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Property Tax rate set for FY18

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen reaffirmed its vote on the tax classifications for fiscal year 2018 at last Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The tax classifications were originally approved at the Board of Selectmen Meeting on Monday, November 27, 2017, but the Board of Assessors wanted to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the classifications more thoroughly. Board of Assessors Clerk Ethan Stiles recommended a single tax rate for all regardless of if its residential, commercial, industrial, or open space property.

There was discussion about possible exemptions for residential and open space properties. Stiles said, “It could take business away from the town if we place the burden on them (commercial, industrial categories).”

The Board of Selectmen voted for no exemptions for residential, commercial, industrial, or open space properties. According to Stiles, all property tax classifications are estimated to be taxed at a rate of $17.52 per $1,000.

Social Media Update

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy announced that after launching only a week ago, Plympton’s official town Facebook page has a little over 300 followers. As of Wednesday, December 20, 2017, that number is now up to 322 followers and 294 likes.

Old Town House Update

The Board of Selectmen discussed a possible renegotiation of the Old Town House’s lease terms between them and the Plympton Historical Society.

The reason for potential renegotiations are about the maintenance of the building. Selectman John Traynor said he wants the town custodian to be responsible for the maintenance of this building rather than the Plympton Historical Society.

The Plympton Historical Society only has one current member, Jessica Kinsman. Traynor said that the Historical Society doesn’t have the resources to maintain the building and believes it’s the town’s responsibility.

Other News

• The Plympton Housing Production Committee’s affordable housing plan for the town is now approved by both the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board and is pending state approval. Suggested changes to the plan were made including showing Cato’s Ridge and Churchill Park as protected open spaces.

• The Board of Selectmen said the Sysco Abatement contract between the Board of Assessors and Integra Reality Resources has been officially signed.

• There were no new updates on Municipal Resource’s study of the town’s fire and EMS operations. The Board said a draft is expected in the coming weeks.

The Town House closes at 12 p.m. on Thursday December 21, 2017. It will reopen for business on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at 9 a.m.

The next Board of Selectmen Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 2, 2017.  Open session starts at 6 p.m.

36 dogs and pups killed in NH fires

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Trouble has followed Tarawood Kennels from Halifax to New Hampshire where three dozen dogs and puppies have died in two separate fires in the past three weeks in Bristol, NH.

The first fire at the facility on Nov. 22, property that had been owned by Bobbie Choate’s step-father, Oley Firth, killed two adult dogs and five puppies.  The fire appears to have been caused by a heat lamp that had been knocked over. Although the cause is listed as “still under investigation”.

The alarm was called in at 4:28 a.m.  Bristol FD arrived on scene eight minutes later at 4:36 a.m.    Initial observation of the 90 Chestnut St. property  showed the fire spreading outside the building to the second floor.

The homeowner was located removing a dog from the walkout basement.  She told firefighters that she was the only one at the residence and she was fine.

The last unit cleared the scene almost five hours later at 9:35 a.m.  According to the report, the fire originated in a common room or den of the 1 ½ story cottage.  The cause of the fire remains undetermined and is under investigation.  Loss due to the Nov. 22 fire is estimated to be $165,000.

The latest fire on Wednesday, Dec. 13, burned an outbuilding on the property, killing 3 adult dogs and 26 puppies.  The nine dogs housed in the burned cottage survived.

The alarm came in at 7:45 a.m. Dec. 13, with Bristol FD on the scene four minutes later at 7:49 a.m.  Firefighters had been alerted that there were dogs in the building and once the fire had been knocked down, two closed-top kennels were observed with an adult dog and puppies in each, and an open top kennel with multiple puppies but no adult.  The adult dog was later found under debris just inside the front door.

Bristol police were notified and obtained warrants.

New Hampshire’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took the surviving dogs into their care, and two SPCA workers took custody of the bodies of the deceased dogs and puppies.

The surviving dogs remain in the care of the SPCA according to communications liaison Sheila Ryan.

