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Special Education budgeting needs to be individualized

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Despite no major influx of new special education students to the Silver Lake district, Special Education Administrator Marie Grable said increases to tuition and transportations costs need to be addressed in next year’s budget for the 629 students in the program.

Estimates for next year’s budget were not ready to be discussed formally, Grable told the committee; they are still in the rough draft phase. In her presentation, she outlined some of the finances that need to be considered on a yearly basis when addressing a special education budget.

To begin the presentation, she highlighted that there isn’t a standard program that can be applied for all students in the special education program.

“Accommodations need to be individualized,” Grable said.

Specialization has its own challenges. For one, Grable said, developmental delays are often diagnosed anywhere from the age of 3 to 9. It can be hard to tell if a student is struggling with reading or if it’s because of some sort of developmental delay.

Committee Chair Jason Fraser asked about unexpected cost from students coming into the district mid-year. Unexpected cost can also affect a special education budget, she said. When a student from out of district from Plymouth for example moves to Halifax mid-school year, Grable said that student is already budgeted in Plymouth’s special education budget for the year. If the student is from out of state, the rule doesn’t apply, and Silver Lake would get an unexpected cost added to the current fiscal year’s budget.

The state does provide some relief with special education budgets, Grable explained. She said municipalities are responsible for the first $44,000 no matter what. However, the state does pay a percentage of additional dollars, but that rate is set on a yearly basis. According to Grable, she’s preparing for a rate around 55 to 60 percent.

Fraser reminded the committee that the district still needs to pay for that money because the state funding is a reimbursement given for the previous year.

Some of the district’s funding does come from state grants, though. The district gets two entitlement grants from the state. One of those grants is for a little over a $1 million statewide. The district gets a cut of that grant each year. That first grant, the district uses to help pay for the paraprofessionals at the schools. The second grant helps fund special education programs at the preschool level. Exact municipal numbers were not specified.

Grable spoke highly of the district’s special education programs. She was especially proud of the developmental learning centers at each school level (elementary, middle, high) district wide and how language-based learning programs were going. Grable said the language-based learning program has been implemented at the middle school successfully, and she hopes to do the same at the high school when the timing is right.

One thing she hopes to continue with, especially in the last years of high school, is remind students that once they turn 18, they are usually responsible for making sure they get the accommodations they need, especially at the college level.

“Colleges don’t necessarily look at IEPS, but do verify disabilities, so when students turn 18, they need to advocate for themselves,” Grable said.

A budget draft will be available at a later school committee meeting.

High School

Principal Michaela Gill presented formal requests to the school committee for some curriculum changes. One request was to remove the practical computing course. Gill spoke of students’ success in the other course computer applications, making the course unnecessary.

Another course change proposal was removing College Prep II Trigonometry from the curriculum.

“Let me explain the math behind this,” Gill joked.

Right triangle trigonometry is now taught in geometry to help students prepare for standardized testing.

“There’s not enough material to run a whole trigonometry class when it’s already in geometry,” she said.

The high school also received the following donations:

• $25 gift card from May Flower Municipal Health Group to pay for new cables for the library smartboard.

• Three residents donated vehicles for the high school’s automotive program.

Middle School

A middle school-level National Junior Honor Society is coming to the district. Pam Samford said the district will start putting this together after term two grades are in.

Samford said the honors society for seventh and eight graders will run much like the high school model.  After grades are in, eligible students will meet in the auditorium. They will have to complete community service, get teacher recommendations, and be interviewed. Students will be told if they will be inducted before April vacation and another ceremony will follow.

DOT says Pine St. bridge in critical condition

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MASS DOT) report on the status of the East Street and Pine Street bridges were given to the Halifax Highway Department. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig announced the results at last Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The bridge on East Street was deemed “satisfactory” by MASS DOT, Seelig said. There are a few defects that should be fixed, but overall the bridge is in stable condition.

The Pine Street bridge’s condition was is in more dire straits, the report said. According to Seelig, the deficiencies are at a “critical level.”

It’s recommended that the Highway Department hire a design engineering firm to start making a plan to address the bridge. Seelig had not checked in with the Highway Department as of Tuesday, and said it’s possible the department has already taken steps towards this. He said he would ask the department for a status report on the Board’s behalf.

