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Happy 94th Birthday, Rita!

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It was standing room only at The Moon and Back Café in Plympton Center, as friends, neighbors, and 4-H associates, came to wish Rita LaPointe a happy 94th birthday on Saturday, and enjoy a piece of her pink heart-shaped birthday cake, made by her neighbor Christine Perkins.   

Rita has been a Plympton resident for more than half a century and is well known for her expertise in raising and training dogs, as well as grooming and boarding dogs for many through the years.  She has led the Cave Canem 4-H dog club since 1961, with her group taking first prizes and ribbons for training and conformation at local shows, regional shows, up to Eastern States, “The Big E”.

Rita’s “no nonsense” training approach takes a firm hand on the leash and a voice that speaks with little “wiggle room” in the commands given, followed up with loving praise for commands well followed.  Training and caring for dogs gave many of her 4-H youngsters a sense of responsibility and self esteem under Rita’s direction, and she was well respected, indeed a legend, in her dog training.

In 2013 she added the esteemed “Speak for Thyself” award to her credit.  This honor is given each year by the Alden Kindred of America, recognizing exceptional women who, in the spirit of Mayflower Pilgrim Priscilla Mullins Alden, make their own choices, women who, standing on their own merits, have accomplished much in their community.

Just last year Rita retired from her grooming business; at the age of 93 she felt it was getting to be too much for her.  She is still involved in her 4H dog club.

Leaving Plympton last week was a difficult move for her.   She left her home for All American Assisted Living in Hanson.  “It’s the first time in my life I haven’t had a dog,” she said Saturday.  She has a good attitude about her new location and looks forward to all of its advantages..  She wants people to know where she is and that she would love for friends to visit.

Dr. Dorothy MacFarlane, SL Class of ‘61, speaks up about sexual harassment in the workplace

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By Mallory McCarthy
The Laker Student Editor

Ms. Cahill’s journalism class sat in a semi-circle, intently listening to the life stories of their guest speaker Dr. Dorothy MacFarlane this past October 15th. MacFarlane is a Kingston resident and graduate of Silver Lake’s class of ‘61. She returned to her alma mater to share her experiences as a woman working in the male-dominated science field. MacFarlane explained her hardships and struggles with sexual harassment throughout her career, and expressed her hopes for gender equality in the future.

As a child, MacFarlane excelled in science and math. She followed her father’s words of wisdom to “aim high,” and wanted to pursue an education in the chemistry field. However, a college advisor told MacFarlane that chemistry is for men, and women should only consider careers in biology. Following this advice, MacFarlane earned her BA in Biology at Northeastern University in 1966, and went on to earn a master’s degree in physiology in 1972.

MacFarlane experienced sexual harassment during her college experiences. She told the students how she was afraid to walk down certain hallways in the school buildings because some male professors and administrators were notorious for cornering the young female students. MacFarlane said the harassment ranged from unwanted verbal advances to physical abuse. Whatever the victimized students endured, MacFarlane made it clear that there was nowhere to seek justice– often times the individuals students should turn to for help were perpetrators.

When MacFarlane landed a job with the U.S. Borax company and moved out to California to begin her career, she hoped she would be taken more seriously. Yet, sexism in the workplace was evident from the very beginning of MacFarlane’s experience, with male higher-ups penalizing women for their achievements.

MacFarlane explained to Laker students how the harassment was not always blatant: Her presentations were at times cut short with insignificant questions, and she was often scheduled to present last, when all the men of the company were eager to leave and play golf. MacFarlane felt that she was not always taken seriously and granted the respect she deserved, and she was paid less than male individuals who had the same qualifications. This subtle, but continous discrimination only progressed as she attempted to flourish in her field.

Eventually the harassment became physical and more egregious. During a company trip to Puerto Rico, she was groped by one of her coworkers on the dance floor. Incensed by this, MacFarlane fled to her hotel room, where the man followed her and repetitively knocked on the door. MacFarlane was mortified by the unwanted attention and commotion caused, and waited until the man gave up. Later, she answered a phone call and remembered hearing, not only the voice of the pursuing man, but the laughter of her colleagues in the background. The people she thought of as friends, along with her bosses, found the situation entertaining and did nothing to rectify the hurt and embarrassment MacFarlane felt.

