After several days of frigid weather, people have been venturing out on ice-covered ponds and bogs to play hockey, figure skate, fish or run all-terrain vehicles. While ATVs are generally not permitted on public land in any weather, local fire chiefs warn that outdoor ice is never “100-percent safe.”

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) agrees that “the only ‘safe’ ice is at a skating arena” because frozen bodies of water can be dangerous.

“With the cold weather we’ve had, a lot of people want to get out on the ice,” Hanson Fire Chief Jerome Thompson said Tuesday morning. “We get a lot of phone calls [but] we can never say that the ice is 100-percent safe because there’s several factors like currents, waterfowl being on it or fish  or stumps … all kinds of different things can affect it.”

“There’s always a concern for ice thickness,” said Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno. “There’s many areas that have open water.” Like Hanson, Grenno’s department does not make general statements concerning the safety of ice on ponds in town.

“We just tell people to use their best judgment and, if there’s open water, then the pond should be deemed unsafe.”

Thompson referred to MEMA’s ice-thickness guidelines that suggest four inches of ice for fishing, five inches can hold a snowmobile and eight to 12 inches a vehicle and 12-15 inches for a pickup truck. His department does not check ice thickness on area waterways.

“You need to keep in mind that, just because it’s eight inches in this spot, it might not be eight inches in that spot,” Thompson said. “We recommend if you do go out, you don’t go it alone. You should always have somebody with you and you should pay attention to your surroundings.”

Generally, ice that forms on moving water (rivers, streams, and brooks) is never safe, according to MEMA. Ice freezes and thaws at different rates and the thickness of ice on ponds and lakes can vary depending on water currents, springs, depth, and natural objects such as tree stumps or rocks. It can be a foot thick in one area and just inches thick a few feet away. Daily changes in temperature also affect its strength. Because of these factors, no one can declare the ice to be absolutely safe.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros doesn’t believe there is any safe ice on Monponsett ponds.  Because those ponds are fed by springs, the water temperature varies and ice thickness is affected by underwater currents.  Areas of open water were still evident on Tuesday, despite the record low temperatures.

MEMA offers the following tips to follow before venturing out and what to do if you or someone you are with falls through the ice.

Before going
on the ice

• Look for slush, which can indicate that the ice is no longer freezing so you face a greater risk of falling through.

• Beware of snow-covered ice. Snow can hide weak and open ice or cracks.

• Test the ice strength. Use an ice chisel to chip a hole through the ice to determine its thickness and condition. If it is two inches thick or less, stay off.

• Never go on ice alone. Another person may be able to rescue you or go for help if you fall through.

• Keep pets on a leash when walking them near bodies of water so that they don’t run onto the ice.

If someone falls through the ice

• Do not go out onto the ice to try to rescue a person or pet.

• Reach-Throw-Go: Try to reach the victim from shore. Extend your reach with a branch, oar, pole, or ladder to try to pull the victim to safety. If unable to reach the victim, throw them something to hold onto (such as a rope, jumper cables, tree branch, or life preserver). Go for help or call 911 immediately.

• If you fall in, use cold water safety practices: Try not to panic. Turn toward the direction you came from and place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface, moving forward by kicking your feet. Once back onto unbroken ice, remain lying down and roll away from the hole. Crawl back toward land, keeping your weight evenly distributed.

• If you can’t get back on the ice, use the Heat Escape Lessening Position (HELP): Bring your knees up toward your chest. Cross your arms and hold them close to your body. Keep your legs together. Try to keep your head out of the water. Do not try to swim unless a boat, floating object, or shore is close by. Swimming in cold water cools your body and reduces survival time.

Helping a victim when out of
the water

• Get medical help or call 911 immediately. The victim needs help quickly to prevent hypothermia.

• Get the victim to a warm location.

• Remove the victim’s wet clothing.

• Warm the center of the victim’s body first by wrapping them in blankets or putting on dry clothing.

• Give the victim warm, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids to drink.

• Place the victim in a warm shower or bath with their arms and legs out of the water to warm the core of the body.

Thompson said his department has not had to yet deal with burst pipes or other frigid weather problems, even as they responded to a Mutual Aid fire call in Pembroke on New Year’s Day.

Heavy turnout gear keeps firefighters warm on cold-weather calls, but there is also a rehab truck available through the Department of Fire Services to provide a heated area in which firefighters can warm up. The Highway Department can also be called in to sand and salt, helping to reduce the likelihood of falls on the ice.

Towns are also keeping an eye on weather forecasts to determine how they should approach a severe winter storm forecast for Jan. 4.

Preparations for Thursday’s storm were well underway on Wednesday, when Viveiros told the Express he had been in several meetings to be sure the town is ready to help its citizens.  If there is a widespread power outage, the Halifax Elementary School will be opened as a warming center where people can go if they are without heat.  Should the power stay out for several days, Halifax and Plympton will go to Silver Lake Regional High School. 

