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What happens when you dial 9-1-1?

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Linda Redding
Special to the Express

On Oct. 5, the Halifax TRIAD held the first in-person meeting since the pandemic closed public appearances in March of 2020. TRIAD is a partnership between local and regional groups to help inform and educate senior cittizens.  Meetings take place the first Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. and usually take place at the Halifax Police Station.

For the October meeting, participants gathered in the Great Room of the Halifax Town Hall to hear a presentation by Director Michael Mahoney and the education team of the Regional Old Colony Communication Center (ROCCC) where emergency calls from Halifax and Plympton are answered and dispatched.

Halifax TRIAD president Ken Vinton noted  that the location of the call center in Duxbury, questions on response time, and why the change of location took place are all areas of concern for the seniors.

The team from ROCCC responded to the concerns,  provided an overview of the center, and explained what happens when a 911 call is made.

According to Director Mahoney, the trend across the state is for towns to move away from public safety answering point at the town level and join together in regional 911 communication centers.  The State provides grant incentives for the latest technology and to help fund staff providing a cost savings to member towns. There are between seven to ten  dispatchers per shift every day all day and night on duty to answer calls.

Staff members go through rigorous training and frequent professional development. programs  Calls can come in from land lines, cell phones, and text.  For the 2022 Fiscal Year  ROCCC is receiving more than $2 million in grant funding.

ROCCC is the fastest growing regional communication center in Massachusetts.  It now serves more than 59,000 residents from the six member towns with room to grow to 100,000.  It was the first call center in Massachusetts to be able to receive text requests and was the first outside of Boston to take direct cell phone calls. In addition to Halifax and Plympton other member towns are Duxbury, Hanson, Hanover, and Rochester.

ROCCC recently moved into a new state-of-the-art communication center located at the Duxbury Fire Station. Prior the new center addition, ROCCC was located in the fire station attic.  Even though residents of Halifax and Plympton are calling a center located in Duxbury, within 13 seconds help is being dispatched after you dial 9-1-1.

First responders are still local and ready to respond.  Local police, fire, and EMS all serve on ROCCC committees.

When a 9-1-1 emergency call is made, the dispatcher will ask several questions and keep the caller on the line. The ROCCC team noted that even though you are being asked questions help has already been dispatched and is on the way.  The questions provide more information to help the first responders.   Be prepared to verify your location.  State the emergency you are reporting and whether or not it is happening now.  The dispatcher may offer instruction to provide medical help.  Always remain calm and only dial 9-1-1 for emergencies.

For more information on the Regional Old Colony Communication Center (ROCCC) visit them online at https://regionalcomms.wixsite.com/roccc911.

Stop & Shop in Halifax helps fight breast cancer

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Stop & Shop is once again joining the American Cancer Society’s movement to celebrate cancer survivors and thrivers and fund the future to fight this disease.   For more than a decade, Stop & Shop stores through the northeast have had the option of donating $1, $3, or $5 or rounding up their total at the self-checkout with 100% of the donation going to the American Cancer Society.

The campaign has become personal to Stop & Shop, and this year, their in-store campaign signage features their associates telling their breast cancer journeys – some facing the battle personally and others having their families affected by the disease. No matter the story or store, all are committed to the fight.

To bring their in-store fundraising to life, Stop & Shop will be supporting survivors and their local communities by extending their commitment to the Breast Cancer Awareness to all 400+ stores across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Anthony Marino, executive vice-president of the American Cancer Society, said “We are thrilled they have decided to expand their support to the entire footprint, tripling the size of the promotion, representing a hugely exciting opportunity for the American Cancer Society and the patients we serve.   We envision a future where our children will no longer live with the threat of breast cancer, and thanks to partners like Stop & Shop, their passionate associates, and their generous customers, we are continuing to push towards that future.”

Green Earth Cannabis met with neighbors’ concerns

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met remotely on Tuesday, Oct. 5, in the Great Room of the Halifax Town Hall to hear from the Green Earth Cannabis, Inc. and address concerns by neighboring property owners and other townspeople.

Selectman Chair Gordon Andrews recused himself from the hearing regarding the Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Green Earth Cannabis, Inc. as his father owns a business in close proximity to the proposed site. The Chief Executive Officer of Green Earth is John Kudryk, the Chief Financial Officer is Matthew Collins, The Director of Operations is Robert Maker, and the Director of Security is Jay Skowronek. Maker has lived in Halifax for more than 25 years. While not a principal, Laurence Gogarty will be heavily involved, particularly with the site plan.

