Chairman of the Planning Board Gordon R. Andrews attended Tuesday’s Halifax selectmen’s meeting to ask questions of the selectmen and air his grievances with the procedures for hiring the department’s secretary.

According to Chairman Andrews, the planning board asked to be involved in the hiring process for the new department secretary but were not given that opportunity and never even saw the job description.

“I came in here before the secretary was hired and I was told we’ll have a meeting with you; well it’s now September and the secretary has already been hired. I think that we’ve been like walked over. We tried to participate in it, we tried to find out what was going on and we got blown off and it’s frustrating,” Andrews said. He went on to point out that the finance committee, another elected board, actually selects their own secretary.  In response to Andrews’ inquiry as to who the secretary reports to, town administrator Charlie Seelig answered that as has been done for the last fifteen years, the secretary answers to the building inspector, in this case Rob Piccirilli.

Chairman Andrews listed a myriad of issues faced by the Planning Board in the recent past. After the last secretary resigned but agreed to stay on in the interim, Andrews claimed that there were three separate meetings where the secretary was unable to attend at the last minute. Additionally, at one of the meetings, the board was locked out of the room.

Selectman Tom Millias said that the planning board should absolutely have their own key to the meeting room. Andrews said, “We’re an elected board, if a secretary doesn’t do what we have to have done, we’re at stake, not Rob.”

Piccirilli, who was also in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting said, “As far as direction, it’s up to the board to give direction, not me.”

Seelig interjected that while directions to the secretary should come directly from the board, the board’s grievances should go directly to Piccirilli. Another area of dispute was who should handle the performance review of the secretary. Currently, Piccirilli handles that task and does so without reaching out to the planning board for comment. Piccirilli said that if there were complaints, it would be up to the board to bring them to his attention. Selectman Gordon C. Andrews felt that the planning board should be writing the review for their secretary or at the very least, Piccirilli should be reaching out to them for their thoughts.

After a great deal of discussion, the Selectmen and Chairman Andrews agreed that it would behoove all involved to have a meeting with Piccirilli, a representative from each of boards, and one of the selectmen to go over the various job descriptions and put some procedures in place to avoid future issues of the same nature. “I think that will satisfy everyone moving forward,” Millias said. “I believe it will,” Chairman Andrews agreed.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros, Police Chief Joao Chaves, and highway surveyor Steve Hayward met with the selectmen to discuss ideas regarding ways in which the needs of the fire department, police department, and highway department, among others, may be met.

In August, concerned residents attended the selectmen’s meeting to share their concerns over the Council on Aging (COA) space including residents being unable to attend certain programs because they are located on the second floor. During that time it was suggested by Director of Building Maintenance Scott Materna that a possible solution might be to move the COA to the current police station and build a new combined police and fire station. Viveiros said that the current fire station is short on space as well as having potential liability concerns while Chaves said that although the police station has ample space, the floor plan is not really conducive to their needs. The highway department could also benefit from more space.

Senior Services Regionalization explored

As was discussed in August, a potential fix for the COA issues might be to regionalize with some neighboring towns. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig met with some of the neighboring towns’ administrators to discuss the possibility. Collectively, they decided that a good first step would be to publicize their offerings to one another’s residents to gauge the level of interest.

Long-term goals requested from each town department

The selectmen asked each department head to come up with list of their long-term project needs. “We’re starting from scratch. All the ideas are on the table and all ideas from anybody are on the table,” Seelig said. He continued, “My hope is that we don’t say to somebody, ‘sorry we don’t want you saying something; we don’t think it’s your lane and you shouldn’t be participating in this.’

“At this point, a good idea is a good idea wherever it is coming from.”

Selectmen Chair Troy Garron asked, however, that any idea that is presented be put in writing and be thoroughly researched first.

Garron also said that with so many departments all having varying needs, it will be necessary to prioritize the order in which needs will be met. Millias pointed out that the upcoming town meeting will be too early to present anything but said that all possibilities should be explored between now and next year. Seelig said he is also going to ask the school and the library to provide a report on their space needs as well.

