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Halifax prepares to re-open

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Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig held a meeting on Tuesday, June 2 with the Board of Selectmen, department heads, and other town employees to discuss reopening.

Per a vote at the previous selectmen meeting, the Halifax COVID leave policy will end starting with the pay period beginning Sunday, June 7. As of that date, town employees will only be paid for hours worked. An exception will be made for departments that don’t have enough hours to fulfill an employees’ usual workload. In those cases, employees can compensate for additional hours with either personal, sick, or vacation time. Seelig opened the floor for questions on the ending of the policy but none were asked.

Seelig said that he had been reviewing the processes other communities were putting into place in order to have their employees return to work safely. Chief among them is the policy that those who are not well remain home. Each day employees would need to self-certify that they don’t currently have any symptoms of COVID-19. They would also have to certify that they have not been in close contact with someone who has COVID nor have they been told by a medical professional that they have a probable case of COVID even in the absence of a test. Library Director Jean Gallant inquired if the self-certification would run on the honor system or if actual documentation would be expected to be submitted to the Board of Selectmen. Seelig said that documentation would likely not need to be provided to the selectmen. Formal decisions regarding the policies for reopening will need to be made by the Board during their meeting on June 9.

Currently the state has guidance in place that requests that Massachusetts residents that travel out of state for non-work-related reasons, self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to the state. Seelig said that the Board will need to decide whether to include this stipulation as part of the self-certification. As pointed out during the meeting, while it is considered best practice and recommended, there is no legal requirement to self-quarantine following out-of-state travel. Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said that the policy didn’t seem to make much sense since Massachusetts has higher rates of COVID-19 than most other states. Seelig agreed, pointing out that New York is likely the only border state with a higher rate than Massachusetts.

Seelig also addressed the need for supplies as well as physical changes to the town buildings. He said that decisions will have to be made regarding what procedures should be implemented for employees that share rooms as well as for those that cannot always maintain six feet of distance between themselves and other employees. Seelig pointed out that based on research, even if maintaining proper social distancing, sharing the same enclosed space for extended time periods can increase the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission. Things to consider include whether masks will be required, if barriers will need to be inserted between desks, and if furniture or rooms will need to be rearranged. If masks are required, the Board of Selectmen will have to decide how to handle situations where an employee has a medical condition that prevents that from wearing one.

Seelig said that hygiene practices will have to be reviewed and reinforced as well. Hand sanitizer will likely need to be supplied to areas where common surfaces such as copier machines are found. Signage will likely need to be provided to remind people of best practices including sneezing into your elbow and not having others clean up after you. It had been previously suggested that hand dryers be installed rather than paper towel dispensers but there is some concern over having air circulated in such a way in a small, enclosed room. Seelig said the town may need to look at installing touchless paper towel dispensers instead. A cleaning log will also need to be kept indicating when rooms were cleaned.

Other ideas that were floated during Tuesday’s meeting included the need for a method for contact tracing. Seelig also suggested the possibility of having employees work split shifts in order to reduce shared spaces. Other considerations such as what equipment may be needed for different departments were also discussed.

Seelig said that the Board will also need to decide to what extent remote working will continue. The state currently recommends that those that can efficiently work from home continue to do just that. Also to be decided will be what kind of documentation will be required by departments in order to work remotely. Seelig said that employees will likely have to punch-in, punch-out, and provide a synopsis of time spent. Gallant said that she felt strongly that people should be allowed to continue to work from home wherever feasible.

Finally, Seelig addressed the steps that would be needed to open town buildings to the public. He said that one option would be to reopen by appointment only initially to avoid large clusters coming into buildings such as town hall at once. Another option would be to open but for limited hours. This option could either be done from the get-go or following a period of appointment only availability. Seelig said that limited hours worked well for the soft opening of the recycling center.

He emphasized that were the town to go this route with other town buildings, the hours would have to advertised extensively to avoid confusion or anger on behalf of residents. He told the department heads that he would like their input before the June 9 meeting as to whether they would prefer a slower start or going full throttle from the beginning.

Seelig also said that a plan would need to be in place before reopening to address any residents or other building guests that refuse to comply with policies including wearing a face covering and social distancing.

Seelig told department heads that the decision to reopen the buildings could end up being a temporary one should there be another large spread or outbreak of the virus. He said that the town may want to consider spending money to bolster services should buildings close again.

Seelig asked those present to send any questions or suggestions to him in the next few days as he hopes to have the Board finalize as much of the reopening policy as possible at their June 9 meeting.

How to hold town meeting during a pandemic?

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The Tuesday, May 26 Plympton Board of Selectmen’s meeting began with a discussion regarding the logistics for holding town meeting on June 17. Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that she had met earlier that day with members of the emergency management team, Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen, Dennett Elementary principal Peter Veneto, and town clerk Patricia Detterman.

The group is planning a walkthrough well in advance of the meeting to figure out a seating arrangement that still allows for 6 feet of social distancing. Members of the same household who attend, can sit together. There are also plans to utilize two rooms in the Dennett, if necessary, to ensure proper distancing. Both would be equipped with the necessary technology to ensure communication between the rooms. Town Moderator Barry DeCristofano said that he would be able to nominate an alternate moderator for the second room.

Wilhelmsen said that he would speak to Veneto about possibly getting the technology department at the high school involved as it may be necessary to add to the existing equipment. There was some discussion between those at Monday’s meeting about possibly dividing those normally seated in the front at town meeting (selectmen, Finance Committee) equally between the two rooms.

There will most likely be a singular check-in point at this year’s town meeting located at the vestibule area. The check-in table will have a portable plexi-glass wall. From there, people will be directed to one of the two rooms. Dennehy said that unless guidance from the governor’s office changes before then, everyone attending the town meeting will be required to wear a face covering. The only exception will be those who have an underlying medical condition that prohibits them from doing so safely. Dennehy also said that there will be plenty of staff present from both the police and fire departments. Hand sanitizer will be available as will wipes to disinfect the microphones between use. If residents refuse to follow safety protocols while at town meeting, DeCristofano would have to declare them out of order and then the police would intervene.

Dennehy said that a bulletin outlining what to expect at town meeting will be sent to residents. Selectman Mark Russo was in favor of the idea as he said he had been hearing from many people that they would not be attending town meeting, some out of concern for their safety and health.

When asked if temperatures will be taken at check-in, Dennehy said that they decided to hold off on doing so as they didn’t want to create a bottleneck at the check-in area. She also mentioned the possibility of asymptomatic carriers. She did say it may be something that they will revisit prior to the meeting.

