On Thursday, June 21, 2018 Soi Dang, 34, formerly of 46A Wamsutta Avenue, Halifax, was found guilty of the 2015 second-degree murder of Marissa Randall, 19, of Revere. The dramatic and lengthy trial began on Monday, June 11, in Plymouth Superior Court, presided over by Judge Cornelius J. Moriarty, II.

Plymouth County Assistant District Attorneys Amanda Fowle and Jennifer Sprague alleged that Dang, a Vietnamese immigrant who once worked at Shaw’s in Carver, met Randall for the purpose of exchanging money for sex on Tuesday, November 17, 2015. The two had met once for the same purpose, they say, a week before, with no incident.

Dang picked Randall up in Revere that afternoon and drove her to Halifax.

After sex, they had a dispute that became physical over the amount of money to be exchanged, prosecutors say, during which Dang stabbed and choked Randall to death.

Dang bound Randall’s body and hid it in a closet, wrapped in a plastic tablecloth. He then drove to the Castle Island area of South Boston, took a 30-minute nap, and went to work the next morning at Shaw’s, according to the assistant district attorneys.

Randall’s body was discovered by Halifax police the day after the stabbing, said the district attorney’s office. Halifax police were searching for a missing Duxbury minor who they found with Dang that day by tracking her cellphone to his address. The girl, who Halifax police returned to Duxbury police, told Duxbury officers she had seen blood at Dang’s apartment, and that he said he had killed someone the night before.

Halifax Police returned to Dang’s home, where he freely let them in, and found blood, so they obtained a warrant to search the premises and contacted State Police. Halifax and State Police investigated the incident.

Opening the trial, the prosecution laid out a methodical case against Dang, who sat through the proceedings calmly. They entered over 100 exhibits into evidence and called multiple state scientists, crime scene investigators, and state police to the witness stand. The testimony was often confusing, slow, and filled with technical jargon.

But the picture that the testimony and evidence painted was damning. The final piece of evidence before the prosecution rested was an audio recording of an interrogation conducted primarily by lead investigator State Police Detective Paul MacDonald.

In the recording of the more than hour-long interview, Dang is casual as he admits to the violent stabbing he is accused of. His voice is emotionless as he chillingly explains, “Things just got out of control,” and that there was an “average amount of blood…it wasn’t like in the movies” after he killed Randall.

Next, the court-appointed defense attorney, Timothy Bradl, a former 13-year Suffolk County A.D.A., called Dr. Carl Dahlberg, an expert witness who is an ER doctor, to the stand to interpret toxicology reports conducted on Randall. The doctor testified that Randall had consumed Adderall and marijuana, and the dose of Adderall, an amphetamine, may have been enough to make her impulsive, euphoric, or manic. “It is reasonable to infer it was a larger dose than a doctor would prescribe,” he said.

After that, Dang testified in his own defense. He admitted to the stabbing but testified that Randall was agitated and that she had stabbed him with a screwdriver first, before he stabbed her with a knife. Upon cross-examination, however, he was nervous, seemed confused, and was unable to keep his testimony consistent. “I wasn’t thinking,” he said multiple times, when asked why he never mentioned the screwdriver to the police.

On Tuesday, June 19, the defense rested. The prosecution called one rebuttal witness, lead investigator Detective Macdonald, who testified that he knew of no wound consistent with a stabbing on Dang’s body. He also said that he didn’t know of Dang ever seeking medical assistance from the police, casting further doubt on Dang’s story of Randall attacking him.

The trial was unusual due to the busing of jurors under police escort to the crime scene in Halifax, the graphic nature of pictures and a video entered into evidence, and the length of time taken by all parties in conducting the case.

On Wednesday, the 16 jurors, who were evenly split between men and women, heard about 30 minutes of closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense.

The defense lawyer, Bradl, argued that the Commonwealth was unfairly entering graphic photos and a video into evidence and that Dang was a “passive guy.” He stated that the jury had a legal duty not to be too strict on self-defense.

The prosecution summed up their arguments as well, describing a horrific stabbing and an indifference to suffering on the part of Dang. “The words from his own mouth seal his fate,” said A.D.A. Sprague.

Judge Moriarty, a deliberate and soft-spoken man, spent about an hour instructing the jury on the law. He explained the two theories of murder in the first degree, on which Dang had been indicted, (one based on deliberate meditation and the other on extreme atrocity and cruelty), either or both of which can support a finding of guilty, and he instructed jurors on the two lesser charges of second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.

Twelve of the 16 jurors were randomly selected to deliberate on a verdict, while four were sequestered as alternate jurors. The final 12-person jury comprised seven women and five men, 11 of whom are Caucasian and one African-American.

The jury spent about 8 hours deliberating before delivering their verdict on Thursday.

When the verdict was read, Dang stood emotionless, in an ill-fiting blue shirt and khaki slacks.

Dang will be sentenced on Friday to the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. The judge will hear arguments on parole and the victim’s family’s impact statement at that hearing.

The trial was attended frequently by family members of Randall, including her mother, Annmarie Stoilov, who was a witness to Randall’s character. “She was just getting her life together…I have one word for this trial: speechless. I’m speechless,” Stoilov said after the sixth day of the proceedings.