Permission to replace old batting cages granted

The final appointment of the evening was Halifax youth baseball president Pete Barone. Barone was there to ask for the Board’s permission to replace the old, portable batting cage at Vaughn field with an updated, permanent one.

The existing structure had been blown across the parking lot during previous storms and at this point, poses a safety concern.

The new cage will be paid for entirely through fundraising efforts.

The hope is to make the change this fall so that it will be ready for use in April.

Millias said, “This looks nothing but good, so I don’t have any issues.” Garron agreed acknowledging that it is a positive for the kids in the town.

Barone also asked for permission to build a small, fenced in playground next to the grass near the skate park. Barone said that it would be a 30 ft. by 25 ft. area meant to serve smaller children who may have a sibling playing in a game on one of the fields. Barone said that there is a clear view of both fields from the area.

The Board approved both requests.

BOSTON -The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) are urging residents throughout the Commonwealth to continue to take personal precautions to prevent mosquito bites as they announced additional aerial spraying for mosquitoes in areas of the state at critical and high risk for the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus.

MDAR is scheduled to begin aerial spraying this evening and continue into next week in parts of Middlesex, Worcester, and Norfolk counties. While aerial spraying is weather and equipment dependent, above-average evening temperatures this week are likely to permit the application.

Communities that are scheduled to be partially or fully sprayed over the next week include:

Norfolk County: Bellingham, Franklin, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, Medfield, Walpole, Wrentham, Foxborough, Sharon, Norwood, Westwood, Dover, Needham, Wellesley

Middlesex County: Ashland, Hopkinton, Holliston, Sherborn, Framingham, Natick, Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Stow, Hudson, Marlborough, Weston

Worcester County: Berlin, Boylston, Northborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Grafton, Upton, Milford, Hopedale, Mendon, Blackstone, Millville, Uxbridge, Douglas, Northbridge, Sutton, Millbury, Auburn, Oxford, Webster, Southborough, Bolton, Clinton, West Boylston, Worcester, Charlton, Dudley, Leicester, Harvard

As weather, temperature, and equipment conditions permit, plans for subsequent rounds of spraying will include critical and high-risk communities in the counties of Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Plymouth. Residents are encouraged to visit the DPH website at https://www.mass.gov/eee for the latest updates on spraying in their communities.

So far this season, Massachusetts has had seven human cases of EEE. One person has died. There have also been nine confirmed cases of EEE this year in animals, including eight horses and a goat.

There are 36 communities now at critical risk, 42 at high risk, and 115 at moderate risk for the EEE virus in Massachusetts. A map of the state’s current EEE risk levels can be found here.

“Even as temperatures cool, it’s vitally important for us to remember that mosquito season is not over and that we all need to continue to take steps to prevent mosquito bites,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “Use bug spray, wear long sleeves and pants to reduce exposed skin, and stay indoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active.”

“We continue to urge the public to protect themselves from this disease by using mosquito repellent and taking other precautions, and for those in high and critical risk areas, by rescheduling outdoor activities during evening hours,” said MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux. “In addition to these precautions, we will be conducting additional aerial spraying and supporting the use of truck-based ground spraying to reduce the numbers of infected adult mosquitoes left flying at this point in the season.”

Additionally, MDAR reminds horse owners to promptly vaccinate their horses to ensure proper protection from EEE. If your horse was already vaccinated this year, MDAR advises checking with your veterinarian about a booster. Previously vaccinated horses may quickly respond to a booster vaccine and readily develop protective antibody. Horses of unknown vaccination status should receive two vaccines the first year. Foals should be vaccinated as soon as they are old enough (3-4 months of age) and need a second booster vaccine for adequate protection.

Last month, MDAR conducted aerial mosquito spraying in parts of Bristol, Plymouth, Middlesex, and Worcester counties to help reduce the public health risk. Meanwhile local communities are continuing truck-mounted ground spraying for mosquitoes. Spraying for mosquitoes does not eliminate the risk of EEE transmission and the public is asked to continue to follow personal protection practices.

Residents can learn more about EEE and ways to protect themselves on DPH’s website here.

EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. EEE occurs sporadically in Massachusetts with the most recent outbreak years occurring from 2004-2006 and 2010-2012. There were 22 human cases of EEE infection during those two outbreak periods with 14 cases occurring among residents of Bristol and Plymouth counties.

EEE virus has been found in 400 mosquito samples this year, many of them from species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.

People have an important role to play in protecting themselves and their loved ones from illnesses caused by mosquitoes:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient (DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] or IR3535) according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.

Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours

The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning in areas of high risk.

Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites

Wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty unused flowerpots and wading pools and change the water in birdbaths frequently.

Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

Protect Your Animals

Animal owners should reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools – especially after heavy rains. Water troughs should be flushed out at least once a week during the summer months to reduce mosquitoes near paddock areas. Horse owners should keep horses in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure to mosquitoes. Owners should also speak with their veterinarian about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals and vaccinations to prevent WNV and EEE. If an animal is suspected of having WNV or EEE, owners are required to report to DAR, Division of Animal Health by calling 617-626-1795 and to the Department of Public Health (DPH) by calling 617-983-6800.

For the most up-to-date information, Q&As, and downloadable fact sheets about EEE in multiple languages visit the DPH webpage https://www.mass.gov/eee.

For questions about aerial spraying, contact the MDAR Crop and Pest Services at (617) 626-1700.

As September gets underway, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEv) and West Nile virus (WNv) still pose a threat to many local communities in Massachusetts. EEEv levels as categorized by The Mass Department of Public Health include remote, low, moderate, high, and critical designations.  Plympton and Halifax are both considered high while neighboring Carver and Middleborough are both in the critical category. At the time of writing, 379 mosquito populations have tested positive for EEEv and nine animals and four humans have been infected. A 59 year-old Bristol County woman has died from the virus while a man over 60 fell into a coma. Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester counties all have mosquito populations that have tested positive.

The threat of WNV is less with 61 mosquito populations testing positive and no animal or human cases to date. Risk categories for WNV are low, moderate, high, and critical. Halifax and Plympton are among the only towns in MA that are considered to have a moderate risk, most towns fall into the low category.

Aerial spraying to reduce mosquito populations was conducted in parts of Bristol and Plymouth Counties on August 8-12 and August 22-25. The pesticide used is Anvil 10+10 which contains two ingredients: Sumithrin and Piperonyl butoxide. As stated on Mass.gov, “It should be noted that although the aerial spraying is considered necessary to reduce human risk, it will not eliminate risk.”

Preventative measures for those communities at critical risk include the recommendation that recreational outdoor activities held between dusk and dawn be canceled. The Plympton Board of Health has implemented a ban on outdoor recreational activities on town owned properties between those times. For the week starting September 8, dawn is considered 5:45 a.m. and dusk is considered 7:15 p.m.

With no existing vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for either EEEV or WNV, the best preventative measures are those that decrease the likelihood of getting bit by mosquitos. Recommendations include wearing long pants and shirts, eliminating any standing water on your property, and wearing an EPA registered repellant with at least one of the following ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), Para-menthane-diol (PMD), and 2-undecanone. Repellants are not recommended for infants under two months of age.

While rare, Massachusetts was second only to Florida in the number of EEEV cases between 2009 and 2018. The incubation period for the disease is 4-10 days with some of those infected remaining asymptomatic. The systemic infection has an abrupt onset with some of the signs and symptoms including chills, fever, malaise, arthralgia, and myalgia.  In infants, onset of encephalitis is abrupt while in older children and adults, encephalitis starts within a few days of systemic illness. Signs and symptoms of encephalitis include fever, headache, irritability, restlessness, drowsiness, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, cyanosis, convulsions, and coma. A third of those with EEEV will die while many that survive are left with secondary mental and physical impairments that are often disabling and progressive.

Residents with questions or concerns can contact their local Boards of Health, for Halifax 781-293-6768 and for Plympton 781-585-7000.  You can also read this week’s column by Halifax Health Agent Cathleen Drinan on page 10.

Map courtesy of Mass Dept. of Public Health.

A large group of Plympton residents attended Monday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting to discuss a possible MassWorks grant for improvement to the Ring Road and Main Street intersection.

