Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy presented a plan for a social media strategy for Plympton at the Board of Selectmen Meeting last Monday. However, there was some disagreement about the best way to grow the town’s presence on Facebook.

Dennehy suggested making one general town Facebook page, but believes there shouldn’t be a comment section for it. She said the page should be “informative not interactive.”

Both Dennehy and Town Clerk Tara Shaw, who will both be handling most of Plympton’s social media agree with this notion due to concerns about violating open meeting laws. Dennehy said, “I don’t think the page should interact with other pages or groups.”

The notion of not having a comment section was a belief shared by all members of the Board of Selectmen. There was some disagreement about interacting with other groups, like Plympton Helping Plympton.

Plympton Helping Plympton is a closed Facebook group where Plympton residents and former residents will discuss things related to the town. Most of the time, the discussions in the group are not related to municipal government. Selectmen John Traynor said they can be about things as simple as someone needing a babysitter.

Local government topics do get discussed on occasion and Traynor believes this is a resource the town should be tapping into. Traynor said there are about 2,500 people in the group, Plympton Helping Plympton.

Town Administrator Dennehy, Town Clerk Shaw, and the rest of the Board of Selectmen expressed not wanting to post to the group. Dennehy and Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said they have concerns about open meeting law violations, particularly because Plympton Helping Plympton is not a public group.

Traynor said he doesn’t think there is a violation because his idea is to post the exact same announcement to Plympton Helping Plympton as they would the town website or Facebook page.

Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo said he’s concerned that the town could lose control over misinformation, in a private forum rather than just their own channels. Commenting couldn’t be turned off in a platform the Board of Selectmen doesn’t control. However, Russo remained open to the idea if the posts were the same.

He suggested Plympton creates its Facebook page first and then explore revisiting some of Traynor’s ideas at a later time.  Selectmen voted to start a Facebook page for the town.

According to Dennehy and Shaw, the Facebook page will not be used to replace the website, but bring residents to the town’s official website. Shaw said she already does this from her personal Facebook page within the Facebook group, Plympton Helping Plympton. She doesn’t comment, but will post links to the town website where official information can be found.

Dennehy said, “We don’t want Facebook to replace the website.” She said she sees it as a bridge to the town website.

Electrical Aggregation Update

Mark Cappadona, the president of Colonial Power Group was at the Board of Selectmen Meeting to answer any questions residents may have about the upcoming electrical aggregation service for Plympton. The Plympton Board of Selectmen previously signed a 6-month contract that opts residents into this program starting on January 1, 2018.

Members of the Board of Selectmen said there was some confusion among residents about the service, so Cappadona came in to clear up any questions. However, only one resident attended the meeting.

Joan Harper, the Plympton resident in attendance, asked who she would contact if she opts out of the program, but still sees herself as in it on her electrical bill. Cappadona said she would contact Colonial Power directly and they’d take care of it without any opt out penalty.

Cappadona said there’s no penalty for opting in or out of the program. He described the program as the town giving residents another option that guarantees savings on their electrical bill for the first six months.

Electrical rates for NStar Eversource are expected to increase to 13.175 cents per kilowatt hour this winter. Cappadonna says Colonial Power offers about a 9% savings compared to the standard product.

Eversource is still the electrical supplier for Plympton. Cappadona said this is only a financial transaction and doesn’t affect who to contact about power outages and other issues.

Other News

• The appointment of two new fire lieutenants were approved by the Board of Selectmen. Paul Gallagher and John Sjostedt were both appointments as new members of the fire department.

• Liquor licenses were renewed for Plympton Gas and Convenience, Plympton Convenience Store, and Upland Sportsman’s’ Club. Upland Sportsman’s Club also had its range permit renewed.

The next Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 11, 2017. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Plympton’s first town administrator, Elizabeth Dennehy officially began her post at Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

Dennehy brings more than 10 years of experience in municipal government. She served as the Community Development Director in Walpole and also spent time as the Planning Director and Environmental Affairs Officer in Fall River.

Dennehy expressed that she thinks she’ll enjoy being a part of the Plympton community. She said, “I feel like this is going to be a good fit. It closely aligns with my background both professionally and personally as far as being from a small town in South Eastern Mass.”

Town Administrator Dennehy will host a meet and greet with town residents on December 11, 2017 at 7:15 p.m. Selectman John Traynor said residents can come in for coffee and meet their new town administrator following the Board of Selectmen Meeting.

Plympton Housing Production Committee Update

The Plympton Housing Production Committee moved closer to completing an affordable housing plan for the town by presenting a draft of its plan to the Board of Selectmen.

Per state requirements, 10 percent of a city or town’s housing must be classified as affordable housing. The state determines the qualifications that deem a residency affordable.

If a community doesn’t meet that 10 percent threshold, a development company can bypass that town’s zoning board with little recourse for the town to take after the fact.

The committee presented a plan to the Board of Selectmen, who approved the plan. There wasn’t much discussion on the details of the production plan itself.  Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said the draft still needs to be reviewed by the Planning Board.

One thing that was mentioned was the housing production plan aims to create affordable housing in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the rural aesthetic of the community. The 10% affordable housing also doesn’t have to be reached all at once. The plan develops ways to raise the amount of affordable housing by .5 percent annually.

Tax Classification Update

Tax classifications for residential, commercial, and industrial properties were not changed from last year per the Board of Assessors meeting with the Board of Selectmen.

The Board of Selectmen took the recommendation of the Board of Assessors and voted that all three property classifications will continue to be taxed at the same rate. There will also continue to be no exemption for residential small businesses.

