The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on Monday, Nov. 2, for one of their bi-weekly meetings. Chair Mark Russo said he would like to do a mailing that would inquire about residents’ interest in joining various boards and committees in town. Russo said there are a lot of vacancies at the moment. The eventual hope is to establish a volunteer bank. Selectman Christine Joy suggested including job descriptions or perhaps just directing residents to the town website for more information on the boards and committees. “The other cool way to do this is to remind people that boards and commissions and committees have open meetings and a good way to get a sense is attend a meeting or two and see what it’s about and see if there’s interest,” Russo said. Older recordings could also be watched when available.

The selectmen also reviewed the Board liaisons document as it hadn’t been reviewed for a year. Despite some debate about whether to change the Bylaw Review Committee liaison from Joy to Russo, it was decided that it would be best left on Joy’s plate as Russo’s wife serves on the committee. An exchange was made, however, to make Russo the liaison to the Highway Department as he has been working on a number of highway related projects.

Selectman and acting interim Director for the Council on Aging (COA) John Traynor gave an update on the COA who last met on October 26. Traynor who said, “we definitely need to find a director,” asked town administrator Elizabeth Dennehy how the search was going thus far. Dennehy said that the posting period had closed for the position and that there was only one applicant. Traynor asked if it would be possible to open it back up again but Dennehy said that she would like to interview the candidate first as they came highly recommended. Russo recommended holding an interview with the COA Board of Directors, the Board of Selectmen, and Dennehy. Dennehy said she would schedule it.

Traynor told his fellow selectmen that the town needs to “broaden our reach to our seniors… hopefully over time we can encourage more seniors to come into the process.” He brought up the robocalls that are sent out to senior residents and said that due to a lot of people moving from landlines to cell phones, updated information is needed for many people. Traynor said they would address that topic in the next newsletter.

Traynor also cited a shortage of money and difficulties posed by the pandemic as reasons why it is difficult to organize programming for the COA at this time. Despite those obstacles, Traynor did say that they are working on things including a possible Zoom bingo. According to Traynor, Kingston has been holding COA events online in addition to a few, limited in-person programs such as quilting.

Jim Mustacaros and Traynor went together to pick up brown bags in Brockton as part of the Greater Boston Food Bank for delivery to residents. Traynor said the bags went to 27 residents at the Woodlands, 6 went to people in town, and another few to Marshfield. He also said that there is a plowing program where $25 will be reimbursed for plowing through a grant. Similarly, seniors can be reimbursed up to $25 for hiring a handy person. According to Traynor, volunteer drivers are needed for the COA as Mustacaros has a full schedule.

With Tom Millias’ resignation, the Zoning Enforcement Officer position was recently left vacant. Ken Thompson sent in an application and met all requirements. Both Millias and Dennehy met with Thompson and recommended him to the Board for an interim appointment through the end of the fiscal year. Thompson has served on both the Zoning Board of Appeals (a position he currently holds and will need to resign from) and the Bylaw Review Committee. Of the interim basis, Dennehy said, “it will give both him and the town a chance to see if it’s a good fit or not.”

Russo said he really admired Tom Millias and his approach to the position calling it both “measured” and “balanced.” He did note that as of late there had been some tension with the Bylaw Review Committee. Russo also said that he served with Thompson on the Community Preservation Committee and said that he admired his work adding that he has good legal opinions and knows his bylaws. “I’m actually excited about this and think its worth a try,” Russo said. The Board voted unanimously to appoint him.

Dennehy provided an update on a number of projects. She told the selectmen that the Town Properties Committee has been extremely busy. She said the town is in receipt of specs for the bid process on the highway barn roof project. It needs to be determined if the funds appropriated during the last town meeting will be enough to cover the cost of the project. According to Dennehy, the town is also looking into obtaining pricing and proposals to make an entrance on the second floor of the Townhouse handicap accessible. There is also a plan in place to do an assessment of the plumbing and septic issues at the Townhouse.

Dennehy also touched on some of the guidelines that were released that day from Governor Baker. Those included limiting indoor gatherings to 10 people and outdoor gatherings to 25. There is also a DPH curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily with the exception of work. Additionally, indoor recreation, theaters and casinos will close at 9:30 p.m. and restaurants will stop seating at 9:30 p.m. The updated guidelines go into effect on Friday, November 6.

Dennehy said that they were made aware of another positive COVID case in town that day and said that they still had not received confirmation that all the previous cases in town had been cleared. Regarding the number of cases rising, Dennehy said, “it’s something we need to be made aware of and we can’t really let our guards down.” She also said that everyone seems pleased that the Townhouse will be professionally disinfected following Election Day. Chair of the Board of Health Art Morin was in attendance Monday and commented on the emergency public health alerts that had been issued by the state for several neighboring towns.

