There will be a Silver Lake connection on the Brockton Rox once again this summer.

Silver Lake High grad and Halifax native Michael Quigley is set to pitch for the Brockton Rox of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League this summer, the team announced this past weekend on social media.

The 2020 Silver Lake grad had a brief stint with the Rox at the end of the 2020 season — before he played college baseball. In it, he pitched two games and allowed two runs in four innings pitched. In his second appearance of the season, he pitched three scoreless innings.

After making six appearances for the Division 1 UMass Lowell baseball team as a freshman, Quigley has carved out a role as a regular in the team’s bullpen this season. As of the start of this week, he had already pitched in six of the team’s 16 games thus far. It was the third-most appearances by any pitcher on the team.

Quigley had a standout career at Silver Lake. He threw a no-hitter in his first career varsity start as a sophomore for the Lakers. And he was named Patriot League MVP his junior year. He was a four-year varsity player, but didn’t get to play his senior year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Plympton School Committee met virtually on Monday, Feb. 28. The committee and administration discussed next year’s budget. Committee member Jason Fraser shared good news on the Chapter 70 front. Fraser said that Governor Baker’s House 1 budget contained a “nice surprise” for Plympton. “This is from years of trying to be recognized for our small-town needs… but also due to the 20 percent enrollment increase,” he explained. He continued, “I think that the State is definitely stepping up to help us with that tremendous enrollment growth.” Fraser said that due to the increase in Chapter 70 funding, the town “wouldn’t show a net increase in funding the Dennett for next year.” Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen said they would need to have a discussion with the Finance Committee to drive this point home. Fraser also said that due to something called being held harmless, even if the town were to see an enrollment decrease down the line, the town wouldn’t be held responsible.

Superintendent Jill Proulx shared an updated version of the preliminary budget with the Committee. Director of Business Services Christine Healy said that all shared cost positions, including a Human Resources Director and a Technology Technician, were now included in the budget. Additionally, Proulx said that Circuit Breaker, the State’s special education reimbursement program, was now estimated at 70 percent to get closer to what it will likely end up being. Additionally, there was an increase for ELL (English Language Learners) as well as a .2 added to the music position.

Proulx told the Committee that she had submitted a grant for $20,000 that would be used to offset the cost of a kindergarten teaching position. Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch also provided an update on grant funding. He said that they would be receiving a mix of grants at the State and Federal level including rural aid, ESSER funding, Title II A, Title IV, and special education allocations.

Regarding the current year’s budget, Healy said, “right now the budget is still supporting all of the activities within our building and some outside the building.”
Dennett Elementary Principal Peter Veneto provided a Principal’s Report saying there were 242 students currently enrolled. Veneto said that the DARE officer had completed his curriculum with the sixth-grade class and would soon be moving to the fifth-grade class. The intention is to provide DARE education to all grades before the end of the school year. The Assistant District Attorney will be holding an assembly on cyber safety in March for the older students at Dennett. CASA will be holding Winterfest on March 18. Veneto also said that they remain hopeful that they will be able to hold a talent show this spring provided the COVID numbers continue to move in the right direction.

Additionally, the Dennett is hoping to create a mural made entirely out of painter’s tape as an art project in early April. A similar one was made at Silver Lake Regional High School which Veneto called, “absolutely amazing.”

Proulx shared with the Committee a brief update regarding masking. The CDC is no longer requiring masks to be worn on school buses. Massachusetts previously removed the mask mandate for K-12 schools effective following February break. “Individuals may continue to wear them if they so choose and will be supported in that,” Proulx said. Lynch said that they had held a professional development day earlier that day. The focus was on inclusivity and relationship building.

The Silver Lake High girls’ track team has a new state champion.

She had a standout performance at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on Wednesday, Feb. 16 last week. In fact, it was the best performance of her high school track career to date.