Other News

• Town Accountant Barbara Gomez’s new contract was approved unanimously by the Board of Selectmen.

• The Assistant Assessor Position is still posted on the MAO website as well as in the employment opportunity section on Plympton’s official town website. According to Selectmen’s Assistant Briggette Martins, only three applicants have applied thus far.

• In a letter of correspondence, Council on Aging Director is requesting a direct phone line for the Council on Aging. Traynor and Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo both said they were in favor of this and want to look at the cost first.

Jessica Zeoli

Express correspondent

The Town of Halifax met Monday, Nov. 20, at the Halifax Elementary School for a Special Town Meeting to discuss and vote on five articles.  As is the custom in Halifax, the articles were chosen for action in random order

The first article to be heard was Article 5 which in part reads: “To see if the Town will vote to amend Chapter 236, Section 3 (Registration and Maintenance of Foreclosed Properties from the following: 9. ‘Owner’ means every person, entity, service company, property manager, or real estate broker who alone or severally with others has legal or equitable title to any property or has care, charge or control of any property in any capacity …”  stated that foreclosed homes and their surrounding property are required to be maintained by banks or other financial institutions that hold the mortgage deed. The Attorney General’s office had recommended revisions of the description in the by-law in terms of who is the “owner” of the property. The town unanymously approved this change.

Next was Article 4, which stated a change in language of a law previously passed regarding the treasurer providing a list of delinquent taxpayers. The change of language would be the frequency the treasurer is required to provide that list, which was approved by the public to be a yearly list, and with the change in language may additionally be produced whenever the information was required by the town. 

The next article voted was Article 3, regarding the Elderbus Revolving Fund. Previously, there was question whether donations were allowed to be transferred into this fund. Charlie Seelig, Town Administrator, stated “Donations are considered receipts. All receipts are in this fund, therefore the fund may receive these donations.” The crowd all chanted “yes” together which quickly approved this article.

Next, Article 1 was brought forth to be voted. Article 1 states that the money used from the town’s stabilization fund temporarily for the creation of a new playground through HOPS, Halifax Open Play Space, must be replaced after efficient fundraising and grants from the state have been received. The playground has disintegrated, causing a potential threat to children utilizing it. As a result of replacing the money from the stabilization fund, no funding from the town will be applied to the project. The public quickly approved this article following the Board of Selectmen’s expression of gratitude to the members of HOPS for all they have done to help the children of Halifax. This approval acted as the final step to begin this project.

The last article brought before the town was Article 2, which was voting to accept the State statute which gives permission for certain businesses to sell alcohol starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays, the last Monday in May, Christmas Day or the day folowing when Christmas occurs on Sunday. The town voted unanimously to accept the state statute. Currently establishments selling liquor in Halifax open at noon.

A draft of Plympton’s housing production plan will soon be viewable on the town’s website, said Selectmen Chair Christine Joy at the Monday, November 13, 2017 Selectmen’s meeting.

The Housing Production Planning Committee used survey results so that residents could have a say in how more affordable housing should be implemented in Plympton.

According to Joy, 55.5 percent of survey respondents have lived in town for 20 or more years. However, only 27 of the 84 respondents were 65 years of age or older.

Joy said she’s been in communication with Council on Aging Director Joy Marble on how to help senior citizens have access to affordable housing. She went on to address how seniors in particular can be most vulnerable without affordable housing options.

When speaking with Marble, Joy mentioned that Marble could name three people off the top of her head who would be homeless by the end of the month without some sort of affordable housing option.

The Housing Production Planning Committee has a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 15, 2017. A draft will be finalized for review at this meeting.

Joy said, “We’re going through the plan page-by-page on Wednesday.” The draft will then be shared with the Board of Selectmen. This will give Selectman John Traynor and Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo an opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions. Once this is done, the housing plan will go to the Planning Board for review.

Fire/EMS Update

The Board of Selectmen said Municipal Resources Inc.’s (MRI) draft findings for the study of the Plympton Fire Department is still on schedule to be done by the first week of the new year.

Last week, Bob Loomer and Bob Craig from MRI visited the Town Hall and met with Board of Selectmen members individually. Certain department members were also updated by Loomer and Craig.

Projector Installed    in selectmen’s    meeting room

A high definition projector was installed in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room last Monday before the Selectmen’s meeting. The projector will be used for presentations at the Selectmen meetings and is visible on Area 58 community access broadcast for the public to see.

Ockers Company, a computer consulting firm based out of Brockton, installed the projector. Ockers met with and started planning the project with the Board of Selectmen back in September of this year.

Selectman John Traynor said he was very impressed with how fast and neat Ockers was with the installation. According to Selectmen Chair Christine Joy, installation and clean-up only took a few hours.

Silver Lake Regional School District Technology Director Steve Pellowe assisted selectmen in learning how to use the projector. Board members described the projector as easy to use and said they were very satisfied with its picture, and with how the projection doesn’t come from across the room, so someone standing partially in front of the board wouldn’t block the entire picture.

Pellowe’s assistance will be called on if needed going forward. The projector is the same model used at Dennett Elementary School.

Other Town News

• New Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy officially filled out her paperwork on Wednesday, November 8, 2017. Dennehy then was taken on a tour of the Town Hall and was introduced to department members and others from the community. She will officially start on Monday, Nov. 27.

• The open Assistant Assessor position was posted on the MAO website. The Board of Selectmen also would like to see the position posted on the town website, but said that’s ultimately up to the Board of Assessors.

The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Monday, November 20. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

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.”