The Plympton Finance Committee met on Monday, Nov. 18. The meeting was attended by the Plympton School Committee as well as selectmen and members of the Silver Lake administration.
School Committee Chair Jason Fraser said that the school is projected to be about $250,000 behind where they wanted to finish the year. “We have some painful considerations of how we can handle this in-house,” he said. Fraser told the Committee that they have implemented a spending freeze which should save about $73,000 between now and June though he noted it will have implications for what they will be able to provide for the students at the Dennett. He said that they may also be able to use $50,000 they have in a special ed reserve fund.
“The largest area… is the area of special ed. Under state law, we are obligated to provide students with a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, so we try and balance what the students’ needs are with the realities of what we can afford to give them so they can make effective progress in the classroom,” Fraser said. He told the Finance Committee that they are required by state law to have an ELL teacher. He said they were hoping to be able to contract those services, but they haven’t been able to find a vendor. Fraser said that filling that gap will be an additional cost to the budget that they presented at town meeting last May.
Finance Committee Chair Marilyn Browne asked why the shortfall wouldn’t continue to grow since it had grown exponentially in just a few months. Silver Lake Superintendent Jill Proulx said, “It very well could. Our budget is so lean and we are legally obligated to give students what they need as determined by special education law… the needs of the children either here or moving in can change and once we know that, it dictates the expenses that may be necessary. If something were to go wrong in the building that’s unforeseen that could, again, dictate something that we would have to do in order to continue education in the building.”
Browne inquired if there were any additional funds that could be expected this year that may help with the shortfall. Fraser said, “there’s potentially an option to approach extraordinary relief but we would have to hit certain thresholds, and I don’t know if we’re there.” The threshold is over 125 percent and while it is unlikely, it was said that it wasn’t impossible. School Committee member Jon Wilhelmsen said that special education costs in Plympton schools are being doubled from what was budgeted for this year. Wilhelmsen said that next year, however, the schools should expect to see their special education reimbursement increased due to the increased enrollment. It was said that the State was responsible for these unfunded mandates.
Regarding a possible reduction in paraprofessionals, members of the School Committee pointed out that an out-of-district placement student whose needs cannot be met within Plympton schools, would end up costing far greater than the cost of those paraprofessionals. Fraser called the implications of cutting paraprofessionals the most concerning of all potential cuts to the school’s budget.
Elizabeth Goodman, who has been a teacher at Dennett for 18 years, addressed the Committees regarding the staff’s concern over how the budget cuts could negatively impact the students. “As you heard, we already started this year down a full time math interventionist and a full time para… and recently another paraprofessional position was not rehired… so we’re really concerned that part of the cuts would be the general ed paraprofessionals… that would mean that we would be left with two full-time paraprofessionals to service not only the 32 students with IEPs (Individual Education Plans) over seven grades but the other 217 students who are part of that community… they don’t just cover IEPs… they run reading and math groups. They are a constant in the kids’ lives at recess and at lunch, they greet them every day… they are the glue that holds our whole building together,” Goodman said.
Goodman also spoke about the impact that cutting the custodial staff would have as well. She further said that based on district-wide assessments, 38 percent of the general education students are either partially or not meeting grade level expectations. She said that not meeting their needs is likely going to mean having to meet their special education requirements in the future.
Wilhelmsen said, “I think where we’re at, and we’re not going to make any decisions tonight, but I think the notional thing and I’d ask the administration to take some time and go back and think on it, if that makes sense, in order for us not to do any reductions and in order for us to put the school on the footing to help prevent any out of district placements by putting staff in the classroom, we are short $120,000 for this year.” Fraser asked the Finance Committee if they would favor of using the $50,000 in the special ed reserve fund and was told by Browne that they would need to think on it. Browne said she was still concerned that the deficit will continue to grow.
Selectman Mark Russo asked what kind of motion could be made at special town meeting in May. Wilhelmsen said that it would be a motion asking for a vote to transfer funds potentially in the amount of $120,000 to pay for the school’s budget. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy said that if you knew there were going to be excess funds in another department’s budget, you could transfer funds there. Russo expressed concern that if we were to make up the deficit this year, the implications for next year could be even greater. Wilhelmsen said that this is the first year adjusting to all of the changes that were made to the structure of Silver Lake as a district per the state.
Browne asked what the options are for dealing with the shortfall. Fraser said that if they used the full stabilization fund, it would bring the deficit down to about $75,000. Asked about implications to the schools, Fraser said, “That would still require the possible reductions of our three paraprofessionals and would leave us no wiggle room for other unanticipated financial encumbrances.”
Dennehy said, “If your team knows the decision or recommendations of the Finance Committee and those of us at the town level in terms of financial team and everything, with their intentions and recommendations regarding that special ed and the $50,000, if we do that… in the next couple of weeks is that a suitable timeframe in terms of planning purposes?” Fraser said he believed that would be hugely beneficial to the School Committee and might allay some of the concerns of the staff.

The Kingston Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, November 12. Chair Eric Crone said that due to recent resignations the positions of Building Commissioner and the Assistant to the Fire Chief were vacant. Following the recruitment process, Town Administrator Keith Hickey recommended the hiring of David Kulikowski as Building Commissioner. Kulikowski, who holds a B.S. and M.S. in Construction Management from the Wentworth Institute of Technology, previously served as Building Inspector in Rockland and Norton. “He is nearly through the process of becoming a Building Commissioner,” Hickey said. Kulikowski is scheduled to begin in early December. The Fire Chief recommended the hiring of Colleen Chase. The Selectmen voted to appoint both.
Hickey told the Selectmen that following the resignation of the Director of Elder Affairs, he gauged interest in creating a new director position that would oversee both the Department of Elder Affairs as well as the Recreation Department. He said that while some larger neighboring communities do have a joint position, most the size of Kingston do not. “I really feel like the Council on Aging Director position should remain as a department head position working independently from the recreation department and keeping the organizational chart… as it exists today,” Hickey said. Selectman Kimberley Emberg said that she felt that it shouldn’t be a one-off conversation so much as something that needs to be reevaluated on a deeper level. She did agree that right now was not the time to explore it though.
