State Representative Kathleen LaNatra and Kingston Police Chief Brian Holmes are raising urgent concerns about the growing availability and use of kratom by minors in the region. Kratom, a substance derived from a Southeast Asian tree, is being sold openly in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores – with no age restrictions – and is increasingly ending up in the hands of teenagers.
“Too many parents have never even heard of kratom, and yet their kids can walk into a local store and buy it right off the shelf,” said Representative LaNatra. “We’ve seen firsthand how this substance is being marketed as a harmless herbal supplement when in reality it can lead to addiction, psychosis, and even fatal overdoses.”
Kratom is not regulated by the FDA and poses unique risks to adolescents, whose brains are still developing. It acts on the same receptors as opioids and can have sedative or stimulant effects depending on the dose. Regular use has been linked to dependence, withdrawal symptoms, liver toxicity, and seizures. In high doses or when mixed with other substances, kratom can cause respiratory depression, coma, or death.
Chief Holmes echoed the concern: “We’ve encountered young people in our community who are using kratom, unaware of how dangerous it really is. It’s flying under the radar, and that’s a serious problem. There are no safeguards in place – no age restrictions, no proper labeling, no public awareness. Regulating this substance should be a strong consideration towards community safety through legislative priority.”
Kratom is often sold in capsules, powders, or liquid shots and marketed as a “natural” solution for energy or focus, a message that resonates with vulnerable teens. Social media influencers and online content have further fueled its popularity among youth.
“This is a community health and safety issue,” said LaNatra. “We need to act before more kids get hurt.”
For more information on kratom and how to protect young people from its dangers, visit the Mayo Clinic’s guidance on the topic or contact the Kingston Police Department for local resources.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed Robert Fennessy as Interim Town Administrator July 1, selecting him from two candidates interviewed for the temporary position.
Fennessy, who most recently served as town administrator in Carver, brings more than 40 years of experience in municipal government, law enforcement, and legal practice to Halifax. His appointment is subject to successful contract negotiations and background checks.
“I have a ton of background in management,” Fennessy told the board during his interview. “I have kind of a collaborative management style. I make people feel respected and appreciated for what they do.”
The board conducted interviews with Fennessy and Ari Sky, a former Lakeville Town Administrator with extensive financial management experience. Both candidates emphasized their commitment to maintaining stability during the transition period while the town searches for a permanent administrator.
Fennessy’s career spans law enforcement, municipal administration, and legal practice. He began as a police officer with the MSPCA law enforcement division, working his way up to Deputy Chief before attending law school and establishing a private practice. He later became a professor at UMass Law School, teaching municipal law, animal law, and employment law.
His municipal experience includes serving as town administrator in Boylston, Kingston, and most recently Carver, where he worked as an Interim Administrator before accepting the permanent position. He also served six terms as a Selectman in Plainville.
“I look at managing, not managing people, but bringing them on board so they feel respected,” Fennessy explained. “Whether you work for a highway or, you know, being a custodian or a department head or a committee member, a board member, or even a volunteer. I mean, you’ve got to bring them to you and bring them into the fold, or else they’re going to be bucking you all the way.”
Board Chair Jonathan Selig noted that both candidates were strong choices with different strengths. Board member Thomas Pratt highlighted Fennessy’s varied background, including his police experience, legal training, and HR knowledge.
“I thought they were both strong with different strengths,” Pratt said during the board’s deliberation. “I think Bob was quite strong in his background in the police, police background, the legal background, the HR background, a lot of different hats.”
Fennessy emphasized his approach to interim positions differs from permanent roles. He focuses on supporting existing staff and maintaining operations rather than implementing major changes.
“I look at being an interim a lot differently than I look at being a permanent,” he said. “Interim, I want to make sure they know that I’m here to support the board and support the staff and make sure that they know that, that they can count on me to take care of things that come to my attention.”
The new interim administrator plans to begin by meeting with all department heads individually and conducting group meetings to understand current operations and needs. He stressed the importance of maintaining communication and ensuring no surprises for the board.
“The first thing I would do is get a lay of the land, you know, meet the staff here,” Fennessy said. “And a short time later I’d make sure we had a department head meeting to go through what is going on as a group.”
Fennessy stressed that he has experience with Massachusetts municipal law, open meeting law, and public records requirements.
“Having a legal mind that I have, I can read something and instantly meander through it and know what we have to do,” he said. “You’re not having a Town Administrator who has to call legal counsel all the time.”
