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

.

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.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen believes it has narrowed its search for a Fire/EMS consulting firm to two candidates, both which interviewed at the Selectmen meeting on Monday, August 28, 2017.

Selectmen spent their last two meetings interviewing candidates to study and make recommendations to improve emergency services. The funding for this study was approved last May at Annual Town Meeting.

Both Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI) and Attorney Ernest Horn are considered the likely finalists after interviewing with Selectmen and Fire Chief Warren Borsari.  Robert Loomer, Brian Duggan, and Robert Craig represented MRI in the consulting firm’s meeting with the Board and Fire Chief.

Fire Chief Borsari was impressed that Loomer, Duggan, and Craig are all retired fire chiefs. Borsari reiterated that this will help because the three of them truly understand the multitude of issues a fire department has to deal with.

Borsari said, “It’s nice to see three fire chiefs in the same room with me.”

Selectmen John Traynor asked MRI for guidance on how emergency services can be improved. He said the town is pondering all options including improving on the existing in-house advanced life support services, regionalization, shared services, and privatization. However, Traynor did say that privatization seems to be a very expensive option.

Citing past experience with towns similar in size to Plympton, MRI cautioned Selectmen about common issues with privatizing emergency services. According to MRI, the biggest issue with privatization isn’t cost, but rather the lack of control over the level of service.

Duggan said, “In years one and two it’s often cost effective.” However, he said without the revenue from having your own service, it can become “cost prohibitive” in smaller communities over the long run.

MRI spoke positively about the benefits of shared services. They said that unlike regionalized services, there’s more control with a shared service contract with another town. The consulting firm said they’ve completed 15 regionalization studies. In the end, only two of those communities ended up implementing regionalized services.

The firm said that it would also be more than willing to talk to other towns about a shared service. This includes asking towns what their concerns might be and giving a broad structure of what an agreement might look like. However, MRI’s services do not include negotiating a contract with another town.

In total, MRI said they can complete the study with a four to six month turnaround.

Attorney Ernest Horn

Attorney Ernest Horn also interviewed for the Fire/EMS study and is considered a finalist for the position. Horn has 31 years of experience working in public safety.

This experience includes time as a fire chief and also as a police chief. Horn also teaches criminal justice classes as an adjunct professor at Becker College in Worcester, Mass.

Horn described his approach as a thorough one. He said, “The preferable way to do it (studies) is from top to bottom.”

According to Horn, every employee at the fire department will be interviewed, and all equipment and records will be examined thoroughly. He said he even has a certified mechanic who will inspect every vehicle the fire department has.

Besides the mechanic, Horn said he has a team he’s selected to help with his department examination. Horn said, “I have a team of retired and current public officials with over 100 combined years of experience.”

The Board of Selectmen asked Horn about his opinions on privatization, in-house, and all the other types of service options the town could explore. Like MRI, Horn was not optimistic about privatized emergency services. Horn preferred a shared service rather than a regionalized service as well.

Horn said, “The problem with regionalization is you add another authority.” Instead, he spoke about a potential employee-sharing contract with another town since it helps with the problem of hiring and keeping employees while also sharing costs such as putting trainees through the fire academy.

Horn said it’s important the town does not become the subservient in this type of arrangement. He said Plympton would have to be on equal footing with a shared contract.

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy asked Horn if he’d be willing to negotiate with another town on Plympton’s behalf. Horn said he would be willing to do this. As a licensed attorney, Horn considers this legal advice that’s included in his $18,000 service cost.

Horn said his usual turn around for a study is 30-45 days with a report presented in 60 days. He said that he can however accommodate earlier if needed.

Selectmen plan to choose a consulting firm sometime in the middle of September.

Other News

Robert Law resigned his position as Plympton Fire Captain. The Board of Selectmen regretfully accepted his resignation and thanked him for his service.

Selectmen will be completing a survey from the Old Colony Planning Council. According to Joy, the town is in the running for a rural community grant.  If awarded, the grant will be used for road upgrades on parts of Route 106.

The next Board of Selectmen’s meeting is Monday, September 11. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Kozahya Nessralla of 139 Hemlock Ln. met with the Halifax Board of Selectmen and Fire Chief Jason Viveiros on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 to finalize details for this fall’s annual corn maze which takes place from September 15 to October 30.

In addition to the usual maze hours on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., there will be a flashlight maze on Friday and Saturday nights. Other activities include games,  abounce house for kids, food, and a party tent available to rent.

Nessralla said the corn maze itself is 15 acres, making it the largest corn maze in Massachusetts. The property also includes a 5-acre parking lot for the event.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros asked that Nessralla and the Board follow up on all fire prevention regulations. One thing Viveiros said needs to change is that the parking lot needs to be moved back. Right now, the lot is 65 feet back from the corn maze. Viveiros said it needs to be at least 75 feet back.