The town applied for the grant, which would include engineering as well as construction, on August 9, and has not yet heard whether or not it will be awarded.

Vice Chair Mark Russo addressed residents saying, “I know there’s maybe been a little bit of misunderstanding of where we are in this process. It’s just a shame for people to get upset based on misunderstandings, whether we even get this grant to begin with. But to be just explicitly clear, the grant would include, as the first step, money for engineering and design options.”

He continued, “We, the selectmen, have made no decisions whatsoever about what would be best and in fact are just looking for opinions and looking for ideas. Certainly part of the process would include a lot of input and especially input from abutters and neighbors and people on that road.”

Chair Christine Joy described the objective as “Trying to find something that helps people negotiate that area but also slows them down; we’re all interested in controlling the speed of the traffic as well as making the intersection safer.” Joy said a speed study was conducted and some of the cars were found to be driving through the intersection at speeds as fast as 72 mph. According to the Board, Plympton police chief Patrick Dillon considers the intersection to be the most dangerous in town.

Russo also mentioned that upon hearing about the issues with the intersection, he was initially hopeful that the speed limit could be reduced town-wide. With the Board’s authorization Russo met with town counsel but learned that the state has very specific requirements regarding lowering speed limits and it typically isn’t possible to implement without the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s approval. Certain circumstances, such as qualifying as being “thickly settled,” allow for a town to lower speed limits without MASSDOT. Unfortunately, Plympton does not fall within those parameters as houses have to be less than 200 feet apart. In regard to reduced speed limits Russo said, “That’s a beautiful idea and a really inexpensive option but it doesn’t look like those possibilities are available to us.” Main Street resident Jen MacDonald asked the Board about the possibility of designating the road as a scenic road as that could possibly provide another avenue toward reducing the speed limit through a vote at town meeting. Russo said that town counsel didn’t think such a designation fit but asked for and received the Board’s approval to have another meeting with town counsel to be sure all options to reduce the speed limit had been exhausted. Chair of the Plympton Historical Commission Jon Wilhelmsen, who was also present, agreed that it would be worth investigating the scenic road designation further.

Of the myriad of suggestions brought to the table, the one with the most support seemed to be the idea to simply make the intersection a three way stop. A resident who described himself as living on Main St. right across from Ring Rd., said, “Don’t spend the money if you don’t have to spend it. Three stop signs – people are going to stop and it takes care of all of the problems right there.” Wilhelmsen, who also lives on Main St., agreed saying, “I think some of the ideas tonight are really good. I think moving the pole would be great because you can get away, I think, without even having an island there and you can just have a small road coming into a slightly bigger road with a three way stop which I think would be the simplest and the least impact to that corner.”

Another resident took objection to Joy’s assertion that paving the road in question would add to the problem by increasing speeding. He explained, “The biggest problem with that road is that it is a mess. A lot of heavy trucks have caused the depression on the side of the road which is a big scoop and there are ruts. I bet a lot of us do some bicycling there and it’s dangerous when you go around the road, we usually go off up through the school zone because we don’t want to make that turn.” With respect to driving, however, that same resident said, “That turn is not dangerous, I do it all the time and the visibility is reasonably good but the pavement is a wreck.”

Highway Superintendent Scott Ripley said that Ring Rd. (up to the school) will be getting an overlay hopefully in the Fall. According to Ripley the overlay will act as a band-aid to hopefully last 10 years.

The rest of Main St. has been held up due to the issue with the intersection in question. Paving the straightaway is more complicated as parts of that road need to be raised up 14 inches and since the road is over wetlands there is a lot of procedural red tape.

Resident Carolyn DeCristofano, who said she did research into traffic calming measures, offered some possible suggestions. One of those was to use textured highway where there’s a slight raise in the pavement at various distances along the straightaway to encourage slowing down.

She also emphasized that, based on the research, the curve should not be softened. “Nowhere does it say straightening a road is a calming measure for obvious reasons, in fact, many of the traffic calming approaches involve changing the road to make it more curvy. The trend is you make people turn a little or change their path rather than give them a straight dragway.”