The interim administrator expressed familiarity with the Halifax area, having worked with several MSPCA officers who lived in town during his law enforcement career. He and his wife recently visited Halifax to familiarize themselves with the community.
Fennessy indicated his availability extends through the duration of the search process, with one planned vacation to the Greek Islands in September. He proposed working 28 to 38 hours per week across four days, taking advantage of the town’s Friday closure.
Current Town Administrator Cody Haddad, whose last day is July 8, praised the positive changes in town culture over the past two and a half years and offered to assist with the transition.
“If you look at where the town was two and a half years ago to where it is now, it’s not close to the same period,” Haddad said. “The culture has totally changed. All positive.”
The board plans to enter executive session to discuss contract negotiations with Fennessy. Board members expressed confidence in both candidates but ultimately felt Fennessy’s well-rounded experience and familiarity with the region made him the best fit for the interim role.
Selig noted the stark improvement in candidate quality compared to the town’s previous administrator search three years ago, calling it “a breath of fresh air” and crediting Halifax’s improved reputation for attracting quality candidates.
The appointment comes as Halifax faces various municipal challenges, including potential budget pressures and ongoing development issues. Fennessy’s experience with budget processes and municipal operations positions him to help guide the town through the transition period while maintaining stability for residents and staff.

The Silver Lake Regionalization Study Committee voted unanimously June 18 to request a proposal from the UMass Boston Collins Center for Public Management to conduct a comprehensive study examining the feasibility of full regionalization across three school districts.
The committee, with representatives from Halifax, Kingston and Plympton, seeks to determine whether combining their elementary schools with the existing regional middle and high school structure could generate cost savings while maintaining educational quality.
“We owe it to our residents to see if there’s some efficiencies, to see if there’s a way we can run things a little bit tighter and smoother so that we might not be in a significant crunch as we may be in,” said Jonathan Selig, committee member from Halifax.
The study comes as the three communities face mounting budget pressures and questions about educational equity across the district. Currently, each town operates its own elementary schools through sixth grade, with students then attending the regional Silver Lake Regional Middle School and High School.
Committee members emphasized that no decisions have been made about regionalization. The study represents a fact-finding mission to provide concrete data for future decision-making.
“A lot of people have certain assumptions and the assumptions may or may not be correct,” said Jon Wilhelmsen, a committee member from Plympton. “So that’s really the goal. And I think the questions I think generally are around that and there’s some things that maybe branch out. So we’ll have to kind of corral that into different buckets.”
The Collins Center team, led by Director of Municipal Services Sarah Concannon and associates Anne Wilson and Bill Lupini, outlined their approach during the meeting. Wilson, a former superintendent of Sudbury Public Schools, and Lupini, who spent 25 years as a school superintendent, bring extensive experience in school district projects.
“We really need to understand your context, understand what you would like to get from this, and to really then look and analyze each of the areas,” Wilson explained. The study would examine efficiency questions, cost savings potential and educational quality impacts.
Superintendent Dr. Jill Proulx highlighted operational challenges the district currently faces with partial regionalization. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to present four separate plans to the state and work with four different communities to coordinate reopening strategies.
“I couldn’t in good conscience say, these students are going to be remote, but these students, it’s okay for them to come back hybrid,” Proulx said, describing the complexity of managing multiple jurisdictions during the health crisis.
The study will include extensive community engagement, with separate public forums planned for each town to capture distinct community values and concerns. Committee members recognized the three communities have different characteristics and priorities.
“Kingston is the whale, Halifax is the bass, and Plympton is the minnow,” Selig said, acknowledging size disparities among the communities. “So those ones that are the smallest are a little concerned that they get swallowed up by the whale here.”
Focus groups will include educators, central office staff, students, union representatives, and various municipal officials including selectmen and finance committee members. The committee also plans to engage taxpayers who don’t have children in the school system.
Educational equity emerged as a key concern driving the study. Halifax School Committee member Lori Costa-Cline expressed worry about ensuring equal educational opportunities across all three districts at the elementary level.
“A concern that I have and have had for a while as a Halifax school committee member is the equity in what education we provide in each of the three different school districts,” Costa-Cline said. She wants to ensure students are “equally prepared to be at the same level when they get to seventh grade.”
The Edward J. Collins Jr. Center operates as part of UMass Boston and has completed more than 1,200 projects for over 300 organizations since 2008. The organization can contract directly with public entities without requiring a competitive bidding process, which could expedite the timeline.However, the Collins Center team acknowledged they have not conducted a regionalization study exactly like what Silver Lake is requesting, though they have worked on
related projects examining cost efficiencies and organizational structures in regional school districts.
