Writers Emily Franklin, Dawn Tripp, and Adelle Waldman will visit the Adams Center (33 Summer Street, Kingston) on Sunday, March 23 at 2 PM, for an author talk celebrating Women’s History Month.
The trio will talk about the female characters in their novels, the ways in which authors researched individuals in stories, and the subject matter. Franklin and Tripp recently authored books featuring Isabella Stewart Gardner (The Lioness of Boston) and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Jackie) while Waldman published a fictionalized book inspired by her experience unloading boxes at a big box-store, Help Wanted.
Franklin is the bestselling author of more than 20 novels for both adults and young adults, as well as a poetry collection titled, Tell Me How You Got Here. Her award-winning work has appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, The Kenyon Review, and other numerous publications. The Lioness of Boston was a Boston Globe and Indie Bookstore bestseller, as it was featured on WBUR’s “Local Authors.” She has been featured on NPR and named notable by the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Franklin lives outside of Boston with her family and two large dogs. You can follow her at https://emilyfranklin.com.
Tripp is the nationally bestselling author of Jackie and Georgia (a fictional novel about Georgia O’Keefe), was a finalist for the New England Book Award and winner of the Mary Lynn Kotz Award for Art in Literature. Her three other previous novels are Game of Secrets, Moon Tide, and The Season of Open Water, which won the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction. Her poems and essays have appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Harvard Review, Conjunctions, AGNI, and NPR.
Tripp graduated from Harvard and lives in Massachusetts with her sons. For more information about Tripp, her website is https://dawntripp.com
In addition to the novel Help Wanted released in March of 2024, Waldman has also written The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. It was named one of the years best books by the New Yorker, The Economist, NPR, Slate, Bookforum, and the Guardian. Her writing has appeared in the New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, e Wall Street Journal, Slate and other publications.
Waldman lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and daughter. You can read more about her by visiting https://adellewaldman.com.
Books will be on sale following the event for all three authors. This event is generously sponsored by the Kingston Public Library Foundation.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For more information, you can contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at [email protected].
Kingston School Committee avoids override
Alan Ingram
Express correspondent
The Kingston School Committee unanimously approved a level service budget for fiscal year 2026 without requiring a tax override, utilizing emergency shelter funds from the State to close the budget gap.
The committee voted Monday, March 3, to approve a $15,596,804 operating budget, which represents a 7.1% increase over the current fiscal year. The total expenditure for Kingston schools will be $16,991,596 after accounting for additional funding sources.
“We’re not going to need an override to settle our budget tonight,” said Committee Member Jeanne Coleman during the meeting, delivering she called “the good news” that parents and community members had been waiting to hear.
The budget approval comes after weeks of community concern about a potential override that could have reached nearly $1 million. Instead, the committee found alternative funding sources to maintain educational services without additional tax burden.
Business Administrator Sarah Hickey presented a plan to utilize emergency assistance shelter funds received from the state to help close the $1.4 million gap between the committee’s budget and the amount approved by the Kingston Select Board.
“In January of 2025, we received a payment of $338,270.25, of which we talked about allocating $180,000 of that towards salaries in the FY26 budget,” Hickey explained. “And we have been told by the state that we are going to potentially receive an additional $555,464 in those emergency shelter funds.”
The committee voted to allocate $255,110.74 from existing shelter funds already on deposit with the town, plus $341,127.26 from anticipated future payments to balance the budget.
Several parents spoke at the beginning of the meeting in support of maintaining educational services. Barbara Gildea of Crescent Street thanked the committee for “continuing to support our schools and for passing budgets that advocate for level funding.”
“The community is rallying in support of the school budget, and we will continue to do so,” Gildea added, noting that a Facebook group created to help parents advocate for the school budget has attracted more than 300 members.
Jackie Giovannangelo of Franz Lane echoed those sentiments, saying, “We’ve been hard at work over the past month plus, gathering the parents of the town to the Facebook page we created to ensure that as many parents as possible are aware of the budget concerns.”
Committee members acknowledged that while this solution addresses immediate budget needs, it creates challenges for next year since the emergency shelter funds are not a permanent revenue source.
“We’re going to have $800,000 that we need to come up with for next year’s budget,” noted Committee Member Michael Shekane. “We need to be aware that this is a huge hole for next year. We’re just kicking the can down the road.”
The committee also voted to remove a proposed additional English Language teacher position from the budget, saving approximately $65,000. Chair Megan Cannon suggested that if the position becomes necessary, there would still be shelter money available to fund it.
