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Police Chief Dillon feted by Plympton

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Police Chief Patrick Dillon bid farewell to Plympton Monday morning as more than 50 Town House employees and friends gathered to wish him well in his retirement.

Dillon proclaimed his department the best group ever  – on par with his Marine Corps buddies – and said he will miss them dearly.

Dillon had been Chief of the Plympton Police Department for the past nine years, becoming chief in 2010 when then Chief Matthew M. Clancy accepted the position as chief in Duxbury.  In a fortunate turn of events, Clancy, now retiring from Duxbury, will return to take the helm in Plympton as the town looks for its next police chief.

Dillon has been a popular chief in Plympton, so popular, in fact, that the town voted unanimously to build the much-needed police station that had been in consideration for a decade.  That night of Town Meeting in 2017 Dillon’s smile continued well into the next day.  The town was invited to the official Open House of the new police station May 11 as he saw his efforts, and those of the Public Safety Building Committee, come to fruition.

Under his leadership, the police force grew, meeting the needs of a growing community.

He loved his job in Plympton, Dillon told the crowd.  “My officers will tell you I come to work every morning with a spring in my step and a smile on my face.”

What’s he going to do now?  Dillon told his well-wishers, “I’m going fishing!”

Plympton seeks grant for curve re-do

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, July 22 opened with the final interview for the new animal control officer who will also double as the animal inspector in Plympton. Brian Kling, the current animal inspector in Halifax, addressed the board. In addition to his work in Halifax, Kling volunteers at a number of animal related organizations including the Kingston Animal Shelter where he has served as a volunteer for the last nine years.

Vice-Chair Mark Russo questioned Kling regarding whether or not he would be comfortable deescalating intense situations. Kling responded saying, “I don’t know about the word comfortable, but I’m experienced with it.”  Kling went on to explain his past experience as a first level support for EMC Corporation where he would often have to answer to irate customers upset that their expensive equipment was not working properly. He also spoke of deescalating situations involving dog bites as the Halifax animal inspector. Kling, who will continue with his current position in Halifax in addition to the one in Plympton, was appointed unanimously by the board. He is scheduled to start August 1 and his appointment as ACO will run through June of 2020 while his appointment as animal inspector will run through April of 2020.

Plympton Zoning Enforcement Officer Allan Frasier attended the meeting to update the board. Frasier said that in the last year he has fielded 58 zoning applications, 49 of which were approved and nine of which were denied. Frasier also addressed the issue of in-law apartments as they are illegal according to the Plympton bylaws.

Some realtors have been advertising Plympton homes as having in-law apartments so Frasier drafted some general guidelines on the subject and dispersed them accordingly. While a home in Plympton can have a multitude of kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc., all parts of the dwelling must be accessible to all residents of that home. This means that in-law apartments that are blocked off from the rest of the home (even by means of a locked door) are not legal according to the town’s bylaws.

Selectman John Traynor said that the town may want to explore amending that bylaw as more than thirty percent of Plympton’s residents are over the age of 55. Frasier emphasized that the downside to allowing in-law apartments may come when an inhabitant of that apartment passes away and the owner decides to rent the unit.

Frasier also said that in the last year he has sent out a number of violation letters as well as cease and desist letters. Frasier described some issues with Tractor Supply and said that since the company rents the land, he has been dealing with the corporate owner located in New Jersey. Tractor Supply, who Frasier described as “very accommodating,” must also correct several open trailers for equipment that are in the wrong place.

Another business needing to make adjustments according to Frasier was Winnetuxet River Provide who had some signs on fences without permits. Frasier said he spoke with the owner and offered to discuss what is and is not allowed according to the bylaws.

There were some violations at residential addresses including selling cars without a license that Frasier said have either been corrected or are in the process of being corrected now.