During his Town Administrator’s update, Hickey said that the town had met with a vendor about offering online permitting to residents. Online options would be available for transfer station decals, business permits, alcohol licenses, health permits, beach permits, etc. “I think it’s something Kingston is significantly lacking in comparison to other communities – trying to allow people to do their town business online versus having to actually come into a building,” Hickey said.
The first stage of the Blackwater Memorial Forest is underway with the wetland restoration. Trees will be cut among trails to make it a more functional conservation area in the future. He said that the second stage is currently out to bid with numbers expected back by early December.
Hickey thanked the Town Clerk and all the election staff for doing a great job on election day.
Hickey said that the turnout for the veteran’s celebration was “tremendous.” He thanked all those that contributed to making it a success. “This year, Mark Beaton, who owns the Charlie Horse and Plymouth Bay Catering, donated the 140 meals for the Veteran’s Day luncheon,” Hickey told the Selectmen.
Selectman Tyler Bouchard, who said he was a hunter, spoke regarding conservation land and deer hunting and mating season. “If you’ve noticed there’s been a lot more accidents on the street because during that time period they are trying to mate and they run a lot at night… I think it’s just a good thing to remember especially at night and those early mornings and dusk… Also, it’s bow hunting season right now; I’ve also seen some people on Facebook talking about seeing people out in the woods and stuff like that – you know, it’s one of those things we’ve been doing for a couple of thousands of years… and then gun season for deer hunting will start the Monday after Thanksgiving,” Bouchard said. He also said that if you hear gunshots now, it could be due to duck hunting.
The Selectmen held their annual hearing for the classification of property for tax purposes. Principal Assessor Maureen Clarke spoke to those in attendance. She said that currently no parcels are classified as open space in Kingston. She further noted that in Massachusetts, only one community, the town of Bedford, have an open space discount. Clarke also explained the residential exemption saying that unless you have a lot of non-owner-occupied properties, it doesn’t make sense to adopt. The small commercial exemption provides a tax reduction to small commercial property owners at the expense of the larger commercial and industrial properties.
Clarke also shared a graph that showed how the average assessed home value in Kingston has risen from $331,894 in 2016 to $633,409 heading into 2025. The tax rate is increasing this year from $12.71 to $12.97. She also shared that the total property value for the town of Kingston is $3,413,919,852. Residential makes up nearly 87 percent of that property, commercial approximately 7 percent, personal property 5 percent, and industrial is less than 1 percent. Clarke shared that there were 17 new homes in Kingston in the past year. “There’s been no commercial growth, other than a few additions put on the buildings,” she said.
Clarke said that the maximum allowable levy for FY25 is $45,176,552. “The town has decided not to tax to the levy and we are taxing to a levy of $44,266,527,” Clarke said.
She shared what would be an average tax increase based on the average home value in Kingston. The valuation difference would be $41,969 and the average tax bill difference between FY24 and FY25 would be $698.
The Board of Assessors recommended a single tax rate by adopting a minimum residential factor of 1. They recommended not adopting an open space discount, residential exemption, or small business exemption. The Selectmen voted to adopt their recommendation.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Monday, Nov. 4. Library Director Michael Slawson presented to the Board. “For this year, we just finished submitting our yearly reports… we’re compliant with everything for that so we should be eligible as usual for our state aid funding. It’s usually around $5-$6 thousand a year that we get from the state; that’s really important money that we get because that money can be used for anything.”
Regarding circulation numbers, he said that total checkouts went up by nearly 900. He also said that they received a Green Communities Grant for a new heat pump. Additionally, the library received a $20,000 grant from the American Library Association for accessibility. Slawson said that they held a roundtable discussion with patrons to ask for ideas to make the library more accessible. A heated mat will now be on the front entrance ramp to make it less slippery. They’ve also applied for CPC funding for the back patio of the library which Slawson said, “needs to be more usable.” A technology grant from the Association for Rural and Small Libraries allowed for the library to buy all new public computers and a 3-D printer as well as virtual reality.
Slawson also told Selectmen that they are looking to update the adult non-fiction collection. The plan is to weed out anything that hasn’t been checked out in the last three years and update it with new books. Slawson said that they would be moving the non-fiction section to where the fiction section is now.
Selectman Mark Russo asked about the library of things which includes all kinds of “things” from board games, Rokus, puzzles, night vision cameras, etc. Russo suggested something like leaf blowers for this time of year. Slawson said, “one of the ideas for the library of things is getting things that people may use once or twice a year but don’t want to go out and pay $500 for and then use it once, so things like leaf blowers or a lot of libraries will have the roof snow rakes… or a carpet cleaner… why buy it when you can come and check it out at the library.”
The Board held a tax classification hearing. The Assistant Assessor said that she was recommending a factor of one which would have residential, industrial, and commercial properties assessed at the same rate. She gave the percentage of levy by class saying, “residential 75 percent, open space we have zero, commercial 12, industrial 2.9, and personal property 9.3.” She said that for this fiscal year, the average assessed value for a single family house is $532,902, which is up 3.5 percent. The previous year, the average assessed house went up just over 7 percent. She also said that the excess levy capacity for the current year is $283,017. The tax rate is up $0.17 from the previous year. The Selectmen voted to approve everything as presented.
Russo provided an update on the Community Preservation Act funds, saying they had three new applications. He said that while the Committee hadn’t met yet to review, he did want to let his fellow Selectmen know that they were considering three new projects. “Our process is to have a first meeting with the applicants, questions about the projects, potentially suggestions that might help or improve or at least clarify the project and then early next year another meeting to look at any revisions in the applications. At that time, we send the applications out to all the Boards, Commissions, and Committees in town – seek all their input. Once we have their input, we have a public hearing and we decide then which projects will be referred to Town Meeting for a final vote,” Russo explained. He said that the meeting to look at the three projects would be December 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Townhouse.
