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Selectmen give dog a pass

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HALIFAX – Halifax selectmen welcomed their new police chief, Joao Chaves, on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at a more than hourlong celebration that brought together police from New Bedford where he formerly worked, along with area chiefs, members of the Halifax Police Department and the community-at-large.

Following that, the board went into their regular meeting, where they were in good spirits after two members had been on vacation. They held a dog hearing, met with Rich Goulart of Area 58 Community Access Media regarding live television broadcasts, and received an update on cemetery fees as well as the deteriorating Pine Street bridge from Highway Surveyor and Cemetery Superintendent Steve Hayward.

Dog Hearing

Margaret Compton-Severance of Cherry Street was before the board for a dog hearing stemming from an incident in October. It was one of the more acrimonious dog hearings in Halifax in recent times.

Compton-Severance was the owner of the “aggressor” dog, but Noreen Callahan, the Halifax Animal Control Officer, stated that Compton-Severance had done “everything right.”

But even being told that she had done everything right by the ACO did nothing to assuage her aggressive attitude.

The victim, a home health care aide who was assisting Compton-Severance’s mother, placed her hand through the puppy’s cage to either “console” or “say goodbye” to the dog– depending on who tells the story.

The dog bit the health aide, and she said it was a deep bite requiring a visit to the hospital, although there were no stitches required. “It was my fault,” she added.

Compton-Severance said she tried to assist the health aide. “I finally forced some Band-Aids on her.”

Compton-Severance said she didn’t believe the dog bit the health care aide. “Where are the medical records?” she asked. “Why aren’t they here?”

“She just said it was her fault,” pointed out Selectman Troy Garron, referring to the health aide and cutting off the cross-talking women.

“What action would you like to see this board take?” asked Garron of the health aide.

“What?” said the aide, misunderstanding several times before final exclaiming, “I don’t want any action taken.”

“We get involved any time there is a bite reported by a health agency,” Selectmen Chairman Kim Roy explained to the two.

Then, Compton-Severance started accusing the home-health aide of being involved in a Ponzi scheme.

This was too much for the board. “That’s beyond the scope of this hearing,” stated Selectman Tom Millias.

Roy entertained a motion to take no action on the matter, as Compton-Severance did not want “a bite on her dog’s record,” no injury occurred and the victim did not want the board to sanction the dog or its owner.

The board appeared relieved when the hearing was over.

“Live-live”

Area 58 Community Access Media director Rich Goulart came before the board to seek permission to make the necessary technical connections to go “live” with televised cable broadcasts of meetings in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of Town Hall.

Plympton recently agreed, and Goulart said Carver has been broadcasting live for “years.”

From a technical standpoint, all of the equipment is in place for either live broadcasts or for the Area 58 studio in Carver to process the broadcasts with a direct link to Halifax, except for the town purchasing a static-IP address, something that is inexpensive and relatively simple, he noted.

Garron was skeptical. He asked whether the change was really necessary, but he seemed resigned when the move appeared inevitable.

Roy joked that she wanted her hair and makeup done if the board meetings were broadcast live. On a serious note, she was concerned if it would cost the town much money, and Goulart assured her the cost was minimal.

Millias didn’t express a strong opinion one way or the other. He differentiated between going “live”— meaning that the technical ability would be there for the room to connect up with the Carver studio— and going “live-live,” meaning that the board would have a policy on whether its meetings would actually be broadcast live.

In the end, Goulart got permission to take the room “live” as Millias had defined it. The room will have the technical ability to broadcast live and to communicate with Area 58’s studio directly, but the board has not come up with a policy for going “live-live,” in other words, for its meetings, yet.

Highway/Cemetery Update

Steve Hayward, highway surveyor and cemetery superintendent, came before the board to discuss cemetery fees, cemetery rules and regulations, and plans for the Pine Street bridge.

Cemetery fees have been adjusted upward, but are still in line with other communities, if not a little low, according to Hayward. “Are we charging enough?” asked Roy.

Hayward said that they are.

He also adjusted the rules and regulations for Halifax Central Cemetery, which the board adopted, most notably that he will approve all plantings at gravesites.

Hayward also spoke about repairs to the Pine Street bridge.

