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Towns asked to Vote ‘NO’ on budget

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met remotely on Thursday, May 28, to vote on a revised FY21 budget. The budget process, which began back in late 2019, has been complicated by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Back in mid-May, Superintendent Jill Proulx presented nearly a million dollars in potential cuts to the version of the budget previously voted on by the committee in March. The March 12 version of the budget came in at $26,698,578 for an increase of 2.71 percent over the previous year’s budget but a decrease from January’s proposed 3.31 percent increase. Chair of the Silver Lake School Committee Jason Fraser said, “This number was lauded by all three of our communities… and then we didn’t go back to school the next day and our world changed.”

Jon Lay spoke on behalf of the Silver Lake Education Association (SLEA) and stressed two points, the first of which being that every dollar in the budget is not equal. He said that some expenditures, such as teachers, have more of a direct impact on students than others. Currently there are 12.9 full time teaching positions on the line. He also took exception to what he called a reluctance on the part of the school committee to, in their words, micromanage the superintendent. Lay said that the SLEA wouldn’t consider it micromanaging but rather the committee doing their due diligence. After Lay spoke the committee took a half-hour recess in order to enter into executive session to discuss negotiations for SLEA.

Upon returning to open session the committee took up the budget discussion once again. Due to the hardships posed by the pandemic, Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton all asked the school committee to revisit their budget. Kingston, which requested a $300,000 reduction to their assessment, was the only one of the three communities to provide a specific number. State aid made up 30 percent of the school budget last year totaling $7.3 million. The remaining portion of the school budget is made up of the three communities’ assessments. Experts are estimating that the budget crisis brought on by the pandemic could result in anywhere from a $4 to $8 billion deficit for that state’s fy21 budget. The state budget likely won’t be released prior to June 30 prompting Fraser to stress that despite the educated guesses floating around, no one knows the actual numbers yet.

The school committee expressed their frustration at revising their budget without any indication as to what potential cuts to Chapter 70 funding will look like. “I feel like we’re blindfolded throwing darts at a wall here,” Vice Chair Eric Crone said. Many other school districts are simply voting their prior year budgets to submit to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). “We’re putting so many people’s lives on hold because of the position that DESE put us in,” Fraser bemoaned.

With the prospect of potentially needing to go to a one-twelfth budget looming, the school committee was feeling the pressure to deliver on a budget Thursday night. A one-twelfth budget would allow them to allocate enough funds for a single month’s expenditure based on the previous year’s budget. This will be true, as well, for those towns that do not go through with their town meetings prior to June 30 as they will be unable to vote the budget as a town. Both Kingston and Plympton are planning to move forward with their town meetings on June 13 and June 17 respectively. Halifax will most likely postpone their meeting until later in the summer thus necessitating a one-twelfth budget for their town.

Fraser moved to simply vote through the FY20 budget number of $25,992,345 for this year as many other districts had done. Gordon Andrews, a Halifax selectman and a member of the regional and Halifax school committees proposed an out of the box, albeit temporary, solution to the school’s budget crisis. Andrews suggested that the committee vote on the March 12 budget number and ask the towns to vote the number down at their town meetings. While this would necessitate a second town meeting to vote the amended number, it would also buy the school committee an additional thirty days from the dates of those meetings to derive a budget based on the state’s amended numbers. Given the outside of the box nature of the proposition, many members of the committee were initially unsure how they felt about it. Fraser withdrew his motion and allowed for a five-minute recess so that committee members could take a moment to think over Andrew’s suggestion.

A number of concerns were discussed once back in session. Among them, Crone said that he was worried about not giving the towns what they asked for the assessment. Crone and others also expressed concern over assuring the towns’ compliance in voting against the school’s budget. It was agreed that it would need to be explicitly communicated to the selectmen and finance committees the logic behind the decision to ask the towns to vote down the school budget. Another concern was the cost of having to hold a second town meeting. While there is an expense of usually $5,000 to $10,000 per town associated with holding such a meeting, most of the committee agreed that it was menial in comparison to what is at stake.

The motion voted on Thursday was to submit to DESE a one-twelfth budget based on the March 12 budget that was previously voted on by the school committee. Despite only needing two-thirds of the committee’s approval, the motion passed with unanimous support. A follow-up meeting will be held with the school committee as well as the finance committees and selectmen from the three towns.

Proulx gave an update on COVID-19 related issues. School nurses have been asked to send their requests for personal protective equipment (PPE) to their respective building principals despite not yet having the recommended equipment list. Items to be purchased include thermometers, hand sanitizer, masks, and for schools over 1,000, cameras that register temperatures. Proulx also said that she believes there will be guidance available by the end of June regarding reentry. It would still be subject to change, however, before the start of school.

Plympton lots won by highest bidders

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Co-Chair of the Open Space Committee Linda Leddy attended the Monday, June 1 Plympton Board of Selectmen meeting to provide an update on the sale of the three lots on Prospect St. An auction was held for the three lots, which are roughly 1.5 acres each, with all bids on the lots due by May 20. The lots back up to 160 acres of permanently protected conservation land. There was no purchase price but rather a suggested minimum bid of $125,000 apiece for Lots 1 and 2 and $120,000 for Lot 3.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that she had gone through the bid packages with town counsel. She told the selectmen that they could move forward with awarding the bid for Lot 3 which came in above the minimum at $127,500. The highest bidders for Lot 3 were Scott and Susan Curley.

