Tempers flared at the Aug. 24 meeting of the Halifax Board of Selectmen when Ashley DiSesa, Halifax’s newest member of the board, introduced discussion for a possible vote for the replacement of the town’s various specialty attorneys with the town’s new choice for Town Counsel Brooks & DiRensis.  DiSesa said that there was a lot of confusion on this because certain departments are being told to go to certain attorneys  Brooks and DiRensis, she said, had mentioned at previous meetings that they would like to take over this work so there would be less chance of misinterpretation between attorneys and firms.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that he was not aware of any confusion and told selectmen that it’s been the policy of the boards for 15 or 20 years that regulatory departments such as the Board of Health, Conservation Commission, ZBA, Planning Board, all have use of Town Counsel, they just have to notify selectmen that they are consulting with Town Counsel.  Labor questions have been answered by Atty. Michael Gillen, who has served the town for perhaps 30 years.  He has his own personnel to handle all of these things.  Seelig asked, at Gillen’s request, for Gillen to have an opportunity to address the board before the decision was made as to who would handle the matters going forward.  After a bit of discussion, selectmen allowed Gillen to speak before them at the Sept. 14 meeting.

Andrews spoke to DiSesa’s request saying that he believes, from his perspective, it makes sense to have one firm handling everything.  Seelig explained that Paul (DiRensis) is Town Counsel of Record, but one of the requirements for appointment as town counsel is that there be backup so he has assigned other attorneys in his firm with aspects of Halifax’s town work.  The discussion was tabled until Atty. Paul DiRensis could be present as he had not yet arrived.

Former Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor asked the board if it was financially wise to have work taken over by the new firm who would have to be brought up to date on these cases that have been going on for four or five years, and now will continue longer and possibly cost the town a whole lot more money.   My understanding is that the new town counsel has charged more than $14,000 to the town.   And YOU, having several cases against the town handled by Brooks & DiRensis, questioned why Andrews didn’t recuse himself on the discussion and vote.  Andrews defended himself saying that he has recused himself in every discussion of his cases and other related issues, saying that the choice of consolidating the legal matters had nothing to do with his cases before the town.  He reiterated that with everything going forward he would like to have one law firm representing the town.    

Attorney Dirensis arrived and explained that he likes to be able to look at the town as a whole,.   as opposed to different special counsels focusing on the different trees in the forest, I can look at the whole forest and get a sense of that’s good for the town so if I see that there’s a problem in a particular area, I could suggest an amendment to the bylaws of the town to fix that problem and if there’s a personnel issue then I can bring that to the board’s attention.  I see myself as like the family doctor; I like to be able to see the whole patient and know what’s going on with the whole patient and figure out the overall health, because if you have a problem with your liver, it may very well have impacts on all kinds of other parts of the body, if you understand that medical reference, the town is being analogized to a body and the lawyer  as the doctor.   

I see myself as the old- fashioned doctor that actually comes to your house and sees you in your own bed and tries to figure out what’s going on and what you need.   If there are things I don’t know about then I can’t get involved with, then I can’t treat the whole patient.”

Ashley DiSesa asked “Do you feel your firm can handle everything else for our town?  DiRensis:  I don’t know what everything is, as I wasn’t here earlier when the board reviewed them.

Gaynor questioned why Andrews could vote on this matter when he has cases with this attorney against the town and should recuse himself from the vote.  Andrews countered that he had allowed her to speak at the public meeting and perhaps should not have.   He didn’t know where she was getting her numbers and it was a matter that the board had not previously discussed.

Alan Dias, former member of the Planning Board and Board of Health objected loudly saying that the decision was made about 20 years ago to go with counsels who specialize in the kind of legal advice needed.   He disagreed with the analogy of the using a general practitioner for all of the town’s needs.  “If I have cancer, I’m going to a cancer doctor.”   The town has been run successfully.  The only reason that you two guys are trying to come up with this is a financial gain for you.  Andrews and DeSesa retorted “That’s not the case.”  Dias argued it IS the case. DiRensis said, I’m with the firm.  I have a labor guy, land use, procurement guys, contract guys, litigators.  I don’t do everything myself.   

Dias spoke again to arguing that the only reason was to put the town in a weakened position in arguing Andrews’ suits against the town.  Andrews said he should not have allowed Dias to speak and requested he be silent.  Dias asked if we were living in a totalitarian government now.

Andrews declared a 5-minute cooling off period.  Gaynor said she still hadn’t gotten an answer to her question. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig asked on behalf of Atty. Gilman asking that he could be heard by the board of selectmen before any decision was made on his cases.  The board allowed that.   

DiSesa moved the question to have all new legal matters except personnel matters currently with Attorney Gilman are to be referred to Brooks & DiRensis going forward and Andrews seconded the motion after Garron said no, he would not second.

COVID-19 policies

Halifax Health Agent Bob Valery spoke to the board regarding the mask policy for the Town Hall building as well as other municipal buildings in town.   “Our COVID numbers are back to where they were last spring.  The data is worse now.  “We had much discussion in our Board of Health meeting and came to a decision.   At this point in time the board was pretty much going along with what the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) was doing.  Then DESE changed its mind.   What we would do as a town as far as municipal buildings is a personal choice.   We had it in place, it worked effectively with no detrimental side effects.  Do we lead by exmample or not?  As for the school, it’s a very controversial issue.  Vaccinations, very controversial.  Testing?   It’s another.  We’re still working on getting funding for testing.”  Valery said it will change but at this point in time erring on the side of caution can’t hurt.

Chairman Andrews, who is also a member of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, said that beginning Oct. 1, each school with 80% vaccination rate can apply to waive the mask mandate.    Charlie Seelig responded that with Halifax at 44% for the 12 to 15 year-olds and 51% for the 15-19 year olds, we’re not going to make it for the Oct. 1 deadline because we’re only going up by one or two per cent.  Kingston’s a whole lot better than we are, and so’s Plympton.  Plympton’s at 54% for ages 12 – 15, and 63% for ages 16-19.

“The politics are different here in Halifax than those in Plympton.  I think there’s more antivax sentiment here, the result is that the schools those children will be attending will have a mask requirement longer than those whose parents choose to get their children vaccinated,” Seelig said.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on the evening of Tuesday, August 23. Chair Christine Joy introduced Bill McNulty with the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) to discuss ways to deal with heavy truck traffic in town, particularly on Main St. and Ring Rd. McNulty said originally they were discussing establishing safety zones but have begun looking at heavy commercial vehicle exclusions in order to help mitigate cut-through traffic. He showed a map with two options, one that would look at Main St. alone and another that would involve Ring Rd. and require the cooperation of the town of Kingston.  The OCPC performed traffic counts on these roads back in March. He said that while the numbers were relatively low on Ring Rd., they did include a high percentage of trucks. He noted that “speeds were a little high” as well. Main St. was seeing about 2500 vehicles per day with a high percentage of those being heavy truck traffic. The percentage seen was somewhere between 14 and 16 percent. The heavy truck exclusion as shown on the map would include Main St., Ring Rd., Crescent St., and Upland Rd. McNulty suggested considering adding Center St.  and Maple St.

McNulty said the first step would be for the Board of Selectmen to vote on the traffic exclusion and then to send a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Selectman Mark Russo said he was in favor of the Main St. exclusion as well as Ring Rd. but recommended getting started on approval of the Main St. one while waiting for approval by Kingston for Ring Rd.

