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A life saved on East Monponsett Pond; citizen receives award

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On Tuesday, July 12, a water rescue took place in Halifax in the area of Ridge Road and Lantern Lane. Retired priest and Halifax resident Father Bill Williams had taken his kayak out on East Monponsett Pond and ended up capsizing due to the extremely windy conditions. His cries were heard by local resident Alexandria Davis who wasted no time jumping in her kayak despite her broken oar. Davis was able to reach Williams and hold him until further help could arrive. Luckily for Williams and Davis, Amanda and John Moe also heard the cries for help and were able to get in their kayak and assist them ashore.

The Halifax Police and Fire Departments were called and responded to the reports of a person in the water, not breathing. The Fire Department was already involved in another medical emergency in town which led to an “all call” for all available responders to report to the scene. A backup ambulance as well as a boat were dispatched and were able to locate the victim after traveling to several local addresses trying to find him. The victim was being pulled ashore just as emergency services arrived at the scene. After receiving treatment on the scene by emergency responders, Father Williams regained full consciousness and was brought to Beth Israel in Plymouth.

Interim Fire Chief Jeffrey Cuozzo attended the Halifax Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Tuesday, July 26 along with Father Williams and Davis and some of her family members. Cuozzo told the Selectmen, “There’s a lot of stories in Halifax, but this one in particular is kind of nice and unfortunately in this day and age it’s always nice to have a really good story and this is it.”

He continued, “It’s a windy day but Father Williams being retired, he’s like, I want to go out on the lake in the kayak, so he goes out on the lake by himself… just picture him on the lake in the kayak enjoying himself with a paddle saying this is great, this is God’s work, right. Well, the waves were getting worse, getting bigger and Father Williams goes overboard.” Cuozzo said that Williams, who was without a life jacket, was about 20 feet from shore at the time. Cuozzo said that Williams asked himself in that moment, “I wonder if this is how it ends.” Cuozzo and Davis jokingly ribbed Williams for yelling “Hello!” rather than the traditional “Help!” This admission was met with laughter from those in the Selectmen’s meeting including Williams himself.

Cuozzo said that Davis had luckily taken that day off from work and lived close enough to hear Williams’ cries. “She rushed down and sees him pretty much bobbing in the water. She gets her kayak, goes out, grabs him… and is literally holding him up – it’s just her on the kayak by herself and I think one of her paddles breaks,” Cuozzo said. “That’s where Amanda and John Moe… I think came to the rescue. They went out on their kayaks, grabbed Allie and the Father, who was pretty much unresponsive now. He was pale blue,” he continued. Cuozzo turned to Williams and said, “What did you say in the ambulance?” Williams said, “I was trying to learn to walk on water.” This was met with more laughter.

“In all seriousness,” Cuozzo said, “If Allie didn’t initiate that save, he would have died.” Cuozzo then went on to thank his staff as well. He then presented Davis with a Citizen Hero Award. Cuozzo said that he had the same award to give to both Amanda and John Moe as well though they weren’t present at the Selectmen’s meeting.

“Great job, awesome story,” Selectman Jonathan Selig said.

Two more officers for Halifax

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, July 26 with new Town Administrator Marty Golightly at the helm.

Police Chief Joao Chaves attended the meeting. “Right now, our current staffing levels, we have 11 full-time officers for the town of Halifax, and we have one part-time officer; we lost three officers on June 30, and we had lost another three before that for retirements. We had at one point, the beginning of last year, 7 special officers, we now have just one,” Chaves explained. He told the Selectmen that if they brought in an outside consultant to evaluate the Department, they would say that the town should have 18 officers. He continued, “the ratio that they use is 2.4 per 1,000 residents.” Chaves said he wasn’t asking for 18 officers but rather one or two regular officers and one or two part-time officers. “The budget would be able to sustain it right now; the last four years I have given back considerable money to the town in wages,” he told the Selectmen. Chaves said that since July 1 the Department has had 13 unfilled shifts. The Selectmen voted to authorize the Chief to hire two additional full-time officers.

Town Accountant Sandra Nolan attended the meeting to ask for clarification on town employees eligible for the second round of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) bonuses. She said that originally anyone that was working for the town on September 17, 2021, would be eligible for the bonuses. It was to be pro-rated for anyone working less than 30 hours. “My question is, now that we’ve lost some of those employees, and there was no allotment for that in the original decision, do we give it to employees who have left?” Nolan asked. The bonuses were split into two installments of $1,500 rather than a lump sum $3,000. Nolan wanted to know if she should give bonuses not only to those who no longer work for the town but for those who are new since September. Selectman Alex Meade said, “my thought on it is, if on September 17, we said you are getting a bonus, then you have a bonus.” Selectman Ashley DiSesa said that she felt that only those on the payroll on the day the bonuses are issued, should receive them. Meade said the previous Chair said that to be eligible for the bonus, employees would still have to be on the payroll to receive the bonus and anyone who came on after September 17, would not be eligible. The Selectmen decided to honor the previous Chair’s decision.