Earth Removal Permits

John Makepeace and his representative came in to discuss renewing his existing earth removal permit. The extension was granted by the Board of Selectmen for a year, with stipulations from the Highway Department.

According to Makepeace, he is continuing the construction of a reservoir for his cranberry operation at White Dog Cranberry Ltd.

So far, Makepeace said he has removed 20,500 yards of earth to date. The operation requires 64,000 yards be removed. He said he believes he’s on schedule for completion within the year.

The Board of Selectmen gave abutters an opportunity to voice questions and concerns to Makepeace and his representation.

One abutter asked if there was a plan for overflow when there are heavy rains. She was concerned about the potential for more stagnant water in the area attracting mosquitos. She said she doesn’t think this would necessarily be a problem but wanted to make sure.

According to Makepeace’s representative, water elevation should be lower than the ground.

“It’s mostly ground rather than surface water,” he said.

Business License Revocation Hearings

Evergreen Beverage/ Twin Lake Liquor’s license has not been revoked, as Seelig said their payment is not due yet.

The hearing will continue at the next Board of Selectmen meeting. They were put on the schedule for 7:40 p.m.

Davis Automotive’s license was revoked with a unanimous vote from the Board. Seelig said a check due to the town bounced and the issue has not been corrected, despite several letters being sent.

The hearing however was left open and will be on the agenda for the Nov. 27 meeting. Selectman Chair Kim Roy said revocations can be rescinded.

Other News

Selectmen signed the state reimbursement forms for Chapter 90 state road/bridge funding. These forms were for repavement projects on roads including South Street, Elm Street, and Oak Street.

Three Cultural Council Reappointments were made. Seelig was reappointed until Nov. 26, 2019 while Linda Redding’s term runs through November 26, 2021. Patricia Murphy’s term is until Dec. 8, 2021.

The ceremony to swear in new Police Chief Joao A. Chaves was scheduled for Nov. 27 in the Great Hall. It starts at 6 p.m., and is open to the public. The Board of Selectmen meeting that night will follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Senate race preview

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The Second Senate District for Plymouth and Bristol features incumbent Democratic State Sen. Michael Brady facing off against Republican candidate Scott Hall.

Brady is currently seeking re-election for his third term for the district, which represents Plympton, Halifax, Hanson, Whitman, Brockton, and parts of East Bridgewater and Easton. Prior to becoming a senator, he served four terms as State Representative in the Ninth Plymouth District.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Revenue where he has worked to provide funding for the district for education, public safety, infrastructure, seniors and veterans, according to a statement from Brady’s campaign.

Some funding the campaign highlighted included:

•$1,000,000 for expanded handicapped accessibility and building code improvements at Halifax Council on Aging and $50,000 for design of a new building and parking.

•$500,000 to build four monitoring stations to monitor cyanobacteria levels in Monponsett Pond.

•$500,000 to design and construct a pump house system for distributing aluminum sulfate in Monponsett Pond.

•$320,000 for new field lighting at Silver Lake Regional High School.

•$170,000 for Central Plymouth County Water District Advisory Committee for water quality monitor program.

A statement from Brady’s campaign said, “Senator Brady will continue to support and fund and protecting public education, incentives for renewable energy resources, opioid abuse prevention, helping veterans, the elderly, and increasing economic development.  He says that constituent services have always been his top priority and will continue to do so if re-elected.”

Challenger Scott Hall has kept a relatively low profile this election season, not using a Facebook page, or social media to promote his campaign. His website focuses on cutting costs in public safety and schools by investing in more software that can automate and integrate certain departmental tasks.

“Harnessing the power of predictive analytics and other business intelligence solutions would be most effective towards becoming more proactive and less reactive,” his campaign website said. “We can reduce operational costs by millions of dollars within a few years that may also lead to the generation of new revenue streams and additional employment opportunities for the people of the Second Plymouth and Bristol District.”

Despite the low profile, Hall had a strong showing in Plympton’s primary, garnering 222 votes compared to Brady’s 155. Both candidates ran unopposed. In Halifax, Hall had 534 primary votes compared Brady’s 410 votes.

