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.

.

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.”

Disagreements between the Halifax Board of Selectmen and two of the town’s representatives to the Silver Lake Regional School District were discussed at last Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The Board of Selectmen along with the Finance Committee have worked on a budget that cuts $400,000 from the Silver Lake budget. Town Administrator Charles Seelig has said at several meetings that unexpected increases to the special education budget, especially at the elementary school level, are having an impact on other departments in Halifax’s fiscal year budget.

According to Seelig, another budget proposal was brought forward by two of the town’s representatives that they say cuts $291,000 instead. Seelig said this, however, is not a true cut because this only fixes an error from the previous budget. He said it doesn’t actually cut new funds compared to last year’s fiscal budget, but just makes a correction.

Selectmen Vice Chair Kim Roy said she was disappointed with the two representatives’ position on the budget cut. She said that they don’t only represent what they personally want for the school, but the well-being of the town as well. “This is the year of the need, not the want,” said Roy.

Selectmen Clerk Troy Garron said that representatives need to keep in mind what its residents can afford to pay, including low income residents who might not be able to afford a larger budget.

Selectmen will continue to work with the Finance Committee and its representatives to the Silver Lake District. Seelig reiterated that there’s still time to get a budget done. He said, “We still have two and a half months before Town Meeting.”

Dog Hearing

Selectmen held a dog hearing for Kimberly Mahoney’s dog, that got loose and bit a man at the liquor store across from her house.

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, Mahoney’s dog bit him on the arm.

The dog was not licensed and had not received a rabies vaccine. Mahoney said she was cited and fined by Callahan for not having the license or vaccine for the dog.

Roy called Mahoney’s actions “irresponsible” and based on her initial feelings, she was leaning towards the dog being euthanized.

Mahoney said she believes her dog was just scared, but said that isn’t an excuse for her to bite. “She’s typically afraid of men,” said Mahoney.

According to Mahoney, she’s had the dog since it was six weeks old. Being almost two years old now though, the German Sheppard-Pitbull mix has remained “aggressive.”

Mahoney said she doesn’t feel comfortable bringing the dog to the vet because of how the dogs reacts around other dogs. She’s also worried about how the dog will react with other people now too, but said this “aggressive behavior” has only been directed towards strangers.

She said the dog has never been aggressive towards her or her five children. “If you saw her with the baby, you’d think they’re best friends,” said Mahoney.

Neither the victim nor Callahan were present for the first hearing, so Selectmen are delaying a decision for two weeks. In the meantime, the dog must wear a mussel at all times when outside or when other people visit Mahoney’s house. Mahoney is also the only one allowed to take the dog outside. Her children are forbidden from doing so.

South Shore Community Action Council

Jack Cocio, the CEO of the South Shore Community Action Council came to the selectmen’s meeting as a reminder to the types of services the organization provides.

According to Cocio, the organization spent $287,184 this past fiscal year on services for low income residents including low income heat assistance, weatherizing homes, income tax assistance, and providing food.

In Halifax alone, Cocio said 152 pounds of food have been distributed. “I would like to see more residents take advantage of this; it’s a really good program,” said Cocio.

Some funding for this organization is usually provided via approval at Town Meeting. Roy said given this upcoming fiscal year’s budget constraints, she’s unsure the town will be able to fund as much as they usually do, but said they will do what they can.

Garron said residents can contact the Council on Aging for more information on South Shore Community Action Council.

Other News

• The Board of Selectmen appointed Leonard Tecino to the Capital Planning Committee.

• Stacy Varao was appointed to the Holidays in Halifax Committee. Varao said, “This type of committee is up my alley. I’m passionate about the holidays, it’s positive.”

•Selectmen approved Robert Bergstrom’s live entertainment permit for Mud Fest on June 10, 2018 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Silver Lake Regional High School became a wacky wild Stratford on Avon where the words of the Bard were bandied about with a new twist provided by English students, all seniors, Tess Beckwith of Plympton, Ali Farina of Halifax,  and Tom McSorley and Abby Kramer, both of Kingston.