Stoilov became visibly overwhelmed and exited the courtroom several times during the trial. She was also chastised by the judge on the seventh day of proceedings for using her cellphone to photograph license plates of the defendant’s family members, angering defense counsel. “I can’t imagine the stress these proceedings have put you under,” the judge said, but he ordered her to cease taking photographs of the defendant’s family, defense counsel or their vehicles and threatened to call a mistrial or hold Stoilov in contempt of court if the photography continued. Stoilov said she would stop, and the judge said he would take her at her word.

Dang’s younger brother, older sister, mother and other supporters were present at different times during the trial.

 

Jessica Zeoli

Express correspondent

It was a joyous event, Thursday, June 14 –  Flag Day – when hundreds of area residents came to Halifax to be part of history. People gathered at the Pope’s Tavern Senior Center in Halifax to unfurl a huge 45 by 90-foot American flag owned by Marc Valentine of Halifax

Express photographer Stephanie Spyropoulos towered 78 feet over the crowd in the bucket of the new Halifax Tower fire engine to officially document this historic moment.

Valentine, curator of the American Flag Project, emceed the event telling of some of the history of this flag and the places it has been throughout the world.  He said this giant flag has been “touched by more Americans than any other flag in history” and that he hopes it will renew appreciation for our flag.

Valentine introduced the Halifax town officials, and invited Selectman Troy Garron to lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Among the throng  needed to hold the hem of Old Glory, the sixth grade class of Halifax Elementary School also helped by walking under the flag to be sure it didn’t touch the ground.  After the flag was rolled back up, the sixth grade class was surprised with their very own official photograph with the Giant Flag.

Holding the flag was not an easy job!  Gusts of wind took the flag, threatening to whip it off into the wild blue yonder!  It took a lot of combined strength to hold it steady.

The event, which lasted only about 15 minutes total, consisted of unfurling the flag as “You’re a Grand Old Flag” resonated through the green in front of the Senior Center. People of all ages, including town officials, were dressed in red, white, and blue, and smiled wide as they held the edges of the massive flag.

Valentine has been traveling the globe for the past 30 years with his giant flag-painted truck, to bring his giant American flag to more than 1,000 official ceremonies. One of the Flag’s greatest appearances was when it flew next to Lincoln at Mount Rushmore’s 50th rededication celebration. An award-winning photograph of this moment was captured, and went on to be featured in Life Magazine.

. The flag has been in all 50 states, as well as 34 countries.

With the sun shining Saturday, June 2, Class Marshal Hayden Wechter of Halifax President of the Class of 2019, led the Class of 2018 onto the Sirrico Field for the 63rd Annual Silver Lake Regional High School Commencement.

320 students were awarded diplomas, which were presented by Michaela Gill, Principal, assisted by Paula Hatch, Chairman of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee and Assistant Principals Catherine Pratt and Steven Blette.

Salutatorian Madison Anne Milbert and Valedictorian Karen Lillian Ho were introduced by Class Historian Sarah Noonan, and each gave their words of wisdom, hope, and inspiration.

Music, provided by the Silver Lake Regional High School Band, conducted by Gregory Dube, included You Will Be Found, from Dear Evan Hansen by Pasek & Paul, performed by Select Choir with soloists Dylan Reid, Allison Farina, Abigail Kramer, Thomas McSorley, Rachel Azar, Tess Beckwith and Lauren Masterpolo.

A selection from The Greatest Showman, This is Me, was performed by Senior Choir Members, and soloists Taite Beale, Scott Patrick, Anna Gillis, Alexis Moulthrop, Ashlyn McGovern, Parth Patel, Janenita Monteiro, Faith Hatch, Anna Lambert, Nicole Kenney and Maria Mello.

Faculty member Heather Bates was the invited faculty speaker.

Class officers for 2018 are Allison Marie Farina, President; Sydney Barbara Kehoe, Vice-president; Lauren Vincenza Masterpolo, Secretary; Emily Flynn O’Neill, Treasurer, and Sarah Haley Noonan, Historian.

Halifax residents at Monday’s annual town meeting approved the Silver Lake Regional School District’s fiscal year 2019 operating budget of $4,456,412 despite the town’s Finance Committee requesting a budget $21,000 less. This particular line item was the only contested part of Article 4, Halifax’s operating budget.

Speaking on behalf of the entire Finance Committee, Chair Gordon Andrews said he doesn’t believe the current pay distribution between municipalities and the state is sustainable. However, school committee members from both Silver Lake and Halifax Elementary did not agree.

“I believe money in the levy is available to approve this budget,” said Silver Lake School Committee Chair Paula Hatch. “We cannot obviously control what the state funds.”

As of Monday night, Kingston had already approved the regional school districts operating budget. Halifax School Committee Chair Summer Schmaling said both Plympton’s Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee were recommending the budget at its town meeting on Wednesday.

She asked what would happen if the other two towns approve the budget and Halifax approves the amended budget proposed by the Finance Committee. According to the Finance Committee, if the other two towns in the school district pass the operating budget, Halifax has to pay regardless. The rest of the money would have to be allocated at a future special town meeting.

The Finance Committee asked for a hold on this line item and attempted to amend it at town meeting. The amended budget of $4,431,412 failed by majority vote. The original figure then passed unanimously.

Article 53: Marijuana Zoning Kept As Is

Under current Halifax zoning laws, recreational marijuana facilities are only allowed in districts designated for industrial zoning.