Dennehy said that the town has been working diligently on plans to get the townhouse up and running for the public by Monday, June 1. Regarding the new protocols, Dennehy said, “This is a very fluid situation and new territory for all of us, so everyone’s cooperation is appreciated as we navigate through this uncertain time.” The following is a list of the guidelines Dennehy will be issuing to the public ahead of reopening.

We will be following all protocols and Orders issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Should Commonwealth-instituted protocols be lessened, we will update our Town protocols accordingly.

The Town House will be open to the general public, beginning on Monday, June 1 for our normal business hours, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Please note that elected offices, such as the Town Clerk, for example, may have extended or varied hours as required by law.  The Building and Inspectional Services Department will also be available by appointment on Monday evenings.

Everyone is asked to wear a face covering the entire time you’re in the building unless you have an underlying medical condition.

Plympton Fire Department personnel will be conducting mandatory temperature checks.  No personal information will be recorded and the temperature scan is contactless.  If someone has a temperature above 100.3 degrees they will be asked to leave the building.  Employees will also be subject to this screening daily.

One person at a time visiting any offices within the Town House.  A waiting area that facilitates social distancing will be established in the Main Meeting Room.

If you need to speak to a specific Town employee, it’s best to call or Email them directly.

If you prefer to conduct business remotely, we can accommodate that to the extent practical.  Please contact the respective Town Department and they will make every effort to assist you.

The full set out of guidelines will be available on the town website (town.plympton.ma.us).

Protocols for the town election are also in the works.

The meeting ended on a high note with Chair Christine Joy giving her “rave” for the week. Joy credited Briggette Martins and the Memorial Day Committee for stepping up despite initial difficulties securing the necessary supplies. Of their Memorial Day efforts, Joy said, “She and the Committee did an amazing job getting the green spruced up and getting flags and medallions on the veterans’ graves.”

Halifax likely to postpone Town Meeting to July

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Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said during the Tuesday, May 26 Board of Selectmen meeting that he has reviewed the information from the state in order to do a 1/12 budget for fiscal year 2021. Seelig said that his suggestion to go to a 1/12 budget is due to the state budget not being released yet as well as safety concerns over holding town meeting. “Holding large meetings in enclosed spaces is not a good idea right now,” Seelig explained. In order to postpone the June 15 town meeting and do the 1/12 budget, the town moderator would need to decide to recess the meeting for up to 30 days. Seelig said that he was suggesting that the meeting get recessed to July 11 and that it potentially be held outdoors. The selectmen will vote to approve Seelig’s recommendation at their next meeting. The second step required to do a 1/12 budget is the Finance Committee’s recommendation.

Town Election

The town election is still scheduled for June 20. Seelig and the town clerk have written instructions on how to vote in person or by mail. If voting in person, there will be social distancing and hygiene protocols in place.

Cranberry Drive Sidewalk

A handful of Cranberry Dr. residents attended the meeting Tuesday to advocate for a sidewalk where there is currently only a grassy shoulder. Seelig said that the current estimate to do the work is $134,000 up from the previous estimate of $114,000. Selectman Chair Troy Garron asked if there were any incidents involving people getting injured resulting from the lack of a sidewalk. Seelig said no such incidences had occurred. Seelig suggested having the engineering work done at a cost of approximately $14,000. The cost would likely need to come from the Highway Department’s Chapter 90 funds.

Garron said he empathized with residents on that road but asked if the town was really in a position to do the work right now. Selectman Tom Millias concurred saying, “In a perfect world, I would be all for it.” Selectman Gordon Andrews said, “I understand the need, but not sure if that is the best use of the money right now.” He further said that he would prioritize items like crosswalks and streetlights over sidewalks.

Cranberry Drive resident Ryan Morgan inquired if the town had a 5-year plan of potential capital expenses, a sort of priority list. Seelig said that there were two lists, the first being capital projects that are approved at town meeting. Seelig said those projects are usually not roadwork, but rather expenses such as purchasing town vehicles. Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward has a separate list because he has his own sources of funding including Chapter 90 funds. Hayward said, “My priority is the roads right now; the roads are falling apart, and I think that is a little bit more important.” He also stressed that he doesn’t yet know how much he will be getting from Chapter 90.

Library Director and Cranberry Drive resident Jean Gallant asked Seelig and the selectman how concerned residents might go about getting their projects added to the priority list should money come available. A third Cranberry Drive resident, who said he takes his small children on that road daily, jumped in saying he was upset that the focus was on the money. He pointed out that the neighborhood was thirty years old and asked how it was possible that in thirty years, the money has never been allotted to the project. Garron told the residents that they would need to gather 10 signatures from registered voters in order to bring the issue to town meeting. While it is too late for this year, it would be possible to do so for next year’s town meeting. The selectmen voted to table the issue for now.

COVID-19 Updates

Seelig and the Board agreed that starting with the pay period beginning June 7, town employees will be paid only for the work that they do. If available and if they wish, employees for whom work still cannot be found can supplement with sick leave, personal leave, or vacation time.

Regarding reopening, Seelig said that some departments might be able to continue working remotely while others may want to get employees back into the buildings. Measures will be taken to protect those in the buildings including additional signage, sanitizer stations, wipes and gloves, and potentially new filtering units in the HVAC units. In addition, the town will likely require individuals to complete a checklist including requirements such as not having a fever or living with someone with COVID. Seelig said he would be scheduling a Zoom meeting with department heads as well as employees to go over the protocols surrounding reopening.

Silver Lake Graduation

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) issued guidelines for holding outdoor graduation ceremonies later this summer. As of right now, Silver Lake is planning to hold a modified ceremony on August 7 at 6 p.m.

Other News

Seelig said that everything went well at the Recycling Center soft opening on May 20.

A presentation was held last Thursday on what will and will not be eligible for funds received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). Seelig said, however, that he was still left with many questions. Unlike most of the state, Plymouth County has elected to distribute the funds to municipalities themselves rather than letting the state handle the distribution.

What Seelig described as a “low-key observance” took place in Halifax on Memorial Day complete with a bagpiper. “I thought it was very nicely done by the VFW,” Seelig said.

Bud’s Goods and Provisions submitted their application for an outdoor marijuana cultivation facility. The Board of Selectmen have sixty days to reply to it. Seelig said the vote would be put on the agenda for June 9.

The Boy Scout bottle drive is scheduled for July 11. Assuming the event takes place, it will be at the town hall green as has been done in the past.

