Halifax Selectmen heard an urgent appeal to sustain Plymouth County Outreach, a countywide overdose prevention program credited with reducing fatal overdoses by 32% but facing the end of federal funding next September. Officials requested the town contribute approximately $10,000 annually using restricted opioid settlement funds that cannot be spent on other town needs, with no impact on Halifax’s general budget.
Plymouth County Outreach Executive Director Vicki Butler and Hanover Police Chief Tim Kane appeared before the board to request municipal support as the organization’s federal startup grants expire in nine months. The program, which has operated on 100% federal funding since 2018, needs contributions from all 27 Plymouth County communities to continue operations beyond September 2026.
Butler explained that PCO provides post-overdose follow-up, at-risk referrals, mobile drop-in services, family support, and harm reduction resources across the county. The organization has become a national model, with police departments from around the country visiting Plymouth County to learn from the program. “We are a national model for the Bureau of Justice and Assistance,” Butler told the board, noting that departments come to learn how to replicate the program in their own communities.
The data Butler presented showed significant progress. Fatal overdoses in Plymouth County dropped 32% in 2024 compared to 2023, while non-fatal overdoses decreased 36% over the same period. Since the program’s first full year of data collection in 2017, the county has seen a steady downward trend in overdose deaths, with 75 fatal overdoses recorded in the most recent year. “75 fatal overdoses is 75 too many,” Butler acknowledged. “So we still have a lot of work to do.”
Chief Kane, a member of PCO’s executive board, gave a personal perspective on the program’s importance. “I started my career in the early 2000s right as this opioid epidemic was really starting to take over,” Kane said. “I was responding to overdoses on a daily basis in the community that I worked in at the time. And it was very difficult, especially as a very young patrolman at the time, to walk away from those scenes and really leave the family disheveled and in a disarray. They had nowhere to turn. I didn’t really have any answers for them.”
Kane explained that law enforcement’s early approach was ineffective. “Back then, our approach as law enforcement was we were trying to arrest our way out of the problem. And it was not productive,” he said. The collaborative effort undertaken by all 27 communities, Bridgewater State University Police, the District Attorney’s office, and PCO “has really been a tremendous answer and a fantastic response to do something far beyond just arresting our way out of the problem.”
Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves expressed strong support for the program. “I have two officers that I already do the clinician follow-ups with. They all speak highly of it,” Chaves said. He noted his own experience as a co-responder in New Bedford, where he participated in a similar program visiting homes after overdoses with clergy members and outreach workers.
The funding mechanism involves no new costs to Halifax taxpayers. Fennessy explained that Halifax began receiving payments on March 15, 2024 from settlements with pharmaceutical companies held responsible for the opioid epidemic. The town has collected $84,199.84 to date and is expected to receive approximately $280,000 total through 2039.
These funds are restricted and must be spent on opioid-related programs and initiatives. The money has been placed in a revolving account specifically designated for substance use issues. Halifax’s proposed contribution to PCO would be approximately $9,896 for the current year, representing about 1.5% of the countywide budget. This calculation is still being finalized as PCO works to determine each community’s fair share based on population and other factors.
Board members responded positively to the presentation. Chair Jonathan Selig said, “I think it’s fantastic. And I think your numbers kind of vet out that it’s working. So kudos to you guys.” When asked if Halifax would remain on the hook for contributions after the settlement funds run out in 2039, Chief Kane clarified that the current request is specifically for directing opioid settlement funds to the program. “That’s correct,” he said. “That’s really the ask right now is really hoping that you would consider directing those funds, specific POVA funds, to this effort. And hopefully this buys us more time to become more self-sustaining into the future beyond 2039.”
Butler explained that PCO’s budget for the coming fiscal year is projected at approximately $659,000 to $777,000, scaled back from previous years to focus on the most effective programs based on data. “That was kind of cutting out all of the extra stuff that we’ve done over the years and really sticking to what our data supports,” she said. Chief Kane added that “the grant provided Vicki and her team a really great opportunity to try things that they’ve never tried before, too. And if they’re not connected, Vicki makes a very honest assessment on that, and she eliminates that from the overall.”
The program uses a critical incident management system through Kelly Research Associates that allows all police departments in the county to share information about overdoses in real time. This prevents residents from falling through the cracks when they overdose outside their home community. “So if someone from Halifax were to overdose in Hanover, Hanover would enter that information, and with a click of a button, Halifax would have that information so that they could do that follow-up, and that individual wouldn’t fall through the cracks,” Butler explained. “So prior to this program existing, that cross-communication wouldn’t have happened.”
