Executive Director Jim Middleton and Development Director Amy Belmore of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth attended the virtual meeting of the Plympton Board of Selectmen on Monday, Jan. 25. Middleton provided some background into the locally based volunteer organization which is headquartered in Carver. With only five paid employees, the organization relies on the 200 to 300 volunteers who assist in all phases of work being done. Initially founded by ministers from Plympton, they serve Plymouth, Kingston, Middleborough, Lakeville, and the towns in between. Work includes building and fixing up existing houses as well as running the ReStore on Route 58 in Carver. Proceeds from the thrift shop assist with the work being done by Habitat.

Middleton explained that where a typical home in a local community might cost upwards of $350,000 to $450,000, a home built by Habitat for Humanity can be sold well below market value for say $170,000. Middleton also pointed out that oftentimes rentals of similar size can cost approximately $2,000 per month. “A lot of people who live in a town like Plympton they can’t afford to stay there,” Middleton said. He explained that a number of factors go into keeping their costs low. “We’re able to do that by having volunteers and community minded people who help us with the trades, like electric, and also with materials.”

Middleton said that the organization is always looking for land to build on as they can’t afford to pay market rates. Whenever possible Habitat tries to purchase land in partnership with towns. This is done by looking at the Assessor’s list to see if there are properties that are under utilized that the town may be able to make available. Of the 12 houses built by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth only one was through donation of land alone. “All of our houses go through DHCD [The Department of Housing and Community Development] at the state to get certified and to make sure that there is a deed writer on it and that there is a regulatory agreement… to keep that house as an affordable home in perpetuity,” Middleton explained. He said when no waivers are required for a plot of land the process is simplified and likened it to a joint application with the town and Habitat to the state. If waivers are required the town can, through a hearing, apply to build on a plot of land that might not otherwise be buildable.

Middleton also explained the process for selecting eligible families. He said there tends to be a misconception that it is a giveaway program but said it is “a hand up not a handout.” The state has a lottery which is income qualified. Habitat considers those whose incomes fall within 30 to 60 percent of the area’s median income. Middleton said, “The state likes a lottery but Habitat likes to look at the current living situation of a family and factor that in… it’s a blind process where our Family Selection Committee of volunteers go and visit each of the income qualified families and they look at overcrowding, sub-standard health and safety conditions, whether the people are paying way too much money out of their monthly incomes to be in that house.” From there, three families are usually presented to Habitat’s Board of Directors who select a family without being given names or other identifying information. Middleton and Belmore confirmed that towns can give a higher priority to those that live or work within their town though other factors will also be considered.

Even with the below market value on the homes, families that are selected still pay a mortgage. Mortgages are 0 interest over thirty years. “A young family trying to start out can get a house that costs them less than $1,000 a month all in for their mortgage, their taxes, and their home insurance,” Middleton told the Selectmen. Selectman Mark Russo asked if there was continued control of the home once sold or if the control was relinquished to the new homeowners. “They become the owners but there is a deed restriction that is quite detailed that says if they want to resell, they can’t sell at market rate,” Middleton explained. The owners would be able to recoup their money plus a bit for inflation.

Selectman John Traynor asked if there was an age requirement as it seemed the homes being discussed were geared toward younger families. Middleton said that because the homes that are built tend to be three-bedroom homes, usually capes, they tend to be filled with families as it is a requirement that all bedrooms be filled. Russo asked if they had explored the possibility of building duplexes or townhouses. Middleton said, “We haven’t done that but we’re wide open to doing that.” Belmore pointed out the affordability issue for older members of the community including retirees. She said that finding affordable housing for seniors could be a good reason for the organization to explore building duplexes and townhouses.

Traynor also inquired as to whether there was a set design that had to be abided by for the types of homes built. Typically, the homes that have been built are three-bedroom capes though one of the most recently built homes was a ranch style to accommodate the needs of the new homeowners. “We try to pay a lot of attention to making sure our houses don’t stand out as something different,” Middleton explained.

The selectmen were excited to have a potential solution to the town’s affordable housing issue. Selectman Christine Joy said, “We need to identify some parcels and hopefully get moving with the process.” Traynor agreed saying, “It’s something that we should be doing, it just needs to fit into the culture of the town.” “We are kind of a town of very modest means but we’re a town where people are willing to consider donations… this could be a real focal point for a community effort that we all could be proud of,” Russo said.