Seelig said that former town moderator T. P. Elliot-Smith passed away. The selectmen and all on Tuesday’s call, held a moment of silence to honor the work that he did for the town.

Plympton votes Town Meeting Warrant

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee held a three-hour, remote, joint meeting on Monday, May 18 to go over the budget as well as the warrants for the annual and special town meetings.

Chair of the Finance Committee Nathaniel Sides led the budget discussion. Sides said that salaries were capped at a 1.6 percent cost of living increase. Other highlights include an estimated 14 percent increase in disposal and recycling fees associated with the transfer station. Overall, the public works budget is relatively level funded.

Sides said that the Finance Committee and Fire Department went back and forth several times regarding their budget requests. The Fire Department requested $747,000 and the Finance Committee is recommending $696,000. The Police Department requested an additional officer. Sides said, “Initially I would have liked to support that but given the current scenario, we can’t.” Costs associated with emergency dispatch are also going up significantly though they are down from original estimates thanks to negotiations with the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (ROCC).

The Finance Committee and the schools also had several communications on the budget. Sides said that while there were some requests that they would like to recommend, he noted the importance of treating all town departments equally. Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen was also in attendance. Wilhelmsen said that the school was asking for a new special education position. He said the position is necessitated by the number of current and incoming students in need of such services. According to Wilhelmsen, without the position, students may need to seek services outside of Dennett. The cost of just one student doing so would be at the same cost as the new position. If two students were to go outside the district, it would be double.

Sides said that the reserve fund was increased from ¾ percent to one percent of the total budget due to the departments being asked to be extra lean this year as well as the unknowns that potentially lay ahead due to the current climate. The total of the budget voted on by the Finance Committee is $11,412,323 for a 1.2 percent increase overall. The selectmen also unanimously voted in favor of the budget as presented.

Selectman Mark Russo gave kudos to the Finance Department and Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy for their efforts to bring forth a budget during difficult times. Selectman John Traynor said, “The budget as presented is well done.”

Dennehy led the discussion on the warrant, beginning with the one for the annual town meeting. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee voted whether to recommend each article. Article 2 authorizes the treasurer to enter into compensation agreements, Article 3 is for an updated wage and personnel chart, Article 4 is for the budget, and Article 5 is for financial audits. All were approved by the necessary participants at the meeting.

Articles 6 through 8 pertain to the Highway Department. Article 6 authorizes the Highway Department to utilize Chapter 90 funds, Article 7 transfers $200,000 for road resurfacing, Article 8 is for roughly $17,000 for the annual lease agreement for the department’s truck, and Article 9 is for $30,000 for a flail mower. All were approved unanimously.

Article 10 is a standard CPC article for estimated revenues for various items.

Articles 11 and 12 are each for $2500 and are for various property valuations. Article 13 is for $10,000 toward updated software for the assessors.

Article 14 is for the Police Department to lease and purchase radios and accompanying equipment. Article 15 is to authorize the selectmen to enter into a purchase or lease agreement for equipment needed to continue to build the fiber optic network. Article 16 is for $340,000 to purchase an ambulance. Article 17 is for roughly $49,000 for lease payments on the Fire Department vehicles. Article 18 is for $10,000 for the Fire Department to purchase new personal protective equipment. Article 19 is for nearly $16,725 for the annual lease payment for the Fire Department command truck. Article 20 is the required 5 percent match for the FEMA Grant with the contingency that it is dependent on the success of the town’s application. Article 21 is for $8,000 for the purchase or repair of self-contained breathing apparatus for the Fire Department. Articles 10 through 21 were all recommended unanimously.

Article 22 is for $14,000 to support the part time school resource officer at the middle school. Plympton supported this article last year at town meeting while Halifax did not. Plympton’s support allowed for a school resource officer at the middle school for a very limited number of hours per week. Halifax selectmen are once again not recommending this article as they are opposed to the mechanism to fund the officer through an article rather than as part of the school budget. It was also one of the only articles of the night not to garner unanimous support from both the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee Monday. Sides voted against it leading to a 4-1 vote on the part of the Finance Committee. The Plympton selectmen all voted to recommend it.

Article 23 is for $100,000 to replace the roof and insulation at the Highway Department building. Article 24 is to authorize the selectmen to enter into an agreement with the not-for-profit Soule Homestead in Middleborough. According to Dennehy it is a project that has been in the works for a while and the agreement would be mutually beneficial to both communities. The agreement would enable Plympton to get access to the public open space area near the two lots that are currently for sale at 2 Brooks Preserve. “This article is the product of a lot of work and a lot of talking back and forth between us, Middleborough, Soule Homestead, as well as both town councils,” Dennehy explained. Both articles were recommended by unanimous votes.

Article 25 is a zoning article for the updating of the flood insurance rate maps. Articles 26 and 27 are to digitize the zoning and general bylaws respectively. Article 28 is for $3,100 to continue bylaw codification. All were recommended unanimously.

Articles 29 through 32 are to authorize the selectmen to enter into pilot agreements on various solar projects including those on Upland Road, Lake St., and Main St. The Board of Selectmen voted to recommend these articles.

Article 33, which requires a vote by both the Finance Department and Board of Selectmen, generated considerable debate during Monday’s meeting. The article, which was submitted by the Conservation Commission, is intended to establish a natural resources protection fund. It would be funded primarily through the transfer of funds earned by the sale of town owned land or other fund transfers as voted at town meeting. The funds would be used to match federal, state, or private charitable grants and/or to fund other natural resource protection efforts. Traynor said that his initial reaction was that the article was quite broad, saying it appeared to state that revenue from the sale of any town owned land would automatically be transferred to the Conservation Commission. Sides was similarly concerned.

Conservation member Linda Leddy spoke to the article during Monday’s meeting. She said that the intent behind the fund would be a show of capacity for matching funds when applying for various grants, etc. Town Accountant Barbara Gomez asked if town counsel had approved the wording of the article since the sale of town property is directed into a separate account. Dennehy said that he had read it but not commented either way. She also suggested changing the wording so that the sale of town owned property was a potential source for the fund but not an automatic transfer. There was also discussion as to whether the transfer of sale funds would require a vote at town meeting. Traynor said that there were other things to consider such as affordable housing and said that he would hate to see one thing moved to the front of the line over another due to the wording in the article.

Even after the language change to the article, the Finance Committee said they would like to wait to vote to recommend the article. The selectmen agreed saying they would also like to see the article in its final form before making a recommendation. Since the warrant will be printed this week, the Finance Committee and selectmen will make their recommendation on the town meeting floor.