Apparently disturbing to the board and to Town Administrator Charlie Seelig was news that plans alone for repairs to the ailing bridge would cost in the realm of $200,000.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) stated that the bridge is at a “critical level” of deficiency as reported by the Express last week.

“I’d like to find something [plans] on the internet, even, but I don’t know if that’s legal,” Hayward said.

Seelig was vocally and visibly flabbergasted by talk of the cost.

Hayward says he will continue to look into the matter.

Next meeting:

• The board will hold its next regularly scheduled meeting, the sole meeting for December, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of Town Hall.

Vandals on a spree

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HALIFAX — Vandalism was reported at the historic Blacksmith Shop and School House, 490 South St., run by the Halifax Historical Society, over the Veteran’s Day weekend.

According to a police report, both buildings were broken into and two fire extinguishers from the schoolhouse were discharged, coating the interior of both historical structures with a fine white powder.

The fire extinguishers were later found in nearby bushes and in the Blacksmith Shop by police, the report says, and were fingerprinted by the Plymouth County Sherriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

The damage, which is expected to be covered by the town’s insurance policy, is estimated to be in the realm of $20,000, according to John Campbell, of the Halifax Historical Society. The town has a deductible of $5,000, he said.

A hazardous materials team will need to be brought in to clean all of the surfaces in the buildings, and the items in them, including all of the historic blacksmithing tools.

Campbell said that the two buildings, normally only opened several times a year, would not be able to open in time for the upcoming annual Holidays in Halifax celebration Saturday, Dec. 8.

After the insurance company approves the claim, he said that it may take three to four weeks for the clean-up to be completed.

No items were reported stolen, although the police report notes that in addition to the fire extinguisher damage a door was found open and unsecured at the Blacksmith Shop and a window pane was broken at the School House.

The report also mentions that the burglar alarm systems installed in both of the damaged buildings were not in use at the time of the incident due to the number of false alarms caused by animals. The investigation is ongoing.

Savage shoplifting case continued without a finding

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Edward and Christine Savage

Edward and Christine Savage in Hingham District Court on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Photo by Abram Neal.

HINGHAM— On Wednesday, Nov. 14, Edward and Christine Savage, of Plympton, came before Judge Heather Bradley in Hingham District Court for a hearing on a shoplifting case stemming from an incident at Kohl’s Department Store, 100 Derby St., Hingham in April 2017.

The Savages reached an agreement with Assistant District Attorney Frances Cannone, and Judge Bradley agreed to it, continuing the matter without a finding for six months with the condition that the Savages stay out of criminal trouble and stay away from Kohl’s at the Derby Street Shops.

The Savages were represented by Daniel Webster, a Pembroke-based attorney and former state representative.

A court official said the sentence is typical for a shoplifting case, but this case was hardly typical, as it was both lengthy for its type and at least one of the defendants is well-known to area residents.

Edward Savage was formerly the Hanson Police Chief who resigned in 2012 after an extensive outside investigation revealed he was reporting false and inflated crime statistics to the town for its annual town report for a period of seven to eight years, leaving an appearance that the department was struggling to keep up with the amount of work at its staffing levels at the time– among other substantiated allegations, according to the investigatory report by Alfred Donovan of APD Management, Inc. in 2012.

Several media outlets questioned whether the Savages received lighter treatment than other defendants because of Savage’s former position with the police, including WCVB-TV and The Boston Globe. A court official familiar with the matter strongly denied that the two received special treatment at any time.

According to the Hingham police report, “Edward took clothing off of the racks and tables and removed the hangers from them and then carefully folded them into the bottom of the carriage. He then brought the cloths [sic] to Christine who had an empty Kohl’s bag with her. She then brought the carriage with her into the woman’s [sic] dressing room. When she came out, she had the clothes tucked under the empty Kohl’s bag. The two of them then headed for the front door.”

They were apprehended by two Kohl’s loss prevention employees, who contacted police. The Savages were not cooperative according to the report.

The Savages were summonsed before now-retired Hingham District Court Clerk-Magistrate Joseph Ligotti, June 19, 2017, in a closed-door show of cause hearing, the audio of which was later released to media. Ligotti did not find probable cause to issue charges, which, said a court official at the time, is typical for minor cases where defendants do not have criminal records.