The sole bidder for Lots 1 and 2 was SJC Consulting Group who bid $115,000 for each lot. Complicating the awarding of Lots 1 and 2 was the contingency provided by the bidders that they be awarded all three lots. The selectmen were able to vote to award the lots with the caveat that the bidders amend both offers to remove the contingency.

The intent is for the proceeds from the sale of the three lots to be allocated toward the repayment of the bond that was taken out at town meeting in 2018 to secure the purchase of Two Brooks Preserve. The sale of the lots has been a long process with every effort being made to advertise extensively. Leddy said that despite initial interest from many parties she felt that many people were scared off due to the current state of the economy. Selectman Mark Russo said, “Much thanks to Linda Leddy and the Open Space Committee… it has been a long haul, but we are making progress.”

Assuming the awarded bids result in the sale of all 3 lots, even with some new fundraising pledges, the Two Brooks Preserve Fund will still fall short by $25,000. This could be covered by seeking those funds from the town’s Capital Stabilization Fund.

While requests for $25,000 or more from that fund require a vote at the annual town meeting, requests of less than $25,000 can be granted through approval by the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and Capital Stabilization Committee. The request would be kept under $25,000.

Dennehy gave an update on the reopening of the townhouse for the public. She said that the first day went smoothly and thanked the Plympton Fire Department for all of their assistance with signage, a hand sanitizer station, and other tasks. “The few people that did come in were very gracious and everything went well.” Briggette Martins said that as an employee of the building she felt safe returning to work there. Martins referred to the updates made to the building as “really impressive” and “so well organized.”

Dennehy told the selectmen that a group of people including Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto and Technology Director for Silver Lake Steve Pellowe did a walkthrough at Dennett in order to prepare for town meeting. Dennehy said that they would like to also have a representative from Area 58 do a walkthrough as well. A bulletin outlining what to expect at both town meeting and town election will likely be available to residents next week.

Chair Christine Joy ended the meeting with a rave for the Plympton Police Department and it’s Chief Matthew Clancy. Joy alluded to the recent tragedy in Minneapolis and the resulting protests and said she is reassured to know that Clancy and the department have been properly trained on use of force. Joy said that the policies implemented in Plympton “place emphasis on the sanctity of human life” and said that “deescalating is their primary objective.”

Halifax prepares to re-open

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Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig held a meeting on Tuesday, June 2 with the Board of Selectmen, department heads, and other town employees to discuss reopening.

Per a vote at the previous selectmen meeting, the Halifax COVID leave policy will end starting with the pay period beginning Sunday, June 7. As of that date, town employees will only be paid for hours worked. An exception will be made for departments that don’t have enough hours to fulfill an employees’ usual workload. In those cases, employees can compensate for additional hours with either personal, sick, or vacation time. Seelig opened the floor for questions on the ending of the policy but none were asked.

Seelig said that he had been reviewing the processes other communities were putting into place in order to have their employees return to work safely. Chief among them is the policy that those who are not well remain home. Each day employees would need to self-certify that they don’t currently have any symptoms of COVID-19. They would also have to certify that they have not been in close contact with someone who has COVID nor have they been told by a medical professional that they have a probable case of COVID even in the absence of a test. Library Director Jean Gallant inquired if the self-certification would run on the honor system or if actual documentation would be expected to be submitted to the Board of Selectmen. Seelig said that documentation would likely not need to be provided to the selectmen. Formal decisions regarding the policies for reopening will need to be made by the Board during their meeting on June 9.

Currently the state has guidance in place that requests that Massachusetts residents that travel out of state for non-work-related reasons, self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to the state. Seelig said that the Board will need to decide whether to include this stipulation as part of the self-certification. As pointed out during the meeting, while it is considered best practice and recommended, there is no legal requirement to self-quarantine following out-of-state travel. Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said that the policy didn’t seem to make much sense since Massachusetts has higher rates of COVID-19 than most other states. Seelig agreed, pointing out that New York is likely the only border state with a higher rate than Massachusetts.

Seelig also addressed the need for supplies as well as physical changes to the town buildings. He said that decisions will have to be made regarding what procedures should be implemented for employees that share rooms as well as for those that cannot always maintain six feet of distance between themselves and other employees. Seelig pointed out that based on research, even if maintaining proper social distancing, sharing the same enclosed space for extended time periods can increase the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission. Things to consider include whether masks will be required, if barriers will need to be inserted between desks, and if furniture or rooms will need to be rearranged. If masks are required, the Board of Selectmen will have to decide how to handle situations where an employee has a medical condition that prevents that from wearing one.

Seelig said that hygiene practices will have to be reviewed and reinforced as well. Hand sanitizer will likely need to be supplied to areas where common surfaces such as copier machines are found. Signage will likely need to be provided to remind people of best practices including sneezing into your elbow and not having others clean up after you. It had been previously suggested that hand dryers be installed rather than paper towel dispensers but there is some concern over having air circulated in such a way in a small, enclosed room. Seelig said the town may need to look at installing touchless paper towel dispensers instead. A cleaning log will also need to be kept indicating when rooms were cleaned.

Other ideas that were floated during Tuesday’s meeting included the need for a method for contact tracing. Seelig also suggested the possibility of having employees work split shifts in order to reduce shared spaces. Other considerations such as what equipment may be needed for different departments were also discussed.

Seelig said that the Board will also need to decide to what extent remote working will continue. The state currently recommends that those that can efficiently work from home continue to do just that. Also to be decided will be what kind of documentation will be required by departments in order to work remotely. Seelig said that employees will likely have to punch-in, punch-out, and provide a synopsis of time spent. Gallant said that she felt strongly that people should be allowed to continue to work from home wherever feasible.

