The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Monday, Nov. 27. Chair Christine Joy turned things over to Plympton Fire Chief Cheryl Davis for a presentation of promotions and acknowledgments.
Andrew Norton was promoted to Captain and John Gonsalves was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Davis said that her promotion left an opening for a full-time firefighter/paramedic which has been filled by William Austin. “I knew that when I became Chief that I was going to need to surround myself with a strong team and these three have already shown themselves to be invaluable members of that team,” Davis said. She also said that the three of them combined for over 60 years of service.
Jon Wilhelmsen of the Town Properties Committee was there to discuss a new well and the fire station planning project. He said that they had put an application in with Mass DEP for three wells which would be situated closely to one another. He said that they would go in on a new piece of property behind the Town Barn. “Where we are with the process, this has gone to DEP, we will work with our consultant to offer any comments on what has been proposed and then the next step, provided they are comfortable with the proposed location, is we need to drill three test wells and then what we will end up doing is put two of the wells online,” Wilhelmsen explained. He said that the next step would be to come up with an engineering plan to bring the water up to the Town House which would also extend to the Fire and Police stations. He said that they are planning to use ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act] funds for the project but depending on costs, they may need to ask for more money to pay off any excess at Town Meeting. Wilhelmsen also said that he felt that they would have a better idea of timing come February. According to Wilhelmsen they would only be using two wells, but it is best practice to have the third in case they should need it in the future as that way it would already be done to specifications.
Regarding the new town campus, Wilhelmsen said that he wanted to clear up that they would not be taking away any ball fields to create the new fire station. He said they have some “really earnest work” to do after the holidays with the financial staff of the town. “What that means is we may come to town meeting to look to move ahead with the fire station but it’s a little early to say that that will exactly happen this year or whether it will be the following year. But we think it’s possible and as long as we can come up with the right number to put it together and the right number that we can afford; those are sort of the pieces that we need to work on in early January,” Wilhelmsen said. Selectman John Traynor said that they plan to have an informational session for the general public after the holidays.
Selectman Mark Russo asked about septic systems. Wilhelmsen said that one potential solution would be to put the new fire station on its own leaching field in the space between the library and the existing fire station. “Another option would be to put in a septic for the new fire station and leave the existing fire station on the existing septic,” Wilhelmsen explained. He said a third option would be to expand the leaching field for the existing fire station and put both that and the new fire station on that field.
“I think we have a good plan and it’s just a matter of now being able to see that we can get everything to fit in correctly. It’s not going to get any cheaper for us; that’s the one thing that I can assure you, it’s not going to get cheaper,” Wilhelmsen said. He continued, “I mean it may moderate and maybe we’ll get a little bit of a hair cut because we go back a year and things were really kind of on fire… I did ask what they thought that Police Station would cost today, and we were all in for about $3.2 [million] on that, and they said over $5… $5.5 [million] to do that same building.”
A representative from New Leaf Energy appeared before the Board regarding Upland Road Solar and their request to extend the timeline for imposing conservation restrictions. The plan is to extend the timeline through June to get the conservation restrictions signed and completed. Nothing can happen at the property during that time. Wildlands Trust holds the conservation restrictions which Joy said was ideal even in spite of some delays. Selectman Mark Russo recused himself from the vote as he is a member of the Wildlands Trust. Joy and Traynor voted in favor of extending the timeline through June 30, 2025.
The Selectmen also voted unanimously to appoint Lukasz Kowalski to the Zoning Board of Appeals. They also approved the use of the Old Town House for a silent retreat on Dec. 9 as requested by a meditation group as well as use of the Town House for Girl Scouts’ caroling at 10 a.m. on the same day.
As customary, the Selectmen ended their night with their raves. Traynor said that his rave was for the Firefighters who put on a turkey dinner for the seniors in town. “Any time you have a free dinner for seniors, they turn out,” Traynor joked. Russo said his rave was for the meeting that night and the topics contained within it – the Firefighter promotions, the Town Properties issues, and filling out the roster on the ZBA. “I appreciate just the functional-ness and getting stuff done,” he said. Joy said that her rave was for the hard work done by the Town Properties Committee.