“Nothing exactly like what you all have done, which makes it fun,” Concannon said. “We can learn together.”
The study will examine multiple factors including transportation costs, administrative efficiencies, curriculum alignment, and potential impacts on state aid. Committee members want to understand both financial implications and effects on educational programming.
Bill Lupini emphasized the importance of demographic analysis and ensuring educational equity, drawing from his experience in New Hampshire where he worked with five different school districts feeding into one high school.
“How do we make sure as kids are coming to the high school that they have opportunities to take advantage of when they get there,” Lupini said, describing a key challenge in partially regionalized systems.
The committee hopes to receive preliminary findings during the upcoming budget season to inform planning discussions. A final report would ideally be completed before the next budget cycle begins in earnest.
The Collins Center will provide a draft proposal before the committee’s next meeting scheduled for July 9. Committee members stressed the importance of having factual information to guide future decisions rather than relying on assumptions about regionalization benefits or drawbacks.
“Knowledge is power,” said Costa-Cline. “We have assumptions, but we don’t have knowledge right now. So this sets a foundation of knowledge that we can then share with the community.”

The Kingston Fire Department celebrated new leadership and fresh talent June 17 as Fire Chief Mark Douglass conducted a pinning ceremony promoting Joshua Hatch to Captain and swearing in four new Firefighter/Paramedics who completed their one-year probationary periods.
Hatch earned his promotion through a competitive assessment center process held last fall in anticipation of Captain Susan Hussey’s retirement. The examination included written components and practical assessments designed to evaluate candidates’ overall abilities.
“Joshua Hatch ranked highest in this process and became eligible for promotion to captain after completion,” the chief said during the ceremony at the Board of Selectmen meeting. Hatch was promoted May 27 and takes Captain Hussey’s place on group three.
Hatch’s wife Stephanie and children Nora and Caleb participated in the pinning ceremony, with his family presenting him with his captain’s badge.
Chief Douglass thanked Captain Hussey for her 27 years of dedicated service to Kingston, noting she was not present because “she doesn’t like public recognition and clapping.”
Four Firefighter/Paramedics also received recognition for completing their probationary periods and meeting all entry-level requirements. The new firefighters include Elizabeth Ewell, Mark Leary, Patrick O’Donovan and Caroline Reed.
Ewell was pinned by her wife Lorna and sons Carter and Preston. Leary received his badge from his father, retired Weymouth Fire Chief Robert Leary. O’Donovan was joined by his wife Lisa and children Liam and Clara, while Reed was pinned by her father, Kingston Firefighter James Reed.
The Chief explained that all new Kingston Firefighters must be certified as paramedics before being hired, an educational process taking one to two years that includes exten- sive classroom hours coupled with hospital and field internships.
“Once hired, new members are sent to the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy for 12 weeks of rigorous classroom and practical training in all aspects of firefighting,” Douglass explained. “Once that is complete, they return to Kingston and commence training in all aspects of the Kingston Fire Department and the town of Kingston.”
Assistant Town Clerk Janna Morrissey conducted the swearing-in ceremonies, administering the oath to each.
The chief noted that pinnings are conducted to recognize the extensive preparation required for firefighting and emergency medical services in the community.
In other business, the Kingston Board of Selectmen continues to explore establishing a Department of Public Works following feedback from residents at a public hearing on June 17, with the next meeting scheduled for July 29.
The proposal would consolidate the town’s Highway, Water, and Sewer Departments under a single DPW Director while maintaining the existing water and sewer commissions as elected policy-making bodies.
“We really have a structure that’s holding us back,” said Board Chair Eric Crone during the public hearing. “We have three different organizations in our town that can do road work. And there doesn’t have to be any cooperation between those departments.”
Currently, Kingston’s highway, water, and sewer departments operate independently with limited coordination requirements. The proposed structure would create a public works director overseeing daily operations while preserving the water and sewer commissioners’ roles in policy-making, rate setting, and capital planning.
“The existing teams would remain with some improved leadership, centralized leadership, and coordination,” Crone explained during his presentation.
The proposal failed at the spring town meeting by 10 votes, prompting Selectmen to schedule additional public meetings to address community concerns and gather feedback.
Town Administrator Keith Hickey explained that the DPW director would handle day-to-day operations and could assign work during emergencies, but licensed Water and Sewer employees would continue their specialized roles 99% of the time.
Water Treatment Plant Operator David Saper, who has served 25 years, praised the current management structure’s rapid response capabilities.
