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Dennett plans to open its doors next week

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The Plympton School Committee met on Tuesday evening, Sept. 8 to provide an update on school reopening plans.

Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto said, “Our back to school plan shifted slightly in that the school committee initially voted for us to start full remote but as I suspected, once we had staff members in the building and we got down to the planning… my teachers want students in front of them and we feel that we can do it safely.” The first day for most students will be Wednesday, Sept. 16 and it will be a full remote day. Cohorts B and D will report to school in-person on Thursday, Sept. 17 and Friday, Sept. 18. Kindergarten screenings will take place on that Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The first day of school for kindergarten will be Monday, Sept. 21. That Monday will also be the first day of in person learning for Cohorts A and D.

Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen said, “The reason we voted for a phased-in hybrid approach was to provide Peter and the teaching staff with the opportunity to consider all the options which they did and this appeared to be the best option for facilitating getting folks back to school.”

Veneto said the administration took into account the information from parents when creating cohorts. “We did have to do a little bit of tap dancing… basically A-K would be in Cohort A and the rest of the alphabet Cohort B. That became a challenge because we were trying to honor families’ wishes about keeping their children within the same cohort so inevitably, when you have a district our size, there were some errors along the way,” Veneto explained.

Committee member Jason Fraser asked if there was room built into the cohorts for students that wish to opt back into some in-person learning midway through the year. Veneto acknowledged that the cohorts are very tight as-is. “Much like our master schedules, with these cohorts, it is a very, very delicate balance,” Veneto said. He continued, “If there was to be a lot of shifting, we would have to get even more creative.” Fraser also asked Veneto what he referred to as a “dad to dad question” saying, “You would feel comfortable with your own children in your school come September 17?” Without missing a beat, Veneto responded, “absolutely, no question.”

Veneto also provided the committee with an update on changes to staff. Two staff members retired while several more decided not to return to work due to concerns around COVID. “I completely respect the opinion and the judgment of the people that decided they were uncomfortable coming back,” Veneto said. There will be a new librarian, music teacher, and kindergarten teacher. As of Tuesday’s meeting, Veneto said he still needed to hire a new art teacher as well as a part time kindergarten aide. He said he felt confident that the positions will be filled prior to the start of school.

A Health and Safety Advisory Committee has been established to deal with issues related to the pandemic. The ad-hoc committee is made up of Wilhelmsen, Fraser, Veneto, several teachers, the school nurse, and a parent with expertise in the area. The formation of the committee will ensure a two-way communication that includes those with their boots on the ground in the day to day implementation of new safety procedures and policies.

According to Fraser, one of the committee’s concerns was with the state’s ability to provide data on COVID infections in the area in an accurate and timely way. Fraser said that himself, Wilhelmsen, and Veneto had previously met with the Emergency Management Team, including the Board of Health, where he says they were told, “contact tracing isn’t necessarily the 21st century science that we would all hope it would be… we’re all going to have to be advocates at the local level.” Fraser stressed the importance of parents notifying the school nurse regarding any COVID cases within their family. Due to Plympton’s small population, it would only take 8 cases to move Plympton into the “red” risk level which could necessitate a school closure. Fraser said that since 8 cases could be two households with no connection to the school, the committee will be exploring an alternate means of interpreting the data regarding school closure.

Students and staff will be required to complete an attestation each day that verifies that they are in compliance with the CDC checklist of COVID risks. If not completed on time, parents will be sent a reminder within 15 minutes.  “We realize, and its almost purposeful, that this is inconvenient. It’s supposed to make you stop – knock you out of your routine a little bit and really consciously think about your own health or your child’s health before you send them to school each and every day,” Fraser explained. He also pointed out that for most families it will only be twice a week and that doing so helps to ensure the health of the community.

Superintendent Jill Proulx read through a list of revised policies. She said the policy regarding visitors to school will remain the same except she will have the ability to amend the policy should the need arise. Proulx also spoke on the policy regarding communicable diseases saying that while it will be similar to the current policy, it will allow the superintendent to “establish protocols for tracking student’s contacts as a means of locating others from whom the student may contract or expose other persons to COVID 19.” Proulx noted that the policy will be in line with privacy laws. Proulx also noted changes such as the stance on attendance. She said that while in the past, perfect attendance would be celebrated, it won’t any longer as individuals are encouraged to stay home whenever symptoms of illness are present.

The policy on masks in school was also discussed. The school is asking that all students be put on buses with masks on regardless of their age. Bus drivers in Plympton will be supplied with spare masks. Some masks will also be deemed inappropriate for school. These include either homemade or store-bought single ply masks, masks with valves, and gaiters. If a mask is deemed unacceptable, it will be replaced with a school-supplied disposable one and the caregivers will be contacted. If after multiple attempts to facilitate proper mask wearing fails, the school will reserve the right to ask that a student be moved to remote only.

“As we continue to move forward in opening the building, we’re going to be keeping our eye on the data but we’re aware that that data is actual people and individuals with family and people who care about them. I never want it to get lost that each number that you see on the TV every night when the state does its reporting is a person that has a family,” Fraser told those present at Tuesday’s meeting.

