Monday, Nov. 6, the Plympton Board of Selectmen and Fire Chief Warren Borsari reviewed the state of the town’s emergency preparedness following the unexpected tropical storm on Monday Oct. 30.

Plympton was able to handle the situation without having to call on outside help, but both Borsari and the Board agreed there are items that need to be addressed to improve the town’s emergency preparedness going forward.

One thing Selectman John Traynor mentioned was it was unclear whether the town house should have been closed on Monday, as it’s normally used as a warming shelter during these types of emergencies. Traynor asked Borsari who is typically responsible for opening a shelter.

Borsari said it’s the responsibility of the fire department to open these shelters and there also needs to be some sort of police presence at least outside the building. Both Borsari and the Board admitted there could be staffing or budget issues with this.

With these concerns in mind, Borsari mentioned utilizing the CERT program. CERT stands for Citizen Emergency Response Teams. Borsari described it as a “community oriented, civic-minded approach. According to Borsari, there are resources available to help Plympton incorporate the CERT program.

Another emergency preparedness suggestion came from Traynor. He said more text updates and social media alerts should help the community be more prepared for bad weather and allow them to know where emergency shelters are if needed.

Borsari said the police department already does reverse 911 calls for the fire department, but he said he was open to Traynor’s suggestions.

The wind ended up being worse than Borsari thought it would be. Borsari said there weren’t any extra people on staff; the department had on its usual two fire engines and two call cars.

Most of the town ended up losing power, and the fire department had to act in a situation they admit they weren’t fully prepared for. Borsari said the highway department was great and helped remove trees.

Plympton opened a warming shelter at the town hall on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Most of the town had its power restored by Wednesday, November 1, 2017. According to Borsari, there were eight customers still without power Wednesday.

Chief Borsari praised the job that the town’s major electric supplier, Eversource, did handling the outages. He said, “In my opinion, Eversource did a very good job for us.”

Housing Production Plan Update

Selectman Chair Christine Joy said that the Housing Production Planning Committee reviewed its survey results. The committee used this survey in order to get community feedback on how to create more affordable housing in Plympton.

Joy said most of the survey results came from people in their mid-40s to mid-50s. The committee is also working with Council on Aging Director Joy Marble to get more input from senior citizens.

There’s a Housing Production Planning Committee Meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2017. The committee plans to finalize a draft for its housing production plan at this meeting.

Other News

• The Plympton Board of Selectmen successfully negotiated a contract with Elizabeth Dennehy, who will become Plympton’s first Town Administrator. Dennehy’s first day will be Monday, November 27, 2017.

• According to the Board of Selectmen, Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI) will have its first draft of its operational study of the fire department in about 90 days. Before releasing the draft, MRI will do one-on-one calls with each member of the Board of Selectmen to discuss the state of the department.

The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. Open session begins at 6 p.m.

The Silver Lake Regional School District is considering a parking lot solar project with Hopkinton, Mass. based Solect Energy in the parking lots of the high school and middle school.

Plympton’s representative to the Silver Lake Regional School District Jason Fraser discussed the proposed project with the Plympton Board of Selectmen at its meeting on Monday.

According to Fraser, the project involves building solar canopies in the high school and middle school parking lots. He said Solect estimates the canopies providing up to 2 megawatts of energy.

Fraser said, “This is purely a revenue generating idea.”  The school is already in a contract for a solar power plan, so this energy would not be used for the school itself. Fraser also reminded the Board that a yes vote would not bind the school committee to denying the project later on.

The Board of Selectmen asked Fraser several questions about the project. Selectman John Traynor asked if any parking spots would be eliminated from the project. He said his only real concerns were aesthetic.

Fraser said the district shares concerns about how the project would affect the appearance of the lots and it was an important factor going forward. He said he’s taken the time to visit the sites of other lots where Solect has done this sort of work.

Though he hasn’t heard any negatives, Fraser said this would be by far Solect’s biggest project in the state. This, according to Fraser, is mostly due to the size of the parking lot. He also said no parking spots would be lost in this plan.

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy asked about the estimated revenue this project would provide, but as of right now, that figure is unknown. “I’d love to tell you a revenue number,” said Fraser, “but we aren’t there yet.”

There will be a public meeting to discuss the pros and cons of the solar project on Thursday, Nov. 9.

Potential Budget Increase for Silver Lake Regional School District

According to Fraser, the Silver Lake Regional School District’s budget could go up by roughly $200,000, due to an increase in the number of students in the district.

Fraser told  selectmen, “This is all the more reason for additional revenue.” (referring to the solar project)

Plympton used to have a stabilization fund for school budget increases, but Fraser said this fund was eliminated by a vote at a previous town meeting.