The Division 3 state championship meet was Summer Bejarano’s time to shine. She won the one-mile run; she broke her own school record on the girls’ side at the meet. She ran the mile in 5:06.28. It came a week after she set the school record in the event at the Patriot League championship meet.

She wasn’t the only Laker to have a strong showing at the championship meet either. Riley Paskow shone in the long jump, earning a second place finish. That wasn’t Paskow’s only event either; she earned a sixth place finish in the 300 meter run.

Samantha Waters also made it to the podium. She had a sixth place finish in the 55 meter dash; it’s an event where she holds the school record for the best time on the girls’ side. Emily Hesketh also made it to the podium. She shined in a field event:  shotput. Hesketh earned a fifth place finish in shotput at the meet.

The Lakers didn’t have anyone make it to the podium on the boys’ side at the state meet last week.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met briefly on Jan. 25, specifically to name an interim Chief of Police. In October, former Whitman Chief of Police Scott D. Benton was named as the interim Police Chief following Matthew Clancy’s resignation. Clancy left to serve as Chief of the Bureau of Capital Police in Maine.

“We had a brief meeting last night and decided to proceed with some arrangements that we had made previously to utilize a professional search firm to fill the position of Chief of Police and as such we felt that we needed to give our sergeants an opportunity to really show their stuff… and hopefully be contenders for the position through the search,” Selectman Chair Christine Joy said.

“We do have two extremely qualified sergeants that are working for the town,” Joy said. She then named both Matthew Ahl and Daniel Hoffman. “They both have gotten glowing reviews from both Chief Clancy and Chief Benton; so we are in a position where we are able to appoint one of the sergeants as the acting Chief of Police and I would recommend that we would appoint Sergeant Hoffman, who is the senior and supervising sergeant, as our acting Chief of Police effective immediately and until the town fills the position on a permanent and full-time basis,” Joy said. Selectman John Traynor seconded Joy’s motion. Selectman Mark Russo added that he wanted to give authority to Town Administrator Liz Dennehy to negotiate the terms of the employment.

“I would only say that I think that we, the Board of Selectmen, have in general advocated for and hoped for the opportunity for people to move up, particularly in Fire and Police and I’m thrilled that there is this opportunity for Mr. Hoffman to move up and take on more responsibility and for Mr. Ahl to take on more responsibility as well,” Russo said.

The Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint Daniel Hoffman as the acting Chief of Police.

Plympton Town Clerk Patricia Detterman has released the 2022 election calendar.  Nomination papers for election to town office are available now.  The last day to submit nomination papers to the Board of Election Registrars is Friday, April 1, 2022, at 5 p.m. at the office of the Town Clerk.  The last day to withdraw nomination papers is Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at 5 p.m.

Plympton’s annual election is Saturday, May 21, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Rd.   The following offices will be on the ballot, and a question:

• One (1) Selectman for three (3) years

• One (1) Board of Assessor member for three (3) years

• One (1) Board of Health member for three (3) years

• Two (2) Finance Committee members for three (3) years

• Two (2) Library Trustee for three (3) years

• One (1) Library Trustee for two (2) years

• One (1) Moderator for three (3) years

• One (1) Planning Board member for five (5) years

• One (1) Planning Board member for three (3) years

• One (1) Plympton School Committee member for three (3) years

• One (1) Silver Lake Regional School Committee member for three (3) years

Question 1:  Shall the town vote to have its elected Town Clerk become an appointed Town Clerk of the town?  Yes___ No___

The Annual Town Meeting will be Wednesday, May 18, at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St., Plympton, at 7 p.m.  The Special Town Meeting will be held at 8 p.m. within the Annual Town Meeting.

Citizens who wish to submit an article to be considered by the townspeople may submit their Citizens’ Petition by submitting a petition signed by at least ten taxpayers who support the article.  The completed petition must be submitted no later than March 28, 2022 for the May 18 Annual Town Meeting.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

COVID Updates

The Selectmen voted to transfer $100,000 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds to the legal line. The Selectmen commented that they were currently negative over $40,000 in that line. From the audience, Alan Dias asked for clarification that the money was being spent on legal defense. Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews said he was not entertaining questions from the audience. Dias insisted but was told by Andrews, “I’m not getting into it with you, Sir.”