The Selectmen also considered the retaining of Lighthouse Legal Counsel, LLC for union specific counsel for a one-year time period at a cost of $20,000. “I think this is probably more important now than it has been in the past with our economic changes and the addition of the body cam for the Police Officers’ Union to have specific assistance with HR and union negotiations,” Golightly told the Selectmen. He continued, “It’s significantly cheaper than our current counsel for negotiations and HR stuff. My hope is to pay for this with some ARPA funds.” Meade expressed some hesitation at hiring additional counsel beyond the town counsel. DiSesa said, “To have an HR person who is going to help our new Town Administrator be successful, who is also a previous town administrator, makes sense to try and set us up for success.” Selectman Jonathan Selig said, “I know our legal bills are skyrocketing but I think this might actually be a good thing in the long run; we’re going to get training that will lead to fewer complaints and incidents down the road.” The Selectmen voted to use Lighthouse Legal Counsel as the town’s labor attorney.

The Selectmen had an appointment with resident John Mirotta regarding dog license fees. He said that he moved several times recently and missed the licensing fees that were being sent to his parents’ home. He said that the missed notices, late fees, and court fees totaled $170. He said that he would have to have a court arraignment and as a medical professional, that could reflect badly on him despite it only being about dog licensing. “I want to pay it today; I was hoping maybe if you guys could waive the court fees, I could make the $120 payment,” Mirotta told the Selectmen. “I can’t sit here and set a precedent like that. You’re going to take on two dogs and be a dog owner, you got to license the dogs, man,” Meade said to Mirotta. Meade recommended that he go to the Town Clerk’s office in the morning and pay the $170. Both Selig and DiSesa said they agreed and that they couldn’t set a precedent of forgiving late fees.

BOS debates in-person meetings

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met remotely on Monday, July 25.”

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy told the Board that legislation recently passed that extended the remote meeting provision through March 31, 2023. Selectman John Traynor said, “I would like to see us in person as long as we can broadcast it and have Zoom.” Selectman Mark Russo said, “I think ultimately a hybrid model is going to be great; I don’t think we are ready. I don’t think we have the technology. I don’t think we have the staffing yet to do it – very strongly in favor of continuing with Zoom for the time being. I think it offers the most opportunity for participation.” He further said that he felt it best to continue with the current model for the convenience of residents, volunteers, and town officials. Joy said that while she is also in favor of the hybrid model eventually, she also doesn’t feel that the town has the technology to run it correctly. “We need some more time to figure out how to make this work for Plympton,” she said.

Traynor stressed that he believed the town did have the technology to make a hybrid model work now. “I’m disappointed,” Traynor said of Joy and Russo’s reluctance to move forward. Joy proposed revisiting the idea on the first of the year. Traynor, instead, proposed that they revisit it when Area 58 confirms that they have the technology in place to properly run a hybrid style meeting. Russo said, “I think there are other issues including staffing issues. Lots of towns are doing this and they have a staff member who is just taking care of the audio/visual, the presentation – it’s what we don’t have.” Traynor countered, “We do have, that’s part of Area 58. You keep saying that, but they are the staff.” “John, that is absolutely incorrect,” Russo said. He continued, “There isn’t enough manpower/womanpower here right now to do those things and do them well.” Traynor got in the final word saying, “I hear you and I think you are overstating the case and I don’t agree with you.” Joy said that the Board would not be taking a vote, but they would be revisiting it in the near future.

The Selectmen also discussed their priorities for FY2023. Joy said that the Selectmen agreed that one of those priorities would be age qualified affordable housing. Russo said that one of his goals would be, “attaining some kind of land so Plymptonians can stay in town.” Russo also highlighted the importance of bettering their technology including making sure the town website is a source of information. He also said he was interested in “a continuing evolution of the budget process.” Traynor agreed about the importance of technology. He also said that the Firehouse and overall town center infrastructure is one of his priorities for the coming year. “When we talk about the Firehouse, we find that, in fact, what we’re talking about is the town campus infrastructure or town center infrastructure,” Traynor explained. “The parking at the Townhouse is atrocious as we know; we do want to put in the ball fields,” he continued.

The Board also discussed having department heads once again begin attending their Selectmen meetings to provide updates. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy shared with the Selectmen a document she developed that would be shared with the department head prior to their appointment. The hope is to provide more structure to these meetings than what was previously had during such meetings the last year. This would allow the Selectmen to have specific questions and concerns ready ahead of the meeting. Traynor suggested that they begin with the library. “I am just totally blown away by the energy that he is putting into this; a lot going on over there,” Traynor said of the Library Director.

The Selectmen took up the granting of the solar easement on the Dennett Elementary School roof. Dennehy explained, “what we’re looking for this evening is a motion… to grant the solar easement for the solar project to Dennett Elementary School and this would run concurrently with the lease and power agreement, and it would also terminate when both of those are concluded.” She further explained that the agreement included the assurance that the town won’t do anything on the town-owned land around the school that could cast a shadow on the solar panels. It will likely be a 20-year agreement. Selectmen voted unanimously to grant the solar easement.

