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You are here: Home / Archives for Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

Low turnout in Halifax, Plympton for Special Primary

October 9, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

“Ho Hum” Special Primary Election:
Turnout was lukewarm at best, with barely 2 percent coming out to vote

Co-authored by Tracy Seelye

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s special primary election showed a very ho-hum response to the contest. 

Barely 2 percent of the 2,130 registered voters in Plympton came out to cast their ballot; the total number of votes cast was only 45 for the 13-hour election day beginning at 7 a.m. and winding down at 8 p.m.   At 7:30 p.m. Plympton Town Clerk Tara Morrison said that she doubted the count would reach 50 ballots for the day.   She was right.

Halifax Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor said that enthusiasm for the election didn’t fare any better in Halifax, as a mere 107 ballots were cast by the 5,145 registered voters in that town, or 2 peLow turnout in Halifax, Plympton for Special Primaryrcent. 

The unanticipated cost to Halifax for this special election, she said, was $2,554.46.  “And we do it again in November.” 

The two area state representatives Rep. Michael D. Brady, (D-Brockton) and Rep. Geoff Diehl, (R-Whitman) will face off, along with unenrolled candidate Anna Grace Raduc of Halifax, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, as they vie to fill the 2nd Plymouth and Bristol District seat left vacant due to the death of State Senator Thomas P. Kennedy in June.

On the Democratic side, Brady, handily defeated businessman Joseph Lynch, also of Brockton.  Brady got 49 votes in Halifax to Lynch’s 7, while Brady netted 18 votes to Lynch’s 2 in Plympton.

Diehl was on the GOP ballot but faced no opposition.  He got 51 votes in Halifax, and 22 votes in Plympton.  “For me, today was just another day on the campaign trail,” he said.  “My focus is November.”

There were no candidates listed on the Green, Rainbow, or United Independent Party ballots.

Voters may have been looking ahead to November as tallies throughout the district saw a similar low turnout.

In Whitman, where 384 of the town’s 9,631 voters cast ballots, Democrats backed Brady with 141 votes to Lynch’s 29.  Hanson saw 232 votes out of about 7,000 voters turnout to give Brady a 115 to 15 win over Lynch

The margin was similar throughout the district with Brady taking 2,533 votes in Brockton, 94 in Easton, 88 in East Bridgewater, and 219 in Hanover.

Neither Brady nor Lynch was available for comment on the primary election result, but Rep. Diehl expressed his gratitude to the voters.

“The response to the campaign has been overwhelming,” Diehl stated.  “When I am door-knocking, people are thanking me every day for repealing automatic gas tax hikes.”

He also stressed the differences between his tenure as a representative for the 7th Plymouth District where he has served since 2010, and Brady, the 9th Plymouth representative for more than seven years.

“I am the only candidate in this race who has cut people’s taxes,” Diehl said.” My opponent has voted to increase taxes every time.  He doubled the tax on alcohol, raised the gas tax, sales tax, utility taxes, supported increasing income taxes and voted for higher fees.”

Diehl pointed to his accomplishments, including the automatic gas tax repeal and work against legislative pay raises and opposition to taxpayer contributions to balance cost overruns for the Olympics.

While Brady is strong in Brockton where he has served on the school committee and 13 years as a city councilor, Diehl’s best chance is, considered by political observers, to be centered in the surrounding suburban communities.

Filed Under: Featured Story

Monponsett Pond barriers temporarily removed

October 9, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

Monponsett Pond barriers temporarily removed

Here today, gone tomorrow–For a while! The jersey barriers will be removed from the Halifax boat ramps so that residents can remove their water crafts. The scenic view belies the fact that bacteria has been blooming in the waters of West Monponsett Pond. Photo by Deb Anderson.

The Town of Halifax will remove the barriers to the boat ramps on Route 58 (Monponsett Street) and Lingan Street/4th Avenue on a temporary basis from Friday, October 9 to Monday, October 12 to allow boat owners to remove their boats from Monponsett Pond. The barriers will go back into place on Tuesday, October 13.