Joy also asked if Middleton and Belmore could speak to the Brush with Kindness Program. Middleton said that they have a very active program that takes on five or six projects a year that help people age in place in their homes. It is not limited by age, however, and often those with disabilities are also aided in getting things done around their home. Projects have included wheelchair ramps, roof projects, weatherization, and installation of windows and doors. Belmore said that while the labor is free, homeowners are asked to assist with the purchasing of materials to the extent that they are able.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update on various affairs in town. Dennehy told the Selectmen that there had been some paid leave for employees under federal coronavirus legislation that had been passed early in the pandemic. To date, Congress has not extended that provision which leaves towns to come up with their own. Dennehy said that should the state or federal government decide to pass further legislation it would prevail over local policy. She said, “I’m hoping we won’t have to use it a lot and that we are on a path to wellness.”

Dennehy also said that for the time being the townhouse and transfer station will remain functioning as they have been for some weeks now. Dennehy said she hasn’t received any complaints about residents being unable to get needed services. She said the town will reevaluate the status of various town departments in a few weeks.

Dennehy told the selectmen that the Board of Health and Fire Department have been inundated with questions regarding vaccine rollout. “We intend to keep people informed as far as the minute we find anything out, we’re happy and ready and willing and able to get that information out to the public. Currently speaking we’re not in a position to be administering vaccines or anything like that but we’re working on a program right now with some other towns… so as soon as we can get people vaccinated whether we have that capability or whether we partner with another town in the area we’ll definitely keep the public informed on that,” Dennehy explained.

COVID numbers continue to be updated weekly on both the town website and the town Facebook page. Dennehy said she had received a request for data regarding age group and other specifics about positive cases in town but said she doesn’t have the manpower to do that level of tracking.

The Selectmen closed with their rants and raves. Joy said her rave was for Habitat for Humanity and both Russo and Traynor concurred. Russo shared a rant saying, “we had a little mischief at Churchill Park last week. Some graffiti, some trash left behind. Kind of frustrating that that has happened but within an hour of the Open Space Committee and the Board of Selectmen learning of that we ensured that there was a police investigation and got in the process of cleaning it up and have started closing the gate at dusk to deal with those issues.” Russo spoke about how the project was a community effort that took years of hard work and dedication to come to fruition. He referred to the area as “sacred ground” and said of the poor behavior, “that is not the place for that to happen.”

MILTON– Curry College congratulates roughly 1,000 students who were named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List. To earn a place on the list, full-time undergraduate students – those who carry 12 or more graded credits per semester – must earn a 3.3 grade-point-average (GPA) or higher.

From Halifax:  Kayla Knudsen, Melanie Stoltz, and Makenzie Hughes.

From Kingston: Rachele Bouchard, Sarah Busby, Hannah Gillis, Trevor King, and

Valerie Willette.

From Plympton: Zachary McCarthy and Mark Martin.

Founded in 1879, Curry College is a private, four-year, liberal arts-based institution located on 131 acres in Milton, Mass. Curry extends its educational programs to a continuing education branch campus in Plymouth, Mass. Curry offers 28 undergraduate majors, as well as graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, criminal justice, and nursing, with a combined enrollment of over 3,700 students. The student body consists of approximately 2,000 traditional undergraduate students, and 1,700 continuing education and graduate students. Approximately 1,575 of its students reside on the Curry campus. The largest majors are business management, communication, nursing, criminal justice, and education, and the college is also internationally known for its Program for the Advancement of Learning (PAL). The College offers a wide array of extra-curricular activities ranging from 15 NCAA Division III athletic teams to an outstanding theatre program. Visit us on the web at www.curry.edu.