Selectman John Traynor asked, “Once we exclude them, what happens if they continue to use it?” “Most trucking firms would avoid it because they know that getting caught… can carry heavy fines,” McNulty explained. He further said that the GPS systems used by the trucking firms would have the updated information regarding the truck exclusions. McNulty also said that approvals from MassDOT are usually fairly quick and completed within a month. The Selectmen voted to seek the heavy traffic restriction zones as outlined by OCPC. They also voted to move forward with getting Kingston’s approval.

Plympton Treasurer/Collector Christine Kelly met with the Selectmen to discuss updated financial policies and procedures. “Basically, I’m just looking to put our procedures in writing per the auditor,” Kelly explained. She said the changes would only effect turnovers to the treasurer and grants. The Selectmen voted to approve the changes.

The Selectmen voted unanimously to approve a few agreements including the Agreement of Services with Habeeb and Associates for the Townhouse roof project. They also discussed the agreement for grant funded services for the MVP Winnetuxet River Corridor Open Space Project with Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD). Russo said, “Essentially what this does is give us Bill Napolitano, the trails and watershed manager for another year; Bill is amazing… is unbelievably patient and kind in holding our hand and this is great that we get him for another year.” The Board voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

The Board also discussed issuing a proclamation to designate September Suicide Awareness Month. Joy said they had received correspondence from Plymouth County asking the town to make the adoption. Joy said she sent an amended document to the other Selectmen. “Basically, it just kind of got rid of some of the language that made me think it might be kind of an unfunded mandate…. I thought it was good stuff but it was asking the town to take some action that I didn’t know we are in a position to do at this time,” Joy explained. The Board voted unanimously to adopt the document as amended by Joy.

Town Administrator Liz Dennehy provided an update. She said they are in the process of closing out the latest round of Green Communities grant funding. She said they are hopeful they can purse the boiler project at Dennett Elementary with the next round of grant funding. Dennehy also told the Selectmen that the Hazard Mitigation Grant is also close to being closed out.

The Selectmen provided their rants and raves for the past two weeks. Traynor said his was a “resident rave.” He said he felt there should be a rave for all the signs around town for the graduating seniors. Another rave he had was for two small, book houses or tiny libraries being paid for and soon to be placed throughout the town with the potential for more. Russo said his rave was for the progress on the truck exclusion. His other rave was for the progress made with the appointment process. Joy said her rave was for the great job being done by the financial team.

The Board also took a vote to rescind all prior appointments to the Emergency Management team. The Selectmen voted to reaffirm naming the Town Center Campus Committee, formerly known as the Public Safety Building Committee, to the Town Properties Committee. Additionally, they approved a number of appointments as listed below.

Area 58

Mark Russo, June 30, 2022

Veteran’s Agent

Roxanne Whitbeck, June 30, 2022

Emergency

Management Director

Stephen Silva, indefinite

Historical Commission

Jon Wilhelmsen, June 30, 2022; Jane Schulze, June 30, 2022.

Board of Registrars

Gabe Lundgren, March 31, 2024; Jeffrey Montello, March 31, 2023;and Mary Neckes, March 31, 2022

Bylaw Review Committee – all ‘Until Dissolved’

Dave Alberti, Jean Cohen, Amy Cronin, Linda Leddy, Kim Russo, Ann Sobolewski, Ken Thompson, and Alan Wheelock.

Community Preservation Committee (CPC)

Deborah Anderson, June 30, 2022, Richard Burnet, June 30, 2024; Irving Butler, June 30, 2022; Nancy Butler, June 30, 2024; and Judy Dudley, June 30, 2023; Mark Russo, June 30, 2023; Jane Schulze, June 30, 2024; and Justin Shepard, June 30, 2022.

Conservation

Commission

Richard Burnet, June 30, 2023; Amy Cronin, June 30, 2022, Linda Leddy, June 30, 2024; and Michael Matern, June 30, 2024. 

Council on Aging (COA) Nancy Butler, June 30, 2023; Michele Llanes, June 30, 2022; Dot Martel, June 30, 2022; Mary Lou White, June 30, 2023; and David Zeoli, June 30, 2024

Cultural Council

Heather Sanda, June 30, 2023; Elizabeth Westly, June 30, 2023; Jennifer Zanolli, June 30, 2023.

Harry Jason Jr. Park

Study Committee

Robert Doucette, June 30, 2024; and Jacqueline Freitas, June 30, 2024.

Historic District

Commission

Stuart Chase, June 30, 2024; Charles Nickerson, June 30, 2024; and Jonathan Shaw, June 30, 2022;

Open Space Committee

Vicki Alberti, June 30, 2024; Linda Leddy, June 30, 2023; Gavin Murphy, June 30, 2022; Jane Schulze, June 30, 2022; and Alan Wheelock, June 30, 2023.

Recreation Commission

Jeffrey Haas, June 30, 2024; Amy Hempel, June 30, 2022; Kevin Kaupp, June 30, 2022; Katrina Player, June 30, 2024; and Erik Player, June 30, 2024.

Town Properties

Committee

All serving until dissolved

Nancy Butler, Ross MacPherson, Colleen Thompson, John Traynor Jr., and Jon Wilhelmsen, until dissolved

Wage and Personnel

Dave Bugbee, June 30, 2023; Elyse Lyons, June 30, 2022;  and Alan Wheelock, June 30, 2024.

Zoning Board

of Appeals (ZBA)

Dave Alberti, June 30, 2022 (alternate); Carolyn DeCristofano, June 30, 2022 (alternate); Suzanne Jafferian, June 30, 2024; Ethan Stiles, June 30, 2022; and Colleen Thompson, June 30, 2022.

There is a single vacancy on the Bylaw Review Committee, the Community Preservation Committee, the Conservation Commission, the Harry Jason Jr. Park Study Committee, and the Coordinator of Races.

There are two vacancies each on the Cultural Council, the Historic Commission, and the Open Space Committee. All spaces on the Agricultural Commission are vacant.

Cathleen Drinan
Express correspondent

Spoiler alert: this article is full of opinions and emotions. I no longer represent the Town of Halifax and this column is my own.

I was asked to “cover” the online meeting of the City of Brockton Department of Environemental Management meeting Aug.3, discussing the Resource Management Plan for Monponsett Pond (RMP), prepared by its consultant CDM Smith out of Providence, RI.. I put the word cover in italics because there is too much to cover in a short article.

The water quantity and quality issues and practices for the City of Brockton would require at least a white paper to summarize all that has happened (and not happened) over the many decades. It really needs someone to choose the topic of Water Resource Management between Watersheds as his or her PhD thesis to sufficiently cover this topic. The topic should/could be fairly simple if nature, science, and water management were respected. Yet, it has been politicized and complicated for so long, it takes patience to pick apart the tangled threads. I don’t have that patience anymore.

I do have many questions, though.

Before the online live review of CDM’s report, I started to read the report. It is 161 pages long, available online at https://brockton.ma.us/news/resource-management-plan-for-monponsett-pond/ It is not the length that prevented me from finishing reading it. It was the content and the memories; memories as the health agent, of working with others on numerous grants to help the Monponsett Ponds, of being a member of the Central Plymouth Water District Advisory Board and so many more. At the time, those activities were filled with purpose and hope. Everyone needs hope, right?

From the RMP:

“Humans impact freshwater systems, particularly when water sources serve multiple uses.