It’s worth noting voter turnout tends to be much lower in primaries compared to general elections.

Who will be the next Rep?

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With former Democratic State Rep. Thomas Calter leaving Beacon Hill to serve as Kingston’s town administrator, a freshman representative will take his place. Democrat Kathy LaNatra, of Kingston will square off against Republican Joe Truschelli, of Plymouth for the 12th Plymouth District seat.Both Truschelli and LaNatra have experience in municipal government.

LaNatra is the Vice-chairman of the Kingston Board of Selectmen and a trustee of the Affordable Housing Trust. She previously served as Recreation Commissioner for eight years and was also a member of the Community Preservation Committee. Outside of municipal government, Lanatra owned her own small retail business for 10 years and is a licensed realtor.

Truschelli is a town meeting representative in Plymouth and a veteran of the war in Iraq. He served in the Air Force for almost two decades, both as an enlisted NCO and as a commissioned officer. After his time in Iraq, Truschelli now serves at the Joint Force Headquarters for the Massachusetts National Guard as a public affairs officer.

Truschelli’s campaign touted his fiscal responsibility and transparency as a town meeting representative in Plymouth.“In his time as a town meeting representative he has worked with his colleagues to ensure the funding of our schools and first responders are protected and that we position the community to be ready for any fiscal challenge we may be faced with,” he said on his campaign website.

LaNatra’s campaign highlighted her experience as a small business owner and said her successes there will allow her to have a bipartisan approach when it comes to economic policy.

“Drawing on her success in business, Kathy will embrace a pragmatic approach to the most pressing issues in our community, according to her website. “As the structure of our economy changes and our property taxes increase, Kathy is committed to sustainable economic growth to reduce the tax burden on homeowners and create sustainable jobs.”

As far as policy, both candidates have expressed a desire to focus on local issues, rather than national issues. Both LaNatra and Truschelli have said they’d prioritize supporting local law enforcement, taking care of local veterans and facing the opioid crisis in the 12th Plymouth District communities. Plymouth Area Community Television held political forum on public access on Oct. 4, where both candidates spoke to these issues.

LaNatra said, “My husband Mike has served as a Kingston Police Officer for 12 years and was with the New York Police Department during the 9/11 terrorist attack and its aftermath. I understand firsthand the sacrifices of those who devote their lives to protecting our communities.”

She added that the state has a responsibility to properly fund public safety training and fund healthcare for work-related injuries. In the forum, Truschelli agreed that more funding is needed for first responders.  During the campaign he has also spoken of his work with the Baker-Polito administration on veterans’ issues. “Joe spearheaded programs focused on ending homelessness among veterans, veteran employment, and suicide prevention … He has been a tireless advocate working on behalf of our state’s veteran population.”

Where the two have publicly differed most, is on Question 1 of the statewide referendum on nurse to patient ratios. During the candidate forum, LaNatra expressed her support for Question 1, to limit the number of patients assigned to a registered nurse at a hospital.

LaNatra shared a story of a nurse who was attacked at an understaffed hospital and had no one to help him and the former nurse who had a patient die from complications with a pulled wisdom tooth. She said situations like these are why she is voting yes.

Truschelli is voting no, citing a concern for seniors potentially receiving less attention than they need. He said he has spoken with nurses and hospital administrators and would rather a middle ground solution be made.

Police chief interviews next week

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Halifax selectmen announced at their meeting Tuesday that the assessment center tasked with bringing qualified candidates for the Chief of Police position interviewed five candidates, all which Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said came back with passing scores.

Selectmen Chairman Kim Roy and Selectman Troy Garron both wanted to hear from all the candidates given that all passed and none stood out above the others.

“I think it’s only to our benefit to interview all five,” Roy said.

Interviews are scheduled for October 17 and 18. The schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, October 17

• 9 a.m. – Wayland Police Detective Jamie T. Berger

• 10:15 a.m. – New Bedford Police Lieutenant Joao A. Chaves

• 11:30 a.m. – Wrentham Police Sergeant Barry McGrath

Thursday, October 18

• 2:30 p.m. – Lakeville Police Lieutenant Sean Joyce

• 3:45 p.m. – MBTA Police Lieutenant David F. Albanese

Interviews will be held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room in the Halifax Town Hall at 499 Plymouth Street. The interviews are open to the public.