The proposed location for the adult use marijuana retail establishment is 657 Monponsett St. The lease for the left side of the commercially zoned building was signed in November of 2020. The right side of the building is Twin Lakes Liquor Store. According to Green Earth the location meets all local and state requirements.

A preliminary store layout was shared on screen during the meeting. It still needs Planning Board approval as well as approval from several other agencies including the Halifax Police Department and the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC).

The four steps required to open include an approved HCA, a community outreach session, a license from the CCC, and a full site plan review by the Planning Board complete with public hearings as well as a special permit. The only issue on the table during Tuesday’s meeting was the HCA. Lawyer for Green Earth Toby Dilworth laid out the terms of the 5-year HCA including a preference for hiring local residents, a 3 percent local excise tax on each retail sale, the highest allowable community impact fee of 3 percent, an adequate security system, and a community dispute resolution process. The terms are the same as those in Halifax’s HCA with Flower and Soul. “We say that what is reasonable and fair for Flower and Soul is reasonable and fair for us,” Dilworth said.

Projected revenues were also shared with the Selectmen and others on the call. Dilworth called the numbers conservative saying that by year one they anticipate $4,900,000 in total sales with that number increasing to $7,841,103 by year five. Halifax would see roughly $290,000 of the first year’s sales. “I submit that there is no other business that could generate as much revenue for the town at that location as Green Earth could and I think it would be a much better neighbor than other options,” Dilworth said. Dilworth acknowledged concerns such as loitering, litter, and traffic but said that they would all be properly addressed.

During the question-and-answer portion of the hearing, Selectman Ashley DiSesa asked what would be done to make residential neighbors more comfortable. DiSesa said that while the HCA is the same as the one used by Flower and Soul, the location proposed by Green Earth is very different with a lot of residents nearby. “We’ve gotten a lot of feedback on this particular property from the residents of this town,” DiSesa said. Dilworth said that there would be both fencing and buffering which would need to be resolved by the Planning Board. Selectman Troy Garron expressed some concern over security. Dilworth assured him that they would be consulting with the Halifax Police Department regarding security requirements.

Nearly 30 residents joined the call to offer input during the hearing. A resident who said she lives directly behind the building questioned whether there was really three acres of parking available as stated by Dilworth during his presentation. Gogarty clarified that there were in excess of 98 parking spaces available. He went on to say that it would require maximizing the paved area but noted that they may not necessarily create that many spaces.

Another resident spoke up to say that it would bring in revenue to the town and if the company follows the rules and procedures, “why wouldn’t we when every other town seems to be doing this?” He questioned why residents would want to bring their money to another town. Someone else countered that they have concerns about people drinking and smoking in the parking lot and then driving. Gogarty again stressed that they would be meeting or exceeding any local or state safety requirements.

Throughout the hearing, Dilworth continually replied that it would be the job of the Planning Board to sort through the issues that were being brought forth by the residents in attendance. “In your presentation, you said you wanted to be a good neighbor; don’t you think you would have come with some of these answers or been able to give us a better answer than that’s someone else’s job,” an abbutter said. She continued, “I just don’t hear that you guys are trying to be good neighbors because you are completely dismissing everything that people are saying… I think the other companies that did get the approval in Halifax definitely did stuff to appease the neighbors to get their stuff approved.” “There’s always opposition from the abutters, but we’re going to do everything we can to alleviate that,” Dilworth said.

Before closing, two other residents offered their support for the new business. The residents opposed to the business seemed to echo the sentiment that it was not the type of business they were opposed to but rather the location of that business.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig expressed concern that the CCC was moving away from allowing towns to use the three percent community impact fee for whatever they want and more toward the money needing to be allotted to issues directly caused by the marijuana business in question. “I’m just concerned that… the laws themselves may change in the future,” Seelig explained. “You’ve negotiated as much protection as you possibly can,” Dilworth said.

Garron said he was not as comfortable as he wanted to be with the presentation that night but said he believed they should move forward with the HCA. DiSesa agreed acknowledging that it was not their job to deal with things like the security of the business or whether the setbacks are appropriate. “I do hope that they will do the community outreach as soon as possible… I do believe if you are going to be a successful business in this town you should really hear what the residents in this town are saying and be a little bit more accommodating,” DiSesa said. “I just want to make a statement that we have to trust the fact that the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Planning Board, the Building Inspector – they are going to do their job to their best before any kind of permit is given,” Garron said. It was agreed that the decision on the HCA would be made at a later meeting.

In other business, Seelig told the Board that the South Shore Children’s Museum was seeking permission for live entertainment during a not so scary walk that they plan to hold at Walmart in late October. The Selectmen voted to approve the request.

