The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Sept. 3 in preparation of the town meeting to be held Saturday, September 12 at Halifax Elementary School at 9 a.m. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that town meetings are exempt from the Governor’s limit of 25 persons per room. Seelig said that seats would be kept to about 7 feet apart and people would be divided between the gym and the multi-purpose room. The quorum remains at 100. Screens, cameras, and microphones will be setup in each room to keep everyone connected. People from the same household will be allowed to sit together. Town Moderator Dennis Carman will be in the gym, where 100 people are estimated to fit, and an assistant town moderator will likely be needed for the multi-purpose room. Masks will be mandated, and microphones will be wiped down between uses.

Seelig recommended that the town distribute placards with a red side and a green side for residents to use to indicate their vote. Carman expressed concern about his vision and shared concern over a third party helping to indicate to him the outcome of the vote. Seelig said if it isn’t easily discernible if there are more green or more red, counters would be available to tally the total.

Ways to move the meeting along as quickly as possible while still allowing voters an opportunity to speak to or debate articles as needed, were discussed. The idea to vote on a consent agenda was proposed. This would allow multiple articles to be voted on together as a group with a hold being placed on individual topics should someone wish to speak on them.

“There are two extremes for the town meeting,” Seelig said. The first of which occurs if there aren’t enough people for a quorum. If that happens, town meeting will have to once again be rescheduled. The Board opted to keep the quorum at 100 despite having the ability to temporarily lower it with advanced notice. Seelig said the other end of the spectrum is if too many people turn out and there isn’t enough room to socially distance between the two rooms. If that happens, town meeting would have to be postponed and moved to another, larger location. A possible option could be the Kingston Collection. Carman said, “I hate the optics of having to close down a town meeting because there are too many people who want to go… people may misunderstand that.”

Seelig said he could contact the Kingston Collection and find out if they could book the venue for town meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. to serve as plan B should they be over capacity on Saturday.  The Board voted to ask Seelig to reserve the location with the understanding that they may have to pay for the deposit even if it ends up not being needed.

Following the discussion on logistics, they turned their attention to the warrant beginning with the special town meeting. The first article is for $6000 for HVAC work to the town hall. The second is for $30,000 for unemployment. Seelig said they would likely pass over Article 3 which is for $30,000 for a Council on Aging van. According to Seelig the town is looking into the possibility of getting CARES Act money to fund it. Article 4 is the result of a petition article and is for $20,000 for truck traffic reinforcement. The money would go to the police department to be used for that purpose. Article 5 is for a crosswalk extension between the two roads of Cranberry Dr. and Plymouth St. The town has applied for a state grant to fund it but have not received word yet as to whether they will be granted the money. Seelig said they may know by the date of the town meeting whether the town will have to fund the project, should the town vote to proceed with it.

Selectman Gordon Andrews asked if the Finance Committee had made recommendations on the five articles. Finance Committee member Melinda Tarsi said they had made recommendations for all but Article 3 as they were waiting to see if it could be covered through the CARES Act. Articles 1 and 2 received the Finance Committee’s recommendation while Articles 4 and 5 did not.

Article 1 in the annual is the normal report for town officers and committees. Seelig told Carman that as much as he appreciates their ability to do that, he would like to keep it brief in the interest of time. Article 2 is a series of amendments from the Wage and Personnel Board. Article 3 is a Finance Committee article on the salaries set for the town officials. Article 4 is the budget. Article 5 is the revolving accounts. Seelig said there are no appropriations necessary and the article simply sets the revolving funds and the limits to which they can be spent. Article 6 is the reserve fund. Articles 7-13 are union and personnel contracts. Article 14 is an article for becoming co-opt. Article 15 is Chapter 90 and according to Seelig the state has changed things so that this article won’t be necessary in the future. Article 16 is a traditional article on the roads.

The next several articles are for the capital budget. Seelig said that some of them will be passed over. Article 17 is for $150 for a backhoe, 18 is for a copier for the COA, and 19 is for a fire engine. Articles 20 through 23 are all for the Police Department and are for police vehicles, radio systems, a motorcycle, and bullet resistant vests, respectively. Article 24 is regarding an error made by the retirement system where a town employee was charged to the housing authority rather than the town. Seelig said he was unsure if the correct amount could be ascertained prior to town meeting. Article 25 is the assessor’s recertification account.

Article 26 is to fund Halifax’s share of the part time school resource officer at Silver Lake Regional Middle School. The same article appeared on last year’s warrant and the town voted it down. Plympton voted in favor of it, however, meaning that the part time officer could serve the middle school for just a few hours per week. Kingston already funds the school resource officer at the high school.

Article 27 is for a truck inspection program. Article 28 is to grade all unpaved roads in Halifax including private roads. Article 29 is for $33,500 for crosswalk devices. There was some mention that the expense may be eligible for CARES Act funding if touchless devices were installed.

Article 30 is a revision of zoning bylaws and is recommended by the Finance Committee. Articles 31 and 32 are traditional, annual articles. Articles 33, 34, and 36 will likely be passed over. Article 35 is for insulation at the town barn. Article 37 is to fund repairs to the roof at Pope’s Tavern. Article 38 is an annual article to appropriate money received from Lyft and Uber for the town in the amount of $857.60. The state requires the money to go toward the highway maintenance account.

Articles 40-44 will likely be passed over. The Selectmen are also recommending that Article 45 is passed over. Article 46 is for the next phase of the stormwater protection bylaw. Article 47 will be passed over per the direction of FEMA. Of Article 47, Seelig said “I’m sure it will be highly divisive.” It concerns multi-family housing and needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

Article 49 would allow marijuana facilities in the commercial district by special permit. Article 50 would change the bylaw to allow the Beautification Committee to increase their membership. Article 51 is being proposed by the selectmen and involves taxes on solar fields. Article 52 will likely be passed over and Article 53 is the election article.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen held their regular Tuesday evening meeting on August 25 when selectmen tackled the controversial topic of the “thin blue line” flag. Proponents of the flag say it is a show of a support for law enforcement. Still others feel that the flag stands in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. Recently, the Hingham fire chief found himself the center of controversy after ordering the removal of the thin blue line flags from the town’s fire trucks following a citizen’s complaint.