Recycling Abatement Review

At the previous selectmen meeting on September 25, the board announced its intention to deny any recycling abatement request submitted after the set deadline. Residents Jaclyn Conley and Andrew Stalker came to plead their case that they submitted their request on time, but there was no proof as the letter was never time stamped.

Stalker told the board he knows he submitted the abatement request because it was the day before his father passed away.

He added that he put the flag up on his mailbox before putting the letter there. Roy and Garron said they were both sympathetic to the situation but could not extend the deadline because there was no proof, and the board had issues after extending the recycling abatement deadline last year.

“If we do it for one, we have to do it for everyone,” Roy explained to Conley and Stalker.

Selectmen’s Assistant Pam McSherry said the letter likely would have gone to the distribution center at Brockton first. Roy said the deadline meant at the town hall that day rather than in the mail.

Other News

• According to Seelig, algae levels at Monponsett Pond are again at safe levels, which allows the pond to open again. He said he’s happy the algae didn’t keep the town beach at West Monponsett from being open most of the summer, but said before the next season a plan will have to be made to keep the beach better maintained. He suggested setting up a future meeting with the Recreation Department.

• Seelig announced the Highway Department restriped the road lines at Thompson Street on Route 105. The town had received a formal complaint from a Middleborough resident who said lane visibility was difficult at night.  The next selectmen’s meeting is October 23. Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

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Dennett playground, roof, top school meeting agenda

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PLYMPTON — The Dennett School Committee on Sept. 24 approved Vice-chairman Jason Fraser and Principal Peter Veneto pursuing a plan to renovate the playground at the elementary school.

These renovations include a second swing set, additional wood chips to a depth of at least 9 inches for any fall of ten feet or less, and an expansion of the path for wheelchairs in the recess area. Fraser also wants to modernize the dinosaur-shaped jungle gym.

Additionally, Fraser and Veneto’s plan involved adding rubberized safety mats near the end of the slide and entrance to the playground fixture. There would also be additional matting near one of the swings. Fraser said all of this would be Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.

“Our playground is not ADA compliant, and if we ever had a child with mobility issues, we’d have a real moral dilemma of what to do to allow equitable access for all children,” Fraser told the committee.

Veneto said the playground is essentially the only thing tailored for younger kids during recess. He said most of the older kids are playing soccer, so this would be a great benefit to the younger grades.

Addressing the playground was first discussed in May 2015 and has been a permanent agenda item since June 2016. Priorities were shifted when the water treatment facility at Dennett needed replacing. Now that students have safe water, Fraser said the time to purchase a new playground is approaching.

According to Fraser, the budget for the playground is roughly $256,505.86. That budget includes 20 percent in contingency costs, but some of the larger costs are the playground equipment, which estimates at about $97,000 and swings costing roughly $36,000.

Fraser said the school hasn’t spent any of its school choice fund in the budget, which has accumulated $92,258.61 from out of district families. Another $40,000 is projected to come in by Fiscal Year 2019. By July 2019, Fraser and Veneto expect there to be $132,258 in that fund that they want to use for one-time expenditures such as playground renovations.

The committee would need about another $125,000 to complete the project. Fraser said the rest could be paid for if a Capital Plan request is approved and/or applying for grant funding through the Community Preservation Act.

Fraser said he believes some of the infrastructure is already there and the school just needs an engineer to look at the playground through a study. The contingency plan funding planned for a study, Fraser said.

School Committee Chairman Jon Wilhelmsen said he liked Fraser and Veneto’s idea for using the school choice funds. He said it’s the perfect use because the money goes right back to the students.

School Drop-Off Procedures

According to Veneto, parents are doing a much better job following school drop-off procedures that do not allow students to be dropped off until 8 a.m.

He said kids can be dropped off then and wait in the cafeteria until 8:15 a.m. before going to class. There will be staff in the cafeteria then, but not any earlier.

“Having those kids there without any supervision of any kind, that’s a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion,” Veneto said.