Football tops Whitman-Hanson

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Put it down as a comeback for the Silver Lake High football team.

The Lakers trailed for much of the game. It looked like their opponent could shut them out. However, the Lakers played tough defense throughout the contest which kept them in the game. When their offense strung together a couple of positive drives late in the game, the defense continued to hold strong. As a result, the Lakers beat the Whitman-Hanson Panthers 13-6 at home on Friday, October 8. With the win, the Lakers improved to 2-3 on the season. It was their first Patriot League win of the year.

Whitman-Hanson got its first touchdown of the game in the second quarter. It came on a 12-yard rush and put the team up 6-0. Whitman-Hanson attempted a two-point conversion following the touchdown, but it failed. This was Whitman-Hanson’s only touchdown of the game.

The Lakers offense was quiet for much of the game, but the team put up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

The first one came on a four-yard rush from Austin Smith. He was the team’s leading rusher in the win; he ran for 120 yards. The Lakers took a 7-6 lead on the extra point kick from Seth Wakefield. It’s a lead the Lakers never relinquished either. Rather, they extended it. Ryan Carroll would later catch a four-yard touchdown pass from John Dickinson to put the Lakers up 13-6. The Lakers tried to kick an extra point following the touchdown, but it was blocked.

The Lakers shut Whitman-Hanson out offensively in the second half

Coming off a win, the Lakers will face their toughest challenge yet this Friday night. They will host the Duxbury Dragons on Friday, October 15 (7:00 p.m. start time). Duxbury has not lost a Patriot League game since the 2000s.

Another proposal for Halifax

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 28. The first appointment of the night was with Todd Dargie who was to be appointed to the Finance Committee. He had previously interviewed for the Committee and has been serving on the Capital Planning Committee. “I do have extensive experience in budgeting and the financial services sector and banking and things of that nature,” Dargie explained. They voted unanimously to approve his appointment through June of 2023.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig discussed the official town of Halifax Facebook page. He said that logistically they would need to figure out who would be responsible for posting on the page. It was explained that you can have as many contributors as wanted but the particular policy limits it to two members of each department. It was discussed whether the messenger feature would be disabled. Selectman Chair Gordon Andrews said he would recommend leaving messenger off for the time being. The Selectmen voted to unanimously approve the policy on the Facebook page as presented by Information Technology manager Cesar Calouro. Calouro and Seelig will be the page administrators.

Calouro was also on hand for a discussion of the social media policy for employees and committee members. Of the policy, Calouro said, “It is to establish a set of guidelines and expectations to protect the town of liability.”  He said that it should serve as a reminder that everything is still public record regardless of the town hosting the platform. The main gist of the conversation was to distinguish town employees or volunteers’ personal comments versus those made in a professional capacity. Andrews argued that unless they are commenting on a town hosted platform, it should be assumed that any views expressed are their personal ones and not the official stance of the town. The Selectmen asked Calouro to reword the policy before they would approve.

Calouro also discussed changing out the bulletin board at Town Hall with a tv screen that would cycle through the items that are currently posted there on paper. A suggestion to have a touch screen display that could be paused was explored. Calouro said he didn’t plan to buy a touch screen as he didn’t think the money to do so would be available.

The Selectmen met with Peter Gallistino and Robert Palma of Elevated Roots in regards to a proposed marijuana dispensary. Gallistino said they were following up on previous communications with the town and the Selectmen. He said they were able to secure the property at 319 Monponsett St. They explained that the parcel is in what they called an “appropriate” location which they said does not abut residential properties. They also said that the construction process would be quick as it was limited to an interior remodel. They plan to hire around 35 people for the Halifax location with preference given to local residents.

Elevated Roots is currently located in Kingston where they operate an adult use retail facility and are in the process of constructing a cultivation facility there as well. They said that their partnership with the community is what sets them apart. They said that despite it not being part of the Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Kingston, they donated five percent of their sales on Memorial Day to Kingston Veteran’s Committee.

Selectman Troy Garron said his biggest concerns would be traffic and security. Palma said the inside door cannot open until the outside door closes. He said it allows them to control who accesses the property. He further explained that the team’s access to various parts of the building depends on their role within the company. When asked if they had given consideration to an armed intruder, they explained that they operate similarly to a bank with panic buttons equipped throughout, etc.

