The Plympton Board of Selectmen met remotely on Monday, June 6. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy led the discussion on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. She told the Selectmen that there is approximately $560,000 expected from the County, of which approximately $140,000 has been received. She said that they are also expecting around $312,000 in local ARPA money, of which roughly a third has been received. Dennehy told the Selectmen that a lot of the restrictions had been removed from the local ARPA money. Another $115,000 should be received specifically for roadways. Additionally, $250,000 will be coming in the form of a downtown recovery grant. Dennehy said she was trying to figure out what limitations may be put on those specific funds.

Regarding the funds, Dennehy said that it may be a good idea to select some projects to put into the queue now so that the town can secure their place in line despite not having received the full allotment of the funds just yet.  She also said that she felt it best that they use the funding sources available for large scale projects rather than smaller ones. The projects and associated costs discussed include $188,000 for HVAC for Silver Lake Regional, $148,000 for HVAC at Dennett Elementary, $40,000 for pipe lining at the Town House, $125,000 for the replacement of the Town House generator, and $50,000 for entrance upgrades at the Town House. A few smaller projects mentioned included $10,000 for flooring at the Old Town House and $7,500 for interior backroom restoration at the Old Town House. A placeholder was also included for $20,000 for upgrades at the Dennett beyond those being done already with the transfers voted on at the most recent Town Meeting. The other large projects that could potentially be explored are the roofs at the Fire Station and Library and the completion of the roof at Town House.  The plan is for the Town Properties Committee to work through the projects and update the Selectmen as appropriate.

Selectman Mark Russo, who said he is enthusiastic about the new generator, asked if the County has a say in which projects can be completed with the ARPA funding. “Yes, they have a very robust approval process,” Dennehy explained. She said that projects get vetted by a couple of different private firms before being approved. She also noted that there is “something scary” about doing a large project without knowing for sure that it will be green-lighted by the County. Selectman John Traynor said that anecdotally he had heard of a few towns being audited after the fact for some CARES Act expenditures. Dennehy said that she believed the funds would have to be spent by 2024. Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen said, “I feel that there is a sense of urgency to move even though 2024 sounds like a long way away.”

61 Upland Rd./Borrego Solar

There was a discussion of the property at 61 Upland Road that is currently owned by Crescent Moon Cranberry, LLC. Dennehy told the Selectmen that she held meetings with the Project Developer at Borrego Solar, Zachary Farkes and others, to try to figure out a way that should the town amend the agreement to enter into a pilot agreement and allow solar on the property, there would be 60 acres that would be under a conservation restriction. The idea came of a discussion during the previous Selectmen’s meeting where they sought to pursue options to protect the surrounding land from development. They were able to come to an agreement that the remaining 115 acres would also remain in either agricultural, conservation, or passive recreation in perpetuity. Joy said that the new agreement provided her a sense of relief should the town decide to enter into a pilot agreement to have solar installed. “I think it’s a win-win for both of us,” Joy said. “I’m pretty excited about the outcome,” Russo agreed.

North Carver Redevelopment Project

Dennehy and the Selectmen discussed ongoing issues with heavy truck traffic on Montello St. resulting from the North Carver Redevelopment Project. Several residents were on the call for the discussion. Dennehy said she had been communicating with officials from Carver and that based on those discussions, the main trucking company knew they shouldn’t be using Montello St. for heavy truck traffic. She did note that it was possible that some of the non-regular drivers may not have gotten the memo. Dennehy said that signage would be reinstituted, and a police detail would be present during construction hours. She also said that a barrel would be placed in the middle of the road to deter the trucks. “I think we had all hoped it would be an easier fix; unfortunately, we go a few days where things get better and then it starts with the heavy truck traffic again,” Dennehy said.

The Carver Highway Director will be meeting soon with Plympton’s Highway Superintendent to see what they can do financially to assist with fixing the portion of the roadway damaged from the heavy truck traffic. Dennehy also said that the town is actively pursuing getting a consultant on board to look at the big picture impact of the project on Plympton. Joy said that they are working on getting counsel on board as well to make sure that the town is within their legal rights with any action they take. Regarding the police detail, Russo said, “this is one more expense for a little tiny town that we shouldn’t be taking care of.” He did acknowledge that for the time being, it looks as though Plympton will have to use their own Police for the detail.

Residents on the call were urged to share their contact information so that they can be part of a mailing list for residents who want to be kept up to date on any updates on the redevelopment project as they become available. One resident on the call said that he stopped one of the drivers of the trucks and was told that he was being advised to use Montello St. “They obviously don’t listen, and they don’t really care if they are being told by their supervisor to keep using the road,” the resident said.

Town of Hanson Regionalization Opportunity

Jason Fraser, who is a member of both the Plympton Elementary School Committee as well as the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, attended the meeting to speak to the exploration of an opportunity to regionalize with Hanson. Fraser made it clear that he would not be taking a position on the matter that night as either a resident of the town or a member of the School Committees. He provided background on the issue saying that several years ago it was found that Whitman-Hanson had been using an inappropriate formula to calculate assessments. As a result, they ended up applying the statutory method which created a substantial swing in Whitman’s favor of nearly a million-dollar difference on paper. Hanson brought in a consultant and formed an exploratory committee to investigate the feasibility of de-regionalization. They were presented with three options – fully separate from Whitman, remain regionalized only at the high school level, or maintain the status-quo.

Fraser pointed out that should Hanson elect to break completely with Whitman, it would likely cost them substantially both in terms of finances and student services. He also said that the town could face years of litigation noting that when Pembroke left Silver Lake, they faced a decade of litigation. Fraser said that should Hanson wish to regionalize with Silver Lake, all three towns would have to agree to it. Fraser noted that the earliest the separation could occur would be 2025.

Fraser also brought two other matters before the Selectmen. He said that with the help of Town Meeting and the Selectmen, Plympton established a special education reserve fund. He said that he filed a resolution with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) to increase the maximum allowed to be placed in that fund from 2 percent of net school spending to 5 percent. Fraser told the Committee that this would allow more money to be moved into the fund in a year where excess was available so that say a student moves into town mid-year with substantial needs, those could be met without decimating the budget.

He also posed the idea of a revolving fund for the regional assessment. He said that the creation of the fund would be established through town meeting. He said that in his time on the School Committee, Plympton’s assessment has been as high as 10.17 and as low as negative 7. The average assessment in recent years has been around 2.6 percent. “This reserve fund would allow us to level out those peaks and valleys,” Fraser explained. Money could be saved in a year where the assessment was low to be spent in a year where the assessment is high.

Town Administrator’s Updates

Dennehy said that she had a successful meeting at the Dennett to discuss school security including some potential upgrades. She also said that she had a successful department head meeting the previous week which she described as a good opportunity to get everyone on the same page. She said these meetings will be held on the first Thursday of every month.