The selectmen ended with their raves for the last few weeks. Joy said that her rave was for everyone working at the Town House and for all town employees. She called out both Cathy Ferguson and Dennehy for their efforts and noted the increased stress level of both residents and employees. She said that given the current climate, it might be a good idea to revisit the idea of de-escalation training. Traynor said that his rave was for the Emergency Management Team saying, “they’ve done a stellar job getting us through this.” Russo said that his rave was for the election process in Plympton saying, “it looks like it has gone unbelievably smoothly.”

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met briefly on Monday, Oct. 19 for one of their extra meetings they have been conducting during the ongoing pandemic. These meetings are used to discuss anything COVID related as well as any other ongoing issues that were not able to be dealt with during their regular Thursday meetings. With Board of Health agent Bob Valery absent, the COVID discussion was limited.

The Board met with Corey Monti, a contractor hired to remove material from John Peck’s property at 415 Plymouth St. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that there has been confusion regarding the nature of the material to be removed. “It has been described, at various times, as compost, manure, wood chips, leaves,” Seelig said. The concern for the selectmen is whether or not the material falls under the category of soil/earth removal. There have been issues in the past with earth removal on the Peck property without proper permits. If the material in question this time does not fall under soil/earth removal, it won’t require a permit. If it is discovered, however, that it does, an application will have to be filed in accordance with the by-law.

Previously, John Peck’s son Joe Peck had appeared before the Board to reconcile issues pertaining to earth removal. At the time, Joe had assured the Board that moving forward he would be the one handling such activities. Selectman Gordon Andrews referenced this assurance saying, “The only question I would have is that Joey represented to us before that it was all in his control?” Seelig said he was unsure who was behind the action being taken currently but said he had verified that John Peck is the trustee of the family trust making him in charge technically.

When asked how much material would be removed, Monti said, “hard to say.” Seelig also asked if material had been brought from other places to 415 Plymouth St. Monti was again somewhat vague saying, “not really.”

The Board decided that the best course of action would be for the Board to meet at the property to ascertain for themselves the nature of the material being removed. The Board scheduled the visit for Monday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.

Seelig asked the Board to make a decision regarding a contract with Greenwood Emergency Vehicles for production of a new fire pumper. Multiple payment options were presented to the Board. Seelig said in the past, the town would usually pay fifty percent up front and then fifty percent upon completion. The Board unanimously voted, however, to pay the full amount up front in order to secure the town a 2.75 percent discount that is favorable given current interest rates. The cost of the new pumper is $555,000.

The Board also signed the new contracts with the Fire and Police Chiefs during Monday’s meeting. The terms of the contract had previously been approved at town meeting.

During their Tuesday, Oct. 13 meeting, the Halifax Board of Selectmen met with candidates to fill two vacant seats on the Finance Committee. The first was Lauren Carmichael who said she moved to Halifax nearly two years ago and has children in the Elementary School. While Carmichael said she doesn’t have any finance experience, she has an interest in it and enjoys listening to money podcasts. Selectman Troy Garron asked if she would be able to attend meetings to which Carmichael said she has childcare and would have the necessary availability. Selectman Gordon Andrews asked her if she attended town meeting and she said she has not yet. Andrews also confirmed that she is a registered voter.

Regarding her lack of experience, Selectman Tom Millias said, “It’s kind of like jumping into the deep end but it’s a heck of a way to get experience in town government.” Garron thanked her for stepping forward and said, “Believe me, having experience with something sort of jades you a little bit. If you’re a good listener and you can understand things… you’ll see things sometimes that a person with experience might not see.” Carmichael was unanimously appointed through a joint vote of the selectmen and Finance Committee.

Thomas Connolly also came before the selectmen in the hopes of being appointed to the Finance Committee. Connolly said that he has been a resident of Halifax for 9 years and is a father to a 10-year-old daughter. Connolly said he owns a consulting firm out of Quincy but will soon become just a shareholder thus freeing up some availability. “I have a lot of interest in municipal government but haven’t had the opportunity to do it.” Like Carmichael, Connolly was unanimously appointed. Both terms will run through June of 2023.

Robert Maker of Green Earth Cannabis had an appointment with the Board to discuss his proposal for a retail marijuana establishment. Maker said that he was interested in the property at 657 Monponsett St. Maker described the location as “the least impactful place we could find in town that would work for our needs and your needs.” He went on to say that his company planned to work with the community to get rid of what he described as an “eyesore.”