Housing Production Plan Update

The Housing Production Survey deadline passed on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Joy said that in total, the survey yielded 82 respondents. At the meeting, she publicly thanked those who participated and was happy with the amount of people who did.

Joy said that the Housing Production Planning Committee will review the results at its next meeting on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. The committee is using last Wednesday’s meeting as well as future meetings to shape Plympton’s housing production plan.

Other News

• Selectmen said they are currently in contract negotiations with Plympton’s new Town Administrator, Elizabeth Dennehy.

• More interviews for Municipal Resources Inc.’s study of the Fire Department are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 4. Traynor said the interviews are “moving forward.”

The Board of Selectmen started exploring suggestions for the name change of the Winnetuxet Swimming Hole. Some suggestions were discussed however, nothing is concrete.

This is still very much in the preliminary stages. Some of the suggestions discussed included: Old Winnetuxet Swimming Hole, Winnetuxet Fishing Hole, Winnetuxet Recreation Pond, and Winnetuxet Cotton Mill Pond. The Board of Selectmen said they are going to let this sit for a little while.

The next meeting of the Plympton Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 6. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy and liaison to the Plympton Housing Production Plan Committee, said the committee is seeking new ways to increase citizen engagement.

The Plympton Housing Production Plan Committee’s primary focus is creating a development plan for the production of homes. Joy said it will “serve as a roadmap for expanding the diversity of residence options in town.”

Plympton was awarded a grant from the Old Colony Planning Council to create a housing production plan with the Council’s assistance. The state has specific guidelines for housing production plans that ensure affordable housing for moderate and low-income residents.

The committee is looking for ways to get the community involved in these decisions. Joy said, “The recently formed Plympton Housing Production Plan Committee (HPPC), is rolling up its sleeves to deliver its plan to the state by the end of 2017, but it hopes that all adult residents will participate in the process through any or all of the following: complete the Housing Production Plan Survey, attend the informational session, ask questions, and/or make suggestions.”

The survey is available until Tuesday, October 31, 2017. It can be accessed online at www.surveymonkey.com.plymptonHPP.

The committee will host a question and answer session with the help of Old Colony Planning Council, on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Town House to discuss current and future housing needs and trends in Plympton, the survey results, goals, key strategies for meeting these needs, and how they can be incorporated into the housing production plan.

Plympton         Celebrates Call   Fire Fighter George      Colby’s Retirement

The Plympton Board of Selectmen at their meeting on Monday, hosted a retirement ceremony for Call Fire Fighter George Colbert.

Plympton’s fire department as well as State Representative Thomas Calter attended and presented Colby with a pin for his 40 plus years of service as a call firefighter. Colby’s wife Sandi brought coffee and baked cookies for a short celebration at the Selectmen’s meeting.

Representative Calter described Colby as, “One-part firefighter, one-part medic, and one-part counsel.” He said the bill to recognize Colby’s service passed unanimously in the Massachusetts Houseof Representatives.

Fire Chief Warren Borsari expressed his admiration for the service and dedication Colby gave to Plympton over the past four decades.  Chief Borsari said he still anticipates Colby remaining involved with the department in some capacity.

Helping train new firefighters was one area in particular where Borsari sees Colby being a valuable resource. Borsari said that there’s a lot of new firefighters with not a lot of experience in this area, especially Plympton and Halifax. He said having someone with Colby’s experience is a wonderful thing.

In particular, Borsari was impressed that these years were spent as a call firefighter. Borsari said, “To be a call firefighter stands above all else (in the fire department) in my opinion.”

In his retirement, Colby says he plans to travel and ride his motorcycle as much as he can. Colby is the state representative for the Red Knights Motorcycle Club, a group composed of firefighters and their families.

Over the years, Colby traveled the United States on his motorcycle multiple times. He plans to take his wife to many of the places he’s visited on his many trips.

Asked about his retirement, Colby said, “It will be different, but I will never be far from a scanner.”

First Town Administrator Named

The Plympton Board of Selectmen announced the hiring of Elizabeth Dennehy as the community’s first Town Administrator.

Dennehy has more than 10 years of experience in municipal government, including serving as the Community Development Director in Walpole and as Planning Director and Environmental Affairs Officer in Fall River.

“We are excited to welcome Elizabeth Dennehy as Plympton’s first Town Administrator, “said Selectmen Chair Christine Joy. “Her skills, experience, and local knowledge will prove beneficial to the Plympton municipal team and will help us to achieve continued success for the community.”

Dennehy, of Raynham, was one of two finalists for the position. The second finalist, Joshua Garcia of Holyoke, currently works for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, where he serves as a manager of municipal services focusing on smaller-population communities.

“We were highly impressed with the qualifications of both finalists,” Chairman Joy said. “It was a difficult decision for the board.”

