The Monday, Aug. 10, Police Chief Matthew Clancy updated the Plympton Board of Selectmen on the challenges facing the police department. Clancy told selectmen his department was facing a number of challenges both pandemic related and not, some operational and some financial. He told the Board that the court system has been completely upside down for the last few months and that they are just now starting to embrace Zoom. He said delays on their end have had a tremendous impact on the need to hold people longer than normal.

Clancy also said that half the full-time patrol staff in Plympton has recently left. One left for the state police, another for the Mashpee police, and some staff retired. New hires have been made in their stead and he praised the new members of the department. Clancy said that one of the goals for this year was officer professional development but many of these opportunities had all but dried up due to the pandemic. He said they are beginning to be offered once again, this time online.

Clancy also told the Board about a number of improvements including upgrading the portable radios to digital. If not converted, it would soon be difficult for Plympton officers to converse with their neighbors.  The Regional Old Colony Communications Center (ROCCC) did well through their 911 grant which allowed for a number of upgrades that were done without expense to Plympton. The process of replacing a number of workstations and a network server at the police station is in the final stages. Some of this work was supported by the ROCC and some by the town. The fiber connection to the regional dispatch center is up and running. The campus fiber project is also being completed in phases. The townhouse, library, fire station, and police station will all be connected. The phone system is anticipated to be complete by December at the latest.

Clancy also said that the drug disposal program has been a success. The kiosk is located in the police station lobby. Clancy said it is open despite COVID and that if the door is not open residents should use the intercom button.

Clancy addressed the Massachusetts’ police reform bill saying that he wants residents to know that Massachusetts and the northeast have always been progressive and already adhere to many of the reforms in the bill. Even prior to the tragic events in Minneapolis, Clancy said the department had already revised their use of force policy. It has been reviewed yet again. He emphasized that Massachusetts’ officers have never been trained to use chokeholds. The Plympton Police Department has also submitted their first annual use of force analysis to the Board of Selectmen. Officer Daniel Hoffman has been named as the Plympton’s civil rights officer.

Clancy also told the Board that he was happy to hear that the state will be reestablishing the accreditation process. He said that the old process was removed due to budgetary reasons many years ago. He said it was reformed as a non-profit back in the mid-nineties. Regarding the bill, Clancy said, “the main pieces of this are things that we embrace and we have been asking for.”

The Board took up the matter of the potential declaration of a safety zone at the intersection of Main St. and Ring Rd. as well as at Winnetuxet crossing. Plympton voted at town meeting to give the Board of Selectmen the authority to declare a safety zone of 20 mph where they deemed necessary. Selectman Chair Mark Russo described it as an inexpensive way to slow people down, noting the tight economic times we are living under. Selectman John Traynor said he had heard that once implemented, the speed limit of 20 mph could not later be rescinded. Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that she didn’t know of anything that would prevent it from being changed later but agreed to verify with town counsel prior to moving forward with the vote to designate the safety zones.

Traynor initiated some conversation about possible reconstruction of the Main St. and Ring Rd. intersection including the difficulties posed by the telephone pole located there. Traynor said that estimates to remove the pole were in the $200,000 range. Russo said that he in no way intends for the safety zone designation to replace a plan for redesign and reconstruction. He referred to it as “…a short-term strategy that in no way excludes a bigger project.” Russo said he had promised that this week’s meeting would not include extensive talk of reconstruction and said it would be put on the agenda for one of the next two Board of Selectmen meetings.

Traynor gave an update on his efforts to reach out to the owner of the North Plympton cemetery. The cemetery is on Route 106 on the Kingston/Plympton line and is considerably overgrown. The owner lives in Olympia, Washington and while the cemetery itself is only about a third or a half of an acre, they own 10-15 acres. There are approximately 60 graves in the cemetery. Traynor said that at one time the Boy Scouts had gone in and cleaned it as part of a project. Traynor said he hopes to reach out to the owner to find out if they would be so inclined as to let the town clean the cemetery grounds. Selectman Christine Joy said she hoped they would consider donating the land to the town.

Russo and Dennehy touched briefly upon protected health information for town employees and officials. The subject came up while waiting for test results. Town counsel was conferred with to establish what the town’s obligations were regarding privacy. Russo said that it is a tricky subject that requires a balance of individual good versus communal good. The town plans to adopt a policy that will put the information into a concise format that will be easily understood.

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen provided an update on the reopening plan for Dennett and Silver Lake Regional. Both school committees plan to take advantage of the DESE commissioner’s offer of 10 days for professional development that must take place prior to the start of school. This reduces the number of required school days from 180 to 170. As a result, the first day of school for students will be Sept. 16. The Dennett will begin with a phased in hybrid approach. Under this model, the majority of students will begin remotely with the intention to have everyone on the hybrid plan within a few weeks’ time. High needs and the youngest learners will be phased in first. Silver Lake Regional voted to immediately go into the hybrid model.