At least one Kingston native had a strong opening weekend to start off his team’s college basketball season. Jordan Minor, who is 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, is a Kingston, Massachusetts native and a member of the NCAA Div. 1 Merrimack College men’s basketball team in North Andover, Massachusetts. In their opening game of the season, he was the team’s standout player. Merrimack hosted the Connecticut-based Sacred Heart University in their opener on Thursday, Jan. 7. It was a competitive bout, but Merrimack pulled away in overtime and won the contest 97-90. In that contest, Minor was the team’s leading scorer. He dropped a team-high 20 points, hitting nine of the 16 field goals he attempted. He also led the way with 12 rebounds and two blocked shots in the victory. He was on the floor for 43 minutes in the game. The next day, the team lost 68-62 at home to Sacred Heart. Minor also contributed in the game, putting up nine points while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. He also played a team-high 37 minutes in the game, indicating that he will be a key contributor for the team this season. As a freshman, Minor was a bench player, but saw significant action. He averaged 6.1 points per game and 4.3 rebounds and had a team-high 32 blocks while averaging 16.3 minutes of play per contest. Before college, Minor never attended Silver Lake. Rather, he started out his high school career at Boston College High School in Dorchester before transferring over to Brimmer and May in Chestnut Hill. The school is a member of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council.

January 4, 2021

To the Residents of Plympton:

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform you that due to the continuing increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Town and our positive test rate percentage doubling over a matter of days, we are enacting the following protocols:

Town House and Council on Aging:

The Plympton Town House will remain closed to in-person business and we will continue conducting business remotely, as we successfully accomplished throughout the Spring of 2020 and in recent weeks. We have set a tentative date of Monday, February 1, 2021 to re-open for in-person business as usual. This date was selected after careful consideration of Plympton’s positive test rate percentage, statistics available to us from the MA Department of Public Health and in anticipation of a second surge in the upcoming two weeks.

All Town offices will be fully available to conduct business remotely via Email and/or telephone during this timeframe. Email and telephone messages will be checked daily. If you need to deliver something to the Town House, you can send it by mail to the respective Department, 5 Palmer Road, Plympton, MA 02367 or you can utilize the drop boxes on the outside of the Town House by the main entrance for payments or dropping off paperwork. The drop boxes on the exterior of the building are checked frequently throughout the week, so you can feel comfortable making use of this resource.

The Council on Aging pantry will continue to be available to seniors on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., however, the public will not be able to enter the pantry directly; if you come to the Town House during the respective timeframe, bags will be prepared and brought out to your vehicle or handed to you at the entryway of the building.

Our Inspectional Services Department (Building, Wiring, Plumbing/Gas, Zoning) will continue to be available by appointment for any of your needs. Please Email: [email protected] or contact them by phone: (781) 585-0571 to set up an appointment and/or if you have any questions.

State Representative Kathy LaNatra, of the 12th Plymouth District announced that she will have a new district office, located in Cordage Park in Plymouth. She will share the office with State Senator Susan Moran.

The office will be used to meet with constituents, various organizations in the District, as well as provide a place for the Representative and her staff to work. Anyone who would like to meet with Rep. LaNatra at her district office location can reach out to her office and set up a time. At the beginning of the new

In keeping with the new tradition of having a different representative from a Board, Committee, Commission, or otherwise attend the Plympton Board of Selectmen meetings, Alan Wheelock was in attendance on Monday, December 21 on behalf of the Wage and Personnel Board.  Wheelock told the selectmen that they were impacted by COVID and didn’t meet at all over the summer.

He also provided a number of updates. Wheelock said that the federal government was recommending a 1.3 percent cost of living guideline this year. The Wage and Personnel Board plan to vote on that increase during their first meeting in January. Wheelock also told the selectmen that the Board had a request from Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy asking them to support her on a probationary period bylaw. The proposed bylaw would state that newly hired or promoted town employees would be subjected to a 6-month probationary period. Selectman John Traynor interjected that he believed the intent was to modify the request not to include those newly promoted that had been with the town a substantial amount of time already. Wheelock said that he was open to such an amendment.

Wheelock also said that the Board was taking a look at the wage and personnel bylaws in Plympton since they haven’t been updated in quite some time. He said that they were hoping to have a few recommendations to bring to the spring town meeting.  The Board also had an intern from Bridgewater State University who assisted with some of the data that the Board uses. Finally, Wheelock said the Board was looking to find a location on the town website to store the paperwork related to wage and personnel.

Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen provided a brief update on the schools. He said that two additional cases of COVID were reported at the Dennett Elementary School over the weekend, bringing the overall total for the school to 3. There has been a total of 61 cases throughout the Silver Lake district. Wilhelmsen noted that the holiday break will be a welcome one for the staff and teachers who have been working so hard throughout this unusual year.