It remains to be seen when and whether they will be returned to Choate, who also is known by the name Bobbie Harmon.  The property ownership is listed to Bobbie Harlfinger on Bristol, NH, real estate records.

The process determining the fate of the dogs, according to Ryan, could be lengthy, with an expedited hearing expected to review the case and determine if the animals should be returned to Choate or placed for adoption.  Then Choate would have the right to appeal. “It could be months,” Ryan said.

Choate and her Tarawood Kennels on Plymouth St., Halifax, near the Plympton town line, were the subject of much concern.  As her operation grew, and the number of dogs her permit allowed was increased, Halifax neighbors complained, citing the increased noise level of dogs continually barking at all hours. Choate, also known as Jennifer Harmon, had applied to the Halifax Zoning Board of Appeals to increase the number of dogs at her kennel to 100 with unlimited litters of puppies.  That application was later withdrawn.

Halifax selectman Kim Roy made several trips to the Tarawood Kennels property to record the noise from the dogs and replayed it at one of several hearings.  That, in addition to other evidence presented, caused selectmen to vote to limit the number of dogs allowed at the property to 25, and permit only six litters of puppies per year.

Choate was not happy with the decision and expressed her displeasure at the hearing.

At a subsequent July 25 hearing to answer a dog bite incident at the kennel, Choate told selectmen that the Halifax property had been sold and the kennel operation would shut down August 10.  Choate told selectmen she was moving her kennel operations to New Hampshire after closing Halifax.  At that time she told selectmen she was also moving a 30-horse facility to New Hampshire.

New Hampshire, according to SPCA representative Ryan, doesn’t require a breeder’s license for operations that produce less than 50 puppies per year.  She also said that the SPCA is encouraging legislation that would put stronger regulations in place to protect the animals.

Five Silver Lake athletes named to Patriot Ledger Fall All-Scholastics team

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Seeing the success the Silver Lake High varsity athletic teams enjoyed over the course of this past fall season, it should come as no surprise that a handful of its athletes rank among the best athletes on the South Shore.

This statement was affirmed by the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic selections. Although they have not officially come out yet and will not for another month most likely, the official Silver Lake Athletics Twitter account announced which of their players made the cut on Monday this week. In all, the Lakers had five selections in four different sports. Here is a look at who was chosen for it.

Football

Phil Lashley — Lashley was the Lakers primary running back these past two seasons and he rushed for well over 1,000 yards in each of them and averaged roughly seven yards per carry this past season. The senior helped the Lakers to two straight playoff appearances his junior and senior years as the Lakers continue moving in the right direction.

Boys’ Golf

Dillon Brown — Brown was a major asset to the Lakers boys’ golf team for several years. He shot under par on the season this year and qualified for the Division 2 state tournament twice in his Lakers career. Brown is committed to the University of Maryland for golf.

Soccer

Allie Crawford — Crawford was a highly-skilled midfielder for the Lakers who helped lead them to a playoff appearance this season. The senior did an excellent job of helping the team move the ball downfield, had over 20 points on the season and led the team in assists.

Patrick McMahon — Only a junior this year, the midfielder gives the Lakers reasons to be excited for the future. This is his second straight All-Scholastic selection after putting up a team-high 14 goals this past season for the Lakers, who made the playoffs both years he was selected.

Volleyball

Abigail Gallagher — Gallagher was on the court for all 76 of the Lakers sets this past season and was a major reason why they were able to make it to the playoffs for the first time in several years. The senior led the team with 254 kills and 154 digs.

Year in review: Silver Lake football

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What the Silver Lake High football team has been able to achieve over these past few seasons is certainly impressive.

This past season helped the Lakers stay on the right track as they made only their fourth playoff appearance since 1980. The part about that which stands out most, however, is that they have made it to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons now.

Plus, they won a playoff game in each of those seasons and most teams across the state cannot say the same.