Selectman John Traynor said that the last time the issue of the curve was discussed with the public, the general consensus was against any plan to straighten the road. Those in attendance muttered in agreement with Traynor’s statement.

The biggest concern voiced at Monday’s meeting was fear that taking the grant would cause the town to lose their say in what changes would be made to the intersection.

George Carver of Maple St. explained his concerns, “If you take a grant from the state… don’t we as a town lose the ability to do what we want? They’re basically going to come in and say we did the study, this is what we found and we’re providing the money to do it x, y, z way.”

The Board and Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy further stressed to those in attendance that an important part of the grant process would be the brainstorming and design work that would happen prior to any construction. DeCristofano summarized the Board’s point saying, “It’s a grant to plan and implement not a grant to implement a plan.” Russo said, “Frequently the best ideas come from the people that live there but the grant would also give us some money to hire experts to offer what are the options and then I think we want to look at the whole list.”

DeCristofano asked the Board if someone could please look into exactly what control the state will have over the project if the town accepts the grant money. Joy agreed acknowledging, “free money is not necessarily free money.” The Board and Dennehy said that if awarded, any meetings where decisions pertaining to the grant would be made, would be posted to social media and elsewhere to ensure public participation.

Upon the conclusion of the intersection discussion, Ripley gave the Board an update on the work to be done to the Winneteuxet Road Bridge.

Ripley said the work, which includes replacing two posts and putting up more modern guardrails, has been pushed back but expected it to commence in the next two weeks. Residents in the area have already been sent letters and the school has been notified. The road will be closed down at Elm St. and West St. for four weeks.

The Board also voted through several appointments including Kristian Oberg as a full-time police officer and all members to the town campus committee including Jon Wilhelmsen, Ross Macpherson, Colleen Thompson, Art Morin, and John Traynor as a Board of Selectmen representative.

The disposition of the old police station cell was an agenda item as the question remains as to what to do with the cell remnants.

The pieces that are to be removed are extremely heavy and cumbersome to move. Ken Thompson, a volunteer with the building department, was on hand to ask the committee if they would consider allowing him to take the pieces home.

Thompson said he feared that they would be tossed and said that his intention would be to reassemble what he could and make some of it available for public consumption.

The Board said that they would like to get input from the Plympton Historical Society.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, August 13 began with Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves introducing three candidates for special police officers.

Thomas William Reed, a West Bridgewater resident, had a long list of credentials including 27 years as an East Bridgewater police officer, several years with the Department of Corrections, 7 years as an armed security officer, and a MA in criminal justice. Reed also serves on the Board of Directors of Cops for Kids with Cancer.

Jay Guidaboni, a Plymouth resident, has a BS in business from Bridgewater State University and has spent the last two years at the Plymouth County Sherriff’s office as a reserve deputy in addition to being a branch manager in the private sector for over 20 years.

Herbert Wiltshire, an army veteran, comes to the table with 20 years of experience as a patrolman in Halifax.

Chaves explained, “All three candidates have had extensive experience in the law enforcement field and will bring a wealth of knowledge and training to the department and the residents of Halifax.” The selectmen joked with Wiltshire about returning to the town. Wiltshire said, “I enjoy working here. I enjoy the people and the community and I enjoy the people that I work with.” Vice chair Tom Millias said that he defers to the Chief’s judgement in these matters. The other selectmen agreed, voting to approve a motion to appoint the three men as special police officers in Halifax.

A continuation of the tree removal hearing from the previous meeting was held with contractor Ryan Kress speaking on behalf of National Grid.

Kress brought Millias on a tour of some of the work that had already been started in East Bridgewater to give an idea of the scale of the work to be done. Millias shared, “We did take a tour and I have to say that all the work that I looked at that had been done previously looked appropriate, nothing was done more than necessary. Some of the trees that we looked at on Elm St., I understand that it would make some people unhappy but at the same time you can see the load over the lines and some of those if they were to be trimmed quite that much it would destroy the tree. I think the work proposed is appropriate.

As far as the trees on personal property, that is something that they have to work out with the property owners.” Millias also added that as much as he would like to have the town grind stumps and replant trees for concerned residents, it just isn’t possible as doing it for some would likely mean needing to do it for all.