Maker said that he already has a host community agreement that he would like to present to the town.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that residents would want to see the draft before attending a hearing. Maker agreed to make a copy available.

Seelig told the Board that 49 laptops were requested for staff at Halifax Elementary School.

He said the estimate was $47,764 and that he was looking into whether Plymouth County would consider this expenditure eligible for CARES Act funds.

Andrews, who also serves as the Chair of the Halifax School Committee, asked the other selectmen if they could be available for a joint meeting on Monday, October 26 to interview candidates for a vacancy on the school committee. There are 6 candidates who will appear before the selectmen and school committee for 10 minutes each prior to a decision being made.

The selectmen approved a bottle and can/food drive to be hosted by the Boy Scouts on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon.

They also gave the green light for the library to proceed with a story walk on Saturday, October 31.

The Halifax Elementary School Committee met on Tuesday, Oct.13. Chair Gordon Andrews said that he had received six notices of interest to fill the vacancy left on the Committee by Bob Johnson’s resignation. The School Committee agreed to meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26 with the Board of Selectmen to interview the candidates.

The Committee elected to waive the full readings for the policies to be voted on. The policy on face coverings did generate considerable conversation despite the only change to the previous version being that everyone is now required to wear a mask. Exemptions are only granted for those with medical or behavioral conditions who present a note from a medical professional.

Principal Kayne Beaudry asked if the policy prohibited gators as he said that they had been allowing them thus far. Superintendent Jill Proulx said that only Silver Lake Regional were permitting gators to be worn and only under specific circumstances. Silver Lake doesn’t allow gators to be worn indoors but will allow them to be worn for outdoor sporting events as they facilitate easier breathing.

While some research has suggested that gators are not as effective as facemasks at preventing the spread of the virus, they were allowed in this circumstance as being outdoors reduces the likelihood of transmission.   

Andrews asked Beaudry what percentage of students roughly did he believe to be wearing the gators. Beaudry said he believed it was only a small percentage of the students and vice principal Brian DeSantes agreed.

Committee member Alison Vance said, “I’m on board with not allowing them.” Vance also went on to say that one justification for not allowing gators may be the method by which face coverings should be removed. She said that the school where she works teaches students to take their face coverings off by the ear loops to avoid touching the front of the mask.

Committee member Summer Schmaling asked about the seeming arbitrariness of prohibiting gators but allowing masks that may be made of the same material. Beaudry and DeSantes said that many parents have inquired as to what type of material the masks should be made of, as well as other conerns. Andrews read directly from the policy where it states that masks must be 2-ply or greater. It also states that disposable surgical masks are acceptable as are face shields as long as a mask is worn underneath.

According to the policy, gators and bandanas are prohibited. Schmaling said that the school she works in requires students to swap the mask they wear to school for a surgical mask that must be changed every four hours.

Schmaling asked Beaudry why kids were required to wear masks during outdoor recess. Beaudry said that given the unstructured environment that recess presents, it would be nearly impossible to assert the control required to ensure that students are always six feet from one another. Schmaling noted that she disagreed with the requirement.

The standing committees provided a report to the larger School Committee. The PAC representative said that nearly all students are back fully in school with only a small handful electing to do full remote. The PTO met last Wednesday when they elected Kristina Wilson as the new president.

Physical Education teacher Steve Ruisi is still trying to organize a turkey trot where safety protocols can be maintained. The PTO is “all ears” for creative ideas including brainstorming for fundraisers.

Beaudry began his principal’s report by thanking a number of people for their hand in the success of the opening of the school. He emphasized the important role parents have played calling them both “flexible” and “understanding.” Beaudry also thanked the teachers, school nurse, and school committee. Finally, he thanked Halifax police and fire as well as town administrator Charlie Seelig for their assistance with CARES Act funding as well as traffic management.

Before leaving the meeting early to head to the Halifax selectmen meeting, Andrews also took a moment to thank the superintendent, assistant superintendent, school committee, parents, teachers, and students acknowledging how much time was invested by everyone in order to open the schools.

Beaudry said that enrollment was down slightly this year with 568 total students. He said that on any given day there were approximately 240 students in the building. In addition to enrollment being down slightly, eight more students have elected to do homeschooling this year and the number of students transferring out of Halifax public school to private school increased from two to seven.

Beaudry acknowledged that the schedule for the specialists has been tricky to figure out and said that it has gone through several revisions. Currently, art and music are taught remotely while PE, library, and tech are taught in person.

Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided the financial report which included a committee vote on the operating budget for regular day and special education. The $5,794,574 budget was passed unanimously. Regarding COVID expenses, Healy said, “The town of Halifax has been quite generous and willing to work with us to make it all work.” Halifax has used part of their CARES Act money to fund additional staff including a building-based custodian and long-term substitutes at least through the end of December.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch gave a quick update on some of the resources that have been made available to staff and families. He referenced “Parent Academy” which has been setup to support parents with the various learning platforms.

Superintendent Jill Proulx said that when a COVID-19 case arises in the district, families have been receiving notification from both their building principal as well as the district. “We would rather over communicate rather than under communicate in this particular case,” Proulx explained.

Proulx also referenced Kingston being in the “red” in terms of risk and said that after three weeks there, it is recommended that a community move to fully remote learning. She said that if a decision like that were to be considered, it would be made with input from both the town’s Board of Health and an epidemiologist. Proulx noted that as of the meeting Tuesday, Halifax was in the yellow zone. “The hybrid model is holding which we are very happy about,” she said.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen have begun inviting a representative of a different town department to each meeting to present before the Board. Assistant Assessor Wendy Jones attended the Monday, Oct. 5 meeting where she gave a status update on the seven and a half acres of Middleborough land to be leased to Plympton for use as a trailhead and parking area for Two Brooks Preserve.

The Middleborough land to be leased is part of Soule Homestead which is adjacent to the 130 acres of conservation land acquired by the town of Plympton known as Two Brooks Preserve. Jones said, “I’ve been in touch with Middleborough; It’s complicated but we are working on it.” Jones told the selectmen that a special act has been drafted to go before the House and Senate to allow Middleborough to lease the land to Plympton for that specific use. Selectman Mark Russo asked if Jones had a sense of how long the legislation would take but she said that she does not.

Jones also said that there will be an article at the next Middleborough special town meeting to secure funds for an “on the ground” survey to ensure that Plympton has access to the trails and Soule Homestead has everything they need to continue running their farm.

A request for a street crossing on Ring Road was brought before the Board by the development manager on the project as well as another representative from the energy company responsible for the solar project. The project in question is a dual use solar project that would allow for ongoing agricultural projects around the solar array. An electric line is to go underneath Ring Rd. from the west side of the street where there are cranberry bogs owned by Roger Carriera to the east side on property owned by the Dunhams. Permission has been granted by the Conservation Commission for the project and it is anticipated that approval will be granted at the next Planning Board hearing.

Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte said, “If done properly, it will be rather minimally invasive to us.” The Board voted to approve the crossing at Ring Rd. pending approval from the Planning Board.

Selectman John Traynor was named as acting director of the Council on Aging (COA) until the position can be filled. Traynor will not be accepting a stipend while holding the position joking, “I might ask my selectman salary to be doubled.” Traynor said he is hoping to have the COA Board more involved going forward saying that the previous director Joy Marble took on much of the responsibility herself. Traynor also said that they will be distributing a Council on Aging newsletter moving forward.

The selectmen appointed longtime volunteer Jacqueline Freitas to the COA Board. Traynor said that they needed another volunteer for the Board as well as an outreach worker. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy said that the virtual meeting Traynor held with the COA Board was very productive. Traynor said that he did approach the Board of Health about meeting in-person. “They certainly weren’t receptive which was kind of interesting considering they were meeting,” Traynor said.

Also discussed at Monday’s meeting was the town’s projects and priorities list, formerly known as the parking lot. Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen spoke a bit about the committee’s work. Wilhelmsen said they have made significant progress in their mockups and said that he hopes to have something firmer to share in the near future. Wilhelmsen said that an architectural firm has been brought on board to help work through the specs for the new roof at the town barn. He also said that they plan to discuss the Fire Department at the next meeting and noted that space constraints are among the biggest concerns.

Among the other concerns is the lighting issue at the library. Wilhelmsen said they may consider an architectural firm to recommend a lighting plan. The committee has also been exploring costs to have the town green flagpole cleaned and fixed. Water and drainage issues in the lower level of the old townhouse are also being considered. Consultants are also being brought in to address septic issues at the townhouse.

As Chair of the Plympton School Committee, Wilhelmsen also provided an update on the state of the Dennett. Regarding the return to in-person school, albeit limited to a hybrid model, Wilhelmsen said, “We have to understand the feat that has been accomplished to get this off the ground.” He also likened the teachers to first year teachers since they have had to completely upend their normal way of operating.  Wilhelmsen also told the Board that the Dennett teachers have requested laptops as the chromebooks issued to them haven’t been sufficient. He told the Board that a small number of docking stations have been purchased in order to provide more flexibility.