Monponsett Pond, located in Halifax and Hanson,  is one such water source, as it serves as a drinking water supply for the City of Brockton, cranberry bog irrigation source, aquatic life habitat, and a community and recreational asset.

This report addresses the Resource Management Plan (RMP) requirements of the May 21, 2019 amendment to the Administrative Consent Order (ACO), Enforcement Document No. 0001010.

The ACO defines the RMP as recommending “metrics and procedures for Silver Lake diversions and Stump Brook Dam operations intended to improve Monponsett Pond’s water quality and ecosystem while maintaining Brockton’s drinking water supply reliability.”

(Me: Stump Brook Dam operations are going to improve Monponsett Pond’s water quality and ecosystem while maintaining Brockton’s drinking water supply reliability? Show me how!)

“The amendment to the ACO requires the RMP include the elements listed below, along with the report section(s) where the requirements are addressed.

a. Establishment of monthly Monponsett Pond elevation goals or some other metric on which to base Stump Brook Dam operating procedures to balance the needs to providing:

§ Stump Brook flow

§ Better flood control, including reduced need of flood control diversions to Silver Lake

§ Improved flushing of West Monponsett Pond

§ Fish passage

§ Adequate water depth for bathing, fishing, and cranberry cultivation

§ Impoundment to provide adequate water for Silver Lake diversions

(Me: Fish passage? Why is there even a fish ladder when fish cannot reach it?)

“Compilation of a recommended actions list and prepare a preliminary feasibility assessment of additional measures that could be performed by others, including but not limited to, the Towns of Halifax and Hanson, area cranberry growers and residents to improve water quality in Monponsett Pond, such as: programs to upgrade septic systems; improved stormwater management, installation of a control structure between EMP and WMP, and utilization of alternative procedures and/or technologies, and chemical treatment.

*** “Implementation of recommended actions list prepared herein is not the responsibility of the City.”

*** (Asterix, underline and bold are mine alone.)

“Pond levels are controlled by natural hydrology, a dam on Stump Brook and diversions to Silver Lake.”

(Me: What is natural about this situation???)

Brockton’s water emergency resulted in the 1964 legislation, adding the Monponsett Ponds and Furnace to the city’s water supply. Why hasn’t the legislation been removed? Surely, emergency legislation is not supposed to last forever!

The first engineering company Halifax worked with was Princeton Hydro in 2013. They concluded that the current quantity and quality practices for the Monponsett Ponds could not be sustained. Their conclusion remains as truth.

Other questions:  Why are words such as reciprocity, stewardship, restoration, gift, hope, and love missing from the Plan?

The word watershed does appear but in an unnatural compartmentalized context. Here is an example: “The ponds are part of the Taunton River watershed. The natural routing of water is from Stetson Brook to EMP, through the culvert to WMP, and out to Stump Brook, which flows into the Satucket River, a tributary of the Taunton River.”

There is more to it than that AND water is being transferred from one watershed to another. That is wrong!

§ “The 1923 Chapter 91 license, noting that this document refers to a reference point that most likely has been disturbed/lost. Information will be gleaned from this document, to the extent practicable.”

(Really?? Lost information? How do you glean from that?”

§ “Discussions with Massachusetts Historical Commission, and town engineers and/or historical commissions in Halifax and Hanson on available historical mapping of Monponsett Pond.”

(Halifax has a town engineer?)

As the live online meeting was nearing a conclusion, a guest, Pine DuBois, asked questions about the quality and quantity to Jones River and Silver Lake. Jonathan Hobill, of MA DEP responded each time that this report was addressing the Monponsett Pond.

Again, I ask you, how do you take a chunk out of a watershed, compartmentalize it, and ignore the undeniable connections to other areas and water bodies in both the same and nearby watersheds? It makes no scientific sense!

As I believe there is no easy way to wrap this up, I conclude with the words of Mavis Staples: “What do we do with this history now? Do we go in like a surgeon? Do we go in like a bomb?”

I am not alone in wishing the band aids and minor surgery would cease and desist and the “emergency” dams are bombed away!

For an informative FAQ, please see what Jones River has prepared.

https://jonesriver.org/facts/brockton-water-supply-faq/

Cathleen Drinan is a freelance writer interested in public health, art, nature and more. She can be reached at drinan.cathleen@gmail.com

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met virtually on the evening of Tuesday, July 27.

Water System Discussion

Selectmen met with the Water Commissioners and the Board of Health to discuss the water system. Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews explained that a resident had attended a previous Board of Selectmen meeting to complain about the state of the water supply to her home. The resident had provided the Board with photographs of brown water. Andrews asked if someone could provide some clarification on the discolored water. A member of the Water Commissioners responded, “I know that specific development that she lives in; it’s because of what the water main is in.  it’s an eight-inch water main going in with a two-inch main coming off and a dead end.” He said the building maintenance company was supposed to go in and do something since the Water Commissioners cannot go in and flush. He said the company was not flushing as often as they should be. Andrews asked if the water was safe and was told it was. The resident asked if it was just the condos, why was brown water being seen in other areas in town. The Water Commissioners acknowledged that the town may not have been doing their due diligence regarding flushing in the past and stated that there is a new Superintendent in place as of the last three weeks. “We know there’s been a problem with flushing and we’re going to correct that,” the member of the Water Commissioners stated. “Thank you for taking some ownership,” the resident said. Someone asked if the discoloration could be rust from older pipes. The Water Commissioners said they didn’t believe that to be the case.

The Water Commissioners insisted that if a proper flushing job was completed then “ninety percent of these problems will go away.” Selectman Ashley DiSesa pushed for an answer regarding when residents would begin to see improvement but an answer was not given. DiSesa also asked if they would be willing to go out to the condos and investigate and was told that they would.

Zoning Bylaw Review Contract

Seelig told the Board of Selectmen that if they wished to make amendments to the proposed contract, they would need to be sent to Attorney Mark Bobrowski soon. “I did talk to the Finance Committee about this last night; they’re welcoming other Boards, Committees, and town officials to participate in this project with the anticipation that the work reviewing and revising the contract moves ahead,” Seelig explained. Andrews said that his concern was that the Finance Committee, through their own admission, does not have the expertise necessary to do the work. He noted that they are not getting the needed outside participation at their meetings. “I think we should consider revamping the bylaw subcommittee and assigning them to work on this task with Attorney Bobrowski,” Andrews recommended. Andrews said that thus far it is really just Attorney Bobrowski providing recommendations on what he sees could be done differently. DiSesa agreed with Andrews. “And who would you put on that Committee?” Selectman Troy Garron asked. DiSesa replied that she would like to see someone from Zoning and Planning. Seelig said that previously there were members from Zoning, Planning, the Selectmen, the Building Inspector, and some members at large.

“I know obviously a number of people opposed this project at Town Meeting back in September; I’m not quite sure that it would be normal to have people that oppose the project and voted against it to be on the same Committee that actually is trying to get the work done,” Seelig said. Andrews disagreed saying, “Except those are the people that you need to get buy-in with two-thirds of the vote.” Seelig asked what would be preventing those against the project from sabotaging it. DiSesa said she felt the necessary checks and balances would be in place. A motion was made to revamp the bylaw subcommittee. It was voted through with Garron abstaining.

