A Silver Lake Regional High School student appealed to the Kingston Board of Selectmen on Oct. 21 for urgent safety improvements at the intersection of Pembroke Street, Lake Street, and Station Street—just four days after a serious motor vehicle crash at the same location sent seven patients to the hospital. The student detailed a troubling history of accidents, malfunctioning pedestrian crossing signals, and ongoing dangers for students walking to school and nearby businesses.
Will, a Silver Lake student, appeared before the Board of Selectmen during the public comment period to bring attention to what he called an “ongoing safety concern” at the busy intersection adjacent to the regional high school. His appeal came just four days after the Friday, Oct.17 motor vehicle accident that resulted in seven patients requiring full transport for treatment—the latest in what he described as a long series of incidents that have plagued the location.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time there have been other car accidents at this location,” Will told the board. “And a few years ago, a student was struck in the same area.” The student went on to detail recurring problems with the pedestrian crossing lights in front of Silver Lake Regional High School, explaining that the signals sometimes stay illuminated continuously throughout the school day while at other times they fail to activate at all when students press the button to cross. Will also referenced a historical incident involving an empty Silver Lake school bus that crashed in the same area, underscoring the intersection’s longstanding safety problems.
“One of the buttons is faulty now,” Will explained, noting that the crossing signals near the SlackTide and Happy Jan’s businesses don’t activate properly. The malfunctioning equipment creates dangerous conditions for students crossing to and from school, as well as for those visiting nearby businesses like the ice cream shop.
The student’s concerns resonated with board members, who acknowledged the intersection has been a known problem area. Board Chair Eric Crone outlined several safety improvements the town has already implemented at the location, though he admitted the situation remains challenging. “That intersection was also identified in our safety report for potentially even making a roundabout there at some point, but that’s a many years long process and waiting for state and federal funding,” Crone said.
Among the improvements already made, Crone listed new signage and improved lane painting on Lake Street and Station Street, warning signs approaching from both directions on Route 27/Pembroke Street, school zone signs with flashing lights on Pembroke Street, and enhanced stop signs on Lake Street and Station Street that now include flashing elements. The upgraded stop signs were specifically installed after motorists repeatedly failed to stop at the intersection, with multiple crashes resulting in vehicles striking the ice cream shop and restaurant buildings at the corner—incidents Crone said have “happened quite a bit.”
Board Vice Chair Kim Emberg emphasized that installing a full traffic light at the intersection isn’t as simple as it might seem. “We can’t just put in a light, a traffic light. That actually is much more complicated than you would think,” Emberg explained. “So the rotary is the best, safest solution. The problem is, is those things take time and money.”
Emberg described the town’s strategy as implementing “as many temporary, short-term, cost-effective solutions that we can to make that area as safe as possible” while working toward longer-term infrastructure improvements. She also pointed Will to the “report a concern” link on the town’s homepage, which allows residents to notify the highway department directly about issues like malfunctioning crossing signals.
The board conducted a comprehensive safety study of the entire town that prioritized projects across Kingston, with the Pembroke-Lake-Station intersection making the list alongside Main Street improvements. However, funding and regulatory requirements mean significant changes like a rotary could take years to materialize.
Will asked the board to consider additional measures, specifically requesting that they work with the regional school committee to station a crossing guard at the intersection. “I think that might be helpful to keep all our kids safe as well,” he said. Crone indicated such a request would need to go through the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, as the school crossing guard program falls under their jurisdiction rather than the town’s.
The student’s appeal highlighted the personal stakes involved in the safety issue. “I just wanted to make sure all our students, all the Silver Lake students, including myself, when going to get ice cream, are safe,” Will said. “And I didn’t want to take the chance of anybody else getting hurt at that street.”
In other business, the Kingston Board of Selectmen voted 3-1-1 to authorize Police Chief Brian Holmes to promote an additional full-time sergeant effective Jan.1, 2026, to supervise the development and implementation of a new Family Services Unit that will serve Kingston, Plympton, and Halifax. The initiative represents a significant expansion of mental health and social services support within the police department, with Chief Holmes describing it as something that “will have a meaningful impact on not just Kingston, but three communities, if all goes as planned.”