Dennehy also asked the Selectmen to formally accept the resignation of Chair of the Finance Committee Nathaniel Sides. During their previous meeting all the Selectmen had indicated that they hoped he would reconsider but he did not. They voted to accept the resignation to move forward with filling the vacancy until the next election.

The Board also voted to approve a use of town property for the Harbor to the Bay bike ride on September 17 pending the necessary sign-offs. They also voted to appoint John O’Connor as a Special Police Officer and Timothy Johnson as a part time Police Officer through June 30, 2023.

Selectmen’s Raves

All three Selectmen shared the same rave for the Memorial Day activities in town. They credited Briggette Martins and Cathy Ferguson for their efforts to make the day a success. “It was incredibly Plymptonian,” Russo said of the parade and other events.

Jason Viveiros resigned as Halifax Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director and began a new position as Fire Chief in Pembroke on June 1.

“I truly appreciate the opportunity to serve this great community for the last eight years. I couldn’t be prouder of what this Department has accomplished during this time. I will forever be grateful to the men and women of the Halifax Fire Department for their support and commitment to public safety. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance during the transition process,” Viveiros’ letter of resignation read.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met with Viveiros on Wednesday, May 25 to discuss the possible appointment of an interim Fire Chief as well as the recruitment process for a new Chief. Viveiros, who had written a letter of recommendation, said he was recommending that the Board name Captain Jeff Cuozzo as the interim, pending contract negotiation. Viveiros said that Cuozzo had assumed that role in the past for over 6 months.

“He is the senior officer in the Department. Jeff is highly educated – has a master’s degree, multiple bachelor’s degrees, many fire service certifications. He is more than capable to serve in the interim role,” Viveiros said. Selectman Ashley DiSesa asked Cuozzo if it was something that he wanted to take on and he responded, “Yes, in the interim, yes.” DiSesa also asked him if he had a timeline for how long he was willing to act in the role. “Nope, no, I’m available… I really am flexible with the town. Whatever the town needs,” Cuozzo said. He did make it clear that the permanent role was not something he was interested in at this time in his life and career.

Regarding recruitment, Viveiros said that a lot of towns spend a lot of money on advertising and large searches. He told the Board, “My opinion, there is going to be a lot of local candidates that are highly qualified that would be best suited for the position.” Viveiros read a bit from a sample listing that he created. He said, “the ideal candidate would have a bachelor’s degree in public administration or a related field, 15 years of professional experience in an EMS/Fire Department, and at least five years as a company officer or higher.” Viveiros also offered a recommended salary which was disclosed only to the Selectmen.

Viveiros said that his template could be posted to the Mass Municipal Jobs website. He also recommended forwarding it the Fire Chiefs Association of MA (FCAM). He said it would reach all firefighters in Massachusetts and even some out of state firefighters who may be searching for a job.

Viveiros told the Selectmen that some towns hire a consultant. He recommended the current Secretary/Treasurer of FCAM and said that he asked him to offer a quote to the Board. He said that he could run an assessment center that would involve bringing in retired chiefs to act as evaluators. That group would do initial interviews, pick four finalists that they would run through the assessment center, and then offer a final recommendation to the Board. Viveiros said that the consultant he conferred with recommended possibly forming a Committee consisting of a Selectman, Town Administrator, Police Chief, and possibly a citizen at large to assist in the interview process.

DiSesa initially recommended trying to search without the consultant first to see how it goes. Selectman Jonathan Selig felt that it would be better to go with a consultant. “It’s pretty reasonable to have someone assess the candidates and have someone that is totally unbiased that can structure those interview questions,” Viveiros said of the consultant fee and services. “I, for one, know I’m not qualified to read a resume for fire chief,” Selectman Alex Meade said. After the discussion, DiSesa agreed. They agreed to form a search committee consisting of Selig, Interim Town Administrator Ed Thorne, Cuozzo, Police Chief Joao Chaves pending his agreement, and a citizen at large. Talent bank forms will need to be submitted for residents interested in serving on the Committee.

The Selectmen voted to form the Search Committee and have Viveiros post the job description the very next day. They also voted to have Selig take the lead in working with the consultant. Cuozzo was named as the Interim Fire Chief. “I just want to have on the record, just to thank you for all you’ve done – going above and beyond and doing more than the average fire chief does,” Selig said to Viveiros. Cuozzo said he was happy that Viveiros would still be nearby.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on Monday, May 23. They began with a reorganization of the Board. Christine Joy was once again elected as the Chair while John Traynor was voted in as Vice-Chair and Mark Russo as the Clerk.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update on the North Carver Redevelopment Project. She said that they had received some correspondence from residents who live in the affected area regarding heavy truck traffic around Montello St. Dennehy said that a meeting was being arranged between the highway directors of both towns.

“I think they’ve already done some things that they shouldn’t have done, and I don’t think they’ve been very neighborly,” Joy said of Carver. She said that the town needs to take advantage of whatever room is available legally to make sure affected residents are taken care of properly. Russo suggested that a committee might potentially be put together to provide regular updates on the project to both Selectmen and citizens.

Traynor said that he would like to be somewhat aggressive in the town’s approach. He said that if Carver does not respond positively to their requests, they should block the road and make it open to local traffic only and enforce it with a police detail as needed. Russo said he agreed but did not feel that Plympton should have to foot the bill for that police detail. The Selectmen voted to have Dennehy see if there is counsel that can be secured to ensure the best interest of the town.

The Selectmen also discussed the consideration of amendment to the agreement for judgment and settlement with Borrego regarding 61 Upland Rd. (Crescent Moon Cranberry. LLC). Russo said, “there are some strong reasons not to pursue – a long history for a difficult situation, but I have been thinking hard about some of the reasons to proceed and they are tending in my mind to outweigh the reasons not to… this seems like very easy money with little cost to the town.” He went on to say that if the solar project doesn’t go through, the land would be at risk for development. He said that while he does feel Plympton could use more development, he would like it to be done well and with strong input from town government. “In truth, Borrego’s been a good partner,” Russo said adding that both the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board have signed off on the project unanimously.

Joy asked if it would be possible to ask Borrego to purchase the entirety of the land and donate some of it back to the town for conservation to stop development. Jonathan Eichman of KP Law was on the call and was asked to please draft language asking Borrego if they would consider amending the settlement agreement as proposed. The Selectmen agreed to discuss further and make a decision during their June 6 meeting.

Dennehy brought to the Selectmen’s attention a historic outstanding balance in the ambulance fund. She said the auditor suggested having the Selectmen acknowledge the balance and write it off. The outstanding balance from the previous provider, COMSTAR, was just over $307,000. Dennehy described the accrued amount as “years and years of uncollected remnants of charges.” “I’m totally content to clear the books and it doesn’t seem to be a problem to periodically do this,” Russo said. The Selectmen voted to close out the account with COMSTAR.