PCO also operates a physical drop-in center about 15 minutes from Halifax, open for walk-ins Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with appointments available other times. The center provides immediate placement assistance, Narcan distribution, resources for family members, and an extensive library of books about talking to youth about substance use. Butler noted that the hardest-hit age range for overdoses is 30 to 39, which is typically parenting age, meaning many youth are being impacted by the crisis.
In addition to post-overdose services, PCO launched situation tables in 2020 that bring together multiple service providers to address the needs of individuals or families at acutely elevated risk. These tables operate on a four-filter system with over 105 different risk factors in 27 different categories and aim to be proactive rather than reactive. Butler gave an example: “Let’s say we have a family, one of the parents recently lost their job, they were served an eviction notice, the car broke down, the kids aren’t getting to school. We know that if we don’t intervene, something bad is going to happen.” The tables can then assemble teams from housing, schools, employment services and other resources to wrap services around families in crisis.
Chief Chaves noted that the town has been working with other departments to identify appropriate uses for the opioid settlement funds. “We’ve had meetings with the Fire Chief, Council on Aging, and Water Health, and we’ve come up with some ideas, some items that we can utilize it for that will not hamper the PCO,” he said. Some proposed initiatives, like installing Narcan lockboxes similar to fire department Knox boxes, would complement PCO’s work rather than compete with it.
The board took no vote on the matter, as any allocation of funds must come through a town meeting vote. Selectmen indicated they would support including an article at an upcoming town meeting to appropriate the funds. If all 27 communities in Plymouth County participate at comparable levels, the program would be fully sustainable through 2039 on settlement funds alone.
Selig also provided an update on the Silver Lake Regional Study Committee, which voted to hire the Collins Center from Boston to conduct a year-long study examining ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs at both the municipal and educational levels. “The committee did vote to go with the Collins Center out of Boston,” Selig said. “It’ll take about a year, and it’s going to [involve] collecting all kinds of data.” He does not anticipate results for at least another calendar year.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen declined to authorize a new digital permitting system on Oct. 6, despite having secured a $74,000 state grant to launch the program, after learning the software would cost the town approximately $60,000 annually to maintain—a price tag that prompted concerns from both board members and residents about long-term fiscal sustainability.
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy presented the board with a proposal to implement OpenGov permitting software, which would coordinate applications across multiple town departments including building inspection, Board of Health, conservation, and the assessor’s office. The $74,000 Community Compact grant Dennehy successfully secured would cover startup costs, training, and operation from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2026.
However, the presentation took an unexpected turn when Dennehy revealed the ongoing annual cost. “The annual cost, it would be like a three-year contract that we’d be entering into. They think that the pricing will come in around $60,000 a year,” she told the board. “So that’s not short money.”
The software aims to solve a significant coordination problem in Plympton’s permitting process. Currently, applicants often submit different sets of plans to different departments—one to the building department, another showing wetlands delineation to conservation, and yet another to the Board of Health for septic systems—making it difficult for town staff to verify that all regulatory requirements are being met.
Dennehy cited a recent solar project as an example of the system’s shortcomings. “The plans that they submitted to the fire department did not include wetlands delineation or anything like that. It resulted in a design where the fire department cannot reasonably get apparatus around the entire perimeter of the solar field,” she explained.
When Dennehy surveyed town departments about whether to pursue permitting software or website upgrades with available grant funding, the response was overwhelming in favor of the permitting system. All departments that issue permits—building, health, conservation, and assessors—participated in OpenGov’s presentation.
Vice Chairman Nathaniel Sides pressed on the return on investment. “Other than coordination and efficiency and all of that, which is understandable, I mean, that’s certainly a benefit. Is there another return on investment there?” he asked. “Is there a cost savings labor that we would realize from somebody not having to do a lot of manual?”
Dennehy acknowledged the limitations. “It would definitely save some manpower hours. I don’t think that the savings are that significant that you would be able to make a logical argument that that’s one of the benefits. It’s really just for ease of use for residents and for the town employees,” she said.
Resident Mark Wallis raised a fundamental question about the spending authority. “It seems to me that if you’re going to spend, what was it, $74,000 now, it would be prudent. And where it’s a grant, grants are great, but they cost you money afterwards if they cost you money afterwards,” Wallis said. “If it’s going to be $60,000 a year, I think the town as a whole should be questioned whether they want it or not. And it would be maybe appropriate to go to a town meeting with the knowledge that it’s going to cost $60,000 a year.”