From a love of Shakespeare, the four writers, under the direction of Silver Lake staff Shakespeare and English teachers Heather Bates and Ashley Ferrara, presented their homage to the Bard Thursday, Feb. 15, with performances throughout the day to English students and a finale public performance at 5 p.m. to the public. The play honored Shakespeare’s 454th birthday, which is thought to be April 23, 1564.

Brainstorming for the project began in the summer of 2017.  Students were chosen from project applicants by staff teachers Bates and Ferrara. After months of collaboration, writing, and re-writing, A Quinn-Kle in Time was born.

The seniors were given the opportunity to present their show with a cast -which grew to 60 in the past two years – and figuratively leave their marks – written with a magical quill pen – as their legacy in the Silver Lake Drama Department.

Their meetings were held to exchange Shakespearian tragedy in their coolest teen hangout – Panera!  As if the entire world was a stage they openly laughed, twisted, penned, edited and formed their 2018 Shakespeare Festival script with as much amusement, underlying humor, and irony as Shakespeare himself or at least in their case more like his intern Quinn.

The fictitious intern Quinn, played by Quinn Bonnyman of Halifax, literally whirls through time in the portal, which is a white sign (insert imagination).  The typical ending of a Shakespeare wedding was recognized with not one but three weddings.

With continued coaching, editing and tweaking, the script developed through the fall.

“Each year we come up with new things to do. We were doing an independent study where students were writing the spring show just to celebrate his birthday. It morphed each year into different sonnet reads, stage fighting then in 2006 a couple students wrote an independent study.  From there we decided this would be really fun… in the last couple years there has been so much interest, “ said Bates.

The student writers/directors embraced all aspects of the show casting, costuming, and set designing with only eight rehearsals.

The four plays, based on Much Ado about Nothing, The Tempest, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet, added such calamity as Banquo’s ghost riding a toy horse scooter and a same sex couple ending in unity between Mercutio and Romeo. They also included in their twisted-up plots a few inside jokes that drew uproarious laughter among the auditorium of students and families.

The Shakespeare Festival has become a tradition which a group of seniors take on each year, said Ali Farina one of the writers.  Changing it up to keep it fresh is an annual challenge they meet with gusto.

All four writers have begun their countdown to graduation, with college next fall and a multitude of career aspirations. Their collective advice to incoming freshman, whether it is drama club or sport, is ‘make sure to join in something you love’.

Jessica Zeoli

Express correspondent

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met Monday, Feb. 12 to continue the discussion regarding the parcel of land off Prospect Road known as the Atwood Property.  Ryan Vlaco of BRV I, Inc. in Middleborough, has signed a purchase and sale agreement in the amount of $1 million for the 75.3 or perhaps 113-acre parcel – acreage differs from the earth removal permit application and the plan of land submitted with the application.

Selectman Russo reminded the crowd that the meeting was not an official hearing and no official proceedings were to take place. The public will be notified when, in fact, legal measures will begin to take place on the purchase of the parcel.

After hearing concerns of many Prospect Road and Soule Street residents regarding issues such as unreasonable wear and tear on roads by the estimated 100 gravel trucks per day each hauling a full load of gravel, effect on nearby wells, the tearing up of pristine woodland and damage to the ecosystems of several protected species of birds, reptiles and plants, Beverly Atwood, longtime owner of the property now protected by the Atwood Family Irrevocable Trust, stood to be heard, citing the hypocricy of the group. 