There was a total of 38 applicants for the position. The Board of Selectmen were supported in the search by a seven-member Town Administrator Screening Committee and by Community Paradigm Associates, a municipal consulting firm that focuses on assisting communities with such services as executive recruiting, strategic planning, municipal finance, economic development, and leadership training.

Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo expressed satisfaction with the job done by the consulting firm they used. Russo said, “Community Paradigm did a really wonderful job.”

Other News

• Boy Scout Frankie Perfetuo of Troop 53 came before the Board of Selectmen to follow-up on his Eagle Scout project. Perfetuo is building two benches for the Town Green, made from recycled materials and will face the street near the Gazebo.

• Selectmen made a formal recommendation that all boards and committees change the way they use acronyms in their public documents. Selectman John Traynor said boards should stop using acronyms, particularly when first introducing something. He said that most residents probably don’t know what the acronym means, so the Board prefers that the word be spelled out first with the acronym in parentheses before the acronym is used in the rest of the document.

• The next meeting of the Plympton Board of Selectmen is Monday, Oct. 30. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

On Monday, October 16, 2017, the Plympton Board of Selectmen approved the transfer of Plympton Gas and Convenience’s liquor license from the previous owner, Steve Craig, to the new owner, Plympton Gas and Convenience, Inc., with Michael and Susan Youssef of Medford, as principals.  Laura Chase will remain as manager.

A public hearing was held on Monday for the Board to come to this decision. Atty. John Marini of Lynn represented the new owners in the hearing process for the license application.

Marini said Chase worked under the previous store owner for four years and that a lot of the same people will be working in the store. Plympton Gas and Convenience stayed compliant and has not sold any alcohol since the ownership transfer.

The Board of Selectmen gave no reservations on approving the request for a liquor license transfer.  Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said, “It’s been a very-well run operation without any problems.”

Selectman John Traynor also said he didn’t have any problem with the transfer, but suggested the store consider the TIPS certification program. Traynor said TIPS provides useful training at the retail level for determining if someone is intoxicated or may have a speech impediment or another sort of disability. He added it gives the store a little more protection from legal issues.

Some towns in Massachusetts, including Plymouth, require those working at alcohol retail establishments to be TIPS certified. Plympton doesn’t have this as a town requirement, however Atty. Marini said he recommends that his client takes Traynor’s advice.

Plympton Gas and Convenience, located at 280 Main St., should be able to start selling beer and wine again soon.

Town Administrator Search Update

The Plympton town administrator candidate screening committee narrowed down the candidate pool to two candidates for the Board of Selectmen to interview.

This screening committee was appointed by the Board of Selectmen and consists of: Colleen Thompson, Town Treasurer – Collector, Town Accountant Barbara Gomez, Police Chief Patrick Dillon, former Finance Committee member Marilyn Browne, Assistant Assessor Deb Stuart, among others.

Finalists Joshua Garcia and Elizabeth Dennehy were interviewed by Selectmen on Tuesday, Oct. 17. There’s a possibility a candidate could be chosen next Monday.

Other News

At a previous meeting on Monday, Oct. 2, selectmen discussed how much a social media presence the Board of Selectmen should have. These discussions continued into last Monday’s meeting.

Both Joy and Traynor mentioned a desire to be more responsive on social media, particularly the Facebook group “Plympton Helping Plympton” was brought up. Joy wanted to see the Board have its own page.

Previously, Selectman Clerk Mark Russo was hesitant regarding the idea, expressing concerns over how this affects things like the open meeting law. However, at last Monday’s meeting, Russo said, “I’m coming around on Facebook.”

The Board all said nothing is imminent and members all expressed that larger cities and towns have the ability to hire someone full-time to do this type of work. If anything, the Board said this may be a responsibility of the new town administrator.

The next regular Selectmen’s Meeting is Monday, Oct. 23. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Meeting with the Halifax Board of Selectmen Tuesday night, Candace Kniffen of the Halifax Beautification Committee, reviewed the rules governing the newly established gift account for the maintenance and upkeep of the Fitzgerald Garden.

Kniffen told the board that donations have been coming in and she and her committee would like to use some of the funds for hiring a landscape company in the spring to do the routine maintenance and upkeep of the garden, which honors the late longtime beloved Halifax volunteer Peg Fitzgerald.

Kniffen also said that she had approached the Silver Lake horticultural program for their help in landscape design and choosing plants that are likely to do well in the garden.  She asked selectmen if they would approve extending the garden plan to include foundation plantings around the Town Hall building itself, to complement the garden.  Their response was a resounding “yes”!

