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Plans for next school year

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The Halifax School Committee held their close-out meeting for the year on July 1. Principal Kayne Beaudry gave an update on some of the end of school activities. Beaudry said that the pickup of student materials was done by homeroom and social distancing was practiced. “It was super smooth…I can’t thank everyone that chipped in enough,” Beaudry said.

Halifax Elementary also held a graduation that was similar to the senior auto parade. Beaudry said that students received certificates and swag bags. The Halifax Police and Fire departments assisted and Superintendnet Jill Proulx attended. Beaudry said that despite the oppressive heat the event went well.

According to Beaudry, reopening plans have been taking up much of the administration’s time. Despite a growing Facebook page for homeschooling in Halifax, Beaudry said he would be surprised if many parents opted to go that route having previously had the experience of practicing remote learning. As of the summer, the incoming kindergarten class stands at 78 students. Beaudry noted that the exiting sixth grade class was a good size.

Beaudry also went over some of the updates to the student handbook. There was some discussion with the committee about the dress code including comments that it felt “female heavy.” It was also suggested that there be some pandemic guidance given in the dress code. Proulx pointed out that state regulations would override anything in the handbook should the guidance or directives change.

Kindergarten registration was also discussed. Beaudry said that the elementary school principals have formulated a plan anticipating that the schools will be reopening in the fall and that students will be inside the building. Since screenings for incoming kindergarteners were unable to be held in May as is typical, screenings will occur on Thursday, September 3. Placements will be finalized on September 4 and the Kindergarten Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 8. The first day of Kindergarten will be Wednesday, September 9. All dates, etc. are subject to change dependent on guidance from the state.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch shared with the committee the results from the most recent survey of parents, staff, and students on their experiences and preferences regarding remote learning. Lynch said the response rate was high for both staff and parents with a staff rate of response of 71 percent. Staff consistently responded that they were appreciative of the efforts of famillies. It was also reported that grade level time was highly effective. Lynch said there was a “mixed bag” of responses in terms of the effectiveness of whole class Google Meets though both staff and parents said that small group Google Meets were largely effective.

Both families and staff were also in agreement that they would like to see evaluation of student work go beyond a credit/no credit scenario. The Massachusetts commissioner of elementary and secondary education has already declared that if remote learning is needed again in the upcoming school year, grades will be a part of that.

Lynch also said that there were some communication challenges and that parents didn’t view the posting of assignments as being on par with teachers actively communicating assignmnts. Other concerns included excessive screen time as well as a lack of socialization. Lynch said that improvements for the upcoming year, should they need to incorporate remote learning, will include improved technology for staff as well as training and implementation of K-6 social and emotional learning. “We know that we have to take care of students not just academically, but the whole child,” Lynch explained. Lynch also pointed out that back in March there was an immediate need for high quality remote learning with a day’s notice. If remote learning is needed come the fall, the school will be better equipped to handle it.

Proulx also provided an update on preparations for the coming year. Proulx thanked the town of Halifax for promoting and supporting the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and technology through the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “We’ve been trying to purchase things to get ahead… we are doing whatever we can to keep the students as safe as possible,” Proulx said.

In addition to receiving support through the CARES Act, Proulx said they have also applied for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. Proulx said the grant, which would be for $51,000, could be used towards things such as PPE and technology including remote screen casting.

The administration is currently working on three separate plans for the return to school. Those plans include one for an entirely remote scenario, another for full-time re-entry, and a third which would be a hybrid of the two. Proulx said they were told to plan for all three as even if the school year starts one way, the virus could cause a change in course at any time.

Proulx also gave an update on the FY21 budget saying that as of July 1, the one-twelfth budget had been approved. Andrews took a moment to thank Director of Business Services Christine Healy for all of her efforts during the extremely convoluted budget process.

The committee also touched upon concerns over the chemicals used in the fogging and disinfecting process. According to the fire chief, classrooms can be disinfected in thirty minutes. Schmaling expressed concern over the “nasty chemicals” and commented on the tendency of young kids to put things in their mouths and whatnot. “It just makes me very uncomfortable to think about fogging these classrooms every day,” Schmaling said. They also discussed the possibility of utilizing UV technology as a possible alternative for disinfection.

No easy answers to re-opening

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The Plympton School Committee held their close-out meeting on Monday, July 13 though they agreed that given the current climate meetings would need to be held prior to September.

They began with a reorganization which saw both Jon Wilhelmsen and Jason Fraser retain their titles of chair and vice chair respectively. Wilhelmsen will be serving as chair for the sixth year in a row. Mike Antoine was nominated to serve as secretary. Newest member Dan Cadogen was unable to attend his first meeting as part of the committee.

A report of standing committees followed the reorganization. Fraser said that heand Dennett Principal Peter Veneto now have the information necessary to put together an RFQ for installation of the playground. The Negotiations Committee signed a one-year contract with aides though the negotiations with teachers were still ongoing. Union 31 met to discuss COVID and make sure that their orders for PPE and additional chromebooks were made prior to the deadline for the first round of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Superintendent Jill Proulx wanted to thank the town of Plympton for helping to make those purchases possible.

Fraser began his legislative update by apologizing for what would be a longer than usual report. He called the threats coming out of Washington D.C., specifically from President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, to cut funding for schools that don’t fully open in the fall “largely rhetoric.” He mentioned that Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has taken the secretary to task over her lack of a plan to reopen schools. Pressley made news this week for tweeting at DeVos, “you have no plan. Teachers, kids and parents are fearing for their lives… I wouldn’t trust you to care for a house plant let alone my child.”

Fraser also pointed out that the mass state tax deadline was that week and said that the state is hoping to have a budget done by September 1. Fraser said there is talk, however, that there won’t be a budget until after the November elections.

The joint conference between the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) in Hyannis has been cancelled due to safety concerns. Fraser asked the committee if they would be in favor of supporting current MASC President Deborah Davis for a second term. “She has done great work there and she has my full endorsement,” Fraser said. The committee voted to lend her their support.