Dennehy provided the Selectmen with a Town Administrator’s Update. “The Route 58 bridge that was in need of some repairs… bids are coming in tomorrow for that work,” Dennehy said. She said that it is a State, not a town project. She also told the Selectmen that work is beginning on the Townhouse roof project. “The gutters were being taken care of today at the Old Townhouse,” she added.

The Selectmen ended their night with their raves for the past few weeks. “My rave would be for the Plympton School Committee and how they frugally managed the budget throughout all of the challenges that they experienced this year, and they are returning over $100,000 to the town,” Joy said. “My rave tonight is for the Board of Selectmen. We had some somewhat challenging issues tonight,” Russo said. “Saluting ourselves and particularly saluting John and Christine tonight,” he added. Traynor said, “My rave would be for the Townhouse team and when I say that I mean the Townhouse center, the campus if you will… it’s really enjoyable the way you can see them working together… looking back to six years ago, you can see we made a lot of progress.”

Halifax election is Saturday

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The Town Collector and Treasurer position in Halifax is currently vacant. A special election will be held on Saturday, July 30 at the Halifax Elementary School from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to fill the position.

One of the candidates for the open seat is the current Assistant Collector Linda McCarthy. McCarthy describes herself as a lifelong resident of Halifax where she was raised by her parents alongside her four siblings. She attended Silver Lake Regional High School and is now married with two children. McCarthy said that she stayed home with her children while they were young. “When it came time for my youngest to start school, it was the first year that kindergarten was a full day. Part-time paraprofessionals were needed, and I thought what a better time to reenter the workforce. That paraprofessional job started my journey working for the town,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy earned an Associates Degree in Science with Certification of Completion specializing in Clerical Skills from Massasoit Community College. “I worked for many years for two different real estate attorneys specializing in foreclosures and real estate closings,” McCarthy explained. She continued, “I have knowledge of many aspects of the foreclosure process such as the preparation and recording of pertinent documentation in a timely manner. I have prepared documents for closings whether it be for a sale, a purchase, or a refinance of a home or property. Most importantly, the disclosure statement which consists of all the figures involved in the individual closing. I also have experience in reading title examinations.”

McCarthy said that following her seven years of experience as a paraprofessional in the school, she took on the role of administrative assistant at the Collector’s Office in Town Hall. “When I was offered the position, it was an easy transition. I worked my way up to Assistant Collector and have held that position for nine years,” she said. McCarthy said that her myriad of responsibilities include printing and mailing out all bills and taking in and processing the bills, abatements, and refunds as needed. “I work closely with many different departments, the Assessors, the Accountants, Water and Fire Department, Building Department… as well as the Deputy Collector,” McCarthy explained. Since holding the position, she attended necessary classes to become a certified collector.

“I also have knowledge in many aspects of the Treasurer’s Department including departmental turnovers, payroll, entering new employees; with the vast amount of experience and knowledge I’ve acquired being the assistant tax collector, I feel I am the most qualified candidate for this position, and I am ready to assume any and all new responsibilities,” McCarthy said.

The other candidate for the seat is Karen Fava. Fava has been a resident of Halifax for the last 28 years where she raised her two daughters with her husband Joseph. Fava now has five grandchildren, two of whom attend Halifax Elementary School and are active in town sports. “My 40 years’ experience includes working in the real estate, finance, and mortgage lending industry,” she explained. Fava continued, “While working in the private sector I held various positions that allowed me to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to advance as a successful leader; positions that I’ve held include real estate broker, senior mortgage processor, mortgage underwriter, loan originator, real estate escrow analyst, mortgage servicing specialist, national training manager, and national processing manager.”

Fava spent several years as a member of the Halifax Finance Committee. “I had the pleasure to work closely with all departments, department heads, and was the liaison to the Board of Selectmen, Police, Fire, Capital Planning, and Wage and Personnel,” she explained. Fava continued, “As a member of the Finance Committee, I had the opportunity to gain extensive knowledge of the complexities in preparing a balanced budget for Town Meeting. I’m creative, focused, driven, detail oriented, organized, have great time management skills, and understand the importance of meeting deadlines and can successfully manage a team.” Fava said that her experience includes understanding of the foreclosure process, tax liens, accounts payable and receivable, finance, audit, and research. “I’ve been instrumental in bringing new ideas to improve current processes for companies and excel at problem solving,” Fava said.

Fava, who said her passion is to help people and stay active in the community, has completed several management training courses, and is certified as a life coach. Additionally, she has passed the nationwide multi-state licensing exam for loan originators. Fava also volunteered for the H.U.G.S. Organization out of East Bridgewater which assists victims of domestic violence.