A thin blue line flag was placed at the Halifax recycling center several years ago and was recently taken down once the Board of Selectmen found out. The basis for the decision dates back to 1994 when the Board set a policy stating that all signs, political or otherwise, require permission from the Board.

“From my standpoint, opinions stated on town property, it’s a little odd,” Garron explained. He continued, “I personally don’t think that it needs to be on town property because we are supposed to be neutral. We’re serving everybody.” Millias offered his opinion saying, “There was a time when some banners and/or flags were considered to be innocuous; that’s not the case anymore. Everything is politically charged, or at least it seems to be, and if you allow one flag for any particular purpose, you’ve got to open it up for everybody… to Troy’s point, I think we need to remain neutral.”

Selectman Gordon Andrews offered a slightly different opinion saying that the flag, in his opinion, was not initially intended to be a political statement. He noted, however, “I think it morphed into something different at this point, so I understand the reason for taking it down and leaving the policy in place.” The Board agreed to leave the policy as-is and maintain their position on the flag at the recycling center.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig told the Board he recently spoke with Plymouth County Treasurer Thomas O’Brien regarding the town’s allotment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The deadline for expenditures is four months away.

Seelig said of all the various town departments’ requests, the big question was if funds could be utilized to pay for the expansion of the Halifax Elementary School parking lot. The expansion is intended to help deal with the expected increase in parent drop off and pick up at the school due to the buses being limited to one-third capacity as a result of distancing requirements.
Seelig said that the town would need to work closely with the school department to craft a narrative to justify why the expansion is necessary in response to the COVID crisis. Seelig explained that if Plymouth County denies the request to reimburse the work, the town will be left to pay for it.

Seelig asked the Board if they would be interested in hearing a presentation on potential charging stations at the town hall parking lot. The Board was not interested in the proposal several years ago but appeared to take a different stance on the issue now.

Selectman Chair Tom Millias said, “I think that would be appropriate. If he has some ideas of how this could be setup and/or work. Certainly, electric vehicles are becoming more prevalent.” He went on to say, “My only concern is as long as it’s not on the back of the taxpayers to pay for the charging.” Selectman Troy Garron said that his biggest concern would be where to place the charging station.

Seelig also asked if they would like to consider a reduction in credit to local businesses for alcohol on premises licenses for 2020-2021. Many other local communities have decided to do so to ease the burden on businesses that were closed for several months in 2020 due to COVID. Millias, who pointed out that these businesses are likely still not at full service, said, “I mean as a general rule I think that’s fair to at least consider doing something for them. I mean we want to help our business owners.” Garron concurred saying, “I would agree with you that it is reasonable for us to do something like that.” The selectmen agreed to table the issue until a future meeting in order to acquire more information.

The Board had an appointment with Steve Bowman of Center Point Safe Company regarding a possible retail marijuana store. Bowman said that while he didn’t have anything formal to present to the Board just yet, he wanted to come before them and introduce himself. Bowman said that he was a Halifax resident for 8 years who only recently moved to Kingston. He said that his children were graduates of Silver Lake. In his own words, Bowman described himself as “… a local resident, a father of Silver Lake students, a former resident of Halifax and someone that is looking to open a business and make money for myself and my partners but also to give back to the community.”

Bowman told the Board that Center Point Safe Company has been working closely with the cannabis industry throughout the state, providing security for their inventory. He said that he hopes to begin serving dispensaries throughout the state by providing delivery services in the next few months.

Bowman told the Board that when he saw Halifax on the list of towns that had licensing availabilities, he jumped at the chance to potentially work within the community. “If the answer is no, I completely understand. It can be a controversial subject in a lot of towns,” Bowman said. Millias encouraged Bowman to come back once he had more details saying, “the town has expressed support in the past for marijuana.”

The final appointment of the evening was a truck exclusion hearing for trucks traveling on Circuit and Laurel streets. Trucks are typically traveling to a site where there are long term plans for a solar field. Millias said that he felt that dead end signs were probably the only option for helping with the at times disruptive traffic. Another potential solution was to work with new carriers to make sure they understand how to get to the site. The Board agreed to leave it alone for now and gather additional feedback.

Finally, Seelig reiterated that town meeting is still scheduled for September 12. The plan is to hold the meeting in the Halifax Elementary School and utilize both the gym and multi-purpose room to ensure adequate distancing.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on August 20 for one of their emergency management meetings. Selectmen Chair Tom Millias noted that it would likely be a longer than usual meeting as they were trying to shorten their regular Tuesday night agendas in order to allow maintenance into the town hall earlier to disinfect.

The meeting began with a discussion of the guidelines being followed and protocols being implemented for youth sports. Pete Barone, President of both the Halifax Youth Baseball and Halifax Youth Softball leagues was in attendance as was Board of Health agent Bob Valery. Barone spoke about some of the safety precautions put in place during the summer’s baseball and softball activities in town. Players were kept physically distant from one another through markers on the ground as well as individual buckets that players used as their designated spot for the game. Bright signs were also hung advising spectators to maintain distance and wear a mask.

According to those present, while sports such as basketball and softball simply need to adhere to the state’s guidelines, soccer is also subjected to specific guidelines as laid out by Mass Youth Soccer. Those guidelines include specific modifications in order to be able to play as a moderate risk sport under Phase III. Modifications include a kick-in to replace throw-ins, a ban on all intentional contact, a ban on heading the ball, as well as a whole host of other changes to soccer as it is usually played.

The Board also discussed changes in EEE risk level. Halifax is now deemed to be at critical risk due to the first human case in town. All outdoor activities are banned on town-owned property from dusk to dawn. Such locations include Vaughn Field, the Elementary School playing fields, Summit St. soccer fields, HOPS Playground, and the beaches at Lingan St. and Holmes St.