Chief Holmes explained that the department has been working with a group funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health that provides free facilitation services to police agencies establishing clinician programs. The facilitators, who are licensed mental health clinicians with experience at the Framingham Police Department, will help Kingston develop a job description, select the right candidate—either a licensed mental health clinician or a certified licensed social worker—and conduct integration training for patrol staff who will work alongside the new position. The Family Services Unit will be physically housed in Kingston but will provide services to residents of all three communities. Next steps include seeking approval from the Capital Planning Committee for approximately $60,000 in office space, with funding potentially coming from opiate settlement funds. Chief Holmes indicated he plans to solicit Halifax and Plympton for financial contributions through their opiate settlement funds, though he acknowledged both communities face fiscal constraints.
The sergeant position will be funded by reallocating resources from an existing open patrolman vacancy, made possible in part by a retirement notice Chief Holmes received. The funding covers the half-year period from Jan. through June 30, 2026. Board member Carl Pike voted in favor while noting that his support for foregoing the patrolman position now does not necessarily mean he will support requesting a replacement patrolman in next year’s budget. Vice Chair Kim Emberg voted against the measure, stating she could not support creating new positions given current fiscal constraints, while board member Missy Bateman abstained. Board members acknowledged that Chief Holmes, brought to Kingston as “an agent of change,” has the discretion to allocate his department’s budget as he sees fit, though any request to restore the patrolman position would be subject to future budget discussions.

The Kingston Board of Selectmen and School Committee jointly appointed Jennifer Krowchun, a ten-year Kingston resident and federal lobbyist with 18 years of experience, to fill a vacant seat on the school committee effective immediately through the spring 2026 town election. Krowchun was unanimously selected over two other candidates during interviews conducted at the Oct. 7 joint meeting.
Krowchun, a resident of Bog View Road with three children in the Kingston school system, distinguished herself during the interview process with her extensive background working on federal education policy and municipal issues. She currently works with clients focused on transportation and has experience in the education space, primarily dealing with federal budget matters and their implications for Massachusetts communities.
“I think our greatest asset is our schools and our education system and certainly anything we can do to continue to support the teachers and the administrators who do God’s work, that would be my motivator,” Krowchun said during her opening statement.
The appointment fills a critical vacancy as Kingston faces significant budget challenges heading into fiscal year 2026. The school committee seat had been vacant, and town officials emphasized the importance of filling the position before the upcoming budget season. The timing of the appointment allows Krowchun to participate in crucial budget deliberations while also giving her an opportunity to “test run” the position before deciding whether to run for a full three-year term in the spring election.
Krowchun was selected over two other candidates: Will Cushman, a recent Silver Lake Regional High School graduate with extensive student council experience and disability advocacy work, and Bryce Nelson, a business owner with four children in the district. A fourth candidate, Tim Fitzgibbon, withdrew before the interviews.
During questioning, all three candidates were asked about their preparedness to handle the upcoming budget season and whether they would commit to running for a full three-year term. Krowchun acknowledged the steep learning curve but expressed confidence in her ability to quickly get up to speed. “I certainly was actively watching remotely last year, so I saw a lot of the conversations. I do think that I could come in and quickly kind of pick up on the learning curve here, where things are, and jump in, but certainly, you know, would have to really get caught up to where things are because it is a quick turnaround,” she said.
The candidates also addressed the possibility of a property tax override, a topic that looms large over Kingston’s fiscal future. The town successfully avoided an override for fiscal year 2025, but officials have indicated that fiscal year 2026 presents more serious challenges. Krowchun emphasized the importance of transparent communication and long-term planning. “I think communication is key. Clear messages are key in this environment of social media. Sometimes a lot of things can get lost in translation,” she explained, adding that any override proposal should be accompanied by a comprehensive long-term plan to avoid repeated requests for additional funding.
Bryce Nelson brought a business perspective to his candidacy, stating that he was not heavily involved in community activities but was motivated by his wife’s encouragement and the school system’s needs. “My wife is pretty involved when it comes to school stuff and community stuff. I’m not. But she said that the schools need some help. I’ve got leadership experience, a bunch of kids that go here, and so I’m happy to help out where I’m needed,” Nelson told the committees. He emphasized his comfort with making difficult budget decisions and his preference for creative problem-solving over simply increasing spending.