Asked why she is running, Fava said, “The experience I’ve gained over the years has prepared me with the knowledge and judgment necessary to successfully handle the complex financial responsibilities as Treasurer/Collector.” Fava said, “During this campaign, I did a little research and I discovered as of June 22, 2022, there were 71 Halifax properties in tax title totaling $635,868; another $153,169 that were delinquent for 2021 taxes. We need a solution for this issue because the non-delinquent taxpayers, pay more to offset delinquency not being paid by others.” Fava said that she will “always put the taxpayers of Halifax first.” She also asked that residents “vote for change you can count on.”

Silver Lake School District closes FY22 Close-Out Meeting

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met in-person on Thursday, July 14. They began with a moment of silence in honor of seventh grade student Charles Demuelle who passed away in late June. Superintendent Jill Proulx was unexpectedly unable to attend the meeting.

Seaview Learning Academy Approval

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch explained to the Committee that Camp Norse is a micro school known as Seaview Learning Academy that wishes to extend from K-8 to K-12. Lynch said that when a school wishes to operate in the same municipality as a main district, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires that permission be granted from the other district. Lynch said the intent was for the Director of Camp Norse to come and explain the request, but they were unable to attend that night. Proulx called in to the meeting to provide further explanation. Committee member Summer Schmaling said she was in favor of alternative schools and learning opportunities but said she would like to hear from the Director before approving. The Committee agreed to hold off on approving until their September meeting.

Whitman-Hanson De-regionalization Update

Committee Chair Paula Hatch told the Committee that while Hanson had previously expressed interest in potentially leaving Whitman-Hanson and regionalizing with Silver Lake, they no longer wish to explore that option.

Preschool Changes

Hatch also told the Committee that they received an email from DESE that week regarding the Silver Lake Preschool. “We all did receive an email from Jill updating everybody that we did have a discussion with DESE on Monday and we will need to make some changes to that program,” Hatch said. She said the matter would be discussed further in executive session.

Policy Updates

Lynch told the Committee that per DESE the District is required to have a wellness committee that meets a minimum of four times per year. He said that himself, Nutrition Director Megan Ahrenholz, the school nurses, and the Director of Wellness and Athletics serve on the Committee. “We make sure that the wellness policy is aligned with DESE and federal guidelines,” Lynch explained. He said that there were a few updates to the District’s policy to bring them up to date with those guidelines. Committee member Gordon Laws asked why the minimum 20-minute time frame for lunch was struck from the updated policy. Lynch said that while the goal is certainly to ensure that students have an adequate time to eat lunch, they didn’t want the policy to be too restrictive in the cases of things like grab-and-go lunches.

Lynch also provided an update on the homeschooling policy. He said that a parent intending to homeschool must provide written consent and information at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the school year. The Superintendent and School Committee must then evaluate the request against the criteria stated in the policy.

Technology Director Steve Pellowe requested that an update be made to the technology policy. “It would be against school policy for students or employees to run a mobile device as a hotspot during school hours because it would interfere with the school’s wi-fi. Another thing Mr. Pellowe brough up is if a student or staff member were to create a hotspot and use a school issued device, they would be sort of skirting the filters and other pieces like that the school has in place to ensure that students are accessing educationally appropriate and relevant content,” Lynch explained.

Financial Update

Director of Financial Services Christine Healy provided a budget update. “So with the funding of the operating budget this year, we received $561,000 in addition to what we had budgeted for revenue from a couple of different sources; one of those sources is the Pembroke CTE tuition…this year for the first time more than half of our eighth graders applied for the CTE program for next year so we do not have room for Pembroke students in the ninth grade for next year… so that number will not be the same for next year,” Healy explained. She also said that they received 100 percent reimbursement for homeless transportation this year which she explained was much higher than previous years. She also explained that additional reimbursements would be coming from ARPA expenditures. “It will be about $681,000 that will be going back to E&D [excess and deficiency account],” she told the Committee. The money in that fund is used to fund the Capital Plan on an annual basis.

District Update

Lynch began the District update by introducing the new HR Director David Turcotte. “We are really excited to have David on board in this position; he was a teacher and an administrator in Newton as well as an administrator in Canton and filled the role of HR Director in Salem,” Lynch said of Turcotte.

Donation Request

A donation request was made for a piano from Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee.  The Committee voted to approve the request and the associated costs of moving the piano.

SLEA Update

SLEA President Jon Lay spoke to the Committee requesting more money for paraprofessionals to stay competitive with other local districts. “A lot of other districts are realizing that paras are chronically underpaid for what they do and I do think we are going to see more and more difficulty attracting paras,” Lay said.

Town looks forward to school refund

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The Plympton Elementary School Committee met virtually on Monday, July 11.

Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided a financial closeout. The closeout balance in the regular day budget is $23,969.51. She said there was one PO that they have included for approximately $49,000 for a chiller in a rooftop unit, specifically two compressors. “The unit is limping along, barely functioning,” Healy said. She also said that replacing those two compressors would make the unit function properly though she acknowledged that the entire unit would eventually need to be replaced. She said that the compressors would still be compatible with the unit were it to be replaced down the line. “The compressors themselves, these are separate than the other five units that we are needing to replace and by purchasing them now, when we replace those units, which is sort of on the notional plan here with ARPA funds and other potential funds, these compressors… we’re not putting $50,000 toward these and then throwing it out, that $50,000 is going to be spent one way or another,” Wilhelmsen said adding further clarification. “The town still ends up in very good standing,” he added. Healy said that the funds for professional development were underutilized this year most likely due to grant funding that was available. She said there was also a surplus in special education. “The closeout is in pretty decent shape,” Healy told the Committee. When all is said and done nearly $110,000 would be returned to the town.