Regarding COVID travel restrictions, Valery said he was waiting to hear back from DPH about the proper protocols should the need to fine violators arise. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that they would also need to find out where the jurisdiction lies if a violator worked for the town of Halifax but resided elsewhere. The final piece of COVID related news from Valery was regarding Cumberland Farms closing down the self-serve areas including coffee and soda. Valery said that he had fielded a number of calls regarding the decision but said it was the corporate offices of Cumberland Farms and not the local Board of Health that made the decision.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros told the Board he was looking to find out how many masks were needed by the schools. Selectman Gordon Andrews, who is also chair of the Halifax School Committee, asked if any masks were ordered in child’s sizes. Viveiros said that none had been ordered in that size but did say that FEMA had given them 6,500 N95 masks, 6,500 surgical masks, as well as 800 face shields in addition to goggles and glasses. Millias asked if families were expected to supply the masks for their children. Andrews said that while they were, masks would need to be on hand at the school in the event that something were to happen to a student’s mask during the school day. Valery said that he believed that he had 500 child size masks.

Seelig asked the Board if they wished to schedule a special town meeting for September 12, the same date as the annual town meeting and if so, what matters they wished to be placed on the warrant. Seelig said that such issues as the $65,000 needed for a new Council on Aging van would be taken up at the special. Other potential issues include heating and air conditioning, unemployment, traffic enforcement, and Cranberry Drive. Millias pointed out that in terms of cost, it is cheaper to hold the special town meeting concurrently with the annual. Seelig agreed saying that given the logistical hurdles that are occurring to hold the meeting, it would make sense to combine them. Chair Troy Garron made a motion to hold the special town meeting within the annual.

Seelig also told the Board they would need to make a decision regarding the annual recycling fee and whether or not to make changes to the abatement process.  Seelig asked if the Board wished to maintain the $50 recycling fee. Seelig said that if the Board wished to eliminate the abatement process, they were going to need to come up with a plan very quickly for running the solid waste and recycling program in the future. Millias said, “the problem as I see it is if the recycling program collapses, if you will, it also affects curbside pickup. I don’t think I’m ready to make that decision today.” Millias went on to say that he felt the best approach would be a “comprehensive, all inclusive” meeting with residents and all concerned to discuss the issue. A debate ensued amongs the selectmen about whether to extend the abatement deadline. Andrews, as he has done in the past, argued against charging people for a service they were not receiving. Andrews made a motion to set the recycling fee at $50, the due date in 30 days, and the abatement deadline in 60 days. Garron seconded the motion though noted he disagreed with the premise. “I still see people that no matter what you do, they’re going to be late or not going to pay it, or put it aside and forget it,” Garron explained. Andrews’ motion failed but Millias’ motion that kept the $50 fee but set the due date and the abatement deadline both for 30 days passed.

Seelig brought up the complaint from the previous week’s meeting about non-residents causing problems on the beaches of Monponsett Pond. He told the Board that he had spoken with Police Chief Joao Chaves about the problem. Chief Chaves, who was in attendance, told the Board that there was an officer there often and said that a number of parking tickets had been issued to non-residents. He noted that it was difficult for the force to do anything about jet skis and boats coming into the swimming area as they don’t really have a way to access the water.

Amy Troup showed the Board a petition from residents asking for signage indicating that the beaches are for Halifax residents only. Troup said that currently the signs only say no parking which she said people are circumventing by parking at Wal-Mart and walking over. She also mentioned the problem with trash being left behind as well as other disrespectful behavior by non-residents. Chaves said that he wouldn’t want to ask beachgoers for identification to prove residency. Seelig said he would check on the possibility of additional signage. “Thank you, this is something that has come up and as a Board we’re aware of it and we’re just trying to figure out what to do about it,” Millias told Troup.

Seelig said that the Board received a lawsuit from Gordon C. Andrews to the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals and four named individuals. Seelig said it was a civil damages case and noted it is being referred to town counsel and to the town insurer. He said there was no action to be taken at the moment.

Seelig asked the Board if they were ready to vote on the new animal control officer (ACO). Interviews were held a few weeks back with a number of applicants. Chief Chaves recommended Amanda Feighery and Garron said he agreed. “I think that she’s a good choice in that she’s had experience not only with vicious animals as well as dealing with people and the public,” Garron said. Millias agreed citing her local ties as well as Feighery was born and raised in Halifax. The Board voted to name Feighery as the new ACO.

Seelig told the Board that he had received a letter from a concerned resident regarding traffic concerns on Monponsett St. and Route 58 from Lakeside Villa to the intersection with Plymouth St. The resident said she saw a number of trucks violating the speed limits and using engine brakes. Seelig told the Board that given the number of houses on that stretch, it would be possible for the Board to set the speed limit at 30 mph as the area being considered is thickly settled. He also told the Board that the town could vote on a bylaw at a future time to prohibit engine brakes except for emergency purposes. The Board agreed to send the issue to the Traffic Safety Committee to take it under consideration.

After numerous summertime meetings and extensive debate, all four school committees – Halifax, Kingston, Plympton, and Silver Lake Regional – have all made decisions regarding their reopening plans for the fall. All but Plympton have chosen the same hybrid approach and model. Plympton plans to begin with what they are referring to as “a phased-in hybrid approach” where most students will begin remotely at least for the first several weeks.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) required school districts to submit a preliminary plan for full remote, full in-person learning with 3 ft or 6 ft of physical distancing, and a hybrid of the two on July 31. Schools have been told that they need to be able to easily move from one mode to another should circumstances necessitate a change.

DESE has released an abundance of oft-changing guidance regarding reopening. It should be noted that school districts can elect to enact policies with stricter safety requirements than what is found in DESE’s guidance but cannot mandate anything less stringent.