She asked selectmen if they need to acknowledge gifts to the garden account or if the Beautification Committee can do it.  Selectman Kim Roy told Kniffen that they would like to be informed of gifts to the account and might like to send an additional note of appreciation, but that should in no way interfere with her committee sending thank you notes.  Kniffen also said that she mentions at the bottom of her letter to donors that their gift is tax deductible and that the letter should serve as the donor’s receipt for tax purposes.

Abandoned properties

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig told selectmen that the town treasurer has told him she has about 18 abandoned properties in foreclosure, as the town attempts to clean up these parcels and make a plan as to how to get them either into saleable condition, demolish them, or take any other action. 

At the last selectmen’s meeting on Sept. 26, three boards came together to discuss how to deal with these properties that in many cases are a blight to the neighborhoods and can be dangerous.  At that time, Seelig asked their boards’ input on how to craft new by-laws to more easily classify abandoned properties and describe the action(s) to be taken by the town.

Seelig said that he had hoped they would have a new by-law on the special town meeting warrant this November, but information from the boards has been slow to come and rather than have a hastily written by-law which might not serve well, he would like to have a carefully crafted by-law to present to the town at the annual Town Meeting in the spring.  “We have basically run out of time to have them at the Special Town Meeting in November,” Seelig said.  He suggested they delay any action until the May annual town meeting.  “If we’re going to change the multi-family by-law, it needs to be done thoughtfully,” he said.

Special Town Meeting

Selectmen have scheduled the Special Town Meeting for Monday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m., pending school availability.

Laurel and Circuit streets ‘Thickly Settled’

Residents of Laurel and Circuit Streets met with selectmen, to plead their case for stop signs at the four-way intersection, as well as signs to limit speed.

Seelig told selectmen that a new bill signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker allows towns to post new signs limiting speed to 25 mph, declaring the area “thickly settled” without all the former testing and red tape.  Seelig sent a notice to all residents of the two streets asking their opinion and he told selectmen that he received a number of responses, all favoring the reduced speed limit and signage.  Police Chief Ted Broderick favors the 25 mph limit, Seelig said.

Philip Salvatore of Laurel Street said that he favors the 25 mph ‘Thickly Settled’ signage.  Selectman Tom Milias said, “This does give law enforcement another tool.”  Gene Lyczynsky of Circuit Street, when asked if he would like to add anything, said, “You guys got it all!” 

Selectmen will confer with the highway surveyor after unanimously voting to implement the plan.

Cremation options

Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward brought in plans for a Cremation Wall to give a dedicated space for cremation urns, rather than have each take up a grave plot.  The Halifax cemetery is running short for space and Hayward said he would like to be able to offer other options.  He brought several photographs of some of the choices available, including a wall with niches for urns, a circular structure with spaces for urns, or a combination of both.  Selectman Milias said he thought the matter was “worth pursuing.”

Selectman Roy asked Hayward, “Do you want to design it?”  “I’d love to,” was Hayward’s answer.

Hayward also told the board that he has had a couple of complaints regarding plantings or decorations being damaged by mowing, and he wants to post the cemetery rules and regs by the water spigots so everyone knows what they are.  Selectmen agreed.

Trucks vs. school buses

Brendan Moquin, representing Morse Bros., appeared before selectmen to answer concerns that their gravel removal operation was interfering with school bus traffic on Lingan Street and Indian Path.

Moquin said that the gravel removal project will be completed within four to six weeks.  He said that he has coordinated with the contractor, and got the school bus schedule so there will be no further interference.

Selectman Troy Garron, who lives in the area, said that he has not seen any further violation.  “Indian Path wasn’t part of the deal.  Never was,” Milias exclaimed. 

“If the rule is broken again, I will be pulling the permit,” Roy told Moquin.  They will not tolerate further interference.

Selectmen’s next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Monday, Atty. Amy Kessel from Kopelman and Paige Law, updated the Plympton Board of Selectmen on new information regarding regulating recreational marijuana.

Nov. 8, 2016, Massachusetts voters approved the Question 4 referendum which made the recreational use of marijuana and marijuana establishments legal. Governor Charlie Baker signed this into law on December 30, 2016.

Kessel said the law “contained inconsistencies and raised many questions.” A revised version of the law was signed by Governor Baker on July 28, 2017, “An Act to Ensure Safe Access to Marijuana.”

The Act makes several changes to the laws that were approved by the voters. According to Kessel, several of these changes addressed regulation at the municipal level.

Kessel said, “The most significant changes from the municipal perspective involve the licensing process, the optional local tax surcharge, and amendments to the optional local restrictions or prohibitions that can be considered.”

Under the new provisions regarding the licensing process, municipalities are allowed to establish a moratorium (delay) on licensing recreational marijuana establishments until December 31, 2018. Kessel informed selectmen that the attorney general is not allowing any moratoriums past this date.