The Selectmen also voted Monday to establish a policy regarding what flags can be flown on municipally owned flag poles. Town Counsel recommended two options, one of which was to prohibit the practice entirely outside of the U.S. flag, the State flag, and perhaps Plympton’s flag. The second option allowed more discernment on the part of the town’s government. Traynor said “I don’t want to be in the role of whose flag can go on the pole and who’s can’t. we have a lot of other things to do.” Joy and Russo agreed opting for the first option.

Dennehy provided a Town Administrator’s update. She said that they were moving along with the Townhouse roof project. She also told the Selectmen that they are working with the Highway Department on another grant funding source that is becoming available. It will provide $115,000 for roadway type projects. Dennehy said they are also looking to secure pricing for several projects so that the Selectmen can look at some potential ARPA projects during their next meeting. She also said that $25,000 has been earmarked for conservation/recreation. She said the funds will help the Town Properties Committee in assessing the sports fields. She also said that it would be used for updates to boardwalks and signage at some of the town’s parks.

Dennehy told the Selectmen that she had correspondence from Finance Committee Chair Nathaniel Sides announcing his resignation from the Committee. Dennehy said she was hopeful he would reconsider. “It would be a shame to have him step down,” she said. Traynor said that he was aware that Sides was unhappy with how certain votes went at town meeting. He said that Sides felt that the town, with the Selectmen’s backing, went against the recommendation of the Finance Committee on certain articles. Russo recognized that working on the Finance Committee is often a thankless job and said that he also hopes that Sides would reconsider. “I absolutely admire Nate’s work along the way,” Russo said.

The Selectmen ended their meeting with their rants and raves. Traynor said that his rave was for town meeting. “The voters who turned out, the stellar job that our moderator does – he sets the bar very high, that’s for sure,” Traynor said. He did, however, have a rant for the small percentage of registered voters that turned out for the town election. “The town voting was 327 people… only 13.8 percent… it takes 15 minutes to go in and vote… people should at least go in and take the time to support; we basically work for nothing… I always feel validated when I see a higher percentage of the town voting than the towns around us and that wasn’t the case this time,” Traynor lamented. Russo also said that his rave was for town meeting. He also gave a rave for the Plympton Board of Selectmen and the work that is accomplished by the three of them. Joy agreed about town meeting saying, “mine would be town meeting as well – all of the work that goes into it.”

Halifax voters made their voices heard in Saturday’s Annual Town Election, choosing two new selectmen, one for a three-year term and another for one year to fill the unexpired term for Troy Garron who retired on his 80th birthday.

Town Clerk Susan Lawless reported that out of 6,079 registerd voters in town 1,249 cast their ballots, either in person or by absentee, making 20.55 percent of the voters who let the town’s elected officials know their wishes..

Last year Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor took the microphone at Town Meeting to say that the atmosphere at Town Hall has been so divisive that she chose not to run for re-election after serving well in that position for many years.

Over the past year, Halifax  has lost several key people to retirement or to other towns, most notably Town Administrator Charlie Seelig who took his 20+ years of experience in Halifax to East Bridgewater.  Town Treasurer/Collector Pam Adducci packed up and followed a couple of weeks ago forcing a special election that will be held July 30.  Halifax’s Fire Chief, who has brought hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money to his Halifax Fire Department, as of Tuesday was hoping to, finalize contract negotiations with  the neighboring town of Pembroke.

Will the exodus stop?

Here’s how Halifax voted.

Selectman for 3-years:

Gordon Andrews, candidate for re-election, 384.

Alexander J. Meade, 809

There were also four write-ins and 52 blanks.

Selectman for 1 year:

Robert A. McCarthy, 231

Naja Robert Nessralla, 230

Jonathan H. Selig, 766.

There was one write-in and 21 blanks.

Planning Board for a 5-year term:

Gordon R. Andrews, candidate for re-election, 381

Robert G. Gaynor, II, 795.

There was one write-in vote and 72 left blank.

Halifax Elementary School Committee for a 3-year term:

Jessica Page, 585

Peter J. Parcellin, 504.

There were no write-in votes and 160 blanks.

Halifax Elementary School Committe for a one year term:

Jennifer Ann Carroll, 510.

Karyn Beth Townsend, 600.

There were no write-in votes and 139 blanks.

Silver Lake Regional School Committee for a 3 year term

Paula Hatch, candidate for re-election, ran unopposed and won 898 votes.  There were six write-ins and 345 blanks.

Board of Assessors, 3 year term.

Holly Merry, 416.

Robert Mullen, 438

Michael J. Schleiff, 237

There was one write-in vote and 157 blanks.

Constable, for a three-year term, vote for two.

The two candidates for re-election were re-elected.

Thomas M. Hammond, 679.

Thomas F. Schindler, 612.

Michael J. Schleiff, 419.

There were six write-ins and 782 blanks.

Water Commissioner for a  3 year term.

Donald A. Bosworth, candidate for re-election, was re-elected with 572 votes.

Robert McCarthy won 520 votes.

There were three write-ins and 154 blanks.

Board of Health, 3 year term.

Candice Lee Greene, 949.

There were 10 write-ins and 290 blanks.

Board of Library Trustees for a 3 year term.  Vote for two.

Susan Hill, 942.

Erin Nagle, 45.

There were 36 write-ins and 1475 blanks.

Park Commissioner for three years.

Thomas F. Schindler, 928.

There were 9 write-ins and 312 blanks.

Question regarding Senior Center

684 voting YES, 385 voting NO,  and 180 blanks.

The All-purpose Room at the Halifax Elementary School was filled to bursting with the 241 registered voters and 37 visitors who came to see or take part in old fashion New England style democracy.  The Halifax Annual and Special Town Meetings were underway.

Many were older members of the population eager to help push forward the new Halifax Senior Center at the site of the current Halifax Museum.   They have been disappointed before and it seemed that like Lucy with the football,  they would be disappointed again.

Selectman chairman Gordon C. Andrews told the assembly that after 6:30 last Friday night, he received word from the cost estimator that with rampant inflation in the construction field, the project could not be completed for the price previously stated, indeed it would need to be increased by at least another $800,000 to finish the job.  Andrews seemed very disappointed as he spoke to the assembly;.he has been working on this project for nearly two years.

A woman took the microphone and asked if Article 32 could be heard out of order as so many older persons came specifically to vote on it. After consulting with town counsel,  the meeting was told it must proceed at the mercy of the lottery as to when Article 32, concerning the funding for the senior center, could be heard and voted.   After 10 p.m. the article was called.

Support for Article 32 came from all sides.   Summer Schmaling, who is also a member of the Halifax Elementary School Committee,  asked if the $160,000 remainder from the School Roofing project could be appropriated for the Senior Center project even though the Town isn’t ready to spend it, lest it be diverted into another project.  Bob Kniffen agreed that the money needs to be put aside for the specific project of the senior center.  A dozen voters took to the microphone to support the project.  When the vote was called, and the green cards raised for “Yes”, the vote was unanimous!   The next step is to vote the project on the ballot in Saturday’s election.