Wilhelmsen said the schools are currently working with the emergency management team on the health portion of the implementation plan including contact tracing. According to Wilhelmsen, self-reporting is going to be key to keeping the doors open at the Dennett. Wilhelmsen also said that some people view the comprehensive plan consisting of a full in-person model, a full-remote model, and a hybrid model as being three distinct plans but Wilhelmsen said it was actually a single plan that is built to move. “We have to quickly recognize when something isn’t working and adjust course immediately,” he said. Wilhelmsen also pointed out that the Dennett has a lot of advantages compared to other districts with respect to reopening. He said that they plan to leverage those as much as possible. Joy thanked Wilhelmsen for all of his work keeping the parents informed of the reopening plans. Traynor agreed saying, “The strength of the Dennett is that everybody is involved.”

Dennehy addressed rumors she said she had seen circulating regarding the dissolution of the Plympton Council on Aging (COA). Dennehy said this was not true and noted that the Meals on Wheels program is still delivering food to Plympton residents five days a week.  The Council on Aging has also purchased some pop-up tents and tables and chairs with the intent of safely holding some outdoor activities.

Dennehy also mentioned that Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth has a COVID related program that supplies one-time rent assistance to low income households. She said that she plans to share the link on the town website as well as social media as the deadline for rent relief is approaching. Dennehy also notified Council on Aging Director Joy Marble of the program.

Finally, the Board and Dennehy reminded residents that outside activities on town owned land are prohibited by the Board of Health from dusk to dawn due to the threat of EEE.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Thursday, July 30 for their regular weekly meeting with the town’s public safety officials to discuss COVID or other emergency related items. Health agent Bob Valery said that there had been no new cases of COVID in Halifax telling the Board that he has seen “good discipline” and “lots of compliance” from residents. He did warn about the first confirmed human case of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in the state this year. It occurred in a Middleborough resident. Valery said that residents should be careful that they are following protocols for reducing standing water in their yards.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig told those assembled that the state had voted a three-month budget for August to October. He said normally that would mean a state budget by Halloween but given the election in November he said he believes that is unlikely. “One way or another we’re not going to have a state budget and won’t know our local aid numbers for at least a couple more months,” Seelig explained.

Seelig said that the most likely scenario for Halifax will be an estimated tax bill for the first half of the year on Nov. 1; these will be a duplicate of what residents received in May with the old valuation and the old tax rate for fiscal 2020. Seelig said there would likely be a great deal of confusion over the estimated bills, “we know we’re going to get a lot of feedback because we haven’t done this in decades, but we’re prepared to deal with that.”

“We’re going to have to educate people so they won’t get particularly shocked, even though they will,” selectman chair Tom Millias agreed. Seelig said later in the year residents can expect to have a bill that states what their taxes should have been for fiscal year 2021, how much they were already billed in November, as well as the remaining total. Selectman Gordon Andrews recommended putting the word “estimate” directly on the bills going out in the fall. Seelig said that they will put an explanation of the process directly on the bill as well as publicizing the process in available media forums. The abatement period will be in the spring.

Seelig also addressed Governor Baker’s mandate that Massachusetts residents traveling to states outside of New England, New York, or New Jersey, quarantine themselves for 14 days upon return. A fine of $500 a day will be incurred if residents fail to comply. Another option would be to secure a negative COVID test. “There are a number of exceptions to that but that probably covers ninety-nine percent of it,” Seelig said.

Seelig said that as a subdivision of the state and as an employer, the town of Halifax needs to notify employees of how they will deal with employees returning from states outside of those specified. Seelig said if employees are able to work from home during the two-week quarantine period, that would be fine. Otherwise, they would likely be eligible for a federal COVID leave if they haven’t already used theirs. If already used, however, employees would have to take leave through the town in the form of vacation or sick time. If no leave remains, they will need to be unpaid for those two weeks. Seelig emphasized that no one would be fired as a result of their quarantine.

Seelig further said that the town would have an obligation to report if someone is knowingly violating the mandated quarantine. If someone traveled outside the designated area but claimed not to have traveled anywhere, they could be subject to discipline as they could have potentially endangered others’ safety. If employees choose to get tested upon return, the town will not cover the expense unless the travel was required for work-related purposes. The Board voted unanimously to approve the policy.

The final order of business was an open meeting law complaint that was received the week prior. Seelig told the Board they had two weeks to reply to the complaint. The complaint was filed by Amy Troup on July 23 regarding the June 23 Selectmen’s meeting. Seelig said he had received a letter from chair of the Conservation Commission Gerry Fitzgerald asking that certain actions be taken concerning Troup. Seelig said that he referred to Troup as “her” rather than by name when writing the agenda for that week’s meeting. “It was not meant to be derogatory, uninformative, or anything like that, it was a mishap on my end, and I take full responsibility,” Seelig said. Seelig said that he was in no way denying that an open meeting law violation did occur. He emphasized to the Board that the portion of the June 23 meeting referencing Troup was not a hearing. “I’ve read this twice now, I think it’s an adequate response and I wouldn’t have a problem signing this document,” Millias said. Andrews and selectman Troy Garron agreed.