Appointment for Live Entertainment Permit

The Board met with David and Linda Tonioli who were seeking the permit for August 14 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Andrews confirmed that they had already verified that a Police detail would not be necessary. DiSesa asked if they would have enough space for parking and was assured that they would. “Our invitations are in the mail?” Garron joked. The Board voted unanimously to approve the permit.

Council on Aging Coffee Group

Seelig said that while a men’s coffee group has been in place for a number of years, they have only recently organized a woman’s one. He said it was great to see more activities happening under the new COA Director. The new Director spoke saying, “In order to increase the awareness of the COA, what has been difficult of course is finding the resources to be able to hold the events. We have so much energy here, tons of energy, I don’t want to squash that energy – I want to create more programs.” Officer Cushman has been invited to the event. “The community is very supportive of one another and you don’t see that often,” she said.

Town Facebook Page

Seelig said that the Board would need to decide whether or not to allow comments from the public as they would need to be moderated if they were allowed. If not allowed, it would simply be a means of posting information to the public. “So, I think posting onto Facebook to share information is good; I think it creates issues if you’re going to have more than one person comment back because if two members of a three-person Board comment back, that’s a violation of an open meeting law,” Andrews said. Seelig said he was more interested in whether or not to allow comments from the general public. DiSesa said that she didn’t necessarily think comments should be allowed but said she did feel that messages should be allowed. Andrews said he felt that they needed to have a policy in place and recommended speaking to the town attorney to see if they have a social media policy to recommend.

ZBA Appointment

Seelig asked the Board if they wished to make an appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Garron said he wished to nominate Daniel Borsari. DiSesa said she felt that applicant Tina Kenyon had the qualifications necessary. “It would be nice to see a mom on the Board with all of her education and background in real estate,” DiSesa said. Garron agreed to second the motion to make Kenyon the newest member of the ZBA. Andrews recused himself.

Department Head Meeting

Andrews explained that they had invited all of the various department heads to see if there were any unforeseen issues, etc. that they wished to discuss. The Board of Health led things off saying that as of right now their budget looks secure but noted that it was dependent upon what happens this fall. Board of Health Agent Bob Valery noted that the town was currently on an increase regarding Covid. He also noted that he’s had more tick bite cases than Covid cases in the last month and said that mosquitos are likely next. DiSesa thanked Valery and the department for all of the extra work that was required in the past year.

Police Chief Joao Chaves provided an update on his department saying, “things are good budgetary-wise.” He also noted that staffing was finally at one-hundred percent. An article will be on the warrant for Town Meeting to remove Halifax from civil service. He noted that it was supported by both unions. “I think for a department our size, it makes all the sense in the world,” Chaves explained. He said that a new program will be put in place where any home that has an autistic child living in it, the family will be provided with a decal for either their home or car. The Department will also participate in a litter program where the officers will be given gift certificates to be handed out should they come across someone cleaning litter. Another program will provide care packages available for children ages 0-12 should they find themselves at the station.

Halifax Elementary School Principal Kayne Beaudry spoke next. “The school is actually, finally quiet for once,” he said laughing. He said the custodians were doing a deep clean of the building to make it ready for the fall. He also gave a rundown of several projects that were underway including putting AC into several areas of the building. Beaudry noted that they had no idea what kind of restrictions will be mandated come the fall.

John Shiavone spoke next on behalf of the Board of Assessor’s. He said the Assessor’s Office should be able to level fund any budgetary matters. He also said they weren’t anticipating any additional requirements for equipment.

Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward provided an update on the Highway Department. He said he would be losing a part-time recycling employee. A mechanic will also be leaving soon. He said they are working on a job description. He provided an update on the cremation garden, saying that 7 lots were sold. A new section is now open and already a burial has occurred.

Holmes Public Library Director Jean Gallant spoke next. “The library is doing well… we’ve made some adjustments to our summer reading program,” she said. She noted that they were very busy and said that they were holding most of their programming outside. She said she is down one 35 hour per week position which she hopes to fill in September. Gallant said she is in the middle of writing a 5-year strategic plan. Gallant said they are also working on a grant to design three new spaces in the library including the toy room.

Treasurer/Collector Pamela Adduci said that cash flow was good in their office. She said they were waiting on word from the Selectmen to send out the recycling bills. Town Accountant spoke on the heels of Adduci saying this was probably the busiest time of year for her as the office closes out FY2021 and opens FY2022.

New Council on Aging (COA) Director Darlene Regan also provided an update. Regan said that the senior center opened on June 28 noting that everyone was “pretty excited to the point where it was difficult to keep up…. you know, in a safe way.” She said she reached out to Valery regarding safety measures including mask wearing in a small environment. She said that they have rebranded a bit in the hopes of reaching out to not only the senior community but their caregivers as well.

Cesar Calouro spoke on behalf of Information Technology. Calouro said he began his 40 hour a week position the previous week and noted that he was able to get their email security system setup. “We’ve also started to implement our new backup solution to our servers as well as dedicated workstations across the town,” he explained. He said that as of right now the only system being backed up properly is the one at Town Hall. Andrews recommended having a meeting dedicated to the IT issues throughout the town. “I know there are a lot of issues and I appreciate everyone’s patience… it does take time, I wish I could do everything with the snap of a finger but I’m not a magician,” Calouro said.

Town Clerk Susan Lawless said that their office has been quite busy and noted that dog licenses are now past due. Lawless also said that they sent out a mass inactivation for people who did not complete their census. She said their voter registration becomes inactive. She said they sent out a postage paid postcard that they just need to sign and send back to verify that they are still living in town.

New Town Counsel Paul DeRensis introduced himself to those gathered.

Other News

Police Chief Chaves made Seelig aware of some valiant actions on the part of one of the town’s officers. “Officer Hingst was able to diffuse the situation and help both the individual and the family… the Chief wanted to make sure that the public was aware of Officer Hingst’s work,” Seelig said.

Garron recommended sending a letter to Hingst.

Seelig said that the Assistant Building Inspector had resigned and asked the Board if he should move forward with the process of finding a new one. The Board confirmed that he should.

Seelig mentioned that the Board has been dealing with a number of complaints and inquired as to whether or not they wished to formalize the process. “I think that we’ve got a new firm with Brooks and DeRensis to reach out and talk to about policies they can recommend,” Andrews said.

Seelig said that he has been asked what steps the Board of Selectmen intend to take to address the lowering of morale that has occurred in the last year. “I think by having these open meetings with department heads – getting people together with the understanding what everyone’s going through with their issues,” Andrews said.

DiSesa said, “I think it’s important that everyone work together… I get that people don’t like change… and there’s been a lot of change in this town in the last couple of months but I think change can be good sometimes and I think if everyone has an open mind about things and works together that will help the morale.”

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in the early afternoon of July 23. The Selectmen quickly went into executive session to deliberate on multiple contracts before returning to open session. Those contracts included sergeant, patrol officers, firefighters, Highway Mix Unit, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and all unions at the Silver Lake Regional School District and Halifax Elementary School. Upon returning, Selectman Chair Gordon Andrews said of the next item on the agenda, “I’m going to recuse myself because of the ongoing lawsuits and my petitioning activity.”

The item in question was the appointment of the Building Inspector. Selectman Troy Garron said, “First of all, I work for the town. The town has put me in this position several times, I don’t know why, but they have. It’s important to me that things are always above board and fair. I still feel very strongly that Rob Piccirilli is the choice for Building Inspector but unfortunately, that’s not happening.” Selectman Ashley DiSesa then said that she recommended James Perry. Following a sigh, Garron said, “I’ll second it.” It was then voted on unanimously.