Superintendent Jill Proulx clarified that the budget maintains level services rather than level funding. “A level funded budget, if you were to advocate for that, would actually result in reductions in force,” she explained.
Committee members also discussed the timeline challenges of the budget process, with Coleman noting that state funding numbers often aren’t available until late January, after preliminary budgets are already being presented.
“Our budgets are incomplete if we don’t even know what the state numbers are,” Coleman said. “Last year, if everyone remembers, our budgets went into a tailspin at the end of January when the state numbers were released, like 4% lower than what we were anticipating.”
The total cost of education for Kingston, which includes both the elementary school budget and the town’s assessment for Silver Lake Regional School District, will be $32,770,590.36 for FY26, representing a 4.7% increase over the current year.
The committee’s decision means Kingston will avoid joining the approximately 80 Massachusetts communities that sought education overrides last year, of which only about 40% passed, according to information shared during a previous Silver Lake School Committee meeting.
The committee also heard from Assistant Superintendent Tricia Clifford about ongoing curriculum work, including the development of a district literacy plan and the review of math curriculum materials.
Kristen Pishkin, co-president of the Kingston Teachers Association, thanked officials for securing a level service budget.
“The KTA would like to thank administration, town leadership, School Committee, and all the families working hard to secure a level service budget that will meet the needs of our students,” Pishkin says. “We know it has taken a lot of effort on everyone’s part.”
“So we appreciate everyone’s hard work and sleepless nights. And the teachers’ sleepless nights, too, because a lot of them were very worried what their classrooms would look like and their jobs would look like next year,” Pishkin added.
Halifax Fire Dept. celebrates the women on staff for National Women’s Day
Celebrating the Women of Halifax Fire on National Women’s Day!
Today, we proudly honor the incredible women who make Halifax Fire stronger every day. Thank you to Firefighter Paramedic Bridget Riley, Firefighter EMT Shannon Worton, and our Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief Kendra Kelly for your dedication, service, and commitment to our department and community.
Your hard work and resilience inspire us all. We appreciate everything you do to keep Halifax safe!
Plympton ponders debt exclusion
The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Monday, Feb. 24. Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update on the FY26 budget. “We’re still working on some of the numbers. We’re running various scenarios to try and see if we can avoid the possibility of an override and, in terms of timeline and everything overall, I think it would make sense for this Board to consider at your next meeting… whether you want to move forward with putting a ballot question on for a debt exclusion for the Fire Station,” she said. Chair John Traynor said, “Unless something changes, we should go ahead even if we decide later to pass over it. The Town Properties Committee has been working on this for over a year and it may not pass at Town Meeting or if it passes, it might not get through the ballot. But at least we should give the people a chance to hear what we’ve been doing.”
Selectman Mark Russo clarified that Proposition 2 ½ would be unlikely though a decision on the debt exclusion would be on the docket. A debt exclusion would allow the town to raise enough funds outside of the levy limit for a specific capital project, in this case the Fire Station.
“If we’re going to avoid an override, I do think we’re going to have to tap into general stabilization a little bit; not nearly as much as that completely outrageous scenario that we were originally looking at,” Dennehy said. She continued, “I feel like the cost of everything, it’s catching up with us.” In order to tap into stabilization, a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting is required as is a yes vote from the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee.
The Selectmen also took up the issue of their social media policy. Traynor said that the current policy states that the Selectmen and the Town will not discuss business over social media. Residents have to write to them or appear before them to bring forth business. Traynor said that he recognizes, however, that those in their twenties, thirties, and forties are more likely to do business over social media. “I see how easily it could become quite complicated… I think it needs work before,” Russo said. Traynor said he agreed and recommended reaching out to Town Counsel. Dennehy said that it might be a good idea to start smaller such as sharing frequently asked questions of each Department on social media. She also suggested putting quarterly updates by each Department Head on social media. Selectman Dana Smith recommended “clear guidelines that are posted on a regular basis that protects what the actual integrity of that website is in that respect because then people know what’s expected of them but also their behaviors similar to our meeting here.”
Dennehy and the Selectmen discussed the Old Townhouse. Dennehy said that the chairlift was fixed again. She did note that if it wasn’t returned to the default position it would drain the battery which proves costly. They named three people to run the smart thermometer. Dennehy also told the Selectmen that the wifi was no longer a problem. She also touched base on the room that required approximately $10k in mold remediation. “Currently there’s no insulation or wall covering,” she said. Dennehy said that the recommendation from Town Properties Committee for covering a heating vent, was to cover it with plywood. She said that they did receive a few quotes ranging from nearly $6k to $10k to fully finish the room.