Over 160 participants joined the virtual Silver Lake Regional School Committee meeting on Wednesday, July 29 to hear the presentation on the preliminary reopening plan that is to be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) on Friday, July 31.

Superintendent Jill Proulx and Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch began by sharing the results of the Parent Intentions Survey for the regional schools. It should be noted that the reopening plans are voted by the separate school committees and therefore the plans for Halifax Elementary, Kingston Elementary, Plympton Elementary and the combined Middle School and High School could all be different. Asked whether they plan to send their students to school in the fall under the current conditions, 61 percent of respondents said yes, 7 percent said no, and 31 percent were undecided. Asked their preferred mode of transportation to and from school, the majority of respondents said they planned to drive or be driven.

The staff was also surveyed with the majority of responses coming from teachers. Sixty of the staff members surveyed said they planned to return in the fall while 38 answered they were undecided and another 6 said no, they would not. Of the three models offered, 45 percent said they preferred remote, 25 percent said they preferred full, in-person, and 28 percent said they would opt for a hybrid model.

Proulx presented the reentry proposal that is to be submitted to DESE Friday. DESE mandated that each district provide a plan for full, in-person learning, full remote learning, as well as a hybrid approach. Proulx said that regardless of the approach chosen, everyone will have the option to choose full remote learning. Both staff and students electing remote will need to sign a commitment for at least half the year as switching between models will not be allowed. Students electing to be fully remote would likely be in separate classes from those receiving some sort of in-person instruction.

Highlights from Proulx’s in-person model include using 6 ft of social distancing wherever possible and DESE’s recommended 3 ft wherever 6 ft is not possible. Safety precautions including signage, both floor decals and signs, would also be included. Proulx also told those assembled that with buses limited to a third of their usual capacity due to distancing mandates, parents wishing to utilize the bus are likely to have to submit a bus commitment each semester.

Proulx presented two potential models for hybrid learning. Each would consist of four cohorts of students. Cohorts A and B would attend school on alternating schedules. Cohort C would be those students electing for full remote learning, and Cohort D would consist of students that qualify as high needs and therefore are eligible for 4 full days of in-person learning a week.

Hybrid Model 1 would have Cohort A attend school in person on Monday and Tuesday with Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday being remote. Cohort B would be remote Monday through Wednesday and in-person on Thursday and Friday. All students would be remote on Wednesdays in both models. This day is intended to be used for disinfecting the buildings as well as professional development for teachers. Hybrid Model 2 would have Cohort A attend school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday followed by a full week of remote learning. Cohort B would be on the opposite schedule each week. Proulx and Lynch said that early research seemed to indicate a preference for Hybrid Model 1 as it provides more consistency for families.

A focus would be placed on in-person learning of the core requirements in both hybrid models while art, music, and physical education would be held remotely. Also of note, Proulx said that the district will do its best to ensure that siblings are placed in the same cohort to limit scheduling confusion for families.

With a large number of attendees from the public, committee chair Paula Hatch opened the floor to questions regarding the reopening plan. There were some questions as to how the cohorts would be selected. While friendship groups will not be considered, Proulx said there was a possibility that the cohorts would be separated by neighborhood for transportation reasons. Some questions were also asked about chromebooks and participants were told that the goal is for all students to have their own chromebook. While questions were asked about the CTE program, Proulx and High School Principal Michaela Gill told the crowd that those guidelines had just been released from DESE that afternoon and that more information would be forthcoming. Some in the audience had questions about sports but Proulx told them they didn’t expect answers regarding fall sports until sometime in mid-September.

Finally, the committee was asked to vote on the preliminary, non-binding plan to be submitted to DESE. In addition to submitting the plan, DESE requested that districts also indicate which way they are leaning. Proulx said the plan, as written, indicated a leaning toward one of the hybrid models.

Committee member Gordon Andrews was the sole no vote from the committee saying he wouldn’t vote in favor of the plan unless the leaning was changed. Hatch also asked the committee to take a straw poll to indicate their preferred approach to reopening.

Hatch, Andrews, Leslie-Ann McGee, and Chris Eklund were for full in-person. Laura Tilton and Eric Crone were for a hybrid approach. Both Edward Desharnais and Mike Antoine voted to begin school remotely.

Antoine indicated a preference for starting remotely and slowly rolling into a hybrid approach as was voted by the Plympton School Committee earlier that week.

The committee plans to meet again next week to select and vote on a more comprehensive plan that must be submitted to DESE by August 10 and made public.

The Halifax School Committee held their close-out meeting for the year on July 1. Principal Kayne Beaudry gave an update on some of the end of school activities. Beaudry said that the pickup of student materials was done by homeroom and social distancing was practiced. “It was super smooth…I can’t thank everyone that chipped in enough,” Beaudry said.