Roof Audit

Silver Lake Superintendent Joy Blackwood informed the school committee that an assessment of Dennett Elementary’s roof concluded that the school’s roof needs repairs. Blackwood said there have been issues with leaking.

For the repairs to be eligible for grant funding, Blackwood said the roof needs to be at least 20-years-old.

According to Wilhelmsen, some of the roof was built in the ‘90s while the rest was built in 2001. He said it would be worth looking into if the parts of the roof that were built in the ‘90s would be eligible for grant funding.

Principal’s Report

Dennett Elementary School started out with 200 students this September, according to Veneto.

He said some families left for whatever reason, but many homes are for sale in town. He believes it’s possible enrollment will increase by the end of the year.

Calendar

“The Dennett Goes Gold” for childhood cancer research fundraiser started this week. Veneto said there is a gold boot in the office to collect change for childhood cancer research. The campaign culminates with all students being asked to wear gold on Sept. 28

There is no school on Oct. 8 because of Columbus Day.

Parent-teacher conferences are Oct. 18. It’s also an early-release day.

The Halloween dance is Oct. 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

German shepherd gets second chance

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Tuesday’s Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting had a dog hearing over a German Shepperd killing a small Monti dog.

Because of cooperation between the dog owners, the German Shepperd is being given a second chance rather than being put down.

When describing what happened the owner of the German Shepperd said he was playing catch with a football with the dog in the front yard. The electric fence was not up because the dog was on leash. When the owner threw the ball the ball though, the leash failed. Katie who also lives at White Island Road was walking her two dogs at the time.

He heard screams after throwing the ball. This was when the German Shepperd grabbed the five-month-old Monti in its mouth and shook it. The dog succumbed to its injuries.

The owner of the victim’s dog vouched that the German Shepperd isn’t a vicious dog but believed it didn’t know what it was doing. After a recommendation from Animal Control Officer Noreen Callahan, the Board of Selectmen ordered the 17-month-old German Shepperd get training, stay up-to-date on its licensing at all times, and a permanent fence be installed in the owner’s yard.

“I don’t think it knew what it was doing, Katie who owned the dog that was killed said when describing the German Shepperd, “I don’t think it’s vicious.”

Selectman Thomas Millias said the situation was sad on both sides and after the testimony agreed the dog may not have attacked out of aggression. “The dog may have been riled up from play” Millias said. “It doesn’t fix things but at least we know.”

Katie told the Board of Selectmen that the German Shepperd’s owner took responsibility for the dog’s actions offering to pay restitution and paid the medical bills for her other dog.

Police Chief Selection Process Underway

The Board of Selectmen narrowed down their search for a new police chief to five applicants and two alternates in case any of the five decline to be interviewed. There were 28 total applicants.

At this point, the identities of the candidates were not revealed. The Board of Selectmen said they legally cannot release their names this early in the hiring process, All selected candidates were referred to by a number.

Several merits of the candidates were discussed. At least four of them had Masters degrees and several had military experience. One candidate was a colonel in the military police.

After the assessment center reviews the five candidates, Selectmen Chair Kim Roy said the names can be released. Interviews after that will be open to the public.

Wage and Personnel Appointment

The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved appointing Claudia Noble-Cotton to the Wage and Personnel Board.

Noble-Cotton has lived in Halifax for 15 years and has two teens at Silver lake High School. She said now that her children are older, she has more time to get involved.

Noble-Cotton’s experience aligns with the positions, Roy said. She works for JP Morgan in Boston and has experience with hiring and writing job description.

Other News

The Board of Selectmen approved a one-day liquor license for Our Lady of the Lake Cjurch’s Octoberfest. Only beer will be served at the event and all bartenders are T.I.P. certified.

The next Halifax Board of Selectmen Meeting is Tuesday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m.

STOP! Residents ask for a 4-way STOP sign

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen had a full house on Tuesday as residents came in to discuss the possibility of adding stop signs to the intersection at Laurel Street and Circuit Street.

Given the expert advice of Highway Surveyor Steven Hayward and Old Colony Planning Council Senior Transportation Planner Ray Guarino, Halifax would not legally be allowed to put a four-way stop at the intersection because there isn’t enough traffic to warrant it.  Selectmen voted to make a two-way stop sign instead.