Kress estimated that it will be about two months before work commences in Halifax as Pembroke is scheduled to be completed first. Chair Troy Garron said he also took a drive down to look at the proposed trees to be cut and also felt that the work to be done is appropriate. Kress shared that National Grid will be removing any stumps that may interfere or pose a danger to snow plows in the winter. The selectmen approved a motion to move forward with the work once the tree warden signs the permit.

Fireworks Committee plans for next year

The Halifax Fireworks Committee also met with the Selectmen to go over this year’s firework display as well as some anticipated needs for next year. Garron addressed the committee smiling saying, “All I know is I had a nice seat in front of the library to watch the fireworks and it was great.” The committee said that the cost of this year’s event was $9,500 and that the cost for next year would likely increase by about 25% due to tariffs. The committee said that they are hoping to raise those extra funds through fundraising events at the town hall such as craft fairs, garage sales, and even a possible paint night. They are also looking into a wine and beer tasting at the country club.

Garron mentioned that while most people seemed pretty pleased with the fireworks, the biggest complaint was the lack of activities in the morning. The committee acknowledged the lack of morning festivities saying it just isn’t possible to do with a committee of only three people. Two new volunteers were present, however, and the committee asked the Board to approve their appointment to the Halifax Fireworks Committee. Mike and Susan Hill, who have lived in Halifax since ’95 said they felt it was time to get involved in the town. The Board unanimously approved their appointments.

Nips make up much of the litter on roads

Jeanne Kling spoke to the board on behalf of the Halifax Beautification Committee regarding the town’s issue with litter, specifically miniature beverage containers commonly referred to as nips. Kling said that the nips bottles are a big source of the litter found during town clean-up days and acknowledged that locals are likely not the only source of the problem as there are many roadways through town frequented by non-residents. Illustrating the extent of the problem, Kling shared that resident Shirley Graf has collected 908 of these bottles just since January, with 668 of them found just within her neighborhood alone. The committee feels strongly that the issue is one that cannot be addressed solely at the local level. There is currently a house bill sponsored by Representative Randy Hunt of Sandwich asking that the nips be added to the bottle bill. Adding these bottles to the bill would hopefully deter littering as they would have a refundable deposit. The bill is currently stuck in joint committee. The Beautification Committee sent letters to Representative Kathleen LaNatra, State Senators Michael Brady and Marc Pacheco, and Representative Josh Cutler requesting that nips bottles be added to the bottle bill. Kling requested that the Board of Selectmen also send a letter to the legislative delegation acknowledging the problem and requesting that they support the idea to add nips to the bottle bill. Millias said, “I know that the liquor store owners don’t like this idea but I agree with you.” The Board agreed, directing town administrator Charlie Seelig to send the aforementioned letters.

Kling also took the opportunity to publicly thank C-Mac for their work to fix up the the island on Route 58 and 106.

Retail marijuana facility inquiry

Gregory Conway, who grew up in Halifax and has a graduate degree in public policy, met with the board to get their thoughts on a retail marijuana facility in town.

The board and Seelig shared with Conway that the town had previously voted to allow facilities on land zoned industrial but not commercial. Conway questioned the board as to what kind of concerns were voiced by the residents in regard to the commercial zone.

Selectman Gordon Andrews said that many residents were concerned about a retail establishment’s proximity to schools or other locations where primarily children convene. Seelig added, “There are people who feel that 500 feet is not enough and just don’t want it even 1,000 feet away.”

Another concern mentioned particularly in regard to abutters, was odor. Currently there are two petition articles that have been referred to the Planning Board for a public hearing.

The articles would be to 1) allow recreational marijuana facilities on commercially zoned land and 2) prohibit such facilities within 300 feet of any land zoned agricultural/residential.

This hearing will likely occur sometime in September with the board making a recommendation and the vote being taken at town meeting. Garron said, “Bottom line is, it’s up to what the people decide they want.”

The board also discussed the search for a new director for the Council on Aging. Applications for the position were due this past week and at the time of Tuesday’s meeting, 12 had been received thus far.