Included amongst the state’s guidance is a mandatory minimum of 3 feet of physical distancing between occupants wearing masks with 6 feet being preferred. There is no maximum number of students per class as it will depend on the size of the rooms. The school can fit as many students as space will allow while still meeting the selected distancing requirement. While DESE has allowed for 3 ft (from seat edge to seat edge) when wearing masks and facing the same direction, many districts have elected to insist upon a minimum of 6 ft while still others have gone with something in between such as 4 ½ feet. Students and staff are required to maintain 6 ft of distance whenever masks cannot be worn such as lunch periods or breaks. DESE’s guidelines state a “preference” for students not wearing masks to not face one another.

Per the state’s guidelines, masks or face coverings are required for Grades 2 and up and strongly encouraged for those in preschool, kindergarten, and Grade 1. Masks must be worn on school buses regardless of age. Some districts, such as Whitman-Hanson, are requiring masks be worn even at the preschool, kindergarten, and Grade 1 levels. Exceptions must be made for those who are unable to wear a mask due to health or safety factors.

Under DESE’s guidance, schools are required to provide a remote option for students who cannot or choose not to attend school in-person. A frequent refrain heard during many meetings this summer has been that the remote education that will be offered this coming school year will not be the same remote education that was offered in spring. Amongst other changes, the state has required that attendance and participation is tracked and that a policy for issuing grades is employed.

All four school committees in Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton assessed that a full, in-person return to school is not feasible due to operational, fiscal, and safety constraints. The schools don’t have the space or staff necessary to bring all students back in person while also adhering to the physical distancing requirements. Additionally, there isn’t enough money in the budgets to be able to hire more staff to accommodate the smaller class sizes even if the space was available.

Another factor preventing a full, in-person return to school is transportation. With current physical distancing requirements, buses are limited to one-third of their usual capacity. Silver Lake investigated the cost of adding either additional bus runs or additional buses and found them to be prohibitive. Additionally, bus runs are an average of an hour long so additional bus runs could potentially mean needing to negotiate an extended school day. Even with the hybrid approach, the school will need as many caregivers as are able to transport their students to and from school. Windows and roof hatches will be kept open to the extent possible to increase ventilation. Only students from the same households will be allowed to sit together on a bench.

The hybrid approach that will be employed at Halifax Elementary, Kingston Elementary, Silver Lake Regional Middle School, and Silver Lake Regional High School will be a combination of in-person learning at 6 ft two days a week and remote learning 3 days a week for most students. There will be four cohorts of students. Cohorts A and B will attend school on opposite schedules. Cohort A will attend school in-person on Monday and Tuesday and be remote on Wednesday through Friday. Cohort B will be remote Monday through Wednesday and attend school in person on Thursday and Friday. Cohort C will be those students electing for 100 percent remote education. Cohort D will include high needs learners that will attend school in person four days a week. Not all students on an IEP will qualify for Cohort D. Qualifying for Cohort D does not mean you will have to attend school in-person all four days (or even at all) but rather that the choice to do so is there. Wednesday will be a remote learning day for all learners.

Under the hybrid plan, core subject areas will be prioritized for in-person learning as will some AP and CTE programs. Wellness, art, music, and other electives will likely be offered remotely.

In several of the school committee meetings, members have inquired as to whether Cohorts A and B will have contact with Cohort D during their in-person days and were told that they would. This was of concern to some as it reduces the benefits of the hybrid model to just the literal physical distancing that can be achieved through smaller class sizes while failing to eliminate possible cross contamination amongst cohorts.

All public schools in Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton are implementing facilities changes to improve safety. Efforts are being taken to minimize the use of recirculated air. No classrooms will be used that do not have working windows and adequate HVAC. Heightened cleaning and disinfecting, particularly of high touch areas, will be implemented. All schools will now be equipped with hospital-grade electrostatic sprayers as well.

Despite the best laid plans, everything is always subject to change as circumstances surrounding the pandemic change. The state also holds the authority to mandate full remote learning at any time.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Thursday, August 6 for their bi-weekly meeting with the town’s emergency management officials regarding COVID or other emergency concerns. Halifax Board of Health agent Bob Valery told the Board that there were no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID in town. Valery also told the Board that the message board at the fire station will refer residents to Mass.gov for updates on Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

According to Valery the CDC is warning about acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare but serious neurologic disease with polio-like symptoms occurring most frequently in young children. While AFM cannot be spread person to person the viruses associated with it may be spread by mosquitos or other vectors and is most active during the months of August to November. Selectman Gordon Andrews asked if there was an outbreak in New England was told there was not.

Andrews gave an update on the school’s reopening plan. He explained that per the last survey, 48 percent of parents favored full, in-person learning at three feet. The plan sent to the state was the hybrid model which would see the majority of students attending school in person two days a week and remote three days a week.

Another cohort of high-needs students would attend school in person four days a week. Families can also opt into a full remote option. Selectmen Troy Garron pointed out the difficulties of keeping elementary school aged children facing forward and adhering to social distancing. He said he thought a monitor would be needed in the classrooms in addition to the teacher. Selectman Tom Millias said of the 3 ft distancing if facing forward, “I don’t see that as being enforceable… they’ll be a thousand infractions the first day.”

Andrews told Police Chief Joao Chaves that he believes a detail officer will be necessary during pickup and drop off times at the school. He further explained that given the distancing requirements on the bus, it would cost an extra $400,000 just for Silver Lake to be able to cover the additional buses and/or runs for half the year. With buses at one-third capacity, Andrews also brought up the question of how students would be transported to and from opposing teams’ venues if sports were allowed. Andrews said that as of right now, students are not allowed to drive themselves. “I pretty much think sports are done, for at least the fall and probably all of next year,” Andrews said.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that he was speaking with Maintenance Director Scott Materna about fogging the town hall more frequently as the number of in-person meetings were increasing. Seelig said that fogging the building would likely need to occur on Tuesdays or Wednesdays given the building schedules.

Garron asked why the building couldn’t be fogged on Fridays when empty. Seelig explained that the fogging was used to kill the virus and if the building sits empty for several days as it would over the weekend, the virus would likely be gone by the time it was being occupied again.