The next appointment was with Daniel Parsons of 715 Old Plymouth Street. Andrews explained that the Board had received complaints about a number of unregistered cars on the property. Parsons explained various reasons for having unregistered vehicles and also said that he has moved the junk on his property to the back so that it could no longer be seen from the road. He said he makes extra money through scrapping. Seelig told Parsons to verify that inspections were up-to-date for the vehicles to which Parsons said that up-to-date inspections did not matter for the state of Massachusetts. Seelig said that it was part of the town’s by-laws. Andrews asked if he was willing to have a site visit by the Board. Parsons said, “I don’t like people on my property. You guys have already tried to break into my property once before. Your building inspector and health inspector tried to break into my house saying I was squatting after living here for a year and a half.” He continued, “I do not like people from your town on my property. You have already shown me that you don’t care… my wife was cowering in the corner with my two-month-old baby.” They agreed to a site visit on the following Saturday.

Town Accountant Sandra Nolan was present to ask for clarifications regarding the bonuses that had been approved for town employees using the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funding. Decisions were reached on how to pro-rate the raises for part-time employees as well as whether to issue bonuses to recent hires. Seelig also told the Selectmen that $110,000 in additional ARPA funding was now available to the town. Seelig also told the Selectmen that the town would be receiving $200,000 in grant money through a Green Communities award.

Regarding use of the additional ARPA funds, Andrews, who also serves on the Halifax Elementary School Committee, told the Board that currently the Fire Department is handling the testing required to implement the test and stay program that allows asymptomatic students to stay in school if they are close contacts. There was a question regarding how the Fire Department would be reimbursed for the costs associated with that task. Andrews also asked that the system that allows communication between the various rooms for Town Meeting at the school be purchased and the wires be left in place permanently. Andrews said that given the number of times they have paid for the equipment to be placed and the company to run it, they would have been able to purchase the equipment multiple times over.

There was mention of a few resignations in town as well. Drew McGlincy resigned from the Finance Committee and Special Police Officer Thomas Reed resigned from the Police Department.

SL football falls to Plymouth North

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The Silver Lake High football team faced a challenge, and came up short. After getting their first win of the season against Norwood the week before, the Lakers resumed their Patriot League schedule (they will face Patriot League teams for the remainder of the regular season). The Lakers faced off against the Plymouth North Eagles on Thursday, Sept. 30 and while the game was competitive, the Lakers came up short in it. They got beat 28-12 by Plymouth North and fell to 1-3 on the season.

Plymouth North struck first in the game. They had a 73-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter followed by a two-point conversion on the ground to go up 8-0. Plymouth North also had an interception early in the second quarter. However, the Lakers would score in the first half. The Lakers got a turnover on downs at the Plymouth North 36-yard line and capitalized. Austin Smith primarily moved the ball forward on the ground for the team and scored a two-yard touchdown with 4:27 left in the half; the two-point conversion attempt was no good.

The Lakers got a stop at the two-yard line with 11 seconds left in the first half, but Plymouth North would end up extending its lead in the second half. Plymouth North had a 22-yard touchdown catch with 1:13 left in the third quarter and a 44-yard pass shortly thereafter after forcing a Lakers fumble. That put Plymouth North up 20-6.

Plymouth North had a one-yard touchdown run and a successful two-point conversion run with 3:07 remaining. While the Lakers got a 28-yard touchdown catch from Seth Wakefield with under a minute left, they did not have enough time to make a comeback.

The Lakers next game will take place this Friday, Oct. 8 at home against the Whitman-Hanson Panthers (7 p.m. start time).

Marijuana buffer remains in Halifax

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The Halifax Special Town Meeting was held on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 21 at the Halifax Elementary School. Unlike the previous attempt to hold the meeting on Sept. 8, there was a quorum. Town Moderator Robert Gaynor reminded those in attendance to remain civil with one another throughout the meeting. The articles were discussed and voted on out of order.   

Article 17 generated the most debate and discussion. A yes vote would remove the buffer restriction requiring marijuana dispensaries to be 500 ft. from establishments with an alcohol pouring license. Board of Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews said the Selectmen recommended the article by a vote of 2-1. The Finance Committee also recommended the article as well. Chair of the Planning Board Gordon R. Andrews said the Planning Board also recommended.

A resident spoke saying, “I don’t believe this would be appropriate for our town; we took provisions years ago to put this by-law into effect to control these things and now if you got somebody from the outside that wants to come in, we have to change our by-laws to accommodate them.” He continued, “In my opinion, that’s putting the wolf in charge of the hen house.”  Another resident, who said she was a bartender in town, said she was in agreement with the previous speaker.

Another resident spoke in favor of removing the buffer restriction stressing the importance of recognizing the ways in which these establishments help the town. Resident Summer Schmaling, who is on both the Silver Lake Regional School Committee as well as the Halifax Elementary School Committee, reminded those present that the town spent thousands of dollars a few years ago for a study focusing on how the town could bring in more businesses as the tax revenue was falling predominantly on the backs of residents. She said that the town should not push these businesses away.