The discussion did yield one notable defense of the software from an unexpected source. Former Selectman John Traynor noted that the same software had been discussed approximately nine years ago. “The legal liability, I think, is what is going to save you the money. When these things don’t agree, we already see it in some of the court cases in front of the town now that may have been solved because everybody knew they were playing on the same playing field,” Traynor said.
Dennehy expressed her own reservations about the pricing. “I was a little alarmed with the $60,000-ish estimate, given that we were going to start off, like, baby steps,” she said. The pricing is based on municipality size and the number of departments participating. Some larger communities integrate police and fire departments and digitize all historical permits into the system.
The board directed Dennehy to return to OpenGov to explore options for reducing costs or adding more departments to justify the expense. “I think that’s definitely worthwhile to look and see what we can do with it and see what other options there are,” Chairman Dana Smith said. The grant deadline extends to July 2026, giving the town time to evaluate alternatives before committing.
In other significant financial news, Dennehy announced that Plympton has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the state’s Rural Development Fund for a water security study. The project, which requires no town match, will be managed by Conservation Agent Brian Vasa and will work with regional partners including the Taunton River Stewardship Council. “It’s going to basically look into some different things and establish some parameters so that we can ensure our water quality and security for many years to come,” Dennehy explained. The study will examine potential threats to groundwater, map aquifer locations, and recommend any necessary updates to local conservation bylaws.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen gave preliminary approval Sept. 23 to a proposal from the Halifax Veterans of Foreign Wars to create a Veterans Memorial Garden surrounding the town hall patio, marking what organizers say would be the town’s first dedicated veterans memorial space. The multi-phase project would be entirely funded and maintained by the VFW at no cost to the town.
Dave Walsh, representing the Halifax VFW, presented plans for the memorial garden during the meeting, describing it as “step one of four steps” in creating a comprehensive veterans memorial at the town hall grounds. The initial phase calls for a six-to-seven-foot garden buffer zone surrounding the main patio, featuring two small ornamental trees such as weeping cherry or Japanese maple, with a maximum growth height of 10 to 15 feet.
“I think we’re one of the few towns that doesn’t have a Veterans Memorial of some sort, and I think that would be a very apt name for it,” Walsh told the board. He emphasized that the project would be “absolutely no cost to the town whatsoever” and would be maintained by VFW volunteers and a local landscaping contractor as backup.
The proposal comes on the heels of the successful installation of a memorial bench earlier this month. Walsh reported that the granite bench, weighing approximately 650 pounds and measuring four feet long by two feet wide, arrived on Sept. 12 and was installed with assistance from the town’s Department of Public Works. The bench, provided by Swenson Granite of Hanover and custom-chiseled in Vermont, is scheduled to be dedicated on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Board Chair Jonathan Selig expressed support for the concept but requested to see formal plans before giving final approval. “I think it’s a great idea. I just had two quick questions. Number one, do we have any sort of rough sketch or plan of what it will look like?” Selig asked. He also raised concerns about long-term maintenance, citing past experiences with Eagle Scout projects that lacked sustained upkeep after completion.
Walsh assured the board that the VFW had commitments from multiple volunteers, specifically naming Kathy Garland and her husband, who had volunteered to handle ongoing maintenance. Additionally, the VFW has arranged for Naja Nessralla to serve as both the project lead for construction and as a backup for maintenance if volunteer efforts fall short.
Selectman Thomas Pratt raised an additional concern about insurance coverage for the work. “Do we have proper insurance for Naja?” Pratt asked, noting that the board needed to verify that the contractor and the VFW would have appropriate liability coverage before work begins. Walsh acknowledged he had not yet addressed the insurance question, and the board agreed to table final approval until those details could be confirmed.
Walsh outlined an ambitious long-term vision for the memorial space that extends well beyond the initial garden installation. Phase two would involve lining the walkways with perennials. Phase three would add granite mementos for each military service branch facing Hemlock Lane. The final phase would incorporate memorial bricks honoring deceased veterans, purchased and installed by family members. Walsh emphasized that each phase would require separate board approval before proceeding.
The board discussed the possibility of hosting a ceremonial groundbreaking on Veterans Day if formal plans and insurance documentation cannot be finalized in time for actual construction before November 11. “We could do a groundbreaking. I don’t know if it would be too late in November. I don’t think the ground’s going to be frozen yet,” Selig said, suggesting the ceremony could mark the official launch of the project even if physical work would need to wait until spring.