Additionally, a cease and desist letter was sent regarding an unnumbered vacant lot on Palmer Rd. where a non-resident of Plympton has been repeatedly asked to move a large crane and backhoe placed there. Frasier said that he plans to file a criminal complaint since nothing has been done regarding his repeated requests. “There are a few people that I know are not happy with the way I’m ruling on certain things but I do my best to explain to them these aren’t my rules, these are town bylaws; this was written and voted on by the town. If you don’t like what it says, go in and change it.”

Frasier said. “I do feel like we need to be, in some cases, ahead so we don’t get involved after it’s a violation,”

Traynor said. “The thing that attracts people to this town is the rural character of it, the agricultural side, and to the extent we can, we would like to keep that. We can sit down and talk to people about where do we need changes if that is what is needed,” Traynor continued.

The Board also made a number of appointments including town treasurer, town tax collector, and town secretary. There were also several appointments to various positions on the Council on Aging as well as the Recreation Commission and the Historic District Commission. The various appointments will last through June of 2022.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided updates on various items including the two open town lots in Plympton that are back out to bid with a noon deadline on August 19. (note:  that date has since been extended to Sept. 3)

Regarding the renovations to the library doors, Dennehy said that the selected contractor has become unresponsive and a new one may have to be selected.

Dennehy also shared that the town is currently receiving assistance in getting a grant application completed regarding possible improvements to the intersection of Ring Rd. and Main St. Traynor, Scott Ripley, and an engineer met to survey the area in question and gather supporting materials for the grant application. The grant would be for both engineering and design services as well as construction. The deadline for the grant is early August. If approved, the first order of business would be to meet with Mass Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and then to reach out to the residents for public input. Dennehy said that the goal would be to have minimal impact on residents while also creating a safe pass-through for all vehicles.

Concerns over safety issues with Plympton’s municipal buildings were also discussed. There are significant water issues and leaks in the Town House.

Additionally, the building has had to be closed twice in the last few months due to problems with the septic system.

The Board has proposed creating a campus committee with the intention of devising a plan to remedy the myriad of issues plaguing the buildings. The Board said that a phased approach would have to be taken with a five to ten-year plan in mind.

Members of the finance committee in attendance were in agreement regarding the approach as all parties agreed that continuing to throw money away on band-aid like fixes would not be in the best interest of the town.

Recent S-L grad Robbie Silenzi holds first book signing

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KINGSTON- Robert V. “Robbie” Silenzi, who graduated from Silver Lake Regional High School in May, held his first book signing event at the New Again gift shop in Plymouth this past weekend.

To no -one’s surprise,Silenzi has published  three picture books and has also illustrated them himself:

Robbie, to those who know him, has autism, and credits his teachers, Alex Frazier and Melanie Orcutt for encouraging him to pursue his dream  of becoming an author and illustrator.

Linda Redding,then Silver Lake Regional High Schoool media specialist, now retired, remembers Robbie, “I had the pleasure of working with Robbie at Silver Lake on several of his video video productions.  He is very creative, talented, and hard working.  Robbie was involved with Laker TV and has great skill in editing, as well as acting as a host.

Robbie has published and illustrated three books: The Canadian Cat Girl, that he has also made into a visual-audio book, Bear’s Musical Problem, and Antoine’s Cow Mother.  These books are available for sale at the New Again, 32 South Park Ave., Plymouth and online at www.TheBookPatch.com

This summer, Robbie is spending time at Area 58 studio in Carver to further advance his production skills.

Roof leaks over town vault; records in jeopardy with

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met Monday, July 8. The meeting began with Co-chair of the Open Space Committee Linda Leddy giving an update on two municipal lots that are for sale. A deal for one of the two lots recently fell apart during the purchase and sale process leaving two lots still available.

Leddy was originally told that the lots could not be listed in the MLS (multiple listing service) without redoing the legal work and paying the buyers’ fees. After speaking with a different broker, however, it was discovered that the lots could be listed in the MLS after paying just a flat fee of either $500 or $1000 and stating in the listing that the seller would not pay buyers’ fees. The broker working with Leddy said that Plympton was a desirable location with high land values.