Finally, Seelig addressed the steps that would be needed to open town buildings to the public. He said that one option would be to reopen by appointment only initially to avoid large clusters coming into buildings such as town hall at once. Another option would be to open but for limited hours. This option could either be done from the get-go or following a period of appointment only availability. Seelig said that limited hours worked well for the soft opening of the recycling center.

He emphasized that were the town to go this route with other town buildings, the hours would have to advertised extensively to avoid confusion or anger on behalf of residents. He told the department heads that he would like their input before the June 9 meeting as to whether they would prefer a slower start or going full throttle from the beginning.

Seelig also said that a plan would need to be in place before reopening to address any residents or other building guests that refuse to comply with policies including wearing a face covering and social distancing.

Seelig told department heads that the decision to reopen the buildings could end up being a temporary one should there be another large spread or outbreak of the virus. He said that the town may want to consider spending money to bolster services should buildings close again.

Seelig asked those present to send any questions or suggestions to him in the next few days as he hopes to have the Board finalize as much of the reopening policy as possible at their June 9 meeting.

How to hold town meeting during a pandemic?

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The Tuesday, May 26 Plympton Board of Selectmen’s meeting began with a discussion regarding the logistics for holding town meeting on June 17. Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that she had met earlier that day with members of the emergency management team, Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen, Dennett Elementary principal Peter Veneto, and town clerk Patricia Detterman.

The group is planning a walkthrough well in advance of the meeting to figure out a seating arrangement that still allows for 6 feet of social distancing. Members of the same household who attend, can sit together. There are also plans to utilize two rooms in the Dennett, if necessary, to ensure proper distancing. Both would be equipped with the necessary technology to ensure communication between the rooms. Town Moderator Barry DeCristofano said that he would be able to nominate an alternate moderator for the second room.

Wilhelmsen said that he would speak to Veneto about possibly getting the technology department at the high school involved as it may be necessary to add to the existing equipment. There was some discussion between those at Monday’s meeting about possibly dividing those normally seated in the front at town meeting (selectmen, Finance Committee) equally between the two rooms.

There will most likely be a singular check-in point at this year’s town meeting located at the vestibule area. The check-in table will have a portable plexi-glass wall. From there, people will be directed to one of the two rooms. Dennehy said that unless guidance from the governor’s office changes before then, everyone attending the town meeting will be required to wear a face covering. The only exception will be those who have an underlying medical condition that prohibits them from doing so safely. Dennehy also said that there will be plenty of staff present from both the police and fire departments. Hand sanitizer will be available as will wipes to disinfect the microphones between use. If residents refuse to follow safety protocols while at town meeting, DeCristofano would have to declare them out of order and then the police would intervene.

Dennehy said that a bulletin outlining what to expect at town meeting will be sent to residents. Selectman Mark Russo was in favor of the idea as he said he had been hearing from many people that they would not be attending town meeting, some out of concern for their safety and health.

When asked if temperatures will be taken at check-in, Dennehy said that they decided to hold off on doing so as they didn’t want to create a bottleneck at the check-in area. She also mentioned the possibility of asymptomatic carriers. She did say it may be something that they will revisit prior to the meeting.

Dennehy said that the town has been working diligently on plans to get the townhouse up and running for the public by Monday, June 1. Regarding the new protocols, Dennehy said, “This is a very fluid situation and new territory for all of us, so everyone’s cooperation is appreciated as we navigate through this uncertain time.” The following is a list of the guidelines Dennehy will be issuing to the public ahead of reopening.

We will be following all protocols and Orders issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Should Commonwealth-instituted protocols be lessened, we will update our Town protocols accordingly.

The Town House will be open to the general public, beginning on Monday, June 1 for our normal business hours, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Please note that elected offices, such as the Town Clerk, for example, may have extended or varied hours as required by law.  The Building and Inspectional Services Department will also be available by appointment on Monday evenings.

Everyone is asked to wear a face covering the entire time you’re in the building unless you have an underlying medical condition.

Plympton Fire Department personnel will be conducting mandatory temperature checks.  No personal information will be recorded and the temperature scan is contactless.  If someone has a temperature above 100.3 degrees they will be asked to leave the building.  Employees will also be subject to this screening daily.

One person at a time visiting any offices within the Town House.  A waiting area that facilitates social distancing will be established in the Main Meeting Room.

If you need to speak to a specific Town employee, it’s best to call or Email them directly.

If you prefer to conduct business remotely, we can accommodate that to the extent practical.  Please contact the respective Town Department and they will make every effort to assist you.

The full set out of guidelines will be available on the town website (town.plympton.ma.us).

Protocols for the town election are also in the works.

The meeting ended on a high note with Chair Christine Joy giving her “rave” for the week. Joy credited Briggette Martins and the Memorial Day Committee for stepping up despite initial difficulties securing the necessary supplies. Of their Memorial Day efforts, Joy said, “She and the Committee did an amazing job getting the green spruced up and getting flags and medallions on the veterans’ graves.”

Summer Schmaling on ballot for State Rep

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Halifax – Summer Schmaling, a Halifax Republican, is officially on the ballot for State Representative in the 12th Plymouth District after submitting more than 300 certified signatures to the Secretary of State in Boston. The 12th Plymouth District includes the towns of Duxbury, Kingston, Halifax, Middleborough, Plymouth, and Plympton.