If Article 53 were to pass, it would have allowed recreational marijuana cultivation and growing facilities in business zones as well. The article failed via a majority voice vote.

Hatch wanted to make sure any new zoning would be far enough away from schools. She asked how far away they would have to be.

According to Town Administrator Charles Seelig, “It’s 500 feet from lot line to lot line.” He said this makes the zoning requirement a little farther than just a straight 500 feet.

One resident speaker said she wants to keep things the way they are and just start in the industrial zone. Others voiced agreement, including members of the Finance Committee who expressed wanting to keep facilities zoned outside of the middle of town.

Halifax did however make one change to their marijuana laws. Residents unanimously voted to raise the recreation sales tax from two percent to three percent under Article 52.

Article 57 Passes, Changes Regulations for Outdoor Events, and Settles Mud Fest Law Suit

Article 57 changes Halifax’s zoning regulations for outdoor events to allow amusements and recreational events (such as Mud Fest) in the agricultural residential district via a special permit.

The new zoning bylaw includes specific requirements for these types of events including a minimum size parcel of 5 acres, bathroom and parking requirements, and noise regulations.

According to Seelig, voting for this warrant article settles the current law suit involving Mud fest. He said both parties see this as a “reasonable compromise.” The planning board also recommended the article.

Some residents expressed concern about precedent with Article 57. Resident Dan Borsari said, “This article is going to fundamentally change the complexion and the tenor of our town.”

Borsari said he doesn’t believe settling the law suit now would provide the town any long-term protection. He said, “You’d be voting away your property protection.” The protection Borsari believes a yes vote takes away is the right to vote away large events in the residential zone. He said he sees this as voting for property rights.

Seelig said applicants would still have to go through a special zoning permit through the Zoning Board of Appeals. He said additional site review with the planning board would also be a requirement.

While Borsari was concerned about the article’s precedent, Seelig said he’s concerned about the precedent a court ruling in the law suit could set. Seelig said that if the courts rule Mud Fest an agricultural event, it would be hard to prove other events like large concerts are not.

Selectmen Chair Thomas Millias said he personally doesn’t like the change to the zoning law the article makes but supports it because of what a court ruling could do.

He said, “I have not been in favor of this particular change, but there is a huge argument to be made, that Mr. Seelig presented, that the control could be given to the courts.”

Being a zoning article, passage required a two-thirds vote. A decision wasn’t clear on voice vote but passed 102-83 on a counted vote.

Article 55 Fails: Multi-development Homes Must Remain on Single Lots

Halifax voters failed to pass Article 55, which would have removed a section of the zoning bylaw requiring any multi-family homes to be built only on a single lot.

Seelig said this bylaw was adopted after places like Twin Lakes and Halifax Meadows were built. The town wanted to prevent these types of homes from being built in the future. Seelig said this article would update the policy to not require multi-families to be built only on a single lot.

Article 55 was proposed by the Board of Selectmen, but neither the Finance Committee nor the Planning Board recommended the article. The Planning Board couldn’t come to an agreement and had a 2-2 vote.

According to a flier given out with the town meeting warrant to all resident voters, “The current interpretation of this bylaw has landed the town in land court, Gordon C. Andrews vs Town of Halifax Zoning Board of Appeals.” The flier went on to say, “A yes vote on this article will resolve this litigation in favor of the town.”

The handout also said since Andrews is suing the town, he’s expecting to get attorney fees and damages. It said, “he is the only person that will have a financial gain if this article is defeated.

Andrews, speaking not on behalf of the Finance Committee, but on his own behalf, said his concerns have to do with whether the town or subdivision has control over these types of developments.

“The major concern I have with this is removing all the requirements for the building…” He added, “They’re not here, they’re under subdivision control.”  One speaker said he disagreed with Andrews, saying he believes subdivision is the proper place for control.

Seelig said the town wouldn’t lose control because any future development would be required to go through site-plan review and would need special town permitting.

Others expressed concerns regarding the impact of removing part of the bylaw was studied beforehand. Resident Kimberly King asked how this would affect the school system and public works financially.

Seelig said, “We don’t do an individual study for each development. We don’t go through that process because it’s an allowable use.” He also said the Zoning Board of Appeals is allowed to place restrictions based on the concerns that King brought up.

Schmalling also expressed concerns over how this change would affect school populations. She said she wasn’t speaking for or against the article, but she said, “I personally like that my kid is in a classroom of 20 kids and not 40.” Schmalling was also concerned multi-developments could affect rural community grants by increasing population.

“Why would we reverse overcrowding policies now?” asked resident Amy Troup.

Article 55 failed to receive the required two-thirds vote from the residents. Members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals said this is something that they would like to look at more before just removing an entire section of the bylaw.

Fire Department and Highway Department Show Sense of Community with Three Warrant Articles

Article 27 funds purchasing and equipping a new flat-bed truck for the fire department. It will be used for forest fire fighting and will cost $150,000. Viveiros said the vehicle being replaced is 18 years old and the frame holding the pump is rotting.

The old truck will not be going to waste though; it will be donated to another department in need. The highway department will be taking the old forest fire-fighting vehicle.

Article 28 appropriates $15,000 for repairs to the donated vehicle’s hook lift system. Working together like this allowed the Highway Department to make sacrifices in other areas, since Heyward said the town is faced with a tight budget.

