The Town of Halifax’s Fireworks Celebration, coordinated by the members of the Halifax Fireworks Committee, is scheduled for Saturday, June 29, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. behind the Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth St. A variety of activities will be available during the event such as a DJ, food vendors, face painting, and more.
The Fireworks Committee is also seeking volunteers on Sunday, June 30, to assist with post-event cleanup. If you’re interested in volunteering, please e-mail Janice Hayward at [email protected] or Susan Hill at [email protected].
In the event of inclement weather, the Fireworks display will be rescheduled to Sunday, June 30, and the post-event cleanup will take place on Monday, July 1.
This event is made possible by the support and funding from residents, guests, sponsors, and local businesses. We are thankful to all who have contributed towards continuing the tradition.
Everyone is invited to take part in watching one of Halifax’s grand community events as we celebrate our nation’s birthday alongside friends, family, and neighbors. We hope to see you there!
Halifax Farmer’s Market throughout the summer
The Halifax Farmer’s Market will set up its pop-ups at the Halifax Town Hall on the following dates throughout the summer:
• Saturday, June 22
• Saturday, June 29
• Saturday, July 6
• Saturday, July 13
• Saturday, July 20
• Saturday, July 27
• Saturday, August 3
• Saturday, August 17
• Saturday, August 31
• Saturday, September 14
• Saturday, September 28
• Saturday, October 12
• Saturday, October 26
The fee for vendors to participate is a donation to the Halifax Helping Hands Food Pantry.
Plympton veteran wins first place
By Bob Lessard, Historian
American Legion Post 64,
Middleboro
Jeffrey Montelo of Main Street Plympton was awarded a first-place gold medal in Denver, Colorado at the National Veteran’s Creative Arts Festival.
His winning artwork of a bearded veteran, which was titled “Through the eyes of a Veteran” captured the top prize.
Montelo, a United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, had earned a spot in Denver, when his artwork placed first in the creative art contest held at the Brockton VA Medical Center.
Commenting on his winning creation, Montelo stated, “He’s probably homeless and looking into his future and it looks a little brighter.”
Montelo is an active member of Middleboro’s Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64 American Legion. He was Commander in 2014 and currently holds office as Senior Vice Commander of District 10, where he is the Commander-elect. He also is a member of Middleboro’s Veterans Honor Guard, which provides a contingent of flag holders and a firing squad for funerals of Middleboro veterans. In Plympton, he is an active member of the Fire Department’s Community Emergency Response Team…CERT.
Silver Lake Boys LAX take on Marshfield
Laker Boys Lacrosse took on a highly ranked Marshfield Rams team in their last game of the season prior to MIAA Playoffs. Despite dropping this one to the Rams, Silver Lake was ranked 30 in MIAA Division 2 securing a first-round game vs Methuen High School. The Lakers won that first round game 14-11 and moved on to the second round of the playoffs to take on Longmeadow earlier this week.
Photos and text by Steve Gilbert
To purchase and see more game action visit
http://sgphoto.net
Silver Lake graduates 230 Friday
Friday evening, May 31, Silver Lake Regional High School graduated 230 seniors. Among those was a special presentation, a surprise, when US Marine Corporal Patrick Andrew Ganley appeared to present diplomas to his sisters Caitlin Marjorie Ganley and Eileen Shannon Ganley. Cpl. Ganley has been stationed in Okinawa, Japan since 2021 and his sisters had no idea their oldest brother was going to be able to make it home to help celebrate their accomplishment.
The touching reunion brought many to tears, including Principal Michaela Gill.
Erin Christina Flaherty, CTE Student of the Year, led the audience in the Salute to the flag. The Silver Lake Select Choir, conducted by Choral Director Kelley DePasqua, sang the National Anthem, followed by “Measure Me, Sky” by Elaine Hagenberg, Conducted by Department chairperson and Choral Director Kelley DePasqua, accompanied by Ms. Shu-Hui Chen, pianist.
The Select Choir Seniors performed “Only We Know” by Keane/Lojeski. Soloists were Ella Cox, Paige Bachyrycz, Alison O’Connor, Alana Borges, Sami Areski, Pyper Goguen, Julia Cartright, Emma Christensen, Madison Brown, Rebecca White. Modern Band performed, with Dylan Cicone on Guitar, Benjamin Webby on Bass, and Benjamin Gulinello on Drums.
Nikhil Harish, class vice-president introduced Grace Patricia Faherty, President of the Class of 2024 who gave opening remarks in a welcome address. Harish spoke of Faherty’s volunteering with Best Buddies, and her work at Silver Lake to make it an inclusive atmosphere, praising her abilities to bring people together. She was also the service project coordinator for the National Honor Society. Coordinating food drives and charity events, “giving back”.
Faherty thanked her family and friends, saying, “no matter where I end up in the future, we will always have each other.” She spoke about being at the edge of the known and the unknown, ready to step into a world that is as unpredictable as it is exciting.”