Veneto also provided a principal’s report to the committee saying, “It’s been an interesting couple of months.”  He continued, “We’re trying to attack this whole thing as if we’re all going to be back, but I’m realistic enough to know that that might not be the case.” Veneto said that the three communities worked on a district wide entry plan for kindergarteners. Both Kingston and Halifax are adapting to the model that Plympton has always used that includes holding screenings in the fall rather than the spring. As of right now the plan will be to hold open house for Grades 1-6 on September 1 and screenings for kindergarteners on September 2, 3, and 4. The hope would be to have kindergarten officially start on September 8. The incoming kindergarten class is currently estimated at 42 students, large by Plympton standards. Veneto also said that they are currently reviewing candidates for an open special education position. He said that due to cuts within other districts, there are a lot of great candidates available.

Director of Business Services Christine Healy shared where some of the cost savings from the past fiscal year were found. Transportation, utilities, and substitutes provided savings. Healy said that due to improvements to the building and the closure for the last few months, utilities savings totaled $27,000. After all are totaled, Healy said that $962.91 would be returned to the town from the regular day budget. $78,790 would be returned from special education and $21,199 from out of district vocational.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch shared the results from the most recent survey on remote learning which will be used to inform the reopening plan. Lynch said that participation was high amongst both staff and families and consistent from the April survey to the June one. Results indicated that staff would like to see more accountability from students, additional professional development, and sharing of best practices. Parents were grateful for the individualization of learning plans for some students as well as the willingness to loan chromebooks. Families cited a lack of socialization, excessive screen time, and regression as concerns.

Pros and cons of various online platforms were also discussed. Wilhelmsen said that he was unsurprised to learn that many people didn’t like using Google Classroom and Google Meets. He said that his preference would be Zoom. Other potential platforms mentioned as alternatives were Loom, Blackboard, and Schoology. Fraser, who worked with Schoology in his teaching position, called it a more “robust and elegant” platform. He shared that he would be in favor of any expenditure incurred from the use of a better online platform.

Proulx told the committee that Plympton qualified for $20,000 from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. She said the funds received can be used in similar ways to Title I and Title IIA funds. In addition, those funds can be used for technology, training or even PPE.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released a memo on June 25 which said that the Baker Administration would be allocating $200 million dollars toward schools for COVID related expenses. Schools would be eligible to receive up to $225 per student. Proulx said that shortly thereafter, a memo went out to business directors from the Lieutenant Governor saying that Plymouth County would not be receiving these allocations. Proulx said that she had a meeting the following day that she was hopeful would provide further clarification.

Proulx also provided an update on the plan for reopening. Building principals were asked to figure out how many students could fit in a classroom if requiring 3 feet of social distance and then again, for 6 feet of distance. Wilhelmsen inquired about the seemingly arbitrary 3 feet number. Fraser emphasized that there was no scientific basis for the number and called it “convenient.” He said that he would not support the reduced distancing for Plympton. “We need to do what’s right for our town and our kids,” he said.

The DESE Commissioner also requested that schools prepare three separate plans that account for in person learning, remote learning, and some form of a hybrid of the two. The deadline for the plans was also pushed up to July 31. Reopening committees have been formed and consist of a variety of individuals including nurses, counselors, parents, and staff. An intentions survey will also be distributed asking families questions such as if they intend to send their kids to school under the current circumstances and whether they plan to use the bus. Proulx pointed out that distancing requirements severely limit the number of students that can be put on a bus. Another potential issue will be how to handle a large increase in students being dropped off at school.

Wilhelmsen stressed the importance of thinking of the staff and their safety when developing a reopening plan. Fraser said that while he was not against reopening, he was for choice for both students and teachers. Proulx said that she and Lynch had discussed the option of giving families a choice and whether they had the means to meet the demands presented by choice.

“School will not look the same and parents need to understand that,” Fraser said. “There are lots of consequences to this crisis unfortunately,” Proulx agreed.  She continued, “Whatever our decisions are there is going to be a give and take… there are no simple answers to this unfortunately.” Proulx and Lynch both stressed that they are open to and welcome any and all suggestions and ideas regarding reopening.

Proulx thanked Megan Ahrenholz for putting together the summer lunch program. She also asked the committee to vote to accept an anonymous donation of $584.50 to pay off lunch debt,

Halifax BOS tackles COVID and EEE

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen held a special meeting on Thursday, July 9 to discuss updates to the town’s COVID-19 response. Selectman Tom Millias began by turning things over to Fire Chief Jason Viveiros. Viveiros said that there was one confirmed case of COVID-19 reported on July 9 and that the infected person was under quarantine. There were no other active cases in Halifax at the time of the meeting. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said, “It’s the first one in about three weeks so our hope is that this isn’t a sign of things to come, it’s just an aberration.”

Viveiros also addressed some concern over a chemical component of the fog that is used to decontaminate buildings. There was apparently some hesitancy over using the chemical in the schools without further research. Director of Building Maintenance Scott Materna had reached out to the company but didn’t receive a response as they were on vacation.

Asked about personal protective equipment (PPE), Viveiros said, “For the time being, we’re still set pretty well.” He also said an order had been placed for 7,000 masks. Millias asked about the availability of N95 masks and was told that despite there still being a bit of a backlog, there had not been a problem receiving the necessary supply. “I think the panic behind it has subsided,” Millias said. He also said that while N95 masks were appropriate for first responders they wouldn’t be necessary for everyday activities.

Selectman Gordon Andrews inquired about what was done with the town’s supply of KN95 masks. KN95 masks differ from N95 masks in that they are held to foreign rather than U.S. approved standards. Viveiros said that they were instructed to dispose of the KN95 masks. “In theory they could still be used as a face covering but I don’t think they wanted them to get mixed up,” he explained.