The first project is from the library to redo the patio in the back of the building as well as landscaping at a cost of just over $50k. The Recreation Commission has also put in a project to replace a fence as well as do a number of upgrades to the large field. The cost for the project will be approximately $64k. The third project is from the Open Space Committee asking for further preacquisition open space funds in the amount of $40k. “It gives them money to be kind of agile when an opportunity arises,” he said. He noted that it was that type of money that has allowed them to create places like Cato’s Ridge and Turkey Swamp. Russo said, “For citizens concerned about taxes, the money involved in all of these projects is money that has already been collected and included in the 20-30 percent state match that we wouldn’t have otherwise.”
During the Town Administrator’s update, Liz Dennehy said they are planning on having a very preliminary discussion with the Town Properties Committee Chair about their vision for timing and affordability for the Fire Station project. She also said that on November 18 there will be a Finance Committee meeting that will be attended by some people from the school. “I think that they’re having some budget issues at Dennett in this current fiscal year as a result of Silver Lake and special education funding,” Dennehy said.
Dennehy also said that the Recreation Commission is finishing off their original CPC project. She said that they are completing some last minute surficial work at Holt Field like some lips in the concrete. She said they are also working to smooth the surface for the site of the future walking path. “It’s all pre-approved and it’s pretty much all being done with volunteers… it’s really remarkable,” Dennehy said. “If somebody had told me two years ago, we would have lights on the field, we’d have graded the field for the smaller field, and we’re having new fencing… it takes people with the energy to go out and make that happen,” Selectman John Traynor said.
The Selectmen finished their meeting with their raves. Russo said that his rave was for the Community Preservation Act and the Committee. “The Community Preservation Act gives us the chance to work on these kinds of projects that might not be done otherwise and I think part of the genius was the name – community preservation is exactly what these projects are doing. It is open space preservation, historic preservation, those kinds of things that make a community and preserve a community.”
Traynor said that his rave was for the election drawing to a close. He also gave a “shout out” to the Council on Aging and the Director of Elder Affairs for putting on a Veterans Breakfast/Buffet each month. “I think it’s really important and they’re doing a great job and if there are any veterans out there that aren’t aware of it, they should drop in,” he said.

The Plympton School Committee confronted a $213,000 budget deficit for the current fiscal year during its meeting Monday night, Oct. 28, prompting an immediate budget freeze and discussions on how to address the shortfall.
The deficit, primarily at-tributed to unexpected special education costs, caught committee members off guard and led to a tense discussion about potential cuts and funding sources.
“This is the third year in a row we’ve had over-runs, so I think that we’re extremely sensitive to that,” said Committee Chair Jason Fra-ser. “This is 5% more to our budget after we’ve already gone to the town voters and asked them to support a certain level.”
Sarah Hickey, the district’s Director of Finance and Operations, explained that the deficit stems from new out-of-district placements and additional support services for students with complex needs. These costs were not anticipated when the budget was approved earlier this year.
“Plympton has had a new out-of-district placement. Plympton has a student that was identified as needing a one-to-one paraprofessional,” Hickey said. “The substitute line was cut and there are a number of long-term absences, so we have long-term subs in for a number of teachers.”
The committee voted unanimously to implement an immediate budget freeze to prevent further overspending. However, members acknowledged that the freeze alone would not be sufficient to close the gap.
“A budget freeze isn’t going to fix this,” said Jon Wilhelmsen, Vice Chair of the Committee. “We’re going to have to figure out a way to get that information so we can have a way to discuss with the town so that the town can make a decision about how they want to deal with this.”

One potential source of funds discussed was the district’s special education re-serve fund, which currently holds about $50,000. The committee also considered using federal grant money to offset some costs, though concerns were raised about the legality of such a move.
Peter Veneto, principal of Dennett Elementary School, expressed concern about the impact of potential cuts on staffing and programs. “After losing a full-time aid last year, if we had to take this step, that would be very difficult to man-age,” he said.
The committee plans to create a prioritized list of potential cuts, ranging from de-laying equipment purchases to more severe staffing reductions. Fraser emphasized the need for transparency in this process.
“I think we literally need
a list from $263,000 down to zero from the least painful to the most painful decisions that may have to occur for us to cover the total hole on our own,” Fraser said.
Committee members stressed the importance of working with town officials to find a solution. They plan to schedule a joint meeting with the Finance Committee and Town Administrator to discuss the situation and explore potential funding options.
“I think we’ll be able to work with the town in order to deal with this,” Wilhelmsen said. “I think the town does recognize that this school and all of the folks that work here do a tremendous amount and do it very efficiently.”

Alan Ingram
Express correspondent
KINGSTON – The Kingston Board of Selectmen voted unanimously October 22 to order a dog named Angel humanely euthanized after deeming it dangerous following multiple attacks.
The hearing was held to review three incidents involving the pit bull owned by Rebecca Montgomery of Silver Lake Drive.
Senior Animal Control Officer Joanna Boudreau detailed the first two incidents from April 2023 and April 2024, where Angel escaped her yard and attacked neighboring dogs. The third and most serious incident occurred in September 2024, when Angel broke through a screen door.
“She busted through the screen door and due to the weakness of the [runner] cable it snapped,” said Assistant Animal Control Officer Sonya Buckner, who responded to the third incident. “She attacked the two puppies.”
Torin Jensen, owner of the attacked puppies, described the incident: “Door flings open, dog comes running right out. Jumps on one of my puppies ripping her face, grabbing it very viciously.”
Jensen said his dogs required $8,000 in veterinary care. He also sustained injuries himself trying to separate the animals, stating the combined medical and veterinary bills were $12,000.