Article 17, which would have appropriated $48,000 for a new Kubota tractor was passed over. Heyward moved its being passed over and said the department can make do with what it has for another year for the good of the town.

Resident Brings Street Light Issue to Town Meeting

Resident Joseph Parmeggiani asked that something be done about three powerless streetlights on Kestral Lane.

He’s doing this through warrant article 41. They include the ones at the corner of Kestrel Lane and Summit Street.

Parmeggiani said he’s not asking for the lights to be reloaded, but just for their power to be restored. The residents voted unanimously to approve Article 41.

Annual Town Meeting Articles Approved by Residents

Articles 1 through 4 start off every town meeting. The order for the rest is done using a lottery system that randomizes the order. Article 1 allows the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee to give their reports and start the annual town meeting.

Article 2 addressed the pay of several government positions for the town. Many of them were regraded by the town meeting vote. Other nonunion positions received two percent raises.

Some of the re-gradings, including the health inspector and building inspector brought questions from Finance Committee.

Andrews said, “We should be looking at everyone at the same time and not jumping into these individually.” He thinks all reclassifications for wages should be done at the same time.

Selectman Kim Roy said, “You can only make requests at the public hearing.” She said these individual positions were done prior to the public hearing. According to Roy, who serves on Wage and Personnel Board, “All the department head positions were not in line (with average salaries).”

When the department head raises were voted on, the health inspector voice vote failed to provide a clear result. A counted vote had this part of the article passing with a 78-34 vote. All other raises outlined in Article 2 ended up passing by at least majority with the residents.

Article 3 passed unanimously. It set the salaries for the elected officials in Halifax.

Article 5 fixed maximum spending limits for the town’s revolving funds such as Conservation Commission and CPR Classes. The article passed unanimously.

Article 6 creates the $75,000 reserve fund. The Finance Committee said this is an annual warrant that is done every year in case emergency funds are needed. It passed unanimously.

The following warrant articles fund the  raises approved in Article 2.

Article 7 appropriates $14,653 to fund provisions of the collective bargaining agreement for firefighter unions and the town. It passed unanimously.

Article 8 raises and appropriates $7,597 for collective bargaining between the town and the highway/cemetery workers union. The article was approved unanimously.

A total of $6,886 was raised and appropriated for collective bargaining between the town and police sergeant union. Article 9 passed unanimously.

Article 10 raises and appropriates $13,773 for collective bargaining between the Town of Halifax and the police patrolmen. The article passed unanimously.

Article 11 funded $2,358 for collective bargaining provisions between Halifax and Police Chief Edward Broderick. It passed unanimously.

Article 12 raises and appropriates $2,080 for the collective bargaining between the town and Fire Chief Jason Viveiros. It passed unanimously.

Public safety, whether the fire department or police department, were given funds from the following warrant articles. All of them were approved by the residents.

Article 24 raises and appropriates $80,000 for two new marked police vehicles for patrol. The funding also covers equipping the vehicles. It passed unanimously.

Article 25 passed unanimously, appropriating $150,000 to rehabilitate and equip a fire engine.

Article 26 funds a new jaws of life for the Halifax fire department. According to Viveiros, the new equipment will cost $35,000. The article was approved unanimously.

Article 32 was approved unanimously.  The article raises and appropriates $50,000 to repair and replace the HVAC units at the police station.

Article 33 appropriates $2,550 to purchase pump staging for building repair work. It passed unanimously.

Article 34 passed unanimously. It appropriates $780 for solar lights for town flag poles.

An appropriation of $8,400 was approved under Article 35 to fund the purchase and installation of a swap shed and shelving for the recycling center.

The following warrant articles fund support for outside organizations that provide a public good to Halifax. All of the articles were approved.

Article 36 appropriates $9,500 for the purchase and installation of a compacter for the recycling center. It passed unanimously.

Article 37 was approved unanimously. It appropriates $3,500 to support South Coastal Legal Services Inc. The organization provides free legal services for elders, low income families, and their children.

Article 38 appropriates $3,500 to support South Shore Women’s Resource Center. The organization does work with victims of domestic violence and also does prevention services. It passed unanimously.

Article 39 appropriates $3,500 to support the South Shore Community Action Council. It passed unanimously.

Other approved items include the following warrant articles.

Article 13 was approved unanimously. It raises and appropriates $150 for the Board of Selectmen to appoint a town director within 15 days.

Article 14 appropriated $269,439 for repairs and improvements for county ways, bridges, and sidewalks, and bikeways. It passed unanimously.

Article 15 passed unanimously. It appropriates $150,000 for town road maintenance.

A total of $186,000 was raised and appropriated for a hook lift system and truck for the highway department. Article 16 passed unanimously.

Article 18 raises and appropriates $29,000 for a truck lift and four pneumatic jack stands. Highway Surveyor Steven Heyward said the lift failed inspection for safety reasons. The article passed unanimously.

Article 19 passed unanimously. It raises and appropriates $75,000 for a cab over engine truck for the highway department. It will replace the old plow and sander used previously.

Article 20 raises and appropriates $560,000 for the principal payment of the Water Town painting and Repair Debt and $7,539 for the interest on that debt. It passed unanimously.

Article 21 passed unanimously. It raises and appropriates $14,750 for the Assessors’ recertification account.

Article 22 appropriates $7,500 for additional hours for the Conservation Commission secretary. Specifically, this is for her wetland protection work. The article passed unanimously.