Perry, who was appointed as Building Inspector, said during his interview, “I’ve been in the building business my whole entire career, residential and commercial.” Perry attended and earned a degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology. He ran the family business for many years before going into business on his own where he specialized in residential development and new construction. “I always had it in my mind, at some point down the line, to transition into some type of inspector’s job and this became available and I think I’m at a point in my career where between all of my experience and knowledge, I think it’s a good fit,” Perry had told the Board during his interview in June.

A member of the audience did ask why Mr. Piccirilli was not reappointed to which Garron replied, “I’m not at liberty to say.” It was also questioned why DiSesa would have a vote on whether Piccirilli was capable of doing the job as she wasn’t serving on the Board during his stay as Building Inspector. With regard to public comments made that the residents were being left in the dark, Garron said, “I agree with you on that. Unfortunately with legal matters that are going on, I can’t comment on it.” The resident then turned to DiSesa and said, “Can I ask you, what do you base your decision on?” DiSesa responded, “We’ve been advised by our legal counsel to probably not take public comment and to not speak anymore on this at the moment… so I apologize.” Robert Piccirilli currently has an ongoing lawsuit against the town of Halifax.

Piccirilli was not the only longstanding town employee or volunteer to not be reappointed by the new formation of the Board of Selectmen. Town Counsel Lawrence P. Mayo was also recently replaced by the law firm ofBrooks & DeRensis. Additionally, Robert Gaynor who has served on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for 32 years, most recently as Chair, is unlikely to continue on the ZBA. In all instances, Garron voted in favor of reappointment stressing his disappointment that the individuals would not be reappointed.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on the evening of Tuesday, July 13. The Selectmen voted on multiple Licensing Authority Appointments including David Acevich, Edward Broderick, Patrick Donnelly, Robert Gaynor, Jay Guidaboni, Jennifer Keegan, Thomas Reed, and Herbert Wiltshire. Selectman Gordon Andrews abstained from voting on Gaynor. All were unanimously approved.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig then asked the Board if they wanted to deal with the appointment of the Building Inspector. Robert Piccirilli, who served as Building Inspector for the last several years, was not reappointed and currently has a suit against the town. Longtime Selectman Troy Garron has previously stated that he believed Piccirilli performed well in the position and should have been reappointed. Andrews recused himself from the discussion and potential vote. Garron and newest Selectman Ashley DiSesa were previously unable to come to an agreement on the appointment of a Building Inspector. They did, however, vote to appoint Piccirilli as the temporary Building Inspector for a few weeks in the interim. Garron, again, reiterated his belief that Piccirilli should be reappointed to a full-time position.

The last meeting of the Traffic Safety Committee was also discussed. DiSesa, who was in attendance, said that Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward will be putting up speed limit signs on portions of Walnut St. She said they were also working on a speed trap. There was also some discussion around who would be responsible for the blinking sign by the school. Hayward argued that since the sign is associated with the school, they should be responsible for the maintenance of the sign. Seelig said that it should likely be its own line item in the Highway budget.

The Selectmen had an appointment with Paul Nixon, owner of Independent Fermentations Brewing for a temporary liquor license for three events being held at Fieldstone Farm. Nixon said that there are annual horse shows held each year at Fieldstone Farm. Representatives from Fieldstone Farm had contacted Nixon to see if his brewery would be interested in serving the events. Nixon named the event dates as August 21, 22, 27, and 28 as well as September 11 and 12. The Board voted to approve.

Seelig gave a vaccination update saying that Halifax was doing average compared to other surrounding towns. He said the town could be doing better with younger demographics. Seelig pointed out that cases were going back up in Massachusetts saying he would urge people to get the vaccine to protect themselves and friends and families. Andrews recommended that the town utilizes the reverse 911 feature to notify residents of the dates for the vaccination clinic that will be held in Kingston for residents of Duxbury, Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton.

The Selectmen had a 7 p. m. appointment with Susan Hill for the Board of Library Trustees. Hill said that she has been a resident of Halifax for 26 years. Hill, who said she grew up in Boston, said, “I know from personal experience… from growing up in an underprivileged community, how important libraries are.” Hill referenced her stint on Jeopardy last year and said that when brushing up she noticed herself turning to the library rather than Google. Garron asked her if she had attended town meeting and she said she had been to some of them. Kristine Boyles was next to interview for the Board of Library Trustees. Boyles said she just moved into town last November from neighboring Plympton where she said she served on the Board of Library Trustees for 18 years. Boyles also said she was an educator in the area for nearly 30 years and is now currently employed by the Plymouth Public Library. Garron said she sounded busy and asked if she had time for the position. Boyles said her mother always said, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” The vote is a joint one between the Library Trustees and the Selectmen and will be taken at a later time.

Kim Cavicchi interviewed next for the Conservation Commission saying she has served as an associate member for the last few months. “It’s such a great group of people,” she said of the Commission. Seelig explained that associate members are involved in discussions, etc. but cannot vote. The other members of the Commission wrote a letter recommending Cavicchi for the open position. Cavicchi was appointed to the position.

Jean Gallant was next to interview for the Council on Aging (COA). Gallant is the current Director of the Holmes Public Library since 2016. “I think we all know the answers to the average questions,” Andrews joked. Andrews did ask Gallant if she had the time. Gallant said that she had thought of it a lot adding, “the way I feel about having the time is I would make the time for something like this.” She said that in most communities the COA and the library work together closely. Gallant was voted unanimously onto the COA by the Selectmen.

Daniel Borsari was next to appear before the Selectmen for a regular member opening on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). He has been an associate member on the ZBA for the last five years. He said he was able to vote when one of the regular members was not able to attend a meeting. Borsari took the opportunity to say he was wondering why Robert Gaynor was not reappointed to the ZBA saying he was “the best Halifax had to offer…. I think the best decision for the town would be to reappoint Bert Gaynor.” He said of Gaynor that he has “impeccable character.” He continued, “If it’s not going to be Bert, I think the most logical thing for the town and the most logical thing for me… would be to now fill that possibly vacant full member position.” He noted that his own personal feeling was that variances should be handed out sparingly.

Kasey Sims also had an appointment with the Selectmen to discuss issues with the Halifax water system. She said she has lived in town for 27 years. She read the letter she sent to the water department in which she requested an abatement of half of her bill as she felt that the water department didn’t hold up their end in providing reliably good water to her home. She said that tainted water and even completely brown water has often become the norm. She said that after several requests, she did not receive a response to her request for an abatement. She shared pictures of her water with the Selectmen. Andrews said they should invite the water commissioner to come to the next meeting for a discussion. Garron recommended also having the Board of Health present. Sims said she has concerns to be discussed such as whether or not the water is safe for her family including her young son.

The Board also met with David and Laura Gibbons of 70 Oak Street. They said that applying for a wood stove permit has cost them approximately $4,300. Gibbons said a mistake was made during the process that resulted in the high costs. Andrews said that if a complaint needed to be made against a specific individual, they should also be there to speak to the issue. “I’d rather talk about the what than the who,” Gibbons said. Andrews said he would be recusing himself. Seelig explained to the Gibbons’ that there were several suits going on against the current Building Inspector and certain members of the Board of Selectmen. DiSesa recommended pushing the discussion to the meeting on July 27.