“I’ve received a great deal of support and encouragement from voters to run for State Representative. Voters are telling me taxes are too high and our State Representative needs to be more transparent about their voting record in the legislature,” Schmaling stated.

Summer Schmaling is a resident of Halifax where she, her husband, and three children are active in the community.  Summer’s public service began in 2013 while serving on the Halifax Finance Committee, and as Chairman of the Halifax Elementary School Committee and Republican Town Committee.

Summer is a trained scientist with experience studying influenza and various viruses at the Tufts University School of Medicine.  Summer’s experience conducting scientific research has strengthened her ability to problem-solve in a unique way, a skill-set which is desperately needed in the state legislature to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, family-owned businesses throughout Massachusetts are struggling to keep their businesses alive and taxpayers – the elderly, families, and individuals – are facing difficult times paying for food, utilities, mortgages, and insurance expenses. However, high taxes, fees, and over-regulation implemented by the state legislature will not help our citizens or businesses recover from the pandemics economic impact.

Schmaling continued, “The Covid-19 pandemic changed everything; senior citizens and elderly veterans were put at risk and too many died.  Economically, businesses closed and jobs were lost; however, the policy and planning we implement in the state legislature will be our legacy to protect our citizens’ health, jobs and businesses.”

The 12th Plymouth District Primary will be held on Tuesday, September 3, 2020. The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.  To learn more about Summer Schmaling and her campaign for State Representative, please visit www.summerforrep.com.

Halifax likely to postpone Town Meeting to July

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Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said during the Tuesday, May 26 Board of Selectmen meeting that he has reviewed the information from the state in order to do a 1/12 budget for fiscal year 2021. Seelig said that his suggestion to go to a 1/12 budget is due to the state budget not being released yet as well as safety concerns over holding town meeting. “Holding large meetings in enclosed spaces is not a good idea right now,” Seelig explained. In order to postpone the June 15 town meeting and do the 1/12 budget, the town moderator would need to decide to recess the meeting for up to 30 days. Seelig said that he was suggesting that the meeting get recessed to July 11 and that it potentially be held outdoors. The selectmen will vote to approve Seelig’s recommendation at their next meeting. The second step required to do a 1/12 budget is the Finance Committee’s recommendation.

Town Election

The town election is still scheduled for June 20. Seelig and the town clerk have written instructions on how to vote in person or by mail. If voting in person, there will be social distancing and hygiene protocols in place.

Cranberry Drive Sidewalk

A handful of Cranberry Dr. residents attended the meeting Tuesday to advocate for a sidewalk where there is currently only a grassy shoulder. Seelig said that the current estimate to do the work is $134,000 up from the previous estimate of $114,000. Selectman Chair Troy Garron asked if there were any incidents involving people getting injured resulting from the lack of a sidewalk. Seelig said no such incidences had occurred. Seelig suggested having the engineering work done at a cost of approximately $14,000. The cost would likely need to come from the Highway Department’s Chapter 90 funds.

Garron said he empathized with residents on that road but asked if the town was really in a position to do the work right now. Selectman Tom Millias concurred saying, “In a perfect world, I would be all for it.” Selectman Gordon Andrews said, “I understand the need, but not sure if that is the best use of the money right now.” He further said that he would prioritize items like crosswalks and streetlights over sidewalks.

Cranberry Drive resident Ryan Morgan inquired if the town had a 5-year plan of potential capital expenses, a sort of priority list. Seelig said that there were two lists, the first being capital projects that are approved at town meeting. Seelig said those projects are usually not roadwork, but rather expenses such as purchasing town vehicles. Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward has a separate list because he has his own sources of funding including Chapter 90 funds. Hayward said, “My priority is the roads right now; the roads are falling apart, and I think that is a little bit more important.” He also stressed that he doesn’t yet know how much he will be getting from Chapter 90.

Library Director and Cranberry Drive resident Jean Gallant asked Seelig and the selectman how concerned residents might go about getting their projects added to the priority list should money come available. A third Cranberry Drive resident, who said he takes his small children on that road daily, jumped in saying he was upset that the focus was on the money. He pointed out that the neighborhood was thirty years old and asked how it was possible that in thirty years, the money has never been allotted to the project. Garron told the residents that they would need to gather 10 signatures from registered voters in order to bring the issue to town meeting. While it is too late for this year, it would be possible to do so for next year’s town meeting. The selectmen voted to table the issue for now.

COVID-19 Updates

Seelig and the Board agreed that starting with the pay period beginning June 7, town employees will be paid only for the work that they do. If available and if they wish, employees for whom work still cannot be found can supplement with sick leave, personal leave, or vacation time.

Regarding reopening, Seelig said that some departments might be able to continue working remotely while others may want to get employees back into the buildings. Measures will be taken to protect those in the buildings including additional signage, sanitizer stations, wipes and gloves, and potentially new filtering units in the HVAC units. In addition, the town will likely require individuals to complete a checklist including requirements such as not having a fever or living with someone with COVID. Seelig said he would be scheduling a Zoom meeting with department heads as well as employees to go over the protocols surrounding reopening.

Silver Lake Graduation

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) issued guidelines for holding outdoor graduation ceremonies later this summer. As of right now, Silver Lake is planning to hold a modified ceremony on August 7 at 6 p.m.

Other News

Seelig said that everything went well at the Recycling Center soft opening on May 20.

A presentation was held last Thursday on what will and will not be eligible for funds received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). Seelig said, however, that he was still left with many questions. Unlike most of the state, Plymouth County has elected to distribute the funds to municipalities themselves rather than letting the state handle the distribution.