But Ligotti made it clear that he did not believe the two had made a mistake. “You want me to believe that two people have to go back to a car to get one wallet … I don’t believe either one of them,” he said in the recording.

He also questioned why the two were not arrested after being argumentative to Kohls employees and the Hingham police.

“I don’t know,” says the Hingham police prosecutor, Sgt. Steven Dearth.

Ligotti agreed to dismiss the charges, with the agreement of the police, if the Savages stayed out of legal trouble for eight months and wrote letters of apology to Kohl’s and to the Hingham Police Department.

In January, 2018, Ligotti retired and Andrew Quigley became the acting clerk-magistrate for Hingham District Court. Hingham police notified Quigley after the eight-month period that the Savages had never written a letter of apology to the police, so Quigley issued the charges, this time before a judge. An outside prosecutor, Frances Cannone, of Essex County, was brought in.

The Savages were arraigned April 2, 2018, on the criminal charges for not complying with the conditions of Ligotti’s dismissal. They later filed a motion to dismiss those charges Sept. 13, 2018.

At that hearing, the Savages’ attorney argued that the acting clerk magistrate, Quigley, should not have issued the criminal charges, and that he had “violated the integrity of the Magistrate’s hearing” by doing so, because the Savages thought they had until the very last day before the charges were dismissed to write their letters of apology. Webster said they wrote the letters. But it was only after criminal charges were being filed against them, according to Cannone.

During the hearing on the motion to dismiss, held before Judge John Stapleton, Webster read a quote from the original show of cause hearing:

“Okay, I am getting two letters written, signed by both people. I’m going to continue this matter until 2/28 of ’18 for dismissal. It will automatically dismiss on that date, no need to be back. Should you be dumb enough to do anything else illegal, this will automatically kick in and will automatically come back … and it will be issued,” Clerk-Magistrate Ligotti said.

Stapleton denied the motion to dismiss the charges noting that the court found that the acting clerk-magistrate, Quigley, had not violated the integrity of the clerk-magistrate hearing.

Finally, the Savages struck a deal with Cannone, this time with no requirement to write any letters, and Bradley approved the deal. Should the Savages follow its conditions by staying out of legal trouble and staying away from Kohl’s at Derby Street Shops, this may be the end of this legal matter for them. If they break those conditions, according to Bradley, they will be back before the court.

SL Football ready for Thanksgiving bout against Pembroke

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The Silver Lake High football team has a real opportunity to end their season on a strong note this Thursday.

The Lakers have been in what is essentially a rebuilding year, going 2-8 in their first 10 games, but they can at least up that total to three wins as they host the Pembroke Titans on Thanksgiving morning (10:00 a.m. start time) in their annual bout.

While the game does not really have any implications, it will be one to remember for members of their senior class as it will be the final football game of their Laker careers.

This year’s senior class is exceptionally small for a Patriot League football team, featuring just nine players in all: Jake Waters, Ben Winslow, Dan Duggan, Cam Danahy, Dan Walsh, Bobby Ohlson, Alex Duke, Marshall Roy and Derek Ingersoll. Waters, who has been an asset to the Lakers as a defensive back, may be able to participate in the Thanksgiving bout despite having missed much of the season with an injury.

The game provides the Lakers with a few opportunities: one being to potentially pick up their first Patriot League win this season, another to get their first home win this year and another being to see what type of shape they are in headed into next season. The team will have plenty of returning starters so the bout will be a good indicator of where they look sharp and where they need to improve .

for the 2019 season.

Meet the new Police Chief

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HALIFAX – Chief Joao Chaves, formerly a lieutenant at the New Bedford Police Department, officially took over as head of the Halifax Police Department from Chief Ted Broderick Tuesday, Nov. 13.

The 53-year-old married father of a son spoke with the Express Friday in a wide-ranging interview where he asked almost as many questions about the town as were asked of him.

The Dartmouth resident who will be relocating to the Halifax area within the year, was chosen by selectmen for the position from four semi-finalists in October after an exhaustive selection process. He was visibly excited to be leading the HPD and enthusiastically spoke about settling in and getting to know the town, developing a vision for the department, challenges that Halifax is facing and his background growing up.

Chaves said that, under his leadership, the Halifax police will be known for treating people with dignity and respect as well as transparency.