Chair Jon Wilhelmsen provided an update on the teachers’ contract.  “Just an update there, I’m still getting the changes put into that; we’re going to get that over to the teachers soon. We’ll either vote on that at our September meeting or likely we’re going to have to have a meeting… at some point this summer,” he told the rest of the Committee. The abbreviated meeting over the summer would also be needed to deal with the solar panel installation at the Dennett.

Wilhelmsen provided an update on those solar panels saying that his attempts to get DESE to approve the transfer of the roof into the Selectmen’s hands has been a “less than straightforward process.” He said that certified votes will need to be taken by both the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee before DESE will entertain giving their approval.

Committee member Jason Fraser said, “the State has not come through with its fiscal budget for 2023 yet and part of that was the continuation of remote participation in meetings until December 31, 2023. The Senate just passed a bill with just the language for remote participation, but the House has yet to take it up; the expiration for meeting remotely is this Friday until someone does something on Beacon Hill.” “We’ll have to do it one way or another,” Wilhelmsen said.

Dennett Principal Peter Veneto reported on a myriad of projects that have been ongoing at the school. Various pavement projects and roof repairs were deemed completed by Veneto. He said that they were still waiting on materials for the flooring replacement and repair of the art room and the teachers’ prep room. They are also waiting for materials to complete the door access card project as well as the intercom and bell system replacement. Signs should be going up shortly on campus to notify residents that dogs are not allowed on the premises.

Healy said she didn’t have much of an update on the playground. She did say that they were visiting the site to get the exact measurements for the rubberized mulch. She also spoke with Plympton about where they could use the excess mulch that is to be replaced by the rubberized surfacing.

Superintendent Jill Proulx asked the Committee for approval on the school calendar for next year. The main change was that all half days have been changed to a 12:30 dismissal across the entire District. “This allows for better scheduling of lunch,” Wilhelmsen explained. The Committee voted to approve the calendar as presented.

Proulx also told the Committee that Christine Marcolini would be starting as the Director of Student Support at the Dennett. She also introduced David Turcotte who will be the new Director of Human Resources for Silver Lake. Proulx said that she received a request to elaborate on the hiring process.

Proulx said that the building principal has the hiring authority though she noted they will typically have a committee that reviews applicants. Veneto said that they are interviewing for a school psychologist position to replace Marcolini. Other openings include an art position, a music position, and two kindergarten aide positions.

Golightly named Halifax Town Administrator

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Wednesday, July 6 to conduct an interview with an applicant for the open position of Town Administrator.

Marty Golightly was introduced by Bernie Lynch of Community Paradigm Associates who was hired to conduct the search and vet candidates. Lynch said, “It is intended to be an interactive dialogue as opposed to an interrogation.”

In response to the open ended, “tell us about yourself” Golightly said, “I spent 20 years in the military… mostly healthcare but when you are in healthcare in the military you also do a lot of leadership.” He continued, “Everything that the Navy can offer you, I think I got to participate in; it was awesome, I loved every minute of it, but I had two young kids and I didn’t want to miss anymore dance recitals.” He said that he moved back to the area in 2017, went back to school, and then became the health agent in Abington. Golightly called his time in Abington an “eye opening experience” and said that he gained insight into municipal government.

Golightly was very straightforward when asked why he left his last position. “I didn’t want to be the Director of Public Health in Abington anymore; Covid shined a light on a lot of weird areas of our society. It made some things uncomfortable. It made some things better in a very weird and unusual way. It just wasn’t the time to live and work in the same community,” he explained.  At the time of Golightly’s resignation from his position in Abington, abingtonnews.org reported that he was receiving “personal attacks and threats” presumably by those unhappy with the Health Department’s response to the pandemic.

Lynch asked why he wanted to be a town administrator. Golightly responded, “public servant my whole life – military, EMT, making the world a little better a little bit every day or at least that’s my goal. I’m one of those people that wants to leave something better behind for my kids and for all those that are going to come behind us.”

“Collaborator and Chief will always trump Commander and Chief, in my humble opinion,” Golightly said of his management style. He also said that mentoring is very important to him. Golightly said that you need to “make sure that you are making the best decision with the most good in mind for the most people.”

Asked about conflict resolution, Golightly said that he always likes to lead with education first though he acknowledged that there will always be those that will not be reached in that manner. He said that the dialogue that exists between those making decisions and those not in favor of those decisions is “part and parcel of being a Navy Chief.” He continued, “we are conflict resolution people – I’ve done it boots and board room.” He continued, “Sometimes you argue, but you argue behind closed doors, and you come out, hopefully, on the same side or if not with a better understanding of why that person made that decision,” Golightly said.