Article 2  was passed to add the holiday “Juneteenth” to the list of designated holidays in the Wage and Personnel By-Law Section, as well as give a 1% increase to all Wage and Personnel  employees

Article 3 was passed by town meeting to fix the salaries of the Moderator, Town Clerk, Selectmen, Treasurer-Collector, Assessors, and Highway Surveyor, giving those positions a 1% pay increase for FY23.

Article 4 passed the town’s operating budget.

Article 5 dealt with setting revolving accounts, including Fire Chief CPR classes, ZBA consulting, Library computer, printers and copier, Selectmen legal advertising, Council on Aging  Elderbus, Building Inspector Wages, and several more.   The article passed.

Article 6 is the same article for $125,000 that comes before the town each year to set up reserves in case of unforeseen emergencies during the year.

Article 7  funds a 1% wage increase for firefighters who are in the union.

Article 8  funds a 1% wage increase for the Highway and Cemetery workers who are in the union.

Article 13  voted $300,000 to maintain town roads.

Article 14 voted $18,600 to pay for the assessors’ recertification which is done every five years.

Article 17 asked the town for $7,379 to purchase and install cell block surveillance cameras for the Police Department.  The existing cameras are beginning to fail.  Passed unanimously.

Article 20 would replace a single walled tank for waste oil with a double walled 500 gallon tank to be located at the Highway Barn.  The motion passed.

Article 21 asked for $75,000 to purchase a new Water Recycling Unit and Shed Roof for the Wash Bay at the Highway Barn to bring the town up to code with MS4 stormwater regulations.  The motion passed.

Article 22 voted $3,500 to the South Shore Resource and Advocacy Center, providing residents with services dealing with domestic violence intervention and prevention.  Article 26 voted $4,000 to purchase two copy machines, one for the Highway Department, one for the Holmes Public Library.

Article 28 voted $36,800 to install exterior surveillance cameras at several locations for the safety  of employees, as well as the public, especially at night.

Article 29 voted $60,000 to purchase and equip a new truck for the Water Department that will have a plow to assist the Highway Dept.

 Article 33 approved $110,000 as Halifax’s share to repair and rebuild the tennis courts at Silver Lake High School.

Article 35 approved $46,380 to purchase 15 body worn cameras for the Police Dept.  This is a 5-year cost, including a camera upgrade and replacement after 3 years.

Article 38 was passed over.

Article 41  voted $22,057 to reimburse the Halifax Housing Authority for payments made by the authority to the Plymouth County Retirement Fund for an employee of the Town of Hlaifax.

Article 44 asked the town to establish a Stabilization Fund for the Silver Lake Regional School District.  The town said no.  Ed Whitney of Stoney Weir Rd. said it was removing control from the townspeople.  The article failed.

Article 45 would allow the selectmen to grant temporary liquor licenses for events held on town properties.   The article passed.

The meeting was adjourned until  Tuesday night, but then rescheduled for Monday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m.  when the remaining 22 articles will be acted upon.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, April 26. As a result of Troy Garron’s resignation, the Board is down to just Ashley DiSesa and Gordon Andrews, whose term expires in a few weeks.

The Selectmen reviewed the articles on the town meeting warrant. Andrews asked DiSesa if she disagreed with any of the Finance Committee’s recommendations. She said she disagreed with their approval of 40 hours for the Assistant Treasurer position. DiSesa also took issue with the IT wages that were being funded with ARPA funds that she noted will not be available forever. “We were supposed to level fund this year, that was the plan,” she said. Regarding new ambulances and cruisers, DiSesa said, “just so everyone knows as far as ambulances and cruisers, we were told that they were… years out to get if we were going to approve it now.”

Andrews said that there was a note on the school article stating, “this number has been reduced by $755,828 which is being funded through the Circuit Breaker money from the State.”

The Selectmen were split on their opinions on a new intercom system for the school. Town Accountant Sandra Nolan said that Capital Planning did not vote to recommend it but said that the Finance Committee was holding their recommendation until town meeting. Director of Facilities Matt Durkee presented on the topic to the Finance Committee and Nolan said, “I think they were pretty satisfied with his explanations.” Andrews said, “for just a pure safety thing of being able to communicate with the schools as a whole, I am for this, but I just have a couple of questions before I vote to recommend.” DiSesa said she was against it. The Selectmen also said they were a “no” on the article to establish a stabilization fund for Silver Lake which needs a two-thirds vote from Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton.

Regarding the article to increase membership on the Board of Selectmen to five, DiSesa said she would like to speak to the need. “There is a lot of work to do, and I think we could be doing a lot more if there were more people involved and have a lot more voices. You know, everybody is concerned about different people in this town having agendas and stacking boards – then put more people on them – let’s go. Show up, volunteer, get on a Board and do some work. All for it. I’ll take all five,” DiSesa said.

Interim Town Administrator Ed Thorne said he received correspondence from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development regarding the MBTA Community Information Form. Thorne said the form asks for basic information regarding municipal plans to comply with the legislation. Thorne said of the legislation that it “requires that 175 communities to zone near a half a mile to a station of putting multi-family housing, if allowable.” The State passed a zoning requirement that if a town wants to receive grants under the Housing Authority, they must create a zone that allows 15 dwelling units per acre.  Thorne said he felt that the town should complete the form so as to not miss out on any eligible grant opportunities. DiSesa said, “I want to be careful what we are signing up for just to get grants.” Andrews was of the opinion that signing the document did not obligate the town to anything. An action plan would not need to be completed by the town until July of 2023.

Planning Board member Amy L. Troup said, “Complete Streets obligated us, and immediately by signing the obligation which is the form he’s talking about, it allows the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to change any of your laws by signing that document… if you read 40R in its entirety, any monies that you do receive for it, have to be repaid… it is absolutely not something we need to take in.” DiSesa said she did not want to sign it, so no motion was made, and Thorne was instructed not to complete the document.

There was a request for a live entertainment permit for a D.J. for cruise nights at the Halifax Walmart from May 6 to September 23. Andrews read all the requirements of the requested permit. The Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the permit. They also had a request from the Ragnar Relay that would be held on Saturday, May 21, between the hours of 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. Police Chief Joao Chaves said he was fine with the event. The Board approved the request.

The Selectmen had an appointment with Marilyn MacDonald and Don Nagle of MacDonalds Industries regarding remediation of waste soil. They were seeking a letter of support from the Board. Andrews said that in the past they have had issues with heavy truck traffic. MacDonald said that in addition to a $200 fine, MacDonald Industries also donates to the Halifax Food Pantry when trucks do not follow the rules regarding which streets they can use. A resident showed pictures to the Selectmen of damage caused by heavy truck traffic to various streets in town that were in relatively good condition prior. “We are up for anything to keep them off the streets, believe me, this is my community too,” MacDonald said. Andrews asked if a sign could  be put up stating that the roads are not for overweight vehicles. The Selectmen decided they would talk to the Highway Superintendent about what could be done. The Selectmen approved the requested letter of support.