 After that trip, MacFarlane realized she would never be valued as an equal in that company. She shared that women did not have many options with regard to sexual harassment in the workplace. “Either you took it or you left.” MacFarlane left. This decision afforded MacFarlane the opportunity to continue her education, and she eventually earned her doctorate in biology in 1996.

In the wake of campaigns like the #metoo movement, Doctor Dot’s experiences are relevant more than ever. While sexual discrimination still remains part of our nation’s institutionalized culture, Dr. Dot is hopeful that women will keep making forward progress. She found assurance in the fact that Cahill’s thirteen year-old daughter could not conceptualize the wardrobe limitations put on female college students in the 70’s. When Dr. Dot explained she was only allowed to wear pants on Saturdays, Cahill’s daughter questioned, “What did you wear then!?” The skirt rules of the past are so far removed from the eight-grader’s current experience, that she misunderstood Dr. Dot’s anecdote.

Dr. Dot is still visibly angry and upset when she talks about the harassment she endured so many years ago.  She stood up against inequalities and hopes that by sharing her stories young people can continue to make progress. She encourages Laker students to live by her father’s words and “aim high” for the future.

Local dancers shine in “The Nutcracker”

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Join South Shore Ballet Theatre (SSBT) this holiday season for its annual production of The Nutcracker!

Based on E.T.A Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice”, and set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved musical score, SSBT’s The Nutcracker celebrates the magic of the holidays through the joy of dance.

Come watch as Clara explores a world of magic from her family’s living room on Christmas Eve, through an enchanted forest of dancing snowflakes, and into the magical Land of The Sweets led by the Sugar Plum Fairy.

SSBT’s exciting, family-friendly production features 90 student dancers from its ballet training programs, representing communities on the south shore from Plymouth to Quincy.

SSBT provides quality dance training and inclusive performance opportunities to students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

After 11 successful years of operation in Hanover, SSBT has relocated its studios to a new, state-of-the-art facility in Hingham, conveniently located adjacent to the Derby Street Shoppes. Under the direction of founder Marthavan McKeon, SSBT’s new facility in Hingham has anchored the studio’s role as the South Shore’s premier ballet studio.

All are welcome to celebrate the holidays with SSBT’s timeless production of The Nutcracker.  Performances will take place at Thayer Academy in Braintree on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

To purchase tickets and learn more, please visit the web site www.southshoreballettheatre.com or email them at [email protected].

There are four dancersfrom Plympton and one from Halifax among those performing in the 2019 production.

Sofia Mendez, 16 years old, currently in 11th grade at Silver Lake High School, will dance Snow, Spanish, Demi Soloist and Dew Drop in Waltz of the Flowers.

Emma Christensen, 13 years old, in the 8th grade at Silver Lake Middle School, will dance Snow, Arabian, Lead Marzipan and as Demi Soloist and Dew Drop in Waltz of the Flowers.

Sofia Christensen, 10 years old, is in 5th grade at Dennett Elementary School in Plympton. Sofia will perform as Palace Fairy and Trepak.

Olivia Christensen, 9 years old, is currently in 4th grade at Dennett Elementary. She will perform as Party Child and Polichinelle

Enya Teran, 7 years old, is a student in the 2nd grade at Dennett Elementary. She will perform as Doll After the Tree Grows and Angel.

Football rolls over Nauset Warriers

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The Silver Lake High football team might not be in the playoffs anymore, but they did have a strong performance against a playoff-caliber team.

Last Friday night, the Lakers hosted the Nauset Warriors and shined on both sides of the ball en route to a 28-0 victory. With the win, the Lakers improved to 5-5 on the season.

An early interception by Drew Keiran gave the Lakers the ball around midfield, and they capitalized on the field position. Ben Lofstrom capped off the drive with a short touchdown run and Keiran’s extra point made it 7-0 Lakers.