The previous difficulty in selling the lots was likely due to lack of exposure; a problem that listing in the MLS should solve. The Board voted to move forward with this method of advertising.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy asked the Board to approve a proposal from Door Tech Inc. out of Bridgewater to make the town library doors accessible. The motion was unanimously approved. The Board also approved the appointments of Colleen Thompson to the Zoning Board of Appeals and Edward Sealey as gas inspector. Both appointments are for one year.

Town Clerk Patricia Detterman addressed the Board about concerns over the vault that houses the town’s records and important paperwork. Detterman said that the roof is leaking over the area where the vault is housed and is concerned that the contents are vulnerable to fire and water damage. Detterman visted other town halls and spoke with other town clerks regarding their criteria for the management of old records and deeds.

Additionally, Plympton Police Chief Patrick Dillon showed Detterman the manner in which the police department houses their paper records. Detterman asked the Board for their permission to have an electrician come in and talk to her about what the vault is capable of right now and what the possibilities are to make it safer in the future. Board member Mark Russo said, “I think there are a lot of pieces that we have to look at; we probably just need to get a sense of this stuff, see what it’s going to cost, get some quotes, and I think we’ll be looking at town meeting.” He continued, “I’m totally in favor of finally getting this thing done.” The Board voted to approve having an electrician come out to inspect the vault and offer suggestions for improvements.

Both Detterman and her assistant Jill Palenstijn have recently attended two meetings with the U.S. Census Bureau. It was advised that the town clerk meet with the selectmen to form a Complete Count Committee dedicated to ensuring that residents complete the census. It was also recommended that the council consist of a variety of trusted voices from the town such as those from a local church or the Council on Aging. The preference is that the census is completed electronically so the council would be responsible for setting up workshops at the library where the not so tech savvy could be guided through the process. Either count committee members or possibly high school students completing community service could volunteer at the workshops. The hope is that the census would be completed upon the first mailer that goes out with recipients responding online although the option to return via snail mail is still available. The last resort, and most expensive option, is the door to door approach for those that have not responded. The Board asked Detterman to reach out to possible volunteers for the Complete Count Committee to be voted on and appointed by the Board.  Detterman said, “We have a small town; we can do this, I’d like to be one of the first ones to finish the census count.”

Dennehy presented her update to the Board. She noted that there are several applications in for the position of animal control officer. The Board was in agreement that Chief Dillon and Selectman Russo will meet with the applicants and select finalists to go before the entire Board. Russo, who is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, joked about bringing his dog along for the interview. Dennehy also sent notes to the Halifax and Carver town administrators about the possibility for shared opportunities including joint grants or shared services for the Council on Aging. The Selectmen agreed that there is a great deal of enthusiasm for shared services and cited the success of Area 58 Community Access Media which serves Plympton as well as Carver and Halifax.

Dennehy also presented to the Board a new plan to hold department heads more accountable for their individual budgets and for keeping on track with said budgets. Finance Committee member Kathryn Shepard and Dennehy agreed to draft a joint letter with a new attachment to redo how transfer requests are done adding additional steps to ensure better collaboration and communication between the various departments, committees, and selectmen. The letter would be approved by the Board of Selectmen prior to being dispersed to the various department heads.

Town Accountant Barbara Gomez agreed to do a monthly financial printout to show department heads where they are in terms of their spending for the year. Each department head would be required to sign off on the printout to acknowledge they are aware of the state of their budget. They would also be expected to decide if a meeting with the Finance Committee or Board of Selectmen would be necessary to review their expenditures thus far.

Board of Selectmen Chair John Traynor expressed some concern over having all department heads participate in these additional requirements. The Board agreed and decided that only departments with a budget of a certain size would be subjected to this level of oversight.

Dennehy also briefly mentioned a letter from the Plympton Fire Chief requesting rate changes for the fire department details. In it, it was noted that rates had not been updated since July 1, 2015.