The Selectmen discussed setting a date for a meeting of the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Capital Planning Committee, and Silver Lake Regional School Committee to discuss Silver Lake’s capital plan. The meeting will likely take place in the fall. Andrews explained he felt that better communication was necessary.

A discussion was had on the Host Community Agreement with Green Earth Cannabis. Andrews recused himself as he said his father owns property within close proximity to the property in question. Director of Operations Robert Maker came before the Board saying, “I’ve been in this town for 27 years. I raised my family here; my mom lives in town, my brother, my nieces and nephews, my kids.” He also said he has coached and volunteered in a number of different capacities in the town over the years. He said he wanted to discuss any issues that the business has had with the town. He said they negotiated a Host Community Agreement with the town for a long time. “We are preparing to mitigate whatever impact the facility may have on the neighbors,” Maker said. He said they just want the ability to come before the town and address any concerns. “We’re looking to hire people to work for us that come from this town,” Maker explained. Garron asked Seelig when the issue could be added to the agenda. They agreed to add it to the August 3 meeting. DiSesa said that the Planning Board and any other pertinent Boards could be made aware in case they want to attend.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Monday evening, July 12. Chair Christine Joy said that a vote would need to be taken to appoint Suzanne Jafferian to a three-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Chair of the ZBA Ken Thompson was on the call and said that fellow ZBA member Colleen Thompson plans to hold an open house to introduce future prospective members to the Board on July 20. The vote to appoint Jafferian through June of 2024 was unanimous.

Rescinding of State of Emergency

The next order to business was to ratify the rescinding of the town declared state of emergency which came at the suggestion of Fire Chief Steve Silva who also serves as Director of Emergency Services. The vote to ratify the rescinding was unanimous.

Corrections to Reappointments

The Board then had to rescind their votes to reappoint a number of individuals from their previous meeting with the exception of the appointments for Dave Alberti and Ethan Stiles to the ZBA. On June 21, the Selectmen approved the reappointments of several individuals to several Boards and Committees through 2022 when they should have been through 2024. The Selectmen corrected their errors. Before continuing, Selectman Mark Russo spoke to the appointment process saying, “It’s been kind of a challenge for years and continues to be kind of a struggle… so it’s something that I think we need to keep working on and absolutely aiming at a new protocol next year.” Joy agreed saying, “It definitely needs an overhaul – long overdue.”

Amendment to ADA Ramp Project

The Town Properties Committee brought forth the need for an amendment to the ADA ramp project consultant agreement. The amendment was to change the compensation for the engineer from $12,500 to $16,000. “Is the project still going to come in at $50,000 total?” Joy asked. Selectman John Traynor said it would not. “This is the ramp that would run from the old police station entrance to the main entrance now,” Traynor explained. He continued, “We received a grant of $95,000 from the State… originally the assignment of the money was for a lift or an elevator but after talking to the State more we suggested that we would be better off with a ramp; we all agreed on the Town Properties Committee.”

Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen joined the call and spoke to the amendment. Wilhelmsen said, “We hoped we could get it under $50,000 but that’s not possible given the amount of materials and work and cost and everything like that,” he explained. Joy asked if the project would still come in under the grant amount of $95,000. Wilhelmsen said that while he anticipated that, it couldn’t be guaranteed at this time. Wilhelmsen also explained that they have as an alternate project, getting rid of the two steps at the entryway. “The ones everyone falls over,” he said. “Should the first bid come in and we get the alternate, we might be able to do it all; my guess is that given the way that costs are and we are going out to bid in the next couple of weeks, we might only be able to – with the money we got from the State, the earmark – we’ll probably only be able to get the main ramp in but if the alternates come in at a reasonable amount… we might be able to look at other sources of funding to be able to do it as part of the project too,” Wilhelmsen told the Board. He said the alternate project is estimated at roughly $12,000 to $18,000. The Selectmen voted to approve the amendment.

Carver Urban Renewal Project

Town Administrator Liz Dennehy told the Selectmen that she had received an update from the Carver Town Administrator regarding the Carver Urban Renewal Project. He told Dennehy that there may be a public meeting in August with the Carver Redevelopment Authority. She said they are looking to hire a direct consultant for the project that people could contact. Carver is considering having a special town meeting in October to consider a zoning amendment that would increase the height allowance for the buildings. “I think it’s something that we should stay on top of particularly if we have Plympton residents located near the project especially if the building height somehow gets allowed to be up to 65 ft,” Dennehy told the Selectmen. She said the Board might want to consider going on record formally at some point regarding their thoughts on the project. Traynor said that when they talked to them, they had agreed to take out the zoning piece that abutted Plympton. He said the acreage from the Plympton line was significant.

Board of Selectmen Liaisons

The Selectmen also reviewed the Board’s liaisons assignments. The Historic Society was reassigned from Russo to Traynor per Traynor’s request. “I don’t want to get in the way of enthusiasm so it’s all yours,” Russo said with a smile. Traynor also asked to be made the liaison to the Recreation Commission. “I think the Town Properties Committee is going to be very involved with the Recreation Committee as we lay out the campus plan,” Traynor said. The Town Clerk was also transferred from Russo to Joy. Wage and Personnel was transferred from Russo to Traynor.

Town Administrator’s Update

Dennehy said the town had received another $32,000 in CARES Act reimbursements from the County. “So far so good; we’ve largely been made whole,” Dennehy said of the reimbursements. Regarding the Green Communities, Dennehy said that they have begun the weatherization project at the Dennett Elementary School. Dennehy also said that they will be doing Wi-Fi thermostats at the historical building (the Old Townhouse). In another update, she said the bylaws regarding kennel inspections have been requested to be reviewed. They will have to look into how partnering with Carver for animal control will affect such things. Dennehy told the Selectmen that Police Chief Matt Clancy has been working on the new phone system. She said that they are not quite up and running as there have been some technical difficulties. “Hopefully, in relatively short order, we will all be functioning on the new phone system and then we can terminate the old one,” Dennehy explained.

Habitat for Humanity

There was also an extension of previous conversations regarding Habitat for Humanity building affordable housing in the town. Dennehy said that she and Traynor met with the representatives from Habitat the previous week. Sites being considered include the old portion of Brook St. as well as another on Main St. Habitat plans to send their engineer out to look at the lots. Dennehy said they would have to go through an RFP process because of the value of the land. She further said that in working with Habitat and the State, Plympton would be able to select the population for the housing. The town would most be interested in working with either age 55 plus or 62 plus. There are specific requirements for each including how many people living in the home must be that age. Dennehy said she wasn’t sure if they could do a combination such as 4 units with two being designated for 55 plus and two for 62 plus. She also noted that they could request a local preference though she wasn’t sure if they could stack preferences. “Regardless of how it shakes out, I think we have an ability here to do a very nice project… there was talk of possibly four units on the site,” Dennehy explained. Joy brought up the possibility of someone in town wanting to donate an unused lot in order to get a tax write off for the donation. “To me the opportunity here is huge,” Wilhelmsen said.

Rants and Raves

As is customary, the Selectmen concluded their meeting with their rants and raves. Russo went first saying that he was glad that the end of year budgeting and administrative issues were through. “Glad to have new people and talented people getting involved,” Russo said speaking to Jafferian who had joined the call to say hello. Traynor went next saying, “If you live on the north end of Crescent St. we have a lot of excitement this week. If you’ve been following Plympton helping Plympton, we have an owl that has decided to make it’s residence between the three houses on the street down this end.” He went on to say that the owl was lethargic and that he was brought to the Cape Wildlife Center. It was found there that the owl had a broken wing and couldn’t fly. “It’s going to be a three-week recovery,” he explained.