A few residents in attendance said that the speed drivers travel on the roads is a problem. Some residents wanted the stop signs to curb the speed while others want a speed limit sign set at 25 miles-per-hour.

According to Hayward, guidelines set by the state and the Old Colony Planning Council require a certain amount of traffic before a four-way stop is allowed. “You are not supposed to use stop signs for speed control,” said Hayward.

Guarino said the Old Colony Planning Council would do a traffic count at no charge to verify the vehicle count for traffic on the two streets, but any action  for a four-way stop would require an engineering study. According to Guarino, that would cost at least a couple thousand dollars.

Most residents were okay with a compromise of having a two-way stop except for one resident who maintained that a four-way stop is necessary.

“There’s no definite right of way there. It’s a free for all,” Galvin said.

Galvin also questioned why the stop signs at the end of the streets that intersect with Route 106 were needed before this. He said that anyone who lives at Laurel Street and Circuit Street knows to stop before getting on to Route 106. Resident Sharon Smith also asked about the signs at 106.

Selectmen Chair Kim Roy said those signs were a priority because they intersect with a major road.

Hayward also brought up potentially having yield signs rather than stop signs. He said that if the town put up a stop sign on a road its not necessarily warranted, everyone is going to be asking for one.

Selectman Troy Garron said it’s the Board of Selectmen’s job to be proactive with this. Although Guarino looked up accident records and could only recall one accident which was single-car, the Board and some residents said they are lucky a major accident hasn’t happened at the intersection.”

“I think the suggestion to put up stop signs is  good,” Garron said. He later added, “it’s worth it if it saves one life.”

Elementary School
Doors Don’t Fit

The rear-facing doors ordered for Halifax Elementary School are the wrong dimensions. In total, fifteen doors were ordered, but are too small.

According to Selectmen, the contractor failed to account for hinges in the initial measurements.

A sample door is being ordered to test the fit, then the contractor will replace the rest of the incorrect doors.

Dog Hearing soon

A dog hearing is scheduled for the September 25 Board of Selectmen meeting. The Board said a dog killed another dog.

Other News

• The Board of Selectmen approved the boy scouts using the town green for a food drive on November 10.

• The tax classification hearing resulted in no open space tax discount or residential exemption for a second home. Principal Assessor Holly Merry said there are not enough people who own second homes in Halifax to justify it.

The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen is September 25. Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

Glacial erratics are dangers in ponds

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HALIFAX – Hingham resident Bob Demaggio has vacationed at Halifax’s Lake Monponsett for over four decades. His wife and kids have continued to go there every summer and take out the boat. Last Tuesday, Demaggio brought up a safety concern regarding the lake to the Board of Selectmen.

“I had an incident at the beginning of the month where I was taking my whaler with my wife,” Demaggio said.

Demaggio was going north on East Monponsett Lake when he said he hit an obstruction. Even going only at a trolling (slow) speed. Demaggio said the boat flew out of the water. His wife almost fell from the boat.

“I lost the prop (propeller), that’s no big deal, but I didn’t wat to lose a wife. That’s the important thing,” Demaggio said.

Demaggio and the Board of Selectmen believed the obstruction was some sort of glacial erratic. Glacial erratics are large rocks transported by glaciers and left behind when they melt.

So far, Demaggio said he’s spoken to the town, state, and Watershed Authority. He said it bothers him that there isn’t a sign warning people about the moving glacial rocks.

Selectman Thomas Millias said Demaggio’s request sounds reasonable. Selectman Tory Garron agreed. He said the Board will talk to the town’s other boards and will see what can be done.

New Board/Committee Appointments

The Halifax Housing Authority filled a vacancy on its committee with both the Board of Selectmen’s and Housing Authority’s appointment of Paula Walker.

Walker is used to a fast pace style of work having worked 50 years in the media industry including time with the Patriot Ledger, Brockton Enterprise, and the Boston Globe.

When asked by the Board of Selectmen why she wants to join the Housing Authority, Walker said she’s bored in retirement. Garron joked saying Walker will have to serve another 50 years with the Housing Authority.