The Plympton School Committee meets again on September 21.

Halifax readies for Annual Town Meeting

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Sept. 3 in preparation of the town meeting to be held Saturday, September 12 at Halifax Elementary School at 9 a.m. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that town meetings are exempt from the Governor’s limit of 25 persons per room. Seelig said that seats would be kept to about 7 feet apart and people would be divided between the gym and the multi-purpose room. The quorum remains at 100. Screens, cameras, and microphones will be setup in each room to keep everyone connected. People from the same household will be allowed to sit together. Town Moderator Dennis Carman will be in the gym, where 100 people are estimated to fit, and an assistant town moderator will likely be needed for the multi-purpose room. Masks will be mandated, and microphones will be wiped down between uses.

Seelig recommended that the town distribute placards with a red side and a green side for residents to use to indicate their vote. Carman expressed concern about his vision and shared concern over a third party helping to indicate to him the outcome of the vote. Seelig said if it isn’t easily discernible if there are more green or more red, counters would be available to tally the total.

Ways to move the meeting along as quickly as possible while still allowing voters an opportunity to speak to or debate articles as needed, were discussed. The idea to vote on a consent agenda was proposed. This would allow multiple articles to be voted on together as a group with a hold being placed on individual topics should someone wish to speak on them.

“There are two extremes for the town meeting,” Seelig said. The first of which occurs if there aren’t enough people for a quorum. If that happens, town meeting will have to once again be rescheduled. The Board opted to keep the quorum at 100 despite having the ability to temporarily lower it with advanced notice. Seelig said the other end of the spectrum is if too many people turn out and there isn’t enough room to socially distance between the two rooms. If that happens, town meeting would have to be postponed and moved to another, larger location. A possible option could be the Kingston Collection. Carman said, “I hate the optics of having to close down a town meeting because there are too many people who want to go… people may misunderstand that.”

Seelig said he could contact the Kingston Collection and find out if they could book the venue for town meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. to serve as plan B should they be over capacity on Saturday.  The Board voted to ask Seelig to reserve the location with the understanding that they may have to pay for the deposit even if it ends up not being needed.

Following the discussion on logistics, they turned their attention to the warrant beginning with the special town meeting. The first article is for $6000 for HVAC work to the town hall. The second is for $30,000 for unemployment. Seelig said they would likely pass over Article 3 which is for $30,000 for a Council on Aging van. According to Seelig the town is looking into the possibility of getting CARES Act money to fund it. Article 4 is the result of a petition article and is for $20,000 for truck traffic reinforcement. The money would go to the police department to be used for that purpose. Article 5 is for a crosswalk extension between the two roads of Cranberry Dr. and Plymouth St. The town has applied for a state grant to fund it but have not received word yet as to whether they will be granted the money. Seelig said they may know by the date of the town meeting whether the town will have to fund the project, should the town vote to proceed with it.

Selectman Gordon Andrews asked if the Finance Committee had made recommendations on the five articles. Finance Committee member Melinda Tarsi said they had made recommendations for all but Article 3 as they were waiting to see if it could be covered through the CARES Act. Articles 1 and 2 received the Finance Committee’s recommendation while Articles 4 and 5 did not.

Article 1 in the annual is the normal report for town officers and committees. Seelig told Carman that as much as he appreciates their ability to do that, he would like to keep it brief in the interest of time. Article 2 is a series of amendments from the Wage and Personnel Board. Article 3 is a Finance Committee article on the salaries set for the town officials. Article 4 is the budget. Article 5 is the revolving accounts. Seelig said there are no appropriations necessary and the article simply sets the revolving funds and the limits to which they can be spent. Article 6 is the reserve fund. Articles 7-13 are union and personnel contracts. Article 14 is an article for becoming co-opt. Article 15 is Chapter 90 and according to Seelig the state has changed things so that this article won’t be necessary in the future. Article 16 is a traditional article on the roads.

The next several articles are for the capital budget. Seelig said that some of them will be passed over. Article 17 is for $150 for a backhoe, 18 is for a copier for the COA, and 19 is for a fire engine. Articles 20 through 23 are all for the Police Department and are for police vehicles, radio systems, a motorcycle, and bullet resistant vests, respectively. Article 24 is regarding an error made by the retirement system where a town employee was charged to the housing authority rather than the town. Seelig said he was unsure if the correct amount could be ascertained prior to town meeting. Article 25 is the assessor’s recertification account.

Article 26 is to fund Halifax’s share of the part time school resource officer at Silver Lake Regional Middle School. The same article appeared on last year’s warrant and the town voted it down. Plympton voted in favor of it, however, meaning that the part time officer could serve the middle school for just a few hours per week. Kingston already funds the school resource officer at the high school.

Article 27 is for a truck inspection program. Article 28 is to grade all unpaved roads in Halifax including private roads. Article 29 is for $33,500 for crosswalk devices. There was some mention that the expense may be eligible for CARES Act funding if touchless devices were installed.