Joy said her rave was for someone she doesn’t even know. She said she recently had a dead battery in Plymouth and a kind man helped her jump her car. “Thank you to the kindness of strangers that are there to help each other out,” Joy said.

New Town Counsel Brooks & DeRensis got its first assignment from the town of Halifax at the same meeting at which they were appointed.  The new firm will look into what action, if any, will be needed regarding the number of complaints that have been issued by and against several residents.

A number of people had filed complaints against Amy L. Troup including Margaret Selter, Theresa Renaud, Gerry Fitzgerald, and Holly Merry. Troup had also filed one against Theresa Renaud. Finally, a complaint was filed by David Mascio against Margaret Selter. Renaud currently serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Building Department as well as Secretary to the Conservation Commission. Selter serves as Administrative Assistant for the Board of Health. Fitzgerald is a member of the Conservation Commission and Troup is a member of the Planning Board. Mascio does not currently serve for the town though he has recently submitted several talent bank forms and interviewed for some vacant positions. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig recommended to the Board that they forward the complaints to Brooks & DeRensis for advice. The Board agreed.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, June 29. Early in the meeting they turned their attention to the appointment of Town Counsel. They had interviewed several firms during their previous meeting including Lawrence P. Mayo PC who had served as Halifax’s Town Counsel for the last several years. Longtime Selectman Troy Garron made a motion to reappoint Mayo saying, “He’s aware of our situation and he’s done a good job for all the years I’ve been here.” Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews asked if there was a second but there was not so he then asked if there was a motion for another firm. Ashley DiSesa made a motion to approve Brooks & DeRensis. It was seconded and the vote passed two to one.

The Selectmen met with Town Historian Susan Basile to discuss her reappointment. Basile also serves as Chair of the Historical Commission. Andrews asked Basile if she could explain a bit about what the Town Historian does. Basile, who has served in the role for thirty years, replied that she tries to protect the history of the town including pictures, newspaper clippings, and other related items. She said she also researches the town’s history. “I think you’ve done an excellent job,” Garron said. “I think the perspective that I had was to come and tell everybody what it is that you do so the town and community is more aware of what all the Boards and volunteers are doing for our town,” Andrews explained. Vice Chair of the Historical Commission John Shea also came before the Board. The Selectmen voted unanimously to reappoint Basile.

The Board also held interviews for the Zoning Board of Appeals. First to interview was Marline Amedee who has interviewed for a number of vacancies across multiple Boards and Committees as well as running during the town election for certain open positions. Asked by Andrews why she wanted to serve on the ZBA Amedee said, “It’s been my agenda all along to serve the community that I’m in and I’m trying wherever I can because I do believe that I have the capacity to serve in any of the Boards that are available here.” Amedee said that she does not have any background in zoning but believes she would bring other assets that would be beneficial.

Next to interview was Robert Gaynor. Gaynor, who has served as a Halifax Police Officer for 28 years, said he has sat on the ZBA for 32 years. “I’ve worked with a fantastic group of people who each have their own unique contributions that they bring to the Board and I think that we certainly work very well together,” he told the Selectmen. He acknowledged that things can get “complicated” and “involved.” Gaynor said that he has taken a number of courses on zoning laws, etc. “I enjoy it. I wouldn’t stay on the Board if I didn’t and I would like to continue with giving my time and efforts to the town; I think it’s made a difference,” he explained.

Next to interview was David Mascio. Mascio, who has been a resident of the town for six years, said he has closely followed town news the last several years and has attended several ZBA meetings. “I feel I could play a decent role and learn some stuff along the way; I know quite a bit about the bylaws,” Mascio told the Selectmen.

Elizabeth McEwan took the hot seat next. McEwan, who has been a resident for 7 years, said, “So this year I decided that I wanted to get more involved in the community.” McEwan said that in addition to attending town meeting and participating in the election she has also been reading meeting minutes of various Boards. “What was enticing to me is that the Zoning Board of Appeals already has written bylaws, so from my background, I’m all about documentation; I like understanding rules so it was just an easier fit for me,” she explained. McEwan said that while she didn’t think there would be a conflict of interest, she wanted to state for the record that the company that employs her underwrites bid bonds and contract bonds. “I just want to make sure that it wouldn’t be perceived that I was trying to steer anyone wanting to work in the town to my company,” she explained. She further emphasized that she isn’t even licensed to sell insurance.

Thomas Pratt was next. He said that he has been a resident for 8 years and is the father to two young children. He said he spent 13 years in banking but has recently transitioned to insurance. Pratt said he owns a property and casualty firm in Hanson. “We do have some overlap with customers, both builders and buyers in Halifax,” he explained. He said that his father instilled in him a sense of wanting to volunteer in the town in which you are raising your family. “I have no preconceived notions or ideas in sitting here other than to serve,” he told the Selectmen. Like several of the other candidates, he said he doesn’t have any direct experience with zoning but said, “that doesn’t scare me away from the opportunity to learn.”

The final interview for the ZBA was with Tina Kenyon. Kenyon, who has lived in Halifax for 14 years, said she is currently a real estate agent but was in construction for 25 years prior and has two degrees in architectural engineering. “I’m very familiar with codes and enforcement and everything else that goes along with building,” she told the Selectmen. She said she wanted to run for the ZBA as she saw a lot of things trying to change in the town, some that she felt could be changed for the better.

Following the conclusion of the interviews, Garron made a motion to reappoint Gaynor to the ZBA. “He’s done well in the position over the years and even though there may be some agitated individuals, that comes along with the job,” Garron said. DiSesa said that she felt that despite Gaynor’s experience she would like to see another individual appointed as Gaynor already serves in other positions in town. Andrews recused himself from the vote. “We’re at a standstill,” Garron said. Seelig said that if Garron wouldn’t second a different motion from DiSesa, that would, in fact, be the case and they would have to deal with it at a future meeting while having a vacancy on the ZBA in the meanwhile. “I motion to move it to another meeting,” DiSesa said. The Board agreed to move it to the July 13 meeting.

A candidate was also interviewed for the Youth & Recreation Commission. Sarah Nobles, who joined by phone, said she has lived in town for 16 years and is the Vice President of HOPS. She said she was also behind an adult volleyball program that unfortunately was cancelled due to COVID. She spoke about hoping to improve existing facilities. The Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint her.

Amedee appeared before the Board for a second time that night, this time to interview for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Garron asked Amedee how she was acquainted with the law. “I am, as I mentioned before, a social worker… I work mostly with kids with disabilities,” she replied. She said she has been working in the field for the past 20 plus years. Garron moved to appoint Amedee to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The vote was unanimous.

In between their myriad of interviews, the Board also voted unanimously to approve the contract with Police Chief Joao Chaves. The Board, with Andrews recusing, voted to make Robert Piccirilli the temporary Building Inspector for several weeks. Garron agreed but noted that he believes Piccirilli should be made the permanent Building Inspector and continue to serve in the role as he was previously. Piccirilli currently has a case in federal court against the town regarding his lack of reappointment.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually via Zoom on Monday, June 21. The first order of business according to Chair Christine Joy was to appoint Jason Fraser to the Silver Lake Regional School Committee to fulfill the remainder of Mike Antoine’s term through May of 2022. The Board voted unanimously to do so with Joy saying, “Thank you Jason, it is awfully good of you to serve.” Fraser previously served as Chair of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee and currently also serves as Vice Chair of the Plympton School Committee.