The Board also voted to approve the use of the Town House for several PAYS (Plympton Athletic Youth Sports) meetings on July 11, August 5, and August 8 contingent upon a room being available. They also voted to approve the use of the Town House on August 21 from 10 am until noon as the Council on Aging will have people handing out Go Packs to elders at no charge. The packs are valued at $50 apiece.

One of the final pieces of business discussed was the opening on the Community Preservation Committee. Russo said of the committee, “It’s a good committee, it’s a really good committee. It’s one of the best jobs in town. We actually have money. People come to us with good projects, we help spiff them up and make them even better. It’s a happy committee.”   

Anyone interested in serving on the Community Preservation Committee should contact Russo.

chairman of that Committee.

Downward facing… goat?

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HANSON — Early morning the sun shone on 25 yogis of varied skill levels that stretched on their mats Saturday, June 22.

Amid them were three very spunky, friendly goats nicknamed the ‘Golden Girls,’ after the TV comedy — Dorothy and Blanche, both miniature Nubians and Rose a Nigerian dwarf goat.

Red Horse Farm is a serene space set slightly back off 300 High St., in Hanson.

Each weekend they host Goat Yoga —just as it sounds, the yoga class is with goats. If you love getting an intense stretch and possibly a nose kiss from a curious, furry face you may have found your niche.

Nicole Riley owner and trainer of Red Horse Farm works with the goats as local yoga instructor Kristina Northrup teaches the class.

“The interest has been amazing! We thought we’d get a few people who’d want to attend, but we’re packed every weekend! And it’s not just Hanson; we’ve had people drive all the way down from Boston to attend… which blows me away,” said Riley.
The  goats are trained to participate with the group and introduce  slight, weight-bearing additions during several poses. Riley is inside the fenced area and entices the goats with food pellets. 

“Kristina Northrup, our yoga instructor, has done such a great job,” Riley said. “We needed to train the goats prior to launching the class in May and she’s just been game from the very start! She has such a great way about teaching and we’re lucky to have her.”

A mix of genders and ages attended the Goat Yoga class.

Nick Collazo of Taunton who was adept at yoga and fitness was in a full downward facing dog and held his pose as if he barely noticed the two Nigerian dwarf goats that gently danced on his back.  Eventually he lowered himself laughing with the people around him who also took a moment to snap some cell phone pictures.

Quite possibly the goats offer a balanced enlightenment to the perfection some impose on themselves during yoga.  The audible laughter and amusement blended well in the breezy, summer air.

Nicole and her husband Paul also shared their love of the outdoors and a fairytale wedding on the property when they married in 2015.  They purchased the property in 2014 and are close to completing their renovations on the homestead, which was built in the 1800’s.

Their friends who own Hobby Knoll Stables in Duxbury brought their wedding party down High Street in a horse drawn carriage with neighbors looking on in delight.

The bride called her wedding day “magical.”

The farm also hosts a hands-on program called Little Farmers Morning for children. They learn about the goats, chickens, and horses.  It is geared towards children ages 5 to 11, with hands-on learning of horsemanship skills, goat and chicken care, egg collection with an arts and craft project or storybook.

One of her favorite parts is watching the faces of the little ones light up.

“It is the best feeling,” she said.

The RHF is primarily a boarding farm but they wanted to add things that people could enjoy in the outdoor atmosphere.

“I think its fun for those not accustomed to being around horses to hear them neigh during class or see the chickens from the yoga ring’” Riley said. “The goats, ‘The Golden Girls,’ are a riot — each with their own hilarious personality. And there’s as much laughter during class as exercise!”

RHF also offers riding lessons, and farm fresh eggs.

They are located on three acres of land, which abuts conservation land with riding trails.

There’s just something about this little farm and it’s peaceful feeling …being in the fresh air with animals is good for the soul and we hope people enjoy visiting, she said.