Halifax Elementary also held a graduation that was similar to the senior auto parade. Beaudry said that students received certificates and swag bags. The Halifax Police and Fire departments assisted and Superintendnet Jill Proulx attended. Beaudry said that despite the oppressive heat the event went well.

According to Beaudry, reopening plans have been taking up much of the administration’s time. Despite a growing Facebook page for homeschooling in Halifax, Beaudry said he would be surprised if many parents opted to go that route having previously had the experience of practicing remote learning. As of the summer, the incoming kindergarten class stands at 78 students. Beaudry noted that the exiting sixth grade class was a good size.

Beaudry also went over some of the updates to the student handbook. There was some discussion with the committee about the dress code including comments that it felt “female heavy.” It was also suggested that there be some pandemic guidance given in the dress code. Proulx pointed out that state regulations would override anything in the handbook should the guidance or directives change.

Kindergarten registration was also discussed. Beaudry said that the elementary school principals have formulated a plan anticipating that the schools will be reopening in the fall and that students will be inside the building. Since screenings for incoming kindergarteners were unable to be held in May as is typical, screenings will occur on Thursday, September 3. Placements will be finalized on September 4 and the Kindergarten Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 8. The first day of Kindergarten will be Wednesday, September 9. All dates, etc. are subject to change dependent on guidance from the state.

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch shared with the committee the results from the most recent survey of parents, staff, and students on their experiences and preferences regarding remote learning. Lynch said the response rate was high for both staff and parents with a staff rate of response of 71 percent. Staff consistently responded that they were appreciative of the efforts of famillies. It was also reported that grade level time was highly effective. Lynch said there was a “mixed bag” of responses in terms of the effectiveness of whole class Google Meets though both staff and parents said that small group Google Meets were largely effective.

Both families and staff were also in agreement that they would like to see evaluation of student work go beyond a credit/no credit scenario. The Massachusetts commissioner of elementary and secondary education has already declared that if remote learning is needed again in the upcoming school year, grades will be a part of that.

Lynch also said that there were some communication challenges and that parents didn’t view the posting of assignments as being on par with teachers actively communicating assignmnts. Other concerns included excessive screen time as well as a lack of socialization. Lynch said that improvements for the upcoming year, should they need to incorporate remote learning, will include improved technology for staff as well as training and implementation of K-6 social and emotional learning. “We know that we have to take care of students not just academically, but the whole child,” Lynch explained. Lynch also pointed out that back in March there was an immediate need for high quality remote learning with a day’s notice. If remote learning is needed come the fall, the school will be better equipped to handle it.

Proulx also provided an update on preparations for the coming year. Proulx thanked the town of Halifax for promoting and supporting the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and technology through the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “We’ve been trying to purchase things to get ahead… we are doing whatever we can to keep the students as safe as possible,” Proulx said.

In addition to receiving support through the CARES Act, Proulx said they have also applied for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. Proulx said the grant, which would be for $51,000, could be used towards things such as PPE and technology including remote screen casting.

The administration is currently working on three separate plans for the return to school. Those plans include one for an entirely remote scenario, another for full-time re-entry, and a third which would be a hybrid of the two. Proulx said they were told to plan for all three as even if the school year starts one way, the virus could cause a change in course at any time.

Proulx also gave an update on the FY21 budget saying that as of July 1, the one-twelfth budget had been approved. Andrews took a moment to thank Director of Business Services Christine Healy for all of her efforts during the extremely convoluted budget process.

The committee also touched upon concerns over the chemicals used in the fogging and disinfecting process. According to the fire chief, classrooms can be disinfected in thirty minutes. Schmaling expressed concern over the “nasty chemicals” and commented on the tendency of young kids to put things in their mouths and whatnot. “It just makes me very uncomfortable to think about fogging these classrooms every day,” Schmaling said. They also discussed the possibility of utilizing UV technology as a possible alternative for disinfection.

KINGSTON — State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston) filed amendments for the Silver Lake Regional School District to receive $120,000 for technology upgrades due to COVID-19, and $26,000 for PPE for nursing staff, as part of the overall supplemental budget passed by the House of Representatives to facilitate federal CARES Act funding for communities hard hit by COVID-19.

The spending measure passed by the Legislature follows the April passage in Congress of the Federal Cares Act, requiring states to expend funds on items related to COVID-19 for federal reimbursement. The supplemental budget directs funds to address vital needs including for personal protective equipment, field hospitals and contact tracing.

Representative LaNatra also co-sponsored an amendment for $200,000 for Plymouth schools for virtual technology, and $75,000 for technology in Duxbury.

The bill also establishes Juneteenth Independence Day on June 19th in Massachusetts, marking the day in 1865 when the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, learned they were free.