DiSesa asked Golightly about his ability to remain impartial when conflicts arise between town employees. He called maintaining impartiality or neutrality “probably one of the most difficult things I have had to do as a leader especially when you hear these stories of bullying.” He continued, “there is a process that we have to follow to make sure that there are no repercussions for either side; we do it by the book for a reason.” He stressed the importance of not letting emotion guide his actions in such situations.

Selectman Alex Meade said, “one of the worst things, I think, to hear is we do it this way because we have always done it this way. I would hope that you’re the type of person that coming into this position would be open minded to revamping current policies and procedures if you think there is a better way to do it.” Golightly said, “that mindset, I’ve always found, is content toward the negative.” He said that he is always striving for a better or best practice.

Lynch asked Golightly what kind of experience he has with municipal finances and budgets. Golightly, who called himself a “numbers nerd,” said he had experience with the RFP for the trash contract, the budget for Waste Management, and the budget for the Inspectional Services Department which included Health, Zoning, Building, and Nursing. Golightly is also on the Capital Planning Committee in Abington.

Golightly told the Selectmen that he has grant writing experience and attended the grant writing management institute at UMASS Boston. “The biggest one was 1.1, 1.2 million over a couple of years for the Public Health Excellence grant,” he explained of the many grants he has written.

Selectmen Chair Ashley DiSesa asked Golightly what he would do if he came up against an area in which he does not have knowledge. “Find my subject matter expert… I got a lot of friends I can ask if I don’t know the answer to a question… I have a lot of people in my phone that I can humbly ask,” he explained. Golightly said that he has worked with many local Fire and Police Chiefs including Chief Viveiros, Halifax’s former Fire Chief. “I have become friends with a lot of the Fire Departments… the people that I like to deal with the most, the coolest people, the most professional and I would say the best ones, irrespective of this position, have been from here,” Golightly said. DiSesa agreed saying that they had “phenomenal” Police and Fire in town.

He said that he would like to hold “coffee with your TA” if hired as Town Administrator in Halifax. “Being available, being a decent human being after that; the rest of it will kind of take care of itself,” Golightly said. He said that relationship building would be a huge component for his first 60 days.

Golightly said that a concern of his would be how to maintain the small town feel in Halifax in a modern world. “It is a problem for the ages,” he said. He said that bringing in businesses that have a large amount of taxable revenue but that have a small footprint would be key.

Following Golightly’s interview, the Board discussed their remaining options. Lynch told them that all three previous applicants were still in the pool. Selectman Jonathan Selig said that all the people he’s spoken to from Abington were sad to see him go. Meade said of Golightly, “it didn’t seem like he was using this as a stepping stone to something else.” DiSesa echoed Selig’s sentiment saying that she spoke to many people who know Golightly and no one had a bad thing to say about him. The Selectmen voted to name Golightly as the next Town Administrator.

BOS takes Carver concerns to DHCD

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Plympton Selectmen to Voice Complaints about Carver to State

North Carver Redevelopment Project

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on Monday, July 11. The Selectmen discussed the possible drafting of a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) regarding issues the town is facing stemming from the North Carver Redevelopment Project. The main issue involves the reconfiguring of trailer bays near Montello St. and Heather’s Path in Plympton. Carver’s plan is currently with DHCD for approval. Joy said that she hoped that a letter would help bring the issues to the attention of the DHCD so that they could be considered in the approval of the plan.  Selectmen Mark Russo and John Traynor agreed, and Joy said that the letter would likely be sent later that week.

Plymouth County Advisory Board

The Selectmen also discussed who would be appointed to the Plymouth County Advisory Board for FY 2023. Joy said that the budget is voted in the spring and noted that there are a few meetings in other parts of the year as needed. Joy said the Board manages the parking tickets for some of the larger towns. “They often look for creative ways to help member communities,” Joy said of the Board. Traynor was chosen as the new representative with Russo listed as the alternate. Previously, Joy had been the rep.

Board Goals and Priorities

The Selectmen also discussed their goals for FY 2023 as well as their Projects and Priorities list. “It’s become kind of a catch all for all sorts of things, big and small,” Town Administrator Liz Dennehy said. She asked if the Selectmen wanted to create one or two goals with actionable steps that could be taken to achieve those goals. The Selectmen agreed to come up with some goals to be discussed during their next meeting.

“One of the concerns I’ve had is because of the open meeting law we have not been able to just sit and chat,” Traynor said. He expressed that some things are not issues that he feels should be brought up in a meeting but still need to be discussed. He posed the possibility of those kinds of issues going through Dennehy to avoid a violation of open meeting law. Traynor had previously expressed the desire to have each of the Selectmen share an update at each meeting of what issues and projects they are currently working on, but Joy and Russo had felt that it could appear to be campaigning and were not in favor of the idea.

The Selectmen all agreed that they would like to return to having different department heads attend meetings to provide an overview of what is currently going on within their department. Russo suggested that the overview be presented in writing ahead of time so that the meeting time could be used for questions and discussions regarding that submission.