Upcoming events and classes, which run through October along with sign ups, are located on their website.  RedhorseFarmHanson.com.

Halifax Fireworks Saturday, June 29

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Celebrate Independence with Halifax Fireworks on Saturday night, June 29, at 9:15 p.m.  (rain date Sunday, June 30), at the Halifax Elementary School field.

Come join the party for an evening of family fun including kids’ face painting, music, food trucks and of course the annual Fireworks Display!

Bring your blanket or lawn chair-Food trucks to be announced

This event takes place thanks to the efforts of the Halifax  community.  The Fireworks Committee wants to thnk all of the local community members who have contributed their efforts to help make it happen.

The Halifax Fireworks is still in need of volunteers for the night-of the event and clean-up the following morning.

This is a perfect opportunity for students who need to fulfill their public service hours requirement for school to get those needed credits.

Please message the Halifax Fireworks Facebook Page to get involved!

Halifax Fire Chief gets top nod from VFW

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Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros was awarded  the top prize for service to the community and to veterans by the Halifax Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6258, the VFW National Public Servant of the Year.

Post Commander David Walsh presented the award at a  ceremony held Tuesday morning at 10 at the Halifax Fire Station.

Viveiros was recognized for his service to veterans in the community, and for his all around service to the community.

Viveiros was also the top choice for the VFW National Firefighter Award, presented to him by Jeff Najarian, Massachusetts Veterans of Foreign Wars State Commander.

The award is a national recognition of the achievements of one firefighter each year. Viveiros won the state competition, selected from all winners in the category of firefighting. Najarian said it was an “honor” to recognize Viveiros.

All VFW posts in the United States were asked to submit their choice for the firefighter they felt best exemplified the qualities needed to be an outstanding firefighter.  From all put forth in Massachusetts, Chief Jason Vivieros was chosen for the top position.

Viveiros accepted the congratulations of area veterans, firefighters and family who were in attendance at the brief ceremony that occurred during a light mist under cloudy skies.

Future inventors from Silver Lake win ‘Project Invention Convention’

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Special to The Express
by Julie Walker
and Erik Todd,
Silver Lake Regional Middle School

   Twenty-six Silver Lake seventh graders put on their thinking caps, joined teams led by 7th and 8th grade Technology and Engineering  teachers Julie Walker and Erik Todd, thought through problems and invented solutions, participating in Project Invention Convention at Bridgewater State University on Wednesday, June 5.

    Out of four teams competing, three of the Silver Lake Middle School teams won trophies, and their Strider Flow, a bicycle-powered USB charger, won first prize!

      Each Invention Convention team had to research, design, and build an invention of any sort to present within ten minutes to the judges and audience.

The University provided each team a budget to spend on research and building their invention.   Weekly meetings, where students planned and built their designs, were held after school at Silver Lake Regional Middle School beginning on February 4 with some extra needed meeting times as the Convention neared.

Prior to showcasing their inventions, contestants could take advantage of a continental breakfast as well as hear a guest speaker.  After their presentations a luncheon was served while the judges reviewed the results.

The event culminated with awards and certificates as well as photo opportunities and gifts!

There were 10 schools represented at the Convention with a total of 17 teams, four of which were from Silver Lake.  Three out of the four Silver Lake teams won awards and the students were complimented all day long! Their hard work and commitment was evident in their projects and in the way they presented their inventions.

    The Invention Convention is a great way to make learning fun and exciting!

     Each year the Center for Pre K–12 Education Outreach at Bridgewater State University sponsors “Project Invention Convention”, designed to give middle school students grades 5 – 8 the opportunity to explore the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and work as part of a team while enjoying the process of collaboratively creating an invention.

Team teacher leaders choose 6 – 8 students to participate; they start planning out their invention ideas that lead to building their invention prototype. Students and teachers work throughout the school year to create their invention. Each June all teams travel to Bridgewater State University and present their invention to an audience and a group of judges. This is a competition and winning teams are chosen based on several categories.