The spending bill includes, among other items:

• $350 Million for personal protective equipment costs across the Commonwealth;

• $139 Million for increased rate add-ons to congregate care providers;

• $94 Million for incentive pay for human service employees;

• $85 Million for field hospitals and shelters;

• $44 Million for Community Tracing Collaborative;

• $81.6 Million for child care needs during the pandemic and re-opening;;

• $500,000 to create an Early Education and Care Public-Private Trust Fund to establish an infrastructure to foster public-private and philanthropic efforts in support of childcare providers.

“This supplemental budget will distribute needed funds in the wake of COVID-19,” said Representative LaNatra. She added, “We look forward to this measure helping relieve the financial burdens that so many have experienced with this pandemic, and I’m pleased that Silver Lake, Plymouth and Duxbury’s needs are well represented in this legislation.” She continued, “And all of us in the House of Representatives are especially pleased to support having Juneteenth become a state holiday.” The bill now goes to the Senate.

Representative LaNatra’s district includes all residents of Halifax, Kingston and Plympton, as well as residents of Precincts 1, 11 and 13 in Plymouth; Precinct 1 in Middleboro; and Precinct 1 in Duxbury.  To reach her, email Kathleen.LaNatra@mahouse.gov or her legislative aide, Chris Jean, Christopher.Jean@MAhouse.gov. The phone number for the office is 617-722-2430. For updates and announcements, please visit Representative LaNatra’s Facebook page, https://bit.ly/2Ura8VR or her website, https://www.kathylanatra.com.

 

KINGSTON – Sacred Heart High School in Kingston awarded diplomas Monday to its final graduating class.

An outdoor baccalaureate mass, officiated by Father John Graham of Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative, was celebrated on the front lawn of the high school. The event marked a new beginning for members of the Class of 2020 and the final chapter for the high school which announced in February that it would discontinue grades 9-12 at the end of this school year due to declining enrollment and budget deficits.

Following the mass, Class Valedictorian Lily Lonergan, Salutatorian Paulina Spacek, and President Michael Hurm each addressed their fellow graduates and their families.

Academic awards and scholarships were presented to individual students. Mrs. Diane Hunt presented the William Christopher Hunt ’87 Scholarships to William Mayo, Michael Hurm, Paulina Spacek, Samantha Latini, and Scott Hokanson. The William Christopher Hunt ’87 Scholarship Fund was established by the Hunt family in honor of Sacred Heart alumnus Billy Hunt, who loved his time at Sacred Heart especially his friends and baseball. He had a deep devotion to Sacred Heart and the lessons he learned during his time there. Billy was killed on September 11, 2001 in the terrorist attacks in New York City where he worked as a bond trader.

To commemorate the final graduating class and to further honor her son’s legacy, Mrs. Hunt announced that, in addition to the five scholarships noted above, every graduating senior would receive a $1,500 scholarship from the William Christopher Hunt ‘87 Scholarship Fund.

The Class of 2020 received their diplomas from Head of School Sister Alice Marie Lyon and Principal Jean Marston. A keynote address was delivered by Marie Kenniston Bruninghaus ’83, an alumna and beloved former teacher and coach. Ms. Bruninghaus, who was awarded the Ketteler Medal Award at the ceremony, reminded the Class of 2020 that, as graduates of Sacred Heart, they are members of a small army who can call on each other any time, any decade, to join together to serve others. That, she said, is the fabric of Sacred Heart.

Attendance at the ceremony was limited due to social distancing requirements. Thirty local members of the Class of 2020 received diplomas yesterday. The graduating class included eight international students, who had returned to their hometowns in China due to the pandemic; these students will receive their diplomas by mail. The ceremony was live-streamed on social media for the international students as well as extended families and friends of all the graduating class.

Below is a list of the Sacred Heart High School Class of 2020:

Maxwell Allen of                                     Bridgewater plans to attend                Bridgewater State University

Maddison Larsen-Molina of   Bridgewater plans to attend  Boston University

Paulina Spacek of                                   Bridgewater   plans to attend                     Bentley University

Tyler Murphy of Carver plans to attend                                       University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Zhuo Sun, an international student who stayed with a family  in Duxbury  plans to attend             Bentley University

James Tierney of                                    Duxbury  plans to attend              Seton Hall University

Margaret Bulger of                                 Hanson  plans to attend     Marist College

Ryan Graham                          of Hingham    plans to attend  Johnson & Wales University

Michael McPhail of                               Hingham      plans to attend                       Lynn University

Cameron Dwyer                                 of Kingston  plans to attend     University of New Haven

Kevin Fehrm of                                       Kingston    plans to attend    University of Denver

Yu Fu , an international student who  stayed with a family in    Kingston  plans to attendUniversity of Connecticut

Scott Hokanson of                                  Kingston    plans to attend  Maine College of Art

Michael Hurm of                                    Kingston       plans to attend  Saint Anselm College

Lily Lonergan of                                     Kingston    plans to attend  Baylor University