Seven people including two representatives from the Council on Aging, two town officials, and three residents were appointed by the Board to the search committee.

The Board also requested that Seelig ask the search committee to provide them with four applicants for review. Brenda Fitzgerald was named as the interim COA director.

After finding positive larvae for both Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile virus, earlier in the season than is usual, according to Halifax Health Agent Cathleen Drinan, mosquito spraying is being conducted beginning yesterday, and continuing for several nights over Halifax and Plympton. She also notes that the mosquito population infected with both EEE and WNv are expected to grow.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) will conduct and monitor aerial spraying in specific areas of Bristol and Plymouth counties which is anticipated to have begun on Thursday, August 8, and continue over several evenings, weather permitting.

So far this year, 22 communities in southeastern Massachusetts have been found by the Department of Public Health (DPH) to be at high risk for the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus.

EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. No human cases of EEE have been detected so far this year.

The ability to spray is weather dependent and may change. Not every community in Bristol and Plymouth County will be sprayed, please see a comprehensive list below. MDAR is encouraging residents to visit DPH’s website http://www.mass.gov/guides/aerial-mosquito-control-summer-2019 for the latest updates on spraying in their specific communities.

• Communities entirely within the spray zone:

o Bristol County: Raynham, Taunton, Dighton, Berkley, Freetown, Acushnet

o Plymouth County: Halifax, Plympton, Kingston, Whitman, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Hanson, Bridgewater, Carver, Middleborough, Lakeville, Rochester

• Communities partially in the spray zone:

o Bristol County: Easton, Norton, Rehoboth, Swansea, Fall River, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven

o Plymouth County: Brockton, Rockland, Hanover, Pembroke, Duxbury, Plymouth, Wareham, Marion, Mattapoisett

For the most updated information on EEE risk and aerial spraying, contact the DPH Division of Epidemiology at http://www.mass.gov/guides/aerial-mosquito-control-summer-2019 for updated mosquito results, maps and incidence of positive mosquito samples and http://www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito for other information.

Please note that:

1) Spraying will occur over several evenings. That means that it is not known, as of yet, which communities will be sprayed on which days.

2) The spraying schedule is dependent on the weather and other factors.

The Town will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.

The Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project continues to spray areas of Halifax. You can contact the Project at Office: (781) 585-5450 or Fax: (781) 582-1276. The office is located at 272 South Meadow Rd., Plymouth, MA 02360.

The Project is accepting requests for residential spraying. Requests are accepted via fax, phone, walk in or USPS.  It recommends to fax, mail, or come in as they are serving all of Plymouth County and doing their best to answer your requests by phone.

Service requests should include name, address, town, phone, and email. You may request spraying up to 8 times during spray season and you need to contact us ALL 8 TIMES that you are requesting spraying. The office hours are 7:30 a.m-2:30 p.m Monday – Friday.

The product used for town-wide spraying is the same as used for routine requests. From the PCMCP website http://www.plymouthmosquito.org/pesticides.html – Duet-Dual Action Adulticide is a synergized synthetic pyrethroid consisting of 1% Prallethrin (ETOC), 5% Sumethrin, 5% Piperonyl Butoxide, and 89% other ingredients such as mineral oil. Duet’s EPA Reg. No. is 1021-1795-8329. The product breaks down quickly when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, residue on plants and other treated surfaces should be short-lived.

Plymouth County Mosquito Control applies this chemical using truck mounted ULV (Ultra Low Volume) sprayers. The Project uses an application rate of 0.62 fluid ounces per acre.

All spraying is between 2 a.m and sunrise. Please close street-facing windows if possible, to allow a more thorough application.

The spray machines are electric and very quiet – you may not hear the application. Please note the product will drift up to 300 feet.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has announced that Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus and West Nile virus (WNv) were detected in mosquitoes collected from Halifax, Carver, and Lakeville on July 22.  Kingston mosquitoes tested positive for WNv.