Both students and teachers benefit in many ways, including

• Team building

• Communication skills

• Writing skills

• Presentation skills

• Educational but fun

• Activities related to science, technology, engineering and math

• Stimulates interest in students

• Invention can be patented

SL alum Maddy Barone receives Div. II All-America Honorable Mention honors

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Maddy Barone was dominant this spring, and received high praise for her performance.

The Halifax native, Silver Lake Regional High School alum and pitcher on the Southern New Hampshire University softball team was chosen to be a Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-America Honorable Mention, according to SNHU’s official athletics website. With the selection, Barone became just the second player in franchise history to earn a spot on the list.

The 5-foot-8 junior was dominant for SNHU this past spring, emerging as the team’s clear-cut ace. She pitched in 33 games, including 30 starts. She went 20-7 with a 1.25 ERA while striking out 182 batters in 206.2 innings pitched. She hurled 23 complete games, nine of which were shutouts. Her ERA and innings pitched led the New England 10 Conference while her appearances, complete games and shutouts ranked second among pitchers in the league.

Barone’s top performance of the season came on March 25 against Post. In a complete game win, she allowed just one hit and two walks over seven innings and struck out eight batters. SNHU won the game 6-0.

Barone’s teammate, fellow Silver Lake alum and Halifax native Emily Critch, a sophomore, also had a highly-productive season. In 52 games, the catcher/infielder hit .266 with eight home runs and a .765 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage). After serving as the catcher in 2018, Critch primarily played third base this season.

SNHU went 38-15 on the season. Their season came to a close on May 11 following a 4-0 loss to Saint Anselm in Game 6 of the 2019 NCAA East Regional 1.

This past season, SNHU’s roster only featured one senior so with experienced players coming back next season–including Barone and Critch–the team has an opportunity to experience even more success next spring.

Salute to nation’s veterans

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Plympton and Halifax joined cities and towns throughout the country showing their red, white, and blue stars and stripes with ceremonies, parades, and moments of quiet reflection.

Plympton’s parade showcased its fire trucks, including the fully restored 1938 Buffalo driven by resident Don Vautrinot.

It was Plympton’s turn to host the Silver Lake Regional High School’s Marching Band, and they played the standards well, rousing the onlookers.  Selectmen, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and horses, all took their places as they marched from the Historical Society Building.

The parade culminated at the Town Green where selectmen led the hundreds gathered there in prayer and the salute to the flag.

Dennett School students took part.  Lillian Rankin recited the Gettysburg Address from memory, Brianna Crowley narrated the poem “In Flanders Field”, and Brianna Barrow read her essay,  “What Memorial Day means to me.”

Doris Silva, the Boston Post Cane recipient as Plympton’s oldest citizen at 102 was presented flowers by Briggette Martins, secretary to the selectmen and a member of the parade committee.  Doris is also a veteran of the Coast Guard.

The Halifax parade stepped off at 9:30 a.m. from the Halifax Country Club, with Parade Marshal WWII Iwo Jima veteran Jim Gargiola being driven by Korean War veteran Edgar Bent in a fully restored Model T Ford.  Walking alongside were members of the Halifax VFW Post 6258.

Following were Boy Scouts Troop 39, Girl Scouts, a Generations Float, courtesy of  Nessralla Farms, and marchers from A Dancer’s World who danced their way down Route 106 to the Halifax Town Hall.

At the 10 a.m. ceremonies, Steve Littlefield, Asst. Veterans’ Agent, gave opening remarks.  Parade Marshal Jim Gargiola read “The Ragged Old Flag”, and Rev. Dr. William Wildman of the Halifax Congregational Church gave the invocation.

The placing of the memorial wreaths was done by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Boy Scouts, Wil Corey, Veterans’ Service Officer, Steve Littlefield, Asst. Veterans’ Agent, and the Board of Selectmen.