Article 30 is a revision of zoning bylaws and is recommended by the Finance Committee. Articles 31 and 32 are traditional, annual articles. Articles 33, 34, and 36 will likely be passed over. Article 35 is for insulation at the town barn. Article 37 is to fund repairs to the roof at Pope’s Tavern. Article 38 is an annual article to appropriate money received from Lyft and Uber for the town in the amount of $857.60. The state requires the money to go toward the highway maintenance account.

Articles 40-44 will likely be passed over. The Selectmen are also recommending that Article 45 is passed over. Article 46 is for the next phase of the stormwater protection bylaw. Article 47 will be passed over per the direction of FEMA. Of Article 47, Seelig said “I’m sure it will be highly divisive.” It concerns multi-family housing and needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

Article 49 would allow marijuana facilities in the commercial district by special permit. Article 50 would change the bylaw to allow the Beautification Committee to increase their membership. Article 51 is being proposed by the selectmen and involves taxes on solar fields. Article 52 will likely be passed over and Article 53 is the election article.

After 22 years of service, retirement looks good

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After 22 years of service in Walmart’s Halifax store, Linda Wilson of Carver has retired.

Well known throughout the area, she worked as the Community Co-ordinator, Good Works and Safety Team Leader and also completed compliance work for Walmart.  At times you could also see Linda greeting customers as they came into the store.

Thursday, Sept. 3, Linda was honored by her friends and fellow employees at Walmart, with a cake and special invited guests from her storied career, including former Halifax store manager John Mather and assistant manager Karen Stetson, both now at the Plymouth Walmart store, and many, many associates.

Linda’s work involved many years spent dealing with the foundation securing grants for 501-C3 organizations, such as the police and fire departments, school, A.L.S, Special Olympics, and so many more.   She was always involved in securing grants for Teachers Appreciation Day and the chosen Teacher of the Year.  The Halifax Walmart under Linda’s tutelage was instrumental in starting the “Walk the Children to School” event; she was liaison for the Halifax Elementary School for two years.

Linda especially enjoyed helping the veterans of the area and worked to put up a huge wall of honor at the Halifax store to celebrate Veterans’ Day, in addition to securing grants to help area veterans as their advocate.

One of Linda’s favorite things was to volunteer helping out at the Friday night car show, The Connecting Rods, an outdoor event.  She collected money from selling hotdogs and hamburgers and all proceeds went to Children’s Hospital Boston and the Children’s Miracle Network.  Thousands upon thousands of dollars were donated to those two organizations to help children.  She also helped the Salvation Army with their annual Kettle Drives.

When she was out receiving needed medical treatments, she was glad to have Trish Powell helping with donations.

While Linda has suffered from leukemia since 2018, she remains in remission with her positive, happy outlook on life.  She can now spend more time with her family and friends.

“I’ve always loved my job and I’m grateful for all the friendships I’ve made during my work at Walmart and these friendships will remain in my heart.”

She will be missed.

Plympton BOS to set 20 mph speed limits

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, Sept. 8. They voted in favor of transferring funds in the amount of $24,950 from the Capital Stabilization Fund in order to finalize the purchase of Two Brooks Preserve, a 113-acre property off Prospect Road. While a transfer of more than $25,000 requires a vote at town meeting, anything under that amount requires only a vote of the Board of Selectman, Finance Committee, and Capital Improvement Committee.

Co-chair of the Open Space Committee Linda Leddy attended Tuesday’s virtual meeting. Leddy thanked the Board for their vote saying, “It is great to have this whole legal acquisition part done.” Leddy said they can now turn their attention to opening. While the town is working with Middleborough on Soule St. access, Leddy noted that there is a “little keyhole” access off Prospect St. that could be utilized if there is a delay. Selectman Christine Joy thanked both Leddy and fellow selectman Mark Russo as well as all those that fundraised to make the purchase possible. “It is definitely a labor of love,” Joy said. “Thank you so much for your hard work.”

Grant Updates

Fire Chief Stephen Silva updated the Board on a number of grants that the Fire Department had been awarded. Saying it had been a good couple of weeks, Silva said they had received notification from FEMA of a $230,000 grant and also mentioned a nearly $12,000 grant. Silva said he was “cautiously optimistic” about several more federal grant opportunities. “I’m addicted to grants… we’re always looking for alternative funding,” Silva explained.

Silva also told the Board that he has been working in conjunction with the Board of Health to hopefully implement a program known as community paramedicine. The program has been successful in other local communities. The program would allow for the Board of Health and Fire Department to work together to provide a multitude of social services to residents including but not limited to mental health services, pharmaceutical services, COVID screenings, vaccinations, and car seat installations. According to Silva, any money spent should be reimbursable as the need for the program came out of the pandemic. Once approved, the program can be up and running within 30 days. “It’s a unique opportunity, very unique,” Silva said.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy told the Board that the Council on Aging (COA) was finally in receipt of their new COA van which was purchased in part through a grant. The town voted last year at special town meeting to appropriate the matching funds. It is an 8 passenger, handicap accessible van. Dennehy described it as a “huge win for us and our seniors.” Dennehy also told the Board that she received good news from the state and is now in possession of the $95,000 needed for ADA upgrades to the town house to enhance access for senior citizens.