Both boards unanimously approved Walker’s appointment.

Peter Veneto was unanimously appointed to the  Central Plymouth County Water District Advisory Board. Laurie Monahan was appointed as an alternate.

Other News

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig announced that several weeks ago, Gov. Charlie Baker signed an expansion on what types of cancer are covered by insurance for police officers and firefighters. Seelig sent a note to the state auditors office asking specifically what is in the mandate. The mandate is expected to cover all types of cancer.

The Board of Selectmen approved changes to the job description for the application process for a new police chief. At the suggestion of the Police Chief Assessment Center the Board of Selectmen voted to require at least a Bachelors degree for the position and a Masters degree to be the preference.

The next Board of Selectmen meeting is Tuesday, September 11. Open session starts at 7:30 p.m.

STM kills senior center redo

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HALIFAX – Article 1 of the Halifax Special Town Meeting asked residents to allow the town to borrow an additional $1.5 million for repairs, renovations, and an expansion of Pope’s Tavern, the Halifax Senior Center.

These additional costs failed to gain two-thirds of the necessary town meeting support, so the article failed. There were strong opinions on both sides.

Linda Laskey, who has lived in Halifax for 42 years said, “We have a ramp but that’s not enough. I can’t even open the door myself.”

She said most handicapped buildings have a door that will open for them. She can’t do quilting upstairs because she can’t climb stairs.

Resident Amy Troupe wanted to know why the architect didn’t make the project within the budget and why did we not tell him to stay in budget.

Roy explained that there’s a bidding process in place and that is limited by the laws of the state when it comes to public building projects.

Another concerned resident asked for an Australian ballot, a written ballot rather than a standing vote or a voice vote due to the sensitivity of the issue. This was not granted.

The entire project was originally estimated at $1.7 million. According to Selectmen Chair Kim Roy, the architect said that amount would work. He completed construction drawings and then ran estimates on the drawings.

Estimated costs increased so much that the Board was shocked.  There was an option to cut, but the project according to the Board of Selectmen was supposed to be drafted in a conservative way. According to Roy, to spend $2 million and still have a senior center with poor roofing, electrical issues, etc. doesn’t make sense.

Selectmen said they were told by the architect that the reason for the drastic price increase was the economic conditions. Selectman Thomas Millias said the materials went up in cost about 25 to 30 percent in the last five months.

He anticipates those costs going up. “Today is the least expensive this project is going to cost us,” Millias said.

Because the project involved borrowing money it required a two-thirds vote instead of a majority. The two-thirds failed on standing vote getting 103 of the 127 required votes.

Raise for Fire Chief Approved

Article 9 asked to raise Fire Chief Jason Viveiros salary from $110,000 to $119,000.  There is also a scheduled raise to $125,000 in fiscal year 2020. The article was approved by majority on a vote of 144-47.

Despite the large majority, there was a lot of heated procedural debate prior to the vote. Because seven people moved for a motion on an Australian-style secret ballot, a vote on whether or not to have a secret written ballot needed to occur before voting for the fire chief’s raise.

The Australian ballot was defeated with 65 people voting for it and 136 voting against it.

According to Roy, giving Viveiros a raise is an investment in the town. She said Viveiros improved response times by more than a minute without increasing taxes for residents. Roy added that Viveiros is an excellent grant writer and said the town has received more fire department related grants than before he was fire chief.

According to Roy, Viveiros is currently the lowest paid Fire Chief in Plymouth County. One resident said, “We can’t compare ourselves to certain towns in Plymouth County…The chief knew that when he came in.”

Speaking as a resident and university professor, Finance Committee Chair Melinda Tarsi gave her support to Viveiros. She said, “I don’t recommend my students intern with anyone, but I recommend many of my best students to him.”

Raise for Town Administrator  Passed Over

Article 10, which would have raised Town Administrator Charles Seelig’s salary from $95,434 to $110,000 was passed over with a two-thirds vote.

This raise would not raise Seelig to the average of the ten towns Halifax uses as benchmarks, but would bring him closer to the average of $125,360.

There was once again, heated debate on both sides of the issue. Roy spent a significant amount of time praising Seelig for his 22 years as town administrator.