Plympton already has a recreational marijuana moratorium in place until June 2018. Extending it to December is a possibility, but afterwards the town will have to decide on a zone for it.

Selectmen John Traynor said, “I don’t see banning it, given the vote, but we’ll need to have strict laws around it.”

The new act does allow for cities and towns to regulate marijuana in ways they see fit. According to G.L. c.94G, s3, Kessel said, “Municipalities seeking to generally regulate the time, place, and manner of marijuana establishment operations may adopt ordinances and bylaws that impose reasonable safeguards on the operation of marijuana establishments, provided they are not “unreasonably impractical.”’

Other things Kessel mentioned that could be regulated were processing and manufacturing that could be deemed a public nuisance, restrictions on public signs, and setting up civil penalties for violating regulations.

Another optional regulation that municipalities can use is an optional local tax surcharge. Attorney Kessel recommends taking this action.

The act allows a city or town to tax a marijuana sale at 3% the total sales price. This increases from the 2% set up in the previous legislation. The tax does not apply to sales or transfers between other marijuana establishments.

In order for a town to adopt this new sales tax, it must be voted on and passed by a majority at Annual Town Meeting.

The new act also requires that municipalities enter in host community agreements with all recreational and medical marijuana facilities. The act authorizes a community impact fee, in which the town may charge up to 3% of the establishment’s gross sales. Kessel recommends instituting this fee.

Kessel said the impact fee can only be used on things that are “reasonably related” to impact cost. She said something like a D.A.R.E. officer would qualify.

All of these regulations will be overseen under the state’s appointed Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Kessel provided the following timeline of steps the commission took and is taking to start regulating the sale of recreational marijuana.

August 1, 2017-Cannabis Advisory Board

• Appointment of a 25-member Cannabis Advisory Board, with members appointed by a variety of officials and organizations, charged with making recommendations on guidelines, rules and regulations for the recreational use of marijuana.

• The President (or a designee) of the Massachusetts Municipal Association shall hold one seat.

September 1, 2017-Cannabis Control Commission

• Appointment of a five-member Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), by the Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer.

• The CCC will have authority to adopt regulations and issue licenses for commercial production and sale of marijuana, much like the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for alcohol.

• The CCC shall also assume authority over the licensing of medical marijuana treatment centers, which will be transferred from the Department of Public Health before December 31, 2018.

March 15, 2018-CCC Adoption of Regulations

• Adoption of regulations, guidelines and protocols by the CCC for the issuance of licenses for recreational marijuana establishments by this date.

April 1, 2018-Acceptance of License Applications Begins

• Acceptance of applications by the CCC for recreational marijuana licenses pursuant to G.L. c.94G will begin not later than April 1.

• Important: The CCC will be governed by the zoning bylaws or ordinances in effect at the time of the application. Municipalities must inform the CCC of any bylaw or ordinance that would make the applicant noncompliant if the license is issued.

June 1, 2018-License Issuance

• The CCC may begin issuing licenses. The CCC must approve or deny applications within 90 days.

Update on Potential Ring Road/Main Street Project

The Board of Selectmen said Police Chief Patrick Dillon voiced support for the project to widen the intersection of Ring Road and Main Street. Dillion said, “The new design will create better sight lines.”

More police enforcement was also offered as a short-term solution. The Board was told by Chief Dillon that the police department will offer more speed enforcement, especially during school hours. 25 miles per hour speed limit signs are also part of the short-term plan.

The Board of Selectmen said that Chief Dillon believes this intersection is the worst in town.

Town Administrator Hiring Process Update

Community Paradigm informed the Board of Selectmen that 35 applicants in total applied for the town administrator position. Bernie Lynch from Community Paradigm is working on narrowing down the applicant pool to seven candidates.

These seven applicants will move on to interviews with the Board of Selectmen appointed screening committee. Then, the screening committee narrows down the list to three finalists who the Board of Selectmen interview.

Other News

The Board of Selectmen voted to officially sign the contract with Municipal Resources Inc (MRI). MRI will be conducting a study of the operations of the fire department.

The last part of the new Animal Control incident form was approved by the Board of Selectmen. This part of the form was withheld from full approval last week due to some language regarding the Animal Control Officer. The form has since been revised and approved.

The following 1-day liquor licenses were approved by the Board of Selectmen

• Brook Retreat for the October 21, 2017 Black Tie and Blue Jeans on the Bog

• Mirbeau Spa for the October 14, 2017 Cranberry Bog Dinner Excursion

New owners at Plympton Gas and Convenience

A hearing for Plympton Gas and Convenience’s liquor license will be held on Monday, October 16, 2017. The Board said that ownership of the store has been transferred, so the store is not allowed to sell alcohol until they receive a new license.

The same manager and staff were retained by the new owner. Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said, “This might make the background checks quicker, but it could take some time.”