Dennehy said she has applied for an extension on the Green Communities grant through September of next year. There are still funds left for some energy efficient appliances. A freezer will likely be purchased for the town house as the COA often receives large frozen deliveries. There are a few other odds and ends projects that will be explored including the possible installation of new thermostats at the old townhouse. Dennehy said she wants to be sure not to leave any money on the table.

School Update

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen attended the meeting to provide an update on the reopening plan for Dennett Elementary. While initially the school committee had voted to begin the year with a phased-in hybrid approach that would have seen most students beginning remotely, they have made adjustments that will allow them to begin in a hybrid model.

The first day of school will be Wednesday, Sept. 16. Wednesdays will be a full remote day for most cohorts. Wilhelmsen said that on any given day there will be 85-95 students in the school which is just under half of the number in a normal school year. Significant changes have been made to the building including removal of furniture and a new cafeteria setup. “The school is going to look quite a bit different than what you would normally expect,” Wilhelmsen explained. A Health and Safety Advisory Committee has also been established and will have representation from both faculty as well as parents.

There is a vacancy on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. No one ran for the open seat this spring and while Jason Fraser was written in, he was unable to take it on with everything else on his plate. Wilhelmsen said he had been approached by someone with interest in the position.

Truck Traffic and Safety Zones

Two residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to discuss concerns over heavy truck traffic on certain roads. Joe Beck, who said he has been living on Main St. for 37 years, said that trucks are using the street as a cut through. “They’re flying by with no respect for anybody on the street. You can’t even ride your bike or walk on Main St,” Beck explained.

Selectman John Traynor and Building Inspector Tom Millias previously traveled to the work site of a project on Spring St. in Carver where the trucks are traveling to and from. Millias was told that the project would be over soon, and a request was put in for the trucks to travel Route 44 to 58. Russo said he would ask Millias to speak with them again and again, request that the trucks don’t cut across Main St.

Howard Randall had similar complaints regarding Parsonage Rd. and Prospect Rd. He said that a neighbor counted 35 gravel trucks the previous night. “That particular operation, the gravel operation, is six days a week… it certainly distracts from our life here,” Randall told the Board.

The Board expressed interest, as they have done in the past, with taking action to prevent speeding and other traffic infractions. The Board received permission during town meeting to designate safety zones with speed limits of 20 mph where they saw fit. The two intersections of greatest concern were Main St. and Ring Rd. and Prospect St. and Winnetuxet Rd.

The Board voted Tuesday to establish safety zones in both locations and plan to post signage to indicate the 20-mph speed limit. “I remember the time Plympton was known as a speed trap and that is a reputation I would love to have again,” Russo said. Russo also noted that there is nothing in state law that would prevent the safety zone from being rescinded in the future, should the need arise.

The Board plans to pursue action beyond just the safety zones. Traynor proposed establishing a committee to work on plans for making the intersections safer. Russo noted that nearly any solution beyond the safety zones is going to require money. “I think we’re going to be needing to bring to town meeting the request for some funds,” Russo said.

NO political signs, flags on town land

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen held their regular Tuesday evening meeting on August 25 when selectmen tackled the controversial topic of the “thin blue line” flag. Proponents of the flag say it is a show of a support for law enforcement. Still others feel that the flag stands in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. Recently, the Hingham fire chief found himself the center of controversy after ordering the removal of the thin blue line flags from the town’s fire trucks following a citizen’s complaint.

A thin blue line flag was placed at the Halifax recycling center several years ago and was recently taken down once the Board of Selectmen found out. The basis for the decision dates back to 1994 when the Board set a policy stating that all signs, political or otherwise, require permission from the Board.

“From my standpoint, opinions stated on town property, it’s a little odd,” Garron explained. He continued, “I personally don’t think that it needs to be on town property because we are supposed to be neutral. We’re serving everybody.” Millias offered his opinion saying, “There was a time when some banners and/or flags were considered to be innocuous; that’s not the case anymore. Everything is politically charged, or at least it seems to be, and if you allow one flag for any particular purpose, you’ve got to open it up for everybody… to Troy’s point, I think we need to remain neutral.”

Selectman Gordon Andrews offered a slightly different opinion saying that the flag, in his opinion, was not initially intended to be a political statement. He noted, however, “I think it morphed into something different at this point, so I understand the reason for taking it down and leaving the policy in place.” The Board agreed to leave the policy as-is and maintain their position on the flag at the recycling center.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig told the Board he recently spoke with Plymouth County Treasurer Thomas O’Brien regarding the town’s allotment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The deadline for expenditures is four months away.

Seelig said of all the various town departments’ requests, the big question was if funds could be utilized to pay for the expansion of the Halifax Elementary School parking lot. The expansion is intended to help deal with the expected increase in parent drop off and pick up at the school due to the buses being limited to one-third capacity as a result of distancing requirements.
Seelig said that the town would need to work closely with the school department to craft a narrative to justify why the expansion is necessary in response to the COVID crisis. Seelig explained that if Plymouth County denies the request to reimburse the work, the town will be left to pay for it.