The Lakers finished the year at 6-5 despite not getting the result they wanted on Thanksgiving, falling to Pembroke.

The Lakers had a strong senior class this year which will be hard to replace. They will lose both their offensive and defensive MVPs to graduation, running back Phil Lashley and middle linebacker Matt Powell. Each of them were Patriot League All-Stars twice.

On top of this, their offensive line is going to look a lot different. In addition to Powell, Gavin Hamilton, Frank Perfetuo, Reed Grenon and Nate Thacker were all seniors this year, so there will be much turnover there.

Under center, the Lakers will have their third quarterback in three years next year. This was Tanner Boyd’s first and final season under center.

The Lakers had three quarterbacks listed on their roster this year with the other two being Jake Waters, a junior, and Jesse Miller, a sophomore. Waters proved himself as a valuable asset defensively this year, recording multiple interceptions while Miller competed for the starting job with Boyd during the preseason, so the Lakers have at least two options there.

Regardless of who is under center for the Lakers, they will have Diamani Williams and Bobby Ohlson back to throw to, the team’s wide receivers from this past season.

Defensively, the team will also be without four-year letterman Liam Kelleher, who recorded over 50 tackles this past season.

The Lakers have about nine months off before their preseason starts next August.

Neighborhood on alert

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The dreary, misty morning on Wednesday mirrored the atmosphere of the  close-knit Lingan St., Halifax, neighborhood.  The lurking stillness was a stark reminder of the sexual assault on a young woman who was out walking her dog on Sunday, just before sunset.

Halifax Police Chief Edward “Ted” Broderick told The Express that the attack, which appears random, occurred as it was getting dark.  He asked neighbors to be aware of their surroundings and to watch out for one another.

Broderick explained that the details of the assault remain restricted, both to protect the victim, who was treated medically for the attack, and for the integrity of the investigation.

The department is investigating every lead and persons of interest, but is asking anyone who may have witnessed something at that time on Sunday or who has information which they think might be helpful, to contact the Halifax Police Department.

The area of a cranberry bog off Lingan Street and a fenced park with a beach are diagonally across from one another.  Broderick did not specify the exact location where the assault took place, but urged people to be aware of their own safety wherever they are.

“Besides taking all precautions while in this area, we also need your help.  If you were in the area Sunday night and think you saw anything that would help the investigation, please call the station and speak to Officer McDonnell or Officer Schleiff,” Broderick said. 

“It’s with regret I have to ask this, but when walking the area after dark, that you do it with a friend, or try to do your activities during the day,” Broderick said in a media post.

Without a suspect in custody, neighbors remain cautious.  A woman walking her dog while pushing a baby stroller, told The Express that she would be paying extra attention to her surroundings, but as a general safety rule, she never leaves the main walking area of her street – a safety plan she will continue.  The assault has left neighbors on edge.

The neighborhood, made up of many closely spaced former summer cottages on Monponsett Pond, polkadotted with children’s swing sets, and decorated with Christmas lights, is on alert. 

Anyone with any information should call the Halifax Police at 781-293-5761.

Plympton turns to Facebook

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Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy presented a plan for a social media strategy for Plympton at the Board of Selectmen Meeting last Monday. However, there was some disagreement about the best way to grow the town’s presence on Facebook.

Dennehy suggested making one general town Facebook page, but believes there shouldn’t be a comment section for it. She said the page should be “informative not interactive.”

Both Dennehy and Town Clerk Tara Shaw, who will both be handling most of Plympton’s social media agree with this notion due to concerns about violating open meeting laws. Dennehy said, “I don’t think the page should interact with other pages or groups.”

The notion of not having a comment section was a belief shared by all members of the Board of Selectmen. There was some disagreement about interacting with other groups, like Plympton Helping Plympton.

Plympton Helping Plympton is a closed Facebook group where Plympton residents and former residents will discuss things related to the town. Most of the time, the discussions in the group are not related to municipal government. Selectmen John Traynor said they can be about things as simple as someone needing a babysitter.