Article 23 raises and appropriates $14,000 for two new copy machines for the Halifax Town Hall. It was approved unanimously.

Article 29 raises and appropriates $43,000 for a truck for the Municipal and School Building Committee. It passed unanimously.

Article 30 passed unanimously. It appropriates $21,700 to repair and replace three garage doors at the highway department barn.

Article 31 appropriated $8,200 to replace and repair windows at the highway department barn. According to the department, water is leaking into the building causing damage and a loss of heat energy. The article passed unanimously.

Article 42 passed unanimously. It funds a sum of money for studies for the Monponsett Pond and projects to improve water quality.

Article 43 raises and appropriates a sum of money to repair or replace parking lot lights at the HOPS Playground. It passed unanimously.

Article 44 passed unanimously. It authorizes the Board of Selectmen to negotiate a PILOT agreement for solar energy with Green Apple Farms, IV, LLC. The article only approves negotiations. Article 45, which approves an agreement has been passed over. Millias said the contract isn’t ready so there isn’t anything to approve at this time.

Article 46 was a vote authorizing the Board of Selectmen to negotiate a PILOT agreement for solar energy with Halifax Solar, LLC. It passed unanimously. It does not give the authority to agree on a contract. This would be done through Article 47 which is being passed over at this time because there isn’t anything to approve yet.

Article 48 seeks approval in selling a parcel of town-owned land measuring 17.65 acres to the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game. Millias said the town would be getting $250,000 for a piece of land the town can’t use. The article passed unanimously.

Article 50 authorizes borrowing of money to pay costs of capital projects in accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 44, Section 20. It was approved unanimously.

Article 54 passed unanimously. It delted the following passage from the town’s zoning-estate lot bylaw. “The Planning Board is the SPGA. Each submission to the Board should and will be considered on its own merits and specific applicability. The plans generated for consideration should strictly adhere to the criteria set forth for plans not requiring approval.”

Article 56 passed unanimously. It amends alternate energy zoning to allow zoning in the second (I-2) industrial district.

Article 59 passed unanimously. It transferred the special permit for an in-law apartment from being granted to the applicant to being granted to the property.

Article 60 changes the current policy of the in-law special permits being renewed only at Zoning Board meetings. The article lets someone request a renewal within 90 days of expiration and have the zoning enforcement officer come inspect the in-law to ensure its following the bylaw rather than having to come in. Seelig said, “We’re trying to lessen the burden on the permit holder.” It passed unanimously.

Passed Over

The following articles were passed over for now. They may be brought up at a future annual town meeting.: • Article 40, 49, 51, 58, 61, and 62.

Special Town Meeting

A special town meeting also took place during the annual town meeting. A special town meeting addresses funds that must be used this fiscal year and cannot wait until fiscal year 2019.

.Article 5 funds a $39,000 repair and replacement of the data processing system. Seelig aid this includes new hardware and software. According to Seelig, other communities in Massachusetts have been victims of malware attacks. Addressing this now is for prevention.

Selectman Troy Garron said Article 4 appropriates $15,000 to pay for the expenses of hiring a new police chief.  Garron said Police Chief Edward Broderick will be retiring within the next few months, so the funding is needed now.

Other Special Town Meeting Articles

Article 1 gives $250,000 of funding to remove the underground storage tanks at the highway barn and install a new aboveground system. Passed unanimously.Article 2 was passed over. It would have appropriated $1,360 to remove and re-install wireless access point cameras at Halifax Elementary School.

Article 3 raises $18,000 to repair fiber optic cables at Halifax Elementary School. It passed unanimously.

Article 6 passed unanimously. It approves an appropriation of a sum of money to be added to last year’s town meeting’s snow and ice removal line item.

Article 7 was passed over. It would have authorized the town’s purchase of several parcels of land. Millias said the town never received proper values for the parcels.

Article 8 was for the $977,000 for the fire suppression system at Halifax Elementary School. It was passed over because the town did not receive a successful bid.

Article 9 passed unanimously to pay outstanding electrical bills from FY18.

Article 10 passed unanimously. It authorized Seelig’s reimbursement of $345.47 for expenses incurred on behalf of the town.

Article 11 authorized the town to pay a $520 bill for Terminal Exchange Systems for working on the data processing network. It passed unanimously.

Jessica Zeoli

Express Correspondent

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met Monday to provide updates on the Atwood acreage on Prospect Road, the preparation for the Annual and Special Town Meeting warrants, and the Fire Advisory Committees.  They also introduced theconcept of forming a committee for Housing Production.

Atwood    acreage

First on the agenda was the Atwood Property. Last week prior to their meeting, selectmen received another purchase and sale agreement for the Prospect Road property. The interested buyers plan to develop the property, including building four to five houses. Plympton’s option of a right of first refusal must be decided by July 10, 2018, 120 days from April 11, when the agreement was received by the board. Selectmen must then notify the Atwoods that they will or will not seek to go forward to purchase the land.

Plympton’s Open Space Committee hired an appraiser to verify the value of the property as a first step.  While $800,000 is a large investment for the town, there is currently a sum of as much as $450,000 in CPA funds that could contribute to the purchase.