Monday’s Plympton Selectmen’s meeting saw several residents concerned as Highway Surveyor Jim Mulcahy presented a preliminary plan for addressing safety issues at Main Street and Ring Road.

The proposed plan, which Mulcahy said is still in early stages and not set in stone, involves widening the intersection at Main Street and Ring Road. A design enegineer consultant was hired by Mulcahy and the Highway Department to explore ways to make the intersection safer.

Mulcahy presented before and after illustrations of the intersection that showed exactly what is being done. According to Mulcahy, widening the intersection will not remove the curve. He said, “We’re not getting rid of the curve; we’re softening the curve.”

Even though Mulcahy acknowledged that this plan doesn’t address all the issues on Ring Road, he thinks this is a good plan that can make a difference.

Mulcahy said, “This is a pretty good scheme. I’m not saying the best, I’m not saying the worst, but I think it’s going to be the most practical.”

According to Mulcahy, a stone wall at the curve of the intersection has also been a problem. He said it may be possible to remove it for this project, but said this is all still preliminary.

Several Ring Road residents remained skeptical about widening the intersection as the solution. Many cited lack of speed limit enforcement as the real issue at hand. A few residents said they’d rather see if more speed enforcement works first before spending town money on a project.

One resident questioned if the project was needed at all.  She asked how many accidents have occurred at this specific intersection.  She was not satisfied that Mulcahy did not have this data and declared his evidence was anecdotal.

School Board member Jon Wilhelmsen responded by saying that studies do not pick up near misses. He said there’s been at least half a dozen near misses in the last 10 years.

“I’d be concerned with that just because we haven’t had a major incident we don’t take action,” said Wilhelmsen.

One resident, Gavin Murphy, who moved to Plympton with his family a few years ago, was concerned that widening the road will negatively impact the picturesque aesthetic of the town. Murphy said he’s worried that this is “hacking away at the rural fabric of this community.”

Other options were explored briefly with some residents suggesting a three-way stop sign to force people to slow down at the intersection. Selectmen’s Assistant Briggette Martins said she was skeptical this would work because of the way people drive getting their kids at Dennett Elementary. She said something similar was tried in Duxbury and it did not work.

Electrical Aggregation with Colonial Power coming to Plympton

Colonial Power Group President Mark Cappadona discussed with the Plympton Board of Selectmen the upcoming electrical aggregation service coming to the town.

The aggregation agreement doesn’t change the source of electricity for the town. Eversource is still the provider for Plympton.  Cappadona said, “Aggregation only addresses the electron running through the wire.”

Cappadona said that aggregation is flexible and allows for both standard and green energy. “You have the ability to have two products if you so desire,” said Cappadona. He also emphasized that aggregation also allows classifying residential, commercial, and industrial services.

Prices for electricity are expected to be higher over the next 24 months than the current 10.75 cent Nstar Rate according to Colonial Power Group. Cappadona said National Grid’s rate is expected to hit 12.6 cents per kilowatt hour.

Both Abington and West Bridgewater are on 12-month contracts with Colonial Power. Cappadona said both towns have a certified green National Wind product and both have fixed rates of 11 cents per kilowatt hour.

The aggregation is a service every resident is opted into unless they choose to opt out. Information and instructions to opt out are going to be mailed out by Colonial Power.

The Board of Selectmen said it’s important people are aware of the electrical aggregation. Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said, “It might be a good idea to get this on the website so people know this is coming.”

Potential Green Community Grant Opportunities

Plympton is certified as a green community under the specifications of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). This certification opens up grant opportunities for the town to use on different types of projects.

Mass DOER Green Communities Regional Coordinator Seth Pickering, along with Thomas Lesure and Chris Collins came before Selectmen to discuss grant opportunities for Plympton that could reach up to $250,000 annually.

For the town to be eligible for the grant, the Board of Selectmen need to submit an annual report. Pickering said the town has not done this the last two years.

Mass DOER can help the Board with the report, but only to a certain extent because they also audit and review the annual reports.

Only one grant can be issued at a time. Collins said, “It’s about doing a project you can get done and reapplying for grants next year.”

Pickering also said the town is in a unique situation where every town that’s a part of the Silver Lake Regional School District is a certified green community. This means if the town wanted to combine on a project for the school district, there’s a potential $750,000 in grant money that could be used.

Other News

• The Board of Selectmen set up a screening committee for interviewing and narrowing down the town administrator applicant pool to three candidates. The following people were selected to be members: former selectman Colleen Thompson, Town Accountant Barbara Gomez, Police Chief Patrick Dillon, former finance committee member Marilyn Browne, assistant assessor Deb Stuart, among others.