“I want the [officers] to treat people like they would treat their own parents. I don’t have time for guys with bad attitudes,” he added.

But he doesn’t see the department needing any major overhauls.

“I’ve come into a good, well-run place,” said Chaves.

The Selectmen have previously stated that they, too, are pleased with how the department has been running, although Chaves does come with some new ideas.

Some early thoughts mentioned include streamlining some duties and responsibilities so that officers can be more efficient and bringing new programs to Halifax Elementary School through the School Resource Officer.

Chaves is still defining his priorities and is taking time now to informally interview officers so they can get to know him, and he can learn more about them and how the department functions.

Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves

New Halifax Police Chief Joao Chaves in his office on Friday, Nov. 16.

“It’s hard for a stranger to come in and take over,” he said.

Chaves said he is also getting to know other town officials, including Fire Chief Jason Viveiros, who he is grateful to for “taking me under his wing.”

“I’ve been humbled by the positive responses I’ve gotten,” he said, regarding his arrival on the force. He described the many officials and townspeople who have been very welcoming to him. He has been meeting with department heads to introduce himself and hear their concerns, as well.

Chaves spoke extensively about how the opioid epidemic has affected the town. Most crimes in Halifax are property crimes, he said, but the opioid problem may be worse than many think. Chaves said that although there has been a drop in the number of overdoses based on last year’s numbers, there has been an increase in opioid-related fatalities in town. “It affects all types of people,” he said of the problem, mentioning class and socioeconomic status as examples.

Chaves said his extended family had also been affected by opioids. “This affects us all,” he added, and plans to continue the work that the HPD has done with Plymouth County Outreach to assist those struggling with addiction and their families.

Chaves was born in Chaves, Portugal, a town that he joked was named after him, in the northern part of the country, near the Spanish border. The city is known for its ancient history and architecture, going back to the Roman period, he says. He said he grew up in a small village outside Chaves, under communism.

His parents fled Portugal with him and his older sister, first to Spain and then to France when he was 6 years old. His father worked construction jobs while his mother cleaned houses to make a living. After he finished elementary school in France, an aunt who resided in Massachusetts sponsored his family to come here and they emigrated to New Bedford.

Chaves describes the transition to the U.S. from Europe as “really tough.”

“I was speaking French and Portuguese to my sister, and everyone else was speaking a foreign language,” he said. But a bilingual Portuguese/English program in his middle school had him speaking fluent English by high school.

“It kind of forced me to learn English. When you’re a kid, it’s easy,” he said. Chaves says he still speaks Portuguese with his mother, and his son is minoring in the language at college, although they speak English at home. He still reads and understands some French.

After high school, he thought he wanted to seek a career in law enforcement, and almost became a correctional officer. In a twist of fate, he got a call from the NBPD with a job offer and spent the next 31 years there.

Chaves studied at the undergraduate and graduate level at Western New England University in Springfield.

At the NBPD, he has held positions in everything from internal affairs to the major crimes division. His experience is extensive, according to his resumé, including several FBI management classes.

Chaves said that as soon as he settles in, he’s coming into his first budget season as a chief, so that will keep him quite occupied.

But for now, “I like to be on the road … I want to get to know the town,” said Chaves. He seems well on his way to doing just that.

DOT says Pine St. bridge in critical condition

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MASS DOT) report on the status of the East Street and Pine Street bridges were given to the Halifax Highway Department. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig announced the results at last Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The bridge on East Street was deemed “satisfactory” by MASS DOT, Seelig said. There are a few defects that should be fixed, but overall the bridge is in stable condition.

The Pine Street bridge’s condition was is in more dire straits, the report said. According to Seelig, the deficiencies are at a “critical level.”

It’s recommended that the Highway Department hire a design engineering firm to start making a plan to address the bridge. Seelig had not checked in with the Highway Department as of Tuesday, and said it’s possible the department has already taken steps towards this. He said he would ask the department for a status report on the Board’s behalf.

Earth Removal Permits

John Makepeace and his representative came in to discuss renewing his existing earth removal permit. The extension was granted by the Board of Selectmen for a year, with stipulations from the Highway Department.

According to Makepeace, he is continuing the construction of a reservoir for his cranberry operation at White Dog Cranberry Ltd.