“It was one of those moments where you just completely like blackout and shock and just go into like fight mode,” Jensen said.
The board heard testimony from multiple witnesses, including the dog’s owners. Emily Montgomery, Rebecca’s sister, said Angel had never had issues with small dogs before and was “great with kids.”
However, Boudreau recommended the dog be deemed dangerous, citing its history of aggression.
“I do believe that based upon our information, previous incidents, that Angel is a dangerous dog,” Boudreau said. The Board agreed, voting unanimously to deem Angel a dangerous dog.
Boudreau initially suggested several restrictions, including muzzling and insurance requirements. But after deliberation, the board opted for euthanasia given the severity and pattern of incidents.
“This is very difficult to say the least,” said Board Chair Eric Crone before the unanimous vote.
The owners have the right to appeal the decision. If upheld, animal control will coordinate the euthanasia after the appeal period expires.
In other business, the board voted 2-3 against recommending a state-mandated MBTA zoning district, potentially jeopardizing millions in state funding and grants.
The MBTA Communities zoning law requires certain towns to create multi-family housing districts near transit stations. Kingston must designate 50 acres for up to 805 new housing units to comply.
Town Planner Valerie Massard presented a proposal that would concentrate the zoning changes primarily within the Kingston Collection mall property, with some additional areas nearby.
“Valerie’s done an incredible job,” said Selectman Tyler Bouchard. “Our town planner is taking what they’ve done and worked magic with it.”
Bouchard argued Kingston has “the best situation out of any other town” to implement the zoning with minimal impact. The proposal avoids residential neighborhoods and focuses on already developed commercial areas.
However, other board members expressed concerns about state overreach and potential negative impacts on the town.
“I’m an absolute no on MBTA, not because I don’t appreciate all the work the staff has done,” said Selectman Kimberly Emberg. “You guys have done a tremendous job and I honestly couldn’t say enough positive things about the time and effort you’ve put in.”
Emberg warned that approving the zoning could lead to further state mandates. “They’re going to keep moving the goal line,” she said.
Town Administrator Keith Hickey outlined the financial stakes, noting Kingston has received $8.25 million in state grants in recent years that it would no longer be eligible for without MBTA compliance.
This includes $6 million for water and sewer infrastructure related to the Amazon development and $1.6 million for water quality improvements on the Jones River.
Hickey also pointed to upcoming water infrastructure needs, including a $5 million well and $4.5 million water tank, that could potentially qualify for state funding.
“We’re trying to make as positive a thing as we can out of a really lousy situation,” Hickey said.
The town already has 282 apartments at the Kingston Collection mall site, which count toward the 805-unit requirement. Officials said it’s unlikely the full 805 units would actually be built given existing development.
“Could they build 805 units? I guess that’s what would be allowed,” Hickey said. “I think what’s important for people to recognize is that every single property that’s in this district right now is already developed.”
Chair Eric Crone expressed frustration with unfunded state mandates.
“I’m really sick of the state sticking their nose into Kingston and just costing us money, not helping us,” he said. “We haven’t had help. They’ve done nothing but cost us money.”
The board ultimately voted 2-3 against adopting the zoning changes. Bouchard and Melissa Bateman voted in favor, while Crone, Emberg and Donald Alcombright voted against.
According to Crone, State Rep. Kathy LaNatra plans to introduce legislation in January to repeal the MBTA zoning law. However, Hickey cautioned that many communities have already adopted changes.
“The horse is out of the barn,” he said.
The zoning proposal will still go before Town Meeting on Nov. 19. The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the issue next week.
If Kingston remains non-compliant, it risks losing access to certain state grant programs. The attorney general has also sued some towns that rejected MBTA zoning.
“It’s blackmail and it’s terrible and nobody likes it,” Bouchard said. “I’m not gonna mince words about it. It is what it is.”
The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 5.

Alan Ingram
Express correspondent
In a political forum hosted by WATD, incumbent Democrat Kathy LaNatra and Republican challenger Eric Meschino presented their cases for representing the 12th Plymouth District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The district includes Kingston, Plympton, precincts 1 and 2A in Halifax, as well as parts of Middleborough, Pembroke, and Plymouth.
Immigration emerged as a contentious topic, with Meschino taking a hard line. “First thing I think they should do is stop funding [the migrants]. Simple as that. You know, people have a problem with illegal immigrants in this state, in our district. Kathy’s fault. She voted for that.”
LaNatra, defending her record, emphasized the need for federal immigration reform while acknowledging the complexities of the issue. “We’ve made reforms to the right to shelter law, and we will continue to make reforms,” she said, noting that some immigrants are here legally on protective status.
On affordability, both candidates recognized it as a pressing concern for the district. LaNatra highlighted recent legislative efforts, including a $1 billion tax cut package. “We did that this session. It extended the [two dependent child] cap… That significantly helps families,” she said.
Meschino, however, argued for a different approach. “What makes it unaffordable? Taxes. Everything keeps going up,” he said, advocating for less government intervention and lower taxes.
When asked about the Governor’s recent emergency preamble on the new gun law, Meschino said “Licensed gun owners are the single most law-abiding citizens in this country,” he said, criticizing the underlying bill. “Where’s the emergency? It’s nothing more than a gun grab.”
LaNatra reminded listeners about her vote against the gun law but supported the Governor’s emergency preamble. “Emergency preambles are done quite frequently, so it’s not uncommon that the governor would call that,” adding “if [the repeal folks] want to put it on the ballot, absolutely. It’s their right to do that.”
The candidates also diverged on the issue of auditing the state legislature. Meschino strongly supported the idea, stating, “The state auditor was elected to audit. I think they should open up the books.” LaNatra, while not opposed to audits, suggested an independent auditor would be more appropriate than the state auditor.
On education, the candidates discussed the potential elimination of MCAS as a high school graduation requirement. LaNatra supported the change, saying, “I do think we should eliminate it as a requirement to graduate.” Meschino disagreed, arguing, “We need some kind of standards.”