In the second quarter, Keiran had another interception, once again giving the Lakers solid field position. This time, they scored on a 35-yard touchdown run by Matt Gabra; Keira hit the extra point, putting the Lakers up 14-0.

Defensively, the Lakers had three first half interceptions; Owen Thompson got one on a deep ball as time expired.

The Lakers started the second half with the ball and Jake LaFerrara caught a touchdown pass from Lofstrom to complete a 60-yard drive. Nauset blocked the Lakers extra point attempt, making it a 20-0 game.

With Gabra excelling on the ground, the team also moved the ball downfield early in the fourth quarter. In the red zone, Lofstrom then hit Sean Waters with a short touchdown pass. The Lakers went for two and Waters caught another pass from Lofstrom, giving the Lakers a 28-0 lead.

The Lakers defense continued to shut down Nauset and Kyle Cipullo blocked a punt, giving the Lakers the ball back; with the game out of reach, they put in their second offense.

The Lakers have one last game left on their schedule: the annual Thanksgiving Day bout against the Pembroke Titans (10:00 a.m. start time).

Pembroke is the home team this year but surely, the Lakers have to be the favorite to win this one. Pembroke is 2-8 this season and coming off a 42-6 loss to Dedham, a team who did not make the playoffs this season.

Plympton BOS review December STM

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Monday, Nov. 18 minus Vice Chair Mark Russo. The Selectmen and Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy discussed the upcoming special town meeting to be held on December 16 at 7 p.m.

Per Dennehy’s request the selectmen passed a motion to close the warrant for special town meeting with the acknowledgement that while nothing will be added, there may be some articles removed.

Article One will call for an extensive revision to the solar by-laws. The Board agreed that it was not appropriate for them to either recommend or not recommend this particular article as it is already being handled by the Planning Board. The Planning Board previously held a public hearing on this topic.

The Selectmen did vote to recommend Article Two which pertains to the police chief.

Article 3 seeks approval to authorize the Board of Selectmen to create safety zones with reduced speed limits. Unsurprisingly, the Board voted to recommend this article.

The selectmen also recommended Article 4 to request the transfer of funds to pay for a van for the Council on Aging.

Article 5 that is being sponsored by the by-law review committee was first brought to their attention by animal control officer Brian Kling. Kling said that the state had changed a lot of their baseline regulations regarding animal control and that all of the communities were being strongly urged to adopt the same language. The requested changes increase fines for various related offenses and adds a provision for a third offense and for a fourth or subsequent offense. The Board voted to recommend this article as well.

Article 6 pertains to a vote that was being had by the Board of Assessors to release $290,000 from the overlay fund. Dennehy explained that if applied to the interim tax rate it would mean a reduction of fifty cents per thousand. Dennehy said that it would likely have to be made up next year in addition to other expenses including increased costs for regional dispatch and an update to the entire capital plan by the finance committee. Dennehy said that because valuations are likely to go up, it could be upsetting for people when they experience a large increase. “I think in light of some expenses that we may have on the horizon I’m not sure that being so quick to take that money and earmark it for something at a special town meeting that’s not occurring at a normal time of the year, I don’t really think that that’s the best course of action,” Dennehy said. Town Accountant Barbara Gomez was in agreement. The Selectmen voted not to recommend the article should it not be withdrawn before then.

Article 7 was similar to Article 6 in that the Selectmen and Dennehy were unsure if it would be withdrawn before special town meeting. Selectman John Traynor said, “I’m not opposed to what they want to do… I just don’t want to do it today.” Chair Christine Joy agreed saying, “Financial matters are always better saved for the annual.” Again, the Selectmen voted not to recommend the article for the same reasons as stated for Article 6.

Dennehy asked Joy and Traynor their opinions on whether or not a hard copy of the special town meeting warrant should be mailed to households. Dennehy said that they had not budgeted for printing and shipping costs but that the finance committee had said that they would help find a way to fund it. While town counsel said that there was no obligation to do so, the Selectmen and Dennehy were in agreement that it was best not to deviate from what was done in the past and agreed to the mailings.

Dennehy also updated the Board about regional transportation options, saying she has been working with Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig. They are currently awaiting further instruction as to whether they should reach out to Brockton area transit to pursue some form of relationship.