Walsh selected the Nessralla family’s landscaping business to handle the construction, citing their contributions to the town. “We figured since it’s a Halifax project, we would use a Halifax site. We selected the Nessralla’s. They have done so much for the town,” Walsh explained. Former Selectman Naja Nessralla, who would head the project, has already expressed enthusiasm about participating in the memorial garden’s creation.
The board instructed Walsh to return to a future meeting with formal sketches or plans showing the proposed layout and footprint of the garden, along with documentation of insurance coverage. Assuming those requirements are met, the board indicated strong support for moving forward with the project.
“I think in theory, we’re all on board, obviously. It’s a great thing. Continuation of an excellent project,” Pratt said. Selig agreed, telling Walsh, “It’d be an honor to do it, Dave. Thank you for all your efforts.”
The discussion reflected the board’s effort to balance enthusiasm for honoring local veterans with due diligence on practical matters of insurance liability and long-term maintenance responsibilities. The Veterans Memorial Garden would be coordinated with Veterans Agent Steve Littlefield, though Walsh noted that Littlefield is currently deployed with the Army.
Dave Walsh will return to the Board of Selectmen with formal sketches of the proposed Veterans Memorial Garden layout and documentation of insurance coverage for the construction work. Once those materials are reviewed and approved, the VFW can proceed with the first phase of the memorial project. The board and VFW are exploring options for a ceremonial groundbreaking on Veterans Day, November 11, 2025, with potential completion in spring 2026 if construction cannot begin before winter. Future phases of the memorial project will require separate board approvals as they are developed.

Kingston officials are projecting the need for a Proposition 2 ½ override of just under $1 million for the fiscal year 2027 budget, according to a five-year financial forecast presented during a joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and Finance Committee.
Town Administrator Keith Hickey outlined the challenging financial landscape facing the town, which narrowly avoided an override last year by finishing with only $3,000 remaining in excess levy capacity.
‘Fiscal 27 is going to be a challenge, certainly,” Hickey said during the meeting. “We started ‘fiscal 26 when the budgets were approved of excess levy capacity of $1,775. So we spent almost every penny we had.”
The projected override amount drops significantly in subsequent years, with fiscal 2028 requiring only $209,000. The forecast shows excess tax levy capacity returning in fiscal years 2029 through 2031, ranging from $394,000 to $1.1 million.
The town’s financial challenges stem largely from limited new growth due to the recently lifted water moratorium. Hickey estimates new growth of about $1 million for fiscal 2028, maintaining that level through fiscal 2029 before declining in outer years.
“New growth, as I think everybody’s aware over the last couple years, has really slowed because of the water moratorium,” Hickey explained. “We expect that to start to pick back up now that the water moratorium has been lifted.”
The forecast assumes annual increases of 4.5% for state receipts and 2.75% for local receipts. Town wage increases are projected at 2% for fiscal years 2027 and 2028, then 3% for the following three years, with operating expenses increasing 1.5% annually.
School Committee member Jeanne Coleman highlighted additional budget pressures facing the district, particularly the loss of $800,000 in shelter funds that helped balance previous budgets.
“We’re looking at about a $5 million hole that we’re digging out of, to start,” Coleman said, referring to regional budget challenges. “Just knowing that, I think, in good faith, we can say, I think we need to have the honest conversation that in order to have a level service budget, we’re going to be looking at an override this year.”
The school department has already implemented an earlier budget timeline to address concerns about meeting town deadlines. Director of Finance and Operations Sarah Hickey said preliminary budgets from principals were due Oct. 1, with the goal of delivering a votable budget to school committees in December.
“Superintendent Proulx and I met in July to go over the budget timeline and we changed the budget timeline for this year because I knew that timeliness of the budget process was going to be crucial,” Sarah Hickey said.
Board of Selectmen Chair Eric Crone emphasized the importance of early communication about potential overrides, drawing from the town’s experience with previous budget challenges.
“If we do need an override this coming year, it might pass one year, but it’s not going to pass multiple years in a row,” Crone said. “So we’re going to have to look at a potential strategy of putting in enough money that would last just a couple of years or more.”
Selectman, and former Finance Committee member, Carl Pike stressed the need for realistic budget numbers and careful public communication about any potential override.
“I firmly believe that we’ll very apt to have to go to the town for a Proposition 2 ½ override,” Pike said. “But I don’t want to get everybody excited at an unrealistic number.”
Pike noted that while schools might successfully sell a $2 million override, larger amounts would face greater challenges with voters.
The town faces additional departmental requests beyond standard budget increases. Keith Hickey said the police department continues seeking additional staffing to meet community needs, which would require supporting supplies and equipment.