Regarding the July 30 special election, Andrews said that the last day to obtain nomination papers would be June 8 at 5 p.m., the last day to submit papers to the Board of Registrars would be June 10, the last day for the Selectmen to notify the clerk of vacancies on the ballet would be May 26, and the deadline to object or withdraw would be June 28. The voter registration deadline is July 8. The Selectmen tabled the vote in order to discuss the possibility of having the special election the same day as the primary election.

A request was made for Saturday, June 18 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. for use of the Town Hall Green. Andrews said that the requestor had already reached out to Chief Chaves, the Library Trustees, the Board of Health, and the Cultural Council. The Selectmen were told that they were still looking for a volunteer D.J. They were also told that they did not yet have a lineup for the event stating that the high school music program had expressed interest in performing. The requestor said that they had secured port-a-potties. An ice cream truck and a bouncy house may also be part of the event.

The Selectmen also had a hearing for earth removal at 0 Plymouth St. and 250 Lingan St.  A representative from Morse Brothers reviewed the plan with the Selectmen. A resident said that he would like for the trucking to occur during school hours and not on Saturdays. He cited safety concerns with children playing outside during those times. DiSesa asked how long that kind of limitation would postpone the project and was told it would likely increase the duration by several years. Andrews said the Board was told by the Zoning Enforcement Officer that the project was not allowable. “It needs to be proven through peer review,” he said. “We are playing a lot of ‘what ifs’ on a project that might not be allowed,” DiSesa added. The Selectmen voted to continue the hearing in a month’s time.

The Halifax Finance Committee met on Monday, April 11. They heard from both Facilities Manager for Silver Lake Regional Matt Durkee and Council on Aging Director Darlene Regan. Both have articles on the warrant for town meeting on May 9 for their respective departments.

Durkee spoke to the ongoing issues with the intercom system at the Halifax Elementary School. “The problem with the system is – number one, it’s a proprietary and based system, so there’s only one authorized vendor that can perform maintenance and repairs on the system so that kind of shoehorns us into a price bracket that we don’t really like,” Durkee explained. He clarified that the aforementioned issue was not the main one driving the request for a new system. “There are sections of the building that do not work currently with the intercom system on a consistent basis,” he continued. Durkee said that the gymnasium is the most critical portion of the school experiencing difficulties with the intercom system. In addition to difficulties with dismissals, Durkee said that students in gym class have been the last to know that lockdowns were happening. “One of the main parts of this new proposed system is to bring all of the classroom spaces and meeting spaces in the building up to a consistent, usable intercom system,” he told the Finance Committee.

In addition, the new system would outfit the clocks throughout the building with an auto adjust feature. “If there is a power outage, currently we have, I would say half the building, is battery operated, manually adjusted clocks; every time there is a power outage, that has to be adjusted – each space,” Durkee explained. Another new feature of the updated intercom system would be, in Durkee’s words, a “user friendly bell schedule adjustment.” This feature would allow the administration to easily update the bell schedule for half days or two-hour delays, etc.

Durkee also said that they are working their way through the entire Silver Lake Regional school systems to replace the aging intercom systems to integrate all of them. “The end goal here, once all these schools have come online in a new system, they will all be interconnected so if… the superintendent needed to make a district-wide address… it can be done through this system and speak to each classroom or any space where there is an intercom,” Durkee explained. He also said that there is a preset recording for all types of emergencies including fire alarms or lockdowns.

Regarding price, Durkee said the final pricing would be $38,793.51 including previously anticipated price increases. He said that the plan was to reuse much of the current wiring already found in the school in addition to the existing speakers which would help to keep the cost down. Town Accountant Sandra Nolan confirmed that this cost was already included in the capital plan. The article is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Regan spoke to the Committee about the plans to utilize existing funds to convert the Halifax Museum building into a new senior center. Regan shared with the Committee some 3-D renderings that were done of the proposed center. The images are available on the town website as well as having been shared in last week’s Express. “It just gives the people the idea of being excited about what the possibilities are going forward and that the funding is there its just a matter of making this all happen,” Regan explained. “Aesthetically on 106, it’s going to look beautiful,” she told the Committee. Regan stressed the importance of the new center, not just for aging adults, but for those with disabilities as well as the families of seniors.

Finance Committee Chair Thomas Connolly said to Regan about town meeting, “I anticipate, based on prior ones, that you’ll get questions about those things [services] and folks will want to be reassured that we are not just building an empty building that has no programming capability inside. My first recommendation would be to make sure you have crisp answers on that programming stuff that is going to go on there.” Connolly said that the proposed building looks “gorgeous” and agreed that it would enhance the look of the community as people drive down 106. Regarding the funding, he did bring up similar infrastructure issues that exist with the Town Hall, the Fire Station, and the Police Station though he noted that the current COA building is likely the worst. “Is there a rationale that we need to convey as to why these funds are used here and not for those three other central buildings?” Connolly asked. Nolan said that both the Police and Fire Stations are much larger jobs and noted that a complex combining both is in talks and would cost “quite a bit of money.” Of the new COA building, Nolan said, “This a building that can be done in the $1.6 million that we have leftover from the school.” She went on to say that pouring that money into the existing Fire or Police Stations would not make sense. Connolly agreed noting that a similar project in Brockton is estimated at upwards of $98 million. Nolan said a combined Police and Fire station in Halifax could cost somewhere around $12 million.

Finance Committee Chair Thomas Connolly said, “I think the one number that sort of tells it all for us is, after the one percent increases, it looks like our usual $300,000 buffer is somewhere around $119,000 this year.” He continued, “We are cutting it very close to the levy limit… that is where we are even with effectively a flat budget across the town… except for some uncontrollable increases like special education and the waste management contract and other just inflationary measures that are hitting us.”

Nolan told the Committee that there were still a few outstanding articles that the Finance Committee did not provide a recommendation on including a special town meeting article for work on the front door of the Town Hall. The total cost is $11,000. “If you’ve come to Town Hall recently, you would see why, they really need to be replaced,” Nolan said. The Finance Committee will provide their recommendation on it during the Town Meeting.

The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met in-person on Thursday, April 7. Superintendent Jill Proulx spoke about anti-bias training that is taking place at the Middle School to support anti-bullying, respect, and fostering a welcoming community for all. She said that a similar program will be rolled out at the High School using a peer mentoring model. Proulx said that a representative from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) would be leading it.