Gomez suggested further wording changes requesting that the $5,500 from the sale of the pumps at 2 Brooks Preserve be removed from the article and made into a separate article. Sides said that the Finance Committee took issue with the processes that were followed in selling the pumps. He said that it was not the Conservation Commission’s property to sell and assume the money as it belonged to the town. Selectman Chair Christine Joy said that the property should have been advertised as has been done with the sale of other town owned property.

“This is a function of sometimes volunteers don’t know all the rules,” Leddy said. “We appreciate there are probably some rules that we bumped into or crossed… there was always good intent along the way,” she continued. Leddy said the money is to be used toward public access areas at 2 Brooks Preserve. “My personal opinion is the money should go to 2 Brooks,” Traynor said. Russo said he was really uncomfortable with the article as it could appear that town owned money was being used to fund CPA projects that  have been touted as not using town money. In the end, the Selectmen and the Finance Committee agreed to leave the article on the warrant and just be honest at town meeting about the mistakes that were made and explain the intention behind the use of the funds. Leddy said, “I would like to have a warrant on the town meeting floor… we just say, hey, volunteers make mistakes sometimes. We need the money to open this parking lot, the money is sitting in the town coffers, if you want to support it this is the time.”

Dennehy also went over the warrant for the special town meeting. Article 1 is to pay for the final changeover for the Plympton Police Station project. Article 2 is for $6,897 for unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year, and Article 3 is for $10,000 for the opec account. Article 4 is for money for larger scale building projects related to COVID-19. Article 5 is for line item transfers in the fiscal year 2020 budget. Article 6 is for $8,100 to be transferred out of the sale item account and moved toward repairs at the Fire Department. Article 7 is for $7,000 to replace fire ladders. The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee voted in favor of all applicable articles.

Before adjourning for the evening, the Board touched base on some COVID updates. Dennehy said that they are looking to finalize anything that needs to b done to the townhouse building prior to reopening. Some staff will begin returning to the building next week. Dennehy said that all announcements made during Governor Baker’s May 18 press conference were as expected.

The Transfer Station hours are also going to be increasing in coming days. Dennehy also told the Board that as of Monday, there were two confirmed and two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Plympton.

Halifax ponders re-opening logistics

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COVID-19 Updates

The Halifax Board of Selectmen held a remote meeting on Tuesday, May 12. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig addressed the necessary steps the town would have to take to begin reopening per the state’s guidelines. Seelig described it as a “slow opening” and said it would begin with the recycling center opening on Wednesday, May 20.

Seelig also credited library Director Jean Gallant with developing a plan for the opening of the library. He said he plans to share it with the other departments. Gallant, who said she had recently spoken with other SAILS directors, said that the library would also be ready to begin curbside pickup and returns at the book drop beginning on May 20. Phase 2 of reopening would include having patrons in the building. Selectman Chair Troy Garron said to Gallant, “I love your initiative.”

Council on Aging Director Susan Lawless was also at the meeting and expressed that she was unsure what steps to take to get her drivers back to work. Currently the drivers, who do not have benefits such as vacation time, have continued being paid despite not working. Lawless asked if drivers not comfortable returning to work in the next week or so should continue to be paid.

Both Garron and selectman Tom Millias said that they believed payment should be stopped in such a case. Millias explained, “The cold hard fact is we can’t pay them and pay somebody else to do their job.” Adding to the complexity, Lawless said that there may only be limited hours available and asked if drivers should be compensated only for what they work or for their normal workloads. Seelig said a meeting between the selectmen and the department heads would be scheduled soon to hash out such details.

Seelig acknowledged that the town hall is not yet ready to be opened. He explained, “My first priority in all of this is the protection of the employees that are working in these buildings and also the protection of the residents and visitors who come in.” Seelig also said that he wouldn’t want to see employees in the vulnerable population return to work if it was contraindicated for them to do so. Millias said he would like to begin by determining which employees should come back first saying they, “should start functioning with our staff first before thinking about opening our doors to the public.”

Potential Official Town Facebook Page

Seelig said that some interest had been expressed in the creation of a town Facebook page. He said that approval would need to go through the selectmen so they could setup the terms for use. Seelig said, “Right now, given the circumstances, I don’t think anyone has time to do this.” He also said it could be a duplication of efforts as many already get information from private Facebook groups and those not on Facebook are able to get information from the town website. Selectman Gordon Andrews said he wasn’t opposed to the idea but said that he would recommend that commenting not be enabled. Garron said that given Seelig’s full plate it would be best to back burner the idea and all agreed.

Cranberry Drive Sidewalk

Seelig said that a Cranberry Drive resident requested that a sidewalk be placed along the shoulder of Plymouth St. Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward had received an estimate of $125,000 a few years ago for the work. Seelig said he was, “certainly for it, it’s just the cost consideration that is the problem.” The selectmen agreed saying they were in favor of the idea conceptually but that the money posed a problem particularly given the uncertainties of the present day. Seelig said he would ask Hayward to provide a new estimate and suggested that money may be available in the form of a grant. Seelig said there was potential for residents to put an article into the warrant for town meeting next year.

Abandoned House on 4 Upton St.

Seelig said that due to the abandoned house on the town owned lot at 4 Upton St., the property is classified differently since the structure is not part of the town’s operations. As a result, it has a separate insurance policy for $2,500 to cover the property as well as general liability. Seelig explained the various options for selling the property. As-is, Seelig said it is not considered a buildable lot and therefore would only be of interest to abutters. Seelig explained that this option is not desirable since if the offer was too low it likely wouldn’t cover the insurance or amount of back taxes due. The other potential option would be to work with the Planning Board to get a new bylaw in the zoning bylaws that would allow for abandoned properties to be used by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) by a special permit as a single family only. Garron inquired as to the cost to raze the building and Millias estimated anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000. Andrews also said he would be in favor of razing the building if the town is unable to sell the property. Seelig agreed to get bids first to gather a clearer picture.

Town Meeting and Town Election

Seelig said that town meeting is still scheduled for June 15 and that the warrant would be going to press shortly. According to Seelig, there are two hurdles that must be overcome in order to move forward with town meeting on that date. The first of which is that the town doesn’t currently have an idea of what state aid is going to look like. Andrews said that the state had authorized themselves to have until June 30 to present a budget. He also said that from what he knew, both Kingston and Plympton were moving forward with their scheduled town meetings despite not having knowledge of state aid. Both Seelig and Andrews expressed confusion about how the towns planned to proceed without the information. The second hurdle to holding the meeting is the physical logistics. Venue as well as safety protocols would have to be considered.