“One of the reasons I’ve always loved serving on the Water Department is because of the management structure that we have,” Saper said. “No matter what time of day or night, Chris always picks up the phone. Chris has a plan of action.”
Selectman Carl Pike expressed reservations about the proposal, citing concerns about budget impacts and the independence of water and wastewater departments.
“I personally like having some independence for the Water Department and the Wastewater Department,” Pike said. “I believe that somebody else out here has already hit upon it, that the town administrator and the Board of Selectmen have to take some responsibility for coordinating.”
Pike also criticized bringing the proposal back so soon after town meeting rejection, calling it “absolutely abhorrent to even think about bringing this to the fall town meeting.”
The working group identified several benefits of the DPW model, including faster project coordination, stronger accountability, cross-trained staff for emergency response, and better use of taxpayer dollars. Many similar-sized Massachusetts towns have successfully implemented DPW structures.
Crone acknowledged that the proposal needs refinement based on community feedback.
“We have some things that we are working on that we’re not done with,” he said. “We want to hear what everybody thinks, what questions people have, what things we need to figure out.”
The selectmen plan to meet with department superintendents and continue gathering community input before the next public hearing on July 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Justin Evans
Express correspondent
The Halifax Board of Selectmen welcomed new member Bill Smith and unanimously approved a host community agreement for a solar project during their May 27 meeting. Smith, a former Finance Committee member and local police chief, joins Chair Jonathan Selig and Vice Chair Thomas Pratt on the newly reorganized board.
“I promise to do my best. In my opinion, all three of us are equal partners in this,” Selig said after being named chair. “I look forward to working with them. I look forward to getting our hands dirty and trying to lead the town through good times and bad.”
The board approved a request from NuGen Capital to serve as host community for a 1.6 megawatt solar project at 69 Summit Street. The project had previously been denied under the state’s SMART program but can proceed under the net metering program with the town’s support.
Laura Frazier, managing director of business development and strategy at NuGen Capital, explained that the company needs the town to become a “host customer” to secure cap allocation in the net metering program.
“The net metering program is still, there’s still enough capacity available to place this project into the net metering program,” Frazier said. “What we are asking is if you can help us help this homeowner and this landlord help us save the project.”
Frazier assured the board that becoming a host customer carries no financial obligation or cost to the town. The arrangement would require the town to sign documents as an administrator, with NuGen Capital handling the paperwork.
Town Administrator Cody Haddad noted that while there doesn’t seem to be a negative aspect to the agreement, the board should consider whether it sets a precedent for future requests.
“You could have other private developers. It sounds like the cap is almost there, so you might not run into that issue. But if there were more capacity, you could have other private companies come in and look for the town to be a host for this,” Haddad said.
The solar project has already received all necessary approvals from town boards, including Planning, Zoning, and Conservation. Frazier estimated the project would generate significant tax revenue for the town, noting that NuGen’s existing Halifax solar project pays $45,500 annually under its PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreement.
Pratt emphasized the potential financial benefit to the town.
“If it’s passed A, B, C, and X, Y, Z, and now they’re just looking for a way to get to the finish line, and it means tax revenue for a town that is facing an override,” Pratt said. “I don’t know that it’s responsible for us to deny something that’s gotten this far.”
The board also discussed forming a committee to investigate a potential Proposition 2 1/2 override, citing financial challenges faced by many towns in the area.
“I think it’s no secret that going forward, essentially almost every town in our area is facing financial struggles,” Selig said. “Several have had overrides put on the ballot. If they haven’t already, they will be, probably in the following year.”
Selig suggested creating a committee with representatives from the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, school committees, and citizens at large to explore cost-saving measures and revenue-generating ideas.
“My thought was, does the board have any appetite to start some sort of committee to start investigating the possibility?” Selig asked. “To me, to wait until January or February to try to tackle this, when we know it’s likely coming, I think seems a little short-sighted.”
Smith and Pratt expressed support for the idea, with Smith noting, “The more people that are involved, get more opinions. It’s definitely, I believe, going to be happening, an override.”
Pratt emphasized the importance of public education about a potential override.
“I think maybe the biggest thing that a group like this could provide is just repeated and advancing education as we get closer. What it looks like, what it feels like, what impact it will have,” Pratt said.
Haddad cautioned that the committee would need clear direction and noted the town’s limited options for revenue growth.
“We’re geographically challenged in Halifax. So our revenue is sometimes new growth is challenging,” Haddad said. “There’s not a lot of options for local revenue growth that can be done at the local level.”