Several appointments were also made during Monday’s meeting. Gabe Lundgren was named to the Board of Registrars through May 22, 2021. Miranda Boyles-Pink and Kathleen Keirstead were both appointed as trustees to the Plympton Public Library through May 22, 2021. There was also an appointment to the Central Plymouth County Water District Commission Advisory Board.

Dennehy introduced a new initiative for 2021 described as “what makes Plympton unique.” Dennehy said that the original intention was to talk a bit about knowing where your food comes from and highlight the many remarkable farms in town that provide for people all over the South Shore. Dennehy described the project as “fun” and “feel good” and said that the idea has since morphed into picking a different topic in town on a regular basis to highlight on the town Facebook page. She said the intention would be to “show what makes us unique and a really great place to be.”

Dennehy said she would potentially like to start with the Plympton kindness tree that has been setup over the holiday season on a Farm on West St. The idea of the tree is that residents can stop by and write something positive about something or someone in town and enclose it in a globe ornament that is hanging from the tree. Dennehy said that hand sanitizer, etc. was provided by the family. Traynor mentioned another project in town along the same vein. He said that he was recently the recipient of a holiday wreath courtesy of some members of the Garden Club who delivered over 90 wreaths to seniors in town.

Dennehy also provided a general update. She said she had just attended the Finance Committee meeting and said that while things do appear to be on track overall there are some shortfalls in the police salary lines moving forward. A member of the department is retiring somewhat unexpectedly resulting in the need to pay out overtime and out of rank pay to covering officers.

Dennehy noted that the town has retention issues within the Police Department. She said that many officers have cited the health insurance, which is a 50/50 split, as a reason for leaving. She said that she is currently surveying other towns as to their insurance and obtaining pricing. Selectman Chair Mark Russo said that he agreed with Dennehy’s assessment and referenced the hidden cost of losing people and training new people.

The town is often footing the bill for putting officers through the academy only to have them leave shortly thereafter. Traynor mentioned that some towns mandate that an officer must stay in the department for three years or pay back a portion of the expense for the academy.

Regarding COVID, Dennehy said that the numbers continue to rise in town and everywhere. She said that while it can be challenging to tell if cases have cleared or not through the MAVEN system, her best estimate for number of active cases in town stands at 20. “It’s out there and it’s around; it’s in town,” Dennehy said. She said that the decision to dial things back at the townhouse appears to have been the right one. She also alluded to employees becoming too lax and said of the closing, “it’s a good chance to reevaluate some of our protocols.”

Christine Joy was absent from Monday’s meeting so just Russo and Traynor provided their traditional raves at the conclusion of the meeting. Russo said that his rave was for the holiday season despite acknowledging that it would be “strange if not downright weird.” “I’m really looking forward to that time when things slow down a little and we all gain a little perspective… to give our minds a little rest but also to give our hearts a little rest,” Russo explained.

Traynor had three separate shoutouts. The first was for the Police Department for their new website that went live recently. “It really looks good and I’m happy to see it,” he said. The second was for the Fire Department. They were awarded a grant that allowed them to install fire signs for any seniors in town that wanted them. Traynor said that 24 residents signed up. His final rave was for the good condition of the roads in town after the snowstorm.

The Plympton School Committee met virtually for one final time this calendar year on Monday, Dec. 14.

During the legislative update, committee member Jason Fraser spoke out against Governor Baker’s active solicitation of public schools to return to full, in-person learning during his Nov. 6 press conference. At the time, Baker said that communities in the gray, green, and yellow COVID risk categories were expected to have students learning in-person while communities in the red were being encouraged to follow a hybrid model rather than a full remote one. There was no clear answer as to whether districts that didn’t comply with state guidance would be penalized in some way.

Fraser said that he wrote a personal letter in early November as an individual member of a school committee expressing his concern over Baker’s remarks. Likewise, he said a similar letter was sent more recently as a member of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees expressing appreciation for all Governor Baker has done during the pandemic but urging him to step back his push for full, in-person learning. “His rhetoric is starting to be off-putting to members of our public-school community,” Fraser explained. He continued, “We do appreciate everything that the governor has done but we want him to leave us alone and trust us to do our job and do what’s best for our community.”