Seelig asked the Board if they would be interested in hearing a presentation on potential charging stations at the town hall parking lot. The Board was not interested in the proposal several years ago but appeared to take a different stance on the issue now.

Selectman Chair Tom Millias said, “I think that would be appropriate. If he has some ideas of how this could be setup and/or work. Certainly, electric vehicles are becoming more prevalent.” He went on to say, “My only concern is as long as it’s not on the back of the taxpayers to pay for the charging.” Selectman Troy Garron said that his biggest concern would be where to place the charging station.

Seelig also asked if they would like to consider a reduction in credit to local businesses for alcohol on premises licenses for 2020-2021. Many other local communities have decided to do so to ease the burden on businesses that were closed for several months in 2020 due to COVID. Millias, who pointed out that these businesses are likely still not at full service, said, “I mean as a general rule I think that’s fair to at least consider doing something for them. I mean we want to help our business owners.” Garron concurred saying, “I would agree with you that it is reasonable for us to do something like that.” The selectmen agreed to table the issue until a future meeting in order to acquire more information.

The Board had an appointment with Steve Bowman of Center Point Safe Company regarding a possible retail marijuana store. Bowman said that while he didn’t have anything formal to present to the Board just yet, he wanted to come before them and introduce himself. Bowman said that he was a Halifax resident for 8 years who only recently moved to Kingston. He said that his children were graduates of Silver Lake. In his own words, Bowman described himself as “… a local resident, a father of Silver Lake students, a former resident of Halifax and someone that is looking to open a business and make money for myself and my partners but also to give back to the community.”

Bowman told the Board that Center Point Safe Company has been working closely with the cannabis industry throughout the state, providing security for their inventory. He said that he hopes to begin serving dispensaries throughout the state by providing delivery services in the next few months.

Bowman told the Board that when he saw Halifax on the list of towns that had licensing availabilities, he jumped at the chance to potentially work within the community. “If the answer is no, I completely understand. It can be a controversial subject in a lot of towns,” Bowman said. Millias encouraged Bowman to come back once he had more details saying, “the town has expressed support in the past for marijuana.”

The final appointment of the evening was a truck exclusion hearing for trucks traveling on Circuit and Laurel streets. Trucks are typically traveling to a site where there are long term plans for a solar field. Millias said that he felt that dead end signs were probably the only option for helping with the at times disruptive traffic. Another potential solution was to work with new carriers to make sure they understand how to get to the site. The Board agreed to leave it alone for now and gather additional feedback.

Finally, Seelig reiterated that town meeting is still scheduled for September 12. The plan is to hold the meeting in the Halifax Elementary School and utilize both the gym and multi-purpose room to ensure adequate distancing.

Single car collision damages stone wall, hedges

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Late Sunday afternoon, Aug. 30, the sound of a crash shook up Plympton Village as a 2006 Toyota Sienna van collided with a stone wall and 4-ft rhododendron hedge before comng to a stop on Main Street in front of the house occupied by the Saarela family.

The operator of the vehicle with Maine license plates was Tracey Wightman, 38, of East Wareham.  She was taken to Beth Israel Deacones Hospital.

The only other occupant in the van was Wightman’s 8-year old daughter, who was also transported to BID Plymouth..

Neither occupant’s  injuries appeared life-threatening.

Wightman is being cited for failure to stay in marked lanes and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Region asks for CARES Act funds

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 1. They began with a discussion of the school’s reopening plan.

Staff returned to the middle school and high school this week. Silver Lake Regional High School principal Michaela Gill said, “We were thrilled to welcome back our teachers.” She said the first few days were spent reviewing health and safety protocols as well as facility changes. Superintendent Jill Proulx and Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch visited three out of the six schools on Tuesday with plans to visit the other three the following day.

School Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee asked both Gill and Silver Lake Regional Middle School principal Jim Dupille when students and their families can expect their schedules. Gill assured everyone that they are “working around the clock” and said the plan is to have the schedules available early next week. Dupille also said students can expect their schedules sometime next week. Dupille told the Committee that a virtual orientation would be held for incoming 7th grade students. “I would just like to thank and commend Michaela and Jim and their staff for putting together schedules in record time… I really appreciate everything they have done to make this happen,” Proulx said.

Just as he had done at the Halifax Elementary School Committee meeting the night before, Gordon Andrews recommended that the Committee look into having CARES Act funding cover the cost of much needed building-based substitutes.  Committee member Eric Crone said that using CARES Act funds to hire new staff could prove difficult. Crone said that he asked Plymouth County treasurer Thomas O’Brien about using the funds to hire a nurse leader and was told no. Crone said that if denied, the schools may need to look into using the money for commodities and hiring substitutes from the schools’ budget. Nevertheless, Crone made a motion to allow Andrews to explore the possibility of covering building-based subs for the middle and high schools with CARES Act funding through Halifax. Andrews said he was willing to ask his fellow Halifax selectmen for one sub for each of the schools.