The board agreed to have Selig research the committee concept further and bring recommendations to a future meeting.
In other business, the board:
– Approved a revised purchasing and procurement policy, increasing the threshold for purchase orders from $2,500 to $5,000
– Authorized a contract amendment with Tighe & Bond for landfill monitoring, including PFAS testing, for $19,900
– Appointed Smith as the town’s representative to GATRA (Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority)
– Approved an agreement with Maria Bumpus to serve as Acting Library Director and a consulting agreement with former Director Jean Gallant
– Authorized a revised agreement with Lighthouse Legal Services for HR services
The board also heard an update on the regionalization study involving Halifax, Plimpton, and Kingston. Selig reported that the Collins Center will meet with the committee on June 18 to discuss the process, with the study being funded through a grant at no cost to the town.

Justin Evans
Express correspondent
The Kingston Board of Selectmen is revisiting plans to establish a Department of Public Works (DPW) after a previous proposal fell short at town meeting. The board discussed holding public hearings and gathering feedback from town employees and residents before potentially bringing a revised proposal to a future town meeting.
During their May 20 meeting, board members agreed to schedule a public hearing for June 17 at 5:30 p.m., just before their regular meeting, to present information about the proposed DPW and collect community input.
“We need to have some public hearings or informational sessions,” said Board Chair Eric Crone. “People were saying they’re just hearing about it now. It’s a big thing that people were just hearing about and they want to hear more about it.”
The board previously attempted to establish a DPW but fell short of the necessary votes at town meeting. Board members believe providing more information and addressing concerns raised by residents and department staff could lead to a different outcome.
The previous proposal would combine the Streets, Trees, and Parks Department with the Water Department, Sewer Department, and Facilities under one Public Works Director. It fell just short at Town Meeting.
“We were close, but we had unanswered questions. So let’s try to get some answers to some of the questions we already have and have these discussions,” said Vice Chair Kim Emberg.
New board member Carl Pike expressed concern about bringing the proposal back too quickly.
“I’m not in favor of bringing this back in the fall Town Meeting. I never like having regular Town Meeting turn something down and then coming charging right back in at a Special Town Meeting,” Pike said.
However, other board members noted that many residents approached them after Town Meeting saying they would have changed their votes with more information.
The board also discussed meeting with town employees from affected departments to hear their concerns. Fire Chief Mark Douglass cautioned the board about putting employees in a difficult position if these meetings are recorded, as some work for political boards that oppose the DPW.
“You’ve got two departments that run with commissioners. They have a fairly dedicated group of employees,” Chief Douglass said. “To put those employees in a room and record them, you’re putting them in a very difficult spot.”
The board agreed to work with Town Administrator Keith Hickey to arrange appropriate meetings with staff.
In other business, Town Planner Valerie Massard presented four grant applications seeking board support. The applications include:
– A joint application with Duxbury for funding to complete engineering design for Exit 20 ramps and the Tarkiln Road/Big Y intersection
– A community planning grant to update the town’s master plan
– A brownfield redevelopment cleanup grant for the old fire station at 10 Maple Street
– A coastal resiliency grant for improvements to the wharf, parking, and harbormaster’s office at the town landing
“It’s grant season, so we’re hunting,” Massard said.
The board unanimously approved supporting all four grant applications.
Police Chief Brian Holmes requested $18,000 from the town’s opioid settlement funds for Plymouth County Outreach (PCO), a program that provides support services for people struggling with substance use disorders.
Representatives from PCO, including Director Vicky Butler and Hanover Police Chief Tim Kane, presented information about the program’s success in reducing overdose deaths in Plymouth County.
“Our program started with post-overdose follow-up. So we partner with law enforcement. Anytime someone overdoses within any of our Plymouth County communities, we’re going to go out as soon as possible,” Butler explained.
Chief Kane added, “Our officers go out there now and they respond to a scene somewhat of what I responded to in the early part of my career, and now they leave this family with a little bit of hope that they didn’t have otherwise.”
The board unanimously approved the $18,000 transfer from the opioid settlement fund, which currently has a balance of $177,000.
The board also approved:
– A request from the Agricultural Commission to use the townhouse gazebo for a produce sharing program
– A one-day liquor license for 42nd Brew Company for an event on June 7
– Setting October 28 as the date for a special town meeting
– Several donations to the Police Department and Council on Aging
– Seasonal employee appointments for the Recreation Department
Town Administrator Hickey reported that the town is switching from Blackboard Connect to Code Red for its emergency notification system, which will save more than $10,000 annually. He also noted that the town is working on software to allow residents to purchase transfer station permits online.