In their closing statements, the candidates summarized their positions and appeals to voters. LaNatra emphasized her experience and bipartisan approach, saying, “I’m a seasoned leader who listens, acts, and delivers.” Meschino positioned himself as an agent of change, stating, “If you want change, I can be a change agent. If you want the same thing you got now, vote for Kathy.”
The two candidates vying for the vacant 6th Plymouth District seat also squared off on WATD. The district is made up of Duxbury, Precinct 2 in Halifax, and parts of Hanson, Marshfield, and Pembroke. Republican Ken Sweezey and Democrat Becky Coletta addressed topics ranging from the migrant crisis to affordable housing during the hour-long forum moderated by Christine James and Tom Gorman.
The candidates clashed most sharply on the state’s response to the migrant crisis. Sweezey called for a residency requirement for the right to shelter law, arguing, “This is a math problem. There’s no inflammatory language here. It’s a math problem. We cannot afford it.”
Coletta countered that the focus should be on expediting work permits for migrants. “I would work as hard as our governor has been working to get work permits and get people to work. It doesn’t cost money if we have these people working,” she said.
On housing affordability, both candidates acknowledged the challenges facing the district. Sweezey estimated that a “ready to move in” home for $350,000 “doesn’t exist” in the area. Coletta suggested that an affordable apartment would cost around $1,900 per month, but added, “I don’t think it exists.”
The candidates also differed on the MBTA Communities Zoning Act. Sweezey strongly opposed the measure, stating, “This directly changes, and I would say ruins the character of our towns.” Coletta, in addition to criticizing the law, argued that it was itself deregulation “it was a Charlie Baker idea. It was a Republican principle of deregulation. Zoning is regulation of private property use. This was deregulation.”
On ballot questions, the candidates found some common ground. Both opposed Question 5, which would change how tip workers are paid. However, they diverged on Question 2 regarding MCAS testing, with Sweezey opposing the measure and Coletta supporting it.
On the one issue they’d like to be known to champion, Sweezey pointed to immigration, “the immigration issue touches so many things between budget and housing and affordability and everything. So the immigration crisis has to be solved.” Coletta highlighted affordability, “People need to be able to buy homes and live here at all stages of their life so that the communities can continue to be the diverse, welcoming places they have been in our lifetimes.”
The election for both seats will be held on Nov. 5..

The Halifax Elementary School Committee met on Monday, Oct. 7. Chairman of the Ballot Committee to support the Community Preservation Act (CPA), Candy Kniffen, presented to the Committee. She explained, “Halifax is the only town in the region that has not enrolled in the Community Preservation Act… what the Community Preservation Act does is it allows communities to put money aside for specific areas – one is historical preservation, one is open space and recreation, and one is affordable housing.” She said that while there is an assessment that the town pays, there are also “generous” abatements available.
Kniffen, who said that all of her children went to Silver Lake schools and she served on the school committee at one time, asked to speak to the benefit of the CPA for the schools. She said that there are historical projects that could be completed with the funding that would be able to be utilized by the students in town. She also said that replacement of playground equipment or expansion of the existing playground would also be eligible for CPA funding. “Quite frankly, we don’t see a downside to this and when it comes to the schools, we think they could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the CPA funding,” Kniffen explained. She said that there is a myriad of information on their website and Facebook page.
Committee Chair Lauren Laws asked what the 1.5 percent assessment would equal in terms of funds available. Kniffen said that it would be based on the average home price in Halifax of $511,000 and would total around $250,000 raised at the local level, not counting what the State would contribute. School Committee member Lori Costa-Cline said she has heard from critics of the CPA that it was a way to funnel money toward housing projects as ten percent of the funding is mandated to be set aside for housing. She asked who makes the determination of which projects are chosen and was told that Town Meeting would make those decisions. Kniffen said that regarding housing, the CPA gives the town total control of how to spend the funds and said that they also encourage the reuse of existing buildings over new construction.
Laws said that she has also heard that they could build a senior center with the funding. Kniffen said that she was sure that the town would have one by now if they had enrolled in 2000. Costa-Cline said, “I think that the timing is unfortunate because… this is a worthwhile project… but everyone is so tight and stretched and at their limit, so you’re dealing with that… the MBTA Affordable Housing project… there’s a lot of mish-mashed of misinformation and everything getting lumped together. I think that people should look into what the benefits are… I hope people will look at the long view and not look at the short.” Kniffen said that it is unfortunate that there is misinformation confusing the CPA with the MBTA Communities initiative. She also reiterated that the decisions as to how to spend the funding would be in the hands of the town.
Regionalization
Discussion
Laws told the Committee that Costa-Cline asked that a full regionalization discussion be added to that evening’s agenda. “We all consider ourselves part of Silver Lake even though Halifax School Committee is its own separate entity… but I think we all recognize that there needs to be some symmetry in the way that the elementary school committees do things,” she explained. She said that budget season really highlights the need for full regionalization.
Superintendent Jill Proulx said, “so there’s a community compact efficiency and regionalization grant. Last year this Committee voted to support the town of Halifax looking into that grant. Last year, Kingston applied for that grant. Kingston School Committee also voted to look into that grant. What that grant would allow us to do for the town is to look into the pros and cons, the benefits and perhaps, the downsides of full regionalization.” Proulx said that two out of the three communities support looking into full regionalization. “The majority of regionalized school districts are fully regionalized,” Proulx said. Laws pointed out that it felt a bit disjointed to have the schools regionalized for Pre-K, not regionalized for K-6, and then regionalized for 7-12.
Costa-Cline said she would like to ask the town to apply for the grant and also said that she would like to see regionalization be a standing agenda item moving forward. Laws said that she was in agreement. The Committee voted unanimously to ask the town to support the grant application.