Nessralla highlighted some of the other things he plans to do for safety including a map of the maze with information on who to contact in case you get lost. Nessralla said, “We have people who’ll find you.”

Nessralla already received the required large event permit from the Board of Health, so the Board of Selectmen and the Fire Chief affirmed satisfaction with the overall safety of the event.

Viveiros said the last thing left to do is a pre-meeting to address safety. This will take place some point next week.

Tax Classification              Hearing

Newly appointed Principal Assessor Holly Merry presented property classifications from fiscal year 2018’s tax classification hearing. According to the Board of Assessors’ report, The Town of Halifax has $884,129,790 in total taxable value.

Residential property alone makes up over 90 percent of the total taxable value. $797,010,513 comes from the residential classification. Commercial property made up $55,278,217, industrial was $16,067,100, and personal property made up $15,773,960.

According to Merry, “The Board of Assessors recommends the same tax rate for residential, commercial, and industrial.” The proposed tax rates for single family dwellings and commercial/industrial/ personal property are dropping across board. Both will be taxed at $17.65 per thousand valuation.

Selectmen Chairman Thomas Millias said he doesn’t want to do anything that would drive out the few commercial businesses the town already has (by increasing the commercial tax rate to lower the residential tax rate.)

The assessors’ report also listed the average assessed value for homes in Halifax as listed here:

• Single family: $313,956

• Condos: $171, 507

• Commercial/Industrial/Personal property: $342, 236

The average values of single-family dwellings actually increased from last year’s appraisal of $297,695. Commerical/industrial/personal property’s value also increased from $334,479 to $342, 236.

According to the report, the top five taxpayers in Halifax are:

1. Walmart Assessed Value: $9,020,200

2. Henrich, Lawrence M Trustee (Mobile Home Park): $8,625,000

3. WJG Realty Trust (Stop & Shop): $7,772,100

4. Halifax Country Club: $3,260,760

5. Cumberland Farms INC.: $3,143,980.

Other News

Town Adminstrator Charles Seelig brought up that there’s still $8,000 remaining in the Salter Gift Account. Seelig mentioned potentially bringing this up to the Recreation Department in order to repair the track at the athletic fields.

Engineer Brian Grady of GF Engineering, LLC. came to discuss and present plans for earth removal at White Dog Cranberry Ltd. A proposed reservoir is under consideration, which would involve the removal of large amount of sand.

In order for the project to be completed the Board of Selectmen would have to waive the amount allowed to be removed and transported. Millias said he needs more information before making a decision. The Board of Selectmen voted to address this at the next meeting.

The next Board of Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Open session starts at 7:30 p.m.

Board of Assessors Clerk Ethan Stiles met with Plympton Selectmen on Monday, August 14, 2017 to discuss which Town Counsel will represent Plympton in Sysco’s tax abatement appeal.

Stiles explained the direness of the situation to the Board. He said that Sysco believes the town is greatly overvaluing their property and have filed for abatements in both 2015 and 2016. According to Stiles, Sysco wants the valuation brought down from $65 million to $45 million. The Town of Plympton denied both abetment requests and Sysco is appealing.

Discussion first started at last week’s Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, Aug. 7. Principal Assessor Deborah Stuart told Selectmen that the Board of Assessors strongly recommends Ellen M. Hutchinson, an attorney who operates a private practice out of Beverly.

At last week’s meeting, Selectmen admitted they were caught off guard by the Hutchinson selection because they said they were under the impression that the town’s current co-counsels, Richard Bowen and Kopelman and Paige Law were the only ones being considered. Stiles came in to further discuss the Assessors’ thought process.

Stiles said, “When we looked at Attorney Hutchinson’s resume, we felt that her practice was more strongly suited and focused to the appeals process of the Appelate Tax Board (ATB).” He added that Bowen’s resume was strong, but the Board of Assessors believed Hutchinson was the stronger candidate.

The Assessors were also impressed, said Stiles because Hutchinson attached and summarized 12 specific cases related to these types of tax abatement appeal cases.

Selectmen still had some concern because they were unaware of what was going on in the process. “We’re in this together,” said Selectman John Traynor, “If the town loses this, we’re going to lose $360,000 give or take every year, and that’s a big concern to me.

Traynor added that he did look at Hutchinson’s resume though. He said that she seems to be well qualified.

Selectmen said they will request Atty. Hutchinson come before the Board of Selectmen at a future meeting. Selectman Chair Christine Joy said, “We’ll try to get this set up as quickly as possible, hopefully next week.”