Phil Tringali of Walnut St. took to the microphone saying that he would be meeting with the Board of Selectmen the following Tuesday to propose a retail marijuana store in Halifax. Tringali, who noted that he has used medical marijuana for cancer, said he has worked for months to open up a store within all of the town’s regulations. “The plan for a business doesn’t take place over night; this is a two-year business plan with a lot of money involved. Every time I look at the zoning, the guidelines you’ve given me in the town to do this, you change it,” Tringali said. “How do I do business if you change it every six months?,” Tringali asked. He was met with some applause as he took his seat.

Another resident spoke saying that while she previously voted against allowing retail marijuana facilities in town, she now feels differently. She said that seeing how well-run they are and how little traffic they generate has changed her mind. Another resident spoke saying that most people who purchase from these stores are not using the product at the store. He said he didn’t believe there would be an issue with people leaving the store impaired. Yet another resident said he was not ready for a marijuana establishment in the center of town. He recommended conducting a study on the impact such an establishment would have on the town as well as holding a public forum or people to speak on the matter. He was met with significant applause.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig spoke saying, “the primary money that the town would receive would be from the sales tax; we would collect three percent on the gross revenues of any marijuana store here in Halifax but obviously that depends on their actual revenues.” He also mentioned the community impact fee saying, “it’s related to the cost the community incurs on having that store and that’s very difficult to prove in many cases.” He also said that there are currently many possible venues for these stores. The article failed to pass leaving the restriction in place.

Article 14, which was proposed by the Police Chief, would give the Board of Selectmen instruction to file proposed legislation with the Massachusetts State Legislature that would exempt all members of the Halifax Police Department from Chapter 31 of the General Laws. The Finance Committee agreed to give no recommendation on the article. Chapter 31 of the General Laws is Civil Service. Chief Joao Chaves spoke to the article explaining that it would rescind the vote from 1968 that placed the Halifax Police Department under Civil Service. He explained that the Civil Service system refers to two state agencies, the Human Resources Division (HRD) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC). He said that Civil Service was developed more than a century ago to protect against political influence in the hiring process. He continued, “Civil Service has evolved into a rigid, inflexible, and highly bureaucratic system that operates slowly at best.” He explained what he sees as other failings of the system including the ways in which it negatively impacts the Halifax Police Department’s ability to hire certain officers, including Halifax residents, over others. Chaves said it also impacts the ways in which officers are promoted and disciplined. He said it would not affect the Fire Department as they are not part of the Civil Service system.

Schmaling asked if keeping Civil Service would provide protection against nepotism. Chaves said, “We would be reaching out to get the best applicants.” Of Civil Service, he said that it forces him to hire whoever does best on the exam even if that person is right out of high school rather than someone who may have the necessary life experiences to succeed on the force. Another resident asked why now. “Again, the problem that every department is finding right now is finding good candidates,” Chaves said.

Resident and Planning Board member Amy L. Troup asked why the Finance Committee did not have a recommendation. The Committee explained that at the time they did not have access to the Chief’s presentation. “The Committee members generally felt that Civil Service was not the way to go but that we didn’t have a symmetric and complete picture because we didn’t know what was coming in its place,” Chair Thomas Connolly explained. Troup also said that while right now we have a “great chief,” someday we might not. The article passed by a smaller majority than the ones before it.

Several articles were voted on and easily passed to approve the bargaining agreements between the town and various agencies for fiscal year 2022. Article 2 funds the agreement between the town and AFSCME AFL-CIO Union Council 93, Local 1700 (Mixed Unit). Article 3 funds the agreement with the firefighters. Article 5 funds the agreement with the Massachusetts C.O.P. Local 459 (Sergeants). Article 6 funds the agreement between the town and the Halifax Association of Police Patrolmen. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee recommended all of these articles.

Article 10 would authorize the Board of Selectmen to give the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game a parcel of town owned land located off Aldana Rd. The exchange is part of a larger, ongoing plan between the town and the Department of Fish and Game. Both the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen recommended the article and it passed with the necessary two-thirds vote.

Article 11 to raise and appropriate or transfer funds to purchase, equip, and install a public address (PA) system for the Great Hall in the Halifax Town Hall passed. Article 12 to raise and appropriate or transfer funds for the maintenance and other expenses related to the inspectional services vehicle also easily passed. Article 9 to transfer $26,608 from the Water Department Water Revenue Account to purchase and equip a new truck for the Water Superintendent was recommended by both the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee. It passed easily. Article 13 was recommended by both the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen. The article would raise and appropriate or transfer funds distributed from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund to address the impact of transportation network services on municipal infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The article passed unanimously.