Jersey barriers were put in place at the beginning of October at the Route 58 boat ramp and the Lingan Street/4th Avenue boat ramp in order to prevent easy access to the ramps. This was done because, despite having signage up indicating that West Monponsett Pond is unsafe to use for recreational purposes (swimming, boating, fishing), many people have continued to use the Ponds. The barriers will be removed if two consecutive weekly samples show algae counts of less than 70,000 per milliliter. The counts this year have been significantly less than last year but still above this limit so the advisory has been in place since the middle of July.

While the Town has put up barriers at these two locations, there are other locations for which the Town does not have jurisdiction and there are a number of residents with docks or other means of obtaining access to West Monponsett Pond. The Town will not be patrolling West Monponsett Pond, ticketing or fining anyone, but wants to discourage residents and non-residents from using the Pond due to health concerns.

East Monponsett Pond will continue to be open for all uses.

If anyone has questions, please contact Town Administrator Charlie Seelig at 781-294-1316.

Filed Under: Featured Story

Halifax pond issues: County water district seeks answers

September 18, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

HALIFAX — State representatives Thomas J. Calter, D-Kingston, and Josh S. Cutler, D-Duxbury, tried to assure angry residents that their efforts to deal with the Department of Environmental Protection on the Monponsett Ponds issue is making progress.

Both legislators have worked to bring the plight of the ponds to the attention of the State House, looking for a solution.

The meeting of the Central Plymouth County Water District, held at the Halifax Town Hall Great Room Monday, Sept. 14, brought a couple dozen residents and other interested water folks to vent their frustration with the lack of response by Brockton and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Chaired by Plympton’s Jack O’Leary, who was joined by Halifax attorney Paul Collis, clerk, the meeting was a forum for much needed discussion.

West Monponsett Pond is in the height of an algae bloom, despite the extensive and expensive efforts of the Town of Halifax to treat the pond three times this past summer.  The City of Brockton, whose main source of water is Silver Lake, located in Plympton, Pembroke and Kingston, was given emergency authority in a 1964 legislative action to divert water from West Monponsett pond, through East Monponsett pond, and Stump Brook to bring up the levels of Silver Lake for Brockton’s use. Diverting this water has left a serious situation with toxic algae growing in the pond and dead fish on the shore, both seemingly as a result of the lowering of the water level and reversing the natural flow of the west Monponsett pond to cause stagnation. 

Hanson resident Audrey Hayward of Ocean Avenue said that her property value has plummeted due to the toxic stench.  She also blames her health issues on the green algae in the pond.

“They (the symptoms) appear when the green water comes,” Hayward said. “It never dies, just goes down to the bottom of the pond in cold weather. . . . We can’t have company, cook-outs, with the stench and the fish belly-up on the shore.”

She said she has to keep her dog from drinking the pond water, and is still having a hard time making the payments on a very expensive septic system that the DEP strongly insisted that she and her neighbors invest in for the sake of the ponds. She sees no improvement, in fact things are worse from her point of view, and she still has the large payments on the $40,000 to $50,000 septic system to make.  Her neighborhood friend of more than 30 years is losing her home to foreclosure as she isn’t able to make those payments.

“Losing your home because of a septic system?  That just isn’t right,” Hayward said.

Hayward continued that she continually sees boaters on the pond, speeding around, throwing up aerosolized toxins people then inhale.

“I watch people out there pulling their 7- or 8-year-old children on tubes, splashing on the water, breathing in the aerosolized foam,” she said. “Why is that boat ramp still open?  How do we stop that?  You can’t have it both ways!”

Pine DuBois of the Jones River Watershed Association said, “There needs to be a forum… The DEP needs to hear this woman.”