Hazardous Waste Day Update

Plympton’s Hazardous Waste Day took place on Saturday, August 12, at the Transfer Station. Board of Health Chairman Art Morin reported that the event was a huge success. He also complimented Highway Surveyor Jim Mulcahy for coming up with the idea.

Morin said, the event was run by Clear Harbor who wore hazmat suits and required residents to stay in their cars. This caused a line all the way down to Ring Road, but Morin said the line moved “incredibly efficiently.”

Morin said, “It never stopped from 9 a.m. all the way up until a few minutes before 12.”

Morin also reported with delight to the Board of Selectmen that the event ran under budget. There was a small surplus left over from the $5,000 approved for the event at Town Meeting.

Other News

Selectmen John Traynor said he heard back from the last of four consulting firms who applied to do the fire/emergency services study approved at Annual Town Meeting. The Board was waiting for a written study proposal from this last firm.

All four firms will be interviewed over the next two weeks. Two firms will be interviewed at the Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, August, 21. The final two firms’ interviews will take place Monday, August 28.

The interviews for the fire department’s clerical position are over and Traynor said he believes Chief Warren Borsari and the rest of the screening board have a candidate they’d like to select. Traynor wants to confirm this one more time though, so there was no name announced at this time.

The next Plympton Selectmen’s meeting is Monday, August 21. Open session begins at 6 p.m.

The tension between Wolf Rock Farm and the Town of Plympton reached new levels at Monday, August 7, 2017 Selectmen’s Meeting as the farm at 157 Center St. continues having horse shows despite a lack of a business license or proper food and event permits.

On Sunday, August 6, 2017, Wolf Rock Farm held a horse show without a large event permit or vendor food permits. These permits are issued by the Board of Health.

According to Board of Health chairman Art Morin, Wolf Rock Farm didn’t want a health inspector there. Morin said he attended and didn’t see any cooking, but told them if he saw any, he’d shut down the vendor since proper permits were not issued.

Last week, Town Clerk Tara Shaw spoke with Town Counsel about the situation and learned that the Farm doesn’t necessarily need a business license with the town in order to operate. Shaw said that Wolf Rock Farm is registered as an LLC (corporation).

Shaw said LLC’s only need to have a business certificate with the state. It’s merely contact information and not grounds for the town to disallow the conducting of business.

Inaccuracies were discovered by Shaw though, which makes the certificate not fully valid. Shaw said the address on the certificate is incorrect and listed the business at 163 Center St. The business, however, operates at 157 Center St.

Shaw also said the managers on record are inaccurate. In fact, they no longer work at Wolf Rock Farm. In order for this to be valid, Shaw said this information needs to be updated with the state. She’s only been able to make contact with Project Manager Rebecca Nunez via email at this time.

Morin was not happy with this and urged for a bylaw change. He said, “I’m speaking as a tax payer in this town. It’s deplorable that someone cannot pay taxes, but generate income in the town. We need a new bylaw.”

Selectmen are choosing to explore all options and see what kinds of licenses are needed for certain events as well as explore bylaw changes for the future. Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo said there’s a lot that needs to be evaluated, more about what requires an event permit and what constitutes just using private property.

  Fire Department

  Update

The search for a consultant to do the Fire EMS study approved at Town Meeting is moving quickly. According to Selectman John Traynor, the search is narrowed down to four candidates.

Three have submitted detailed proposals and they are waiting for the fourth. Selectmen want to conduct two interviews per night at Selectmen’s meetings.

Traynor also gave an update on the search for clerical help for the Fire Department. He said Town Accountant Barbara Gomez narrowed down the position to two candidates.

  New assessors’

  administrative            assistant

Allison Merry has been hired as the Board of Assessor’s new administrative assistant.

In a letter of correspondence to the Board of Selectmen, the Assesors said they look forward to working with Allison.

The Plympton Fire Department received a grant award of $16,079.74 from Kathy Crosby Bell, the founder of the Last Call Foundation. The grant was presented at the Plympton Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, July 31, 2017.

This grant gives the fire department the ability to purchase air compressors, as well as extractors for cleaning gear. According to Fire Chief Warren Borsari, the new compressors replace a 40-year-old piece of equipment. He said “It’s the oldest in Plymouth County.”

In addition to equipment, the grant Plympton received funds a pilot program that promotes safety and proper use of equipment. There’s a small cost after the pilot is up if the town would like to continue with it.

Kathy Crosby Bell founded the Last Call Foundation three years ago after her son, Firefighter Michael Kennedy lost his life when a Beacon Street brownstone caught fire in Boston. Kennedy was only 33-years-old.