Wilhelmsen also told the Board of a few positive cases of COVID-19 in the district. There have been confirmed cases within Kingston Elementary School, Silver Lake Regional Middle School, and Silver Lake Regional High School. The contact tracing for those cases is being managed in accordance with the Kingston Board of Health.

Dennehy provided the town administrator’s update. She said the COA was awarded a $4,000 grant through Old Colony Elder Services to help better prepare for a second wave of the virus. The bulk of the money was needed to have been spent by the end of the September. Items including a large freezer to help with food pantry purchases were obtained. Other items purchased included air purifiers, filters, hand sanitizers, and disinfecting wipes.

The financial team plans to begin meetings again starting Nov. 16. Dennehy said that the plan is to get Wilhelmsen involved as well as town treasurer Barbara Gomez. Nov. 16 is a regularly scheduled meeting for the selectmen and Dennehy said she would like the Finance Committee to attend as well. She said the goal would be to talk through next year’s budgeting process and figure out where the priories are. Other potential discussion points would be restructuring some of the town’s debt.

Dennehy also told the Board that she is exploring the possibility of shared services with Carver. She said that working out an arrangement for animal control with Carver might prove to be a more cost-effective option.

There are a number of vacancies for positions in town that are currently being advertised internally. According to town bylaws, the positions must be posted internally before being advertised externally. Dennehy said that in addition to the COA Director position they are also looking to fill a senior technician position for the library as a result of a planned retirement. The Planning Board has an open clerical position and the zoning officer is resigning. Dennehy also said that an independent and a democrat are needed for the Board of Registrars in order to guarantee equal representation.

The selectmen ended the meeting with their rants and raves for the last few weeks. Traynor said that one of his raves was for the wonderful photos on the town’s Facebook pages.

His second rave was for a person that came forward with two vintage photographs from Plympton. The person’s uncle, who recently passed away, was a genealogist who grew up in Plympton. The pictures show horses and wagons. Traynor hopes to have them restored and put on display around town. His final rave was for Briggette Martins for the wonderful job she has been doing on the selectmen’s meeting minutes.

Russo’s rave was for Fire Chief Stephen Silva’s mother who recently passed away. Referring to her as an exemplar of resiliency, strength and vibrancy, Russo said, “It’s hard to lose her but what she inspires is pretty ensconced in my mind and I’m pretty thankful.”

Christine Joy said that her raves were for the excellent work being done by the highway superintendent as well as the emergency management team.

Halifax Needs You!

During a time when it’s hard to come together with family and friends, let alone as a community, Halifax Fall Clean-Up Day has had a makeover. This October 3, 2020, we’re asking you to come together as a community from home.

We’re inviting you to reach out to your neighbors and close family to mobilize small groups of litter busters across Halifax. Clean up the curbs in front of your homes. Take a stroll up the road and pick up trash along those abandoned stretches that never get enough attention. You can even volunteer to help clean up public spaces around town. We will be identifying the badly littered areas in Halifax and assigning volunteers to give those areas some special attention.

The Halifax Beautification Committee will be in the parking lot of the Town Hall between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on October 3, 2020, handing out kits that may include trash bags, safety vests, T-shirts, reusable shopping bags and gloves. Volunteers are welcome to drive up to our table and collect a kit before embarking on a day of cleaning up their community.

Don’t let the cleanup stop on the 3rd. LIKE us on Facebook at: The Halifax Beautification Committee to see our 31 days of cleanup. Every day in October, the Halifax Beautification Committee will be posting tips and tricks for recycling, reducing waste and more.

E-mail: Beautification@halifax-ma.org.

Benjamin Paulin
<ben@jgpr.net>

KINGSTON — Police Chief Maurice Splaine reports that the shooting of an assault suspect by a Kingston Police officer early this morning is currently under active investigation by State Police detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.

At approximately 2:45 a.m. Tuesday, Kingston Police received a 911 call from a security guard at the Kingston Collection mall, located at 101 Kingston Collection Way. The guard reported that a man in his 20s allegedly brandished a large knife and told the guard to get out of the vehicle.

Kingston Police officers quickly arrived on scene and located the suspect near the entrance of the old Sears parking lot. The man had a large knife in a sheath on his hip. The man was given several verbal commands by the officers and the man ignored their commands.

During the incident, in response to the suspect’s aggressive and threatening actions, officers attempted to deescalate the situation and used non-lethal tactics to get him to comply. The man continued to escalate his threatening behavior and fearing for the safety of themselves and the safety of others, the officers drew their firearms. The man was shot once in the shoulder.

The man was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. He was then flown by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

The man was subsequently identified as Alexander Bakutis, age 25, of Plymouth. Bakutis is in police custody and has been charged with three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.