Officials acknowledged the complexity of budget planning given uncertainties in state aid, special education costs, and regional transportation funding.
“There’s so many things we don’t know like the schools,” Crone said. “You guys don’t know what the federal and state aid looks like for anything. Regional transportation, special ed. These things go up and down.”
The school department’s challenges include ongoing contract negotiations with both teachers and support staff, adding another variable to budget projections.
Finance Committee member Marsha Meekins noted the importance of explaining the rationale behind any override request to voters.
“I don’t think it’s just the amount. I think it’s also why,” she said. “I think the why part is probably the most important part of selling anything.”
The town has experienced mixed results with override attempts in recent years. School-related overrides have generally passed, while other municipal requests have faced more difficulty.
Officials plan to continue meeting throughout the budget process to refine projections and coordinate messaging. The forecast represents a living document that will be updated as more information becomes available about state aid and other revenue sources.
The town’s annual meeting timeline may also face scrutiny, as school officials consider requesting changes to budget submission deadlines to better align with state aid announcements and regional district requirements.
Hickey, who recently accepted the Town Administrator job in Fairhaven, emphasized the importance of maintaining communication between the three boards involved in budget decisions.
“I think it’s important for all the three boards to understand what’s happening and have that line of communication be maybe a little bit better than it has been in the past about what the challenges are,” he said.

Several key volunteers have resigned from Plympton town committees in recent weeks, creating what one Board of Selectmen member describes as “a bit of a crisis right now in town government.”
The chair of Plympton’s Town Properties Committee, Jon Wilhelmsen, announced his resignation after serving for over 25 years. He submitted his resignation to the Board of Selectmen effective Sept. 8. It was the first announced resignation for a Board of Selectmen meeting that would accept three more.
During the Sept. 3 Town Properties Committee meeting, Wilhelmsen explained his decision: “I’ve always focused on doing what’s best for the town and setting up long-term improvements, not getting caught up in local politics. But lately, it seems impossible to avoid the political side of things.”
Wilhelmsen’s frustration stems from recent debates about a new fire station proposal and ongoing town hall renovations. He specifically called out the leadership style of Chairman Dana Smith, referencing a recent Board of Selectmen meeting. “If this were a paid job, I’d be looking for a new one,” Wilhelmsen added.
Defending the committee’s work on the fire station, Wilhelmsen emphasized their commitment to quality and doing projects right the first time.
Committee member Ross MacPherson weighed in, saying, “We’ve relied on the ‘Plympton helping Plympton’ approach for the station’s design and construction. Without that, we’re left with just what we’ve done so far.”
The committee has voted to appoint Mark Wallis as the new chair, though it would be short lived.
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy announced four resignations during the Sept. 8 Board of Selectmen meeting, noting that “these contributions will be sorely missed.”
The resignations include Wilhelmsen from both the Town Properties Committee and the Plympton Historical Commission, Linda Leddy from the Conservation Commission, Ross MacPherson from the Town Properties Committee, and new chair Mark Wallis from the Town Properties Committee.
Board member Mark Russo expressed concern about the broader implications of losing experienced volunteers. “I, to some extent, think that it’s kind of a bit of a crisis right now in town government to be losing all those people,” Russo said. “So we have, we talk about it all the time, but boy, do we need to be recruiting. And there’s a lot to protect in this town. And it’s those kind of people that do the protection.”
Wallis, who attended the meeting in person, voiced frustration with what he perceived as lack of support for committee work. “Very disappointed in the comments and the support that we were given as a town properties committee,” Wallis said. “I don’t feel that we were… We did a lot of hard work and I don’t think it was appreciated.”
Wallis, who served 30 years on the fire department and worked on the building committee for the library in addition to his town properties role, emphasized his long commitment to the community. “I’ve given a lot of my career to this town,” he said.
The departures leave the five-member Town Properties Committee with only two remaining members. The committee has received expressions of interest from new volunteers, but formal appointments have not yet been made.
Leddy’s departure from the Conservation Commission represents a particularly significant loss, according to Russo, who praised her extensive conservation work. “This seat, which was held by Linda Leddy for I’m not quite sure how long, many, many years, the work that Linda did kind of turned it into a full-time job,” Russo said. “The preservation of several hundred acres in three different parks or conservation areas, largely led by Linda along the way.”
The board appointed Molly Hutt Wardwell to fill Leddy’s position on the Conservation Commission, effective Sept. 8 through June 30, 2027.