Mark Russo, board member, and Chairman of the Community Preservation Committee, spoke about the Cato’s Ridge and Churchill Park projects and how he genuinely favors preserving open land to provide an experience every member of the town can enjoy. He discussed following the Churchill Park model on the Atwood Property and creating fundraising similar to the planks on the Boardwalk at Churchill Park.

The Community Preservation Committee met Tuesday to discuss options if the town decides to exercise its right of first refusal.

The board plans to continue discussing the property and providing new details at each selectmen’s meeting as they become available. Selectmen hope the public will attend to state their opinions so they may continue in a direction supported by the town.

    Town Meetings

Up next for discussion were the Annual and Special Town Meetings. The Board of Selectmen, along with the guidance of Nathaniel Slides, Finance Committee; Barbara Gomes, Town Accountant; and Brian Wick, Town Meeting Moderator, went through each article for the Annual and Special Town Meetings correcting any wording, and addressing who will be speaking on behalf of the articles at the meetings. Christine Joy thanked Gomes and the Town Administrator, Elizabeth Dennehy, for the time they spent perfecting the structure of the articles for the meeting stating, “this is the easiest Town Meeting we have prepared in a long time.”

Fire Advisory Committees

Next, John Traynor, board member, provided updates on the Fire Advisory Committees. Several weeks ago, MRI or Municipal Resources Inc. completed their research on the Plympton Fire Department to see how they could better maximize the use of their resources. After the study, MRI presented the town with their recommendations to improve the Plympton Fire Dept. Selectmen created two committees to implement those suggestions that they found would work well in Plympton.  Selectmen created the Fire Department Technician Committee and the Executive Oversight Committee to prioritize recommendations and evaluate them.

Last week, Plympton selectmen met with Halifax selectmen to investigate how shared fire services could possibly function, as suggested by the MRI study.  Plympton selectmen feel confident they could work well with selectmen from Halifax if the towns decide to go further with shared services.

The Fire Department Technician Committee met Wednesday to consider the recommendations and find a direction to begin implementing them. Updates on their meeting will be presented at next week’s Plympton selectmen’s meeting.

Housing Committee

Last on the agenda was the formation of a Housing Production Plan Committee. Lisa Sullivan of Old Colony Planning Council submitted a rough draft of the regulations of housing production for the town. The board hopes to form a committee of about four or five people to help finish the draft by December of this year. Selectmen will provide their feedback regarding the draft once the Annual and Special Town Meetings have passed.  The draft will then be sent to the Zoning Board for approval and the formation of the committee will begin.

    In other news:

• Selectmen received word from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development that it has approved the Housing Production Plan submitted by Plympton in April.   The Housing Production Plan (HPP) certification lastS for a term of five years, expiring on April 11, 2023.

• The town has begun their search for an Animal Control Officer. There has been one interested applicant thus far applying for the job. Dennehy plans to interview him next week, once a job description has been developed and approved by selectmen at their next week’s meeting.

• Board members personally thanked Linda Leddy and Amy Cronin for all of their hard work on behalf of the Town of Plympton. They have volunteered on numerous committees throughout the past year and the board found them very worthy of recognition. With that being said, the board suggested creating a “Volunteer of the Year” award to help recognize the dedication of the town’s residents who give their time to volunteer for Plympton.

The next selectmen’s meeting has been changed to Tuesday, May 8, at 6 p.m.

The Halifax Beautification Committee announced at last Tuesday’s selectmen meeting that the committee is hosting a town clean up day Saturday, April 28 at 10 a.m.

Anyone that wants to help can meet the Beautification Committee at the front porch of the town hall. T-shirts as well as gloves and trash bags will be provided for anyone who wants to help.

Committee Chair Amy Troupe asked that for their own safety, volunteers wear long pants and long sleeves under the t-shirts. The Highway Department said people should not touch any needles or sharp objects found. If they are found, the volunteer should call the fire department who will remove them from the area.

Troupe is excited about the direction of the committee going forward. She said, “We have enthusiasm and a full committee.” Besides the committee, Troupe said the local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops have committed to helping on clean-up day.

The Committee has also been in contact with the Plymouth County House of Correction, however, nothing has been confirmed because the corrections facility is unsure they have the inmate personnel to commit.

The Beautification Committee is also looking for help beyond clean-up day. They are asking that people consider adopting an area in town to keep litter-free.

“We’re hoping to get people involved, take an area, and adopt it,” said Troupe. The Committee is hoping that person can clean-up their designated area two or three times per year.

According to the committee, nips have been the most found item in terms of littering. Selectwoman Kim Roy wondered if the Selectmen had any power on whether or not to sell nips in town. Town Administrator Charles Seelig was unsure. He brought up the idea of potentially increasing their deposit value from the current five cents.

Dog Hearing Continued

Kimberly Mahoney’s dog hearing that originally began on February 27 continued last Tuesday and remains unresolved.

Because of work obligations, Mahoney was not able to attend this week’s dog hearing. The Board of Selectmen asked that she contact a trainer as an attempt to curb her dog’s aggressive behavior. Mahoney contacted Tracy Marzelli of Middleborough as a potential trainer. Marzelli attended the Selectmen’s meeting.

Marzelli said that due to personal issues, she has not had a chance to meet Mahoney’s dog. She said she’d want to meet the dog and make an evaluation about the bite based on the Dunbar scale. The Dunbar scale measure dog bites on a scale of one through six. Marzelli said a six almost never occurs and is only used if the victim dies. A one would be an air snap from the dog.