Prize Distribution as Part of Fundraising
A member of the Committee proposed a change to policy to stop giving out individual prizes to students based on how much they personally have fundraised. A representative from Boosterthon spoke to the Committee saying that it was his job to tailor the fundraising efforts to each individual community. “Of course, Booster, over the last twenty years have seen that when you do individual prizes and students are motivated to go home and talk to their parents, that’s when the fundraising is at it’s highest level,” he said. Laws said she would rather leave it up to the PTO to figure out the prize piece.
Sub Committee and
Administrative Updates
Costa-Cline provided an update on the Pilgrim Area Collaborative. She said that right now there are 112 students in the day program and a little over 100 in the extended services program. The Executive Director offered a tour to anyone on the Board that is interested in seeing the program. They are applying to be a service provider to students 22-30 years old as right now they are only able to provide services through 21 years of age.
Principal Kayne Beaudry introduced new Assistant Principal Kristy Luperon. He told the Committee she has been doing a great job. He also provided an update on the bus routes since dropping from ten to eight buses. He said that they haven’t seen any changes with the numbers for parent pickup and drop off and said they are comparable with last year’s. He did say that they may have seen a slight uptick in children biking to school. He also compared bus misconduct slips and said that they haven’t seen any more problems as compared to last year. He said the adjustment to new bus stops for families has been the biggest issue. He also provided an update on enrollment saying they were at 532 and the kindergarten class is 82 students.
Proulx provided an update. She said that homeschool enrollment for Halifax for Grades K-6 went up from 11 last year to 17 this year. A decline was seen at the 7-12 grade level. She said the overall enrollment population hasn’t been changing much with a slight increase seen for Halifax at the elementary level.
Proulx asked the School Committee what they would like to see from administration in their preliminary budget. Laws said she would like to see a level services budget as well as potential places in the budget for cost savings. She referred to the cost savings of going from ten buses to eight as she said it had a significant impact on the budget while causing minimal disruption for students. Costa-Kline recommended having a prioritized list of budget wants/needs. Laws said that her priority would be to add back staff.

The Plympton School Committee met on Monday, Sept. 23. Chair Jason Fraser said that they would be discussing budget restoration priorities. “If you were involved in our budget discussion at the end of last school year, there were some cuts that we needed to make. There were some consumables that we took off the table, some computer programs we took off the table; we also currently don’t have a math interventionist in the building… and in addition to that we’ve acknowledged that there’s some areas of need within the district. One would be looking to hiring an ELL teacher here at the Dennett.” Dennett Elementary Principal Peter Veneto said that they currently have a good number of ELL students at eight. Fraser also said that for the past two years, they have identified a need for two more staff members in the Business Office which would be a shared cost.
Committee member Jon Wilhelmsen said, “We can’t just look at Dennett, so we’re going to have to be cognizant of what’s going on at a Silver Lake perspective, especially with the recognition of the budget.” He continued, “There isn’t really going to be any extra money here. We have to look at total costs of the town because there isn’t really any extra money at the town level either because we used that up last year… the last couple of years we have utilized that to help pay for budget shortfall.”
A member of the audience asked, “is there an actual deficit to the need to the budget right now currently as we stand?” Fraser replied that as of right now the budget is “whole.” He clarified that prior to Town Meeting last year the school was asked to trim $100,000 from the budget. “So we just want to make sure as we lean into next year’s budget, we can restore as much as possible but I just want to make sure that we’re prioritizing what we’re putting as the number one thing to restore, then the number two,” Fraser explained.
Wilhelmsen said that he, Superintendent Jill Proulx, and Director of Finance and Operations Sarah Hickey met with Town Administrators from the three towns to gather a sort of state of the state. “As we approach budget season, how things are looking – what do they have for levy limit, what do they have for free cash, what other challenges are they seeing walking into the budget season,” he explained. He said that a meeting to review all these items will take place in December at the Kingston Town Hall. He encouraged everyone to attend.
Veneto provided a playground update. He said that the initial quote they got to make necessary repairs was $5,200, but it had since increased to $5,800. He said that they were able to find a reputable company that would do the work for a third of the cost. He also noted that parts have been ordered. Fraser asked if the playground was still accessible and safe. Veneto said that one small section had been roped off, but the rest was in use and safe.
Regarding capital projects, Wilhelmsen said that they did get an earmark from Senator Moran’s office for $35,000 to replace one of the rooftop units. He said that unfortunately those units are now costing upwards of $75,000 to $80,000. “In order for us to take the… money from the State, we’re going to need to be able to come up with other funds to be able to purchase one of those units and those are six units that need to be replaced over time,” he explained. He also said that they would need to prioritize that unit to take advantage of the earmark this fiscal year.
Veneto provided a principal’s report saying that CASA had their Harvest Fair the previous Saturday. He said that they had a busy month filling vacant roles including the nurse position as the Head Nurse is out on maternity leave. He named a few other leaves and retirements as well. Veneto said that he was able to fill the Title I position. He said the school was holding a “gold boot” fundraiser for kids with cancer. Veneto also said that the school received a $10,000 donation from a donor that wished to remain anonymous.
Jill Proulx introduced Dr. Tricia Clifford as the new Assistant Superintendent for Silver Lake. Proulx said that they had three leadership institutes over the summer where they reviewed the strategy for district improvement. She also said in August they held trainings with legal counsel for Title IX. She shared a reduced version of the presentation that was shared with staff regarding what was accomplished last year and what still needs to be done.
Proulx said that new staff was introduced. She said that in addition to Clifford, they welcomed Athletic Director Rick Swanson, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator Brian DeSantes, HR Director Liz Grindle, Integrated Preschool Principal Sarah Chick, Math Coordinator at the Middle and High School Dan Correia, and Special Education Coordinator for K-12 Elizabeth MacKay.