Linda Wallis addressed the board about the pattern of resignations. “Being the wife of someone on that committee, realizing the amount of time and effort and energy that goes into looking out for the interests of town property, and having this constant negative feedback that really is demoralizing to the people that are actively trying to make things better,” Wallis said.
She urged the board to investigate the underlying causes when multiple resignations occur simultaneously. “When you have resignations come in, that you make an attempt to talk to those people who are resigning and find out what has prompted that resignation,” she said. “Because to have that many people from a committee resign at the same time is a siren. There’s something going on that needs to be addressed.”
The resignations come amid ongoing discussions about communication challenges between town committees and residents. Board Chair Dana Smith acknowledged that communication has been a persistent issue but emphasized efforts to improve transparency through video recording of meetings.
“Communication and lack thereof between the community not understanding what these projects are, I see things as a great stride by putting these meetings out there,” Smith said. “Now people can see that.”
Recreation Committee and Library Trustee member Becky Archambeault spoke about the challenges facing volunteers in the current environment. “It’s very disheartening when you’re sitting on boards… You’re a volunteer and, you know, when things hash out on Facebook the way they did over the fire station, it can be very frustrating when you’re giving your time and doing that work,” Archambeault said.
She suggested the town consider working with a recruiter to help identify and engage new volunteers. “Maybe we speak to some kind of a recruiter… how do we open up that scope and get more people involved?” Archambeault said.
The volunteer shortage extends beyond the committees experiencing resignations. The board also announced that Dottie Martel is taking a leave of absence from Council on Aging activities, requiring the appointment of Deborah Batson as interim representative to Old Colony Elder Services.
Wallis suggested the board consider scheduling some meetings in the evening to accommodate working residents who cannot attend daytime sessions. “Have you considered doing, you know, like one night a week, a month?” Wallis asked. “Alternating between two and evening ones so it opens it up to more people.”
The Town Properties Committee, which oversees maintenance and improvements to municipal buildings, currently has authority over facilities including the town hall, old town house, and other municipal properties. The committee’s reduced membership comes as the town faces ongoing building maintenance issues, including basement moisture problems at the town hall that require professional testing.

The Halifax Fire Department received approval from the Board of Selectmen to create a paramedic-only position as the department grapples with severe staffing shortages that are impacting emergency response capabilities.
Fire Chief Michael Witham presented multiple solutions to address recruitment and retention challenges during the meeting, explaining that the department has lost 12 people in the past three years. The new paramedic-only position would pay between $26 and $30 per hour at the chief’s discretion, representing a $4 hourly increase from current paramedic pay.
“For the last few years when we just sponsored people, we don’t have the funding to pay them. So now I’m going to ask somebody to give up six months of their life and 240 hours of training or more, 270 hours with everything for $0. There’s not a lot of people interested in doing it,” the Chief said.
The paramedic-only employees would be limited to ambulance operations and cannot respond to fires since they lack Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications. They cannot operate pumps, enter burning buildings, or use self-contained breathing apparatus.
“The only function that they would have would be to drive the ambulance, work in the back of the ambulance, and then obviously come back and do the chores around the station,” Witham explained.
The department currently operates with three-person crews, but the chief acknowledged this creates challenges when the paramedic-only position is filled, leaving only two certified firefighters available for fire calls.
The Chief also proposed hiring paramedics and sending them to the fire academy, which would cost approximately $10,000 per person including wages during the 10-week training period and overtime costs to cover their shifts. To prevent new hires from leaving immediately after training, the department would require a two-year contract with financial penalties for early departure.
“The last two that I hired, within 24 hours they went to another department,” the chief said, highlighting the competitive nature of the current job market.
Sign-on bonuses represent another recruitment tool under consideration. Witham suggested offering $5,000 bonuses split between graduation from the academy and completion of the probationary period.
The staffing shortage has significant operational impacts. The department’s recall success rate sits at just 12 percent, forcing reliance on mutual aid from neighboring communities. Last year, Halifax had 90 mutual aid runs, representing approximately $234,000 in lost billing revenue.
“Every time that ambulance goes out with another community, we’re losing $2,600,” he explained.
The department has seen a 200-run increase compared to last year, with projections for an additional 400 to 500 runs annually due to the new walk-in clinic and planned community center development.
“That walk-in clinic, we went there three times the other day,” the Chief said, noting that most patients requiring transport include those with allergic reactions, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cardiac rhythm abnormalities.
Current staffing levels mean that when one ambulance transports a patient, only one crew member remains at the station. Transport calls typically take two hours, including evaluation, transport, and potential hospital wait times.