Article 15 to raise and appropriate or transfer funds in the amount of $130,980 to be added to the $4,725,192 appropriated at the Annual Town Meeting last May for the Silver Lake Assessment easily passed. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee both recommended the article.

Article 16, which would raise and appropriate or transfer funds in the amount of $12,000 to be added to the $19,000 appropriated at the Annual Town Meeting last May for Water – Retirement, easily passed. Article 19 to raise and appropriate or transfer funds in the amount of $12,000 to purchase and maintain electronic/solar traffic safety and signage easily passed with the recommendation of both the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee.

Articles 1, 4, 8 and 18 were passed over.

Selectmen weigh options for 5G regulations

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, Sept. 21,  joined by town counsel. They began with a review of articles for the special town meeting to be held later that evening, and recommended or passed over all articles discussed.

Following the recommendations, the Selectmen turned their attention toward the fiscal year 2022 budget. Speaking of Town Accountant Sandra Nolan, Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said, “Sandy reran the numbers so that the articles for the raise and appropriate do pass so we’re at about $229 left on the table – something like that.” Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews noted the remaining amount was less than recommended by the Finance Committee.

There was then a discussion over a proposed insurance settlement offer related to an insurance claim made by residents David and Laura Gibbons of Oak St. Specifics were not relayed as they were not in Executive Session but the Selectmen did vote to approve moving forward with the settlement.

Finally, the Selectmen discussed the 5G cellular “small cellular” general by-laws, zoning by-laws, and municipal permitting. Town Counsel Paul DeRensis said that there were four options available to the community. The first would be to adopt some regulations, the second would be to adopt a zoning by-law at town meeting, the third would be to do both numbers one and two, and the fourth option is to do nothing. “I got an email from Charlie saying he thought the third option is the best,” DeRensis said.

Seelig explained saying, “Zoning can obviously handle to a limited extent, where and how 5G can be installed; basically, the feds have said that the town really doesn’t have much authority over 5G; there might be reasonable permitting restraints we can put on it, but basically, the rule of thumb is they’re going to be allowed.” He continued, “But they could be setup through a special permitting process… most 5G cellular is going to be within the right of way of our streets and roads so that the Board will have the right to essentially issue permits for use of the right of way so we’ll have zoning, but we’ll also have regulations.” He noted that zoning would have to wait until May but regulations could be done sooner in the event that a 5G company came into town prior to then.

DeRensis called the third option the most “elaborate” and said the concern would be running up legal fees on these projects. “You do need something to protect the community against distasteful looking 5G installation.” He said the question, however, would be whether that is where you want to spend your legal costs. DeRensis said that they have drafted by-laws approved from the Attorney General in other communities and said it would be possible to adapt those to Halifax. Andrews recommended reviewing it further with some other committees before trying to implement something at the moment saying they should shoot for trying to get something implemented the second half of the year. The Board agreed.

Plympton to limit truck traffic

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on Monday, Sept. 27,  continuing their discussion from previous meetings on heavy truck traffic exclusions on certain roads in town. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy said she had heard back from the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) who said the best option would be to do a heavy commercial vehicle exclusion on portions of Main, Center, and Maple streets. Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte had previously questioned whether including Main St. in that exclusion would preclude the town from future grant funding opportunities. Dennehy said OCPC is currently looking into whether or not the funding would be affected. The town had previously been interested in including other streets but needed approval from Kingston to pursue those. Kingston decided they were not interested in participating at this time. The Selectmen voted to approve moving forward with the exclusions with the caveat that Firlotte’s concerns be explored further.

Selectmen also held a public hearing to consider the application of Eversource for a new pole at Mayflower Rd. Selectmen Chair Christine Joy opened the hearing to anyone who would like to speak either in favor or against the pole. Karen Johnson spoke on behalf of Eversource. Johnson said the pole was needed to run electric service to a solar array farm. Joy asked if the pole was standard size and Johnson confirmed that it was and that it would be placed within an existing pole line. There was no one present to speak against the installation of the pole. Selectmen voted unanimously to authorize Eversource to install the pole.

Firlotte provided the Selectmen with an update regarding ongoing Highway Department projects. Prospect Road paving was completed. He said that work on the wooden Winnetuxet River Bridge has been suspended indefinitely and he is unsure when work will be able to be resumed. He said that he was in the process of trying to find someone capable of making stencils large enough to go on the road to mark where the new safety zones are located. If needed, Firlotte said he would make his own though he said they would be smaller than originally desired.