Proulx told the Committee that they plan to expand Second Step, the anti-bullying curriculum into the high school as well as pro social skills. She also said that the principals will be working on ways to improve parent and community involvement

Alan Ingram
Express correspondent
Residents of Kingston’s private roads expressed frustration at a Board of Selectmen meeting Tuesday, Sept. 24, over a new policy that may halt snow plowing on some streets this winter. The board agreed to revisit the issue and hold a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 8, to address concerns about safety and communication.
The policy, approved by the board in August 2023, would stop town plowing on private roads that don’t meet minimum standards, including a 10-foot-wide roadway with 2-foot shoulders on each side. Residents whose roads do not meet these standards were told they would need to make improvements or lose plowing services. Those residents say they were blindsided by letters sent out in early September informing them of the changes.
Several residents voiced worries about emergency vehicle access and the financial burden of maintaining their own roads. “I just cannot believe that I’m even here because I was never even notified,” said Victor Hult of Stagecoach Drive, who has lived on his road for 48 years.
Paul Brokmeier of Stagecoach Drive said he received estimates as high as $28,500 to bring his street up to the town’s standards. “I don’t really wanna hear that they’re not gonna plow my street when I won’t be able to get an ambulance into my home,” Brokmeier said.
Scott Bishop of Main Street, not an affected road, asked, “Why are you stopping services to citizens who pay taxes? What are you doing to ensure that emergency services are going to be available to these people? What are you doing to maintain upkeep of town property on these roads?”
Violet Berry of Meadowbrook Road recounted how town officials promised to plow her street when she moved there in 1960. “Now, when I was growing up, my father was, had his own business.… He never in his life signed a paper or had anybody sign the paper. He would quote a price, they’d shake on it and that was the legal document, so my feeling is, I’d like that honored.”
Berry added “I’d like to be able to continue living on Meadowbrook Road. It would be a hardship for me if I had to start putting out thousands of dollars or whatever to keep the road going.”
Highway Superintendent Paul Basler explained the policy aims to protect town plowing equipment and address a shortage of plow drivers. He said the town maintains about 80 miles of accepted roads and 35 miles of unaccepted private roads.
“We are having a big problem getting these plow trucks in anymore because A, insurance rates are high, the price of trucks is 70 or 80 grand, and nobody wants to put a plow on a truck, or an 80 grand plow truck, and have the transmission blow, or have the truck break down because it hit something on the side of a road,” Basler said.
“We’re trying to save the private plows and trucks from damage,” He added. “We need to keep our old trucks running to serve everyone in town who pays taxes.”
The new rules require private roads to meet minimum width and clearance standards. According to Basler, most issues involve overgrown trees and brush that need trimming.
Board members acknowledged the policy rollout could have been handled better. Selectman Kim Emberg apologized for the late notification.
“I apologize for it not going out until now. We voted it August of 2023. My understanding was that notifications would go out then. They didn’t, so I am apologizing to everyone for that, and we are trying to remedy that in a future meeting,” Emberg said.
The board voted to hold a public hearing on Oct. 8 to further discuss the policy and potential modifications. They also requested updated information on which streets don’t meet requirements and what specific repairs are needed.
“We’re not trying to postpone it and not have it done being closer to November. We’re trying to solve it,” said Chairman Eric Crone. “I mean, I’m telling you, we’re all residents of the same town.”
Emberg suggested the board could consider delaying implementation for a year or making tweaks to address concerns while still protecting town equipment.
“We could keep the policy as it is, not change anything, which I don’t think is fair at this point, given that people didn’t have the notification that was intended,” she said.
“So that leaves us a middle ground, which is either delaying the policy until next year, or figuring out maybe some tweaks for this season to address the concerns about the trucks, but also try to get to as many private roads as possible.”
The public hearing on the private road plowing policy is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Kingston Town House.

The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met onThursday, Sept. 5, for the first time since the school year began. Mark Guidoboni provided a SAFER update. He told the Committee that a Facilities Director notified the subcommittee that there were several HVAC failures throughout the buildings that could result in a loss of heat. “Come budget time next year, we’re going to have to make some decisions on these units and facilities going forward,” he explained. He explained that there may be some available funding sources.
He turned things over to Director of Finance and Operations Sarah Hickey to elaborate. She said, “As you know, there were changes in personnel and Mike Lawless, Director of Facilities, and I pretty much got up and running in January and so the money that was voted for the FY24 capital projects, we weren’t really getting going on spending in the spring and summer and so what I put together for you is a spreadsheet that has the fiscal year of when something was voted, what the project was, what the budget was, what has been expended, and then any balance or shortfall.” She continued, “Mike and I brought an idea to SAFER about having a comprehensive facilities study done and Mark mentioned HVAC repairs… we’re required by law to provide heat.” Hickey said that they were hoping to use the $100,000 for FY25 and the excess for FY24 unspent projects to fund a comprehensive study to guide the discussions of the Capital Committee in the future. She said that any money not spent on the study would go toward HVAC repairs. She added, “One of my big concerns since I got here is priorities of projects and I have to be honest with you, I sort of hit the roof when I found out that we spent a half a million dollars on tennis courts and we have portions of the building where the heat doesn’t work.”
Guidoboni explained, “I would like to vote to use the excess funding from the projects at $42,442.00 and the other revenue… so a total of $142,442.00… for an HVAC and comprehensive study.” Committee Chair Gordon Laws questioned whether it should be voted on as it wasn’t explicitly stated in the agenda. Committee member Jason Fraser said that since it was part of a subcommittee report the Committee could vote to accept the report with the recommended movement of capital included. Committee member Paula Hatch made a motion to reallocate the dollars in the capital plan for a comprehensive facility plan with the remainder of the funds being used for HVAC fixes. The Committee voted in favor of the motion.
Guidoboni also discussed the possibility of moving the administration building. The first of the three options is an $8 million, 8,000 square ft. building. The second option is renting or purchasing an off-site facility in one of the towns for around $1.8 million. The third option is to build a 4,000 square ft. annex adjacent to the existing building.