Seelig said the town clerk’s office is moving forward with the assumption that the town election will be held on June 20. They are working with the school to figure out the physical logistics for in person voting. Seelig said that while in person voting will occur, mail-in voting would be encouraged.

Budget and CARES Act

The town budget remains in flux though the Finance Committee planned to have their recommendations in by the end of the week. Seelig said he was yet to hear anything from Plymouth County regarding the $90,000,000 in federal funds to be distributed to municipalities by the county. Seelig said while he awaits word, he will move forward with speaking to the various town departments regarding their needs. Seelig said that the town needs to think about equipment and supplies that will be needed in the coming months.

Beach Stickers for Nonresidents

Back in the winter, the issue of beach stickers for nonresidents was introduced. Seelig said he checked with both Kingston and Duxbury and discovered that neither town is issuing beach stickers to anyone due to COVID-19. Andrews said that if the town’s beaches remain closed, it doesn’t make sense to issue stickers. He did say, however, that should they open he would be in favor of a $25 fee for nonresident beach stickers. Millias asked if the offer would be extended to anyone or only those in abutting towns. The selectmen agreed to put off making any decisions to a later date so they could put more thought into their decision.

Other News

Seelig said that while the Board had previously voted to cancel regularly scheduled Memorial Day events, the VFW was moving forward with putting up flags on the town green. He also said that there could potentially be some low-key activities planned with social distancing protocols in mind.

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) held a meeting last Wednesday for Chapter 40B on Country Club Estates but have postponed the hearing until June.

Halifax Health Agent Cathy Drinan will be retiring in June. “Obviously it’s unfortunate we’re losing Kathy especially at this time,” Seelig said.

Halifax School Committee looks to September

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Halifax School Committee Catches up During Pandemic

The Halifax School Committee met virtually on Monday, May 11. Chair Summer Schmaling began with correspondence from Silver Lake Regional School Committee Chair Jason Fraser (who is also vice chair of the Plympton School Committee) asking if they would support him in his bid for treasurer/secretary on the Massachusetts Association of School Committee (MASC) Executive Board. Just as the Regional School Committee did, the Halifax Committee also voted unanimously to do so.

The Committee then provided reports for each of the standing sub committees. Superintendent Jill Proulx spoke on behalf of Policy saying that while they do have a list of recommendations from MASC, policy updates have not been a priority given recent changes to the remote learning plan. Negotiations said that they voted earlier that evening and plan to reach out to both the Halifax Teacher’s Association and the Halifax Custodial Negotiations Team to setup a remote meeting for further negotiating.  Committee member Alison Vance said that PAC has continued meeting and that chromebooks were rolled out to students. Regarding Youth and Rec, Schmaling said, “Clearly they’re kind of at a stand still themselves and not really sure what the summer will hold.” Union 31 had not met. Capital Budget also had not met though it was noted that the budget is obviously in flux.

Principal Kayne Beaudry provided an update on the remote learning plan. “I want to give kudos to our teachers. They have really jumped in and have been working with adapting and changing up their game plan every week; we feel that the plans are getting better and better,” he explained. Beaudry said that student engagement has been the top priority for the last few weeks. Families that have been flagged as needing extra help keeping up with engagement have been placed on a watch list.

Beaudry also mentioned that per state guidelines, teachers have been transitioning from just assigning work to focusing on prerequisite standards. “I do want to give a little plug to our specialist teachers,” Beaudry said. He noted the unique difficulties faced by this set of teachers as they see seven different grade levels. “They have really done a nice job on scaling back and listening to our families and making it as user-friendly as possible,” he continued.

Beaudry also spoke from personal experience, saying that he has his own children from preschool to middle school that are being homeschooled. He noted the inherent difficulties in remote learning especially for those in the younger grades.

Enrollment for the incoming kindergarten class is currently hovering around 78 students compared to the current kindergarten’s class of 64. Committee member Gordon Andrews told Beaudry he had seen some questions online regarding the kindergarten registration process. Beaudry said that the school has been working behind the scenes to address things like orientation for parents and screenings for students. Andrews also said that he has seen a number of questions from parents and other guardians regarding the required medical records as scheduling doctor’s appointments has become difficult given the pandemic. Beaudry said that the school nurse as well as the administrators are aware that there will be a backlog for medical records and said there will be a grace period for obtaining those records.

Proulx and Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch said that they have been meeting with union leadership, department heads, curriculum coordinators, and building principals regarding the remote learning plan.

Lynch said that they have been favoring asynchronous learning over synchronous learning as it allows families to go back and access lessons when convenient for them. Andrews said that the Committee wanted to express their thanks to the administrators and teachers for their hard work during unprecedented times. Proulx was quick to mention that thanks should also be extended to Director of Business Services Christine Healy. Proulx joked that she has been asking Healy “a million budget questions every day.”

As of right now, the anticipated last day of school is June 19.

Plympton BOS eye ‘New Normal’

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met remotely on Wednesday, May 6. Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy told the selectmen that she is working with staff to figure out the best way to safely reopen.

They are paying particular attention to any structural changes that may need to be implemented. Dennehy and Selectman John Traynor met with Library Director Debbie Batson to discuss possible changes such as droplet barriers. Dennehy also said that Amazon sells large sneeze guards that might be useful for a temporary change to townhouse offices with large counters.

For those offices without counters, work has already begun to trim the doors and alter them into a Dutch style door where the top can remain open.

This alteration would allow business to be conducted through the door. Dennehy said they are also looking into what kind of face coverings will be required for the employees.

The Plympton Highway Department has resumed normal business hours but are still following social distancing protocols. One of those protocols is limiting vehicles to just one person. The department has begun their regular seasonal mowing.

Memorial Day activities postponed

The selectmen also discussed postponing the usual Memorial Day events in town. They had previously discussed moving the events to Veteran’s Day as other local communities have elected to do. Selectman Mark Russo said that he absolutely agreed that the events needed to be postponed but suggested making Veteran’s Day a tentative date with a firm one to come later. He said that if possible to hold the events sooner than Veteran’s Day, it might be a good opportunity to celebrate getting past the adversity that has been posed by the pandemic.

Tree loss on Green

The selectmen also voted to remove the tree that is down at the town green. Dennehy said she would find out if grinding the stump is a possibility. Russo said, “It is not infrequent when a tree comes down anywhere in town, but particularly the town green, that there are one or two citizens that get pretty upset.” He continued, “ That’s the reason we waited a week and got it on the agenda, moreover, any of us that have seen this tree it’s amazing it didn’t come down in the last week… this isn’t a debatable one and there’s no way that we could be held in any way but the highest judgement to get rid of that tree.”