So far, Makepeace said he has removed 20,500 yards of earth to date. The operation requires 64,000 yards be removed. He said he believes he’s on schedule for completion within the year.

The Board of Selectmen gave abutters an opportunity to voice questions and concerns to Makepeace and his representation.

One abutter asked if there was a plan for overflow when there are heavy rains. She was concerned about the potential for more stagnant water in the area attracting mosquitos. She said she doesn’t think this would necessarily be a problem but wanted to make sure.

According to Makepeace’s representative, water elevation should be lower than the ground.

“It’s mostly ground rather than surface water,” he said.

Business License Revocation Hearings

Evergreen Beverage/ Twin Lake Liquor’s license has not been revoked, as Seelig said their payment is not due yet.

The hearing will continue at the next Board of Selectmen meeting. They were put on the schedule for 7:40 p.m.

Davis Automotive’s license was revoked with a unanimous vote from the Board. Seelig said a check due to the town bounced and the issue has not been corrected, despite several letters being sent.

The hearing however was left open and will be on the agenda for the Nov. 27 meeting. Selectman Chair Kim Roy said revocations can be rescinded.

Other News

Selectmen signed the state reimbursement forms for Chapter 90 state road/bridge funding. These forms were for repavement projects on roads including South Street, Elm Street, and Oak Street.

Three Cultural Council Reappointments were made. Seelig was reappointed until Nov. 26, 2019 while Linda Redding’s term runs through November 26, 2021. Patricia Murphy’s term is until Dec. 8, 2021.

The ceremony to swear in new Police Chief Joao A. Chaves was scheduled for Nov. 27 in the Great Hall. It starts at 6 p.m., and is open to the public. The Board of Selectmen meeting that night will follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patriot League awards announced for 5 Lakers teams

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Every year, there are a great deal of talented athletes who come through the Patriot League both in the Keenan Division and Fisher Division to compete against teams throughout the South Shore and beyond.

The athletes are also recognized year after year for what they have achieved on the playing surface and earlier this month, the Patriot League awards were announced for a few different sports. With this in mind, here is a look at which Silver Lake athletes were recognized.

Soccer

Forward Patrick McMahon took home the highest honor possible in boys’ soccer: Patriot League MVP. Needless to say, he was also a league All-Star and the same could be said for many of his teammates including Justin Keating, Colin Canniff, James Gallagher, Alex Loyd and Cole Whidden. While six winners for one team may seem like a lot, it should come as no surprise that the Lakers had so many league All-Stars this year. After all, they went undefeated during the regular season (17-0-1) and won the Patriot League championship.

On the girls side, there were three more All-Star selections. Calliste Brookshire, Izzy Ruprecht and Hannah Vogt were all recipients of the honor. Plus, Ari Damery earned the team’s sportsmanship award while Ellie Swanson was their scholar-athlete.

Cross Country

On the boys side, Ryan McCarthy and Chris Tilton earned the nod as Patriot League Keenan Division All-Stars for Silver Lake. While the girls did not have any All-Stars after going 0-4 in league play, Ally Tonsberg, the Lakers top runner, did receive the team’s sportsmanship award and was also named their scholar-athlete. 

Field Hockey

The Lakers had one player selected as a Patriot League All-Star: senior midfielder Colleen Foley.

Football, Boys Golf and Volleyball

As of Wednesday morning the football, volleyball and boys’ golf Patriot League All-Star recipients had not been revealed, but they are expected to be announced later this month.

SL football falls to Hanover

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The Silver Lake High football team did what they could on defense to stop their opponent from getting much going in their last bout.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, the same could be said for the Hanover Indians defense in the same contest. The Lakers hosted Hanover in a non playoff bout on Thursday, Nov. 9 and only one touchdown was scored in the entire contest. It did not come from the Lakers, so they took a 6-0 loss and fell to 2-8 on the season.

On defense, senior captains Marshall Roy and Cam Danahy, both of whom are linebackers, played tough. They each had a tackle for a loss on the Hanover quarterback. Junior defensive lineman Will Hesketh also provided the team with steady pressure up front all night, recording a sack in the bout.

