PLYMPTON – Things are moving quickly on the Atwood property file, as they should be.

Town Officials are scrambling to “do things right” and meet state-imposed deadlines as the Board of Selectmen, on the recommendation of the Open Space Committee and the Prospect Road working group, work to acquire this 113-acre agricultural property on Prospect Street for open space, preservation and recreation.

The land, which is now a Chapter 61A property that provides a significant tax-break for agricultural use, is being sold and its use is slated to change, triggering the ability of the Town to exercise its right of first refusal to buy the property, under the law.

At a July 16 Selectmen’s meeting and hearing on the topic, the board voted to exercise that right.

On Monday, July 23, Selectmen voted to sign a purchase and sales agreement, and formally notified the seller that the Town was exercising its option to purchase, according to Elizabeth Dennehy, the Plympton Town Administrator.

Tara Shaw, the town clerk notarized the documents.

Next, Dennehy says the Town has either 90 days from the July 16 meeting or 90 days from the July 23 signing to call a Special Town Meeting to approve the final sale. Town Counsel is researching the exact timing.

Linda Leddy, co-chair of the Open Space Committee, indicated the STM would likely be held in September, while Dennehy suggested that it could be much sooner.

In the meantime, the Community Preservation Committee will meet to accept the project that Open Space will sponsor, and approve approximately $300,000 in CPC funds to help buy the 113 acres.  Once the purchase is complete, the town plans to sell three house lots totaling 4.5 acres fronting Prospect Street, raising approximately $435,000 toward the purchase price and private donations covering the rest of the $800,000 sale price will be raised.

According to Selectman Mark Russo, who is also chairman of the Community Preservation Committee, $25,000 has been raised in private donations, as of mid-July.

The hearing on July 16 saw unanimous support for the project from those in the audience. The Plympton population will have an opportunity to vote on the purchase at the special town meeting to be scheduled for that purpose.

Alex Strysky of  MEPA, the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act office, has alerted residents of Plympton to a MEPA site visit to the proposed Rickets Pond Business Park site at the Carver/Plympton line on Wednesday, July 25, at 10 a.m., meeting at the entrance to the site off Spring St.

The EEA project number is 15883.  Project Description: An Environmental Notification Form (ENF) has been filed with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs by RPBP, LLC to construct mixed-use office/storage buildings and self-storage buildings totaling 114,318 square feet on 4 lots on a 43.7-acre site.

The project includes construction of a road, utilities, a stormwater management system and 144 parking spaces.

The project will generate 608 average daily trips, according to a release from MEPA.

The project meets the ENF threshold at 301 CMR 11.03(1)(b)(2), creation of five or more acres of impervious area. The project requires an Access Permit and a Land Transfer from MassDOT.

The public is welcome to attend.

Silver Lake Regional Assistant Superintendent Jill Proulx at the June 4 Halifax School Committee meeting announced that the Silver Lake Regional School District was selected for a state educational stability program review.

Proulx described the state educational stability program review as an assessment that makes sure students in vulnerable or unique circumstances get the attention they need.

She said, “It is our review to the extent at which we are meeting the regulations in terms of the rights to homeless students, foster students, and military involved families.”

The required forms were submitted for review after making some assessments. Part of the pre-submission process also involved reaching out to the homeless liaison for each of the three districts within Silver Lake Regional.

Proulx said the assessment may bring about some new things at the school level in the future. One thing likely to be added is additional training for staff in relation to homeless students, foster students, and military involved families.

The school also awaits potential changes to foster care policy in the future. The district is waiting for recommendations at the state level.

Teacher Training Update

Silver Lake Regional High School is offering a course for teachers of all grade levels studying skills for teaching.

Proulx said the course is a district contractual requirement for all teachers within their first three years in the school district. “it is a research-based best practices course for teachers,” Proulx said.

Financial Update

During a school committee financial update, the utility area of the budget was reported to have a deficit of $1,275 this month. Last month, this deficit was at $9,000.