Local government topics do get discussed on occasion and Traynor believes this is a resource the town should be tapping into. Traynor said there are about 2,500 people in the group, Plympton Helping Plympton.

Town Administrator Dennehy, Town Clerk Shaw, and the rest of the Board of Selectmen expressed not wanting to post to the group. Dennehy and Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said they have concerns about open meeting law violations, particularly because Plympton Helping Plympton is not a public group.

Traynor said he doesn’t think there is a violation because his idea is to post the exact same announcement to Plympton Helping Plympton as they would the town website or Facebook page.

Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo said he’s concerned that the town could lose control over misinformation, in a private forum rather than just their own channels. Commenting couldn’t be turned off in a platform the Board of Selectmen doesn’t control. However, Russo remained open to the idea if the posts were the same.

He suggested Plympton creates its Facebook page first and then explore revisiting some of Traynor’s ideas at a later time.  Selectmen voted to start a Facebook page for the town.

According to Dennehy and Shaw, the Facebook page will not be used to replace the website, but bring residents to the town’s official website. Shaw said she already does this from her personal Facebook page within the Facebook group, Plympton Helping Plympton. She doesn’t comment, but will post links to the town website where official information can be found.

Dennehy said, “We don’t want Facebook to replace the website.” She said she sees it as a bridge to the town website.

Electrical Aggregation Update

Mark Cappadona, the president of Colonial Power Group was at the Board of Selectmen Meeting to answer any questions residents may have about the upcoming electrical aggregation service for Plympton. The Plympton Board of Selectmen previously signed a 6-month contract that opts residents into this program starting on January 1, 2018.

Members of the Board of Selectmen said there was some confusion among residents about the service, so Cappadona came in to clear up any questions. However, only one resident attended the meeting.

Joan Harper, the Plympton resident in attendance, asked who she would contact if she opts out of the program, but still sees herself as in it on her electrical bill. Cappadona said she would contact Colonial Power directly and they’d take care of it without any opt out penalty.

Cappadona said there’s no penalty for opting in or out of the program. He described the program as the town giving residents another option that guarantees savings on their electrical bill for the first six months.

Electrical rates for NStar Eversource are expected to increase to 13.175 cents per kilowatt hour this winter. Cappadonna says Colonial Power offers about a 9% savings compared to the standard product.

Eversource is still the electrical supplier for Plympton. Cappadona said this is only a financial transaction and doesn’t affect who to contact about power outages and other issues.

Other News

• The appointment of two new fire lieutenants were approved by the Board of Selectmen. Paul Gallagher and John Sjostedt were both appointments as new members of the fire department.

• Liquor licenses were renewed for Plympton Gas and Convenience, Plympton Convenience Store, and Upland Sportsman’s’ Club. Upland Sportsman’s Club also had its range permit renewed.

The next Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 11, 2017. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Lakers lose to Pembroke on Thanksgiving

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The Silver Lake High football team played a highly-contested bout on Thanksgiving this season, but this year it was the town, who used to be a part of the school district which came out on top.

Both teams battled, but Pembroke came out with a 25-28 win over the Lakers at Pembroke High School on Thursday morning. 

Early in the contest, the Pembroke Titans controlled the game. They scored a pair of touchdowns to go up 14-0 in the first quarter.

With about five minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Lakers responded when Diamani Williams took a punt return to the end zone for a touchdown. This and an extra point kick from Tyler Duggan made it a 14-7 game. On the final play of the first half, Tyler Boyd rushed for a 10-yard touchdown.

The Lakers also hit their extra point kick, tying the game at 14 apiece.

Boyd gave the Lakers the lead with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter on a quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line. Their PAT was successful, putting the Lakers up 21-14.

With 9:24 remaining in the ballgame, Pembroke took the lead. They intercepted Boyd and took the ball to the end zone. Pembroke also had a successful 2-point conversion pass to go up 22-21. Just five minutes later, the Titans had another rushing touchdown to go up 28-21.