Board of Health agent Bob Valery spoke on the threat from both ticks and mosquitos this year. There is expected to be a large increase in the prevalence of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Valery said that EEE is usually seen in three-year cycles and that we are currently in year two. “Given the winter that we had and the summer that we’re having now, it is perfect conditions,” Valery explained. He said that they had been in touch with mosquito control and are monitoring the situation. Both Millias and Valery spoke of how easily commonplace items can become a breeding ground for mosquitos citing wheelbarrows, kiddie pools, and even watering cans as potential sources when allowed to contain standing water.

Valery also touched on the precautions that will be taken at an upcoming horse show in town saying that temperature checks and inspections will take place.

The final order of business was to vote on an outdoor entertainment permit requested by George Latini for July 18. Seelig said that most feedback from residents was in favor of the request, though there was one request to keep the volume down. The Board voted unanimously to approve the permit.

Plympton selectmen set new goals

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With Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy absent, newly appointed Chair Mark Russo took the helm at the remotely held Monday, July 6 Plympton Board of Selectmen meeting. Holding up a legal pad and referring to it as the “parking lot” Russo said, “The intent of the parking lot is that issues might come up which are significant and important but aren’t on the agenda or aren’t within the timeframe of the meeting… so that those things can be held onto and certainly addressed at the next meeting or at the proper time.”

The first item on the agenda was getting the approval and appropriate signatures on the documents related to the sale of Lots 1 and 2 as well as the closing of Lot 3, all on Prospect St.  Russo referred to it as “another big step getting things done on Two Brooks.”

The Selectmen spent the remainder of the meeting focusing on the Board of Selectmen Projects and Priority list as well as the Board of Selectmen Goals for FY2021. Russo explained, “the main point of all of this is that with all the things we have going on at once, we don’t lose anything in the shuffle.” Although there was some discrepancy in how frequently, the selectmen all agreed that the documents need to be reviewed at regular intervals. “We lost a lot of time because of the virus… it feels to me that there are a couple of things on here that are now going into their second year; we need to refocus and bring some attention to it,” Selectman John Traynor explained.

The selectmen reviewed their previous goals and made amendments as needed. Vice-Chair Christine Joy asked that senior citizens’ needs become its own stand-alone goal. Shared services were removed as a goal as the pandemic makes it difficult to make progress in that area.

The selectmen also dissected what their goal of further professionalizing the town services means. Chair of the Town Properties Committee as well as the Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen was in attendance and offered his perspective that the goal was a perpetual one. “Then you have to take from that, what one or two things are you going to do in 2021 to meet that goal. You’re not going to wave a wand, and everything is professional and perfect and then you’re done. You’ll probably never be done with that goal” he said.

Russo said he would work on a draft of their goals to again be discussed at their next meeting. They then turned their attention to the discussion of the projects and priorities. Much of the list will be handled by the somewhat newly formed Town Properties Committee, a committee that Traynor referred to as one of the two most important ones in town (the second being by-law review). Wilhelmsen said that the committee plans to do the necessary work, including hiring consultants, to figure out what needs to be brought before the selectmen. The plan is to have a master spreadsheet that can be shared with the Board.

Turning their attention to the Highway Department portion of the list, Traynor said that he sees the Paving Software Management Plan as “a critical piece of letting the townspeople know where we are devoting our energies in terms of highway and restoration.”

How best to handle the oft discussed intersection on Main St. is also included amongst the town’s priorities. Traynor said that there has been a great deal of feedback on the topic as it’s mention always seems to attract a crowd. He went on to say, “somehow we need to bring this to a finish.” Russo suggested that the selectmen use their town voted ability to enable a safety zone with a limited speed limit until a final decision can be reached.

Also, on the priorities list was the town’s technology. Traynor said that while Dennehy is doing a great job regarding this topic and is having fiber installed, it would be good to have a technical resource to help guide the town into the future. Wilhelmsen said that the town website is behind what they used to have. “If we’re going to do more stuff online now and, in the future, that is a piece that is going to need to be addressed,” Wilhelmsen explained. Joy suggested that they ask Dennehy to look into available technology grants. Given the current environment, Joy said, “we’re going to have to offer more town services online.” Traynor suggested the possibility of having the town’s IT tied into the school district. Joy, for her part, felt it might be a better idea to look into shared IT services with other surrounding towns.

The selectmen also discussed the financial plan saying that they need to establish a 5-year capital plan. Traynor said that the Town Properties Committee is a wonderful asset to help guide where the town’s money will be directed in the future.

There was a brief discussion of the emergency management of the town. The selectmen agreed that the team has done an amazing job during the pandemic. “We’ve had a really good team leading us through this; they’ve been such an asset to the town” Joy said. Traynor said that he was “very impressed with the fire chief.” “Having a real professional at the police station at this time… thank goodness,” Russo added.

Several items came up under volunteerism and general government. Traynor said that he would like to see flags put up from the town green to the old townhouse. “I think we can probably raise some money to buy the flags… I think there would probably be people who want to help us.” Joy said she would like to see them develop a flag and decoration policy to ensure consistent, appropriate decoration for events such as Memorial Day and to ensure that no one has to pay out of their own pocket. Wilhelmsen brought up the state and age of the flag and the pole on the town green saying that it will soon be inoperable. He said it was high on the priorities list for the Town Properties Committee.

Other items discussed included affordable housing, cemetery clean-up, and senior citizens’ issues. Joy said that she would like to see the town seek opportunities to work with Habitat for Humanity when town properties are turned over through tax title or other means. Traynor said that a decade or so ago, the Boy Scouts assisted in the clean-up of the town’s cemeteries and said that he would like to once again look into a similar opportunity. Traynor also expressed concern over the effects the virus has had on the senior citizen population in town who are no longer able to have meetings. Wilhelmsen suggested the possibility of having the seniors meet remotely via a platform such as Zoom.

As always, the selectmen ended their meeting with their rants and raves. Joy said that while sad, her rave was for the recent vote that recalled two Kingston selectmen, including the chair, from their positions. “People got involved,” Joy said. “They weren’t happy with what was happening in town government and they did something about it,” she continued. Traynor said that his rave was for the agreement between Plympton and Middleborough regarding Soule Homestead and parking for Two Brooks Preserve. Traynor called it a “win, win, win.” Russo at first said his rant would be for the poor horses, dogs, and humans that struggle with fireworks but quickly changed his tune saying he preferred instead to provide a rave. He applauded the town for making it through the recent elections and town meeting and for opening and operating the townhouse again.