Town Administrator’s Update

Dennehy said, “We’ve had a little bit of movement with that opioid settlement that town counsel had us sign onto.” She was referring to the State’s $526 million share of two national $26 billion settlements. Massachusetts’ share will be divided between the State and the municipalities which chose to sign onto the settlement.

Dennehy said that the government was moving away from a DUNs number and moving toward wanting towns to have a separate SAM.gov entity ID. Dennehy said she was cognizant of not wanting the process to delay the town receiving their second ARPA disbursement.

She also said she was working with the Fire Department to put out invitations for bids for a refurbishment of Engine 1. The funds were appropriated during town meeting two years ago.

Dennehy also said she was waiting on a couple of pending grant applications. “I haven’t heard anything yet on our most recent Green Communities Grant.” She said they were also waiting to hear about a grant for the Fire Department to obtain an ATV type vehicle.

Town Property Requests

The Selectmen fielded two use of town property requests. The first was for National Night Out on August 12 from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Holt Field. The event is being organized by Library Director Mike Slawson and the Plympton Public Library. It will utilize the Town House, Library, and Police Station parking. There will be food trucks and a myriad of entertainment. “I’m excited about this, I think it is going to be a wonderful time for the town,” Traynor said.

The second request was for a wedding at the gazebo on the Town Green on August 13 at 4:30 pm. Decorations will be hung but promptly taken down following the ceremony. The Selectmen voted to approve both requests.

Selectmen’s Rants and Raves

Russo said his rave was for weddings on the Town Green and the use of town property in a “sweet and historical way.”

Traynor said that his rave was for the Plympton-Halifax Express as so many other small towns no longer have a paper.

Joy said her rave was for Russo finally figuring out the Zoom technology blip during the previous meeting.

HR Attorney for Halifax?

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, June 28. Selectman Jonathan Selig participated via remote means.

Fireworks are ‘Rousing Success”

Selectman Alex Meade read a letter from the Halifax Fireworks Committee in which they called the event a “rousing success” and said that all vendors are interested in returning next year. The Committee thanked the Halifax Fire Department, the Halifax Police Department, the Halifax Board of Health, the CERT volunteers, the Building Department, the Maintenance Department, and several individuals. They asked the Selectmen for permission to hang a banner on the town green acknowledging the donors for a week or two so residents and visitors could see the businesses and individuals responsible for the event. The Selectmen agreed to approve the request pending a bylaw review to make sure it was allowable.

HR Services and Labor Counsel

The Selectmen had an appointment with Jack Dolan regarding staff training and HR services. Dolan previously served as labor counsel with town counsel. “I’m here tonight to review with you a proposal to continue to provide labor counsel services and also to provide what I call HR counsel on demand services,” Dolan said. He previously worked with Brooks and DeRensis but has since broken off into his own firm. He said the whole purpose of his program is to provide human resource services to a community that might not have any. Dolan said that he serves five other communities with the same program. He also previously served as a town administrator for several towns.

HR Services

“You handled a significant amount of investigations for us the beginning of last year that involved town employees and committee members, is that something that would fall under the HR?” DiSesa asked. Dolan said it would exclude anything disciplinary in nature. “I think there are a number of things you could do in Halifax to reduce the likelihood of needing investigations,” Dolan told the Selectmen. He said that the investigations revealed the need for policy changes which is something that he said he could help the town manage. “How responsive are you?” DiSesa asked. “I like to think I’m extremely responsive… if I can resolve them immediately on the phone, I do,” Dolan explained.

“I’m just confused how we went from having department heads trained to having a lawyer on retainer,” Meade said regarding the conversation. “I think the way it really came about, at least from my perspective… is that I left Brooks and DeRensis and I was their labor counsel… I worked here long enough to know there is a need for a greater HR presence than you have,” Dolan explained. “            Have we been notified by Brooks and DeRensis that they are no longer supporting labor counsel?” Meade asked. He was told that they had not. Meade said he didn’t see why there was a need to retain labor counsel if they have a town counsel that has not expressed an inability to provide that service. Dolan said he could do just HR if labor counsel was not needed. Selig said he would like to see what percentage of calls to Brooks and DeRensis were HR related last year to determine if there would be a cost savings in hiring Dolan for that purpose. The Selectmen agreed to do a bit more research before deciding whether to hire Dolan and for what purpose.

Digital board problems

The Selectmen also met with Town Clerk Susan Lawless to discuss issues with the digital board at the Town Hall. She said that she had originally been under the assumption that she would be controlling what messaging would be displayed, however, she said she is not in control of it and the information is often incorrect or out of date. DiSesa said that she would reach out to IT Director Cesar Calouro to find out what can be done to improve the messaging as well as possibly give Lawless more control over the board.