The Halifax School Committee’s financial update said the large decrease in the deficit was because of funding at the municipal level.

The Town of Halifax was able to secure some green community funding that helped bring the overall cost down.

Staffing Update

Halifax Elementary School is looking to fill in two open positions. Two special education teachers retired. The School Committee said one of those positions has been filled. The other open position is for a school behaviorist.

Other News

• The Halifax School building project is starting up. The committee announced that doors and window construction work should be started the week after students are out of school.

• The 2018-2019 school year begins August 29. The school year is scheduled to last until June 13, 2019. Superintendent Joy Blackwood joked saying she will do a better job “controlling the weather” this year.

Soi Dang, 34, formerly of Halifax was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 20 years by Plymouth Superior Court judge Cornelius J. Moriarty, II on Friday, June 22, 2018. Dang was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2015 stabbing death of Marissa Randall, 19, of Revere, the day before. He was remanded to MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole.

The lengthy, eight-day trial ended with nearly eight hours of jury deliberations before the conviction and sentencing. The Commonwealth had sought a charge of first-degree murder.

“Mr. Dang stabbed the victim, left her for dead, and then went on to work and the rest of his day,” District Attorney Timothy Cruz said. “At sentencing today, relatives described Ms. Randall as a loving, sensitive and caring person, whose loss devastated their family. I hope that this family can now move on and begin to find some peace.”

At the sentencing, Randall’s mother, Annmarie Stoilov, and Randall’s younger brother gave emotional victim impact statements. Both were crying as they described to the judge how their daughter and sister’s loss has affected them. They both said they now have trouble trusting people.

Stoilov begged the judge to sentence Dang to the maximum sentence of life in prison with the chance of parole in 25 years.

The defense counsel, Timothy Bradl, a former ADA, asked the judge for a sentence of life with the chance of parole in 15 years for his client. He also asked the judge to reduce the sentence to involuntary manslaughter, which was denied.

The case began when Randall’s body was discovered by Halifax Police the day after the stabbing, said the district attorney’s office. Halifax Police were searching for a missing Duxbury minor– as part of a separate investigation– who they found with Dang that day by tracking her cell phone to his address. The girl, who Halifax Police returned to Duxbury Police, told Duxbury officers she had seen blood at Dang’s apartment, and that he said he had killed someone the night before.

Halifax Police returned, where Dang freely admitted them into his apartment at 46A Wamsutta Avenue, where they observed blood and a female body wrapped in a blanket. State Police were immediately contacted, says the DA’s office, and the incident was investigated by Halifax Police, State Police assigned to the district attorney’s office, the State Police Crime Scene Services and the State Police Crime Lab.

The investigation revealed that Dang and Randall had met to exchange money for sex after meeting online. The encounter turned into a struggle after a dispute about the amount of money to be exchanged, and Dang fatally stabbed Randall multiple times.

He bound Randall’s body with zip-ties, wrapped it in either a blanket or a plastic tablecloth and hid it in a closet.

Dang then drove to the Castel Island area of South Boston, took a half hour nap, and returned to his job as a produce worker at Shaw’s Supermarket in Carver the next morning.

Halifax Selectman Kim Roy said, “I’m grateful to the Halifax Police and all the law-enforcement personnel for their hard work in bringing a murderer to justice. I’d especially like to recognize Officers Rob McDonnell and Michael Schleiff for following their instincts in this case, or it may never have been solved.”

When I was a little girl I used to imagine my birthday was the reason we celebrated Flag Day. After all, that was what kids did – embellish and exaggerate the importance of their own special day for cake and gifts. I have grown in my patriotism as an adult and suddenly other than getting older, birthdays have little significance in my life.

This June 14^th Flag Day felt unlike anything I have witnessed in all my birth years. Celebrating the unfurling of the historic flag, recognizing the faces of townspeople who joined in the holding of the hem, and especially looking down and seeing my father at the very bottom of the ladder brought me joy that I have not felt or recognized in a long time.