The holidays broke out in Plympton, beginning with breakfast at the Fire House, serving up pancakes, sausage, bacon, syrup, juice and coffee to get residents started on the morning.
Across the parking lot at the Town House, residents heard a choral presentation by the Plympton Girl Scouts, who sweetly sang Christmas carrols to a full house.
The Plympton Police Dept. asked residents to bring a new toy to “Stuff a Cruiser” to benefit needy children in the area.

Special to the Express
Marc McGarry
The Silver Lake Warrior Mites returned to the Opachinski Football Field on a humid summer night on Monday, Aug. 14. With their returning athletes and newcomers, the talented coaching staff knew they had a big title to live up to as the 2022 Super Bowl Champions. Head Coach Doug Carbone, and Assistant Coaches Seth Malmberg, Marc McGarry, John-Michael Fontes, Trever Ponte, Brian Hill, and Frank Deaton have been working assiduously to prepare for the upcoming season. To be a football player, it takes a lot of grit and determination. For the first three weeks, these athletes spent five days a week practicing in the grueling summer heat. Once school started, practice went back to three nights, and the temperature fluctuated, even dropping down to brisk temperatures some evenings. The coaches worked with the young athletes as they learned new positions.
The first game of the season kicked off at home, and it was a tight battle against the Plymouth South Jaguars. The Warriors won 14-8! The second game was the only loss of the season losing to D1 Raynham 28-0. This loss ignited a flame in EVERY Silver Lake Warrior and turned into the turning point for the season. As a result, these athletes did not let in a single touchdown for the rest of the season due to the strong defense. The Warrior’s defense is a force to be reckoned with! The Mites ended their regular D3 season 7-1, allowing them to be the first seed for the playoffs.
The Silver Lake Warriors played under the lights at Plymouth North High School against Barnstable during the playoffs. These young athletes were unstoppable, taking a commanding lead and winning 26-0!
A week later, these athletes traveled down to the Cape at Barnstable High for the 2023 Super Bowl against Plymouth North. Fans knew this was going to be a game they didn’t want to miss!
During the regular season, Silver Lake only won by six points in overtime against Plymouth North. The coaches knew that they had their work cut out for them. Coming out in a never seen formation, the Warriors scored six points in two plays at 1:30 into the game. From that point on, the offense took control of the scoring. Defense took control of the other side of the ball, only allowing one first down the whole game! With the offense dominating the scoreboard, this allowed the Warriors to play every player on the field at one point in time. By switching up the playbook, these Warrior Mites won the 2023 Super Bowl, 20-0!
These young athletes spent countless hours working together as a team for the past four months. To them, football is more than just winning and losing. Through football, these players can learn how to become a better person on and off the field. To end the season, the Warriors handed out roses to the Silver Lake Cheerleaders as a thank you for their continuous support though out the season.
The future is bright for these young, talented Silver Lake Warriors, and time will tell what lies ahead. Who knows what the future will bring for Silver Lake High School! Thank you, families and friends, for your continuous support on and off the field this season.
Go Warriors!

NORWELL – Though it’s been a program that had a slow start, the Plymouth County Comfort Dog Program has quicky gained advocates as one by one, police departments have gone to the dogs.
District Attorney Timothy Cruz developed the program to offer additional services to county communities, providing emotional support for the well-being of drug endangered children, students with adverse childhood experiences, and others in need of emotional support in the county community.
“The schools, to me are really [important] now, as our kids are facing challenges that they’ve never faced before, whether it be from COVID issues, mental health issues,” Cruz said in his opening remarks at the event. “The kids were locked out for a while. Now they’re coming back, and a lot of schools are dealing with a lot of issues with the kids. The dogs have been a tremendous asset.”
Hingham was the first town to adopt the program, seeing some initial reluctance from the School Committee, but was quickly warmed to by educators who have seen its value in action. Now there are 14 departments employing the program.
Cruz credited the success of Hingham Chief David P. Jones and resource officer Tom Ford in really getting the program going a little over one year ago with that department’s first dog – Opry.