Health Agent Bob Valery told the Selectmen that the town would be receiving 3,000 more free test kits. Valery also pointed out that people can order test kits online through a federal program. Andrews asked Valery if there was an amount that he wanted to request to purchase additional test kits. “I don’t think that we need to go to the $8,000 mark we were thinking of,” Valery said. Valery said that he thought 1,000 test kits would suffice. Selectman Ashley DiSesa pointed out that the schools would also be supplying test kits to students’ families per the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)’s new plan. Fire Chief Jason Viveiros recommended that the Selectmen approve $5,000 to be used toward the purchase of additional test kits. The Selectmen voted to approve the request.

The Board also debated whether an at-home test showing a positive result would suffice for a town employee using sick time. DiSesa argued that user error can come into play with at-home tests and also that employees could potentially show a picture of a positive test result that was not actually their test. The Selectmen agreed that anyone using sick time due to a COVID positive result would have to receive a positive result on a test obtained outside of their home. The Fire Department offers testing for symptomatic employees. The Board also discussed when an employee could return to work. DiSesa said that starting day 6 employees could return to work in a mask if their symptoms were resolving. Valery emphasized, “as long as it’s a well-fitting, properly worn mask.” Valery offered that the town has a lot of kn95 masks that can be made available to employees free of charge. The Selectmen voted that if a town employee is exposed at work and told to go home, they would receive sick pay.

The Water Department Superintendent Bill Lindsay told the Board that the Department was “Looking to use some of the ARPA money for some of the things that aren’t included in the upgrade project… there’s a lot of stuff in the treatment plan that’s just outdated.” He said the filter plant won’t run if power is lost as there is no generator. Andrews said he was in favor of using the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds for this purpose but noted he wanted to find out the payment plan from Plymouth County first. The other Selectmen also stated their support especially since residents have expressed their concern regarding the water in town.

Budget Discussion

There was a discussion on the FY23 budget. Andrews, who also serves on the Halifax School Committee, said “the minimum contribution numbers were released… Halifax’s proportion of Silver Lake’s is going up $240,000. Kingston’s is going up $240,000. Plympton’s is decreasing by $130,000. It’s not good news for the Halifax assessment number for Silver Lake.” He continued, “They’re talking about a million dollar increase so you have the shift of 240 and then you have the increase on top.” Regarding the budget, Andrews also told the Selectmen, “We talked about at the Finance Committee, moving some free cash, talked about an override, talked about cuts… putting everything on the table and possibly using stabilization.”

Interim Town Administrator Ed Thorne said, “In talking about revenues… ensuring that one-time revenues go to one-time projects and trying to free up existing revenues to help with the operating budget for FY23.” Regarding 368 Monponsett St., which Thorne said, “needs to be demolished,” he said himself and the town treasurer/collector talked about taking the property for nonpayment of taxes and looking at demolition costs versus what the property would be worth as a buildable lot. “That would be a project that the Board needs to look at for improving one-time revenues for the town,” he explained.

A conversation was also had regarding building security. Andrews said they would need to put an article in the capital plan for the security system being recommended. Andrews confirmed that they had a plan to move forward with the locksmith.

The head of the Interactive, Technology, and Communications Department, Cesar Calouro, told the Selectmen that he was seeking $5,300 for an embedded interactive display. Calouro told the Selectmen, “I priced out what it would cost to get an additional TV screen and that came out to about $1,000.” Andrews said they would put the discussion on the agenda for their next meeting.

ZBA Request

There was a discussion about adding an associate member to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Andrews recused himself from the discussion. ZBA member Peter Parcellin appeared before the Selectmen expressing concern over moving forward with votes, etc. when current members need to recuse themselves.

