Emergency Management Team on April 2.   That vote was also ratified at Thursday night’s meeting, April 9.

Selectmen weighed the benefits of postponing the Annual Town Meeting from Wednesday, May 13 and the Annual Town Election from Saturday, May 16, to Wednesday, June 17, and Saturday, June 20, respectively.   The board voted unanimously for the postponement, hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic crisis would have passed by mid – June.

After reading an annouJoy commented, “This is a very fluid situation … things change daily.   People need to be aware that this is an unprecedented situation,” Joy said.

Selectmen will next meet on Thursday, April 16, at 5:30 p.m.

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Halifax Fire Department’s first annual awards night, previously scheduled for Thursday, March 19th, had to be cancelled. Fire Chief Viveiros has decided that instead of continuing to delay, the department will begin announcing the award recipients.

Today, Citizen Hero Awards were presented to John Keegan and Christine Tompkins.

John Keegan

On December 21st a small aircraft plummeted into the icy waters of the East Monponsett Lake. The pilot, who was soaking wet and could not swim, was able to climb on top of the aircraft as it slowly began to sink. Without hesitation or concern for his own safety, John immediately utilized a neighbor’s canoe and paddled through the icy water to make the rescue. In recognition of his valor and heroism, John Keegan was honored with the Citizen Hero Award.

Christine Tompkins

Christine Tompkins truly embodies the spirit of community and selflessness that who care as much about our seniors and display such willingness to help their neighbor, as Crissy does. Even as this award is presented Christine continues to once again serve our community. As quickly as the Coronavirus appeared so did the need for additional PPE. Crissy immediately recognized that need and continues to put in countless hours sewing masks for anyone who might need one.

In recognition of her countless acts of human kindness, Christine Tompkins was honored with the Citizen Hero Award.

Congratulations John and Christine !!