Halifax ATM may be held off until August

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, June 23. They began with a reorganization of the Board naming Tom Millias as the new chair, Gordon Andrews as the new vice chair, and Troy Garron as the new clerk.

Town Meeting Update

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that while the town meeting is currently scheduled for July 11, it will likely have to be postponed even further. According to Seelig, it is unlikely that local aid numbers will be available until the end of July. Seelig told the Board that he recommended them having a special meeting with the town moderator and town counsel to postpone town meeting to August 8 at 9 a.m.

Seelig said that possible venues for town meeting include the Halifax Elementary School gym, the fields behind the elementary school, or the Silver Lake Regional High School Auditorium. Garron said that if holding the meeting outside, it may be necessary to rent tents in the event of inclement weather. Millias said another option would be to have multiple rain dates available. Andrews said that his preference would be to hold the meeting in the elementary school gym. Since space is an issue due to social distancing precautions, Andrews also proposed having family members sit in groups within their own 6- or 8-foot bubble. Another idea that was floated was to utilize multiple rooms for town meeting as was done in Plympton. Millias said, “We’ve done that in the past and it can work but it is a lot more difficult.”

Seelig also told the Board that there was an allowance for temporary quorum changes for town meeting during the state of emergency. Seelig said if the Board wished to consider a temporary change, they would need to give advance notice. The Board said they were inclined to leave the quorum at 100.

Town Election

Regarding the recent election, Seelig said, “town clerk Barbara Gaynor thanks everyone for making the town election a success given the conditions.” Most residents that voted did so in person with fewer electing to mail-in their ballots. Seelig said that the town would face greater challenges in November as there would likely be a much larger voter turnout.

Town Reopening

Of the reopening of the town hall, Seelig said, “all signs are that everything worked.” He continued, “People who are coming in have been working with the town employees and town officials on the pandemic protocols.”

Library Director Jean Gallant is currently looking towards a July 13 opening of the Holmes Public Library though that is subject to change depending on the state’s phase 3 guidelines. Council on Aging Director Susan Lawless is looking into the possibility of renting a tent for a couple of months in order to hold outdoor gatherings.

Personnel Changes

Several changes to elected and hired positions were also discussed. The selectmen said they wanted to thank both Ashley DiSesa and Karlis Skulte for their service on the Planning Board. Millias, who encouraged them to serve in other capacities said, “We can always use informed folks that want to serve.” As of July 1, Robert Valery of Plymouth will be the new Board of Health agent. Town Accountant Sandra Nolan is also in the process of hiring a new assistant accountant. Current Animal Control Officer Noreen Callahan has given her notice and will leave the position as of July 7. Seelig said he is working with Police Chief Joao Chaves on finding applicants to fill the position.

Liquor License Request

The Board had an appointment with George Latini of In Season Restaurant to hear his request for a 1-day liquor license in order to hold weddings and/or functions outside. Following a brief discussion with Latini, the Board voted to allow it.

Revised Contract for Seelig

Seelig told the Board that they would need to revise his contract to indicate that he would not be receiving a pay increase this fiscal year. “I applaud you for bringing it up because basically you’re looking to cut your own pay, which is admirable, especially knowing from the inside the type of work and the amount of time and effort you put into it. A thank you is in order,” Millias said to Seelig.

Recognition for Town Employees

The Board also took time during Tuesday’s meeting to applaud and recognize the efforts of the municipal building department including Maintenance Director Scott Materna as well as staff Tom Schindler and Andrew Elliot Smith.

“They have not missed any workdays through the whole COVID situation; they have adjusted their schedules to accommodate the cleaning,” Millias said.

“They have done a fabulous job. We can’t give them any money, but we can give them some recognition,” he continued. Garron also mentioned that Schindler recently rescued a fox.

Another town employee was also recognized during the Board’s meeting. Seelig said he received correspondence from the Wareham police chief regarding Halifax’s assistance on June 6 during a large protest at the Wareham Police Station.

The Wareham chief said, “During the event your Police Chief Joao Chaves was instrumental in securing our station, providing expert advise and counsel; our officers were very impressed with Chief Chaves and found him to be a consummate professional…Halifax is very lucky to call him Chief.”

Protocol for Requesting Documents

Andrews also requested that the Board discuss the current protocol for handing a department to department request of official documents. According to Seelig there was a recent incident where a town official made an on-the-spot demand for many documents to be immediately turned over from another town official. Seelig made a point of saying that he felt that the requestor’s approach and attitude was inappropriate.

Garron said the he believed that the policy has always been that documents be turned over in a “reasonable amount of time.”  Millias said he is concerned with the possibility of someone checking out records and potentially removing documents from folders, etc. Andrews recommended instituting an electronic filing system to avoid such problems. Garron said he would be interested in knowing the cost to the town for implementing such a system. Millias said it might be possible to use COVID funds to cover some or all of the expense. The Board decided to temporarily table the conversation in order to get feedback from other departments before making any decisions.

Other News

Seelig said that the Board had received a request from the Conservation Commission Chair Gerry Fitzgerald asking that Amy Troup be barred from any interactions with the Secretary of the Conservation Commission Terri Renaud. Town counsel advised that if the Board wanted to consider the matter they should do so with a public hearing. Millias suggested that the parties involved utilize the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as a means of arbitration. “I’ve used it in the past and I’ve thought it was pretty helpful,” Millias explained.

Seelig said that the Youth and Recreation Department had preliminary plans for the summer though it would ultimately be dependent upon what the state will allow.

Seelig also said that the algae in the Monponsett Ponds are still at a low level and the ponds are therefore still usable. A treatment will hopefully be scheduled in July.

Restaurants, hair salons now open

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Under the Massachusetts’ phased plan for reopening, hair salons were able to open their doors beginning May 26 and restaurants were able to open for indoor seating beginning June 22.