Bakutis is expected to be arraigned remotely by the Plymouth District Court on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

The officer involved was also transported by ambulance to a local hospital for precautionary reasons. The officer was uninjured and was released from the hospital earlier today. The officer, a 15-year veteran of the department will be on administrative leave during the investigation.

Investigating officers recovered and seized the large knife and other items as evidence from Bakutis.

The incident is actively being investigated by State Police detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. The Kingston Police Department is cooperating fully with that investigation.

The Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC) Critical Incident Stress Management unit responded to the scene to assist the Kingston Police Department.

All further inquiries about this incident should be referred to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday evening, Sept. 8 for their regular weekly meeting.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig began with a brief discussion regarding CARES Act funding which is being administered to towns by Plymouth County. Seelig said that after being rejected for the Shared Streets Grant twIcee  for the Cranberry Drive sidewalk project, he is exploring the possibility of using CARES funding. Seelig said he is waiting to hear back from the County on the eligibility of a few projects. He said there was some confusion as to whether CARES Act funds could be applied to those things for which purchase orders have been submitted but payments have yet to be made by September. The Plymouth County Commission may organize another call with the county’s fire chiefs soon.

Not even ten minutes into the meeting, Board of Selectmen Chair Tom Millias told those assembled that they would need to place their masks on as the room was now at capacity. He further said that if anyone else were to enter the room, since it would be inappropriate to ask anyone to leave, the meeting would be adjourned until Thursday. Luckily, this didn’t end up being necessary.

Seelig told the Board that there were two new cases of COVID-19 in Halifax since their previous meeting only a few days before. They were the first cases in town in over a month. Seelig said, “It’s still out there.” He continued, “Massachusetts has been doing an excellent job, the positive rate on the testing is very, very good. It matters what’s your behavior. Are you going to make good decisions or are you not going to make good decisions? Wearing a mask, washing your hands, not going to beach parties with whatever number of people not wearing a mask – I think that’s going to determine what happens here in the next couple of months. Halifax isn’t some place where we have this barrier that magically prevents people from having COVID.”

The Board had several appointments including one with the Library Board of Trustees. They were there to appoint Kathy Shiavone to the Board until May. It took a vote of both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Trustees to appoint her. The vote was unanimous.

The Board needs to hold a joint meeting with the Halifax School Committee to appoint someone to fill the vacancy left on the school committee following a recent resignation. Just as was done with the Library Board of Trustees, it will take a vote from both the school committee and selectmen to appoint someone to the position. Thus far, three talent bank forms have been submitted. The selectmen plan to attend a school committee meeting in October in order to hold interviews and vote on the position.

Ashley DiSesa met with the Board to discuss a possible alternative to traditional trick-or-treating.

She proposed an idea similar to the lunch handout that has been taking place at the Elementary School during the week. “My idea was to try to figure out a way to do a drive through trick-or-treating,” she explained. Her proposal included multiple stops at the school for cars to receive treats as well as a possible contest for the best decorated car.

DiSesa said the plan would be for residents to sign up online through something like SignUp Genius and select a time slot for their drive-through. The event would start relatively early to accommodate the youngest trick or treaters. A number of parents in town have already expressed interest in volunteering and the hope would be to have a few local businesses sponsor the event in order to purchase candy and bags. DiSesa said she had already spoken to the Halifax School Committee and said she also intends to speak with the fire chief. Millias suggested she contact the police chief as well.

“I think it’s a nice idea. I think the community would certainly back it. As long as you can work out the logistics, I would be in favor of it,” Millias said.

DiSesa asked the selec-men if they had a preference on which day to hold the event, suggesting either the Friday before Halloween or Halloween day itself which falls on a Saturday this year.

Selectman Troy Garron said the Saturday would probably make better sense since most parents are probably working on Friday. “And, it’s a full moon,” joked Selectman Gordon Andrews. The selectmen agreed that it was a great idea and asked DiSesa to work out the logistics and come back with a plan that they could approve.

The final appointment of the night was with Drew McGlincy who came to the meeting to discuss charging stations and solar panels at Town Hall. McGlincy spoke about the need to transition away from fossil fuels and said that depending on the speed of the charging stations, the town could probably handle 4-6 of them. He said he was pending verification of how much electricity the system at Town Hall can handle and said that he would propose 240 solar panels to be installed on the roof of Town Hall.

Millias who noted that he isn’t against the concept of the charging stations said, “I for one am not a big fan of panels on the roof. It’s not a matter of if it’s going to leak, it’s a matter of when it’s going to leak.” Millias reminded McGlincy that if the intention was to utilize town funds, it would have to be approved by a vote at town meeting. The earliest that could happen would be next May.