Halifax Selectmen Chairman Kim Roy told Hayward that Halifax is limited in its authority over the state boat ramp.  They do put out signs, but the signs need to be improved.

Brockton Water Department employee Brian Creedon said he had sent a letter to Richard Rondeau, head of the Department of Environmental Protection, South Division in Lakeville, for clarification of the DEP’s position on the Monponsett Pond issue on June 15.

He is still waiting for an answer.

Rep. Calter told the group that he personally brought a petition, signed by 620 residents in 48 hours, to the State House to increase awareness of the problem inaction and wrong action has caused.  Calter continued that he and Cutler believe that the DEP has relinquished its authority in the Ponds issue.  They should realize that diverting water from West Monponsett Pond is a bad idea.

“The City of Brockton has the right to divert water beginning Oct. 1,” O’Leary said.  “It is also their statutory obligation to maintain the ponds, which they have failed to do,” he said.

Creedon told the commissioners that it is his understanding that Brockton has no plan to divert water from Monponsett Oct. 1.

Alex Mansfield, Ecology Program Director of the Jones River Watershed Association, said that the ponds need to be allowed to return to their natural flow to give them the opportunity to clean themselves.

Hayward asked O’Leary why, when she as a gardener has to watch her garden die, the people of Brockton have no water ban? Roy answered that she asked the Brockton Water Commissioners that same question and was told that “Brockton people like to have green grass.”

Calter said that with the lack of conservation on the part of Brockton, there may need to be new legislation to deal with the problem.  “Rep. Cutler and I have read the law thoroughly and find it very clear.”

Collis told the group that for the past three years, the Monponsett Watershed Association, the Board of Selectmen and Board of Health for Halifax have been trying to find a resolution to the green water.  Out of frustration dealing with the regulatory authority, the DEP, it has been only through the efforts of Calter and Cutler that we now have the legal vehicle to pursue solutions.

Calter told Collis that they are petitioning Gov. Baker, and are in touch with the DEP, seeking to form a collaboration this week at the State House which will put in motion a solution to the problem.

O’Leary told the group of the conference which he attended, even though the Patrick administration withdrew funds for the commission, which dealt in part with the cyanobacteria problem.  The lecturer spent some time with O’Leary, and told him that a big problem with reversing the water flow from a contaminated pond is dragging the problem from West Pond to East Pond and into Silver Lake itself.  Brockton may well be poisoning its own water source.

DuBois told the group that she would encourage the Commission’s writing a letter of support to investigate Brockton’s entry into the MWRA water system, which goes as far as Stoughton now.   

Brockton has clearly outgrown the present protocol of draining Monponsett ponds to quench its thirst.

Filed Under: News

Plympton holds demo hearing

July 30, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

The Plympton Historical Commission met Monday night at the Town House for a demolition hearing on a house located at 6 Cross Street and a continuation of a hearing for a second demolition hearing for 3 Forest Street.

Present were Commission chair Jon Wilhelmsen, Jane Schulze, member, and Jill Palenstijn, member, who is also a licensed contractor, and Rick Burnet, Associate member, who is a licensed contractor and builder.

The Cross Street property, owned by Melinda Descanctis, is a Greek-revival cottage, a common mid 19th century structure for Plympton.  Similar structures exist or existed on Center Street and perhaps elsewhere in town, according to Wilhelmsen.

Ms. Descanctis told the Commission that she is not willing to consider renovating the structure and would replace it with a modular structure with 2 ½ baths, a three-car garage, and would be complete with septic system.  “Without being too aggressive … I’m definitely not going to rehab the house.  It’s not feasible,” she said.

“Is there a middle ground here?  If not, we’re all just wasting our time.“   

Dana Nilson, a contractor with Southeast Development Co, LLC, from Marion, said , “It all doesn’t have to go into a dumpster, much can be salvaged.  There are other ways to salvage this.”

Wilhelmsen said that he had to look at the by-law and see what it allows.  “We’re trying to work with folks and we want to do our job.”