Town Barn roof replacement

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy made a motion to open the town warrant to insert an emergency article to replace the roof and insulation at the town barn. The selectmen voted to do so before making a motion to close the town warrant immediately.

Free and reduced lunch program continues

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen was in attendance and gave an update on the schools. Wilhelmsen said that the chairs of the various school committees met with the administrators to discuss the ongoing free and reduced lunch program which has continued despite the school closures. The food service director requested that the program be opened to anyone who needs the assistance right now rather than limiting it to just those that had previously qualified.

Wilhelmsen also said that he had requested that the school budget be amended to adjust for items that are being put into the special town meeting as well as the actual numbers from the new bus contract.

Raises for town employees

The Selectmen and Dennehy were joined by Chair of the Finance Committee Nathaniel Sides and Committee member Marilyn Browne to discuss the FY21 budget. Dennehy said they were considering a 1.6 percent cost of living adjustment across the board for town employees. Dennehy said that she felt that it was a “defensible” number even after going over all the numbers with the town accountant. She said that it was actually a net decrease due to the rising cost of insurance. “From my perspective, it is also about building up some goodwill with the employees,” Dennehy explained. Russo noted, “Even the 1.6 percent cost of living increase is going to ruffle feathers a little.”

Sides said that it has been an extremely challenging time for the Finance Committee. After wrapping up the budget previously, they were looking at about a 3.8 percent increase. Sides said, “There were some asks from some various departments that we were supportive of and still would be in a perfect world.” He continued saying that it would be difficult to stand in front of residents, many of whom are without jobs, and propose a budget that was arrived at through normal means. “I think our committee realizes we need to take another look at everything and come back to the townsfolk with a revised budget,” he finished.

All were in agreement that fiscal year 2022 is going to be the more challenging year. “I think the bigger problem is going to be next year and kind of managing people’s expectations,” Dennehy said. Speaking of 2022, Traynor said, “I’m very pessimistic about it.” Dennehy said that they would likely have to continue the freeze for non-essential items through next year especially given the possibility of another wave of the virus. Dennehy did say that some items, such as vacation overages, should be reimbursable but noted that reimbursement can sometimes take up to two years. She said the town has been maintaining records for those items.

Russo asked if the town had any indication how much of the $90 million received by Plymouth County under the federal CARES Act might go to Plympton. Dennehy said, “We don’t unfortunately, and I just hope that whatever the process is, it’s transparent and its nonpolitical and every community gets what they rightly deserve.” The Plymouth County Commissioners have elected to distribute the $90 million themselves rather than letting the state distribute the money to municipalities as most other counties have done. The Halifax selectmen and town administrator expressed their frustration with the commissioners’ decision during one of their meetings.

New Normal committee eyed

Traynor said that it would probably be a good idea to form a committee to address how the town should plan for the “new normal.” Joy said that the Old Colony Planning Council had sent out a survey to help in coming up with a plan for maximizing resources, serving the town, and establishing a new normal.

Dennehy said that many surrounding towns have been moving their town meetings outdoors with alternate rain dates available. They have also been moving them earlier in the day in order to take advantage of daylight. The town moderator had concerns about moving the start time to 5pm, however, as it could impede on some residents’ ability to attend. Traynor suggested the possibility of holding it on a Saturday. Russo said he was going to take the minority position saying, “I think the less variables we have the better… I could make the case we said the seventeenth and we just make that happen.” Joy said she would like more time to think it over before deciding.  If a town meeting doesn’t occur before June 30, the town will have to go to a 1/12 budgeting scenario.

Halifax BOS consider TM warrant

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator Charlie Seelig met in person on Friday, May 8 to discuss the town meeting warrant one final time before going to press. The Selectmen and Seelig were seated at a large table and were observing social distancing protocols.

As of right now, the town meeting is still scheduled for June 15. It remains to be seen, however, whether it will be possible both financially or logistically to hold the meeting on that date. According to Seelig, town meetings fall outside the scope of gatherings limited to 10 participants under Governor Baker’s directive. Seelig said that the hope was to have the warrant printed by Thursday, May 14 and mailed out a few weeks after that.

Seelig went through the articles one at a time with most requiring very little discussion. Article 1 is the report for town officials and committees. Article 2 is for wage and personnel matters including a possible grading of the lieutenant position for the Police Department as well as a possible re-grading for both the animal control officer as well as the director of building maintenance. There were several more routine articles involving revolving funds as well as an annual article for the reserve fund.

Seelig said that Articles 7-13 are intended to settle union contracts. According to Seelig there are no settlements as of right now and he is not sure if there will be any by June 15. If not, they will be passed over.

Seelig went on to go over the appropriation articles. A1 is a normal extension service article, A2 is a Chapter 90 article, A3 is the annual article for $150,000 toward the maintenance of town roads. Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward asked that Articles A4 and A5 be removed; both were large sums of money for street repairs. Other articles included $150,000 toward backhoes, money for a new copier for the Council on Aging, $600,000 for a fire engine for the Fire Department, $100,00 for two marked police vehicles and associated equipment, and money for radio systems for both officers and vehicles in the Police Department.

A11 is an article to allow Police Chief Joao Chaves to continue to lease or outright buy the motorcycle used by the department. Thus far the lease has been paid for by gift account money. Chaves believes that there may be enough gift money from Walmart and another business to continue paying for it with the intention to purchase the motorcycle next year. A12 is for 4 new patrol rifles and A13 is for $5000 for bullet resistant vests, both for the Police Department.

A14 would send money from the town to the Housing Authority. According to Seelig there was an employee who worked for both the town as well as the Housing Authority. Both entities were supposed to be contributing money to the employee’s retirement, but the Housing Authority was charged the full amount. Seelig said he is still trying to sort through the finances for this article.

A16 is for $36,000 to support a part time school resource officer at the middle school. This topic has been a point of contention for those in town. It was voted down at last year’s town meeting. Plympton did vote it through last year and have been supporting a very limited number of hours for the school resource officer. Currently, Kingston fully supports the school resource officer at the high school as it is a Kingston Police Officer and comes out of their police budget. The school resource officer at both the high school and middle school must be a Kingston officer as the schools are located there.