At 10:30 a.m. I parked at the Town Hall and I skipped across the street as a police officer stopped traffic for pedestrians. I saw hands motioning from the crowd as if to say ‘walk a little faster’.  Realizing I was the photographer they were waiting for, it suddenly became clear to me that the giant ladder truck was in fact where I was headed for the official flag shoot. I believe my knees were audibly knocking together.

The huge lawn at Pope’s Tavern Senior Center was packed with several hundred residents and their energy could be felt around me. 

Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros and Captain Jeff Couzzo met me at the lip of the driveway and said they were ready for me.

I asked to use the ladies room as a priority (not to delay my ascent)  logically, there were no bathrooms at 78 feet up in the air.

Firefighter Rich Ferguson strapped me into a waist harness that would fasten me inside the bucket in the Tower 1 Fire Engine. He kindly reminded me that if I fell out the ground would catch me.

My nerves suddenly reminded me that I was actually not a fan of heights, but I quickly composed myself, said a prayer (caught on camera by Captain Cuozzo) and climbed the truck, stepped in the bucket and they hooked me in. As we rose up higher over the crowd the bucket shook, and I instantly felt like the little sister shouting at her older brother at the top of a Ferris wheel ride. “Stop rocking the bucket” went through my head as I zoomed in, altered manual settings and dismounted lenses. I kept focused on the crowd below and felt my natural state of joy holding my camera. I realized I was smiling ear to ear without fear of dropping to my death. OK.  Truthfully, the thought did quickly pass through my brain.

Watching the flag unfurling from the elevated point of view was mesmerizing as the colors of each star reflected the sun.  My eyes were drawn to the brightest of whites, the stars set against the background of blue with the rays dancing on the fabric. Everything appeared so vivid. The stripes of red and blue rippled as the wind blew underneath the patriotic drapery. I could hear the muffled sounds from below as children began to duck under the flag’s enormity changing sides and reappearing.

As I captured the event I muttered a lot.  I process out loud at times and this aided in guiding Firefighter Ferguson which direction he needed to steer us to and fro over the crowd. My thoughts included: how fantastically amazing the occasion was, I wondered how heavy the flag felt, and quickly blocked the thought that my camera equipment could topple to the ground.   

I imagine with the excitement and visual stimulation what I see behind the lens can be compared to how some people feel eating a homemade piece of molten chocolate cake. Utter satisfaction mixed with natural curiosity of capturing the whole story unfolding in camera before my eyes.

As a writer and photographer I see and feel things with my entire body when I shoot a scene. I also watch for expressions, patterns, shadows, and colors that pop but oftentimes it is simply my lens capturing a form of translation- the smiles and emotions I see before me.

After my feet landed on Halifax town soil and I realized what I had accomplished, a continuous stream of pure exhilaration poured through my veins for hours.  I shared photos, and even took a “selfie” from the top of the town. Celebrating my birthday this year was done at the most fantastic view as I looked down over the First Congregational Church, Town Hall and was nearly eye to eye with the blue water tower.

Through my lens this week I witnessed a historical moment where hands held, supported and honored our nation’s flag celebrating Flag Day and the true meaning of the freedoms we are allotted as Americans.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen are planning to have another joint meeting with the Plympton Board of Selectmen about establishing a plan for joint fire and EMS services.

The Halifax Board said that recently, the Plympton Board of Selectmen was still deciding on important details crucial to the deal. Plympton talked about sharing EMS services, but having a completely separate fire department.

Roy said she doesn’t think this benefits Halifax. Chief Viveiros agreed, saying he sees the potential for mismanagement issues in this type of structural agreement. Viveiros said the cross training present in Halifax’s department makes this difficult.

The other board members agreed. Selectman Troy Garron said he wants a more concrete plan. He said, “It’s all sort of up in the air.”