Selectmen also awarded the bid for the work on the ADA ramp at the Townhouse. Dennehy said the lowest bidder was St. John Corporation out of Wellesley whose bid was $110,000. “Then we also asked the bidders to price out one alternative which would have to do with our current entrance of the Townhouse and they priced that out at $17,900.” Dennehy said she was recommending that Selectmen award the bid to St. John Corporation pending a favorable recommendation from the Town Properties Committee. Dennehy also recommended not proceeding with the alternative although she said it might be possible to pursue it for town meeting.  The Selectmen voted unanimously to award the contract.

Dennehy provided Selectmen with a Town Administrator’s update including grant funding. She said they got their Green Communities grant application in by the deadline with the help of OCPC. She said they are moving forward with another Green Communities application. Dennehy said that the quick deadline of October 8 means many communities take a year off in between applications but said she is hopeful they will be able to submit materials in time. Dennehy said she has an upcoming meeting at Dennett Elementary School with the school nutritional director, the lead custodian, and the lead cook to see about using some of that potential funding to possibly replace outdated appliances. “The school staff is very excited about this,” she explained. In addition, Dennehy said they are also looking into the library heating system.

Chair of the Plympton School Committee as well as Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen provided an update on the school saying that work on the new playground was underway. He said that after many delays, all the equipment has been delivered. He said that installation of the rubberized surface would have to wait until spring as it needs a constant temperature of 52 degrees to cure properly. Wood chips are to be used in the interim.

Selectman Mark Russo began the rants and raves portion of the meeting saying his rave was for the town of Brewster. During their town meeting Saturday, they approved the purchase of 66 acres along Long Pond in addition to another approximately 60 acres along the ocean. “This is invaluable land almost never available on the Cape… I salute the townspeople of Brewster for making an investment into the long-term future of their town,” Russo explained.

Selectman John Traynor went next saying it was nice to see Dennehy send out a list of long-term items. “It shows the progress we’re making in terms of addressing a number of things,” he explained. He said his semi-rant was with the Post Office as they are sending more and more services to Carver. Traynor said he hoped it was not indicative of a plan to close the Plympton branch. Joy said her first rave was for Rob Firlotte. “He’s getting a lot of really good work done and he’s so engaged and responsive to concerns,” she said. Her second rave was for all of the great work being done by the Council on Aging.

Playground construction underway

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The Plympton School Committee met virtually on Monday, Sept. 20. Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided an update on the new playground at the Dennett. Healy said that excluding the surfaces, the balance of the equipment was delivered Friday. Healy said that the only foreseeable issue might be the installation of the surfacing as maintaining a temperature of 50 degrees is necessary during the process. She said that getting further into October may present a problem. Healy said that originally they were not able to afford to do the entirety of the playground with the preferred surface but noted that there was money available through State Representative Kathy LaNatra’s office. “It will be going through DESE to apply for the grant; It’s one of the Ed grants and it is the full $25,000,” Healy explained. She said they should have access to the funds as soon as they are ready to use. “My goal is to get as much of the surfacing as we can,” she said. Healy also said that $3,600 would be needed from the school budget, once they had exhausted other funding, in order to complete the playground. “I look forward to the ceremony when it opens,” she said. Chair of the School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen added that he really likes the area where the playground will be installed saying, “I think it has a much nicer feel.” Healy said that they would be working that week on a realistic schedule for completion.

Future Meeting Locations

There was a brief discussion regarding whether to meet in-person for future meetings. Some members expressed their desire to keep joining the meetings remotely. Wilhelmsen said that were the meetings to be held in-person, if a quorum was reached inside the building, a member or two could still join the meeting remotely. Committee member Jason Fraser said he was in favor of keeping the meetings remote until more data could be acquired. It was decided that the November 1 meeting would be held remotely and they would revisit it at that time.

Dennett Fields

A discussion was held regarding the Dennett sports fields. Committee member Daniel Cadogen said he had been to the fields recently and they looked clean. There had previously been a problem with dogs going the bathroom on the fields.

Solar Project

Wilhelmsen provided an update on the solar project at the school. “There were some back and forth concerns regarding prevailing wage particularly with the installation of the solar panels,” he explained. He said that the solar company took the position that prevailing wage did not apply while Plympton’s solar attorney said it did. He said that it could add up to 30 percent to the total cost of the project. Wilhelmsen further said that two provisions were written into the contract. The first stated that at the end of 20 years the solar panels would be left with Plympton during which time they would inherit the property. The second was that if the solar company decided to sell the system, Plympton would be given first priority to buy. Wilhelmsen said that removing those provisions meant that the company was merely renting the rooftop and therefore there is no procurement eliminating the prevailing wage concerns. He said they can now move forward with the project. “Like everything else, it is not as straightforward as we would like it to be,” he said.