To celebrate that success, and provide more information about it, Cruz’ office held a meet and greet Wednesday, Nov. 8, featuring the dogs and their handling officers at JBS Dog Park at 106 Longwater Drive in Norwell. There was pizza, soda and cake for the humans and all-natural specialty dog biscuits provided by Polkadog Bakery in Boston.
But first, there was some mingling on the part of both officers and canines.
As Hanson therapy dog Ziva rolled over for belly rubs from handler and school resource officer Derek Harrington and Chief Michael Miksch, Hingham’s Opry, a mix-breed rescued from a Southern kill shelter, showed off her skateboard skills a bit with Ford. But, as more dogs arrived, Opry gave the skateboard a dismissive kick, sending it rolling back to bounce off a wall. The arrival of the aptly named Star, a harlequin Great Dane from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, grabbed all their attention as she sauntered in with Dennis Desroches.
Miksch said he had some hesitation about the comfort dog program, but that Ford, in fact, was a huge help to Hanson’s adoption of it.
Concerns about funding and the union’s willingness to take on the project were soon discovered to be unfounded. As soon as he mentioned interest in the program, Hanson provided funding mid-year even though there was no budget for it.
“The next thing, somebody’s calling me saying, ‘Hey, can I deposit $1,000 to the town for the dog?’” Miksch said, adding that Deputy Chief Michael Casey raised the initial funding on top of Hanson’s grant money. The union also bought right in and overcame a rough start when their dog, Lucy, had to be euthanized due to a kidney ailment.
“We unfortunately lost our first dog, but the support from the community kind of brought back the impact that she had. There were a lot of messages, a lot of support. … Lucy was worth her weight in gold to us to start off and Ziva’s showing the same [qualities].”
The handlers are the ones who make the program successful, however, Miksch said.
“The dog, in a lot of ways is the easy part, but you need the right handler,” he said.
Harrington advised to those averse to dog hair, this program is not for you.
“But, they make lint rollers; it’s all good,” he said. “We all have stories about how this affects our school, our community, our kids.”
Ziva helps with kids who don’t want to go to school by walking with them to class, he said.
When a W-H student took their life last May, Harrington said he was able to call on several other officer/dog teams in the program to help.
“That happened late at night,” he said. “The school, and the kids – her friends – didn’t find out until they showed up at school the next day and it was a disaster, however we were prepared because we have this network of community resource dogs.
It helped a lot of kids get through the day and open up and talk and have those conversations that they didn’t want to have.”
Jones said Ford’s work with Opry at Hingham High School, too, has impressed just about everyone.
“Opry’s not only the most-recognized ‘person’ in the school, but also in my department,” Jones said. “The connection that’s been made with students at the high school has been incredible.”
She’s got a weird personality, Ford said, but that seems to appeal to students. He said if there is a negative to Opry it’s that he can’t go anywhere without her.
“If you show up someplace without the dog – leave and come back with the dog,” he said.
While the Hingham School Committee had some reluctance to agree to the program, results are speaking for themselves.
“It was a long road, but we’re having fun,” he said. Opry’s trainer makes time to go to the school the next day if there are any issues with the dog, Ford said. “The path is so much clearer [now] if you want to do this,” he advised departments considering the program.
In Halifax, Officer Paul Campbell is one of the newest participants in the program, having just completed the two weeks of training officers undergo with his dog, Roxie. They now transition to once-a-month in-service training.
“I participated in DARE Camp, and I saw the impact [the dogs had] on the children,” he said. “They loved the dogs. So that just attracted me to the program and how much it has a positive impact on children.”
He said Roxie, at six months, is an awesome dog.
“She has so much energy, a really good dog,” Campbell said. “I look forward to working in the community, getting in the schools and we’ve already had a big fundraiser.”
Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. spoke of the impact the dogs have on people’s lives – something, he said, anyone who grew up with dogs in their lives could understand, comparing it to the old expression, with negative connotations “going to the dogs.”
“Looking around here, I can say this – I think we’ve all gone to the dogs, but I want to thank you all for making that something positive,” he said.
Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office provides a mini grant to Plymouth County Police Departments to assist with costs associated with acquiring, training and caring for their comfort dog.
“The funding that we get – we’re able to utilize drug forfeit money, to put it back into our community – I think that makes a difference,” Cruz said.
Among the dog trainers on hand to speak about the program was Michael MacCurtain, owner of Hanson’s Five Rings training and day care business.
“The need [for the program] over the last several years has increased tremendously,” said MacCurtain, who worked on Whitman Fire for 20 years and had been asked to work with UMass Boston, Abington and Hanover in training their dogs. Working both on an ambulance crew and alongside law enforcement, he said the mental health of officers can also benefit from the dogs.
“We’d love to get them in all of our schools and also in our Boys’ and Girls’ Club,” Cruz said. “These dogs are making a difference.”

It was Veterans Day, 2021, that founding member of the Kingston Veterans Memorial Work Group Rick Veno brought up the concept of a memorial to honor the service and sacrifice of all the veterans of each of the armed services in the town of Kingston, and it was Veterans Day 2023 when groundbreaking took place in a moving testament to the efforts of the Work Group Chairman Robert Ketter, and members Denbeigh Forbes, James Gallagher, Robert King, and David McKee. And it will be Veterans Day 2024 when the group plans to complete it. Ketter, who presided at the program, gave thanks to State Senator Susan Moran and State Representative Kathleen LaNatra, for their active support, as well as town officials, community partners, businesses, and donations large and small. “Most importantly, to the people of the Town of Kingston,” who have all contributed in significant ways to arriving at this milestone.
“As a community we are building an enduring reminder of the meaning and significance of freedom, democracy, and the service of all Veterans,” The Kingston Veterans Memorial will be a significant achievement to honor all Veterans and their families in the Town of Kingston, and a place to host educational programs, events, and simply to visit and reflect on its meaning.
Also speaking were State Representative Kathleen LaNatra, Selectmen Chairman Kimberley Emberg, and Town Administrator Keith Hickey.

The towns of Plympton and Halifax are richer in many ways with the adoption of two Labrador retriever puppies to serve on their forces as “comfort dogs” to support students and residents. Roxy and Aggie, 5-month-old pups purchased with the assistance of two $5,000 grants from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office, will be used to reduce stress and promote wellness for students, and also attend town events. The pups are receiving their official training at Professional Canine Services in Middleboro.
Plympton Police Chief Matthew Ahl said, “The Plympton Police Department is extremely excited and thankful to be able to launch the comfort dog program with the assistance of the Plymouth County DA’s Office. Our comfort dog, Aggie, and her handler, Officer Cameron Broderick, will work together to assist and benefit the community in many ways, whether being present at the school, community events or sensitive incidents. There has already been a significant positive impact of this program and we’ve only just begun. We look forward to seeing the great work that this program does and continuing to strengthen our relationship with our community and residents.”
Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves said, “The Halifax Police Department wants to thank District Attorney Cruz and his entire staff for the generous gift that started the Halifax Police Department Comfort Dog Program. Roxy is extraordinarily popular with the entire community. The impact she and Officer Campbell have made on the community has been overwhelming, and they are just getting started. They will be a very busy pair as they meet all our residents. We are truly grateful for this partnership which will take our community engagement to new heights.”
DA Cruz developed the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program to provide additional services and resources to our communities. The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office provides a mini grant to Plymouth County Police Departments to assist with costs associated with acquiring, training and caring for their comfort dog.
The pilot program has been designed to be implemented by either local School Resource Officers or the PD’s Community Outreach Officer, who in turn becomes the dog’s handler and sole caretaker. Both the handler and the comfort dog become members of the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program and are required to undergo all necessary training in the certification process to qualify as a comfort/therapy dog.
The network of Plymouth County Comfort Dogs is present in schools and are on hand to provide emotional support for students during the day, and available to the community at night and on weekends. Additionally, the handler and the comfort dog work with the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office staff at community events across Plymouth County and provide comfort services at its Children’s Advocacy Center and office.