Dennehy also provided an update on the potential regionalization of the Council on Aging with Halifax and Carver. Dennehy said that since Halifax has had to extend their search for a Council on Aging director, the regionalization has been placed on the back burner temporarily. Once that position is filled, the three towns plan to move forward with their plans for a joint calendar, etc.

Dennehy once again emphasized to the Board that Plympton’s dispatch costs are set to increase significantly next fiscal year. Dennehy said that the finance committee is on board with the idea to attend a Selectmen’s meeting in late January where the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (R.O.C.C.C.) in Duxbury could also attend and give a presentation.

The Board voted to appoint Benjamin Sarro as motor equipment repairman from November 5, 2019 until June 30, 2020.

The Board also passed a motion to set the right of first refusal for two Harju properties for Monday, January 27 at 6 p.m.

The next Board of Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 2.

Proulx chosen SLRSD superintendent

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Union #31 and Silver Lake Regional School Committee met on Thursday, Nov. 14 to discuss the interviews of the two finalists for superintendent and vote on the final selection

The final interviews were held the previous two nights. Jim Hardy of Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) who was hired to assist with the search was on hand to offer consultation regarding procedure for the voting, etc.

Currently the assistant superintendent in Easton, Christine Pruitt was one of the finalists selected by the search committee. Pruitt, who began her career as a classroom teacher, served as the principal of Jefferson Elementary School in Rockland from 2010 to 2015.  She spent the next two years as the assistant superintendent for Silver Lake, leaving in June of 2017 to begin her tenure in Easton. Pruitt has a Master of Education from Boston College.

Current Silver Lake assistant superintendent Jill Proulx was the other finalist. Proulx was previously the assistant superintendent for Scituate for five years before beginning her career at Silver Lake a little over two years ago. Proulx, who has a doctorate in education, has also served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal over the years.

The discussion centered around what the committee and union saw as strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. There were several in the room who expressed concern that Pruitt left Silver Lake previously only two years into a three-year contract and was now willing to leave Easton after a short stint there.

Vice Chair of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee Eric Crone, who has been serving on school committees since 2006, described this sentiment saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Regional School Committee member Christopher Ecklund echoed the same concern saying he was worried about Pruitt’s “staying power.” Others disagreed including Kingston School Committee member and Union member Sheila Marie Vaughn. Vaughn said, “Chrissy wants this to be her home. She wants to bring her kids here, I think Chrissy wants to move here, I think she loves this district.  I think she wants to be in this district for the long-term.”

Despite preferring Pruitt, Vaughn did acknowledge, however, that she thought that Proulx’s interview was fabulous saying she thought she came across as “smart and articulate.”

Some expressed concern that Pruitt had left Silver Lake as it was too complex a district for her given that it is a three-town region. Union member and Plympton School Committee member Jon Wilhelmsen said, “I went into the site visit with a lot of reservations and a lot of concerns about why she left the district and went there.” He explained that his concerns were dispelled, however, saying, “She just felt that she needed to take a step back to take a step forward.”

Those in support of Pruitt spoke highly of her interpersonal skills calling her both outgoing and social. There was considerable debate regarding how much weight should be given to Pruitt’s sociable personality.

Jeanne Coleman, a member of both the Kingston School Committee and Union 31, said that she is unimpressed by personal relationships and stressed the importance of focusing on the qualifications of the two candidates.

Speaking about Pruitt, regional committee member Laura Tilton said, “Being a friendly person does not necessarily mean that someone is not capable, not strong. Those things are not mutually exclusive. I believe that someone that forms strong relationships, that’s critical in a leader.” Wilhelmsen spoke to Pruitt’s other qualifications based on conversations with a myriad of people including students, teachers, and selectmen saying, “I don’t think its fair to classify Chrissy as a one trick pony.”

There was confusion among those present regarding which candidate seemed to have more administration support. Coleman explained her belief that the support of the Silver Lake administration was behind Proulx, saying, “I thought that Jill’s resume, her application, and her letters of recommendations (three of which were solidly from within the district), all of her references were from within the district – I thought that those spoke solidly for her as a candidate that she had the support of the administration behind her.”