As she has done at all of the most recent school committee meetings across Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton, Superintendent Jill Proulx reiterated the state’s guidelines that inhibit the feasibility of a return to full, in-person learning. Included amongst those guidelines are the required 3 feet of social distancing on buses as well as the required 6 feet of social distancing required during lunch. Additionally, Dennett Elementary School has been maintaining 6 feet of distancing in their classrooms in accordance with CDC recommendations. The funds and space required to accommodate all students while still adhering to the necessary restrictions are prohibitive.

Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen attributed the lack of school transmission and relatively few cases across the district to all the safety protocols that are currently in place. As of Monday’s meeting there have been 51 cumulative cases across all schools in the district. He also spoke out against the expectation that there be a uniform approach taken across the entire state as some schools are better equipped to accommodate students for in-person learning.

President of the Teacher’s Association Ann Walker told the Committee, “tensions are high; everybody is nervous… Plympton has done well so far but it feels like it’s closing in.” She also noted that it can be hard to stay 3 feet from young children let alone 6. Wilhelmsen thanked the teachers and administration for their hard work. He also thanked the building staff “for keeping the building as clean and as safe as we can.” “We will get to the other side of this. Likely we will all be tired, but stronger because of it,” Wilhelmsen said.

Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto told the Committee that they have entered the second trimester. Veneto told the Committee that he was “surprised we got this far.” He attributed the success to the families and staff at the Dennett. Families were recently given the opportunity to switch learning models from hybrid to remote or remote to hybrid. Only a small handful of families requested changes and all requests were accommodated.

Veneto said that there are currently 89 students in Cohort A and 80 students in Cohort B. Cohorts A and B alternate days in the building with one set of students attending in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and another set attending in-person on Thursdays and Fridays. Cohort C, or the students who elected to be fully remote, currently has an enrollment of 23. Cohort D which includes the highest needs learners who are prioritized for more in-person days stands at 18 students. Veneto said that on any given day there are roughly 100 students in the building.

Finally, Veneto told the Committee that fourth grade teacher Bea Reynolds has decided to begin her retirement in January. Veneto called her an “institution in town” and noted what a tremendous loss it would be for the school. Current math interventionist Maria Barlow will replace her.

In another legislative update, Fraser said that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees delegate assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution asking that the MCAS be cancelled for this year as well as the next three years. They are currently working with the appropriate parties in Washington D.C. to prepare legislation for the incoming Secretary of Education that will allow states to make the determination regarding testing. From there, Fraser said they will then begin to work with Beacon Hill and DESE to assure that they are eliminated this year.

Wilhelmsen told the Committee that he had recently been brought into conversations that were being held at the town level regarding the possibility of installing solar panels on the roofs of municipal buildings. Various buildings in town were suggested including the roof at the Dennett, which has properties making it ideal for such an installation. The condition of most of the Dennett roof, however, is a problem. According to Wilhelmsen they need “to rectify that hodgepodge of materials that is up there.”

In lieu of the entire roof, two spots are being investigated as possible locations for solar panels at the school. Those include the back wing of the school with the pitched metal roof as well as a canopy in the parking lot. Wilhelmsen said that there are a number of pine trees that would most likely need to be removed to increase the amount of sun received by the panels. He referred to them as sitting “ominously over the school.”

Wilhelmsen said he has had discussions with both the Town Properties Committee as well as the Plympton Selectmen. As a result, the focus, for now, will be on the rear part of the building. The rear mounted solar operation in the parking lot would incur a lot more cost and could result in an overproduction of power. The company, who works with Harvard and is well established in Massachusetts, still needs to come out and assess the roof and provide final costs.

Fraser was quick to point out that entering into the agreement at this point was exploratory only and either side could still back out. The Committee approved a motion to recommend to the selectmen that they enter into the non-binding agreement.

The Committee had a discussion around the need for a building-based substitute. Director of Business Services Christine Healy said that the substitute line in the budget is “doing remarkably well.” The Committee approved paying for a building-based substitute at $150 a day for 100 days beginning in January for as long as the school remains in either a hybrid or full, in-person model.