Committee member and Halifax Elementary School Committee Chair Summer Schmaling clarified that students would have the ability to choose whether they wanted to be a peer mentor but not whether they participated in the program as a recipient of that mentorship. She said, “Hanover has this programming, and it is to the point where there is no escaping it; it is being jammed down these kids’ throats… these peer mentors… it’s not as nice as it sounds; it’s a very aggressive campaign, if you will.” She said she does not want the ADL in Silver Lake’s schools. She said she feared the environment would become “toxic” and “poisonous.” She said she wanted parents to know when the programming would be taking place so parents could pull their children from it. Proulx pointed out that the Attorney General is partnering with the program. “Look at our Attorney General,” Schmaling said. Proulx said that opting out of assemblies would present a problem due to a lack of adequate staffing. “So, for some people this organization is racist, anti-police, and driven by hate,” Schmaling said after being told by Committee Chair Paula Hatch that the Committee was not in the habit of vetting material used by school clubs. Hatch said she participated in the anti-bias training herself and called it “very benign… not in the least bit abrasive or antagonistic.” “These parents are bull, and they are rising up in the hundreds and speaking out against it,” Schmaling said of parents in other communities where the programming was being implemented.

“I’m uncomfortable with the pre-judging prior to it happening,” Committee member Emily Davis told Schmaling. She continued that she found Schmaling’s attitude disrespectful to the administrators and community. Schmaling was asked to stop interrupting while Davis was trying to voice her opinions. Davis used the example of the Gay-Straight Alliance as being potentially polarizing but pointed out that it was a safe space for many. “Being exposed to things that make us uncomfortable or that are different opinions is necessity for us to be able to build bridges and have meaningful conversations,” Davis said. “I think this club presents the perfect opportunity for students that have very different opinions and very different ideas and ideologies to be able to have those conversations in a safe and supportive community and I think, in my opinion, that is the very purpose of an education,” Davis said.

Schmaling remained heated saying the programming was driven by a political agenda. She went on to say that she took issue with children being taught that they are inherently racist and privileged because of the color of their skin.

There was a debate on whether to create a standing committee to review texts when concerns are brought up regarding specific texts included as part of the Grade 7 through 12 curriculums. A committee was recently formed to provide a recommendation on the title, So Far from the Bamboo Grove after a parent raised concerns about the appropriateness of the text. Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee said that she felt it would benefit everyone involved if there was more transparency in general regarding the syllabi for various courses. High School Principal Michaela Gill said that syllabi should be posted per policy.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch said he was asked to investigate how best to address concerns arising over specific texts. “There are policies around… reconsideration of instructional materials,” he said. He said that ideally, concerns should first be addressed with the classroom teacher. If questions remain, an additional meeting with the coordinator or principal would follow to see if the concerns could be addressed or an alternative text provided. The final step would be for the Committee to consider if the resource should be changed. Schmaling said she fears that concerns are not raised early enough for a parent to intervene before a child is exposed to what some may consider inappropriate. Schmaling said that she would prefer that a syllabus be provided in hardcopy format as opposed to being posted on an app. Hatch agreed.

Schmaling was personally concerned with the text, The Perks of Being a Wallflower which is part of the 11^th grade program of studies. Committee member Gordon Laws gave an impassioned argument that while the subjects broached in the book are uncomfortable, they are meant to be, and they are in line with the real-life experiences of students in the age range that are reading the text. He did say, however, “If Summer does not want her daughter to read that, I fully support her right to say, ‘you’re not going to read that.’”

Student Council representative to the School Committee Callie MacInnis spoke up saying she was in agreement with Laws. “It is a very uncomfortable topic, but I think it is necessary to know at that age… it’s something that you should know… I think it is better to read it in a setting of a book, which you know is fictional,” she explained. Hatch said to MacInnis, “you are a wonderful asset and I enjoy having you here as I think the rest of the Committee does; you are meaningful in what you say.” She continued, “One of the reasons I continue to enjoy my experience on this Committee is because we can have honest, intelligent, thoughtful, meaningful conversations – everybody here tonight played their role in it, and I want to thank you; this was a robust discussion and we hashed out an uncomfortable subject and came to some reasonable thoughts.”

The Committee voted to accept a donation from a resident to aid in paying off any unpaid meal debt for students. Committee member Jason Fraser said that there was a bi-partisan bill at the federal level to extend through September 2023 the federal free meals program. “There’s bills at the State level and the Federal level right now trying to work on making the current way we are doing lunch a permanent fixture,” Fraser explained.

Middle School Principal Jim Dupille gave an update on the students that went to the Regional History Bee. Two of the students made it beyond the regional and have qualified for the national academic competition in Orlando. “Congratulations to all of our students that have participated,” Dupille said. Superintendent Jill Proulx thanked Dupille for his 11 years of service to the district as he is leaving. She said that they will begin interviews as early as the last week in April. She said they hoped to be able to make an appointment by the end of May. Silver Lake Education Association (SLEA) President Jon Lay read several tributes to Dupille’s tenure at the Middle School from a number of faculty members. Many praised him for his professionalism and his family first attitude.

Gill asked the Committee to consider changing the way the second semester grades are calculated. She said that final exams are currently calculated to account for 20 percent of the final grade. “We think this is a bit excessive for a student’s final grade to rest so heavily on one form of assessment,” Gill said. She continued, “What we would like to do instead… is to create two equal terms for three and four at fifty percent, the final assessment or project that is done in the class be part of the term four grade which traditionally has more interruptions than the rest of the school year anyway…that would allow teachers to continue to have the autonomy to assign their final exam… or learning based project… seniors with an A minus or better would still have the opportunity to be exempt from their final exams but, again, I think it would alleviate some stress for kids.” “I think it’s a great solution; I would love to make it permanent,” Fraser said. Other Committee members spoke out against the proposal citing fears that students would not be prepared for future endeavors including college. McGee said that her own child, who went through Silver Lake schools, was struggling in college due to not having the rigor usually required in their last two years of high school during the pandemic. “I’m going to vote no on this and it’s not because I don’t’ respect what you and your staff have done to come up with this; I just don’t think it’s the optimal solution,” McGee said. The proposal passed during the Committee vote though several members voted against it. The change would only affect this year.

Gill told the Committee that students have been engaging in a number of endeavors to support the people of Ukraine. Efforts have included students in the Allied Health group collecting medical supplies and the Red Cross Club have been creating educational and awareness materials to share with their classmates. Gill said the Woman Empowerment Club held their first annual woman in the workforce career fair. Gill also said that all the junior and senior CTE students took the 10-hour OSHA certification earlier this month.  The Senior Theatre Independent Study hosted SL Idol. It was the first time the event was able to be held in several years.

MacInnis also shared some recent updates with the Committee. MacInnis said that the spring sports were off to a successful start in addition to unified sports which is a partnership with the Best Buddies program. She said that pins could be purchased to support a day of silence for the LGBTQ+ community. MacInnis also said that the National Honor Society (NHS) would be partnering with the Middle School for their tutoring program. She also said that several drives were going on in the school including one for an animal shelter and a food drive to support the Pilgrim Area Collaborative.