Coleman also expressed that she believed that someone disclosed to either Pruitt or the administrative team that there was a concern that Pruitt did not have that support and as a result, several letters of recommendation were written and submitted the night before the final deliberation. Coleman, who called the letters in support of Pruitt “compelling” went on to say that she had spoken with both Kingston elementary school principals who were fully supportive of Proulx. “They believe she has been a mentor to both of them; they’re both new administrators over there. I spoke at length to one of our teachers in the Kingston district and she also believes that Jill is by far the standout candidate.”

Coleman did stress that despite preferring Proulx, none of the administrators or staff had anything negative to say about Pruitt.

In response to Coleman’s accusation that letters in support of Pruitt had been solicited at the last minute, Silver Lake Regional School Committee Chair Jason Fraser said, “To be fair we entered into deliberations in open session last night and its well within expectations that something like this would occur.”

There were others in the room that fully believed that the administration and staff preferred Pruitt. Halifax School Committee member and Union member Alison Vance said, “As a school committee member and as a parent in Halifax I think both of them are amazing and great candidates and as a school committee member and a parent, I would probably be happy with either of them.” Vance, who has been a teacher for 17 years in another district, went on to say, “I think if I’m coming at it from a teacher’s perspective and a staff member’s perspective, I feel like for me I would prefer to work under Chrissy more than Jill.” She continued, “I spoke to a lot of Halifax teachers… and every single one of them that I spoke to said I would really love for Chrissy to be the superintendent.” Like Coleman, Vance stressed that those she spoke with had nothing bad to say about Proulx.

There were questions as to how much weight should be given to the letters of recommendation provided. There was also some disagreement as to how much input the district staff should have in the selection process. Silver Lake Regional School Committee member Laura Tilton said, “ I have been struck by the fact, in this process and in districts I’ve worked in, how little input staff and administration get in the selection of the superintendent because they are the folks that work with that person every day and they are the people that know the district the best. To me, the letters we got yesterday held a lot of weight with me.” Regional School Committee member Paula Hatch offered a different perspective saying, “I come from the corporate world, I spent thirty years at a very large corporation, never once did I get to pick my boss. You don’t get to pick your boss.” Wilhelmsen said, “We can keep throwing letters of recommendations and they’re all good, because we have two great candidates.” Most in the room seemed in agreement that letters for both candidates were compelling as both were worthy and qualified. Of the Silver Lake administration and staff, Coleman said her impression is that they were willing to work with either candidate.

Perhaps in a moment of foreshadowing a question was asked to Fraser at the outset of the meeting as to what would happen if the Union and the Region were split in their decision. Fraser responded, “If we’re in that situation, it’s a failure to nominate. We are a family and we have to come to the same endpoint and hire the same superintendent.” After several votes and re-votes which ended with the Union voting for Pruitt and the Region for Proulx, it was beginning to look more and more likely that the vote would end in a deadlock. Several alternative options were discussed at this point including hiring an interim superintendent as well as having current superintendent Joy Blackwood stay on through the end of the school year, something she had offered to do should the need arise. Both these options would call for a renewed search to be started. Hardy of MASC did warn that should they elect to go that route, they would be entering into a search cycle with far more competition from other large districts looking to hire a superintendent than what was experienced during the first search. Another concern that was voiced was whether Proulx would stay on as assistant superintendent should the vote either end in a deadlock or in favor of the other candidate. Many in the room believed it would send the district into chaos to be looking at the possibility of having to hire the two top positions in the district basically at the same time.

In the end, a motion was passed for reconsideration of the way the Union voted. Several of those on the Union side that initially voted in favor of Pruitt changed their vote in favor of Proulx. The decision, however, was not unanimous with a few holdouts though there were enough pro Proulx votes to award her the Union nomination. “I also think it’s important that we all remember that just because we have different views on this, we’re all trying to do the right thing for the district,” Wilhelmsen reminded the group. With both the Union and Region now voting for Proulx, she was successfully nominated as the new superintendent.