Agricultural Commission

The Selectmen met with Suzanne Emerson regarding her reappointment to the Agricultural Commission. Emerson said that she has lived in town since 2008 and has been involved with livestock and agriculture for over 42 years. She said she was instrumental in the Right to Farm that passed at town meeting in 2015. “Keep up the great work, thank you,” Selig said to Emerson. The Selectmen unanimously reappointed her.

Selectmen also met with Jeanne Kling regarding her reappointment to the Beautification Committee. Kling, who has lived in Halifax for 24 years, said she feels that after five years on the Committee she has a good understanding of how to get residents motivated to participate in clean-up days. “I’m pretty motivated and really care about the environment so I feel like it is a great way to give back to the town,” Kling said. She also said that the Committee is considering an adopt an island program like the adopt a planter one currently in place. The Selectmen voted unanimously to reappoint Kling.

Town Administrator search

DiSesa read an update regarding the search for a new Town Administrator. She said that following the reopening of the search, they had 12 new applicants who were being vetted by Bernie Lynch, who was hired to lead the search. DiSesa said that two out of the three original candidates are still interested in the position. The third candidate is a finalist for a TA position in another town. Lynch anticipates the Selectmen needing to conduct three or four interviews. “I’m excited we have some new possibilities,” Selig said.

Special Police Officers loss

DiSesa read correspondence from the Police Chief that said that the Halifax Police Department would be losing three of their most dedicated special police officers as of June 30.

He said that special legislation enacted in 2022, requires that all law enforcement officers in Massachusetts attend a full-time police academy to remain certified. “These officers have given the residents of Halifax over 55 years of dedicated and professional service,” the letter from Joao Chaves said.

Flower & Soul grand opening plans

The Selectmen’s final appointment of the evening was with Flower & Soul. They said they had a soft opening on June 17 to get their processes in place and whatnot. They asked to have a grand opening on July 9 with a rain date of July 10.

They said they wanted to have 6-10 different vendors on the grass outside the store for informational purposes. No product would be sold in those areas. The Selectmen approved the event pending the necessary sign-offs from various town departments.

‘American Ninja Warrior’ is Halifax native

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Steve Donnelly, who was born and raised in Halifax, recently competed in Season 14 of American Ninja Warrior, advancing to the semi-finals round. The episode featuring Donnelly aired on June 14. The date for the semi-finals’ episode is ill yet to be announced.

Donnelly lives in Franklin with his wife Carolyn and their three children aged 7, 4, and 16 months. Three years ago, he decided to take his child to a class at Strive Ninja Fitness in Franklin. He said that while there he became intrigued with the obstacles and decided to sign up for a class. Donnelly described his first competition at the gym as “an absolute blast.”

Growing up in Halifax, Donnelly dabbled in sports of all kinds playing baseball, basketball, and football. While attending Wentworth Institute of  Technology he played rugby, lacrosse, and even tried his hand at pickup hockey. Donnelly, who attended Sacred Heart High School, said that Ninja Warrior classes were a natural fit for his competitive personality.

Donnelly said that as he became more and more ingrained in the community, “there was always this desire to chase what I’ll call the Superbowl of American Ninja Warrior.”  A fan of the show for a decade, Donnelly said that everyone equates the show with the sport. He applied two years ago but was not selected. The application process consists of a questionnaire about your athletic history, life, etc. as well as a short video showcasing your skills and stating why you want to be the next American Ninja Warrior.

Last year, Donnelly ran a qualifying round in 2021 in Tacoma, Washington but failed to progress further. He called it “an incredible experience” but said that he wasn’t fully prepared for the additional challenges beyond the athletic ones. “It’s really like drinking through a fire hose, there’s cameras, lights, pressure, excitement… I underestimated the mental aspect of what it would be like once I actually did get the call for the show.” He continued, “going into this season my main focus was going into it mentally prepared.”

At 33 years old, Donnelly is largely competing against people a decade or more younger than him in the 15–39-year-old division. While physically the workouts might take more out of him than his competitors, his age has served him in other areas. “I think there is definitely a benefit to having more experience in life in general and being able to kind of understand my emotions a little bit more and kind of control excitement levels and not get as worked up in certain situations,” he explained.

Donnelly said that the training has been vigorous landing him in the gym multiple days per week for several hours each session. He credits his wife for supporting him through the process. “Without my wife, none of this would have been possible. We have three very young children, even dating back to last year when I flew out to Tacoma less than four weeks after the baby was born; she has been my absolute rock through this all. She has been my number one supporter, taking care of all three children every single night, at least two nights a week. I come home, eat dinner, and then I’m off driving somewhere to go train; even during the taping of the show as well,” Donnelly explained.

Donnelly, who is an electrical engineer, said, “My work has been phenomenal.” Donnelly, who works for Eaton, said they have supported his need for time off and have enjoyed seeing his journey on the show.

The first stage for a competitor in American Ninja Warrior is the city qualifying round, followed by the city finals, and then finally the finals in Las Vegas. The finals consist of a four-stage course, with the fourth one being a rope climb of nearly 100 feet. A $1,000,000 prize awaits the victor. Viewers will have to tune in in a few weeks to see how Donnelly fares.