Seelig said the Halifax Finance Committee is not recommending the article. When Selectmen Chair Troy Garron asked why, he was told that the Finance Committee believes the expense belongs in the school budget. Selectman Gordon Andrews, who is also a member of both the Halifax School Committee and the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, said that adding the part time officer at the middle school into the school budget would also mean needing to add the high school resource officer. Andrews also reiterated that everyone is in agreement about the need for the part time officer but that the dispute is over the mechanism to fund that officer. Seelig said, “If it’s a priority and we have a limited amount of money, we have to make a choice… if the resource officer is more important than other expenditures for the school, they’ll leave it in and take something else out.” Selectman Tom Millias agreed saying, “I think philosophically, from the very beginning, the first time we heard about this, I was not in favor of the towns going about it separately.” He also called the school budget, “out of control, in my personal opinion.” Seelig went on to use Old Rochester Regional School district as a similar district that handles the school resource officers as part of the school budget. Andrews, however, was quick to point out that Old Rochester actually handles the school resource officers through the town budgets as is being proposed by the article. Andrews also told the other selectmen and Seelig that if the officers were put into the school budget, it would end up costing the town more than $36,000.

A17 is a petition article for $20,000 for a truck inspection program. Seelig said he believed it should be included in the police budget. A18 is a petition article for grading all the unpaved roads in Halifax including private and unaccepted roads. Seelig said that Hayward had been doing work on these roads the last few weeks and that they had received “satisfactory compliments” on the results. A19 was in regard to Pasture Lane which is currently an unaccepted road. Millias said, “I understand the frustrations of the residents on this road, but I don’t see that this is the year for the town to be doing this.” The Selectmen agreed to leave it on the warrant with the caveat that the Board of Selectmen do not recommend it.

There were several more articles that were taken off the warrant before moving on to A23. A23 is intended to deal with the trash that has been piling up at the boat ramp and fishing area on Rt. 58. Seelig said that because of the financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there just is not money to deal with the issue. Seelig also explained that the town doesn’t want to place barrels there as people often take it upon themselves to dump personal trash in them. He also said that this is the reason there are locks on the barrels at the townhouse. Despite calling trash on the roadway an important issue, Garron said, “My gut feeling is to take it off.”

A24 is for crosswalk control devices at various locations. A26 is a petition article for $3500 that is essentially a contract between the town of Halifax and South Coastal County Legal Services. A29 is the same article that appears each year in case at the end of the night there is money to put into the stabilization fund. A30, A31, and A32 were for folding chairs for the great hall and selectmen’s meeting room, insulation and vapor barriers at the old town barn, and soundproof panels at the Holmes Public Library, respectively. A34 is for the repair of overhead doors at the town barn.

A35 is for the replacement of the roof at Pope’s Tavern. The cost includes architectural, engineering, and repair. “We can’t let the building go and I don’t see a new Council on Aging anytime soon…I think it is one of the things we have to do,” Millias said. Garron agreed, saying, “We definitely need it. I mean that place is leaking like a sieve.”

A36 is the annual Uber/Lyft article that state law mandates be included. It is for a small amount of money from rides that originate in town.  A37 is for a repair to the landfill cap.

The next several articles discussed pertain to moving the town toward a more electronic business model. A38 from the auditors asks for a fraud/risk assessment. Andrews suggested waiting a year since the hope is to move toward an online system and it wouldn’t make sense to do such an assessment on a program that wouldn’t be in existence much longer.

A39 would allow for e-permitting and A40 would allow for papers to be filed electronically and copies obtained without contacting town officials. Seelig said, “Conceptually, we understand what we are talking about, but we would have to have a firm proposal to go to town meeting.” A41 would establish an electronic payroll system.

Article F1 is a possible pilot agreement for the River Street Solar Farm. If everyone agrees to a pilot by the time of town meeting, the town can vote to approve it. If not, it will be passed over.

The zoning related articles will come before the Planning Board. The first is a change to floodplains to reflect what FEMA wants. There is also a multifamily bylaw revision. The last zoning article would allow for recreational marijuana establishments in the business or commercial district with a special permit.

Seelig also mentioned an article to increase the size of the Beautification Committee from 5 to 7 members. The increase needs to be an article as it requires a change to a town bylaw.

The selectmen and Seelig also discussed possible locations for the town meeting given social distancing restrictions. In closing, Andrews said that the town will need to come up with some sort of celebration once past this pandemic.

Regional school budget cuts $1million

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met on Tuesday, May 12 during which time Superintendent Jill Proulx and the administration team presented nearly a million dollars in proposed cuts to the budget. A copy of the presentation can be found on the Silver Lake homepage. The Committee met again on Wednesday, May 13 to vote on the proposed cuts.

The cuts were categorized as either tier one or tier two. In addition to the elimination of freshmen sports and some expanded transportation, many positions including professional status teachers were included on the lists. Due to contractual obligations, some staff potentially facing a layoff must be notified by Friday, May 15. To vote in favor of cuts presented does not mean they will come to fruition. Instead, when preparing the budget, the list will be drawn upon when in need of cuts. Silver Lake Regional School Committee Chair Jason Fraser explained, “Tonight is not the end of the budget, tonight is the beginning of the development process. There will be some time for us to consider all of our options as we move forward.”

Proposed tier one cuts at the high school include the elimination of several paraprofessionals and the full-time wellness teacher. Tier one cuts at the middle school include a full-time special education teacher, a full-time science teacher, and the reduction of a librarian position.

Potential tier two cuts at the high school include a Latin teacher, a full-time tech ed teacher, a full-time computer teacher, a full-time special education teacher, a full-time ELA teacher, and a full-time adjustment counselor. Tier two cuts at the middle school total $144,000 and include a full-time math teacher and PE teacher as well as the remainder of the librarian position among others.

The presentation also included a few items where there will be savings this year that could potentially offset the need for as many cuts. With school closed since mid-March, expenditures for buses, utilities, and substitute teachers have been reduced.

Fraser began Wednesday by laying out the ground rules for the meeting which was being held virtually and boasted over 150 participants. Each committee member would be offered one opportunity to speak on any comments or questions they had developed since the previous night’s meeting.

Committee member Eric Crone noted, as did many others, that he was against many of the proposed cuts. Crone also said that when moving forward with the budget, he would like to see some new areas considered for cuts including technology costs and administrative costs. Committee member Laura Tilton said, “This is a really painful process… but the bottom line is we’ve been asked by the town to come in with a budget that is lower.”