Someone asked about the potential need for subs at the integrated preschool. Proulx said that when the Kingston Elementary School and Kingston Intermediate School consider their need for subs, they would likely need to include the preschool in that. Proulx said that the preschool is typically thought to be under the leadership of Kingston Elementary School principal Kerri Whipple.

Committee member Laura Tilton asked how much of the three towns’ CARES Act funding had been spent on the schools to date. Crone said that while more money should be available under phase 4, as of right now, Kingston doesn’t have any CARES Act funding left from the previous phases. According to Crone, the Kingston town administrator (who has since resigned), misrepresented to the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen in early July that the town had not been contacted with respect to CARES Act funds for the schools. As a result, the selectmen voted to approve $400,000 for a new ambulance using CARES Act funds. Given that none of Kingston’s CARES Act money has gone to Silver Lake, the town assured Crone that the bulk of the money in the final phase will go to the schools.

As a result of the issues in Kingston, the Regional School Committee passed a motion on Tuesday to ask that Kingston, Halifax and Plympton allocate to the schools a percentage of the towns’ total CARES Act  that matches the percentage of the overall towns’ budgets that are allocated to the annual school budget. The Committee emphasized that the percentage should be of the total CARES Act funds, both past, present and future. The Regional School Committee also asked for flexibility for one-off classes that are difficult to staff as well as noting that the use of the funds is still under development. Chair Paula Hatch plans to send a letter stating such to the three towns’ Boards of Selectmen, Town Administrators, and Finance Committees.

Proulx did note that she was able to apply through the Department of Education and obtain 600 chromebooks to help replenish some of the ones on backorder.

Triple the usual number of votes cast Sept. 1

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According to Tricia Detterman, Plympton Town Clerk,  there were nearly triple the number of votes cast in Tuesday’s primary – 779 votes in all – or 34% of voters.

Barbara Gaynor, Halifax Town Clerk, saw a similar increase in ballots cast with 32.4% of registered voters in Halifax casting 1,934 ballots, either through early voting at the Clerk’s office in the Halifax Town Hall, mail-in ballots, or voting on election day.  “We processed well over 1,000 mail-ins… it was definitely a busy day,” Gaynor said.

The most hotly contested race was that for Senator in Congress, with longtime incumbent Edward J. Markey challenged by Joseph P. Kennedy, III.

While Markey won the election statewide, both Plympton and Halifax ticked the Kennedy box for their choice, with 285 for Kennedy in Plympton and 253 for Markey.  Halifax voters chose Kennedy 724 to Markey’s 583.

Republican candidates for Senator in Congress saw Kevin O’Connor victorious over Shiva Ayyadurai, with 373 to her 223 in Halifax, and 135 votes to 95 votes in Plympton.

State senator Michael D. Brady (D-Brockton) handily won his race for re-election, beating his challenger, former Brockton Mayor Moises M. Rodrigues 323 to 181 in Plympton, and in Halifax, 783 to 436.

The Democratic race for County Commissioner saw five candidates vying for two seats.  Greg Hanley won with 651 votes, and second was John Patrick Riordan with 497 votes in Halifax.  Plympton also gave Hanly and Riordan the nod with 257 and 207 votes respectively.

Republican Jared Valanzola ran unopposed for the County Commissioner taking 501 votes in Halifax and 182 votes in Plympton.

Halifax hometown favorite Summer Schmaling ran unopposed on the Republican ticket for Representative in General Court.   She took 542 votes in Halifax and 209 in Plympton.

Democrat Kathleen LaNatra, incumbent for Representative in General Court, took 1,099 votes in Halifax and 463 in Plympton.

Democrat Bill Keating of Bourne, incumbent, took 467 votes in Plympton and 1,118 in Halifax.  On the Republican side, Helen Brady took 498 votes in Halifax and 188 votes in Plympton.

Matthew J. McDonough, Democrat for Register of Probate, took 448 votes in Plympton and 1053 in Halifax.   There was no Republican candidate on the ballot.

Plymouth County Treasurer Thomas J. O’Brien took 1083 votes in Halifax and 448 votes in Plympton running unopposed on the Democratic ballot.  Republican Carina Leeza Mompelas won 454 votes. in Halifax and 180 votes in Plympton.

The Councillor race saw 1077 votes for Democrat Christopher Ianella, Jr.  There were no Republicans on the ballot for that position.

The presidential election, a mere 60 days away, will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3.  Plympton Town Clerk Tricia Detterman has already put out the word that she will be looking to augment her crew of election workers for the Nov. 3 election, expecting a heavy turnout.

Remembering the Ferguson Bridge

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Plympton was recently awarded $100,000 in grant money for small bridge preservation and design. Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte said the engineer on the project is compiling options for repair of the Ferguson Memorial Bridge on Route 58. Currently, a start date for the work has not been established.

The bridge is named after Sergeant Hugh W. “Ward” Ferguson, Jr. or “Fergy” as he was known to many.