What Seelig described as a “low-key observance” took place in Halifax on Memorial Day complete with a bagpiper. “I thought it was very nicely done by the VFW,” Seelig said.

Bud’s Goods and Provisions submitted their application for an outdoor marijuana cultivation facility. The Board of Selectmen have sixty days to reply to it. Seelig said the vote would be put on the agenda for June 9.

The Boy Scout bottle drive is scheduled for July 11. Assuming the event takes place, it will be at the town hall green as has been done in the past.

Seelig said that former town moderator T. P. Elliot-Smith passed away. The selectmen and all on Tuesday’s call, held a moment of silence to honor the work that he did for the town.

Tomkins’ Giving Tree

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It all began when she heard how busy and overwhelmed the medical staffs at local hospitals were with Covid 19 patients.

Chris Tompkins- also known as Chrissy- a resident of Halifax since 1994, knew she wanted to do something to help.

She learned of the mask shortages that were affecting medical staff and the need to wear masks in public for citizens so she borrowed a sewing machine in March and started sewing masks and hanging them in baggies on her front tree, she said.

Tompkins has two nieces who have young children all under age 7, both are emergency room nurses at the Signature Brockton Hospital. She heard of the daily struggles many were experiencing.

The tree has been thriving ever since. Items do change daily and are also spread out on a table now as well, with the efforts of others providing items not going unnoticed.

She calls her sewing circle a tribe of local woman who are each inspiring in their own ways lending one another sewing supplies, fabric and adding to the donations for Halifax residents.

Marie Cody, a staff member at the Halifax Library, loaned me the sewing machine and materials. She did so much … I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her help at the start, said Tompkins.

She also worked on a project with Ruth Mc Grath each completing and taking half of their 100 handmade facemasks and dropping them off at the Veteran’s Hospital in Brockton.

Both women play cribbage with a resident there once a week. She misses the interaction and knows that the elderly are a group at risk of depression during isolation due to quarantine restrictions and separation.

She serves dozens of the Halifax elderly as she is also a longtime van driver for the Halifax Council on Aging on Mondays and Fridays.

Keeping in contact with her regulars who have become her friends is important to her as well.

Her passion for giving back came when she said she was at her lowest, losing her home in the real estate crash, raising three children after working night shifts for 14 years with the Brockton Postal Services, and often sleeping only two hours a night. She realized taking care of her youngest who was diagnosed with Autism was the deciding factor to her leaving her full time job.  She lost her home.

“I was at my lowest.   Elaine Dolan’s words were

“Go volunteer and you will realize you don’t have it so bad.”   Dolan was head of the housing agency in Halifax, now retired, and remains a friend.

“It was the best advice I ever had been given.”

She also keeps in mind the famous adage, “What goes around comes around”.

“People laugh when I say ‘What comes around goes around’…  She knows may sound as if she is saying it backwards, but in her philosophy she believes if you have something (it comes to you first) you should send it back – by paying it forward, she said.

She recently connected with a Halifax resident Jessica Erwin who started her own giving tree, said Tompkins.

She called the efforts of others inspirational and encouraging. It is extremely important showing so many residents are pitching in and all helping one another.

“It is restoring faith. People are trying to reach others and I believe 100 million percent the community of Halifax is creating community involvement. It becomes full circle.”

A new addition to the Halifax Local Face book page is a Feel Good Friday’s nomination or shout outs.

If someone reaches out via direct message they can nominate another resident for their act of thoughtfulness. It is important that their gesture did not go unnoticed, she said.

If someone is struggling they can also private message Tompkins through the page and receive confidential pick up of items they may need.

   As a site manager for Brockton Council on Aging Meals on Wheels for more than ten years she is used to prepping meals for 40 plus people on community lunch days two days a week.   Now that those gatherings are on hold she decided to continue cooking and feeds about five families a week in town from her own kitchen.

With a private message and confirmed serving details she can help someone who is in need. This past week she had chili and a vegetarian soup.

The meals are a non-contact pick up – for more details contact her directly through the Halifax Local page.

To drop off donations of canned goods or items of necessity to the Giving Tree she is located at 37 Chestnut Road Halifax off route 36.  Tompkins gently reminds if you drop off carefully check any products for expiration dates.  She can always be reached on the Halifax Local page.

Plympton votes Town Meeting Warrant

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee held a three-hour, remote, joint meeting on Monday, May 18 to go over the budget as well as the warrants for the annual and special town meetings.

Chair of the Finance Committee Nathaniel Sides led the budget discussion. Sides said that salaries were capped at a 1.6 percent cost of living increase. Other highlights include an estimated 14 percent increase in disposal and recycling fees associated with the transfer station. Overall, the public works budget is relatively level funded.

Sides said that the Finance Committee and Fire Department went back and forth several times regarding their budget requests. The Fire Department requested $747,000 and the Finance Committee is recommending $696,000. The Police Department requested an additional officer. Sides said, “Initially I would have liked to support that but given the current scenario, we can’t.” Costs associated with emergency dispatch are also going up significantly though they are down from original estimates thanks to negotiations with the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (ROCC).

The Finance Committee and the schools also had several communications on the budget. Sides said that while there were some requests that they would like to recommend, he noted the importance of treating all town departments equally. Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen was also in attendance. Wilhelmsen said that the school was asking for a new special education position. He said the position is necessitated by the number of current and incoming students in need of such services. According to Wilhelmsen, without the position, students may need to seek services outside of Dennett. The cost of just one student doing so would be at the same cost as the new position. If two students were to go outside the district, it would be double.