Several hair salons in Halifax have been seeing clients for the past month with certain restrictions in place. Bk & Co Hair Design opened their doors on May 26 by appointment only. Clients were asked to wait for their appointment in their cars in order to allow for thorough sanitation between guests. Salon Serenity is taking temperatures at their door and asking all clients to alert them if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, they ask that those coming in for their appointment come alone and wait in their car until called into the salon. Owner and stylist Kelly McAndrews told the Express that while they were initially not allowing blow drying, the salon has since begun offering that service again.

Teeka Lynne’s Salon & Day Spa also opened on May 26. Owner Teeka Isakson explained, “I have always run the salon based off the State Board guidelines. The State guidelines are really an enhancement to what we have already been doing.” Like the other salons in town, masks are required. Of the past month, Isakson said, “Overall things are going smoothly it just takes more time to take care of our clients due to the fact most have not had their hair done in 2-3 months.”

Restaurants have had a slower start for indoor dining as they were part of step 2 of phase 2 which began in late June. The Lyonville Tavern and Grille 58 in Halifax both plan to open the third week of July and are currently undergoing deep cleanings. The Express spoke to Lisa Davis, one of the owners of The Moon and Back Café in Plympton and was told they resumed indoor dining on June 23. “Right now, we have two booths that are separated, and I only have 2 tables that are six feet apart. I’m just waiting on my partitions to come in so that I can actually use all three of my booths,” Davis explained. She also said that just as it was in the pre-pandemic days, sanitization is of the utmost importance. “The past week has had its ups and downs; we’re just wading through the storm and hopefully everything is going to start picking back up,” Davis said.

The Blueberry Muffin in Kingston re-opened for in person dining on June 22. A staff member told The Express that tables have been set up at least six feet apart and that the restaurant is following all new sanitation guidelines from the state. Small changes such as ketchup being served in single packets only have also been implemented. Of the last week, they said, “It has been pretty steady, some days have been busier than others.”

Assistant General Manager of the West End Grill in Kingston, Weston Pearson, said the restaurant reopened for indoor seating as soon as allowed albeit with a somewhat limited menu and limited hours. All of the tables have been spaced out six feet. There is limited seating around the bar.

According to Pearson there are five additional tables available compared to the outdoor seating arrangement they had earlier in the pandemic. They are also still offering curbside pickup for those who aren’t ready to venture inside for a meal. Asked how business has been, Pearson said, “Slow, I think it’s a combination of that and also the time of year. We have another restaurant in Plymouth -Waterfront Bar and Grill, that’s been very busy. I think every day is a little bit better than the previous.”

Russo elected BOS chairman

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The June 22 Plympton Board of Selectmen meeting began as a joint meeting with the Plympton School Committee. Daniel Cadogan was elected to the school committee during Saturday’s town election but was yet to be sworn in as of Monday’s meeting so was not part of the voting. Jon Wilhelmsen, who received several write-in votes during the election, had already been sworn in and accepted another term on the committee. The Board of Selectmen and School Committee took a vote to appoint Jason Fraser to replace resigning member Jill Palenstijn for the year-long remainder of her term. The school committee then adjourned.

The Board of Selectmen began their business with a reorganization. Current Chair Christine Joy made a motion to make Mark Russo the new Chair and John Traynor seconded. John Traynor was named the clerk and Christine Joy the new Vice Chair. Russo jokingly said that his ground rules as Chair included no spitting and no swearing.

Following the reorganization there was a very brief hearing to consider the application of Eversource located out of 273 Summer Street in Plymouth. There is a petition for the installation of one pole on Spring St. to raise the cable due to low hanging wires. No one attending the remote meeting wished to speak either in favor or against considering the application. Traynor made a motion to accept the application which was unanimously agreed upon and the hearing was closed.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy requested that the town sign a three-year continuation of their auditing contract with Lynch Marini & Associates. “They have been doing an excellent job for us for quite some time,” Dennehy explained. The Board voted in favor of the continuation.

The Board then moved toward making the necessary fy21 appointments. Russo read through the lengthy list of people whose appointments were expiring at the end of the month asking that a hold be requested for any appointments needing further discussion.

The only appointment in question was that of Animal Control Officer and Animal Inspector. Joy said that she had  believed Brian Kling would be resigning but was relieved to hear that he no longer intended to resign. Russo made a motion to appoint all those on the list to another term in their present position. It was unanimously approved.

Dennehy provided the Board with updates regarding COVID-19 saying, “Town meeting was a success. I think we can all be very pleased with the way that things went…I do believe people felt at least somewhat secure with being there.”

Dennehy said that as of the Monday meeting there were two active cases in the town and all earlier cases were considered clear.

Dennehy also said that the town is working on a plan for the fall and winter and have been taking the necessary steps to ensure that the Fire and Police Departments are adequately supplied with all necessary equipment.

Dennehy told the Board that Fire Chief Stephen Silva has taken the lead with getting reimbursement through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. She also said that they have been coordinating with Wilhelmsen and Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto to make sure that they are reimbursed for any unforeseen COVID-related expenses.

Regarding future expenses, Wilhelmsen said that they are looking at both necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as additional chromebooks as the expectation is that next year will also involve some level of remote learning. The town is also looking to be reimbursed for residual town meeting expenses that were COVID-related such as the hiring of an AV company to help facilitate a socially distant meeting.

The Board of Health also received a secondary grant. Chair of the Board of Health Art Morin has already received reimbursement for the costs to spray the town buildings the first time. Dennehy said that when dealing with separate grants, etc., careful attention must be paid to not duplicate entries for reimbursement.

Dennehy said, “Otherwise, its been pretty much business as usual at the townhouse.” She said that a memo was sent out to town employees to remind them to keep their guards up as the threat posed from COVID-19 is still present.

Traynor brought up that a number of town issues have been placed on the back burner due to the pandemic and said that he would like to see those things receive attention once again. Russo and Joy concurred. It was agreed that the Board would focus much of their July 6 meeting on discussing and prioritizing these projects.