William Mayo  of                                   Kingston    plans to attendStonehill College

Julia  Ward  of                                          Kingston   plans to attend  Fordham University

Siqia Weng, an international student who stayed with a family in                                         Kingston   plans to attend the University of Southern California

Chaofan Wu  , an international student who stayed with a family in        Kingston   plans to attend   Boston College

Zachary Crossman of                             Lakeville  has not made his plans known

Ethan Secakusuma of                             Lakeville   plans to attend    Wentworth Institute of Technology

Valerie Downey of                                  Marshfield   plans to attend  Mass College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Samantha Latini           of Middleboro     plans to attend  Clemson University

Kayla Turner of                                      Middleboro   plans to attend  Syracuse University

Leo Darling                                          of Pembroke     has not made his plans known

Peilin Jiang, an international student who stayed with a host family in                                          Pembroke plans to attend  New York University

Yirui Zheng, an intrnational student who stayed with a host family in                                           Pembroke  plans to attend   American University

Hannah Boyd of                                      Plymouth plans to attend   University of North Carolina Wilmington

Sophia Capone of                                   Plymouth    plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University

Anabella Driscoll  of Plymouth        plans to attend Dean College

Edward Kiesewetter of                          Plymouth   plans to attend       Plymouth State University

Hanyi Li    , an international student who stayed with a host family in                                          Plymouth plans to attend                          Pratt Institute

Wenrui Li, an international student who stayed with a host family in                                         Plymouth has not made their plans known

Jonathan Menard of                              Plymouth     plans to attend   Johnson & Wales University

Ariana Murphy of                                  Plymouth       plans to attend   Baylor University

Benjamin Andrade of  Plympton  plans to attend   Bryant University

Matthew Day of                                      Plympton   plans to attend University of Rhode Island

Luke Harrenstein of                 Plympton  plans to attend  Villanova University

Name                                                  Hometown                          College Attending

Maxwell Allen                                    Bridgewater                        Bridgewater State University

Maddison Larsen-Molina                 Bridgewater                        Boston University

Paulina Spacek                                  Bridgewater                        Bentley University

Tyler Murphy                                     Carver                                  University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Zhuo Sun                                            Duxbury *             Bentley University

James Tierney                                    Duxbury                Seton Hall University

Margaret Bulger                                Hanson                                Marist College

Ryan Graham                                     Hingham                             Johnson & Wales University

Michael McPhail                               Hingham                             Lynn University

Cameron Dwyer                                Kingston                              University of New Haven

Kevin Fehrm                                      Kingston                              University of Denver

Yu Fu                                                   Kingston               *             University of Connecticut

Scott Hokanson                                 Kingston                              Maine College of Art

Michael Hurm                                   Kingston                              Saint Anselm College

Lily Lonergan                                     Kingston                              Baylor University

William Mayo                                    Kingston                              Stonehill College

Julia Ward                                          Kingston                              Fordham University

Siqia Weng                                         Kingston               *             University of Southern California

Chaofan Wu                                       Kingston               *             Boston College

Zachary Crossman                            Lakeville                              Unknown

Ethan Secakusuma                            Lakeville                              Wentworth Institute of Technology

Valerie Downey                                 Marshfield                          Mass College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Samantha Latini                                Middleboro                         Clemson University

Kayla Turner                                      Middleboro                         Syracuse University

Leo Darling                                         Pembroke                           Unknown

Peilin Jiang                                         Pembroke*                         New York University

Yirui Zheng                                         Pembroke*                         American University

Hannah Boyd                                     Plymouth                            University of North Carolina Wilmington

Sophia Capone                                  Plymouth                            Florida Gulf Coast University

Anabella Driscoll                               Plymouth                            Dean College

Edward Kiesewetter                          Plymouth                            Plymouth State University

Hanyi Li                                              Plymouth*                          Pratt Institute

Wenrui Li                                            Plymouth*                          Unknown

Jonathan Menard                              Plymouth                            Johnson & Wales University

Ariana Murphy                                  Plymouth                            Baylor University

Benjamin Andrade                            Plympton                            Bryant University

Matthew Day                                     Plympton                            University of Rhode Island

Luke Harrenstein                Plympton                            Villanova University

(*) denotes the host family hometowns of Sacred Heart’s international students

About Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart School is a private Catholic coeducational school for children from age two through Grade 8. Welcoming students of all faiths, Sacred Heart offers a supportive learning environment where equal emphasis is given to academic and moral development. With rigorous academics, faith-based learning, and an emphasis on service to others, students feel comfortable challenging themselves in a safe and nurturing environment. For more information, visit www.sacredheartkingston.com.

Only 4.5 per cent of Plympton’s 2289 registered voters came out on the hot summer solstice; 104 ballots were cast.  Plympton voters for the most part stayed home when faced with a ballot with only two printed candidates on the form.  Selectman Mark E Russo, a candidate for re-election, turned in his nomination papers to ensure his place on the ballot.  He won with 85 votes, 16 blank, and 3 who wrote in others.