Administrator of Special Education Marie Grable spoke to the Committee regarding a special education review that takes place every three years by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to monitor student outcomes. She said that of the 36 areas reviewed, only one fell outside the implemented category. This pertained to procedures used to provide services to eligible students enrolled in private school at private expense. She said that since it was only partially implemented, they now must provide a plan to correct it. Grable said, “Every school has an obligation to locate and evaluate students with disabilities that are either home schooled or enrolled in private school at parent expense… private schools located within a school’s boundaries, so for us we are looking at Sacred Heart School in Kingston. The districts are to calculate and spend a proportionate share of the Federal Special Education IDEA fund to provide equitable special education services to the eligible students.” She said there were 4 students attending Sacred Heart and 6 that are homeschooled. She said they must engage in meaningful conversation with these students’ families and schools to discuss what, if any, funding would help to ensure that these students obtain equitable services.

Grable explained to the Committee the difference between a unilateral placement by a family versus a team decision to send a child to a different school. Grable said a unilateral placement is one where a family would decide to send a student with a disability to a district outside of Silver Lake. In this case, Silver Lake would have conversations with the family regarding implications of that decision. “When we have a student in our system here that we are feeling we cannot meet their special education needs… then we do seek to find an appropriate out of district placement for that child.”

During the Chairman’s Report, Hatch said she was contacted by Hanson Selectman Jim Hickey regarding a subcommittee on the feasibility of de-regionalization. Hatch said they are considering de-regionalizing from Whitman and wanted insight on how things were handled when Pembroke left Silver Lake. She also said that they expressed interest in potentially joining Silver Lake. Hatch said, “this is very early on, and it may not come to anything.”

The Halifax Elementary School Committee met in-person on Monday, April 4. Committee Chair Summer Schmaling opened the floor for public comment. Richard Bayramshian of the Halifax Teachers’ Assocation (HTA) spoke saying, “it’s important to understand why the Teachers’ Association is making their plea tonight for a fair and respectful contract moving forward. After receiving a 1.6 percent raise for one year in January of 2021, seven months after our old contract expired in June of 2020, negotiations started back up in February of 2021; the starting point was an offer of 0 percent until Finance Committee and final budget was set for the upcoming fiscal school year of 2022-2023.”

Bayramshian said that the HTA requested that they be paid the stipend that all town employees received but he said that request was denied. Bayramshian said that the final offer the School Committee proposed was for two years at 1 percent and 1.5 percent which the HTA brought back to the Union, who voted it down. He said that a second meeting was scheduled for March 9 which Bayramshian said was put off several times by the School Committee due to not having a quorum. He said that the mediation date was set for May 3, nearly three months after the original scheduled date.

“I’ve been a teacher here for almost 30 years; I’ve been negotiating for nearly half that time. I’ve considered the town of Halifax and HES as my second family. I’ve run over 20 years of fundraisers… I’ve run after school sports programs…,” Bayramshian said. He said that the HTA has been without a contract for nine months and that what they really hoped to accomplish was a three-year contract in line with cost of living increases and inflation rates. “My own paycheck has decreased the last three years,” Bayramshian explained.

Steve Ruisi, also of the HTA, spoke next saying that he shared many of the same sentiments expressed by Bayramshian. “Our message is simple; invest more in teachers,” Ruisi said. He went on to say that it was disappointing to be there to discuss the lack of progress with the negotiations. “It has been very clear throughout these negotiations that investing in teachers’ salaries have never been a serious priority,” Ruisi told the Committee. He said that both Kingston and Plympton settled their contracts early in the winter saying the towns rewarded them for what they have done over the last two years throughout the pandemic. Ruisi said that in initial drafts of the budget, teachers’ salaries were decreased by $36,000 rather than being level funded. He said that the HTA received no response from the School Committee when they pointed out the decrease and demanded to be level funded. “Earlier in the spring as unprecedented stimulus money was approved for towns and schools, we were again optimistic; at that time and still, a large majority of that money was and still is unspent,” Ruisi said. He also said that inflation is estimated at 6 percent and the teachers were only asking for a 2 percent increase. He said it was important to note that as the previous year’s inflation rates were used, in part, to justify the one year, one percent contract. He said the teachers were “crushed, shocked, and disappointed” to be the only town employees not to receive the stipend.

Kindergarten teacher Tiffany Easter spoke next. She began by thanking the School Committee for the opportunity to speak before them. “I just wanted to get up here tonight and shed some light on the reality of teaching in Halifax right now. I know I speak for many others when I say this as a sixth-year teacher with a Master’s degree working toward paying off undergrad student debt, keeping up with the cost of living, paying for rising health insurance costs – right now I am forced to work three jobs,” Easter told the Committee. “We can’t put students first if we are putting teachers last,” she finished.

Tara Tonello, a parent of a student at HES, spoke after Easter. She acknowledged that she could not fathom the “intricacies” of the tasks faced by the Committee. “However, I am aware that the teachers have been working with an outdated contract this current school year,” she said. She said that when it takes this long to accomplish something, in this case agree to a new contract, the general impression is that it is not a priority. The reply, addressed to the teachers said, “I hope you know that you are valued, appreciated, and incredibly respected.”

School Committee member Jim Keegan spoke saying he has a child at HES as well as another at the Middle School. He said that both himself and his wife were born and raised in Halifax and that they wanted to make sure that their children went through the Silver Lake school system. Keegan said that he could not be happier with the education that their children are receiving and said that everyone that he speaks to in town are in complete agreement. “I support our schools and I support our teachers,” Keegan said. He cautioned against using social media as a member of any group including a union, saying that it can easily become divisive. “When we are using social media and using bits and pieces to fit our agenda, it doesn’t do anything but separate us; as a parent, I would hope that everyone would use caution when using social media,” Keegan said.

Schamling thanked everyone for attending but said that she wished that more people would have been in attendance during their budget hearing.

There was a school choice hearing which allows the School Committee to opt out of school choice. School choice is a program that allows Massachusetts schools to accept students from other towns in the State. Superintendent Jill Proulx made it clear that school choice does not allow for discrimination based on race, gender, athletic achievement, academic achievement, etc. The administration recommended against choosing school choice due to the large class sizes. The School Committee voted unanimously to opt out of school choice.

Keegan provided a Youth and Rec update. He said that sinkholes were currently getting fixed that were located on the Babe Ruth Field. Keegan also said that adult volleyball was scheduled to begin April 29 at 7 p.m.

A PTO update was given by committee member Jennifer Carroll. She said the bookfair this year was the most successful one to date raising $50,000. She also said that field trips are returning. The newspaper club for Grades 4-6 was approved by Youth and Rec and is seeking volunteers to chaperone. Field Day will be Monday, June 13 with a rain date of Tuesday, June 14.

Principal Kayne Beaudry began his update by saying, “I just want to put it out there to just recognize the fact that we don’t appreciate teachers enough…we do appreciate all that the teachers do especially the last two years were rough, and I wouldn’t want to be beside anyone else… they did a wonderful job trying to figure out how to teach during COVID.” Beaudry said that conferences were held and were offered either in-person or remote. He also said that kindergarten registration went live on February 7. MCAS would be held that week.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch spoke about the Student Opportunity Act saying that it sought to close learning gaps. He said that additional Chapter 70 funding did not happen in 2021 due to the pandemic and additional federal aid. He noted that the funds would be available for 2022-2023 and that based on Halifax’s demographics, that increase netted about $16,000. He said that one of the goals was to take a math interventionist position and move it from a 0.49 position to a 1.0 or full-time position. Lynch said that Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) funds can be used to fund that position through 2024.