“It gives an idea of why dogs bite,” said Marzelli. “Dog don’t bite for no reason, we just don’t always understand.”

Marzelli said she plans to evaluate the dog, but not in its own home. She said doing so puts the dog in a territorial situation and can set up the dog for failure.

“I can rehab almost any dog,” said Marzelli. However, she said the dog owner needs to be able to commit to the follow-up time and training after she’s done. If the owner is uncapable of carrying out the plan, Marzelli said she will recommend putting the dog down. She said she’s only had to make that recommendation once and doesn’t make them lightly.

The Board of Selectmen is giving Marzelli sometime to evaluate the dog. The hearing will continue at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, May 1.

Other News

• Maria Matthews-Forte was appointed as town matron. A matron is responsible for the supervision of a woman or minor when they are arrested. Roy was pleased with Forte’s background. She said, “Your resume is so impressive with your mental health background and substance abuse.”

• Warren Gardener was approved for four unregistered vehicle permits. Gardener’s property is zoned as industrial.

• A contract memorandum of understanding was approved between the Board of Selectmen and the Highway Department. Seelig said the memorandum means that if the two percent raise is voted for at town meeting, the contract will be signed by the Selectmen.

The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Tuesday, May 1. Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

A second recreational marijuana company is showing interest in a Halifax facility, said Town Administrator Charles Seelig at last Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

Hono East reached out to the board to gauge interest for a recreational growing and retail facility but haven’t proposed a location. According to Seelig, Hono East wanted to know if there was any interest before making a formal detailed proposal.

The only details provided were the town would receive a two percent community impact fee and the size of the proposed facility. Hono East is looking to create a 20,000 square foot facility for both growing and selling at retail.

Four Daughters, the other facility applying included a larger fee at three percent. Their proposal does not include a retail facility.

Selectmen Troy Garon and Thomas Millias said they are not “big fans” of a retail establishment. Millias said he’s not satisfied with a two percent impact fee when the other proposal is offering three percent.

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Dog Hearing

The dog hearing for Kimberly Mahoney that originally began on February 27 resumed after delays from two separate winter storms. According to Animal Control Officer Noreen Callahan’s statement, the victim said the dog was loose from a metal tether and barking. When the victim crouched down, the dog bit the man on the arm.

Selectmen left Mahoney with several requirements for her dog. She needed to get a dog license and have the dog vaccinated, which Mahoney and Callahan confirmed was done. Selectmen also want a kennel built and for Mahoney to be the only one that takes the dog outside. When she takes it outside, the dog is supposed to be muzzled.

Due to the weather, Selectmen said it can be lenient about the outdoor kennel requirement. Where the Board said it can’t be lenient is with the dog being muzzled. According to Mahoney, she is the only one who takes the dog outside, and Callahan confirmed she hasn’t seen the dog outside during any of her patrols of the area. However, Mahoney admitted the dog only wears a muzzle during the day.

“This was not the agreement,” said Selectwoman Kim Roy. Mahoney said the only reason the muzzle wasn’t on at night was because her dog would bite at it instead of going the bathroom. She said her dog was uncomfortable. All three selectmen agreed the dog needs to be on a muzzle.

The Board of Selectmen are giving Mahoney two more weeks to be compliant with its requirements. Roy said, “We wanted to give you an opportunity to let the dog have a normal life among others.”

Other stipulations include reaching out to a trainer, having them assess the dog’s aggression, and giving an estimated time table of how long the training might take. Callahan gave Mahoney a suggested contact for a trainer she knows has done great work with other aggressive dogs.

Selectmen will continue this hearing to Tuesday, April 24. This will be the last continuation of the hearing,

Selectmen Chair Thomas Millias said, “We can’t go on indefinitely with this.” He said the board will be forced to make a tough decision if requirements aren’t met  and the dog will be euthanized.

Franklin Street

Solar Array

Keith Akers from Syncarpha Solar came to the selectmen’s meeting to discuss the solar array project at Franklin Street. Akers said compared to other projects, this one isn’t large for them. He estimated installation of the panels taking about five months.

Akers said, “The construction project isn’t too disruptive.” He added the project could take less than five months to install, but he wanted to be conservative with his estimate. The largest part of the construction will be the clearing of roughly 11.5-12 acres of forest.

Seelig said Selectmen will see what progress has been made with the project on May 8, 2018. This will give the town time to write a town meeting article if they decide to do so.

Other News

• The Halifax Board of Selectmen finished union negotiations with firefighters, police officers, sergeants, and highway and cemetery employees. Seelig said all four unions agreed to a two percent raise.

• Warren Gardener’s multiple unregistered vehicle permit hearing will continue after the Planning Board has an opportunity to review it. The permit is for an industrial zoned property, so the permit might grant up to seven or eight vehicles if approved.

• Linda Braga resigned from the Finance committee. The Board of Selectmen will wait until after annual town meeting before seeking a replacement.

The next Halifax Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24.

Edward Flaherty, presenting information for a potential solar panel array at River Street, came in to discuss this Massachusetts DOER-run initiative at Tuesday’s Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting.

In providing details for the project, Flaherty said the array will be 25 acres in size and consist of 20,000 solar panels. “This is average size for the Commonwealth,” he said.