The Lakers reacted quickly, however, with a 65-yard run from Phil Lashley that put the team in the red zone. From there, Boyd ran in the game-tying touchdown and Duggan kicked the extra point, tying the game at 28-28 with under two minutes remaining.

After this, the Lakers went for an onside kick–but they were not successful. With the ball, the Titans were able to find some success on the ground. This included a 30-yard run that put them in Lakers territory. With 35 seconds left, they rushed in a 5-yard touchdown and kicked an extra point to go up 35-28.

The Lakers had one more chance at scoring after that, but Pembroke intercepted them again, hampering their comeback effort.

With the loss, the Lakers finished their season at 6-5.

Halifax’s Emily Goodwin named to NCAA student-athlete leadership position

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One Halifax native has taken a leadership position in college athletics to go along with her spot on the Mass Maritime Buccaneers softball team.

Mass Maritime Academy junior Emily Goodwin, a Halifax native and class of 2015 Silver Lake Regional High School grad, was named to the NCAA Division III National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference’s representative, earlier this month.

The announcement was made by MASCAC (Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference) Commissioner Angela Baumann.
Goodwin’s three-year term with the position started as soon as she was appointed to it. She will be among a group of student-athletes throughout the region on a committee discussing the issues impacting college athletics and how the student-athlete experience can be improved..

This position is a major accomplishment for Goodwin not only because she was selected of all the athletes at Mass Maritime, but because she is just the second athlete from the school in the last eight years to be appointed to this post.

Over the past two seasons, Goodwin has been a valuable piece of Mass Maritime’s lineup. In 49 games, she has hit .274, knocked in 24 runs and a owned a .745 OPS in that span.

This past season, she made 21 starts at first base for her team and the Buccaneers had their best finish in the past decade at 7-17. Playing first base required some versatility on Goodwin’s part since it was not her natural position. Her freshman year, she played shortstop at school.

The Buccaneers softball season starts back up on March 15, 2018 with a road doubleheader against the Wentworth Institute of Technology (3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. start times), weather permitting because college softball and baseball games in March are often postponed if there is still snow on the ground or if it is raining.

Marijuana grow facility proposed proposed

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Jessica Zeoli

Express correspondent

Halifax townspeople were introduced Tuesday night to the 4 Daughters Compassionate Care  marijuana grow facility proposed for Halifax.

After the Board of Selectmen met Tuesday, Nov. 28 for various housekeeping tasks, the meeting re-assembled upstairs for a presentation regarding a potential marijuana greenhouse facility to be located on the border of Halifax and Middleborough.

Brian Striar, CEO of 4 Daughters Compassionate Care, the company proposing the project, explained that the land where they wish to put the facility would be on the southern border of Halifax near River, Thompson, and Wood streets.

The greenhouses would serve completely as a place to grow the marijuana, where no selling or dispensing would take place. The facility would contain 24/7 video surveillance, along with a 10-foot fence surrounding. All entrances would require an ID to pass through as well.

The greenhouses would contain metal sheets which would cover up over 10 feet of the sides, with tinted glass at the tops, preventing anyone driving by from knowing the type of plants growing inside. There would also be brush blocking view of the greenhouses from the street.

The company has already begun a similar project in Sharon and have experimented in Colorado. 4 Daughters Compassionate Care has also conducted research among universities on the uses, and efficient growing techniques of marijuana plants. Striar is predicting 40,000 square feet of plants to start which would produce 12,000 pounds of marijuana, 3% of revenue would return to the town, estimating about $660,000 profit for the town. Striar says this amount is only for stage one of this process, and if successful, could skyrocket to a couple million of dollars for the town in later phases of the project.

Along with helping the community with tax cuts, the facility could also provide 20 to 50 job opportunities for members of the town.  4 Sisters Compassionate Care is interested in hiring as many citizens of Halifax as possible.