Jane Schulze remembered how overwhelmed she felt when she first moved into her antique home. She asked Ms. Descanctis if she had wanted to restore the home when she first purchased it, to which Ms. Descanctis said she had thought it would be worth it.   

Jill Palenstijn commented, “As an historian, what concerns me is not just this one house, but many.”   “In 15 years it could be a totally different landscape as one after another old homes are replaced.”  She said she could also look at it from a practical point of view, but like others on the board, said she needed more time to consider the proposal.

The Commission adjourned the hearing on 6 Cross Street to Monday, August 3, at 7 p.m. to give members time to review the added information brought before them.

They then re-opened the hearing on the 3 Forest Street property, owned by Elsie Murgida.  Architect Bob Gosselin of K&G Development Corp in Kingston, brought new drawings for the Commission’s consideration.  The owner, at age 85, is unable to deal with the house as it stands and seeks relief by way of reconstructing the home.

The plan first brought to the commission was a very basic ranch with none of the character of the old house, which was likely built as a summer cottage near Silver Lake in the 1920s.  The new plan drawn mimics the original house’s architecture while meeting the needs of the homeowner. 

Jill Palenstijn commented, “I certainly appreciate the nod to the original.”

Associate member Rick Burnet had made a site inspection to 3 Forest St. determining that the original part of the house would be difficult and costly to salvage as it rests on a limited foundation.

This hearing was continued to Monday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Wilhelmsen gave the following insight into the by-law:

The Demolition Delay Bylaw for Historically or Architecturally Significant Buildings was enacted to help preserve and protect “significant buildings within the Town of Plympton…Such buildings reflect distinctive features of the architectural, cultural, economic, political or social history of the town…”

Additionally, “The intent of the bylaw is to provide an opportunity to develop preservation solutions for significant, preferably preserved properties threatened with demolition.

The bylaw is intended to encourage owners and townspeople to seek out persons who might be willing to purchase, preserve, rehabilitate or restore such buildings rather than demolish them, and to limit the detrimental effect of the demolition on the historical or architectural resources of the Town.

The bylaw also allows the Commission discretion on how to meet this goal as it states in Section 3.5 that the Commission shall “determine whether the building should be preferably preserved”.

The Commission takes its role very seriously and endeavors to take into consideration any and all information provided by the applicants.

That said, it must also be sure that it upholds the intent and purpose of the bylaw. The current applications before the Commission are more challenging than those that have previously come before the Commission given that the structural concerns are less certain.

The Commission must consider the intent and purpose of the bylaw along with the information presented by the applicants and that which it has independently gathered to arrive at a decision.

The hearing process is the primary avenue of relief that the homeowner has. The consideration of all information available and provided is a role that the members take very seriously.

Filed Under: News

$714,210 Halifax Ladder Truck Grant

July 30, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros got quite a present as he approaches his first anniversary of being named Fire Chief in Halifax on August 4 – he received notification Tuesday that the Town has been awarded a $ 714,210 grant from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for a new ladder truck.

Halifax will pay a minimum matching sum of $35,710.50, or 5%.   

“I have a lot of people to thank for this,” Viveiros said.  “Everything we do here is a team effort.”  He went on to explain how much support he received from his Captains and Administrative Assistant Patricia Forsstrom who researched the grant and compiled the statistics.  Writing the grant took many, many hours of work, he said.  Selectmen, Town Administrator Charlie Seelig, and other town officials, all wrote letters of support.

“We applied for the grant Dec. 2, 2014 … we knew it was a long shot but never lost hope,” he said.   Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. William Keating, and Sen. Edward Markey directly supported the grant application, he said.  “I can’t thank them enough.”

“Halifax townspeople knew we needed a fire truck, and they supported us.  They voted the first of five lease payments of more than $160,000 each for the next five years.  Now those funds can be repurposed for other needs,” he said.