Administrator of Special Education Marie Grable provided an update on an assessment that was completed regarding special education services in Halifax. She said that of the 36 areas reviewed, 35 were deemed successfully implemented. Only one service was considered partially implemented. She said that every district has an obligation to locate students with special needs that are either homeschooled or enrolled in a private school by their caregivers. The district has a responsibility to identify these students and with parent consent, consult on how and if any eligible funding would help the student to obtain eligible services. She said that since this area is only partially implemented, they would be looking to finer tune the process.

Proulx asked the Committee to increase the pay for long-term substitutes to make them more aligned with other local districts. She said the possibility to reduce the rate in the future could be explored should long-term substitutes become more readily available. Committee Chair Gordon Andrews asked Beaudry if there were currently any open long-term substitute positions at HES and was told there was not. Andrews clarified that voting the increase would not cost them anything right now but would make them competitive should the need arise for a long-term substitute. The increase would be from $95 a day to $272. Schmaling said she was in favor of learning more about the increase’s full impact on the budget before voting in favor of it. The Committee decided to discuss it further at their next meeting.

The Plympton School Committee met virtually on Monday, March 28. Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen brought up the ongoing issue of dog waste on the school fields as well as a recent incident involving a dog bite. Resident Heather Sanda said she was out for a run when she encountered three dogs with an owner on school grounds. One of the dogs jumped on her and bit her hip and knee which prompted her to call the police. “There is no leash law in Plympton so all that happened was this dog was taken home and put under house arrest for ten days to be monitored for rabies,” Sanda explained. “People just use it as a dog park and it is not a dog park,” Sanda said of the school fields. Sanda said that some of the first-grade teachers have recalled students coming in from recess with dog waste on their shoes. “I know we have had this conversation too many times; we have given people the opportunity to clean up after their dogs… my understanding is nothing is any different than it was before,” Wilhelmsen said. Amy Hempel spoke on behalf of the Plympton Athletic Youth Sports (P.A.Y.S.) saying that while preparing the fields for spring sports, there was considerable waste on the fields. “It is unfortunate for the folks that have been using it appropriately, but it is not designed to be a dog park,” Wilhelmsen said. Hempel noted that 90 percent of surrounding towns do not allow dogs on their sports fields.

The Committee discussed placing signs around the area alerting residents that dogs will no longer be permitted. Wilhelmsen said the difficult part would be enforcement. “We are not in a position as a School Committee or Peter [Veneto] as an administrator to be enforcing who is on the grounds and who is not, especially after school hours…I think we will need to work with the Selectmen to see if we can engage the Police,” he explained. Regarding the lack of a leash law, Wilhelmsen said, “It is incumbent upon all of us that have dogs to understand and know your dog and be able to make sure that dog is acting appropriately and healthily with everyone that is around.” The School Committee voted to ban dogs from the Dennett grounds. Sanda thanked them saying, “I’m glad it was me and not a kid.”

Playground Update

Committee member Jason Fraser said, “with the help of Rep. LaNatra and her staff, we did trace the path for those fenced off funds which are for the enrollment increases we realized this year. They are supposed to be for fiscal year 22 which is ending June 30… DESE [Department of Elementary and Secondary Education] has some preliminary numbers for us… I don’t think they are official yet… we are supposedly in line for $80,000.” Fraser said that the money could be used to help finish the rubberized surfacing on the new playground at the Dennett.

Capital Improvement

Wilhelmsen said they plan to have an article at the special town meeting for several purposes. He said there were four classrooms that need floor replacements. Wilhelmsen told the Committee that an upgrade to the intercom system would cost about $35,000. They are also looking to upgrade the building entrances with key fobs. Five HVAC units also need to be replaced but will likely be funded using ARPA funds.

Legislative Update

Fraser said the federal government was lapsing on their free meal programs for students for both breakfast and lunch. He said there is currently a bill at the State House called the Free Meals for All Plan. He said that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) were in support of it. He said it has also been requested that the per pupil minimum increment be changed from $30 to $100. “With inflation wreaking havoc on budgets across the State, $100 just seems a little bit more appropriate,” Fraser explained. He said they were also asking that Circuit Breaker be fully funded. The school loses money from charter school tuitions that are taken directly out of the town’s Chapter 70 funds. “We actually have the ability within Mass General Laws to reach out to all of those students who go to charter schools and send them flyers and brochures of our own, advocating for our schools and the great programs that we have,” he told the Committee. He further said he would like to see the administrative team prepare something to send out.

CASA Update

Hempel provided the CASA update saying they just finished the end of Winter Fest. “I think it was a big success looking at the number of people that went,” she said. She also said that they were looking for volunteers to bring back the talent show.

Principal’s Report

Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto said that they currently have 241 students enrolled. The school recently held the honor roll breakfast and any sixth grader on the honor roll was allowed to bring a family member. Veneto said that a former Dennett student, Dan Lyons, who is now a senior also came and spoke to the students about what they can expect at the middle school and high school. Veneto also said that the entire school participated in Read Across America week where students got to wear different themed attire each day. Former student Payton Devonshire is leading a clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons. There will be a box for collections in the lobby of the school as well as at the Police Station. Veneto also said that the Assistant District Attorney recently spoke to fifth and sixth grade students about the dangers of the internet as well as “how to remain safe while online.”

“We also had another really interesting project that we tried for the first time in Grade 6,” Veneto said. He said a Deputy from the Sherriff’s Department introduced a CIA unit kit that students tested in class. “They did fingerprint experiments, footprint analysis, working with unknown powder and liquids,” Veneto explained. He called the program “hugely popular.”

Assistant Superintendent’s Update

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch provided data on a recent professional development day centering around social and emotional learning and anti-bias training. He said that they surveyed teachers and had 228 responses. Eighty-five percent of staff rated the training as either a 1 or a 2 out of 4 with 1 being extremely effective. Lynch also provided an update on ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund). They are using some of the funds for a program that includes visits from an expert to help aid the school improvement plan.

Budget Update

Proulx told the Committee that it was her hope that they would approve the budget that night, so they could have a budget to present to the community. Wilhelmsen said that himself, Proulx, Fraser, and Director of Business Services Christine Healy all met with the Finance Committee to review the budget and the addition of the new director position being added to the budget. “We didn’t get too many questions… but I think overall they were very, very pleased with the budget,” Wilhelmsen said of the Finance Committee. He said there would be no increase in the budget after taking all factors into account. “I think this is a good, strong budget,” he continued. The Committee approved the 2022-2023 elementary school operating budget of $2,767,440, the special education budget of $1,136,022, and the out of district vocational budget of $60,000.