Since this tragedy, Bell said she’s channeled her grief in ways that make a positive difference for firefighters. She’s used her organization to improve safety conditions for firefighters and works to pass legislation to help fund the needed equipment. Crosby said, “I want to know if there’s a firefighter without gear.”

Katy Crosby Bell spoke of some of the dire safety situations firefighters are often put in when trying to extinguish flames and save lives. “Fires burn at 1,200 degrees,” said Crosby, “Some hoses burn at 900 degrees. That’s not acceptable.”

Besides on-site hazards, Crosby said firefighters face more health risks than the average person. According to Kathy, “63 percent of firefighters have a cancer diagnosis in their life.”

“When we need the support is when firefighters are alive,” said Crosby “Every fire fighter is a hero every day.”

Most of the fire department attended the grant presentation and were moved by Crosby’s efforts. Chief Borsari said, “She’s a very courageous woman.”

Selectmen all said that this is great news for the Fire Department and praised Chief Borsari for his efforts working within a tight budget.

Selectman John Traynor said Borsari is actively hiring and working hard. He’s been able to keep the town’s advanced life support status because of his efforts. Traynor added that the results from the Fire Department study that was approved at Town meeting should add some clarity.

Town Employment Update

According to Traynor, the opening for a part time clerical position to the Fire Department has been narrowed down to two candidates.

There are also five applicants for the open administrative assistant position in the Assessor’s office.

Board of Health Update on Vendors

Board of Health Chairman Art Morin informed the Board of Selectmen about a horse show at Wilfrock Farm on Center St. without the proper food permits needed to serve at the event.

Morin told the Board the owner of the property appeared before the Board of Health on Tuesday, July 25, and was told she needed to get the proper permit. If she does not get the permit, The Board of Health said it has the right to remove the vendor from the property at the event.

There are also other permits needed if alcohol is served or if more than 200 people are attending an event. Morin said, “People can’t just flaunt the law and do what they want in the town.”

Morin and the Board of Selectmen also discussed the possibility of raising permit fees. The two boards want to explore this since their fees are much lower when compared to other towns.

Other News

There is a Bylaw Review Meeting on Wednesday, August 9. A memo is being sent out to all departments with details.

The Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) is holding an essay contest for 8th graders and a picture contest for 3rd graders with the theme, “If I lead my community, I would (blank).” The Board of Selectmen approved allowing MMA to contact the schools.

The next selectmen’s meeting is Monday, August 7, 2017. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Selectmen Chair Christine Joy told her board Monday night she had heard back from Northeastern University Professor Mina Heidi about a potential partnership that would give the town assistance with writing grants. Professor Heidi is an acquaintance of former Selectmen Chair Colleen Thompson and passed the contact along to the current Board.

At the selectmen’s meeting on Monday, July 24, Joy told the Board that Heidi is willing to help the Board in one of two ways: either have a student work on a particular grant for the board as a class assignment or allow the Board of Selectmen to sit in on a class and get a better idea of the grant writing process.

Selectmen John Traynor said he’s more inclined to go with the assignment option, but would like to have Professor Heidi come to a meeting and talk to the board about its options. The board plans to reach out to Professor Heidi to see if she would be willing to come to a meeting.

Upcoming Changes to Meeting Notification Process

Town Clerk Tara Shaw briefly announced upcoming changes to the way the town notifies people about meetings at the Town House. The town will adopt the alternative method of posting which involves the notification of meetings online rather than in print. This means the posting box outside will be removed and no paper copies of meeting notifications will be made unless requested.

At most, Shaw said request will be granted within 48 hours if outside of town clerk office hours. She said she can do them within 24 hours though if it’s within regular hours.

Shaw said, “This was voted on at Town Meeting.” She wanted to notify the board that this will be going into effect soon.

Town Administrator Search Update

Bernard Lynch from the consulting practice Community Paradigm, will talk to certain members of the Community in order to get an idea of what they believe Plympton needs in a town administrator. Selectmen said they are deciding on those individuals and will reach out to them.

Some of the individuals mentioned included former Selectmen Chair Colleen Thompson and former Finance Committee member Susan Ossoff. Selectmen John Traynor said board heads and other members of the community will also be invited.

Other News

The Board received four applications for the open clerical position in the Fire Department. The Board and Fire Chief Warren Borsari plan to create a screening committee to do the interviews for this position. John Traynor said he wants to be a member of this committee.

The Board of Selectmen followed up on some recent complaints about after hours operations at Rocky Harvest, LLC, on Brook Street.  Selectmen said they plan to send out follow-up letters to the abutters and owner, Ed Rose. The Board said this will be the second signed letter of complaint.

The next selectmen’s meeting is Monday, July 31, 2017. Open session starts at 6 P.M.