Sides said that the reserve fund was increased from ¾ percent to one percent of the total budget due to the departments being asked to be extra lean this year as well as the unknowns that potentially lay ahead due to the current climate. The total of the budget voted on by the Finance Committee is $11,412,323 for a 1.2 percent increase overall. The selectmen also unanimously voted in favor of the budget as presented.

Selectman Mark Russo gave kudos to the Finance Department and Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy for their efforts to bring forth a budget during difficult times. Selectman John Traynor said, “The budget as presented is well done.”

Dennehy led the discussion on the warrant, beginning with the one for the annual town meeting. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee voted whether to recommend each article. Article 2 authorizes the treasurer to enter into compensation agreements, Article 3 is for an updated wage and personnel chart, Article 4 is for the budget, and Article 5 is for financial audits. All were approved by the necessary participants at the meeting.

Articles 6 through 8 pertain to the Highway Department. Article 6 authorizes the Highway Department to utilize Chapter 90 funds, Article 7 transfers $200,000 for road resurfacing, Article 8 is for roughly $17,000 for the annual lease agreement for the department’s truck, and Article 9 is for $30,000 for a flail mower. All were approved unanimously.

Article 10 is a standard CPC article for estimated revenues for various items.

Articles 11 and 12 are each for $2500 and are for various property valuations. Article 13 is for $10,000 toward updated software for the assessors.

Article 14 is for the Police Department to lease and purchase radios and accompanying equipment. Article 15 is to authorize the selectmen to enter into a purchase or lease agreement for equipment needed to continue to build the fiber optic network. Article 16 is for $340,000 to purchase an ambulance. Article 17 is for roughly $49,000 for lease payments on the Fire Department vehicles. Article 18 is for $10,000 for the Fire Department to purchase new personal protective equipment. Article 19 is for nearly $16,725 for the annual lease payment for the Fire Department command truck. Article 20 is the required 5 percent match for the FEMA Grant with the contingency that it is dependent on the success of the town’s application. Article 21 is for $8,000 for the purchase or repair of self-contained breathing apparatus for the Fire Department. Articles 10 through 21 were all recommended unanimously.

Article 22 is for $14,000 to support the part time school resource officer at the middle school. Plympton supported this article last year at town meeting while Halifax did not. Plympton’s support allowed for a school resource officer at the middle school for a very limited number of hours per week. Halifax selectmen are once again not recommending this article as they are opposed to the mechanism to fund the officer through an article rather than as part of the school budget. It was also one of the only articles of the night not to garner unanimous support from both the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee Monday. Sides voted against it leading to a 4-1 vote on the part of the Finance Committee. The Plympton selectmen all voted to recommend it.

Article 23 is for $100,000 to replace the roof and insulation at the Highway Department building. Article 24 is to authorize the selectmen to enter into an agreement with the not-for-profit Soule Homestead in Middleborough. According to Dennehy it is a project that has been in the works for a while and the agreement would be mutually beneficial to both communities. The agreement would enable Plympton to get access to the public open space area near the two lots that are currently for sale at 2 Brooks Preserve. “This article is the product of a lot of work and a lot of talking back and forth between us, Middleborough, Soule Homestead, as well as both town councils,” Dennehy explained. Both articles were recommended by unanimous votes.

Article 25 is a zoning article for the updating of the flood insurance rate maps. Articles 26 and 27 are to digitize the zoning and general bylaws respectively. Article 28 is for $3,100 to continue bylaw codification. All were recommended unanimously.

Articles 29 through 32 are to authorize the selectmen to enter into pilot agreements on various solar projects including those on Upland Road, Lake St., and Main St. The Board of Selectmen voted to recommend these articles.

Article 33, which requires a vote by both the Finance Department and Board of Selectmen, generated considerable debate during Monday’s meeting. The article, which was submitted by the Conservation Commission, is intended to establish a natural resources protection fund. It would be funded primarily through the transfer of funds earned by the sale of town owned land or other fund transfers as voted at town meeting. The funds would be used to match federal, state, or private charitable grants and/or to fund other natural resource protection efforts. Traynor said that his initial reaction was that the article was quite broad, saying it appeared to state that revenue from the sale of any town owned land would automatically be transferred to the Conservation Commission. Sides was similarly concerned.

Conservation member Linda Leddy spoke to the article during Monday’s meeting. She said that the intent behind the fund would be a show of capacity for matching funds when applying for various grants, etc. Town Accountant Barbara Gomez asked if town counsel had approved the wording of the article since the sale of town property is directed into a separate account. Dennehy said that he had read it but not commented either way. She also suggested changing the wording so that the sale of town owned property was a potential source for the fund but not an automatic transfer. There was also discussion as to whether the transfer of sale funds would require a vote at town meeting. Traynor said that there were other things to consider such as affordable housing and said that he would hate to see one thing moved to the front of the line over another due to the wording in the article.

Even after the language change to the article, the Finance Committee said they would like to wait to vote to recommend the article. The selectmen agreed saying they would also like to see the article in its final form before making a recommendation. Since the warrant will be printed this week, the Finance Committee and selectmen will make their recommendation on the town meeting floor.

Gomez suggested further wording changes requesting that the $5,500 from the sale of the pumps at 2 Brooks Preserve be removed from the article and made into a separate article. Sides said that the Finance Committee took issue with the processes that were followed in selling the pumps. He said that it was not the Conservation Commission’s property to sell and assume the money as it belonged to the town. Selectman Chair Christine Joy said that the property should have been advertised as has been done with the sale of other town owned property.