Ferguson, who was born in 1931, was a member of Company C, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. Ferguson fought in the Korean War which lasted from June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953.

On December 1, 1950, Ferguson became one of the approximately 8,000 Korean War soldiers listed as missing in action (MIA). At the time, he was fighting the enemy near the Chongchon River, Kunu-Ri Gauntlet. There are 187 Korean War soldiers from Massachusetts still listed as unaccounted for during the war. Ferguson was presumed deceased on December 31, 1953.

Hugh “Ward” Ferguson Jr. was the son of Hugh Ferguson of Plympton and the nephew of Norman John Ferguson Sr., also of Plympton. The latter was the father-in-law of Plympton Board of Health assistant Cathy Ferguson. Cathy told The Express that her husband, Douglas Ward Ferguson, was named after his missing cousin. She said, “Both my sons were serving in the Navy when they were 19.  I can’t imagine how those families felt.”

The plaque on the bridge itself reads, “This bridge is dedicated to the memory of Hugh Ward Ferguson Jr. who gave his life for his country in the Korean Conflict 1950-1952.”

Ferguson remains Missing In Action.   His remains were never recovered.

The new round of Municipal Small Bridge Program Grant Awards were recently announced by the Baker-Polito Administration, in which 27 communities will be receiving a total amount of $6.3 million. The program is a need and merit-based program that seeks to fund those applications that demonstrate a critical need or substantially extend the life of an existing small bridge. Projects are evaluated according to a strict set of eligibility criteria that consider the condition, benefits, and repair status of each bridge.

“Our administration is pleased make available this funding that can be used by cities and towns to preserve and repair smaller bridges within their communities,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Since our administration began the Municipal Small Bridge Program close to $50 million has been awarded in funding to municipalities to ensure that their locally-owned transportation assets are safe and reliable.”

“This program has helped facilitate the development of 121 small bridge projects across the Commonwealth that due to their size would be deemed ineligible for federal funding,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “We are pleased to work with cities and towns to address their infrastructure needs and support local economies.”

The Municipal Small Bridge Program, signed into law on August 10, 2016, by Governor Baker, is a several-year $50 million program to aid in the replacement and preservation of municipally-owned small bridges that are not eligible for federal aid under existing bridge replacement or rehabilitation programs. An increasing number of them are at high risk for full or partial closure in the near future due to their present conditions.

“The Baker-Polito Administration continues to support cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth in their efforts to make improvements to locally-owned transportation infrastructure,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “This program facilitates key safety upgrades and repairs to bridges which connect communities and people.”

“We appreciate the support of the Baker/Polito administration, as well as the state and local elected officials who have assisted with the development of the Municipal Small Bridge Program,” said Highway Division Administrator Jonathan Gulliver “We are pleased to award $6.3 million in funding to these communities in order to improve these bridges and ensure they allow for effective and safe travel for years to come.”

The program assists cities and towns with replacing or preserving bridges with spans between 10’ and 20’. These small bridges are not eligible for federal aid under existing federal funding programs. Each municipality may qualify for up to $500,000 per year. This program that provides financial support to cities and towns for small bridge replacement, preservation and rehabilitation projects.

This grant round will exhaust the 5-year $50,000,000 budget for this program. Until new bond authorization becomes available, no new grant funding rounds will be announced. MassDOT will use the small amount of current authorization remaining to be able to fund emergency small bridge replacement and repair requests, in line with program objectives.

The previous round of grants awarded over $5.2 million to 12 communities to aid in the replacement or preservation of municipally-owned small bridges which were not eligible for federal aid under existing programs and were at high risk for full or partial closure in the near future if repairs are not made.

Halifax selectmen name new ACO

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on August 20 for one of their emergency management meetings. Selectmen Chair Tom Millias noted that it would likely be a longer than usual meeting as they were trying to shorten their regular Tuesday night agendas in order to allow maintenance into the town hall earlier to disinfect.

The meeting began with a discussion of the guidelines being followed and protocols being implemented for youth sports. Pete Barone, President of both the Halifax Youth Baseball and Halifax Youth Softball leagues was in attendance as was Board of Health agent Bob Valery. Barone spoke about some of the safety precautions put in place during the summer’s baseball and softball activities in town. Players were kept physically distant from one another through markers on the ground as well as individual buckets that players used as their designated spot for the game. Bright signs were also hung advising spectators to maintain distance and wear a mask.

According to those present, while sports such as basketball and softball simply need to adhere to the state’s guidelines, soccer is also subjected to specific guidelines as laid out by Mass Youth Soccer. Those guidelines include specific modifications in order to be able to play as a moderate risk sport under Phase III. Modifications include a kick-in to replace throw-ins, a ban on all intentional contact, a ban on heading the ball, as well as a whole host of other changes to soccer as it is usually played.

The Board also discussed changes in EEE risk level. Halifax is now deemed to be at critical risk due to the first human case in town. All outdoor activities are banned on town-owned property from dusk to dawn. Such locations include Vaughn Field, the Elementary School playing fields, Summit St. soccer fields, HOPS Playground, and the beaches at Lingan St. and Holmes St.