McGlincy said he would pull together a blueprint for a proposed location behind the cemetery in the Town Hall parking lot. Millias asked him to include some estimated costs as well. “I don’t know if it will go anywhere or not, but if you’re willing to do the work, at least that’s a start,” Millias said.

Seelig provided the Board with a few more updates including that the police chief had inquired about a new civil service list for the hiring of three new part time patrol officers. Seelig also provided an update on the Pine St. Bridge project. It is currently in the permitting phase with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Conservation Commission, and Riverways for Massachusetts. The next stage will be the final engineering and it will go out to bid in February or March of 2021 with a completion date of October 2021.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, Sept. 8. They voted in favor of transferring funds in the amount of $24,950 from the Capital Stabilization Fund in order to finalize the purchase of Two Brooks Preserve, a 113-acre property off Prospect Road. While a transfer of more than $25,000 requires a vote at town meeting, anything under that amount requires only a vote of the Board of Selectman, Finance Committee, and Capital Improvement Committee.

Co-chair of the Open Space Committee Linda Leddy attended Tuesday’s virtual meeting. Leddy thanked the Board for their vote saying, “It is great to have this whole legal acquisition part done.” Leddy said they can now turn their attention to opening. While the town is working with Middleborough on Soule St. access, Leddy noted that there is a “little keyhole” access off Prospect St. that could be utilized if there is a delay. Selectman Christine Joy thanked both Leddy and fellow selectman Mark Russo as well as all those that fundraised to make the purchase possible. “It is definitely a labor of love,” Joy said. “Thank you so much for your hard work.”

Grant Updates

Fire Chief Stephen Silva updated the Board on a number of grants that the Fire Department had been awarded. Saying it had been a good couple of weeks, Silva said they had received notification from FEMA of a $230,000 grant and also mentioned a nearly $12,000 grant. Silva said he was “cautiously optimistic” about several more federal grant opportunities. “I’m addicted to grants… we’re always looking for alternative funding,” Silva explained.

Silva also told the Board that he has been working in conjunction with the Board of Health to hopefully implement a program known as community paramedicine. The program has been successful in other local communities. The program would allow for the Board of Health and Fire Department to work together to provide a multitude of social services to residents including but not limited to mental health services, pharmaceutical services, COVID screenings, vaccinations, and car seat installations. According to Silva, any money spent should be reimbursable as the need for the program came out of the pandemic. Once approved, the program can be up and running within 30 days. “It’s a unique opportunity, very unique,” Silva said.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy told the Board that the Council on Aging (COA) was finally in receipt of their new COA van which was purchased in part through a grant. The town voted last year at special town meeting to appropriate the matching funds. It is an 8 passenger, handicap accessible van. Dennehy described it as a “huge win for us and our seniors.” Dennehy also told the Board that she received good news from the state and is now in possession of the $95,000 needed for ADA upgrades to the town house to enhance access for senior citizens.

Dennehy said she has applied for an extension on the Green Communities grant through September of next year. There are still funds left for some energy efficient appliances. A freezer will likely be purchased for the town house as the COA often receives large frozen deliveries. There are a few other odds and ends projects that will be explored including the possible installation of new thermostats at the old townhouse. Dennehy said she wants to be sure not to leave any money on the table.

School Update

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen attended the meeting to provide an update on the reopening plan for Dennett Elementary. While initially the school committee had voted to begin the year with a phased-in hybrid approach that would have seen most students beginning remotely, they have made adjustments that will allow them to begin in a hybrid model.

The first day of school will be Wednesday, Sept. 16. Wednesdays will be a full remote day for most cohorts. Wilhelmsen said that on any given day there will be 85-95 students in the school which is just under half of the number in a normal school year. Significant changes have been made to the building including removal of furniture and a new cafeteria setup. “The school is going to look quite a bit different than what you would normally expect,” Wilhelmsen explained. A Health and Safety Advisory Committee has also been established and will have representation from both faculty as well as parents.

There is a vacancy on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. No one ran for the open seat this spring and while Jason Fraser was written in, he was unable to take it on with everything else on his plate. Wilhelmsen said he had been approached by someone with interest in the position.

Truck Traffic and Safety Zones

Two residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to discuss concerns over heavy truck traffic on certain roads. Joe Beck, who said he has been living on Main St. for 37 years, said that trucks are using the street as a cut through. “They’re flying by with no respect for anybody on the street. You can’t even ride your bike or walk on Main St,” Beck explained.