Hickey announced that Fire Captain Susan Hussey is retiring on July 10, and Assistant Treasurer Nick Derbes has resigned effective June 4.

Justin Evans
Express correspondent
The Plympton Board of Selectmen reorganized its leadership structure during its May 19 meeting, with Dana Smith taking over as chair, Nathaniel Sides as vice chair, and Mark Russo as clerk.
The leadership transition came following recent town elections that saw changes to the board’s composition, including the departure of longtime member John Traynor.
Outgoing Vice Chair Mark Russo, who nominated Smith for the position of chairman, noted that his own time on the board may be limited as his house is currently on the market.
“I am glad to continue to serve sort of in a transitional role, particularly because a couple of the selectmen that had long-term experience are no longer with us,” Russo said. “But at some point when we get to closing, town council has advised me I’ll have to resign.”
Russo offered to continue attending meetings from the audience after his resignation to provide institutional knowledge and assist with the transition. He also volunteered to cover any expenses should a special election be needed to fill his seat.
In his parting remarks as Vice Chair, Russo emphasized the importance of “comity” – courteous and considerate behavior – in town governance.
“When I started out as a selectman 11 years ago, 12 years ago, we were the antithesis of that. One of the main reasons I initially ran for selectman was to promote some courtesy and transparency, and I think over the last decade we’ve done a great job on that,” Russo says.
Smith, accepting the chair position, acknowledged the board’s faith in him and noted the positive engagement from townspeople.
“We’ve actually seen more interaction at these town meetings or the selectmen’s meetings,” Smith said. “It was good to see people being interactive as far as our town government, and I always encourage that, or otherwise I wouldn’t be up here myself.”
Newly elected Selectman Nathaniel Sides expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve.
“I do appreciate the trust that the citizenry has placed in me and I appreciate their support and I look forward to serving the town to the best of my ability,” Sides said.
Sides also acknowledged Traynor’s service, noting that while they “did not always see eye to eye on things,” they shared a commitment to doing what’s best for the town.
The board received an update from Town Administrator Liz Dennehy on the status of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Dennehy reported that while all county funds have been received, several projects remain in progress.
“We have a few projects for Silver Lake, specifically for the HVAC work at the high school and some HVAC work at the middle school,” Dennehy explained. “They’ve only invoiced us for a small portion, so we’re still sitting on those funds basically.”
Another ongoing ARPA-funded project involves drilling wells for the town complex’s public water supply. This project falls under the Town Properties Committee’s oversight, with completion expected by September.
“I think it would probably be wise for this board to get an update from Town Properties, maybe for the June 9 meeting,” Dennehy suggested. “I personally would feel better once those funds are completely expended in the manner that they were authorized by the county.”
Dennehy confirmed that the town has fulfilled its obligations to the U.S. Treasury regarding ARPA funds, having committed all funds before the December 2024 deadline.
The board also addressed several vacancies on town committees, including two on the Town Properties Committee following Traynor’s resignation from that body. The board plans to create a comprehensive social media post outlining all committee vacancies to encourage citizen participation.
“I think if we put it out there that people being interested and so forth on those boards, if we made it not just that, but that any of them that are interested in even giving some information on what those boards specifically do and what it entails and so forth, I think it would be very helpful on social media,” Smith said.
Russo noted that the Town Properties Committee in particular “needs some really talented and savvy people” and suggested the board may need to “restructure what the mission of that organization is and what the communication is and actual authority is.”
The board also acknowledges the success of a recent town meeting, with Russo sharing feedback from Town Counsel John Eichman.
“He came up to me and said, I’ve been to a lot of town meetings and I’ve never seen anything this calm and quiet and actually productive along the way,” Russo recounts.
The meeting adjournedLasell University Students Named to Spring 2025 Dean’s List
NEWTON, MA (05/21/2025)– The Spring 2025 Dean’s List includes students who have completed at least 12 credits as a full-time student in that semester and have achieved a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Sarah Mendes of Halifax MA
Morgan Healy of Kingston MA
For more information contact: Ian Meropol, Chief Communications Officer, at 617-243-2150, or imeropol@lasell.edu.
NOTE: You are receiving this press release because the student or their parents are from your area. This press release above was prepared for: Editor – Plympton-Halifax Express.