Bud’s Goods and Provisions community information forum

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen will host a community forum/public hearing for Bud’s Goods and Provisions proposal to build an outdoor cultivation facility on River Street on Wednesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall in the Halifax Town Hall.

The forum will include a presentation and an opportunity for residents and other interested parties to ask questions, make suggestions, and voice their views on the proposed facility.

In preparation for the community forum, attendees are welcome to read the proposed Host Community Agreement (http://www.halifax-ma.org/board-selectmen/files/buds-goods-proposed-host-community-agreement) and Bud’s Goods and Provisions’ presentation (http://www.halifax-ma.org/board-selectmen/files/buds-goods-original-presentation)before the Board of Selectmen.

LaNatra named Legislator of Year

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State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston) has been named Legislator of the Year at the 33rd annual MaMHCA (Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association), where she also delivered the keynote speech at their conference, held November 2 at the Crowne Plaza in Woburn.

 Representative LaNatra, who is a fierce advocate for mental health issues on Beacon Hill, joined Mental Health Counselors from across the state for their annual convention. Topics covered at the convention included: (1) working with domestic violence; (2) opioid overdose; (3) emergency services/critical incident stress management; (4) developing programs for veterans; and (5) taking mental health out of the criminal justice system.

MaMHCA is a state-wide professional association dedicated to providing essential professional information to Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), mental health counseling students, mental health counselor educators and other related professionals. The organization also provides a multi-faceted program of ongoing education and training for LMHCs and mental health counselors. For the past 35 years, MaMHCA has been advocating for the advancement of the highest quality mental health services and the mental health counseling profession through public policy initiatives for both mental health professionals and consumers of mental health services.

“I am deeply honored by the award I received, and the opportunity to deliver remarks to this outstanding group of professionals,” said Representative LaNatra. She added, “The passion in this room was infectious. We thank (past president) Joe Weeks and all the licensed mental health counselors for all they do, and I look forward to working closely with them to advance legislative issues that affect mental health services.”

Representative LaNatra’s district includes all residents of Halifax, Kingston and Plympton, as well as residents of Precincts 1, 11 and 13 in Plymouth; Precinct 1 in Middleboro; and Precinct 1 in Duxbury.  She maintains regular office hours throughout the district.

For additional information, please contact Chris Jean, [email protected]. Meetings can also be arranged by appointment.

Bud’s wants to grow outside

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The Halifax Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, covered a number of topics including the appointment of a former Halifax police chief as a special police officer.

Lifelong Halifax resident Ted Broderick began his career as a special police officer in Halifax in 1984 before moving on to Plympton in 1986 where he became a full-time officer. Broderick returned to Halifax where he rose through the ranks, being promoted first to sergeant and then chief in 2013.

“Ted’s a welcome addition to the department not only for his knowledge of law enforcement but also of the town and the residents; he’ll be a great resource for myself and other members of the department,” Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves said. The Board agreed, passing a motion to appoint him as a special police officer.

Board Vacancies

Vacancies on both the Planning Board and the Board of Health were also discussed. The Board of Health currently has one applicant who will be interviewed by the Board of Selectmen before being voted on by the two boards. An appointment has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 10 at 7:45. There are currently three candidates for the vacancy on the Planning Board. All three candidates will be interviewed by the Planning Board for 10 minutes each on December 10 beginning at 8 p.m. A vote will commence immediately thereafter with both the Board of Selectmen and Planning Board attending.

Council on Aging Director Search

The search for a new Council on Aging (COA) director continues. The deadline for applications is this Friday, Nov. 15. All applications will be scanned and sent to the screening committee to review on Wednesday, November 20. According to Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig eight applicants from the first selection process earlier in the fall have indicated that they will be reapplying. The Board of Selectmen hope to make a final decision by December 10.

Revocation Hearing Continuations

Continuation of two revocation hearings were held. Seelig informed the Board that Twin Lake Liquors is now fully paid up on back taxes and the Board moved to close the hearing. Seelig also provided an update on Davis Automotive saying that they are continuing to pay down their motor vehicle tax and are currently up-to-date on their land tax. The hearing will be continued during the next selectmen meeting at 7:45 p.m.