Selectmen Chair Thomas Millias asked about fencing for the panels and the type of security it would have. According to Flaherty, there will be a six-foot fence around the panels with barbed wire at the top. The fence will be secured with a padlock and there will be 24-hour video surveillance.

The solar array is expected to be relatively low maintenance. Flaherty said, “It’s low profile, doesn’t make any noise.” He said someone coming for maintenance once a month would be considered a lot.

Flaherty has met with Fire Chief Jason Viveiros about the project. He said they have discussed certain requests and said he would make any accommodations that Viveiros considers necessary.

Fire Department Update

The Board of Selectmen approved Viveiros approaching the state about a modification to a grant the fire department received for training purposes.

According to Viveiros, the idea here is to explore if creating a shared training program for Plympton and Halifax residents would be beneficial to both towns. This idea came from results of Municipal Resource Inc’s study of the Plympton Fire Department, which included recommendations for some shared services such as training.

Viveiros said he’s proud of the Halifax Fire Department, but by looking at the study of Plympton’s department, he’s been able to use some of those results and apply them as comparison benchmarks for Halifax. He said it makes it easier to review where Halifax might need some improvements as well.

There are no plans, or anything guaranteed at this time. Vivieiros and the Board of Selectmen said they want to explore this with an open dialogue.

Dog Hearing

The continuation of the dog hearing for Kimberly Mahoney’s dog has been postponed until April 10, 2018.

Animal Control Officer Noreen Callahan provided selectmen with reports including the recent dog license and vaccinations. It took Mahoney three weeks from the initial February 27, 2018 hearing to get the dog licensed and vaccinated. Selectman Kim Roy said she was frustrated that it took three weeks for this to happen because of how stern the Board was with Mahoney at the last meeting.

The kennel the Board asked for also hasn’t been built, but selectmen were understanding about this because of the weather. Mahoney had damage to her house that needed to be addressed first.

Callahan, who wasn’t able to attend the initial dog hearing said since the incident, people who wished to remain anonymous came forward alleging various incidents but had nothing concrete.

Selectmen asked Callahan if she’d seen the dog out on the property alone. Callahan said she hasn’t seen the dog out at all. She said there has been some heresay of others saying they’ve seen the dog out at 9 p.m., but right now it’s only heresay.

Other News

• According to Highway Surveyor R. Steven Hayward, the Selectmen said this week’s storm will put the town over its snow and ice budget. Halifax will need an article at special town meeting to address this.

• Silver Lake Regional School District approved its school budget. They removed another $14,000 from the budget. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said, “This is not the level we were hoping for…we’ll see how that plays out.”

• The Recycling Department received a $20,000 grant. Funds can be used for public outreach materials to reduce contamination between things that can be recycled and things that can’t. LED lightbulbs was an example that Seelig gave. Seelig said, “If they break, other materials become contaminated with mercury.”

The next  meeting of the Halifax Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Tuesday, April 10.  Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen discussed the possibility of extending the town’s moratorium for the sale of marijuana until June 30, 2019 at its meeting on Thursday, March 8.

This extension was discussed due to a lack of progress from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission regarding how the new industry will be regulated. Selectman John Traynor said, “They haven’t figured it out at the state level, so we have to wait to figure it out at the town level.”

According to Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo, this proposal most likely protects the town from facilities opening for now but said there’s a slight chance for problems. When attending a meeting, Russo learned it’s still uncertain an extended moratorium protects the town if the state takes action in the meantime.

“There’s a slight chance this won’t protect us,” said Russo. “It’s unlikely, but possible.”

All three members of the Board of Selectmen agreed that an extended moratorium is the best option for the time being. Any extended moratorium would have to be approved at Plympton’s annual town meeting. The article would essentially be a change to the zoning bylaw governing the current moratorium.

Police Station Construction Update

Dan Palotta, the project manager from P-3 LLC that the town hired for the construction of the new police station, proposed that the Board of Selectmen formerly sign the construction contract notice of award for the project.

According to Palotta, the state requires that the town must award the contract to the “lowest responsible bidder” as long as references check out and the project doesn’t come in over the town’s budget. Palotta said, “We will build you a building in the appropriation you made.”

When discussing the building inspection process, Public Safety Building Committee Chair Colleen Thompson asked if having the town’s building inspector check in on the construction is considered a conflict of interest.

Palotta said it’s not a conflict of interest because he isn’t the one responsible for the formal inspections. For this type of project, Palotta said it’s the responsibility of the designer to inspect and send updates to the building department.

The building is going to cost $375 per square foot. At this price, Palotta said, “You’re going to have a 21st century police station, something I don’t have to tell you has been needed for 20 years.”

Earth Removal Update

Linda Letty and Amy Cronin wrote a draft for the town’s earth removal regulations. Russo said he wants to get some expert opinion before finalizing the draft.

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said her only concerns were with the cubic yard threshold being too restrictive and there being activities in the draft that may not be eligible for exemption.

Traynor agreed with the concerns over the threshold. He said, “I was having trouble envisioning 300 cubic yards.

• Selectman Joy said she’ll have the annual town report completed by the Board of Selectmen meeting on March 19. The report is due on March 21, so the Board will be able to discuss any last-minute changes at that meeting.

• Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said she completed the town’s green community application, which was audited by the private company, Energy Source. Dennehy said she worked with a state official on several specific projects in the application including LED lights for Dennett Elementary School. She said, “you can apply for up to $250,00 every year.”