“By the time you get to someone’s house, evaluate, make the decision to transport, go to the hospital. If you have to get medications, sometimes you’re at the hospital 45 minutes waiting for a bed because it’s so busy,” Witham said.
The chief’s goal involves staffing four members per shift, which would allow operation of both a second ambulance and a fire truck simultaneously during emergencies.
Board Chair Jonathan Selig expressed support while acknowledging financial constraints. “I do think it’s going to take some creativity to try to figure this out, because in addition to your issue, we’re also facing a tough financial year coming up,” Selig said.
The chief assured the board that he would absorb costs within his existing budget until funds are exhausted, emphasizing that hiring the paramedic-only position at the higher rate remains more cost-effective than paying overtime at $60 per hour.
“I can absorb some of it for right now to take the burden off of what’s going on? Yes. But like I said to you, I might pay a little bit of money this way, but if I don’t and there’s nobody there, I’m paying time and a half at $60 an hour,” the Chief said.
The board unanimously approved creating the paramedic-only position with compensation up to $30 per hour at the chief’s discretion. The position will be developed with a formal job description and brought back for final salary determination.
Selig emphasized the importance of competitive compensation. “We have to, as a town, be somewhat competitive, right? I mean, to your point, we’ve had so many positions just open because we can’t attract people because we offer so low.”
The department’s challenges reflect broader regional trends, with surrounding communities like Carver paying paramedics between $29 and $35 per hour, and Plympton offering rates in the $30s depending on experience.
The Chief will work with the Finance Committee liaison to finalize position details and compensation structure before implementation.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen spent significant time at their August 18 meeting debating a Community Preservation Committee-approved project to replace the front entrance doors at the town house facing Palmer Road. The $60,000 project, already approved by both the CPC and town meeting, would replace deteriorating doors that are currently bolted shut due to weatherproofing issues.
Board Chair Dana Smith raised concerns about the expense, noting that the doors would serve no functional purpose since the building has two ADA-accessible entrances on either side. “It just seems to be a very steep price tag,” Smith said. “It’s still a door that’s not going to be utilized in this building.”
Fellow Selectman and CPC Chair Mark Russo defended the project, explaining that it represents historic preservation work that qualifies for Community Preservation Act funding. “This project was seen as the first step on much, much more that will have to be done up front,” Russo said. He emphasized the thorough vetting process, noting the project went through multiple meetings before town meeting approval.
The debate revealed tension between fiscal concerns and established municipal processes. Selectman Nathaniel Sides supported continuing the project despite cost concerns, stating, “I think the process was there. It was followed. It was followed to the T.” However, he suggested looking for ways to reduce costs by 20%.
Residents Art Morin and Deb Anderson participated in discussion about the town house door project. Morin suggested using Silver Lake vocational students to reduce costs, while Anderson defended the CPC process and emphasized that structural repairs justify the expense. Both highlighted the importance of fiscal responsibility while maintaining historic preservation standards.
Morin’s suggestion involving Silver Lake Regional High School’s vocational program gained support from other board members. “The vocational department has built houses from Metal Fab,” said Highway Superintendent Robert Firlotte, who attended the vocational school. “If you have an architect design it, they can do it.”
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy clarified that most of the project cost involves structural repairs around the doors rather than just door replacement. The doors are currently causing maintenance issues, with the custodian having to repeatedly clean up falling plaster and deal with plastic weatherproofing that blows down.
The board ultimately voted 2-1 to ask the Town Properties Committee to revisit the project “in a more fiscally responsible way and looking at things to be done outside the box.” Russo cast the dissenting vote, expressing concerns about setting a “horrible precedent” by second-guessing approved CPA projects.
In other significant business, the Highway Department received approval for a comprehensive update from Superintendent Robert Firlotte. The department finalized a new waste management contract with an 8% increase after initially rejecting a much higher proposal. Firlotte reported that Waste Management had initially sent “the wrong contract” with “huge” increases before providing acceptable terms.
The board also addressed several infrastructure projects, including catch basin replacement on Colchester Road and culvert work on Winnetuxet Road. Furlong reported that the department’s flail mower was totaled in an accident, with insurance providing $17,000 toward a $40,000 replacement.
Sides, recently elected after serving on the Finance Committee, expressed frustration with the annual line item transfer process. The board approved $139,683 in year-end transfers, with Sides noting that some departments exceeded their budgets by 6-8%. “That didn’t happen overnight,” he said, requesting quarterly budget updates to avoid surprises.
Looking ahead, Dennehy reported that Animal Inspector Brian Kling will retire in January 2026, giving the town time to find a replacement for the specialized position. She also announced completion of the town’s MBTA zoning compliance application and ongoing work to upgrade the municipal website to be mobile-friendly.