Update on Sale of Aldana Road Parcel

Back in July, DFG land agent from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Joan Pierce met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss buying an area of Peterson’s Swamp from the town. Initially the Board was unhappy with the offered amount but came to an agreement contingent upon the town of Halifax also receiving back a sliver of land behind Aldana Road that is currently owned by Fisheries and Wildlife. Ownership of that land parcel is necessary in order to be able to pave that road. Seelig said that Fisheries and Wildlife have submitted a draft agreement for the sale of the parcels including what is needed from both the town and the commonwealth. Seelig forwarded the agreement to Halifax town counsel Attorney Lawrence Mayo for review.

Surplus Police Vehicle Used for Town Business

Seelig also brought before the Board the possibility to use a surplus police vehicle for town business rather than trading it in. Seelig said that Selectmen Tom Millias, who was not present at Tuesday’s meeting, has a particular interest in this topic as he was previously the building inspector and currently serves on the Board of Assessors. The Assessors are interested in using the vehicle. Seelig explained that the benefit to the employees would be reduced risk as they wouldn’t face rising insurance premiums, etc. if something were to happen while they were using their personal vehicles for town business.

Halifax Fire Rating Improves

Seelig shared some good news from the Halifax Fire Department regarding the town’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating. An ISO rating is a number from 1-10, 1 being best and 10 being worst, that is assigned to a community indicating its preparedness to deal with a related emergency. The latest review upgraded Halifax’s score from a 4 to a 3. Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros attributed the improved score to staffing changes, the new regional dispatch network, and the well-maintained fleet of apparatus and equipment. Seelig said that according to Viveiros, only 1 in 8 communities has a rating of 1, 2, or 3, putting Halifax in good company. Selectman Gordon Andrews asked if it would affect homeowner’s insurance and Seelig responded, “Yes, it should, in a positive way.”

Monponsett Pond Update

Seelig provided an update on the Administrative Consent Order (ACO) issued to Brockton by the Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) in 2017 and updated in the spring of 2019. The ACO identified violations of Chapter 371 of the Acts of 1964 which allowed Brockton to divert water from Monponsett Pond to be used as part of their water supply. Seelig said that Brockton requested a waiver from the DEP to allow them to test different hypothesis and their effects on the pond. Brockton requested the waiver as some of the things they may be testing could be in opposition to the ACO. The DEP issued the waiver but asked that Brockton notify the DEP five days in advance. Seelig asked the Board for their permission to also ask that the towns of Hanson and Halifax be given sufficient notice as the public would likely notice changes in the ways the water in the pond is flowing. Selectman Chair Troy Garron said, “I’d like to add that we send a letter to the new mayor and let him know the efforts that we are making to try and bring some reconciliation to the pond.” The Board and Seelig agreed with sending Brockton’s newly elected mayor a letter informing him of the current situation with Monponsett Pond.

Outdoor Marijuana Growing Facility

The selectmen also had an appointment to meet with Alex Mazin, the President of Buds Goods & Provisions. Mazin’s attorney was also present. Back in early October Mazin met with the Selectmen to discuss the possibility of an adult use outdoor marijuana cultivation facility on the same lot where Four Daughters had previously planned to build an indoor facility. During the October meeting, Mazin had explained that outdoor cultivation is more sustainable for the environment and has significantly lower startup and operational costs as compared to indoor cultivation. Seelig informed the Board that town counsel had reviewed the Host Community Agreement submitted by Bud’s and viewed it very favorably.

Mazin, again, laid out several reasons why he believes his proposal is beneficial to the town. Amongst his arguments is that the property in question has septic issues due to poor percolation. Mazin pointed out that since his proposal is an outdoor growing facility with only a barn like structure for storage, a septic system would not need to be installed. Mazin said, “I really believe our proposal is utilizing a piece of land that is not going to get utilized any other way.” Mazin also stressed that no sales would take place at their facility and stressed that a significant buffer exists between where he intends to grow and abutters’ property. Mazin pointed out that they intend to initially grow on about 2 acres of land despite the lot being 47 acres.