“Charlie Seelig has become the heart of this community, but I should really say he’s the brain,” Roy said.

Roy added that Seelig needs to be an expert on a “vast” number of things. She said he has an unprecedented knowledge on town laws, grants, and countless other things. “Charlie does all of this in a humble and kind demeanor,” Roy said.

School Committee member and Former Finance Committee Member Gordon Andrews said that this vote is about more than adjusting an amount.

“It’s not about adjusting the amount, it’s about doing it mid-year when not looking at the budget…I think it’s wrong,” Andrews said.

Resident Marie Coady wanted this passed over as well because a Wage and Personnel study will be completed in the spring in time for Annual Town Meeting.

Troupe who was against the raise said, “I think that there needs to be a balance in the town.” She wanted a secret vote to protect identities because she’s afraid of people being ridiculed.

She said, “There’s budgets in every single household…We aren’t getting raises, we’re working doubles seven days a week…I haven’t had a vacation in 4 years.”

Roy said she respects people who may not be able to afford this, but said we are volunteers as well and we don’t benefit by raising taxes.

“If Charlie Seelig ever left, we’d be looking for someone qualified and we’d want to be competitive,” Roy said.

Town-wide Speed Limits Fail

Article 8 would have petitioned general courts to allow Halifax to set a 30 miles-per-hour town-wide speed limit. There would be areas with higher speed limits, but if approved, anything not marked would be 30 miles-per-hour.

“I understand some people might think this is overly restrictive,” Seelig said. However, Seelig said he sees a lot of complaints about speed on Facebook.

According to Seelig, without commissioning a study that automatically sets an area’s speed limit at the 85th fastest out of 100, the only thing allowed is a town-wide speed limit.

Article 8 failed by majority.

Regional Dispatch Center Will Continue After Appropriation

Article 3 was for the appropriation of $20,000 to go towards paying for the regional emergency dispatch service at the Regional Old Colony Communications Center in Duxbury.

Previously, that $20,000 was paid for with a grant, but the grant was a startup grant for regional services, so Halifax no longer qualifies. Roy said the Board of Selectmen didn’t find out about the grant’s expiration until after Annual Town Meeting otherwise, it would have been brought forward as a warrant article then.

Some residents wanted to know if the dispatch service could be brought back to town questioning the speed in which calls are answered. Roy and Viveiros said this was the first they’ve heard of these issues and urged those with concerns to talk about them.

Viveiros said response times have improved. He added the dispatchers are talking to people longer because R.O.C.C. has the resources to do that. “We didn’t have the resources to handle that effectively,” Viveiros said.

Article 3 passed unanimously.

Do We Have a Quorum?

Article 11 was a vote to increase fees in the schedule for the Department of Weights and Measures. Selectman Troy Garron voiced his support. He said, “it’s revenue going back to the town.

The vote passed by majority, but not without procedural interference first.  This vote occurred directly after the vote for the senior center renovations failed, so many people left. One resident questioned if the meeting still had a quorum. After a count to check, it was confirmed the meeting still had a quorum of at least 100 people.

Other Articles

• Article 6 was approved unanimously. It asked for a transfer of available funds, $202.90 from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund. Roy said doing so authorizes the town to collect its portion of fees from services like Uber.

•Article 12 asked for a transfer of $4,750 from Water Department revenues to repair the HVAC unit at the recycling center and the heating unit in the water department section of the town barn. The article passed by majority.

•Article 4 was passed over unanimously. It asked for the appropriation of funds to relocate the computer room in the Town Hall from the first floor to the basement.

•Article 2 passed by majority. The article appropriates an additional $27,000 to outsource ambulance billing. According to Viveiros, outsourcing will increase revenue for the fire department.

•Residents voted unanimously to pass over Article 7. The article would have raised and appropriated funds to replace the “rules sign” at Wheels Park.

•Article 5 asked for a stabilization fund transfer of $35,000 to pay for a new handicapped access ramp at the Town Hall. Selectman Thomas Millias said there was an incident where the rail failed. After speaking with the building inspector, he said this might be able to be put off until next year, but there would be a liability risk if something were to happen. Article 5 passed with the required two-thirds vote.