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Students named to Dean’s List during the Spring 2025 semester. : http://app.readmedia.com/news/attachment/213528/Image-26.png.jpeg

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after 27 minutes, with the next regular meeting scheduled for June 9.

Elections were held this past Saturday, May 17 for Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton. Highlights and results are below. Please note that these represent the preliminary results as of Monday, May 19.
Halifax
Several of the races on the Halifax ballot were uncontested. Running uncontested, Robert Mullen won a three-year seat on the Board of Assessors, Jessica Page won a three-year term on the Halifax Elementary School Committee, Holly P. Dillon won a two-year term and Christina Palmer a one-year term to the Board of Library Trustees. Additionally, Bruce Sylvester won a five-year term to the Planning Board, Donald Alger Bosworth won a three-year term to the Board of Water Commissioners and Mark Helisek a three-year term to the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. Candice Greene also won a three-year term on the Board of Health.
There were several contested races as well including a coveted seat on the Board of Selectmen. William Smith defeated former Selectman Gordon Andrews to fill the three-year term left vacant when longtime Selectman John Bruno completed his sixth (non-consecutive) term.
There were three candidates for two openings for three-year terms as Constable. Thomas Hammond and Jake Okerfelt narrowly defeated Michael Schleiff to win the seats. There were also three candidates for two three-year terms to the Board of Library Trustees. Ultimately, Rodney Hemingway was defeated, and the seats went to Erin Nagle and Susan Hill.
The final contested race was for a three-year term to the Halifax Housing Authority. As of Monday, May 19, both Amy L. Troup and Lori Costa-Cline were recorded as having received 24 votes apiece. There were 544 ballots left blank for the position. Halifax Town Clerk Susan Lawless told the Express that if the candidates remain tied once the results are certified, the Halifax Housing Authority and the Board of Selectmen will meet jointly to appoint one of them.
Kingston
Kingston’s town election saw an extraordinarily low voter turnout with just four percent of the residents voting. Carl Pike won a seat on the Board of Selectmen for a three-year term defeating opponent Jesse Pyne. With two openings on the Regional School Committee and just two names on the ballot, both Amy Cortright and Megan Garrity Cannon won three-year terms.
Jesse Keith was the only candidate on the ballot for two open three-year terms on the Kingston Elementary School Committee. There were 13 write-in candidates, however, including Sheila Marie Vaughn who won the second seat with a decisive 85 votes. Notably, Timothy Fitzgibbon received 52 write-in votes while none of the other write-ins received more than two votes.
In one of the only contested races, Rosemary Donahoe won a three-year term on the Board of Health over candidates Joseph Casna Jr. and William Kavol.
Uncontested races included Kenneth Stevens for a two-year seat as Assessor, Robert James Erlandsen for a three-year term as Water Commissioner, Joseph Paul Cunningham Jr. for a three-year seat on the Recreation Commission, and Elaine Fiore as Water Commissioner for a three-year term. Both Emily Bruce and Andrew Kostka were named to three-year terms as Library Trustees. Robert Short and Gregory Charles Zec were named Constable for three-year terms.
While the Planning Board didn’t have anyone officially on the ballot, there were 24 write-in candidates and a three-way tie for a five-year term. The Kingston Town Clerk’s office explained that in the case of a write-in tie, the Board of Selectmen in conjunction with the Planning Board will appoint someone. They will choose between Paul Basler, Robert Gosselin Jr., and Norm Harbinson who received three write-in votes each.
In another contest with no official candidates, a three-year term for Assessor was won by Michael Martin who received the most write-in votes of 15 names submitted.
Plympton
Plympton had a significantly higher voter turnout with 30 percent of registered voters casting ballots.
In the one true contested race, incumbent Selectman John Traynor lost his seat to Nathaniel Sides who will serve the three-year term. Another unexpectedly contested race popped up for a three-year term to the Plympton Elementary School Committee where write-in Alex Ritter received 18 votes to candidate Brian Wick’s 60 votes.
Uncontested races included Dean Jafferian for a three-year term as Assessor, Jared Anderson for a three-year term to the Board of Health, and Michael Lemieux and Steven Lewis each to three-year terms on the Finance Committee. Several Library Trustee seats were taken including a two-year term which went to James Lundgren and two three-year terms for Daniel Cadogan and Lillian Ferguson.
Barry DeCristofano won the three-year term for Moderator and Paul D’Angelo Jr. won a five-year term on the Planning Board. Jason Fraser will also serve another three-year term on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. While no candidate appeared on the ballot for a one-year term as Constable, write-in Peter Klemme did receive 12 votes.