Traynor explained, “So the Town Properties’ position… is we don’t know what we would do with the room if we had it, so why not just cover the heating unit and then when we do know how we want to use it, that would be the time to finish it off.” Russo said that if the money was available, he would rather see the room completed. The Selectmen voted to have Dennehy explore whether the lower quote was still valid and if it was, move forward with completing the room. Traynor voted nay but was outvoted.
Dennehy said that they also needed to tackle the lighting issue outside. “We did have somebody attend the last meeting that expressed some concerns. As an update to that, there is a streetlight located down the street that we were alerted to at our last meeting that seemed like it was shining at an odd angle.” Dennehy said that a ticket has been put in with Eversource to fix it as it was found to be broken. She continued, “As far as the post at the Old Townhouse, the streetlight is on one side – there were no proposed changes to that at this time.” Dennehy said that a request has been put in with Eversource to remove a square floodlight that illuminates a lot more than just the front of the building. The Town Properties Committee will be working on getting pricing for more appropriate lighting for the building that won’t be obtrusive to the neighbors.
Dennehy reviewed the warrant articles with the Selectmen. She said that she inquired about the cost to change the Board of Selectmen name to Select Board and was told it would be roughly $1k. She also said that the Highway Department is looking for $250k this year instead of the customary $200k for roadway work. Traynor said, “I’m aware they got $111,000 Chapter 90 money supplemental and it seems to me that should be enough but we’ll discuss it as we get closer.”
Traynor gave a special shout out to the Two Grannies on the Road. “They came to Plympton – if you don’t know them, they are two ladies, grandmothers, who are going around to visit every town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts… there’s 351 towns, they’ve done 94, well now it’s 95 with Plympton,” Traynor said. He said that they videotaped places like the Equine Center. Traynor said he would like to see those videos go up on the town website for residents to see.
Halifax ATM warrant will close March 11 for citizen petitions
The warrant is now open for Halifax’s 2025 Annual Town Meeting which is scheduled to occur on Monday, May 12, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Halifax Elementary School. Citizen petitions must be submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
In order to participate in Town Meeting, residents must be registered to vote. The voter registration deadline to participate in the 2025 Annual Town Meeting is Friday, May 2, 2025. For all questions relating to Voter Registration, contact the Town Clerk’s Office by calling (781) 293-7970 or e-mailing [email protected].
Any questions regarding the Annual Town Meeting, submitting warrant articles, etc. should be directed to the Board of Selectmen’s Office by calling (781) 294-1316 or e-mailing [email protected].
A copy of the Warrant will be posted on the Town’s website and mailed to every household when it becomes available.
Revision 2/13/2025 10:26 am: Correction of the citizen petition submission deadline; Tuesday, March 11th, 2025.
Learning is Loud!
Samantha Perry
Express correspondent
Officially known as the Head of Youth Services for Kingston Public Library, Holly Iannucci is better known to the kids of Kingston as “Miss Holly”. She is warm and welcoming, a joy for parents and children alike. Holly’s dedication to what she does is clear to all who have the pleasure of spending time in the Kingston Public Library’s Children’s Room. An education major in college, Holly spent the first 14 years of her career in early childhood education before moving on to the Holmes Public Library in Halifax, and then the Kingston Public Library she now calls home.
Holly’s family has lived in Kingston for generations and it was always a goal of hers to give back to the community she grew up in. You may know her grandfather as the owner of Kingston Block which has been in business since 1948. She recalls spending her free time at the Kingston Public Library growing up, shelving books alongside then-librarian, Joan Enriquez. Joan quickly became one of Holly’s greatest mentors.
Holly describes the library the way some people describe trusted family and friends: safe, comforting and resilient. “If you are new in town and don’t know anyone, if you need a safe place to go, go to the library,” she says. “Libraries have been here since the ancient Greeks, they will always be here, they just won’t always look the same.” Holly explains that the landscape of libraries has already changed drastically to accommodate for the shifts in our world. It used to be a space where community members typically came to work quietly or in solitude. Children’s Programs such as Storytime were offered in the past, but often felt serious and structured. “Now,” Holly says, “Learning is Loud!”