Leslie-Ann McGee offered, “I think it’s a very difficult process to consider essentially gutting education as we know it at Silver Lake.” She added, “I just don’t want anyone to think that my yes vote tonight means that I’m in favor of all of the components of this package.” McGee noted she was only voting in favor of the package due to time constraints.

Committee member and Halifax Selectman Gordon Andrews asked if the teachers potentially facing layoffs were informed prior to the meeting the night before. Fraser assured him that they had been notified by their building principal and/or other administrators. Andrews also asked, “At this point in time, no other staff members could be let go that are under the union contract that do not get notified tonight?”

Proulx answered, “My understanding is that the notices go to the people who are currently in the position but some of those people who would be notified could, in fact, bump other people in their bargaining unit which could set off a need to notify other people.”

Committee member Michael Antoine asked, “I would like to know if the administration has looked at their own area as far as the contracts, we have going forward with them, if there’s been any talk of salary freezes or voluntary reductions in pay.” Proulx responded, “There has been discussion but no formalized decision regarding the freezing or reduction of salaries; that is certainly something we have discussed and considered and would consider.”

Before moving forward with a vote on the proposal, Fraser said that if salary modifications were considered, he would like to see it be across the board and not on the backs of any particular group.

The Committee proceeded to vote with the necessary two-thirds majority to approve both the tier one and tier two cuts as presented.

School Committee budget uncertainty

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The virtual Plympton School Committee meeting on Monday, April 27 began with a public hearing and vote on school choice. No one was in attendance from the public that wished to speak on the matter. Vice Chair Jason Fraser made a motion not to accept school choice for the 2020-2021 school year beyond extending it to the students currently enrolled through the program. Chair Jon Wilhelmsen also pointed out that the incoming Kindergarten class was a large one, by Plympton standards. Wilhelmsen also cited the uncertainty surrounding the budget as yet another reason he was opposed to school choice. The motion not to accept school choice for the upcoming year passed unanimously.

Fraser, who currently serves as a member of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Board of Directors and is the Division III (southeastern) Chair, has volunteered to serve as secretary/treasurer on the MASC Executive Board. Wilhelmsen made a motion to show the Plympton School Committee’s support for Fraser. “I think not only will MASC benefit greatly from Jason’s expertise, but it also allows our school and our district a persistent voice up at that level and I think that is something that is beneficial to us,” Wilhelmsen said. “Thank you very much for your kind words and I want to acknowledge the support of the Committee and the administrators,” Fraser said. The vote is scheduled for June 23. “Regardless of if I’m nominated to that position by the MASC Nominating Board, I will continue in my role as an officer at the very least and continue to fly the flag of Plympton and Silver Lake at the state and federal level,” Fraser said.

Wilhelmsen said that the two positions coming due on the School Committee are those belonging to himself and Fraser. Both will remain on the Committee until the elections are held.

Fraser said he was in touch with the townhouse regarding pulling papers. He said that regardless of their answer his intention is to run for both seats he holds currently (Plympton School Committee and Silver Lake Regional). “I think that now more than ever it is important for us to have some history and some continuity on the Committee to make sure that we can guide our town through this unchartered territory,” Fraser explained.

Wilhelmsen led the discussion on the budget for fiscal year 2021. The Finance Committee recommended that the special education stabilization fund of $1,000, the quinquennial cistern inspection and cleaning in the amount of $5,000, and a group of technology expenses totaling roughly $21,000 would best be handled as articles at the special town meeting.

Those articles have been drafted and provided to the town. It was further decided that curriculum expenses totaling $15,500 for social studies grades 3 and 6 and math resources would best be handled within the budget. Director of Business Services Christine Healy said she would tweak the budget per those recommendations. Healy also said that there is a savings of $12,000 as a result of the new bus contract.

Wilhelmsen said he is having regular discussions with Town Hall and mentioned that the warrant could potentially be stripped down to essential items only such as the budget.

“We’re pretty well insulated at the local level for receipts because most of our income  at a local level comes from property taxes but we do receive a substantial amount of funds from the state level and right now at FY20, which ends on June 30, they’re predicating between a $300 and $700 million deficit for this year,” Fraser explained.

“The Governor has given his word that he does not plan on doing any 9C cuts to this year and will pull from the rainy-day fund to supplement the budget if necessary,” he continued.

Fraser said that things are more unclear for the FY21 budget at the state level. Last year’s budget was $44 billion dollars at the state level and, according to Fraser, “there are numbers right now floating around… the most conservative number I’ve heard is a $2 billion shortfall compared to the $44 billion dollar budget at the state level but I’m hearing some people on the fringes using numbers much, much larger than that.”

With the House 1 budget thrown out, Fraser said that the state doesn’t believe they will have numbers for municipalities to work from until early May at the earliest. Fraser said that a lot of towns and regional schools are looking to going to a 1/12 budget as a result.

“Regardless of where we end up, we could be looking at a 2-4% decrease in state aide or it could be much, much more dire than that,” Fraser said. Plympton’s school likely won’t benefit from the CARES Act passed at the federal level.

Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto was unable to attend the meeting so Superintendent Jill Proulx provided an update in his stead.

Proulx said that according to Veneto, the vast majority of families are working really hard with teachers to make remote learning successful. She also said that Veneto has been meeting weekly with the special education team, response to intervention groups, as well as each individual grade level. Proulx said, “he gives all the credit in the world to his teachers for their efforts and dedication.”

Proulx spoke on the survey that was sent to staff, secondary students, and parents to gauge how the remote learning was working.

“We would like to begin by thanking our school committee, our students, our parents, and our staff for their patience and their assistance in helping us through this transition. It has truly been a team effort and we cannot thank you enough for your support and your kindness and your teamwork throughout all of this,” Proulx said.

Key takeaways from the survey include working with the staff to streamline communications and make sure that the district is using best practices for remote learning, as well as continuing to revisit and revise as needed. Proulx said that they will also be incorporating updated guidance from the state into their remote learning plan.

A second set of surveys will be sent out in mid-May. Proulx also said that another item being looked at right now by the administration is reentry; both what that will look like as well as what expenses may be related to it.

“I just wanted to say how appreciative I was of the surveys that you put out…I shared out some of the data that we received and other communities all around us on the South Shore asked if they could have your surveys…. I’m very thankful to hear that you’re going to do a second round to continue that two-way dialogue,” Fraser said to Proulx.

Wilhelmsen praised a video that was created by teachers and other staff members at Dennett Elementary to reach out to their students.

He said the video was noticed even outside of the district. He described it saying it was, “what the kids needed at that point, just to be able to see everyone… it was very well done.”