Will Cushman, the youngest candidate, brought passion and personal experience to his interview. He extensively discussed his work with the Class of 2025, his role as inclusivity coordinator for the student council’s regional association, and his commitment to disability advocacy. Cushman emphasized that his family’s long history in Kingston, including a great-grandfather who served as town clerk for over 50 years, gave him a unique perspective on community service. He also proposed innovative ideas such as holding community forum-style meetings to gather public input on school committee decisions.
School Committee members and Board of Selectmen members questioned all candidates about how they would handle public criticism, balance school funding needs against the town’s overall budget constraints, and bring their professional experiences to the role. Carl Pike, a Board of Selectmen member and former finance committee member, asked candidates to address the tension between the school budget, which comprises approximately half of the town’s total budget, and the need for reasonable spending controls.
School committee member Sheila Vaughn made the motion to appoint Krowchun, with the formal language specifying that the appointment would be “effective immediately until the 2026 spring town election.” The motion passed unanimously across both bodies, with all school committee members present (Jesse Keith, Sheila Vaughn, Jeanne Coleman, and Megan Cannon) voting yes, and all Board of Selectmen members (Eric Crone, Kim Emberg, Missy Bateman, Don Alcombright, and Carl Pike) also supporting the appointment.
Just prior to the vote, School Committee Chair Cannon thanked all candidates for their willingness to serve and encouraged continued civic engagement. “Regardless of who is appointed tonight, I hope that all of you will continue to be involved with the school committee. All of our meetings are public. We have a public speaking opportunity each month, and we are always looking for support and feedback from everyone in the community,” she said.
Board members also emphasized that numerous other committee vacancies exist throughout town government, including positions on the finance committee, capital planning committee, community preservation committee, and affordable housing trust. Chair Eric Crone and Vice Chair Kim Emberg encouraged the unsuccessful candidates to consider these opportunities, noting that some positions require more time commitment than others and that prospective volunteers could reach out to discuss their availability and interests.
After the joint meeting concluded, the Board of Selectmen continued with their regular agenda, addressing multiple significant items including winter road maintenance policies, police department staffing, and preparations for the fall town meeting scheduled for Oct. 28 at Kingston Intermediate School.

Halifax Selectmen heard an urgent appeal to sustain Plymouth County Outreach, a countywide overdose prevention program credited with reducing fatal overdoses by 32% but facing the end of federal funding next September. Officials requested the town contribute approximately $10,000 annually using restricted opioid settlement funds that cannot be spent on other town needs, with no impact on Halifax’s general budget.
Plymouth County Outreach Executive Director Vicki Butler and Hanover Police Chief Tim Kane appeared before the board to request municipal support as the organization’s federal startup grants expire in nine months. The program, which has operated on 100% federal funding since 2018, needs contributions from all 27 Plymouth County communities to continue operations beyond September 2026.
Butler explained that PCO provides post-overdose follow-up, at-risk referrals, mobile drop-in services, family support, and harm reduction resources across the county. The organization has become a national model, with police departments from around the country visiting Plymouth County to learn from the program. “We are a national model for the Bureau of Justice and Assistance,” Butler told the board, noting that departments come to learn how to replicate the program in their own communities.
The data Butler presented showed significant progress. Fatal overdoses in Plymouth County dropped 32% in 2024 compared to 2023, while non-fatal overdoses decreased 36% over the same period. Since the program’s first full year of data collection in 2017, the county has seen a steady downward trend in overdose deaths, with 75 fatal overdoses recorded in the most recent year. “75 fatal overdoses is 75 too many,” Butler acknowledged. “So we still have a lot of work to do.”
Chief Kane, a member of PCO’s executive board, gave a personal perspective on the program’s importance. “I started my career in the early 2000s right as this opioid epidemic was really starting to take over,” Kane said. “I was responding to overdoses on a daily basis in the community that I worked in at the time. And it was very difficult, especially as a very young patrolman at the time, to walk away from those scenes and really leave the family disheveled and in a disarray. They had nowhere to turn. I didn’t really have any answers for them.”
Kane explained that law enforcement’s early approach was ineffective. “Back then, our approach as law enforcement was we were trying to arrest our way out of the problem. And it was not productive,” he said. The collaborative effort undertaken by all 27 communities, Bridgewater State University Police, the District Attorney’s office, and PCO “has really been a tremendous answer and a fantastic response to do something far beyond just arresting our way out of the problem.”
Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves expressed strong support for the program. “I have two officers that I already do the clinician follow-ups with. They all speak highly of it,” Chaves said. He noted his own experience as a co-responder in New Bedford, where he participated in a similar program visiting homes after overdoses with clergy members and outreach workers.
The funding mechanism involves no new costs to Halifax taxpayers. Fennessy explained that Halifax began receiving payments on March 15, 2024 from settlements with pharmaceutical companies held responsible for the opioid epidemic. The town has collected $84,199.84 to date and is expected to receive approximately $280,000 total through 2039.
These funds are restricted and must be spent on opioid-related programs and initiatives. The money has been placed in a revolving account specifically designated for substance use issues. Halifax’s proposed contribution to PCO would be approximately $9,896 for the current year, representing about 1.5% of the countywide budget. This calculation is still being finalized as PCO works to determine each community’s fair share based on population and other factors.
Board members responded positively to the presentation. Chair Jonathan Selig said, “I think it’s fantastic. And I think your numbers kind of vet out that it’s working. So kudos to you guys.” When asked if Halifax would remain on the hook for contributions after the settlement funds run out in 2039, Chief Kane clarified that the current request is specifically for directing opioid settlement funds to the program. “That’s correct,” he said. “That’s really the ask right now is really hoping that you would consider directing those funds, specific POVA funds, to this effort. And hopefully this buys us more time to become more self-sustaining into the future beyond 2039.”
Butler explained that PCO’s budget for the coming fiscal year is projected at approximately $659,000 to $777,000, scaled back from previous years to focus on the most effective programs based on data. “That was kind of cutting out all of the extra stuff that we’ve done over the years and really sticking to what our data supports,” she said. Chief Kane added that “the grant provided Vicki and her team a really great opportunity to try things that they’ve never tried before, too. And if they’re not connected, Vicki makes a very honest assessment on that, and she eliminates that from the overall.”
The program uses a critical incident management system through Kelly Research Associates that allows all police departments in the county to share information about overdoses in real time. This prevents residents from falling through the cracks when they overdose outside their home community. “So if someone from Halifax were to overdose in Hanover, Hanover would enter that information, and with a click of a button, Halifax would have that information so that they could do that follow-up, and that individual wouldn’t fall through the cracks,” Butler explained. “So prior to this program existing, that cross-communication wouldn’t have happened.”
PCO also operates a physical drop-in center about 15 minutes from Halifax, open for walk-ins Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with appointments available other times. The center provides immediate placement assistance, Narcan distribution, resources for family members, and an extensive library of books about talking to youth about substance use. Butler noted that the hardest-hit age range for overdoses is 30 to 39, which is typically parenting age, meaning many youth are being impacted by the crisis.
In addition to post-overdose services, PCO launched situation tables in 2020 that bring together multiple service providers to address the needs of individuals or families at acutely elevated risk. These tables operate on a four-filter system with over 105 different risk factors in 27 different categories and aim to be proactive rather than reactive. Butler gave an example: “Let’s say we have a family, one of the parents recently lost their job, they were served an eviction notice, the car broke down, the kids aren’t getting to school. We know that if we don’t intervene, something bad is going to happen.” The tables can then assemble teams from housing, schools, employment services and other resources to wrap services around families in crisis.
Chief Chaves noted that the town has been working with other departments to identify appropriate uses for the opioid settlement funds. “We’ve had meetings with the Fire Chief, Council on Aging, and Water Health, and we’ve come up with some ideas, some items that we can utilize it for that will not hamper the PCO,” he said. Some proposed initiatives, like installing Narcan lockboxes similar to fire department Knox boxes, would complement PCO’s work rather than compete with it.
The board took no vote on the matter, as any allocation of funds must come through a town meeting vote. Selectmen indicated they would support including an article at an upcoming town meeting to appropriate the funds. If all 27 communities in Plymouth County participate at comparable levels, the program would be fully sustainable through 2039 on settlement funds alone.
Selig also provided an update on the Silver Lake Regional Study Committee, which voted to hire the Collins Center from Boston to conduct a year-long study examining ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs at both the municipal and educational levels. “The committee did vote to go with the Collins Center out of Boston,” Selig said. “It’ll take about a year, and it’s going to [involve] collecting all kinds of data.” He does not anticipate results for at least another calendar year.