Kingston Public Library offers many Children’s programs that Holly refers to as educational entertainment. Kids can come as they are, pick up a variety of skills and have fun while doing it. Holly describes the Children’s Room as a “community living room where children can come and learn through play.” As a Kingston parent myself, I have had the pleasure of joining Miss Holly for Babies and Bubbles where parents, caregivers, and their little ones gather together for songs, stories and – of course – bubbles! It is a wonderful chaos of little voices, tiny hands clapping, caregivers chasing after fast feet, knowing glances from one mama to another, and many wide-eyed babies just taking it all in. At first glance the program is very much geared towards babies and creating a safe space for learning, but in so many ways it is for caregivers also. “There are mothers at home who need to get out of the house for their own mental health, nannies can make friends with other caregivers, and infants can make their first friends,” Holly says. The benefits are boundless. Babies and Bubbles is offered on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for children 0-2 years.
Preschool Storytime is also offered at Kingston Public Library on Thursdays and most Fridays at 11:30 a.m. for children 3+ years. Children can expect lots of laughing, silly songs, learning their numbers and letters, crafts and – of course – storytime! For children who have not yet entered Kindergarten, Preschool Storytime is great practice for them. “When kids go to kindergarten so much is expected of them,” Holly explains. For some children, particularly those who are not enrolled in preschool programs, this is the first time adults other than their parents or caregivers are giving them instruction. Holly has created a safe space where kids can be free to have their first outside-of-the-home learning experience with loved ones nearby.
Holly’s passion for her work, and for libraries, is contagious. She explains that libraries have the ability to level the economic playing fields within the communities they support. “For lots of kids it is the first time they use a computer,” Holly shares. Kids who are looking for the latest book, video game, or even boardgames can get them for free at the library. There are a variety of apps included with a Kingston Public Library card such as Kanopy, Hoopla and Libby where members can access eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV, music and more – all for free.
Holly urges us all to explore these resources and get involved in your local library. “It doesn’t matter if you use our library, just use a library. No matter where you stand in this world, how rich or poor, your race or your gender, you are welcome at the library.”
The Kingston Public Library is located at 6 Green Street in Kingston, MA and their website is https://kingstonma.gov/219/Library.
Women’s History Month Author Panel to be held at Adams Center
Writers Emily Franklin, Dawn Tripp, and Adelle Waldman will visit the Adams Center, 33 Summer St., Kingston, on Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m, for an author talk celebrating Women’s History Month.
The trio will talk about the female characters in their novels, the ways in which authors researched individuals in stories, and the subject matter. Franklin and Tripp recently authored books featuring Isabella Stewart Gardner (The Lioness of Boston) and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Jackie) while Waldman published a fictionalized book inspired by her experience unloading boxes at a big box-store, Help Wanted.
Franklin is the bestselling author of more than 20 novels for both adults and young adults, as well as a poetry collection titled, Tell Me How You Got Here. Her award-winning work has appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, The Kenyon Review, and other numerous publications. The Lioness of Boston was a Boston Globe and Indie Bookstore bestseller, as it was featured on WBUR’s “Local Authors.” She has been featured on NPR and named notable by the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Franklin lives outside of Boston with her family and two large dogs. You can follow her at https://emilyfranklin.com.
Tripp is the nationally bestselling author of Jackie and Georgia (a fictional novel about Georgia O’Keefe), was a finalist for the New England Book Award and winner of the Mary Lynn Kotz Award for Art in Literature. Her three other previous novels are Game of Secrets, Moon Tide, and The Season of Open Water, which won the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction. Her poems and essays have appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Harvard Review, Conjunctions, AGNI, and NPR.
Tripp graduated from Harvard and lives in Massachusetts with her sons. For more information about Tripp, her website is https://dawntripp.com.
In addition to the novel Help Wanted released in March of 2024, Waldman has also written The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. It was named one of the year’s best books by the New Yorker, The Economist, NPR, Slate, Bookforum, and the Guardian. Her writing has appeared in the New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, Slate and other publications.
Waldman lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and daughter. You can read more about her by visiting https://adellewaldman.com.
Books will be on sale following the event for all three authors. This event is generously sponsored by the Kingston Public Library Foundation.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For more information, you can contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at [email protected].
Sen. Dylan Fernandes in support of Gov. Healey’s pause in planned facility closure
Senator Dylan Fernandes issued the following statement in response to Governor Healey’s announcement directing the pause of the planned closure of the Pocasset Mental Health Center.
“I am deeply grateful to Governor Healey for supporting mental health beds in our region and working to keep the Pocasset location open. We spoke out and rallied against the Department of Mental Health’s decision to close the in-patient center and we are incredibly fortunate to have a Governor who listens and deeply cares about the closure’s impact to our geographically isolated region and to people struggling with lack of access to care.