Guidoboni told the Committee that Kingston recently discussed establishing a school zone as a result of a safety audit that was done. He explained, “we didn’t have authority to have a school zone in the past. High schools did not qualify and our middle school was set too far back from the street to qualify… we went through this when we built the schools almost twenty years ago… the State changed the rules and allows high schools now to have school zones,” he explained. He said that Kingston voted in favor of putting a school zone together in front of the schools complete with a flashing sign. He said that they are looking for different funding sources to pay for the sign, etc. Guidoboni said that the Kingston Town Administrator said he has found all but $10k to $20k of that money. Guidoboni asked the Committee to vote to support a school zone along Pembroke St. in the mornings and afternoons. The Committee voted unanimously in favor of it.
Proposal for EV Charging Stations
The Committee listened to a presentation on a proposal for EV charging stations to be installed on the Silver Lake campus. A representative from Innovus Power told the Committee that they have installed about 1,000 ports in 15 different states. “There is a limited window that is closing on fast-charging rebates,” he explained. He further said that if they just did a station at the high school, they would offer a 20 percent profit share, but if they did one at the Kingston Elementary school as well, it would be 30 percent.
Asked where the stations would be located, they said there were two options. One would be on the corner of 27 and the senior/upper parking lot. The other option would be the first six spots next to the admin building. There was some concern discussed regarding safety issues with random people wandering around the school grounds while school is in session. The representative said that anecdotally people tend to sit in their car on their devices while charging. Asked about cost, it was said that the only potential cost would come with needing to ensure the spaces are free and clear of snow.
The representative said that the application submittal is not obligatory. “We can get you in line, but you don’t have to move forward even if you get an approval… the downside is if we miss the window, we miss the window,” he explained. The Committee voted in favor of submitting the application since it doesn’t bind them to a decision either way. Laws said, “I can tell you from my own personal standpoint… I am extremely interested in fighting even for nickels and dimes in terms of pulling in revenue and free cash flow given what could be… the challenges of our finances at the end of the year.” The Committee voted unanimously to submit an application “pursuant to further diligence, discussion, and final approval of the Committee.”
Potential Cell Phone Ban
Laws told the Committee that a concerned parent wrote to them expressing their desire for a schoolwide cell phone ban as has been adopted in other schools. Middle School Principal Becky Couet said that the policy in their school is that the phones need to remain in the students’ lockers. She said that a new teacher commented to her that he has never been in a school where he has never seen a phone until this one. Couet said that she doesn’t feel the need to have a stricter policy. High School Principal Michaela Gill said that they have a slightly laxer policy that prohibits phone usage during instructional time. Questions were asked regarding Apple watch usage, specifically regarding cheating. Gill answered that the teachers were savvy but noted that if a student really wants to cheat, they will find a way.
Principals’ Reports
Couet listed off some new teachers as well as a retirement. She said that she wanted to call attention to the front of the school and said that Amnesty ambassadors came in August to help organize the opening ceremonies for the school. She also said that she wanted to recognize the custodial efforts over the summer to get the school ready for the year.
Gill also provided a report. She recognized all of the student support and volunteerism that enabled them to do the Freshmen Orientation. She also asked the Committee for approval for an out-of-state spring trip to Carnegie Hall for chorus and band members. The Committee voted to allow the trip. Gill did note that any student who was accepted to perform wouldn’t be denied due to finances.
Gill told the Committee the Silver Lake Hall of Fame Committee reached out about fundraising for and creating a memorial on campus for Buddy Teevens. Teevens, who attended Silver Lake (Class of ’74), was the winningest coach in Dartmouth football history. He passed away last year. Laws said, “If you don’t know American football very well, Buddy Teevans was not just a great coach at Dartmouth, he actually changed the game across America. His practices of how he managed his team to reduce injuries and head injuries and things like that have generally speaking been adopted everywhere.”
Gill also said that an issue of MIAA eligibility came up for students who are now attending a state-sponsored virtual high school. She said that after investigating it they found out that permission could be granted for such instances. A Committee member asked if the same was true for charter and home school students. Gill said that home-schooled children were absolutely eligible to participate in district sports though she wasn’t sure about the charter school issue.
Gill said that the School Resource Officer Richard Allen has made many connections with students who might otherwise struggle to make meaningful connections. She said that he is heavily involved with boxing and several students have expressed interest and even attended the gym where he boxes. As a result of growing interest, the Police Department is looking to establish the Kingston Police Boxing Club which would be open only to Silver Lake students. The Committee voted to approve the request to share the flyer.
Student Representative Carissa Smith addressed the Committee. She told them that the first football game would be the following day. Spirit Week as well as an in-school Student Council retreat and NHS induction are both coming up soon. The main thing she spoke about was Silver Lake hosting the SEMASC (Southeastern Massachusetts Association of Student Councils).
Assistant Superintendent Report
Assistant Superintendent Tricia Clifford addressed the Committee. She said that she has been working on ESSER title grants to fund various things throughout the District. She also said that she worked on new teacher orientation on August 21 where they spent time discussing the strategy for district improvement.
Superintendent Jill Proulx spoke next. She said that in August they had a training with legal on new Title IX requirements. She introduced some of the new staff including Clifford, new Athletic Director Richard Swanson, and new Integrated Preschool Principal Sarah Chick.
SLEA Update
New Silver Lake Education Association (SLEA) President Jessica Drew addressed the Committee. She called their roles as educators more than a job saying it was a “passion and identity.”
Legislative Update
Committee member Jason Fraser said that over the summer he spent considerable time working with the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA). He said there is a bill on the table that would create a blind lottery for CTE admissions. He said that MAVA is staunchly against the bill. “The ultimate goal is to increase funding for CTE programming so every single student in the Commonwealth will have access to a seat in a CTE program if they so desire,” Fraser said.