Legislative Update

Fraser provided the legislative update. He said that back in December of 2020, the House received a special report on transportation. “Some of the findings might pertain to us specifically because we are responsible for pre-k through 22 students and our vocational education students,” he explained. He said that some of the provisions were to allow pay directly to parents to transport their students to vocational schools and alternative special education settings. He pointed out that right now Healy was responsible for finding and paying vendors to transport those students. “Another interesting finding was pushing the legislature toward greening our school bus fleet away from diesel buses to hybrid or fully electric fleets sometime in the 2030s,” he said.

Fraser said that the previous week a bill had gone through reconciliation and one of the items included in that was hundreds of billions of dollars for school infrastructure. Fraser said he was hopeful to see some of that money trickle down to Massachusetts in the form of Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) funds noting that the Dennett will need a new roof in the next 5-10 years. He said that currently they would not qualify for MSBA funds for the project but said that he was hopeful that this additional money might change that. Wilhelmsen added that what is able to be granted out with respect to school construction costs is not aligned with the increased costs currently. “The amount of dollars going out from the community to be able to do building work is really, really significant,” he explained. He noted that this applies to all municipal buildings.

Principal’s Update

Dennett Principal Peter Veneto said that they currently have 232 students enrolled saying, “for us, that’s actually pretty large.” He spoke about some recent projects saying that the entire driveway has been seal coated. There is also a new blue vinyl exterior wall. Veneto also said that all open teaching positions have been filled. He spoke about the CASA enrichment programs and said that last week they had a professional bike trick rider come to speak at the school. “The kids – they listened politely but they really wanted to see the tricks; it was awesome,” he said. Laughing he said that the school has about six classrooms that may have to pull the shades due to the excitement of watching the machinery install the playground. Of the playground, Veneto said, “It’s been interesting to watch and it’s been a lot of fun to see it come to life.” Veneto also said that all specials like art, music, etc. are now back in their original classrooms saying, “the custodial staff did an amazing job putting everything back together… there is definitely a strong feeling of normalcy.” Wilhelmsen chimed in with praise for Facilities Manager Matthew Durkee.

Assistant Superintendent Update

Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch said that the Plympton teachers joined the rest of the district for opening day where they focused on relationship building amongst other core values. He said they were making progress with the new K-5 literacy program pilot. “We’re excited to see what is the best fit for Dennett and the district,” he explained regarding the program. Lynch also provided an update on the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. He said that they were required to check in with stakeholders for the ESSER III grant application. There were 605 responses across the district regarding how to best use those funds to meet the needs of students. Lynch said that top priorities from the survey included academic support and intervention, mental health supports, social and emotional learning, and technology support. “When we submit the grant, the proposal would be based on the input from our Plympton families… roughly 40 percent of our entitlement would be for closing gaps like tutoring, summer programming, supplies,” he said.

Superintendent’s Update Including COVID Guidance

Superintendent Jill Proulx began with an update from Nutrition Director Megan Ahrenholz saying that from June 23 to August 18 across all three towns, 25,998 meals were served. “I just wanted to thank the school nutritional staff,” Proulx said. She told the Committee that vaccination clinics will be held throughout the fall in coordination with the Kingston Board of Health. Proulx said that vaccines are the primary mitigation strategy this year.

She shared with the Committee updates regarding COVID guidance from the Department of Health and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). She said that unlike the previous year, in-person learning rather than remote learning is considered time on learning. Proulx said that the Education Commissioner was granted authority to mandate masks this year for all public K-12 students and staff. Exceptions are made for those that cannot wear masks due to medical or behavioral needs. Unmasking as of October 1 may potentially be an option for schools that meet certain vaccination rates. Proulx said that the school website has a tracker for COVID cases and noted that close contacts are still notified by the building principal.

Proulx said they have signed up to participate in the new test and stay program that got off to a delayed start. The program will allow caregivers to give permission for their student to stay in school and be tested daily using a rapid antigen test if they are a close contact as long as they remain asymptomatic. This would be in lieu of needing to quarantine at home.  Close contacts are defined as individuals who have been within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive individual indoors for 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. Exemptions include those who are masked and 3 ft apart, those who are masked on a bus with windows open, and those who have been diagnosed within COVID-19 in the last 90 days. All exemptions would be based on the individual remaining asymptomatic.