We are going to keep fighting for healthcare access on the Cape & South Shore and I want to thank everyone who stood alongside us – especially the Pocasset mental health workers and patients who understand what these beds mean to our district more than anyone.”
Kingston firefighter graduates
State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership has announced the graduation of 18 firefighters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program.
“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”
“Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits,” said Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Deputy Director Dennis A. Ball. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, today’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to work seamlessly with veteran firefighters in their home departments and in neighboring communities as mutual aid.”
The graduating firefighters of Class #BW33 represent the fire departments of Barnstable, Dennis, East Bridgewater, Hull, Kingston, Milton, New Bedford, Sandwich, West Bridgewater, Whitman, Wrentham, and Yarmouth.
The Richard N. Bangs Outstanding Student Award, which is presented to one recruit in each graduating career recruit training class, was presented to Firefighter Christopher Palin of the West Bridgewater Fire Department. The award is named for the longtime chair of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council and reflects the recruit’s academic and practical skills, testing, and evaluations over the course of the 10-week program.
Basic Firefighter Skills
Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice first under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack operations range from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple-room structural fires. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, and are certified to the levels of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.
Today’s Firefighters Do Much More than Fight Fires
Modern firefighters train for and respond to all types of hazards and emergencies. They are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies, ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to gas leaks to industrial chemical spills. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice, an office worker stuck in an elevator, or a motorist trapped in a crashed vehicle. They test and maintain their equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.
At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, recruits learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fire behavior and suppression tactics, from certified fire instructors. They also receive training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques. The intensive, 10-week program involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice.
The MFA provides recruit and in-service training for career, call, and volunteer firefighters at every level of experience, from recruit to chief officer, at campuses in Stow, Springfield, and Bridgewater.
Halifax Facing $1.15 Million Deficit
The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The Finance Committee, as well as members of the School Committee, were in attendance. Town Administrator Cody Haddad said that the Selectmen would be voting to open the annual and special town meeting warrant that night with it set to close on March 11. Any citizen petition articles would also be due by March 11.
Haddad introduced the budget discussion. He noted that public safety “continues to be cognizant of the budget” saying, “their request this year, across all public safety, is a zero percent increase from fiscal 25 to fiscal 26; that’s unprecedented.” He said that this allowed for a 3.5 percent increase for education. “Halifax Elementary School Committee did meet last night; their level service budget request was around a 23 percent increase and they did move forward and vote to request that,” Haddad said. He continued, “if we were to fund all of those requests in addition to the reasonable requests that we anticipate from the town side that we’ve cut down already, we are looking at a deficit of around $1.15 million.”
Silver Lake Superintendent Jill Proulx said that Circuit Breaker, the State’s reimbursement program to offset costs of special education, was largely responsible for the 23 percent increase. Director of Finance for Silver Lake, Sarah Hickey, said that they were directed to present a Silver Lake budget that was a 2 percent increase over FY25. “The preliminary assessment using that 2 percent increase for Silver Lake would have Halifax’s preliminary operating assessment at $8,610,322.50,” Hickey said. She said it would be a 5.1 percent increase over the previous year. Hickey also said that that the total cost of education for Halifax is $17,301,856.69 which equates to an 11 percent increase over FY25. She called them preliminary calculations.
Selectman Thomas Pratt said that he attended the meeting where the school budget was voted. He said there “was a lot of passion in the room.” He asked, “any administrating positions being cut?” Proulx said, “we did consider administration positions and we consulted with our attorney; we are legally obligated to honor contractual obligations and we have contracts that currently haven’t expired.”
Asked about whether the Town could expect large increases and override requests every year, Hickey clarified that comparing FY24 to FY25 “doesn’t work.” She said, “At the behest of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Silver Lake Regional School District and Union 31 did a major restructuring last year.” She said that for future years she anticipates merely cost of living level increases of approximately 3 percent.
Someone asked if special education students are ever moved off an IEP and was told that if that were to happen, it typically occurs at the Middle and High School levels. A resident spoke saying that if math and reading interventionists were included in budgetary cuts, as was suggested, her child who did move off an IEP, wouldn’t have, therefore arguing that the cuts will end up costing the schools and towns more in the long run. It was also said that there would no longer be an adjustment counselor which will impact the social and emotional support.