Millias said he understands the challenges Plympton faces with this sort of agreement, especially being a small town, there’s pressure to have a separate and independent fire department. He said it ultimately needs to work out for Halifax, so residents know their tax dollars are benefitting them.

“You can’t give it away and still have it…And I can see the political pressure, more so for a small town,” Millias said.

The Board believes an agreement can still be made. Viveiros said he met with Plympton Selectman John Traynor on Tuesday and said they came to a basic understanding that the structure of this intermunicipal agreement is a contract for hire.

Roy said she’s optimistic an agreement will be reached. She said if this does hit a wall, though she doesn’t think it will, it might be smart to use some of the Halfiax Fire Department’s grant money for Bernard Lynch to conduct another study.

Roy said the most important thing is that residents can see a clear benefit for Halifax with this agreement. She said, “We’re not a for profit organization, but we will not subsidize another community.”

One benefit that Viveirossaid Halifax would get from this agreement is the potential for more grant opportunities. He said there would also be “operational benefits” such as more responders on the scene and the opportunity for improved response times.

He said a larger department would also mean more opportunities for advancement. Roy added so advancements would be based on assessment of performance. Halifax would also be adding five full-time positions under this agreement.

The grant for this type of agreement expires January, 2019. Viveiros said there’s already been money put aside for joint training with Plympton. That training will start in September.

National Grid grilled

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig invited Joe Cardinal from National Grid to discuss what the town and/or National Grid can do to reduce the number of future outages from winter storms.

Cardinal said there’s a limit to what can be done because of the locations of the substations. There are no substations in Halifax with the closest being at Mill and Spring streets in East Bridgewater.

As far as building a new substation, Cardinal said it’s difficult because of Halifax’s location in National Grid’s territory. Halifax is closer to the edge of their territory with bordering town Plympton using Eversource for its electricity. However, Cardinal said, National Grid is looking at another location closer to Halifax, but it wouldn’t make a positive difference for another four to five years.

Selectmen Chair Kim Roy asked what could be done, and Cardinal mentioned a few things during his presentation. One thing Cardinal mentioned was the cutting down of 40 miles worth of dead trees.

Cardinal also said it’s important National Grid make sure electrical lines are technologically up to date. He said diamond lines are stronger and although are still no match for a tree, they should do better when branches fall on them.

“Ninety-five percent of outages are caused by trees,” said Cardinal. “So, there’s only so much you can do.”

Selectman Thomas Millias and Fire Chief Jason Vivieros asked about exploring the possibility of having a plan where National Grid works with the Department of Public Works to provide a joint effort in dealing with fallen trees and outages.

Cardinal said this is something that Pembroke has tried to do in the past and is still brought up every once in a while at manager meetings. The concern is if National Grid sets this up with one town, it would have to be set up with other towns, but said he wasn’t dismissing the idea. 

It’s something that’s still actively discussed.

Cardinal suggested they bring it up at the next meeting between National Grid and municipality public safety officials.

As for what Halifax is doing now, Vivieros is working with the Board of Selectmen and Halifax Police Department to update the town’s critical facility list. Each critical facility is assigned a priority grade by National Grid for emergency responses.

Other News

Dennis Carman was named the town’s new town moderator. Carman has lived in Halifax for more than 35 years. He said he’s going to try to participate as much as possible because it’s important. Roy took this as an opportunity to highlight that the town needs volunteers. She said, “You’re right…we have smaller boards that meet monthly.”

Gordon Andrews officially resigned from the Finance Committee in order to serve on the school committees. This leaves some openings.

Diane Ruxton filled one of those openings and was appointed to serve on the Finance Committee until June 15, 2021. The committee currently has four members, which is the minimum for a quorum. Seelig said having seven members would be better. He said, “You don’t need a calculus, mathematics, or business degree.”

Dunkins Donuts donated $500 to the Council on Aging.