Seelig and the Board discussed the possibility of rearranging meeting schedules to end them earlier to allow for the fogging to occur.

Seelig told the Board that they needed to start to move forward with the process of allocating the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds that are available to the town through Plymouth County. According to Seelig, Halifax has made three submissions to Plymouth County thus far totaling $40,000. The amount spent to date is just a fraction of the $884,000 available to Halifax. Expenditures to be reimbursed through the CARES funds must be spent by December 31. Seelig said that of the requests he had received from departments thus far, he didn’t see any of the items being big ticket items. He said that the requests were too vague and that he would need to go back to departments to specify what exactly was needed. Instead of a request such as signage, Seelig said he would need to know exactly the type and quantity needed. Seelig said that money would likely be available for use by the school system. Andrews asked the Board if they would be in favor of potentially using some of the funds for either additional school staff or additional buses. The Board agreed.

Seelig said that another source of funding is the Massachusetts IT Infrastructure Bond Bill. The bill has already been through the legislature and is currently with the governor awaiting his signature. The $185,000 available to Halifax can be used for specific systems. If the costs don’t exceed the available limit, those will be expenditures that don’t have to use any CARES Act funding. Seelig also told the Board that Council on Aging (COA) Director Susan Lawless told him that the Old Colony Elder Services will be giving out grants in the amount of $3,000 to each COA to be used toward activities.

On Monday, August 3, Plympton School Committee chair Jon Wilhelmsen hosted an informal, virtual question and answer session regarding the reopening of school at Dennett Elementary. This was not a school committee meeting. Wilhelmsen told the fifty plus parents and teachers assembled that comments made were his own and not those of the school committee unless otherwise specified. Dennett principal Peter Veneto was also in attendance.

Wilhelmsen began by giving a quick overview of the preliminary plan submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) last Friday, July 31. Per DESE’s request, the plan consisted of a model for remote learning, a model for full in-person learning, and a model that was a hybrid of the two. The final, comprehensive plan will need to be sent to DESE by August 10. The separate school committees will need to vote to approve the plan prior to that date. Each committee will vote independent from one another, meaning Halifax Elementary, Kingston Elementary, Plympton Elementary, and Silver Lake Regional could all choose different models.

Wilhelmsen emphasized that the remote learning plan will be the cornerstone of whatever model is selected and noted that it will not look like what he referred to as the “crisis education” that occurred during the spring. He also said that all three plans must follow a consistent schedule as it is vital that they retain the ability to move from one mode to another as seamlessly as possible. The school committee had decided against any in-person plan that would involve 3 feet of social distancing instead insisting upon 6 feet until Massachusetts enters Phase 4. “I don’t think three feet is safe; I don’t think that we want to take that risk,” Wilhelmsen explained. Buses will only be at 32 percent capacity and additional bus runs will be prohibitively expensive. If in-person learning resumes, new protocols for pick-up and drop-off will have to be established.

Parents and teachers were then allowed to ask questions. Someone asked why the committee would elect to delay implementing a hybrid plan in favor of beginning school remotely. Wilhelmsen said that the school committee is fully in support of getting students back in person but noted, “we want to do this thoughtfully, we want to do this carefully, and we want to do this right.” Even if school begins remotely, it does not necessarily mean that all children will be at home. There may be a possibility to bring children with high needs into school or perhaps the kindergarteners who could benefit from in-person initiation into school. Of the kindergarten class, Veneto said that one benefit for them would be that they don’t know anything else so the changes may not seem as unfamiliar to them.

There were a number of questions regarding remote learning including if there will be a specific learning management system (LMS) used. Wilhelmsen said they will be using Schoology which he noted was superior to Google Meet which was used in the spring. He said they were still figuring out how to get everyone trained on the new LMS. Wilhelmsen said that while they do anticipate some supply chain issues, they have already been purchasing additional chromebooks for student and staff use. Wilhelmsen and Veneto said they have done their best to stay ahead of technology needs in order to ensure that teachers have the tools they need. Another parent asked what happens if they have a hard time getting their children to cooperate remotely. Wilhelmsen said that there will need to be a lot more communication between parents, teachers, and students in order to help with that. He also assured parents that there will be more engaging content than in the spring.

Another parent asked, “If we go to a fully remote model, will all learning be synchronous or will there by asynchronous instruction for working parents?” Wilhelmsen and Veneto confirmed that any learning plan that involves remote education will involve both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Also asked, “If a family decides to go full remote, will they still be part of the Dennett community or doing some off the shelf program state-wide?” They were assured that they will still be part of the Dennett community.

Several other questions were asked regarding the hybrid model. Any hybrid model selected will involve multiple cohorts of students. Cohorts A and B would attend school on alternating schedules with Wednesday remaining a fully remote day for all students. Cohort C would be those electing to be fully remote and Cohort D would be students designated high needs who would be eligible to attend school 4 days a week. Wilhelmsen said, “To the best of our ability, our goal is to keep children in the same family in the same cohorts.” One parent asked, “Wondering if you have a child on a 504/IEP that goes 4 days as cohort D, do siblings stay with them in the same cohort even if not 504/IEP?” Wilhelmsen admitted to not having thought of this scenario and said it would be explored.

Asked about how pull out services will be handled, Veneto responded, “we will be handling this and we will be doing it in a safe manner.” Yet another question, “If the students on IEPs are grouped together how will you ensure a Least Restrictive Environment for them?” Wilhelmsen and Veneto said they don’t yet have a plan for that but said it is being worked out. Another parent inquired, “If we have specific concerns about our own children with disabilities are we able to contact Mr. Veneto?” Veneto was quick to reply, “absolutely.” Wilhelmsen also offered that people were welcome to email him as well regarding any specific concerns (jwilhelmsen@slrsd.org).

Some questions centered around protocols in the event that there is a positive case or exposure within the school. One of those on the call asked, “What is the policy for contact tracing if someone is diagnosed with COVID?” Wilhelmsen affirmed the need to have such a plan saying, “When we’ve written it, we will let you know. We will have one.” Piggybacking on the aforementioned question another person asked if the entire classroom will be quarantined for 14 days should there be a positive case in that class. They also asked if that person had siblings would they quarantine the sibling’s classroom as well. It was confirmed that such decisions would be part of the yet to be fully developed plan.