There was some discussion on a topic that had been brought up at a previous meeting regarding the recording and posting of what is known as “working meetings.” Selectman John Traynor felt that all meetings of the Board should be recorded and wanted a change made to the policy. Both Joy and Selectman Mark Russo disagreed, however, maintaining their belief that some meetings should still be deemed “working” and not recorded. Joy stressed that these meetings were rare. The Board agreed to adopt Russo’s amended definition of a working meeting with the sole nay vote coming from Traynor.

The Board then discussed the tax title land that had been identified and reviewed by the Open Space Committee, the Conservation Commission, and the Town Properties Committee. The Selectmen needed to make recommendations regarding the individual properties. Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen said they were not in favor of selling any of the properties. Former Selectman Rick Springer asked why they were not in favor of selling any of the properties. Wilhelmsen said, “One, these are not particularly high value properties as far as increasing the tax rolls… two, there are benefits to the town that go beyond the tax rolls in small properties even where we have open space… and I think the third piece is I’m not sure we’re particularly in favor of selling properties whereby we’re necessarily increasing the number of houses that we’re adding in the town because the resulting tax benefits to the tax rolls is generally outweighed by the costs of that to the town.” Springer said he disagreed with the last statement. He had further issue with one of the properties that Joy suggested they discuss separately.

There were multiple properties that Open Space and Conservation recommended keeping in order to protect. The Board voted on those six properties as a group. They voted unanimously not to sell those particular properties.

The Board then looked at the properties that Open Space and Conservation did not have comments on, voting collectively on those. Traynor moved that they keep the properties as town owned land. Again, the Selectmen voted unanimously.

The parcel Springer wanted to be sold at auction was lot 18-4-12 on Churchill Road. This lot was discussed separately. Springer explained his argument saying, “The abutting lot to the town owned piece on Churchill Rd. was given a building permit in the seventies, the owners of that lot have been paying taxes to the town of Plympton for almost fifty years, they cannot use that lot; don’t you think you have some moral obligation to make it right for them?”

Joy confirmed that the abutters never built a home on the lot. Springer said the son owns the lot but lives in New Jersey and has no interest in anything except getting some of his money back on the land. Joy asked if the person had ever gone before the ZBA to get a variance. “ZBA might be an option but I was told it wouldn’t hold water if we put a house on it,” Springer said. Joy said that the lot in question is pretty wet and you really can’t build on the property in question. Springer said the owner of the abutting lot in New Jersey would like to sell the lot to his company (Springer’s) and they would sell it to someone to put up a house.  Russo said, “Rick, I hear you and I think you’ve done a really good job presenting the best argument you can.” He went on to say, however, that he was still against selling the lot. The Selectmen voted unanimously not to sell the lot in question.

Bill McNulty of the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) was there to discuss ways in which the town might be able to restrict heavy truck traffic on non-state roads. McNulty said they did traffic counts on several roads in the town including Main St., Ring Rd, Prospect St., and Pleasant. McNulty said that east of Rt. 58 there were more options for restricting heavy commercial truck traffic. “The town does have the option… on roadways that are under their local jurisdiction… to request a heavy commercial vehicle exclusion from MassDOT assuming that it meets certain criteria,” McNulty explained.  He said that in looking at the roadway network in Plympton as well as the data they collected, the town could request heavy vehicle exclusion on Main St. between Rt. 58 and Rt. 106. He said the difficulty would be that Ring Rd. connects into that and since it runs into Kingston, they would have to sign off as well. McNulty said, however, that he believes it would benefit Kingston to do that. He said that in addition to the data already collected, the State would look for mapping as well. If a trucking company does have business on that roadway, they can still use that roadway.

Town Administrator Liz Dennehy asked what their option would be if Kingston did not want to participate. McNulty said they could probably still proceed with the other roadways. Dennehy also asked about enforcement. McNulty said that the local Police Department could enforce such exclusions. Russo confirmed that west of Rt. 58 the problem was a lack of alternate routes. The Board voted unanimously to allow OCPC to do whatever necessary to take steps toward a heavy vehicle exclusion wherever possible.

After some discussion the Board voted unanimously to adopt the State’s remote participation provision 940 Mass. Reg. 29.10. It states that remote participation of some Board and Committee members may be allowed subject to certain procedures and restrictions. The hope is that the greater flexibility would allow for more widespread participation in government.

The Board also discussed a three-year agreement with the Plympton Police Union. She said the main point in the agreement is the cost of living saying that they agreed to an increase of 2.5 percent, 3 percent, and 2.5 percent over the three years. “That seems to be very reasonable and kind of in line with increases given to other municipal employees,” Dennehy explained. She said they also came to an agreement on an incentive tool for retention that would allow people after five years of continuous service to cash out up to two weeks of sick time. She also noted that they would be adding the Juneteenth holiday. Dennehy said there was also something in the agreement per the Chief regarding personal grooming. Before voting, Joy said, “I should probably say that we are coming off of several years of them taking a zero percent increase because they wanted to work with the town and knew what our situation was so they have been more than willing to work with us to make our budget work for the town.” The vote to accept the three-year agreement was unanimous.

Dennehy provided a Town Administrator’s update. She told the Board that the town had signed an agreement with Carver for Animal Control Officer services for the next three years. Dennehy said it will save the town $4,500 annually. Dennehy said they also signed a contract for dispatch with the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (ROCC) for this coming fiscal year. The amount is for $150,000 as voted at town meeting. Dennehy said that the rate could reduce in future years as more towns come on board. Dennehy told the Board that the town had received more than $145,000 in CARES Act reimbursements.

The Board also appointed a number of people to various Boards and Committees. They included Dave Alberti to the Zoning Board of Appeals alternate through 2022, Vicki Alberti to the Open Space Committee through 2024, Joan Burke to the Council on Aging through 2021, Nancy Butler to the Community Preservation Committee through 2022, Rick Burnett to the Conservation Commission and Community Preservation Committee both through 2022, Jason Shepard to the Community Preservation Committee through 2024, Stuart Chase to the Historic District Commission through 2022, Robert Doucette to the Jason Park Study and Development Committee through 2022, Jeffrey Haas to the Recreation Commission through 2022, Linda Leddy to the Conservation Commission through 2022, Gavin Murphy to the Open Space Committee through 2022, Charles Nickerson to the Historic District Commission through 2022, Erik and Katrina Player to the Recreation Commission through 2022, Jane Schultz to the Historical Commission and Community Preservation Committee both through 2022, Ethan Stiles to the Zoning Board of Appeals through 2022, and Alan Wheelock to the Wage and Personnel Board and Open Space Committee through 2022 and 2023 respectively. The Board voted unanimously on all.

The Selectmen ended their meeting with their raves for the week.

Traynor said that his rave was for the Council on Aging ice cream social that was happening that week as more and more things are returning to normal. “I’m looking forward to it, it should be a great time,” Traynor said. Russo said his rave was “for this meeting tonight; I think we got a lot done.”

Joy said that her rave was for selling stickers at the dump. “So glad that the Highway Superintendent is going to be offering that service,” she said.