“This is a function of sometimes volunteers don’t know all the rules,” Leddy said. “We appreciate there are probably some rules that we bumped into or crossed… there was always good intent along the way,” she continued. Leddy said the money is to be used toward public access areas at 2 Brooks Preserve. “My personal opinion is the money should go to 2 Brooks,” Traynor said. Russo said he was really uncomfortable with the article as it could appear that town owned money was being used to fund CPA projects that  have been touted as not using town money. In the end, the Selectmen and the Finance Committee agreed to leave the article on the warrant and just be honest at town meeting about the mistakes that were made and explain the intention behind the use of the funds. Leddy said, “I would like to have a warrant on the town meeting floor… we just say, hey, volunteers make mistakes sometimes. We need the money to open this parking lot, the money is sitting in the town coffers, if you want to support it this is the time.”

Dennehy also went over the warrant for the special town meeting. Article 1 is to pay for the final changeover for the Plympton Police Station project. Article 2 is for $6,897 for unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year, and Article 3 is for $10,000 for the opec account. Article 4 is for money for larger scale building projects related to COVID-19. Article 5 is for line item transfers in the fiscal year 2020 budget. Article 6 is for $8,100 to be transferred out of the sale item account and moved toward repairs at the Fire Department. Article 7 is for $7,000 to replace fire ladders. The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee voted in favor of all applicable articles.

Before adjourning for the evening, the Board touched base on some COVID updates. Dennehy said that they are looking to finalize anything that needs to b done to the townhouse building prior to reopening. Some staff will begin returning to the building next week. Dennehy said that all announcements made during Governor Baker’s May 18 press conference were as expected.

The Transfer Station hours are also going to be increasing in coming days. Dennehy also told the Board that as of Monday, there were two confirmed and two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Plympton.

‘Safer at Home’ message from Sen. Brady

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State Senator Michael D. Brady issued a message to residents of the 2nd Plymouth and Bristol District to provide an update on recent legislation, policy changes, and to urge the continued use of social distancing practices as the Massachusetts economy begins a graduated reopening.

Starting on May 18th the Commonwealth of Massachusetts began rolling out phase-one of its reopening plan. The initial wave of changes will primarily affect religious institutions as well as the manufacturing and construction industries.

“I want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we work to manage this emergency,” said Senator Brady, “ I cannot stress enough how important it is that we diligently maintain social distancing practices as the state begins to reopen.”

Please view the full details here:

https://www.mass.gov/doc/reopening-massachusetts-may-18-2020/download

“I offer my sincerest gratitude to all of our healthcare workers, first responders and essential employees who have played an invaluable role in seeing us through these challenging times.  We are working on legislation to protect and aid our heroes.”

The following are some of the bills we’ve passed to assist residents in the wake of the COVID-19 emergency:

• An Act to facilitate the delay of the income tax filing deadline- Takes several steps to facilitate the delay of the state income tax filing deadline to July 15, 2020.

• An Act providing for virtual notarization to address challenges related to COVID-19 Authorizes a notary public to perform an acknowledgment, affirmation or other notarial using electronic video conferencing in real-time.

• An Act providing for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 Emergency Establishes temporary protections for renters and homeowners during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

• An Act to provide liability protections for health care workers and facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic- Exempts health care providers and health care facilities from suit and civil liability for damages allegedly resulting from the providing of health care services during the COVID-19 health emergency.

• An Act to further address challenges faced by municipalities, school districts and state authorities resulting from COVID-19- Amends various provisions related to the management of state and municipal operations in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

• An Act to address challenges faced by municipalities and state authorities resulting from COVID-19- Implements various changes to municipal operations, tax collections, the sale of alcoholic beverages and the hiring of public retirees during the COVID-19 state of emergency.

• An Act granting authority to postpone 2020 municipal elections in the commonwealth and increase voting options in response to the declaration of emergency to respond to COVID-19- Authorizes municipalities with an election scheduled to take place before May 30, 2020, to postpone the election to a date on or before June 30, 2020.

• An Act providing additional support to those affected by the novel coronavirus through the unemployment insurance system – Makes urgent changes to the unemployment system to support workers and families affected by COVID-19.

• An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2020 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects – Appropriates $15 million to support the Commonwealth’s efforts against the novel coronavirus, including for monitoring, treatment, containment public awareness and prevention efforts by the department of public health, regional and local boards of health, and any other public entities.

Throughout the duration of the crisis, my team and I have been hard at work helping constituents on a one to one basis to deal with the variety of challenges brought on by COVID-19. If you are in the 2nd Plymouth and Bristol District and in need of assistance please do not hesitate to contact us at (617) 722-1200 or at Michael.Brady@MAsenate.gov.

To stay up to date on the latest news from the MA State Senate follow me on Facebook  @MikeBradyWorks, on Twitter @Brady_Works, and on the web at senatormikebrady.org.

Halifax ponders re-opening logistics

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COVID-19 Updates

The Halifax Board of Selectmen held a remote meeting on Tuesday, May 12. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig addressed the necessary steps the town would have to take to begin reopening per the state’s guidelines. Seelig described it as a “slow opening” and said it would begin with the recycling center opening on Wednesday, May 20.

Seelig also credited library Director Jean Gallant with developing a plan for the opening of the library. He said he plans to share it with the other departments. Gallant, who said she had recently spoken with other SAILS directors, said that the library would also be ready to begin curbside pickup and returns at the book drop beginning on May 20. Phase 2 of reopening would include having patrons in the building. Selectman Chair Troy Garron said to Gallant, “I love your initiative.”