Daniel M. Cadogan was able to turn in his nomination papers to take his place on the Plympton ballot.  He won a position on the Plympton School Committee with 72 votes.  Jon Wilhelmsen won his return to the second position on the Plympton School Committee with 14 write-in votes.  There were 112 votes left blank and 10 other write-ins.

Ethan Stiles got 5 write-in votes for his place on the Board of Assssors for another three years.  There were 90 blanks.

Bradford Cronin won a 3-year term on the Board of Health with 12 write-in votes.  There were 84 blanks and 7 others.

Two positions on the Finance Committee were  won by Kathryn Shepard at 19 votes, and Marilyn Browne with 15 votes.  There were 171 blanks and 2 others.

James Lundgren and Louise Cosato won their 3 –year terms on the Board of Library Trustees with 17 and 12 votes respectively.   There were 177 votes left blank.

Jim will be a busy guy as he was also the top vote-getter in the 2-year position on the Board of Library trustees, having been written in by 5 fans.  There were 95 blanks and 4 others.

Paul D’Angelo won a 5-year term on the Plympton Planning Board.  The veteran member of the board got 8 write-ins.  94 voters left it blank and 2 votes were for others.

The one-year term on the Planning Board was won by James Cohen with 7 write-in votes cast. There were 4 others.  Blanks got 93.

For the Silver Lake Regional School Committee 3-year term Jason Fraser won the position with 10 votes written-in for him.  1 vote was for another and there were 93 blanks.

Voting took place at the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Rd.

KINGSTON – State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston), together with her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, passed legislation this week that would allow a number of voting options, including early voting by mail, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Act Relative To Voting Options In Response To COVID-19 seeks to facilitate a number of options for voters confronting health risks due to the Coronavirus. Under the provisions of the bill, voters can elect to vote by mail, submit an absentee ballot, vote early in-person or vote on Election Day with public health safeguards in place.

The bill to expand voting options in response to COVID-19 includes the following provisions:

(1)    Early voting by mail application

• Requires the Secretary of State to mail all registered voters an application to vote early by mail in advance of the primary and general elections (by July 15 for the primary and September 14 for the general);

• Asks voters to apply by seven days prior to the primary and general elections;

• Allows for electronic signature and submission of applications

(2)    Early voting by mail

• The city or town clerk will mail an early voting by mail ballot and an envelope with return postage pre-paid to voters who apply;

• Allows voters to return their early voting by mail ballot in the mail, secure drop box, or in person;

(3)    Absentee voting

• Provides for absentee voting by any person taking precaution related to COVID-19;

• Allows electronic signature and submission of absentee voting applications;

(4)    In person voting public health safeguards

• Requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, to promulgate emergency regulations requiring public health safeguards for in-person voting, including social distancing of voters and election officers; face coverings and personal protective equipment; frequent use of sanitizers; and sanitary use of marking pens;

(5)    Early voting in person

• Provides for 7 days of in person early voting in the primary—from Saturday, August 22 to Friday, August 28—including one weekend – and 14 days of in person early voting in the general—from Saturday, October 17 to Friday, October 30—including two weekends;

(6)    Election day

·         Permits voters to still cast a ballot at the polls on election day;

(7)    Local elections

• Provides for early voting by mail for any city or town elections held at the same time as the primary or general or on or before December 31, 2020.

The bill next moves to the Senate.

Representative LaNatra, who serves on the Joint Election Laws Committee, said, “I am very pleased with this bill. It is a comprehensive piece of legislation that addresses the challenges of voting during a pandemic, and provides a number of options to remedy these challenges.  The legislature began this process by reviewing and discussing eight separate bills on the topic and worked together to put forward one very strong piece of legislation. I thank my colleagues in the House for this great work, and I am hopeful that the Senate will quickly pass this and that the Governor will sign it into law.”

Representative LaNatra’s district includes all residents of Halifax, Kingston and Plympton, as well as residents of Precincts 1, 11 and 13 in Plymouth; Precinct 1 in Middleboro; and Precinct 1 in Duxbury.  To reach her, email Kathleen.LaNatra@mahouse.gov or her legislative aide, Chris Jean, Christopher.Jean@MAhouse.gov. The phone number for the office is 617-722-2430. For updates and announcements, please visit Representative LaNatra’s Facebook page, https://bit.ly/2Ura8VR or her website, https://www.kathylanatra.com.