With the wet field conditions, both teams depended on their run games to move the ball downfield, but Hanover was tough in the trenches, so they managed to shut the Lakers out. It was just the second time the Lakers have been held scoreless this season; the other instance of this occurring came in their October 19 bout against the Duxbury Dragons, who won the Patriot League Keenan Division championship.

With the loss, the Lakers are still winless at home (0-5) and have yet to defeat a Patriot League opponent. However, that could all change in their final bout of the season on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 22) against the Pembroke Titans (10:00 a.m. start time).

After all, Pembroke is 1-8 this season and riding a four game losing streak. Their offense is not particularly sharp, averaging less than seven points per game while their defense has let up more than 30 in those same bouts. That said, the Lakers definitely have an opportunity to end the season on a strong note.

Central Plymouth County Water District Advisory Board meets

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HALIFAX – On Tuesday, Nov. 13, the Central Plymouth County Water Advisory Board met in Halifax.

The once long-dormant committee, created by emergency legislation in 1964 which assisted the City of Brockton in obtaining its drinking water for free from the Silver Lake watershed during a drought that year, has begun to meet once again only in the last five years, with the assistance of state legislators.

Today, the towns have their own public water needs, at odds with Brockton. The 1964 legislation created the commission to manage the watershed and an advisory board to appoint the commission.

The board almost didn’t have a quorum, nearly ending the required bi-annual meeting.

Members Jim Bragg, Cathleen Drinan, Don Howard, Scott Lambiase and Chair Josh Warren were present, a smaller group of members than attended the last meeting in August.

One issue the board tackled is that a member of the advisory board is supposed to be a Brockton Water Commissioner. That member, Tom Monahan, has not attended one meeting, says Drinan, and therefore the board wants Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter to appoint someone else who will participate.

Carpenter has historically been less-than-responsive to the water issue.

The board also would like to invite the newly  elected state legislators to their meetings, including State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston) and State Representative Alyson Sullivan (R-Abington).

“I’ll track who RSVPs and we’ll be sure to wow them,” joked Warren, noting that not much is happening with the board right now.

They also discussed inviting re-elected State Senator Michael Brady (D-Brockton).

Despite having a mandate from the state, and meeting for several years now, the board is in a nascent state. They are still obtaining email addresses and a letterhead, both topics of discussion.

The controversies over where Brockton gets its drinking water has long been a source of consternation for the towns that supply it:, Halifax, Hanson, Kingston, Pembroke, Plympton and Whitman.

Halifax has possibly been hardest hit by the mismanagement of Brockton’s drinking supply, say experts.

Cyanobacteria blooms in Monponsett Lake are believed to be just one of the consequences of this mismanagement and recently the quality of Brockton’s water supply is in question.

Brockton primarily draws its water from Silver Lake. During periods when the Monponsett Lakes are at a level where Brockton can draw off water, the natural direction of the water flow is effectively reversed, leaving West Monponsett pond stagnant and an excellent environment for cyanobacteria to grow.

Soon, cyanobacteria blooms, feeding on the phosphorous, were frequent in the summer, limiting recreational activity on the once-thriving lake.

Although the towns and state have addressed issues year-by-year, more permanent solutions are being sought.

The CPCWDAB will next meet Monday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of Halifax Town Hall.

Halifax man is charged in fraud

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PLYMOUTH COUNTY – They are not millionaires. They are hard-working, middle-class people. Some are elderly and retired. Some are embarrassed they got ripped off. Others just don’t want to see anybody else get victimized. One senior citizen allegedly lost $14,000 in the scam.

But even those who lost considerably less feel no less victimized by Matthew Will, 37, a Halifax roofer who has, over the course of about a year, taken deposits from at least 17 customers, sometimes for work-in-full, only not to perform the work he promised. He was in Plymouth District Court Wednesday, Nov. 7, for a pre-trial conference.

From Kingston to Hanson and Halifax to Middleborough, reports have been coming in about Will. Some say he didn’t even start the work he promised.

The Plymouth District Court charges stem from Hanson and Kingston Police complaints with two felony counts of larceny over $1,200 by false pretense and one count of larceny over $1,200 pending.

In Wareham District Court, he faces charges including at least 15 felony counts of larceny over $250 by false pretense, with at least two other cases pending there for which he has not yet been arraigned.