“I think we’re as ready as we can be,” Viveiros said.

“Right now, they still don’t know what it’s going to do,” Thompson agreed. “I’m sure that MEMA will be giving us some updates as we get closer. We check our equipment daily, so we’re all set.

Fire departments also work closely with senior centers to obtain lists of elderly residents who may need assistance in weather emergencies.

Photos by

Chris Thompkins

Chris Thompkins has just completed her 7th year as Salvation Army Kettle Coordinator for the Town of Halifax and is delighted to announce that they have raised $6,557.33 for the 2017 holiday season!

She sends out thanks to all of her volunteers, those who donated, to Twin Lakes Liquors and the Rockland Trust for their patience, and a special thank you to Stop & Shop for graciously allowing their bell ringers and kettles to be inside, out of the cold, this year!

The Halifax Council on Aging will host a volunteer luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. at the Pope’s Tavern Senior Center to say Thank You to the volunteers who made the contributions such a success.  Please call the Senior Center at 781-293-7313 to let them know how many are coming.

In no particular order, Thompkins would like to thank the following: Lynne Towne, Dot and Tom Pease, Pat Farrah, Sharlene Capaccioli and Dylan Capaccioli, Pauline Hughes, Carol Keegan, Carl Faith, Sally Fontaine-Burke, Suzie Fontaine Hopps, Dot Matthews, Cheryl and Jason McCullough, Tanya Little, Diedre Yelverton, Colleen Fiumara, Ashley Seggelin, Jackie Joubert, Susan MacDonald, Sherri Conte, and Jen Olivera.

Also:  Deb Scioscia, Ketti Martin, Gerry Durban, Martin Tuohey,  Tommy Schindler, Kevin Rogers,  Marianne Leighton Moore, Phyl Silenzi, Sue Wilson, Jessica Whalen, Dot Martel, Jo Schofield, Avis Arsenault,  Mary Ann Davis, Jonathan Selig, Stacey Rancourt,  Brenda Pettingill, Ken Vinton, Kerstin Santos, Alicia Salvation, Harley Ann Naphen, Adrienne McDougall, Susan Laidlaw, Kim King, Ashley Bearce and Cheryl Bearce, Brief Margiotta,  Amanda Ransom, Cheryl Balerna and girls and  Gerri Lambert!

Chris says this is a 100% volunteer operation, in conjunction with the Halifax Council on Aging, and helps seniors get out of the house and be involved in the community.

She is now ready for a well-deserved nap!

Jonathan Selig of Halifax, well-known to fund-raising, leant his hand to ring a bell to help bring in donations for the Savation Army’s Good Neighbor drive.

One of Santa’s hardest-working elves, Chris Thompkins, chairman of the Halifax Kettle Drive for the seventh year, got into the holiday spirit with St. Nick himself!

Sue Wilson & Phyl Silenzi team up to collect donations for the Salvation Army.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen reaffirmed its vote on the tax classifications for fiscal year 2018 at last Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The tax classifications were originally approved at the Board of Selectmen Meeting on Monday, November 27, 2017, but the Board of Assessors wanted to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the classifications more thoroughly. Board of Assessors Clerk Ethan Stiles recommended a single tax rate for all regardless of if its residential, commercial, industrial, or open space property.

There was discussion about possible exemptions for residential and open space properties. Stiles said, “It could take business away from the town if we place the burden on them (commercial, industrial categories).”

The Board of Selectmen voted for no exemptions for residential, commercial, industrial, or open space properties. According to Stiles, all property tax classifications are estimated to be taxed at a rate of $17.52 per $1,000.

Social Media Update

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy announced that after launching only a week ago, Plympton’s official town Facebook page has a little over 300 followers. As of Wednesday, December 20, 2017, that number is now up to 322 followers and 294 likes.

Old Town House Update

The Board of Selectmen discussed a possible renegotiation of the Old Town House’s lease terms between them and the Plympton Historical Society.

The reason for potential renegotiations are about the maintenance of the building. Selectman John Traynor said he wants the town custodian to be responsible for the maintenance of this building rather than the Plympton Historical Society.

The Plympton Historical Society only has one current member, Jessica Kinsman. Traynor said that the Historical Society doesn’t have the resources to maintain the building and believes it’s the town’s responsibility.

Other News

• The Plympton Housing Production Committee’s affordable housing plan for the town is now approved by both the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board and is pending state approval. Suggested changes to the plan were made including showing Cato’s Ridge and Churchill Park as protected open spaces.

• The Board of Selectmen said the Sysco Abatement contract between the Board of Assessors and Integra Reality Resources has been officially signed.

• There were no new updates on Municipal Resource’s study of the town’s fire and EMS operations. The Board said a draft is expected in the coming weeks.

The Town House closes at 12 p.m. on Thursday December 21, 2017. It will reopen for business on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at 9 a.m.

The next Board of Selectmen Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 2, 2017.  Open session starts at 6 p.m.

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.