There were a few other questions including whether or not the option to have outdoor classrooms was being explored. Wilhelmsen and Veneto said that they were looking at the possibility but noted that Plympton had just been moved to a high EEE threat, complicating the efforts to get kids outside more. Those on the call also asked about kindergarten orientation and were told that while there would be some version of one, it would be different than in the past.

Other comments from the public were offers to help. Parent Darcy Kennedy said she runs three childcare centers and offered to provide insight on the removal of items and the relative success of such protocols. Michelle Ruxton said she reviews reopening plans all day long and offered, “what’s one more?” Veneto and Wilhelmsen said they were not shy to accept such help. Still someone else pointed out that Plympton is a small town and asked what parents can do to help get the kids back in school. They asked if volunteering in some capacity such as a bus monitor would be helpful. Wilhelmsen who called the suggestion “awesome” said that the school committee would explore it but did note that they wanted to be careful not to introduce more people into the school setting. Someone said their workplace was utilizing Litum contact tracing badges and asked if it was something the schools could potentially explore. Wilhelmsen said he thought it was unlikely due to the costs associated with it.

Wilhelmsen thanked those on the call for attending and said, “I’m really thrilled to have been able to do this because I don’t necessarily hear from you all the time… thank you for being understanding, I know this isn’t easy.” He also offered to hold another similar session in the future.

Wilhelmsen also told those assembled that since open meeting laws are quite strict regarding social media, if more than one member of the school committee comments on the same post, they are in violation of that law.

He said for that reason, the committee plans to designate a single member to answering questions as they appear on pages such as the Facebook group Friends of the Dennett.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen held their weekly meeting with public safety officials on Wednesday, July 22 to discuss COVID-19 related issues. Much of the meeting was spent discussing the difficulties surrounding reopening of the schools in the fall.

Selectman Gordon Andrews is part of one of the working groups that has been established to brainstorm ideas for reopening the schools. The working groups include teachers, nurses, counselors, etc. Andrews told those assembled that he would like their opinions so that he might take them back to the group.

Andrews said that guidelines regarding distancing on buses allow for only 25 passengers on a 77-person bus or 15 passengers on a 47-person bus. The only exception would be for siblings who could share a seat.

While official feedback from the surveys hadn’t been made available as of the meeting, Andrews said that initial feedback he was hearing was that roughly fifty percent of parents anticipated dropping their children off rather than electing to take the bus.

With only one-third of students potentially being able to be bused to school, there will have to be a significant increase in students that are being dropped off and picked up which could create a bottleneck. Possible suggestions offered at Wednesday’s meeting included changing the location of where the buses drop off and expanding the library parking lot for staff parking to open other areas for parent drop-off.

Board of Health agent Robert Valery met with head custodian Matt Durkee at the Halifax Elementary School to talk about a plan for lunch. “I think it was a good meeting that brought out a lot of good ideas,” Fire Chief Jason Viveiros told the selectmen.

One possibility is to use both the cafeteria and the all-purpose room for lunch. Students would have assigned seats and lunch would likely be brought directly to them. Another possible suggestion was to have someone who sprays sanitizer onto the kids’ hands as they enter the rooms for eating. The plan would be for the first shift of students to eat in one room and the next shift, the other. This would allow for rooms to be disinfected in between shifts.

In addition to transportation and cafeteria plans, those assembled also discussed pros and cons of both COVID testing prior to the start of school and regular temperature checks once school is in session. Viveiros mentioned the invasive nature of the COVID tests, particularly for young children.

Several of those present felt that temperature checks made sense though when to do them and how to ensure privacy were of concern. One suggestion was to check temperatures on the bus though the majority of students would not be able to ride the bus with capacity limited to one-third. Someone suggested doing temperature checks at drop-off while the parents are still present but that would likely complicate an already prolonged process.

Other questions involved how best to handle a situation where a student did produce a high reading. How would that student be removed without an invasion of privacy? Would students that had been in close contact with them also need to be sent home? “There are no good answers to any of this,” Selectman Tom Millias bemoaned.

Perhaps the most difficult question of all was whether schools should even reopen for in person learning. Andrews said that he felt that regardless of whatever decision is made, fifty percent of parents were likely to be unhappy. He said he felt that most people fell into one of two camps – those wishing to return to some sense of normalcy and those concerned with a potential outbreak in the schools.

He admitted to being confused himself saying, “There’s the part of me that says we should go back – we need to deal with it. There’s another part of me that says the logistics are so hard to understand does it make more sense to just plan for remote at this time?”

Valery said he felt that school should begin remotely as it will be difficult, if not impossible, to decipher COVID symptoms in students or teachers from more run of the mill viruses and infections that typically circulate once students are back in school. Both Viveiros and Andrews asked what the protocol would be if a teacher or student tested positive for the virus.

Valery pointed out that decisions would have to wait until test results were received. He also said that steps might depend on the kind and length of contact others had with the infected individual. If that student used the bathroom at some point, the potential for contamination would extend beyond the classroom or bus. “If you have a confirmed case in the school, you should probably be looking at closing down the school for 14 days,” Andrews said.

Andrews told the group that a preschool teacher in his working group pointed out the potential difficulty of trying to teach speech to young children who are not able to see their teachers’ mouths. A stumbling block for remote learning that was also mentioned was that at the time of the first shutdown, both teachers and and students were already familiar with one another. If school were to start remotely, students and teachers will be working with one another without that pre-established connection.

Of reopening, Viveiros said, “I don’t see how all of this could possibly get done.” He went on to say that some states have postponed the opening of schools until October to allow more time to prepare. Millias probably summed it up best saying, “this is just a pure horror show.”