Healy told the Committee that she had reached out and found a consultant to help with the bids for the new playground. They would act as the school’s agent and make sure that everything was done to specifications including making sure it is ADA compliant. The cost for the consultant will be $13,300. Fraser agreed that as long as there were school choice funds available and a contingency remains, it would make sense to bring someone on to ensure that mistakes aren’t made. The Committee voted to allow Healy to hire the consultant.

Administrator of Special Education Marie Grable gave a presentation on the state of special education in Plympton and across the district as a whole. She gave similar presentations at the Halifax, Kingston, and Silver Lake Regional School Committee meetings in recent weeks. Grable said there are 45 students overall in Plympton and 643 in the district receiving special education services. Plympton’s percentage of students receiving these services stands at 18.2 percent that is just higher than the state average.

The breakdown of Plympton students receiving services includes 32 students at the Dennett, 5 at the integrated preschool, 4 in sub separate programs for Grades K-6, and 4 out of district placements. Out of district tuitions for FY21 total $553,106 for Plympton and out of district transportation totals $97,650.

Grable also shared information regarding various funding sources including Circuit Breaker, the state’s program to help local school districts provide special education services. Plympton’s total claim for FY21 is $242,104, the net claim is $97,048, and the anticipated reimbursement is $67,934. Several grants are also available including Fund Code 240 in the amount of $56,278. Fund Code 262 and Fund Code 298 which are geared toward Pre-K learners, total $2,567 and $1,085 respectively. Plympton will also receive $5,969 toward professional development from Fund Code 274.

Fraser praised Grable for bringing students back to in- district programming. He said that during her time in the position, she has excelled at keeping costs low while also keeping kids close to their local communities. Wilhelmsen seconded Fraser’s sentiments.

The Halifax Police Department, as well as many of the other police departments throughout the Commonwealth, participated in Coats4Vets on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The event is an annual initiative of the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation (MMSF) and is sponsored by Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, New England Patriots Foundation, Ocean State Job Lot, and Home Depot. Coats4Vets has distributed 34,500 coats to veterans since 2016.

This past Tuesday, various local law enforcement agencies traveled to Gillette Stadium to pick up 4,000 buckets that are each filled with coats, masks, hand sanitizer, and snacks. The buckets will be distributed throughout local communities. In addition to providing material support for the veterans, the hope is that law enforcement can make a connection with veterans as well and thank them for their service.

Veterans who are in need of these resources should contact their Veteran’s Agent .

The Town of Halifax and the Accureference Medical lab will host a COVID-19 drive-thru testing clinic on Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6 at the Halifax Town Hall, 499 Plymouth St. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Everyone including non-Halifax residents, is welcome to participate whether they have health insurance or not. All participants must be at least one year old.

Bring your health insurance card (if applicable) and a government picture identification card such as a driver’s license along with a completed registration form that is available on the Town of Halifax web site – http://www.halifax-ma.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4496/f/uploads/covid-19_req_form_halifax.pdf              All participants must remain in their vehicles at all times (this testing is available for drive-ups only; no walk-ins). All participants should leave adequate time to wait in line for testing and the length of the wait time depends on the number of participants. No appointments will be made.

The test will be the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)/Molecular test (the nasal swab test). Results will be available within 48-72 hours. Results will be obtained by accessing Accureference Medical Lab patient portal at https://results.accureference.com/patientportal/index.html – If you do not have access to the web site, you can call 877-733-4522.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will be notified about all positive and negative test results. The Town will receive information about positive test results for residents of Halifax through the State›s MAVEN system.

The Halifax Cultural Council is now accepting applications for the Council’s Fiscal Year 2021 grant cycle. All applications must be submitted to the Halifax Cultural Council, 499 Plymouth Street, Halifax, MA 02338 no later than Monday, Dec.14.

Grant applications and other information are available on the Council›s web site: http://www.halifax-ma.org/cultural-council
<http://www.halifax-ma.org/cultural-council> or applicants can apply on-line at https://www.mass-culture.org/Halifax <https://www.mass-culture.org/Halifax> (click on the “Apply Now” tab) –

This year, the Council’s priorities include an emphasis on events in Halifax, but not just in the “municipal center”, programs related to nature, science, environmental education and the Town’s history, programs for seniors, library patrons, people with disabilities, families, and teens, and programs involving artists and speakers from Halifax.

Applicants can obtain more information through the Halifax Board of Selectmen’s office at 781-294-1316.