The Board of Selectmen approved the use of the town green for the Historical Society’s plant sale. It will take place on September 8, 2018.

The next Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for June 26. Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

Selectmen Monday night named Griffin Webb of Hanson to fill the position of Plympton Animal Control Officer effective immediately.

Webb interviewed for the position May 21, bringing a young man’s enthusiasm for the job, and exuding a love for animals and wanting to serve them.  He also brought Alyssa Ryan, the Marshfield ACO, who, Webb explained, he has been shadowing for the past month to get a good idea of what the job entails.

He graduated from the Norfolk Agricultural High School where he studied animal science, looking to eventually become a veterinarian. The prospect of eight more years of school brought Webb to consider other options to serve the animals he loves.  Webb has six horses of his own, and a number of dogs and other animals at his home in Hanson.  He told selectmen that Massachusetts law requires all ACOs to be certified by attending an ACO Academy which is 16 weeks of Fridays schooling to learn to deal with all situations an ACO will run in to with animals and their owners, as well as the laws that govern them and the reports which the Commonwealth requires to be filed.  This ACO Academy is run in April and Webb said he would attend next April 2019.

Ryan spoke highly of Webb’s ability to perform the job and said she will be available to help him as he continues with Plympton.

After voting unanimously to appoint Webb to the position, selectmen welcomed Webb, glad that he will help the town develop the animal control department.  Webb was also named to the position of Animal Inspector for Plympton.

Selectman Chairman John Traynor told the board he has chatted with Chief Lance Benjamino regarding a plan to get rid of the trailers, and regarding the Fire Technical Committee and the Oversight Committee, hoping to combine the two committees and bring the number of members down to a more workable size.

Benjamino is away until June 18 and selectmen will hear from him tentatively on June 27, Traynor said, and he hopes that there will be something concrete when Plympton speaks to Halifax.

Traynor also told his board he will be speaking with the town treasurer to see the budget for medical supplies for the ambulances.  He does have estimates for on-call but they are not “granulated” enough.  Vice-chair Christine Joy commented that until we have the numbers, we can’t budget the expense.

Electricity aggregation

Selectmen clerk Mark Russo told the board they have renewed the contract with electric aggregation for 30 months.   Summer rates are pretty comparable now, Russo said, but we expect winter rates are going to be much higher.  With a 30 month contract, we will be somewhat protected from those higher winter rates.

Dispatch Center Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy brought a renewal contract to Selectmen for the Regional Dispatch Center in Duxbury that handles all of Plympton’s emergency 911 calls.  The new contract is for $50,000 for FY19.  She also presented a letter from Police Chief Patrick Dillon who recommended the contract.

Dennehy told the board that the town doesn’t need to have Kopelman & Paige review the contract, as it is the same contract given to the Town of Duxbury, who also uses Kopelman & Paige as its Town Counsel, and has already been reviewed by them.  She did say that she would consult Atty. Gregg J. Corbo, who is Plympton’s attorney from the firm, to make him aware. She also recommended looking into having the contract auto-renew provided nothing has changed in regard to the service.

Hwy. Superintendent

Next week selectmen will begin interviewing for the position of Highway Superintendent, as Jim Mulcahy will be retiring June 30, 2018.  The four original applicants for the job have been reduced to two, and selectmen will reinterview them June 25.

Storm tree removal

Selectman Joy asked the board when tree removal of the storm damaged limbs at the town’s roadsides will begin, noting that Special Town Meeting approved $25,000 to pay for this service.

Joy also told the board the Tree Warden Bill Hayes is happy to work with the Old Colony Planning Council on developing a master plan for tree planting in the center of town.  Joy also said she is happy to remain the town’s representative on the OCPC.

Atwood property

Selectman Russo reported that the assessors will have an update on the acreage of the Atwood property off Prospect St. for the next meeting on June 11.

Selectmen will meet June 11, 18, and 25, before going on to their alternate week summer schedule.