Another Save!

Viveiros added that last Friday, the department credited another “save” with the new Lucas Automatic Chest Compression machine each ambulance is now equipped with, thanks to another $24,000 grant from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

“You can go for a year an not have a save, but to have two in a week?  That’s incredible.”

Filed Under: News

High algae counts close West Monponsett Pond

July 23, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

photo

This warning sign lets people know that algae counts are high and the West Monponsett Pond is closed to fishing and water recreation. The earliest the area could open is next weekend, Friday, July 31, if algae cell counts are below the state ceiling of 70,000 cells/ml. Photo by Express staff.

The Halifax Board of Health has closed West Monponsett Pond to fishing, boating and water recreation in the wake of an algae count slightly higher than the level recommended by the Commonwealth.

The BOH tests the water of each pond weekly on Tuesdays, with the results back to the town on Thursdays.  The last test showed West Monponsett Pond at 75,000 cells/ml, slightly higher than the maximum recommended of 70,000 cells/ml.

In order for the lake to be reopened for recreational water use, the lake must have two consecutive tests showing less than the 70,000 cells/ml ceiling.  The next test will be Tuesday, July 28, with test results coming back sometime Thursday, July 30.  If those results show less than 70,000, the Halifax Board of Health may then open West Monponsett Pond for the weekend of August 1.

East Monponsett Pond remains open for fishing and boating.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig told the Express he hopes that the three recent treatments of West Monponsett Pond, the final one on Thursday, July 23, will help control the algae bloom problem this season.  Last year at this time the counts were in the millions and the lake shone with a neon green effervescence.

Asked if he credits the aluminum sulfate treatments with the difference, he was reluctant to give the treatments all the credit.  “Cooler weather and more rain to keep the lake moving also help keep the algae count down,” he said.

Aluminum sulfate added to the pond combines with phosphorus, a natural mineral which is also used in fertilizer and some detergents, to make it unusable as a nutrient to promote algae growth.  The three treatments appear to be having some success.  He is cautiously optimistic.

“These treatments are more a long-term solution,” Seelig said.

“There are signs out at West Monponsett warning people against using the lake, but we don’t send the police to stop them,” he said.  “It’s common sense.  People use the lake at their own risk.”

Wednesday afternoon a trailered boat was backing up to launch despite the warnings.

Filed Under: News

Memorial Day in Plympton brought small town America to its town green Monday morning

May 28, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

photo-4

The 1936 Buffalo Special pumper fire truck made its parade debut after being restored over the winter by Plympton Fire Department Lt. Don Vautrinot and Mike Watts of the Weymouth FD. Photo by Deborah Anderson.

Plympton – The parade, which formed by the Historical Society at the corner of Center Street, had two new notables this year – the Silver Lake Marching Band, who had been absent from the small town for at least a decade, marched and played to the applause of those lining the parade route, and the newly restored 1936 Buffalo Custom fire truck. 

Driven by Plympton’s own Lt. Don Vautrinot, with Mike Walsh of the Weymouth Fire Department, the two painstakingly restored this beauty over the winter, showing what the generosity of firefighters throughout the state, and many corporate sponsors, can do when a couple of guys who like trucks get together with a project.  The beautiful result will be encouraged to return to many more Memorial Day parades for years to come.

Selectmen, Mark Russo, Colleen Thompson, and newly elected Christine Joy, led the parade and parade marshal this year was the Freitas family, Jackie Freitas, wife of the late Joe Freitas, the longest serving selectmen in the Commonwealth with 36 years of service. 

Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Daisies, marched the mile long route to the green, and antique cars, led the Fire Department’s full array of rolling stock. Plympton Police Department’s motorcycle officer Steve Teri and Police Chief Pat Dillon were notables. 

At the Gazebo on the Green, Selectman Christine Joy welcomed the group.  Selectman Mark Russo led the group in a moment of silence. Selectman Colleen Thompson led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rev. Anna “Nan” Eaton Butera gave the invocation.