“When your children were throwing rocks into our canals, that didn’t bother you and I think the person’s here whose sons were doing that.  When somebody else’s sons burned down our bog shed, that didn’t bother you.  When some other people put up signs for their horse trails – that didn’t bother you.  That’s our property.  Nobody ever has come to me and asked permission …  And we have never been confrontational about any of it.  And now all of you are here, all of a sudden  – something’s going to happen to your property … And you people all now are nature lovers!  You didn’t give a darn about my bogs when you people trail rode through.  Geese – I give them a free ride because they belong there – but you people don’t! None of the rest of you beautiful land people who love the land but have no respect for mine until I want to sell it because my husband is sick … and I have to get this property sold …  where were you last year asking me to buy it?  Where was anybody three years ago?  Nobody! …  All of a sudden your playground’s going – the place where you go and don’t ask permission.  And now it’s a nature preserve!”

Jennifer MacDonald, 44 Prospect St., spoke to the right of way which her property abuts, saying that it is no way capable of handling 100 trucks per day, and that the deeded right of way is for timber removal, and perhaps the occasional cranberry truck, but to make any changes to the right of way would require consent from the abutters.   She also noted that the gravel trucks cannot negotiate the sharp curve onto Prospect Road in either direction and would need to go forward onto Marie Elaine Drive and Tobey Lane, through thickly settled residential areas, to make the turn.  MacDonald continued to say that if she’d known the land was for sale, “I would have bought it!”

Gail Knight of Winnetuxet Road empathized with Mrs. Atwood, saying that she would feel the same if people were abusing her property.

Russo told Mrs. Atwood that the process (of coming out of Chapter 61) would take time.  “One of the consequences of putting land into Chapter is that you save on taxes, and you complicate the sale in the end,” Russo said. 

According to state law, land that has been protected and held under any of various “Chapter” titles, such as 60, 61, 61A must be offered back to the town before it can be sold.  The town may then exercise its option of first refusal.

This 75.3 to 113-acre parcel of has raised many questions for the residents of Prospect Road and surrounding areas in last week’s meeting.  Selectman Mark Russo attempted to address citizen concerns.

A list of priorities regarding the project were announced beginning with contacting town council to address a letter to the current owner of the land to establish communication. Next, the board discussed clarifying the boundaries of the project and verifying that the land for sale is entirely owned by the seller.

Plympton assessors are working to determine the boundaries of the project  Linda Leddy and Ami Dion of the Open Space Committee will begin volunteer research on agricultural bylaws and legal measures taken in similar towns when dealing with earth  removal applications. Following this research, the town may go forth with creating procedures for handling the sale of Chapterland and future applications regarding earth removal operations in the town.

Selectmen plan to “represent all the citizens involved in the project and remain fair,” as stated by Russo, all other board members agreeing.

Rocky Mountain

water concerns

Selectmen agreed to have Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy research a surveillance system to address concerns that water trucks are going onto the Brook Street property earlier than their agreement with the town allows.  One abutter noted violations Feb. 6, 7, and 12.  Selectman John Traynor suggested a camera system be set up to document these incidents.  Russo said he would call Mr. Rose again to let him know.  Traynor said that the town should have firm legal documentation of these violations.

Old Town House

Lease signed

The lease between the town and the Plympton Historical Society has been updated and signed by both parties, according to Selectman John Traynor, who asked that copies of the lease be emailed to Society President Jessica Kinsman and the members of her board.

One of the terms of the lease is to have a sign.  The current sign was damaged by snow removal equipment.  Town maintenance superintendent Sarro has said he will repair the sign and have it re-installed in the spring, after the ground thaws.

Recreation

Commission

Selectmen are seeking volunteers to serve on the Recreation Commission.  Anyone interested should contact the selectmen’s office at 781-585-2700.

In other busines

• The board ended the meeting by approving a Best Buddies Bike-A-Thon in June, pending approval by the fire and police departments.

• Selectmen will not meet next week because of the President’s Day holiday on Monday, but will resume their meeting schedule the following week, Monday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m.

• MRI Consultants, who are working on a review of the Plympton Fire Department, will have a draft of their report by the end of this week.

Deborah Anderson

contributed to this article.