In non-school related news, Valery told the Board that he had been notified that morning of one contact case of COVID in town though it was not confirmed. Valery also updated the Board on some local restaurants plans. Grille 58 planned to open on July 28 with tents setup in a small area outside for outdoor dining. Rodney’s Kitchen also planned to open for outdoor dining.

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen updated selectmen at their Monday, July 20 meeting on the plan for restarting school in the fall. Wilhelmsen said that the school is required to submit a preliminary plan to the state by July 31 that accounts for all three possible scenarios – in-person, remote, and a hybrid approach. Wilhelmsen told selectmen, “It’s a little bit of a fool’s errand for the first of those.”

Wilhelmsen said even if there is a full return, it would “not be a return to normal; it would be a return to different.” The administration is focusing a lot of their efforts on the remote learning aspect as Wilhelmsen said that it will likely be the backbone of whatever plan is put into place.

Working groups have been established to devise the plan.  According to Wilhelmsen the top two priorities are providing an education that ensures academic growth and balancing safety and risk to keep everyone as safe as possible. Wilhelmsen said that there will likely be an element of choice involved as some families may need to opt for remote schooling due to high-risk family members or other extenuating circumstances. He also said that there likely isn’t the physical space required to have all students back in school while upholding social distancing requirements. Possible advantages for Dennett include the HVAC system that circulates air to individual rooms as opposed to throughout the whole building as well as the smaller student population compared to neighboring towns.

Selectman Christine Joy asked if the school has the technology in place to meet the needs of students and teachers. Wilhelmsen said that CARES Act funds were used to purchase additional chromebooks but said that the administration needs to evaluate the technology available in terms of which platform would best support remote learning.

The Plympton School Committee will be holding meetings throughout the summer to allow the administration to provide updates to the committee. The public is encouraged to attend as the meetings are held virtually. There likely won’t be a clear picture of what the return to school will look like until well into August. Later in the meeting Joy would say that her rave for the week is for “The parents, teachers, school committees, administration, and everybody who’s trying to navigate in these incredibly difficult times… these people are working so hard to come up with a workable solution.”

$18,000 FEMA grant for hazard mitigation

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that Plympton was the recipient of an $18,000 FEMA grant that would enable them to update the town’s hazard mitigation plan. Currently the town doesn’t have its own stand-alone plan but rather a sub section in the regional plan which was created in 2015. The grant would allow for a consultant to walk the town through the project and create the plan. Dennehy said that she had one response to her RFQ from Woods Hole Group for $17,730 to complete the project in its entirety. On Dennehy’s recommendation, the Board awarded the project to them.

Dennehy told the Board that all three lots on Prospect Rd. have now been successfully sold and that as of that morning, the town treasurer was in receipt of those payments. The funds from the sale of the three lots will be put toward the repayment of the bond that was taken out in 2018 to secure the purchase of Two Brooks Preserve. Selectmen Chair Mark Russo said, “Thank God, it’s done… with this we get to now look forward to hopefully retiring the bond that’s due in October.” Russo said that even with the sales and some additional fundraising they will likely still be around $25,000 short. The hope is that the Board and the Finance Committee will allow an amount under $25,000 to be borrowed from the Capital Stabilization Fund. An amount in excess of $25,000 would require a vote at town meeting.

Dennehy also told the Board that the eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) threat for Plympton has been raised to moderate due to a positive mosquito sample having been found in nearby Carver. “Mosquitos don’t know town boundary lines,” Dennehy joked. She continued, “It is something that everybody needs to remain vigilant about.”

Dennehy said that the townhouse was fogged on July 11. She explained that the plan was to fog the building periodically since it is a reimbursable expense. Dennehy said the decision was made to fog the building as it had not been done since April and the building had been open to the public for six weeks. In another update, Dennehy told the Board that after conferring with town counsel, it was established that town employees that fall under wage and personnel are to be reappointed each year with a select few exceptions including the assistant town clerk who is appointed directly by the town clerk.

Russo provided Dennehy and his fellow selectmen with some highlights from the presentation by the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Senator Michael Rodrigues. Russo credited Senator Michael Brady for putting it together. Rodrigues reminded the audience that a consensus revenue forecast is released each year in December or January which is used to inform the state budget. Back in December, the projected revenue was estimated at $31 billion. After reconvening to re-assess due to the pandemic, it is now believed that the state revenue will be $26 billion leaving a $6 billion shortfall. While it may be possible to pull $2 billion of that shortfall from the rainy-day fund, the remaining amount will need to come from cuts, taxes, or borrowing. Rodrigues made note of the types of cuts that were seen during 2009-2010 when the state faced a similar kind of decline. Cuts were seen to education, transportation, energy, the environment, and healthcare for state employees. Wilhelmsen pointed out that the budgets that the school committees voted on couldn’t really take into account any cuts to education. While the Dennett does not rely heavily on state aid, a large portion of the Silver Lake Regional budget is reliant on it. This could mean cuts to programming, etc., at the middle and high school levels.

Rodrigues also said that the main economic evaluators were unemployment which was around 2.9 percent in December/January and 16.9 percent by May.  During the first quarter of 2020, the GDP decreased by 4.8 percent and it is anticipated that by the end of the second quarter that decrease would be over 8 percent. Rodrigues also spoke on the challenges associated with creating a state budget while not knowing the funds that will be available from the federal government.

The Board of Selectmen also voted to appoint Zachary Bowden as a full-time officer in the Police Department to replace another officer who sent in their resignation. They also briefly discussed the possibility of retirement regulations eventually necessitating the search for a new police chief. Dennehy said that Police Chief Matthew Clancy asked that the discussion be tabled until the Board’s August 10 meeting.

North Plympton Cemetery

Selectman John Traynor requested the Board’s permission to work with the owner of the North Plympton Cemetery so that it might be improved. Traynor said that the owner is a woman located in Washington state who is part of a family that has owned the cemetery since the 19^th century. Traynor said, “I would like us to be able to take care of it because it is in terrible shape right now.”

The Plympton School Committee held their close-out meeting on Monday, July 13 though they agreed that given the current climate meetings would need to be held prior to September.