Police reports allude to Halifax charges as well, but police were not able to provide information as of press time.

In Hanson, police allege Will victimized Carrie Barnes and Jason O’Sullivan, a server and an ironworker who recently moved into their Phillips Street home over the summer and needed a new roof. On July 26, they hired Will, who they say came highly recommended.

“I did my homework [on him],” said O’Sullivan, echoing the sentiments of other victims.

They signed a contract with Will, and they say they had a verbal agreement for him to start the work the first week in July. They gave him two checks, one for $4,250 as a deposit and another for $4,250 for materials.

After giving him the checks, Barnes and O’Sullivan say they never saw Will again. Their interactions were exclusively by text message and phone.

As the texts went on over the course of the next few weeks, Barnes and O’Sullivan asked Will again and again why he has not started the work.

His excuses were heat, rain, “problems with the guys” and anxiety among others.

On July 17, he stated that he would be starting work the next morning. He did not show up. About a week later, O’Sullivan discovered that Will had not even obtained a building permit.

By July 31, Barnes went to the Hudson Street, Halifax, address where the business is listed, attempting to locate Will. That address is his mother’s house, say police reports, and it is unknown if Will lives there, according to court documents. Some court documents list the Halifax address, while an arresting document lists a Pembroke address for him.

At this point, Barnes texted she wanted her money back, but Will pressured her to let him finish the job.

“I did not write a deadline on your contract…” he texted as he asked to finish the job nearly five weeks after accepting it. “It’s not just me you’ll be hurting I have…young kids[.] [P]lease just hang in there I’ll be getting to you soon enough!!!!”

Barnes responded, “We are done going back and forth, are you going to give us our money back? [T]hat is what we want period. It might not be written in the contract[,] but we agreed verbally it would be done [i]mmediately[.]…We have given you more than enough time. We keep asking for our money back and you are refusing. If anyone is hurting [your young] kids it is you.”

Finally, after admittedly being quite patient, Barnes and O’Sullivan went to police.

“Nothing could make this right,” says Barnes about Will. “My family is just as important as his is,” she added.

Their roof has only been patched, to get through the recent rain. O’Sullivan says he doesn’t know if the patch will last the winter.

“Screw my embarrassment [about losing money],” said Barnes. “I don’t want anyone else to be taken advantage of.”

In Middleborough, at the Oak Point 55-plus community, reports state that Will had worked there for a few years without incident, but that the general manager of the complex thought that Will’s licenses may have expired. Records indicate police became aware of a situation similar to that in Hanson as early as May, only much larger, according to an email between the Middleborough Building Inspector, Robert Whalen, and a Middleborough detective.

Will’s CSL and HIC licenses were indeed expired for a time, police reports indicate, but he renewed them. He was receiving five permits from the town at a time in late May as Will said he had over 30 open jobs in Oak Point alone at that time.

Residents had to be warned not to put down more than 1/3 deposit, as required by law, said the report. “At this point, Robert [the building inspector] is on top of this issue as he wants all the roofs to be fixed instead of criminal charges and Matt [Will] is completing the jobs.”

Despite weeks of dealing with this as a civil matter, jobs were not getting completed while Will was working in other towns and had disappeared from Middleborough. Criminal charges were finally filed by Middleborough Police in August. The report tells of 18 outstanding jobs in town, Will completed only three and 15 residents had given money to him in April, May and June and no work had been completed for any of them.

Those 15 alleged victims lost from $2,500 to $14,000 and range in age from 70 to 86 years old.

By the time police caught up with him, he had moved on to another couple in Kingston, who declined to be interviewed.

Police reports indicate a similar story, though. By Aug. 8, when they issued their complaint, Kingston Police say that Middleborough and Hanson Police both had warrants out for Will.

The roofer, whose website advertises high quality for low prices, says he installs roofing, siding, gutters, decks, and does home improvement and maintenance, additions, solar ventilation and ridge vent installation. He offers a lifetime guarantee on his work, according to the site.

Will could not be reached by email or phone for comment. He is represented by Plymouth-based attorney Jack Atwood.

He will next be in Wareham District Court for an arraignment on additional charges Friday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m. and will have another hearing in Plymouth District Court on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 9 a.m.