Dennehy gave an administrative update saying that she was pulling together an RFP to get a consultant on board for the hazard mitigation plan grant.

She also said that the purchase and sales agreement for one of the three lots auctioned off on Prospect Rd had already been signed and mailed to town counsel. She said she expected the closing to take place soon. The purchase and sales for the other two lots are in the final stages.

As is customary at their meetings, the selectmen ended their night with their rants or raves for the past few weeks. Joy said her rave was for all the residents that attended town meeting. “I know it was kind of a scary experience … but they came out and they took care of business,” Joy said.

Russo had two raves, the first of which was for Joy having finished her term as chair of the Board.

“I’m very appreciative of having the opportunity to sit next to Christine and learn from her,” Russo said. Traynor agreed. Russo’s second rave was for the town employees in agreeing to forgo a merit increase this year in order to guarantee that no jobs were lost and to keep the tax rate as modest as possible.

Traynor qualified his rave by saying that it was really more of a story. He said that about fifty years ago a binder was removed from the town records by someone that wanted it for their own library. That person recently passed, and their children shared it with someone else from Plympton. “I’m happy to report that the 1899 book of Plympton town boundaries is now back in the town vault,” Traynor concluded.

Plympton’s Annual Town Meeting held with “Social Distancing”

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Plympton held both its annual and special town meeting on Wednesday, June 17 inside the Dennett Elementary School. The annual addressed fiscal year 2021 while the special was to address funding changes for this current fiscal year’s spending. Town Moderator Barry DeCristofano donned a purple and gold mask as he explained the protocols that needed to be followed due to COVID-19. Residents attending the meeting were divided between both the gym and the auditorium in order to ensure proper social distancing.

Article 1 was the annual report of town officers that was moved by Board of Selectmen Chair Christine Joy. Joy also moved Article 2, authorizing the town treasurer to enter into compensating balance agreements in accordance with Massachusetts Law. There was no discussion for either article and both passed unanimously.

Article 3 was a vote to amend the wage and personnel classification plan effective July 1, 2020 and to pay in wages the sums as read by DeCristofano. The Fire Department/Paramedic, clerical and election workers, elder affairs, library, professional, town hall support, town labor, and veterans’ affair all passed without discussion. Resident Ted Taranto went to the microphone to suggest that the special police officer and matron police officer be paid the same amount. Wage and Personnel Chair Alan Wheelock said he deferred to Police Chief Matt Clancy. Clancy said that there were different rates as they were completely different jobs with separate training requirements. “There needs to be at least a modest grade separation,” Clancy explained. Following the discussion, all lines were passed.

Article 4, the town budget, did generate considerable discussion with respect to both the town clerk’s salary as well as the regional schools’ budget. Chair of the Finance Committee Nathaniel Sides requested a few changes to the funding sources for the insurance and pension line but did not request any changes to the overall amount of $1,243,613. Total general government came in at $75,768, total assessors $82,292, Total tax and treasurer, $186,249, total Selectmen $323,053, total public works $591,678, total protection of personal property $26,617, total building department $95,116, total fire and EMS Services $695,678, total Board of Health $35,393, total police $1,069,879, total veterans $59,756, total emergency dispatch $103,000, and total library $155,239. Those areas all passed without discussion.

Town Clerk Patricia Detterman asked for a hold on both lines 180 (the town clerk salary) and 197 (town clerk support staff). Detterman explained that the fy20 salary for the town clerk was decreased by 11 percent by the Finance Committee bringing the total from $47,163 to $42,000. Detterman countered each of the Finance Committee’s arguments for reducing the salary including that it was not an election year, job duties were calculated at 25 hours per week, and she was a new employee. She said that there were actually 4 elections held during that year, her predecessor reported that it took 30 hours or more to satisfy the duties of the job, and that aside from volunteering for the town in multiple capacities over the years, she also served as the assistant town clerk for 8 years. Detterman also pointed out a number of challenges faced this past year including the sudden resignation of her first assistant, COVID-19 related difficulties, and an inability to take vacation in the past 18 months. She asked for a motion to restore the clerk’s salary to a fair wage. Specifically, Detterman was looking for $47,163 with a 1.6 percent cost of living increase, bringing the total requested salary to $49,925.

Detterman also cited a survey she conducted of town clerk salaries in Plymouth County. She said that the next lowest paid clerk in the county, who happens to limit their hours to 25 per week and is in a border town, made $55,000. Sides countered this argument saying that Plympton was among the smallest towns in the South Shore and therefore, comparing salaries was not comparing apples to apples. He said that the Finance Committee had conducted their own survey using towns in Massachusetts of similar size. He went on to say that based on that survey, Detterman’s current salary would place her into the top third. Detterman said that such a comparison was unfair as the clerk must live in the town to which they are elected and the cost of living on the South Shore is vastly different than the cost of living in say, the Berkshires.

Retired town clerk Nancy Butler came to Detterman’s defense saying that there was no way the job could be done in 30 hours per week. “I wish you would all consider the recommendation by the town clerk,” Butler said.

In the end, there was a slight majority in the two rooms and Detterman’s motion passed. She also made a motion to increase the town clerk support staff line from $22,186 to $25,804 saying, “The service that the support staff does for the town is incredible. We are the front porch for the town.” Like the motion before, it passed though by a very slight majority. The new total for the town clerk’s budget is $103,829.

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen asked for a hold on all three lines of the Plympton school’s budget. Wilhelmsen explained that when the budget was created the school committee had not yet had a chance to look for additional savings. Wilhelmsen proposed reducing the elementary school costs from $2,494,050 to $2,441,399 and the vocational costs from $105,000 to $90,000. Wilhelmsen proposed an increase for the special education line from $1,115,495 to $1,186,396. He explained that the proposed increase was necessary to keep certain students in the building and prevent them from going out of district, which would incur significant additional costs to the town. The total amended budget amounted to $3,717,795, which Wilhelmsen said, “…is pretty close to the recommended budget.” The town voted to support this new number.