They began with a reorganization which saw both Jon Wilhelmsen and Jason Fraser retain their titles of chair and vice chair respectively. Wilhelmsen will be serving as chair for the sixth year in a row. Mike Antoine was nominated to serve as secretary. Newest member Dan Cadogen was unable to attend his first meeting as part of the committee.

A report of standing committees followed the reorganization. Fraser said that heand Dennett Principal Peter Veneto now have the information necessary to put together an RFQ for installation of the playground. The Negotiations Committee signed a one-year contract with aides though the negotiations with teachers were still ongoing. Union 31 met to discuss COVID and make sure that their orders for PPE and additional chromebooks were made prior to the deadline for the first round of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Superintendent Jill Proulx wanted to thank the town of Plympton for helping to make those purchases possible.

Fraser began his legislative update by apologizing for what would be a longer than usual report. He called the threats coming out of Washington D.C., specifically from President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, to cut funding for schools that don’t fully open in the fall “largely rhetoric.” He mentioned that Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has taken the secretary to task over her lack of a plan to reopen schools. Pressley made news this week for tweeting at DeVos, “you have no plan. Teachers, kids and parents are fearing for their lives… I wouldn’t trust you to care for a house plant let alone my child.”

Fraser also pointed out that the mass state tax deadline was that week and said that the state is hoping to have a budget done by September 1. Fraser said there is talk, however, that there won’t be a budget until after the November elections.

The joint conference between the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) in Hyannis has been cancelled due to safety concerns. Fraser asked the committee if they would be in favor of supporting current MASC President Deborah Davis for a second term. “She has done great work there and she has my full endorsement,” Fraser said. The committee voted to lend her their support.

Veneto also provided a principal’s report to the committee saying, “It’s been an interesting couple of months.”  He continued, “We’re trying to attack this whole thing as if we’re all going to be back, but I’m realistic enough to know that that might not be the case.” Veneto said that the three communities worked on a district wide entry plan for kindergarteners. Both Kingston and Halifax are adapting to the model that Plympton has always used that includes holding screenings in the fall rather than the spring. As of right now the plan will be to hold open house for Grades 1-6 on September 1 and screenings for kindergarteners on September 2, 3, and 4. The hope would be to have kindergarten officially start on September 8. The incoming kindergarten class is currently estimated at 42 students, large by Plympton standards. Veneto also said that they are currently reviewing candidates for an open special education position. He said that due to cuts within other districts, there are a lot of great candidates available.

Director of Business Services Christine Healy shared where some of the cost savings from the past fiscal year were found. Transportation, utilities, and substitutes provided savings. Healy said that due to improvements to the building and the closure for the last few months, utilities savings totaled $27,000. After all are totaled, Healy said that $962.91 would be returned to the town from the regular day budget. $78,790 would be returned from special education and $21,199 from out of district vocational.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch shared the results from the most recent survey on remote learning which will be used to inform the reopening plan. Lynch said that participation was high amongst both staff and families and consistent from the April survey to the June one. Results indicated that staff would like to see more accountability from students, additional professional development, and sharing of best practices. Parents were grateful for the individualization of learning plans for some students as well as the willingness to loan chromebooks. Families cited a lack of socialization, excessive screen time, and regression as concerns.

Pros and cons of various online platforms were also discussed. Wilhelmsen said that he was unsurprised to learn that many people didn’t like using Google Classroom and Google Meets. He said that his preference would be Zoom. Other potential platforms mentioned as alternatives were Loom, Blackboard, and Schoology. Fraser, who worked with Schoology in his teaching position, called it a more “robust and elegant” platform. He shared that he would be in favor of any expenditure incurred from the use of a better online platform.

Proulx told the committee that Plympton qualified for $20,000 from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. She said the funds received can be used in similar ways to Title I and Title IIA funds. In addition, those funds can be used for technology, training or even PPE.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released a memo on June 25 which said that the Baker Administration would be allocating $200 million dollars toward schools for COVID related expenses. Schools would be eligible to receive up to $225 per student. Proulx said that shortly thereafter, a memo went out to business directors from the Lieutenant Governor saying that Plymouth County would not be receiving these allocations. Proulx said that she had a meeting the following day that she was hopeful would provide further clarification.

Proulx also provided an update on the plan for reopening. Building principals were asked to figure out how many students could fit in a classroom if requiring 3 feet of social distance and then again, for 6 feet of distance. Wilhelmsen inquired about the seemingly arbitrary 3 feet number. Fraser emphasized that there was no scientific basis for the number and called it “convenient.” He said that he would not support the reduced distancing for Plympton. “We need to do what’s right for our town and our kids,” he said.

The DESE Commissioner also requested that schools prepare three separate plans that account for in person learning, remote learning, and some form of a hybrid of the two. The deadline for the plans was also pushed up to July 31. Reopening committees have been formed and consist of a variety of individuals including nurses, counselors, parents, and staff. An intentions survey will also be distributed asking families questions such as if they intend to send their kids to school under the current circumstances and whether they plan to use the bus. Proulx pointed out that distancing requirements severely limit the number of students that can be put on a bus. Another potential issue will be how to handle a large increase in students being dropped off at school.

Wilhelmsen stressed the importance of thinking of the staff and their safety when developing a reopening plan. Fraser said that while he was not against reopening, he was for choice for both students and teachers. Proulx said that she and Lynch had discussed the option of giving families a choice and whether they had the means to meet the demands presented by choice.

“School will not look the same and parents need to understand that,” Fraser said. “There are lots of consequences to this crisis unfortunately,” Proulx agreed.  She continued, “Whatever our decisions are there is going to be a give and take… there are no simple answers to this unfortunately.” Proulx and Lynch both stressed that they are open to and welcome any and all suggestions and ideas regarding reopening.

Proulx thanked Megan Ahrenholz for putting together the summer lunch program. She also asked the committee to vote to accept an anonymous donation of $584.50 to pay off lunch debt,