• Selectmen approved the new incident report form for the Animal Control Officer with the exception of one part which has some language on the form involving the animal inspector that the Board will review with Town Counsel before approving.

The Board of Selectmen announced at Monday’s meeting that Community Paradigm is making significant preliminary progress in helping Plympton select a town administrator.

Selectman John Traynor said the Board met with Bernard Lynch from Community Paradigm on Wednesday, September 13, when Lynch informed the Board that there are already 18 applicants.

Selectman Clerk Mark Russo said that Friday, Sept. 22, is the deadline for applications. Then, a screening committee that’s been set up by selectmen will interview the candidates and narrow the pool to three finalists. These finalists will then be interviewed by the Board of Selectmen.

Plans for Town House Projector System Discussed

Selectmen last Monday met with Jon Velozo, a sales representative for Ockers Company to discuss the installation of a projector system in the large meeting room at the town house.

The proposed projector would be installed on the wall to the right as one enters the meeting room at the Plympton Town House.

Velozo discussed a few different sizes for the board with selectmen, but the one he recommended most was an 8-foot by 4-foot board. According to Velozo, a board of this size allows for a 90 to 100-inch screen projection.

Installation for the projector is expected to take only a day. After installation, Velozo includes a three-year warranty for the projector system.

Selectman John Traynor asked if electrical work was included in the cost breakdown given to the Board at Monday’s meeting. Electrical wasn’t included, though Velozo said they have electricians to do that type of work. Traynor asked that Velozo send forth an updated cost breakdown with a line item for the added electrical work required to power the projector.

Selectmen plan to speak with Silver Lake Regional School District‘s Technology Director Steve Pellowe before making any final decisions regarding whether to use an interactive or non-interactive projector. At the Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, July 17, 2017, Pellowe said there’s about a $600 difference in the price between the two.

Other News

Selectmen, along with the Board of Health discussed the new incident form that will be used to report all incidents involving Animal Control.

Board of Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo said, “It (the new form) standardizes reporting.” According to Russo, the new form makes sure all appropriate agencies receive the necessary report.

The Board of Health said they are also trying to simplify what types of events require a small events permit. However, Board of Health Chair Art Morin said the Board is waiting until October before making any changes.

In the wake of Plympton’s choosing to hire a firm to study and make recommendations for the operation and management of the Plympton Fire Dept., Chief Warren J. Borsari told selectmen Monday night that he has received the resignations of several FD personnel.  Deputy Chief Steven Winslow, with almost 40 years as a call firefighter in Plympton, tendered his resignation.  Steven M. Enright, Jr., gave his two weeks’ notice.  Call Fire Lieutenant Joe Gibbons cited “personal and professional reasons” for his resignation.  These are added to the resignation of Robert D. Law, as Captain of the Plympton Fire Dept. who did not list a reason for his abrupt resignation without notice as of August 18

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MRI chosen for FD

Borsari will be working closely with Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) a firm that was chosen from a field of four to study and give recommendations for the operation of the Plympton Fire Department and Emergency Services.

The final decision was made at the Plympton Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, Sept. 11.

Both Chief Borsari and Selectmen acknowledged how difficult this decision was. Borsari said the town had worked with the other finalist, Atty. Ernest Horn, in the past and said that essentially everything Horn predicted would happen with the town’s fire department has come true.

Borsari also praised Horn for his public safety experience. He said Horn has ten years’ experience each as both a police and fire chief.

Selectman John Traynor originally believed Horn to be the best choice to conduct the study. Traynor said, “Ernie was extremely thorough. I felt like there’d be no rock unturned.”

Reference checks were done by Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo who chose more recent references from each candidate in order to get a better idea of their present work.

Russo described Horn’s references as “pretty enthusiastic.” However, he went a step further with MRI saying the references were “almost uniformly extremely enthusiastic.”

Besides the references, Russo said he was leaning toward MRI because of their being a large firm with a lot of experience. He said this adds legitimacy and this is something the town needs.

Borsari also ultimately ended up leaning toward MRI because of the sheer amount of experience of the firm. He remains impressed by MRI having three former fire chiefs with more than 100 years combined experience.

Traynor said he was fine with either option and with the Borsari and the rest of the Board preferring MRI, he made it a unanimous vote.  Selectmen voted to negotiate a contract agreement with MRI for the purpose of conducting a study on the Fire Department and EMS services.

Executive Session Resignations

Selectmen held an executive session with Fire Chief Warren Borsari. The deputy chief and fire captain both resigned, so an emergency session was held to discuss reorganizing the department as well as discussing potential candidates to fill these respective positions.

Health Agent resigns

Board of Health Agent Cathy Drinan also resigned from her position. Selectman John Traynor said, “It’s a shame she is leaving.”

Selectman Chair Christine Joy also said she was upset to see her leave. Joy said, “She’s an asset to the town.”