Regarding security concerns, Mazin pointed out several factors that he believes works in their favor. Mazin suggested that theft would be difficult as the shrubs are actually quite large with some even reaching 8 ft in height. Trying to scale a tall fence with a large tree would likely deter any attempts at theft. Additionally, according to Mazin, there is only a two-week window where the flowers that are valuable grow making it easier to monitor for theft.

Andrews told Mazin that he had heard from several residents in the area and that they were not in favor of the facility. Mazin said, “All we’re looking for is an opportunity to present our case to the community.” Mazin further said that he did not want his business in a community that does not want them.

Bud’s will get that chance to present to the community in December.

The Board of Selectmen will hold a community forum/public hearing for Bud’s Goods and Provisions’ proposal on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall in the Halifax Town Hall.

Residents will have an opportunity at that time to voice their opinions and ask any questions that they may have.

A link to the host community agreement is available on the Halifax town website.

Consumer Affairs Rep speaks on Identity Theft at Plympton COA

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Robin Putnam, a research and special projects manager from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), attended the Tuesday, October 15 Council on Aging (COA) meeting to speak to residents regarding identity theft and fraud prevention. Despite a newsletter and robocalls the turnout for this COA event was quite small.

Putnam gave everyone in attendance a copy of A Massachusetts Consumer Guide to Identify Theft pamphlet. She pointed out the Consumer Hotline (617-973-8787) which is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and stressed that an actual person will be available to talk during those times. Additionally, she assured residents that if you leave a message, someone will call you back within 24 hours.

Putnam also explained to attendees that OCABR has over 39,000 contractors registered with them and explained that before hiring someone to do over $1,000 worth of work on your home, you should verify that they are registered. You can check registration either online or over the phone. Just as OCABR will defend consumers against contractor negligence, they will also defend the contractors when necessary.   

One of the most pertinent frauds discussed was the process of spoof calling where a caller changes their caller ID to any number other than the calling number. Despite it feeling as though you are being targeted, you are not as it is usually a computer system somewhere churning out phone calls. Of note, Putnam warned that it is important not to answer as even answering and immediately hanging up demonstrates that your number has an actual living person attached to it.

A new FCC program known as SHAKEN/STIR seeks to verify the caller ID information that appears on a recipient’s phone. Thus far the program seems to be working as there was a down tick in robocalls for the month of July.

Also discussed was what is known as social engineering or the act of trying to manipulate individuals into divulging personal or confidential information. For example, if they know your bank they’ll call pretending to be from that bank and they will ask you to verify personal information that they’ve gathered about you from various sources. Once they’ve earned your trust, they will ask you to verify your social security number. Another scam involves the caller claiming that your spouse is in the hospital or your grandchild in jail. The caller will then ask you for a credit card payment.

Putnam warned against engaging the scammer with fake answers in an attempt to scam the scammer. She warned of a real-life example where a scammer realized what was happening and then proceeded to call the recipient’s number every hour for a full 24 hours.

Phishing emails were another topic of discussion. Putnam advised on ways to decipher an authentic email from a fraudulent one. If an email looks suspicious it can be helpful to hover your mouse over the email sender in order to view the address in its entirety. Subtle differences such as the way an email addresses its recipient can be useful. She gave a personal example of an authentic email from her bank referring to her as Ms. Putnam vs. a fraudulent one pretending to be from that same bank and referring to her as “loyal customer.” When in question, it is advised that you find an old statement and call the 800-number given; never call the 800-number given in the potentially fraudulent email.

Putnam also provided a number of suggestions for protecting oneself against such scams. She stressed the importance of changing passwords every 6-9 weeks. The actual passwords themselves should not be recycled and should be something arbitrary rather than personal. She also suggested doing a credit check and verifying that all information on the report is actually yours. People under 18 years of age are more susceptible to identity theft as fraudsters know that guardians are unlikely to pull credit reports for someone say, three years old.

Putnam also addressed the Equifax Data Breach which affected 147 million people. If you are unsure if you were affected, it is best to go to ftc.gov/Equifax to check.