He noted that the Selectmen elected not to reappoint the former Chair of the ZBA, Robert Gaynor. The ZBA member expressed concern that a vacancy on the Board was not being filled. DiSesa appeared frustrated with the conversation and at one point Selectman Troy Garron interjected, “Bottom line, what are you looking for?” Parcellin said, “Me, personally, I have two questions. One, I’m interested in seeing what the process would be for an associate member. And two, very, very, one hundred percent honestly, I have no idea why there is in certain people a specific issue with the Zoning Board… I ask for people to come to meetings. I can talk to anybody at any time. All of our stuff is on YouTube. I guess I don’t understand why there was a shift in tone. I worry, very honestly, that it is because of personal lawsuits that certain people have.”

DiSesa asked when the Selectmen were asked to come to the meeting. She said that she has not been personally invited. Parcellin said that a letter was sent to the Selectmen. Garron tried to mediate saying that the bottom line was that they would like to have an associate member named to the ZBA. Parcellin said, “what we’re looking for is to have five regular members and two associate members who get along, care about the town, and have positive interactions… that’s job one.”

The Town of Plympton is pleased to announce that we are moving forward with the search for a permanent, full-time Chief of Police.  The Town has acquired the services of Community Paradigm Associates from Plymouth, MA, to coordinate a professional search process.  The position of Chief of Police will be posted later this week and we hope to have the position filled by June 1.

This marks a significant milestone for the Plympton Police Department, as the Chief position has been filled on an interim basis since July 2019.

During the search process, daily operations of the Police Department will be managed under the capable leadership of Acting Chief of Police Daniel Hoffman.  Mr. Hoffman has been serving the Town faithfully as a Sergeant prior to receiving this temporary appointment.

We would like to thank the former Interim Chiefs who served us well during a transitional period, Matthew Clancy and more recently, Scott Benton.  Over the last two plus years, tremendous progress has been made with respect to growing the Police Department, building an amazing team of men and women who serve the Town proudly and working towards accreditation.

Alan Wheelock
Special to The Express

Plympton is unique compared to the majority of South Shore towns. It’s the smallest in population, but among the biggest in natural resources and beautiful rural landscapes. It’s certainly the only town down here that had a woman fight in the Revolutionary war – dressed as a man. It’s home to a lot of cranberry bogs and a lot of horses. It has been referred to as “the lungs of the South Shore” by soil scientists, due to its extensive cedar and red-maple swamps, which grow on peat. Peat soils are a first-class carbon sink and a key to the battle against climate change.

And in Plympton, you can actually see the stars.

Satellite images of southeastern Massachusetts at night reveal Plympton as a dark spot surrounded by a sea of twinkling suburban lights. Part of that phenomenon is explained by our relatively light population density and acres of woodlands, wetlands, fields and bogs, but part of the explanation is the fact that there is something else that makes Plympton unique – we have a Dark Sky By-law.

Many residents in town may not know it, but Plympton has long had a zoning by-law aimed at protecting those wonderful star-filled vistas that we still get to enjoy. Residents will find this by-law under Chapter 300, Zoning, Article VI, Section 6.9 – entitled “Lighting Systems and Fixtures”. (All Plympton zoning regulations are easily accessible by visiting the Town of Plympton website.)

The key features of the outdoor lighting by-law include: lights must be shielded so that the fixtures shine downward and allow no “up light”; potential light pollution should be taken into consideration by businesses and residents when designing outdoor lighting systems; and, as the by-law itself says, lighting systems designed to minimize light pollution will “decrease lighting costs and preserve the night sky as a natural and historical resource.”

The outdoor lighting regulations detailed in Section 6.9 are enforced by Plympton’s Zoning Enforcement Officer. If you own a home or business in Plympton, your questions or comments regarding outdoor lighting and the Dark Sky by-law can be referred to our Zoning Enforcement Officer. Contact information for the ZEO’s office can also be found on the town website.