Board of Health Chair Art Morin told the Board of Selectmen that a replacement is needed in order for the Board of Health to complete some of its routine functions. Morin said, “We’re going to be putting a lot of things on hold.”

According to Morin, a replacement is needed before the Board of Health can begin approving septic systems again.

The next Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. Open session begins at 6 p.m.

As a hockey player, he was never much of a skater, but fast-forward 20 years, and —after a career as a police officer ensued — ‘Doug the Thug’ is back.

Part two of a cinematic tale based on the very brief hockey career of Halifax resident and Hanson Police Officer Doug Smith is once again highlighted on the big screen. The sequel “Goon: The Last of the Enforcers” was released last month and is playing locally.

Smith, taking the extra attention in stride is unassuming as he recently arrived at the Halifax HOPS playground to do an interview with the Express.

In dad mode with his two daughters; Vanessa, 9, and Victoria, 7, in tow, the six-foot-two Smith has a genuine smile and down-to-earth manner. Wearing golf attire and a Scally cap he stepped out of his dated mini-van. He is passionate but not boastful about his film career, which began after best friend Adam Frattasio also a Hanover native (Frattasio was inducted in the Hanover High School Hall of Fame) convinced him to learn to skate at age 20, combining his fighting skills to become an enforcer on ice. Smith was a graduate of Hanover High Class of 1982.

Frattasio and Smith co-wrote the book, “Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey.”

“I barely had any skating abilities but I practiced every day,” Smith recalled of his ice hockey career. “I was watching friends ice skate from the sidelines for years.”

In his early 20s, just three years later, he was playing professionally as an insurance policy — protecting his teammates and showing up to fight.

The first movie, based loosely on his book, is embellished but Smith recalled the 1988 game in the East Coast Hockey League when a reporter from the Erie, Pa. Times nicknamed him “Doug the Thug.”

Smith still has the article.

After a teammate sustained a cheap shot in the Pennsylvania, Smith incited a bench clearing brawl. The next morning at their hotel the team read the Times’ screaming headlines from the game and the nickname stuck.

Smith is in the motorcycle unit — an enforcer of a different kind — as a Hanson police officer for nearly two decades. He is finding a bit of Hollywood sparkle running through his small town roots.

“I love going to work,” he said. “I work in a small town where the people are great, and my fellow officers are supportive. This was something I was able to share with them.”

He recently held a red carpet event and private viewing at the Patriot Cinema in Hanover following a spread hosted by Greg Simeone of the Harmon Golf Club, a former hockey colleague.

Smith’s first semiprofessional camp was in Winston –Salem, N.C., however the fictitious team’s character Doug Glatt plays for are set in Canada, which is where most of the cast, crew, and directors are from. He and Frattasio traveled to Toronto to film a couple cameo scenes this past year.

Impressed with the nature of the Hollywood set and all the behind-the-scenes happenings that go into making a movie, Smith called the actors “regular Joes.”

“They wanted to talk about my life as a police officer,” he said. “They asked me about the show ‘Cops.’ They were down to earth. We talked about hockey. The whole experience was cool to be involved.”

Actor Seann William Scott most notably known as Stifler in the “American Pie” series takes the lovable, and sometimes dim-witted character of Doug Glatt on a less than triumphant career path, which deemed him “second best” for success in his family. Scott reprised his role and continues to fight and meet life’s challenges as a character with his heart in the right place.

In “Goon,” Glatt is portrayed as having shown up on the ice in white women’s figure skates to hockey tryouts. The Express had to know.

“Never happened,” said Smith laughing. “The only time I would have to deal with figure skates is if I am helping my daughters and at that I’d be tying them, not wearing them.”

Smith’s career spanned six teams in four different leagues and he was  cut from Cincinnati at the end of his single season, dressed for skating when needed only as a fighter on the ice. His stats were 60 games and he logged 442 minutes in the penalty box for fighting.

When he thinks back over his career he still sees the impossible odds against his success.

“I am the same. I played lousy in 60 games and all this came of it,” he said. “I like to remain low-key and humble. People will ask me about it (the movies) and I‘ll talk with them, but it was a tough job. It was mentally stressful to know you had to fight in that atmosphere (on skates) and not fall over… they show Glatt unstable on skates …I was.  I’m 6’’2 and I was fighting 6”6 guys. I wondered… could I hold my own. I survived. I did well,” he said.

As he looks ahead in life and his career, Smith who is celebrating 11 years together with his wife Sharon, holds a passion for the Hanover Boys Club where he learned to box. He took his career in his mid-teens to amateur level fighting in the Golden Glove competitions. He remains involved as the manager and a member of the board. The Boys Club celebrates its 40th year in Hanover this year. He continues to fundraise for them.