Selectman John Traynor and Building Inspector Tom Millias previously traveled to the work site of a project on Spring St. in Carver where the trucks are traveling to and from. Millias was told that the project would be over soon, and a request was put in for the trucks to travel Route 44 to 58. Russo said he would ask Millias to speak with them again and again, request that the trucks don’t cut across Main St.

Howard Randall had similar complaints regarding Parsonage Rd. and Prospect Rd. He said that a neighbor counted 35 gravel trucks the previous night. “That particular operation, the gravel operation, is six days a week… it certainly distracts from our life here,” Randall told the Board.

The Board expressed interest, as they have done in the past, with taking action to prevent speeding and other traffic infractions. The Board received permission during town meeting to designate safety zones with speed limits of 20 mph where they saw fit. The two intersections of greatest concern were Main St. and Ring Rd. and Prospect St. and Winnetuxet Rd.

The Board voted Tuesday to establish safety zones in both locations and plan to post signage to indicate the 20-mph speed limit. “I remember the time Plympton was known as a speed trap and that is a reputation I would love to have again,” Russo said. Russo also noted that there is nothing in state law that would prevent the safety zone from being rescinded in the future, should the need arise.

The Board plans to pursue action beyond just the safety zones. Traynor proposed establishing a committee to work on plans for making the intersections safer. Russo noted that nearly any solution beyond the safety zones is going to require money. “I think we’re going to be needing to bring to town meeting the request for some funds,” Russo said.

The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 1. They began with a discussion of the school’s reopening plan.

Staff returned to the middle school and high school this week. Silver Lake Regional High School principal Michaela Gill said, “We were thrilled to welcome back our teachers.” She said the first few days were spent reviewing health and safety protocols as well as facility changes. Superintendent Jill Proulx and Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch visited three out of the six schools on Tuesday with plans to visit the other three the following day.

School Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee asked both Gill and Silver Lake Regional Middle School principal Jim Dupille when students and their families can expect their schedules. Gill assured everyone that they are “working around the clock” and said the plan is to have the schedules available early next week. Dupille also said students can expect their schedules sometime next week. Dupille told the Committee that a virtual orientation would be held for incoming 7^th grade students. “I would just like to thank and commend Michaela and Jim and their staff for putting together schedules in record time… I really appreciate everything they have done to make this happen,” Proulx said.

Just as he had done at the Halifax Elementary School Committee meeting the night before, Gordon Andrews recommended that the Committee look into having CARES Act funding cover the cost of much needed building-based substitutes.  Committee member Eric Crone said that using CARES Act funds to hire new staff could prove difficult. Crone said that he asked Plymouth County treasurer Thomas O’Brien about using the funds to hire a nurse leader and was told no. Crone said that if denied, the schools may need to look into using the money for commodities and hiring substitutes from the schools’ budget. Nevertheless, Crone made a motion to allow Andrews to explore the possibility of covering building-based subs for the middle and high schools with CARES Act funding through Halifax. Andrews said he was willing to ask his fellow Halifax selectmen for one sub for each of the schools.

Someone asked about the potential need for subs at the integrated preschool. Proulx said that when the Kingston Elementary School and Kingston Intermediate School consider their need for subs, they would likely need to include the preschool in that. Proulx said that the preschool is typically thought to be under the leadership of Kingston Elementary School principal Kerri Whipple.

Committee member Laura Tilton asked how much of the three towns’ CARES Act funding had been spent on the schools to date. Crone said that while more money should be available under phase 4, as of right now, Kingston doesn’t have any CARES Act funding left from the previous phases. According to Crone, the Kingston town administrator (who has since resigned), misrepresented to the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen in early July that the town had not been contacted with respect to CARES Act funds for the schools. As a result, the selectmen voted to approve $400,000 for a new ambulance using CARES Act funds. Given that none of Kingston’s CARES Act money has gone to Silver Lake, the town assured Crone that the bulk of the money in the final phase will go to the schools.

As a result of the issues in Kingston, the Regional School Committee passed a motion on Tuesday to ask that Kingston, Halifax and Plympton allocate to the schools a percentage of the towns’ total CARES Act  that matches the percentage of the overall towns’ budgets that are allocated to the annual school budget. The Committee emphasized that the percentage should be of the total CARES Act funds, both past, present and future. The Regional School Committee also asked for flexibility for one-off classes that are difficult to staff as well as noting that the use of the funds is still under development. Chair Paula Hatch plans to send a letter stating such to the three towns’ Boards of Selectmen, Town Administrators, and Finance Committees.

Proulx did note that she was able to apply through the Department of Education and obtain 600 chromebooks to help replenish some of the ones on backorder.