Halifax has lost a $61,608 Green Communities grant due to its non-compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, marking the first confirmed financial penalty the town faced for refusing to adopt required multifamily zoning, after redirecting a prior Silver Lake Regionalization Study grant to Kingston.
The Department of Energy Resources notified Interim Town Administrator Robert Fennessy that while Halifax was selected to receive the grant for energy efficiency projects in municipal and school buildings, the funds cannot be awarded due to the town’s non-compliant status under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A, Section 3A.
“Awards under this program are contingent upon a municipality being able to certify that it will comply with all applicable laws,” the department wrote in a letter to Fennessy. “To be eligible to receive awards under the Green Communities Competitive Grant Program, the town would need to remediate this noncompliance.”
The grant rejection comes as the state intensifies enforcement of the MBTA Communities Act. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities sent Halifax a formal non-compliance letter stating the town failed to submit a district compliance application by the July 14 deadline.
“Halifax remains non-compliant with Section 3A,” wrote Secretary Edward Augustus Jr. in the letter, which was copied to the town’s state legislative delegation. “As the Supreme Judicial Court held in Attorney General v. Town of Milton, compliance with the law is mandatory and enforceable by the Attorney General.”
Board of Selectmen Chair Jonathan Selig acknowledged the financial consequences were expected but said the town remains committed to its position.
“The town spoke. The Board of Selectmen is clear. We got the message loud and clear,” Selig said, referring to strong community opposition expressed at previous meetings. “We did warn the community that this is a distinct reality. It wasn’t a scare tactic. We just wanted to give those folks some foresight as to what was coming.”
Selectman Thomas Pratt called the grant loss “a formality” and said it came as “no surprise.”
“We kind of knew that’s where we were. We had some choices to make to get an interim compliance and we declined to do so,” Pratt said.
The town continues pursuing legal challenges to the MBTA Communities Act. Fennessy testified before the state legislature in July supporting three bills authored by Representative Ken Sweezey that would modify or repeal the act, though the bills have not advanced from committee.
Fennessy warned that more grant rejections may follow, noting that many applications now include compliance check boxes at the top.
“Unfortunately they know our status right now,” Selig said about the state’s awareness of Halifax’s position.
The MBTA Communities Act requires certain municipalities to create zoning districts allowing multifamily housing as-of-right. Halifax was required to zone for at least 1,750 new housing units but has refused to comply, joining a small number of communities statewide in active resistance to the law.
In other business, the board approved an Eagle Scout project by Paul Beauchesne to refurbish dugouts at the town’s minor baseball fields. The project will include cleaning, repairing, and painting the concrete dugouts, which Selig described as “lovingly referred to as the prison dugouts.”
“Those dugouts are really, really snug and really, really needing some TLC,” Selig said. The $500 project is expected to take about a week to complete.
The board also received an update on a veterans memorial honoring Josh Curtis, a Halifax resident who died in 2025. Veterans of Foreign Wars representative David Walsh said the polished granite bench is expected to arrive by late August or early September, with dedication planned for Veterans Day at 11 a.m.
“On the back it will say Joshua Aaron Curtis. Straight across. 1986 to 2025. Hero in combat. Hero in life,” Walsh said.
The board delayed action on a three-year asphalt rubber surface treatment contract with All States Construction after resident Frank Johnston questioned the lack of a not-to-exceed value in the agreement. The contract establishes unit prices for road work but does not cap total spending.
“I’ve never signed an open contract with no dollar value attached,” Johnston said. “It’s called a not-to-exceed and NTE attached to that contract.”
Board members agreed to table the matter until Highway Superintendent Steve Hayward can provide clarification at the next meeting.
The town received positive financial news with $555,544 in Chapter 90 highway funds from the state, including a supplemental allocation. Halifax also received the first payment of $93,655 from a PFAS lawsuit settlement with 3M, with additional payments expected over several years.
Fennessy said the PFAS settlement money, which could total around $400,000 for Halifax, will likely support ongoing landfill monitoring and maintenance costs.
The board approved library staffing arrangements for when Director Dylan Benoit takes paternity leave in late September. Maria Bumpus will serve as acting director at her previous interim rate, while Jean Gallant will provide substitute coverage at $18.88 per hour.
Halifax continues operating with an Interim Town Administrator while conducting a search for a permanent Town Administrator. Fennessy, who completed his first month in the role, praised the town staff and said he is “very excited to work here with these people.”