Council on Aging Director Susan Lawless was also at the meeting and expressed that she was unsure what steps to take to get her drivers back to work. Currently the drivers, who do not have benefits such as vacation time, have continued being paid despite not working. Lawless asked if drivers not comfortable returning to work in the next week or so should continue to be paid.

Both Garron and selectman Tom Millias said that they believed payment should be stopped in such a case. Millias explained, “The cold hard fact is we can’t pay them and pay somebody else to do their job.” Adding to the complexity, Lawless said that there may only be limited hours available and asked if drivers should be compensated only for what they work or for their normal workloads. Seelig said a meeting between the selectmen and the department heads would be scheduled soon to hash out such details.

Seelig acknowledged that the town hall is not yet ready to be opened. He explained, “My first priority in all of this is the protection of the employees that are working in these buildings and also the protection of the residents and visitors who come in.” Seelig also said that he wouldn’t want to see employees in the vulnerable population return to work if it was contraindicated for them to do so. Millias said he would like to begin by determining which employees should come back first saying they, “should start functioning with our staff first before thinking about opening our doors to the public.”

Potential Official Town Facebook Page

Seelig said that some interest had been expressed in the creation of a town Facebook page. He said that approval would need to go through the selectmen so they could setup the terms for use. Seelig said, “Right now, given the circumstances, I don’t think anyone has time to do this.” He also said it could be a duplication of efforts as many already get information from private Facebook groups and those not on Facebook are able to get information from the town website. Selectman Gordon Andrews said he wasn’t opposed to the idea but said that he would recommend that commenting not be enabled. Garron said that given Seelig’s full plate it would be best to back burner the idea and all agreed.

Cranberry Drive Sidewalk

Seelig said that a Cranberry Drive resident requested that a sidewalk be placed along the shoulder of Plymouth St. Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward had received an estimate of $125,000 a few years ago for the work. Seelig said he was, “certainly for it, it’s just the cost consideration that is the problem.” The selectmen agreed saying they were in favor of the idea conceptually but that the money posed a problem particularly given the uncertainties of the present day. Seelig said he would ask Hayward to provide a new estimate and suggested that money may be available in the form of a grant. Seelig said there was potential for residents to put an article into the warrant for town meeting next year.

Abandoned House on 4 Upton St.

Seelig said that due to the abandoned house on the town owned lot at 4 Upton St., the property is classified differently since the structure is not part of the town’s operations. As a result, it has a separate insurance policy for $2,500 to cover the property as well as general liability. Seelig explained the various options for selling the property. As-is, Seelig said it is not considered a buildable lot and therefore would only be of interest to abutters. Seelig explained that this option is not desirable since if the offer was too low it likely wouldn’t cover the insurance or amount of back taxes due. The other potential option would be to work with the Planning Board to get a new bylaw in the zoning bylaws that would allow for abandoned properties to be used by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) by a special permit as a single family only. Garron inquired as to the cost to raze the building and Millias estimated anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000. Andrews also said he would be in favor of razing the building if the town is unable to sell the property. Seelig agreed to get bids first to gather a clearer picture.

Town Meeting and Town Election

Seelig said that town meeting is still scheduled for June 15 and that the warrant would be going to press shortly. According to Seelig, there are two hurdles that must be overcome in order to move forward with town meeting on that date. The first of which is that the town doesn’t currently have an idea of what state aid is going to look like. Andrews said that the state had authorized themselves to have until June 30 to present a budget. He also said that from what he knew, both Kingston and Plympton were moving forward with their scheduled town meetings despite not having knowledge of state aid. Both Seelig and Andrews expressed confusion about how the towns planned to proceed without the information. The second hurdle to holding the meeting is the physical logistics. Venue as well as safety protocols would have to be considered.

Seelig said the town clerk’s office is moving forward with the assumption that the town election will be held on June 20. They are working with the school to figure out the physical logistics for in person voting. Seelig said that while in person voting will occur, mail-in voting would be encouraged.

Budget and CARES Act

The town budget remains in flux though the Finance Committee planned to have their recommendations in by the end of the week. Seelig said he was yet to hear anything from Plymouth County regarding the $90,000,000 in federal funds to be distributed to municipalities by the county. Seelig said while he awaits word, he will move forward with speaking to the various town departments regarding their needs. Seelig said that the town needs to think about equipment and supplies that will be needed in the coming months.

Beach Stickers for Nonresidents

Back in the winter, the issue of beach stickers for nonresidents was introduced. Seelig said he checked with both Kingston and Duxbury and discovered that neither town is issuing beach stickers to anyone due to COVID-19. Andrews said that if the town’s beaches remain closed, it doesn’t make sense to issue stickers. He did say, however, that should they open he would be in favor of a $25 fee for nonresident beach stickers. Millias asked if the offer would be extended to anyone or only those in abutting towns. The selectmen agreed to put off making any decisions to a later date so they could put more thought into their decision.

Other News

Seelig said that while the Board had previously voted to cancel regularly scheduled Memorial Day events, the VFW was moving forward with putting up flags on the town green. He also said that there could potentially be some low-key activities planned with social distancing protocols in mind.

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) held a meeting last Wednesday for Chapter 40B on Country Club Estates but have postponed the hearing until June.

Halifax Health Agent Cathy Drinan will be retiring in June. “Obviously it’s unfortunate we’re losing Kathy especially at this time,” Seelig said.