Plympton also voted down the debt exclusion needed to fund the design, construction, equipping, and furnishing of a new Fire Station. The Town Properties Committee has been working on the town-wide campus project including the new Fire Station plans and determined that renovating the existing station would ultimately prove costly and impractical. If the debt exclusion passed, it would have meant, on average, an increase of about $470 annually for taxpayers.

Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Kingston Public Schools is implementing a new mathematics curriculum for grades K-8 starting next school year, following an extensive review process by a committee of teachers and administrators.
The district has selected HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) as its new math program after comparing it with another highly-rated curriculum option, iReady.
“HMH was the one that was highly rated across the board by the teachers in each one of the categories,” said Assistant Superintendent Tricia Clifford, who presented the curriculum update at the May 5 School Committee meeting.
The curriculum change comes as the district’s contract with enVision, its current K-5 math program, expires this spring. The Big Ideas program used for grade 6 will expire next year.
Committee members evaluated both HMH and iReady using a rubric and rating sheets, with HMH emerging as the clear preference. Teachers noted that students found the HMH lessons “more engaging and easier to access” than the alternative.
“We went with HMH in part because the student usability was much better than the other program we reviewed,” said Brian DeSantes the District’s K-6 Curriculum Coordinator.
The district has already begun planning for implementation, with professional development sessions scheduled for this summer and throughout the next school year.
“Choosing a program is important, but the implementation is as important because that is really where we’re going to see it happen in the classroom,” Dr. Clifford explained.
The initial investment for the new curriculum is included in next year’s budget. While the first year will require the largest expenditure for materials, costs are expected to decrease in subsequent years.
The first year cost for the curriculum is $103,000, but the committee expects that to drop going into years 2 and 3 of the contract.
In other school news, Kingston Elementary School Principal Dr. Kerri Whipple reported that 111 students are currently registered for kindergarten for the upcoming school year.
“I connected with all – majority of the local preschools. I’m visiting two more tomorrow,” Dr. Whipple said. “I send them all the kindergarten information. So I’ve done a ton more outreach than I have before and trying to build those relationships with the local preschools.”
Dr. Whipple expressed enthusiasm about these outreach efforts, stating, “I’m having, like, a blast. I don’t want to leave. It’s, like, the best hour when I get to go there to visit them.”
The elementary school also presented positive data on student achievement. Dr. Whipple reported improvements in reading scores across multiple grade levels.
“If you look at last winter to this winter, we’re at 15% increase, which is awesome,” she said regarding first-grade DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) scores. “And I think that has a lot to do with our literacy instruction.”
“We’re teaching OG [Orton-Gillingham] every single day in every single classroom. We’re doing Hegarty. It’s a huge multisensory approach to learning,” Dr. Whipple explained. “I mean, honestly, I am in there, and I’m learning so much. We weren’t taught this way.”
Kingston Intermediate School (KIS) Principal Andy Materna also presented data showing improvements in reading scores but noted that math remains an area of focus.
“We’ve been static in math. We’ve been static in math for a number of years now, and we’re focused on math,” Materna said.
To address this, KIS has already made adjustments to its schedule to allow more time for math instruction. The new district-wide curriculum is expected to further support these efforts.
Both schools are also enhancing their transition programs for students moving between buildings. KIS and KES are collaborating on a second-to-third grade transition night to help families prepare for the move to the intermediate school.
“I’m really excited for it, to start meeting these families,” Materna said. “I’ve gone over to lunch, to the second grade lunch, to meet those kids and hung out with Mr. G. side-by-side. Just that little bit of facetime with students, little things like that.”
The district is also developing a comprehensive literacy plan focusing on five key areas: leadership, assessment, tiered instruction, professional learning, and family engagement.
“As we embark on something as large scale, as looking at curriculums, looking at professional development, all of these things, it’s very advantageous to have a strategy behind who, what, when, where, and how,” Dr. Clifford explained.
The literacy plan will guide the district as it begins reviewing English Language Arts curriculum options in the fall, with potential implementation in the 2026-27 school year.
In other business, the committee approved making information available about a free DARE summer camp for students entering grades 5 and 6. The camp, sponsored by the Kingston Police Department, will be held July 28 through August 1 at Whitman-Hanson.
The committee also mentioned the need to move scholarship funds into an interest-bearing account to enable the awarding of the Fonts scholarships, which haven’t been distributed for about five years due to lack of interest income.
The last day of school for Kingston students is scheduled for Friday, June 13, with the next School Committee meeting set for July 7.