In response, the Plympton Board of Health, Arthur Morin, Chairman, issued a directive cancelling all outdoor activities on town-owned property between sunset and sunrise when mosquitoes are most active, and Halifax has issued an advisory from Health Agent Cathleen Drinan, detailing what steps Halifax is taking and what steps our readers can take to avoid mosquitoes and their bites.

Drinan says, “July is early for EEE.  We expect it to spread.”  She continues that it is being found in mammal biting mosquitoes, so there is the potential for humans being infected.

While EEE is considered rare, it is still a “dire or deadly” disease, and can kill people, especially young and old.  Those who survive often end up severely impaired.

WNv, Drinan continues, is not as rare as EEE and is usually mild but can be deadly to those over the age of 50.

Halifax will request additional spraying around the school, walking track, and soccer fields.

Due to the recent four samples of mosquitoes testing positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and five samples testing positive for West Nile virus (WNv) in the town of Halifax, the whole town was sprayed July 29 by the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project. Halifax residents don’t need to contact the Project to request spraying at this time.

Residents may request their property be sprayed by the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project, PCMCP, up to eight times in a summer. Requests are accepted via fax, phone, walk-in or by mail.  They recommend faxing spray service requests, including resident’s name, address, town, phone, and email.  Phone requests are difficult to handle as they are serving all of Plymouth County.  The fax number is 781-582-1276.  They are located at 272 South Meadow Road, Plymouth, MA 02360, and the office hours are 7:30-2:30 Monday – Friday.

To see a list of the towns and streets to be sprayed, go to their web site, www.plymouthmosquito.org/home then click on “About Us” located at the top of the page, and scroll down and click on “Spray Routes” to see daily the towns and streets to be sprayed and the date the spraying will occur.

PCMCP collects samples of mosquitoes and tests them for viruses between July and September.  In addition to disease surveillance, PCMCP is also monitoring for the Asian Tiger Mosquito, an introduced insect capable of transmitting diseases such as Zika and Dengue.  According to the PCMCP web site, the Asian Tiger Mosquito has been identified in Mattapoisett and Wareham.

Drinan’s Halifax advisory cautions to avoid mosquito bites by considering rescheduling outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, the peak biting time for many mosquitoes.  Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing to help reduce mosquito bites.  Use insect repellent with DEET, (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to the instructions on the product label.  Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.  Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.

There are many things to do at home reduce the number of mosquitoes in the yard. It is possible to generate large amounts of mosquitoes with small amounts of water.

Mosquitoes can have many generations in one year and in the heat of the summer they can go from egg to adult in about a week. The best way to prevent mosquito production is to remove any objects that hold water from your yard.

Below is a list of common objects or places that produce mosquitoes.

Tires. Old tires are notorious for producing large numbers of mosquitoes. If you are storing tires, put them in a shed or garage. If you have a tire swing, put a hole in the bottom of it so it cannot hold water.

Gutters.  Rain gutters on houses tend to fill up with leaves and other things that clog the gutters. This material can cause gutters to hold water long enough to produce mosquitoes.

Swimming pools. Any unmaintained pool is large enough to produce ample mosquitoes to bother the whole neighborhood. Keep children’s pools full of clean water and make sure all swimming pools do not become full of algae or leaves.

Tires. Old tires are notorious for producing large numbers of mosquitoes. If you are storing tires, put them in a shed or garage. If you have a tire swing, put a hole in the bottom of it so it cannot hold water.

Flower pots. Old flower pots or saucers underneath the flower pot can hold enough water for mosquito larvae.

Gardening tools such as wheelbarrows or shovels.

Toys left outside can collect water.

Bird baths should be emptied and cleaned once a week to prevent mosquitoes.

Garbage cans and lids.  Make sure there are holes in the very bottom of your garbage can.

Tarps. Frequently people use tarps to cover items such as wood, boats or to make a fort.  Always keep the tarp tight and drain any water that collects in the tarp.

Boats. Any boat, or tarp covering a boat can hold water.  Make sure the plug in the bottom of the boat is open so water can drain from it.

Other. Buckets, soda cans, pet dishes, washing machines, old cars, refrigerators, watering troughs, bath tubs and basements.

For more information about EEE and WNv, see this week’s column by Health Agent Cathleen Drinan on page 8.