Dennett School student Geoffrey Cook brought many to tears with his recital of his essay “What Memorial Day Means to Me.”  Rick Ducharme read “Flanders Fields” and Natalie Bohmbach recited the Gettysburg Address.  Audible gasps were heard when Sydney Adams began her a cappella solo of the Star Spangled Banner on a high note, but she handled a key change like a pro, and finished her song with the same enthusiasm with which she began.  The audience rewarded her with resounding applause.

Chief Petty Officer USNR (Retired) Steve Lyons read the Fallen Soldiers List and Sgt. First Class US Army (Retired) Steve Lewis read a list of some of Plympton’s present residents who have served.

Betsy and Wesley Kupic played TAPS.

Wreaths were placed at the Gazebo by Boy Scouts Andrew Adams, Wesley Kupic and Frank Perfetio.

The Honor Guard then proceeded to the First Congregational Church Cemetery to honor deceased Veterans and Fallen Heroes.

Thanks go to the 2015 Memorial Day Committee members Kim Adams, Tricia Detterman, Peter Kupic, Kristen LeVangie, Steve Lewis, Steve Lyons, Chris and Lorna Rankin, and Tim Snow, who co-ordinated all the details, along with the many volunteers who helped on Memorial Day.  Special thanks to Plympton’s veterans’ agent Roxanne Whitbeck.

See more photos on our Facebook Page.

Filed Under: News

John Henry’s last BOS meeting in Plympton

May 14, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

John-Henry

John Henry holds up the proclamation that he received from the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The proclamation was signed by Speaker of the House Robert Deleo and Rep. Calter, citing Henry for the work he has done through the years. Representative Tom Calter presented the proclamation at Monday’s meeting.

Monday night, May 11, marked the last meeting of the Plympton Board of Selectmen for John Henry, who did not run for re-election.

Henry served the people of Plympton for eight years, two full terms and a partial term where he was elected to fill a vacancy. Monday night brought Representative Tom Calter with a proclamation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives signed by Speaker of the House Robert Deleo and Rep. Calter, citing Henry for the work he has done through the years.  Calter told Henry that he hadn’t seen any selectman in his State House office as often as he had seen John Henry throughout the years.  Calter lauded Henry for his dedication and hard work.

Jack Doyle, a member of the Plympton Board of Health, spoke about Henry’s work on behalf of the town and Henry was visibly touched by the sentiment of his colleague.

Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Mark Russo lauded Henry’s financial acumen, and noted that the board would miss that talent, as well as his work with solar contracts and protocol in town. 

Speaking to the well-wishers in the audience, Henry said, “I’ve got one more dance left – Town Meeting Wednesday night.”

Filed Under: News

Property inspections to begin in Plympton

May 14, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

PLYMPTON – The Assessors’ Office staff will be conducting inspections of properties that have not been inspected within the past 9 years as required by Department of Revenue Bureau of Local Assessment guidelines. Current and accurate property data is a critical element in the development of uniform, fair market values.

If your property is currently for sale or you are considering selling or refinancing it contact the office to schedule an inspection; appraisers, attorneys, and buyers contact the assessors for accurate property information. Accurate data is the basis of market analysis.

If no one 18 years of age or older is available to allow the Assessors office staff to inspect the property a card will be left containing instructions to schedule an appointment. The Board of Assessors appreciates your cooperation.

Filed Under: News

Personal property data collection begins in Plympton

May 14, 2015 By Deborah Anderson, Express Staff

PLYMPTON – Beginning May 1, 2015 a representative from Real Estate Research Consultants, specialists in personal property collection and valuation,  will visit businesses to list and value all business and agricultural personal property per Department of Revenue guidelines to implement a collection program. The inspector will present identification. The Board of Assessors appreciates the cooperation of all business and agricultural business owners.

Filed Under: News

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