Town Meeting Update

Town moderator Dennis Carman and town counsel Larry Mayo attended the Tuesday, June 9 remote meeting of the Halifax Board of Selectmen in order to recess town meeting until July 11. Under Chapter 53 of the Acts of 2020, towns can recess their town meetings for up to 30 days if there is a declaration of a public health emergency. Town moderators wield the power to do just that after consultation with the Board of Selectmen and Board of Health. Halifax health agent Cathy Drinan sent correspondence to Attorney Mayo stating that it would be ill advised to hold the meeting particularly with 150 people or more in an enclosed environment.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig recommended that the meeting be moved to 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 11 in order to have another month to work out logistics, hygiene protocols, and other social distancing requirements. Seelig said that he selected morning rather than evening in order to avoid mosquitos. Seelig also said that an additional benefit of waiting a month would be seeing how other communities are handling their meetings and borrowing best practices from them. According to Seelig the meeting would most likely be held at the Halifax Elementary School though whether it would be held indoors or outdoors remains to be seen.

Carman agreed with the delay saying, “people’s safety and well-being is of paramount concern to us.” He also said that he feels the delay will maximize residents’ ability to participate in town government and the budget process as an earlier date may lead to people not coming due to safety concerns.

COVID Policies and Reopening

The Board approved a new Halifax COVID leave policy during their last meeting that required all town employees to be paid only for the hours worked. The new policy took effect on Sunday, June 7. Next on the agenda was establishing a policy for returning to the workplace. The state currently recommends that employees continue to work remotely wherever feasible.

Selectmen Troy Garron and Tom Millias agreed that in order to preserve equity among employees, all town employees in all departments should be asked to return to their workplaces with exceptions made only for those with medical conditions preventing them from doing so safely. Selectman Gordon Andrews was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting due to personal reasons. Seelig agreed saying that while many essential functions can be performed remotely, many of the town positions do include some element of interacting with either other town employees or the public. According to Millias, Maintenance Director Scott Materna will have all protective barriers in place at the town hall by this Friday, June 12. The Board voted June 22 as the date that all town employees should be returning to their places of work. Employees unable to return to work due to health concerns will need to provide a certified doctor’s note. There currently is no date set for opening the town hall to the public.

All employees must perform a self-certification daily which includes signing off that they are not currently experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 nor have they knowingly been in close contact with an infected person. Regarding the state guidance that residents traveling out of state self-quarantine for 14 days, Garron said, “I think we ought to treat it as a recommendation and not a policy.” The selectmen and Seelig agreed that employees would need to use their best judgement should the situation arise.

Signage will be used to indicate to employees and eventually members of the public what safety protocols must be practiced when inside municipal buildings including the town hall. Employees will be expected to wear face coverings in common areas and whenever social distancing cannot be adhered to inside individual offices. Seelig also said that he would recommend that windows be left open whenever feasible and said that he would speak to Materna about installing screens.

Once opened to the public, visitors to town hall will not be by appointment as some other communities have done. Instead, visitors will be asked to leave if experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. Seelig said that in the event that someone cannot come into the building, employees would be available to help them via email or phone.

Seelig and the Board also addressed how best to handle residents that refuse to comply with safety protocols such as wearing a mask. “We should let people know what our expectations are,” Millias said. He continued, “Our obligation is to keep everyone safe, including the public.” Garron said that he would never want to see any employee or anyone for that matter abused because they ask another individual to wear a mask or practice social distancing. The Board agreed that if patrons become abusive while refusing to follow safety protocols, the police will have to be called.

The Holmes Public Library will begin opening to the public in early July. There is no set date for the Council on Aging to resume programming and activities. Seelig noted that much of the clientele for those services are part of the vulnerable population. The Board plans to talk to Council on Aging Director Susan Lawless about how to best phase in programming.

The HOPS playground is currently open since it fell under phase 2 of the state’s plan for reopening. Seelig said that there is temporary signage indicating that the town will not accept any liability for injury or sickness resulting from the use of the playground. Seelig also said that the town does not have the capacity to monitor the number of people using it at any one time. Similarly, he said they will not be able to sanitize it regularly. Garron said, “I just hope that we do have reasonable adults on the playground and that they try to limit the contact between their kids and other kids as much as possible.”

The state is now allowing outdoor dining at restaurants and other similar establishments. Seelig said the process for amending liquor licenses to reflect that change has been simplified.  He did note that to date, no establishment had approached the Board to make such a change.

FY21 Town Budget

Seelig said that himself and town accountant Sandra Nolan did work out a one-twelfth budget for submission to the state based on a number of recommendations from the Finance Committee. Both Garron and Millias voted to approve the one-twelfth budget as outlined by Seelig.

Beach Stickers for Non-Residents

The Board voted during Tuesday’s meeting to allow access to Halifax beaches to non-resident taxpayers using a placard system and a $25 fee. The issue was first brought to the Board’s attention over the winter by a resident who lives on Waltham St. in Hanson but pays taxes on a portion of her land that is in Halifax.

Finance Committee member Bill McAvoy’s term ends on June 15 so the Board of Selectmen and Melinda Tarsi of the Finance Committee voted to approve having McAvoy extend his term through the FY21 budget process. McAvoy intends on resigning once the budget process is complete due to work commitments. This will leave the committee looking for three new members.