Chair of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee Jason Fraser asked for a hold on the regional school line requesting that Plympton’s assessment be raised from $2,463,609 to $2,513,608.42. Fraser said this represented a 0.4 percent increase over the previous year’s number. Fraser also explained that cuts to state aid are still unknown. He went onto explain that provided one other town in the district votes to approve the number, if Chapter 70 funding comes in below what is expected, the school committee has the ability to amend the number without requesting a special town meeting as long as the assessment remains the same or lower. Thirty percent of the Silver Lake Regional School budget comes from Chapter 70 funds.

Sides said that while the Finance Committee had originally agreed to Fraser’s amended number, they had since decided to ask for an overall decrease in the town’s assessment. He said that the estimated amount was somewhere around a $50,000 reduction. Fraser said he had no record of being reached out to by the Finance Committee to discuss amending the budget. Ann Sobolewski took to the microphone in support of Fraser saying that if the town votes the number recommended by the Finance Committee, there would no longer be an ability to amend the budget should Chapter 70 funding come in higher than anticipated. Another resident inquired as to the cost to hold a special town meeting. Selectmen Chair Joy said it would cost roughly $9,000. The town voted to approve Fraser’s requested amended number of $2,513,608.42.

Before recessing the annual town meeting to begin the special, DeCristofano lamented, “I know people can leave when they want but I really feel bad when people leave after their pet projects have been voted on. It’s not fair to the rest of us.”

The special town meeting had 7 articles. Article 1 was a vote to transfer $29,882.13 from available funds to pay for the final change order for the Plympton Police Station project. Selectman Mark Russo reduced the amount requested to transfer from available funds to pay unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year in Article 2 from $6,897 to $2,153.09. Article 3 was a vote to transfer $10,000 from the overlay surplus fund to the OPED retirement fund. Article 4 was a vote to transfer up to $50,000 from the overlay surplus fund into the town building and maintenance emergency fund. Article 5 included several line item transfers in the fy20 budget. Article 6 was a vote to transfer from the sale of town owned property $8,100 raised from the sale of the Fire Department’s modular home to cover the costs for Fire Department repairs. Article 7 was for $7,000 to replace the Fire Department ladders that were rendered out of service due to safety issues. All transfers passed.

DeCristofano then returned to the annual resuming with Article 5 to transfer $33,000 from free cash to conduct fiscal audits for fy21. Article 6 allowed the town to borrow in anticipation of reimbursement $169,092 as the state’s share of the cost of work under Chapter 90.

DeCristofano then read Articles 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 17, and 19 which all proposed funding various things from the capital stabilization fund. Article 7 was for $200,000 for road construction and resurfacing. Article 8 was for $17,700.30 to make the annual lease payment on the Highway Department truck. Article 9 was for $30,000 to purchase a flail mower. Article 14 was for $6,950 to make the first payment to lease/purchase 10 digital portable radios for the Police Department. Article 15 authorized the Board of Selectmen to enter into an agreement to lease/purchase fiber optic equipment and allowed for $22,000 to make the first payment. Article 17 was for $48,90.05 to pay the lease payments for the Fire Department vehicles. Article 19 was for $16,724.23 to pay the lease payment for the Fire Department command vehicle. All motions passed.

Article 10 included multiple requests from the Community Preservation Committee for fy21. Articles 11, 12, and 13 were all requests for the Assessors office. Article 16 was a request for $340,000 to purchase an ambulance. Article 18 was for $10,000 to purchase new personal protective equipment for the Fire Department, Article 20 was a request for $12,000 from free cash to provide the required 5 percent match for a FEMA grant to replace a brush truck. Article 21 was for $8,000 to purchase or repair self-contained breathing apparatus. Article 22 was for $14,000 to fund Plympton’s share of a part-time school resource officer at the middle school. Article 23 was for $100,000 for the replacement of the roof and insulation at the Highway Department building.

Article 24 authorizes the Board of Selectmen to enter into a mutually beneficial agreement with the town of Middleborough for access to the parcel of land at 0 Soule St. to provide (among other things) parking and access to 2 Brooks Preserve Conservation land. Russo described it as a “win-win-win” for those involved. Russo made a motion to refer Article 25, which would amend zoning by-laws regarding floodplains, back to the Planning Board rather than voting on it. Articles 24, 26, 27, and 28 all had to do with the recodification of bylaws. Articles 24, 26, 27, and 28 all passed as did Russo’s motion regarding Article 25.

Articles 29, 30, 31, and 32 were all in regard to payments on the following solar projects: 29 Brook St Solar, Upland Road Solar, Plympton Lake St. Solar, and Main St. solar – all passed.

Russo asked to pass over both Articles 33 and 34 and his motions were approved. Article 35 was a vote to adjourn the town meeting until the town election.

Jumps continued

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Plympton and Halifax head to polls

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Town elections for both Plympton and Halifax will be held this Saturday, June 20. The Plympton town election will take place at the town house from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Halifax will hold their election at the Halifax Elementary School gym from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. These elections mark the first time the state has allowed early mail-in voting for local elections.

Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig told the Express that to his knowledge, there wasn’t anyone that tried to pull papers to run for an elected position that was unable to do so due to the shutdown. Seelig did say, however, that there were some town officials who elected not to run again. Several candidates are running uncontested for re-election. This includes John Shiavone for a three-year term on the Board of Assessors, Patricia McCarthy for a four-year term on the Housing Authority, Diane Ruxton for a three-year term on the Board of Library Trustees, Edward Desharnais Jr. for a three-year term on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, and Troy Garron for a three year term on the Board of Selectmen. Richard Clark is also running for re-election uncontested for a five-year term on the Housing Authority as well as a three-year term on the Board of Water Commissioners. Both Robert Johnson and Alison Vance are running for re-election uncontested for the two spots available on the Halifax Elementary School Committee.