Regarding COVID travel restrictions, Valery said he was waiting to hear back from DPH about the proper protocols should the need to fine violators arise. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that they would also need to find out where the jurisdiction lies if a violator worked for the town of Halifax but resided elsewhere. The final piece of COVID related news from Valery was regarding Cumberland Farms closing down the self-serve areas including coffee and soda. Valery said that he had fielded a number of calls regarding the decision but said it was the corporate offices of Cumberland Farms and not the local Board of Health that made the decision.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros told the Board he was looking to find out how many masks were needed by the schools. Selectman Gordon Andrews, who is also chair of the Halifax School Committee, asked if any masks were ordered in child’s sizes. Viveiros said that none had been ordered in that size but did say that FEMA had given them 6,500 N95 masks, 6,500 surgical masks, as well as 800 face shields in addition to goggles and glasses. Millias asked if families were expected to supply the masks for their children. Andrews said that while they were, masks would need to be on hand at the school in the event that something were to happen to a student’s mask during the school day. Valery said that he believed that he had 500 child size masks.

Seelig asked the Board if they wished to schedule a special town meeting for September 12, the same date as the annual town meeting and if so, what matters they wished to be placed on the warrant. Seelig said that such issues as the $65,000 needed for a new Council on Aging van would be taken up at the special. Other potential issues include heating and air conditioning, unemployment, traffic enforcement, and Cranberry Drive. Millias pointed out that in terms of cost, it is cheaper to hold the special town meeting concurrently with the annual. Seelig agreed saying that given the logistical hurdles that are occurring to hold the meeting, it would make sense to combine them. Chair Troy Garron made a motion to hold the special town meeting within the annual.

Seelig also told the Board they would need to make a decision regarding the annual recycling fee and whether or not to make changes to the abatement process.  Seelig asked if the Board wished to maintain the $50 recycling fee. Seelig said that if the Board wished to eliminate the abatement process, they were going to need to come up with a plan very quickly for running the solid waste and recycling program in the future. Millias said, “the problem as I see it is if the recycling program collapses, if you will, it also affects curbside pickup. I don’t think I’m ready to make that decision today.” Millias went on to say that he felt the best approach would be a “comprehensive, all inclusive” meeting with residents and all concerned to discuss the issue. A debate ensued amongs the selectmen about whether to extend the abatement deadline. Andrews, as he has done in the past, argued against charging people for a service they were not receiving. Andrews made a motion to set the recycling fee at $50, the due date in 30 days, and the abatement deadline in 60 days. Garron seconded the motion though noted he disagreed with the premise. “I still see people that no matter what you do, they’re going to be late or not going to pay it, or put it aside and forget it,” Garron explained. Andrews’ motion failed but Millias’ motion that kept the $50 fee but set the due date and the abatement deadline both for 30 days passed.

Seelig brought up the complaint from the previous week’s meeting about non-residents causing problems on the beaches of Monponsett Pond. He told the Board that he had spoken with Police Chief Joao Chaves about the problem. Chief Chaves, who was in attendance, told the Board that there was an officer there often and said that a number of parking tickets had been issued to non-residents. He noted that it was difficult for the force to do anything about jet skis and boats coming into the swimming area as they don’t really have a way to access the water.

Amy Troup showed the Board a petition from residents asking for signage indicating that the beaches are for Halifax residents only. Troup said that currently the signs only say no parking which she said people are circumventing by parking at Wal-Mart and walking over. She also mentioned the problem with trash being left behind as well as other disrespectful behavior by non-residents. Chaves said that he wouldn’t want to ask beachgoers for identification to prove residency. Seelig said he would check on the possibility of additional signage. “Thank you, this is something that has come up and as a Board we’re aware of it and we’re just trying to figure out what to do about it,” Millias told Troup.

Seelig said that the Board received a lawsuit from Gordon C. Andrews to the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals and four named individuals. Seelig said it was a civil damages case and noted it is being referred to town counsel and to the town insurer. He said there was no action to be taken at the moment.

Seelig asked the Board if they were ready to vote on the new animal control officer (ACO). Interviews were held a few weeks back with a number of applicants. Chief Chaves recommended Amanda Feighery and Garron said he agreed. “I think that she’s a good choice in that she’s had experience not only with vicious animals as well as dealing with people and the public,” Garron said. Millias agreed citing her local ties as well as Feighery was born and raised in Halifax. The Board voted to name Feighery as the new ACO.

Seelig told the Board that he had received a letter from a concerned resident regarding traffic concerns on Monponsett St. and Route 58 from Lakeside Villa to the intersection with Plymouth St. The resident said she saw a number of trucks violating the speed limits and using engine brakes. Seelig told the Board that given the number of houses on that stretch, it would be possible for the Board to set the speed limit at 30 mph as the area being considered is thickly settled. He also told the Board that the town could vote on a bylaw at a future time to prohibit engine brakes except for emergency purposes. The Board agreed to send the issue to the Traffic Safety Committee to take it under consideration.