The project was brought up for discussion among the citizens attending the meeting. one concerned citizen asked, “Will trucks be going through the center of our town, and if so, are the vehicles neutral so no one knows they contain marijuana?”

The question was quickly answered by stating the trucks are encouraged to use route 105 to route 44 to avoid any of these concerns. Next, a question regarding the change in property value for homes near the facility came forth. It was explained that the homes are a quarter of a mile away from the facility, making it not a threat to property value.

The next item of concern – the odor – was brought forth by a member of the community. It was stated that the odor was tested by blowing fans from the greenhouses to one area. After a quarter mile, the smell was no longer apparent. The closest home is within a quarter mile of the potential facility. Also, by adding vents at the tops of the greenhouses, the smell would be released higher, making the distance for the odor to travel smaller and not noticeable. 

The opinions of the members of the board all seemed to favor of the facility, although none of the members had previously voted in favor of Question 4, which legalized marijuana in the state of Massachusetts. Board member Kim Roy stated, “The facility should be considered by the town since the income could offset tax bills.”

Troy Garron, Clerk, stated, “If it were a dispensary, forget it. But since it is not, it could professionally solve concerns of high taxes.” It was followed up by Thomas Millias, Chairman, who stated it was a great idea since one small facility could equal the profit of about six Walmarts within the town.

After the small concerns of the community were addressed by 4 Sisters Compassionate Care, it was unanimously agreed as a good potential plan for revenue for the town of Halifax.

The next Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12.

Town Adm. Dennehy’s first Plympton meeting

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Plympton’s first town administrator, Elizabeth Dennehy officially began her post at Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

Dennehy brings more than 10 years of experience in municipal government. She served as the Community Development Director in Walpole and also spent time as the Planning Director and Environmental Affairs Officer in Fall River.

Dennehy expressed that she thinks she’ll enjoy being a part of the Plympton community. She said, “I feel like this is going to be a good fit. It closely aligns with my background both professionally and personally as far as being from a small town in South Eastern Mass.”

Town Administrator Dennehy will host a meet and greet with town residents on December 11, 2017 at 7:15 p.m. Selectman John Traynor said residents can come in for coffee and meet their new town administrator following the Board of Selectmen Meeting.

Plympton Housing Production Committee Update

The Plympton Housing Production Committee moved closer to completing an affordable housing plan for the town by presenting a draft of its plan to the Board of Selectmen.

Per state requirements, 10 percent of a city or town’s housing must be classified as affordable housing. The state determines the qualifications that deem a residency affordable.

If a community doesn’t meet that 10 percent threshold, a development company can bypass that town’s zoning board with little recourse for the town to take after the fact.

The committee presented a plan to the Board of Selectmen, who approved the plan. There wasn’t much discussion on the details of the production plan itself.  Selectmen Chair Christine Joy said the draft still needs to be reviewed by the Planning Board.

One thing that was mentioned was the housing production plan aims to create affordable housing in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the rural aesthetic of the community. The 10% affordable housing also doesn’t have to be reached all at once. The plan develops ways to raise the amount of affordable housing by .5 percent annually.

Tax Classification Update

Tax classifications for residential, commercial, and industrial properties were not changed from last year per the Board of Assessors meeting with the Board of Selectmen.

The Board of Selectmen took the recommendation of the Board of Assessors and voted that all three property classifications will continue to be taxed at the same rate. There will also continue to be no exemption for residential small businesses.

Other News

• Town Accountant Barbara Gomez’s new contract was approved unanimously by the Board of Selectmen.

• The Assistant Assessor Position is still posted on the MAO website as well as in the employment opportunity section on Plympton’s official town website. According to Selectmen’s Assistant Briggette Martins, only three applicants have applied thus far.

• In a letter of correspondence, Council on Aging Director is requesting a direct phone line for the Council on Aging. Traynor and Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo both said they were in favor of this and want to look at the cost first.