Pratt said that his disappointment with the School Committee’s vote to support the budget request is that they “went all in.” He expressed concern that if the override doesn’t pass, the schools will be decimated. “So, the balance is getting something on the budget that makes an impact on the future of the children but that you’ll have buy-in from the town that invests in those kids to pass.” He referenced the need for it to pass, “not once, but twice” alluding to a vote at Town Meeting as well as on the ballot. He requested that the schools provide a Plan B.
According to Haddad, whether the Silver Lake budget will require an override on behalf of any of the three towns, still remains to be unseen. If it does and two of the three towns support it, Halifax would still be on the hook for their portion regardless of their vote.
There was also some discussion about a hiring freeze or an overtime freeze. It was said that an overtime freeze would likely affect public safety where it was needed. Bruno also said that if there are snowstorms, overtime would be needed to plow the roads, etc. Pratt replied, “there are some things that you could cut that are overtime. There are some things, I hate to say it, but the woodchipper on Saturdays; if things are tight in the schools, we don’t have to have the woodchipper on Saturdays. Let’s call a spade a spade. And the other thing is, public safety aside, if things are okay this year, but maybe if we didn’t budget for so much overtime, the elementary school wouldn’t have had to cut so much last year as they did.” The Selectmen did decide to implement a hiring freeze for the time being.
Elementary School Committee member Jessica Page said she has been hearing from many parents that if the school’s budget doesn’t pass, they will move their children to charter or private schools. School Committee member Lori Costa-Cline suggested that there is room at some of the elementary grade levels to reduce the number of classroom teachers while maintaining equitable class sizes. She noted that this would result in class sizes of 22 or 23 and not overly large classes of 30 or more. She also noted that the vote for the level service budget was not unanimous, saying two members were looking to reduce the budget further.
Morse Brothers
The Selectmen went into Executive Session to discuss the Morse Brothers case. “The Board has discussed the Morse Brothers lawsuit; just to remind everyone that the Superior Court found in favor of Morse Brothers and so we have asked our Town Counsel to file an appeal,” Bruno said
Halifax Pride
A request was approved for the fifth annual Halifax Pride celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 8 to use the Town Green. They also have a live entertainment permit.
Resident Karen Fava of 66 Clyde O Bosworth Rd. asked to speak saying, “I know that there was conversation that they used the bathrooms here last year for Pride and that shouldn’t be happening.”
Lana Eldridge, who was there on behalf of Halifax Pride said, “I’m one of the coordinators for Pride and we actually provide port-a-potties outside.” From her seat, Fava insisted that they were used for “changing costumes.” Eldridge clarified saying, “Up here in the Green Room; {should be Great Hall?} we pay to use this room, just like anybody else does that wants to use this space… we’re a part of town as well.” There was controversy in years past about the presence of drag queen performers at the event.
Resident John Spada of 59 Firefly Rd. said, “Is there any way we can possibly find a different location not right across from the playground?” Bruno said, “The Town Green is used as a public space and it’s available to anybody; in fact, we probably aren’t allowed to discriminate against one group or another. Because we have it open to everybody, it’s either going to be open to everybody or closed to everybody… as long as it’s okayed by the Fire Department and everybody else.” Fava asked what the performance was “rated.” Eldridge clarified that it was a “family-friendly event.” Eldrirdge said, “If you have a preference and choose not to enjoy the entertainment that we offer, you don’t have to come.”
Fava said, “What I’m asking is are there going to be men dressed as women?” Eldridge replied, “As we have done in the past for the last four years, yes, there are drag performers involved. Again, we’ve had them every year for the last four years. Nothing has been inappropriate… it’s family -friendly and again, if people don’t enjoy that type of entertainment, you don’t have to come.” The Selectmen voted to approve the event.
MBTA Communities
The Selectmen took up the issue of the MBTA Communities Law which requires that towns comply with submitting an MBTA Action Plan that allows for multi-family housing close to MBTA transit stations. The town held a public forum recently where residents came out in droves to express their overwhelming rejection of the law and the subsequent action plan. Towns not in compliance risk losing valuable grant opportunities.
Bruno, who is against the law, said that should the town choose not to be in compliance they will likely risk litigation from the Attorney General.
Chair of the Halifax Elementary School Committee Lauren Laws spoke saying that the schools, like the overall town, are in dire need of funding due to budget constraints. She pleaded with the Board to remain in compliance for the time being so as not to risk losing grant funding such as the grant to explore K-12 regionalization.
Selectmen Thomas Pratt and Bruno voted against staying in compliance. Selectman Jonathan Selig voted nay but was outvoted.
At the current time, only a revised plan, rather than any actual action is needed to stay in compliance.
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