There is one seat available for a one-year term on the Planning Board with two candidates running against one-another. Candidates Alan Dias and Ashley DiSesa both appeared before the Planning Board and the Board of Selectmen in January to fill a vacant position on the Board. At the time, DiSesa won the seat through a vote of the selectmen and Planning Board members though support was not unanimous. DiSesa must once again best Dias in votes, this time from the town, in order to remain on the Planning Board. The other contested race is between incumbent Steven Hayward and Michael Schleiff for Highway Surveyor.  Late Tuesday afternoon the Express was told that John Taglini is a write-in candidate for the: Halifax Elementary School Committee and the Silver Lake Regional School Committee.

Unlike the situation in Halifax, Plympton Town Clerk Patricia Detterman said that many people in Plympton did have difficulty pulling nomination papers due to the shutdown. The only candidates to successfully make their deadlines to have their signatures certified to be on the ballot were Mark Russo who is running for re-election for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen and Daniel Cadogan who is seeking a three-year term on the Plympton School Committee. There are several positions with terms expiring despite not appearing on the ballot. Included among those are Jason Fraser and Jon Wilhelmsen who have both expressed interest in continuing to serve on the Plympton School Committee and in Fraser’s case the Silver Lake Regional School Committee as well.

Detterman said, “Saturday’s election will look a bit different this year. Masks and six feet social distancing rules are encouraged. We will have one-way traffic through the polls to avoid some of the socializing done in our front hall when voters are coming and going.” Other safety protocols will also be in place including handing out pens with each ballot rather than sharing pencils. The pens will be sanitized after each use. Both sanitizer as well as masks will be provided for anyone who doesn’t bring their own. Each occupied voting booth will have an empty one in between them in order to increase social distancing. A single booth will be designated for those unable to wear a mask due to health reasons and it will be sanitized in between each use.

“The election workers who are scheduled for Saturday have expressed they feel safe and want to participate in this event,” Detterman said. She also said that last year’s election yielded a 6 percent voter turnout with 128 ballots cast. Detterman said she is expecting the same for Saturday’s election.

Silver Lake RSD budget reconsidered once again

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met for the third week in a row on June 11 to once again reconsider their decision regarding the fy21 budget. Committee member Christopher Eklund, who was on the prevailing side of the previous week’s vote, asked for a reconsideration of that June 4 vote.

The budget process began way back in September and went from a budget version 1 to a budget version 4. In January the committee considered a budget with a 3.31 percent increase over the fy20 budget of $25,992,354. On March 12, the committee voted on a fourth iteration of the budget in the amount of $26,698,578 for an increase of 2.71 percent over the fy20 budget. According to committee Chair Jason Fraser, the March 12 budget was lauded by Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton. Everything changed, however, following that meeting and the state essentially shut down due to the pandemic.

The state has until July 1 to offer a revised budget that will reflect the short- and long-term fiscal effects of the pandemic. The extent of the cuts to local aid are unknown complicating the towns’ and schools’ budget processes.

In May, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requested that districts provide them with a budget despite not knowing what kind of cuts will occur to Chapter 70. As a result, the regional school committee met on May 28 to vote a revised fy21 budget. Prior to that meeting, Superintendent Jill Proulx had presented nearly a million dollars in potential cuts to the version of the budget previously voted on by the committee. At the May 28 meeting the committee voted to approve the March 12 number as a sort of act of rebellion against DESE. Their plan at the time was to ask the towns to vote no to the budget at their respective town meetings. The no vote would then force a one-twelfth budget which would default back to fy20 levels. The committee hoped that this would buy them additional time to create a budget that would reflect actual numbers from the state.

The regional school committee met again on June 4 and voted to rescind their vote from the previous week. With the exception of committee members Gordon Andrews and Leslie-Ann McGee the committee voted through the fy20 budget number of $25,992,354 which represented a $706,000 reduction from the March 12 budget. At the time, Fraser cited the desire to work with the three towns in providing them with the requested combined reduction to their assessments of $525,000 as the impetus for reconsidering the May 28 vote. Fraser said that he wanted to provide the communities with a number that they could approve at town meeting. Many on the committee felt that it wouldn’t be fair to ask the communities to hold a special town meeting just to vote through the final budget number when the time arose. In addition to the reduction to the assessments, the budget also included a reduction of 2.5 percent in state aid. This estimate was a point of contention on the dissenting side of the vote as it is likely far lower than the actual reduction will be once the state numbers are known.

Fraser told the committee on June 11 that following the June 4 meeting he began to receive new information including from Silver Lake counsel. In light of the new information as well as Eklund’s request for reconsideration, the committee decided to meet again on June 11 for another vote.

The committee first took a vote to rescind their vote on the budget from June 4. The motion passed unanimously as did the following vote to once again approve the March 12 number of $26,698,578 for fy21. Andrews addressed his fellow committee members saying, “Thank you to everybody on the committee for reconsidering the vote; I think it’s the right decision.” McGee, who was always against the June 4 vote said she was appreciative of the number of people attending the meetings recently. She also emphasized that she didn’t think it was right to ask residents to go to town meeting and vote for a budget, the contents of which were still unknown.

The June 11 vote means that if two out of the three towns approve the budget at town meeting, the region has a budget, albeit one that is likely still subject to amendments based on actual numbers from the state. If the assessments to the towns remain the same or get lower, no special town meeting would be required, and the budget would be set by default after 45 days. If two out of the three communities vote down the budget at town meeting, the school will be in a one-twelfth budget situation. “This reconsideration and the rescinding of our budget was not an affront to any individual or town; we are doing what we think is in the best interest of the district and the students that we serve,” Fraser explained.

The committee stressed that they are nowhere out of the woods yet in terms of the budgets for either the region or the towns. They emphasized that difficult decisions are likely still ahead. They did, however, ask that the towns vote yes to the budget number approved by them at the June 11 meeting.

As of the time of publication, Plympton’s town meeting occurred on Wednesday, June 17. Both Kingston and Halifax have elected to postpone their town meetings to Saturday, July 11. Kingston’s decision to postpone was made after the school committee’s June 11 meeting.