Invited faculty speaker, Anthony Weber was introduced by Ella Ruth Crotty, Class Treasurer, who praised Weber’s dedication to his students and promoting a sense of inclusion, thanked him for “believing in us even as we struggled to believe in ourselves.”
Weber took the podium and spoke of navigating the highs and lows of the post-COVID school year, the teamwork, in scholastics and athletics. He ended his remarks with a favorite quote from Calvin Coolidge, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.” Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent,” he said.
Class president Grace Faherty introduced Honor Essayist Kristen Marilyn Arieta, her longtime friend and Class Salutatorian. Arieta told of the many things her class has to be proud of. She said one of the best analogies was to think of ourselves as an iceberg. The very tip of the iceberg is all that’s visible. “… what’s shown to the rest of the world is just a small fraction of who we are. .. Now we have an opportunity to show even more of who we are.”
Alexander James Risio, Valedictorian, was introduced by Ella Elizabeth Cox, Class Secretary, telling of his accomplishments including captain of the Silver Lake Track and Field, and serving on the student council’s executive board. One of the most humble and genuine people I know… and he will be attending Harvard University in the fall, majoring in computer science and biomedical engineering. Risio spoke of the cycles of life in nature, adapting, changing, As author John Shedd said, “ A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for.” Our next step is difficult but just like in nature, we can find our footing among the shifting tides. He recalled his first day as a freshman trying out for track and field, failing miserably. His parents said he could quit but urged him to give it one more day. It was a simple act of kindness from a senior who took time to explain how the system worked, set him on a path to success in long-distance running. “Simple acts of kindness can completely change one’s life.”
Mrs. Michaela Gill, Principal, was introduced by Class Historian Matthew Daniel Meal, who described her as someone who embodies excellence and leadership, perseverance and unwavering commitment to our education. Her ability to lead our school reflects the success we have seen in our clubs, organizations, record-setting sports teams and vocational-technical programs. Her personability is what makes her a great leader…. She fosters a sense of belonging and inspires us to strive for excellence.
Principal Michalea Gill recalled that the Class of ’24 had a unique entry into high school learning, with hybrid learning, desks 6 feet apart, challenging for all, learning names with faces hidden behind a mask for a year and a half. These challenges ultimately helped foster their resilience with each setback. “I’ve witnessed them bounce back stronger and more capable than ever before.”
Class Vice-president Mikhil Harish introduced Silver Lake Superintendent Dr. Jill Proulx. “Since Feb. 2020, Dr. Proulx has provided in-service training to support inclusive practices including social, emotional learning, and effective technology integration as well.”
Superintendent Jill Proulx accepted the Class, saying that the hard work and dedication they have put into their education is shown by this accomplishment. “They have all spent days and nights, working both in and out of the classroom to reach this point. They should be proud of themselves for being here today and for putting in all that effort. … I know that every one of you is more than adequately prepared to face what comes next. … Class of 2024, you are the next generation of innovators, thinkers, and creators for this country, the best country in the world.”
Diplomas were presented to 230 students by Principal Michaela Gill, assisted by Paula Hatch, Chair of Silver Lake Regional District School Committee, Assistant Principals Catherine Pratt and Steven Blette.
SLRMS bullying concerns aired
The Silver Lake Regional School Committee met on Thursday, May 16 for their final meeting before their closeout in July.
A Halifax resident spoke during the public participation portion of the meeting. “There are three specific areas I would like to talk to you about – ongoing failure to provide a safe learning environment for my son… the effect it has had on our child and our family… and recent retaliatory responses by your administration on my child,” he said. The resident said that his family felt they were dealing with bullying, but said that Silver Lake Regional Middle School Principal Becky Couet said, “there’s only been one formal case of bullying during her tenure.” He said that information was misrepresented including where a teacher was in relation to their son during an assault. He said that his son was “incredibly reluctant” to engage with the school regarding the bullying. The resident said, “he knew it wouldn’t help, he would be labeled a snitch – an outcast, and the teachers and administrations would turn against him. Sadly he was right.” The resident and father said that the chain of events eventually led to his child engaging in self-harm. He said that his son was harassed “physically, emotionally, and mentally.”
“The school entertained our correspondence, however no plan to help (his son) rejoin the student community or take steps to look at his well-being going forward were taken,” he explained. He continued, “In short, we had a document called a safety plan written for very specific antagonists and specific actions, but that was the extent. It was also unclear and often proven that classroom teachers weren’t aware of what was happening.” He said that his son has since been implicated in two different incidents which the school claimed had him in the wrong. The first incident involved what was deemed “inappropriate touching” and involved a brief touch on the back of another student. He said that the investigations into these incidents were in stark contrast to the ones held in regard to the bullying against his son. He said that to his family’s knowledge their son had had no prior disciplinary incidents with the school. “He’s gone through a terrible year and we have advocated fiercely on his behalf. It’s odd that now for the first time ever he’s been implicated in uncharacteristic disciplinary investigations. One can see a high degree of correlation here and even draw causation,” he explained. He said he has spoken with many other families whose students have suffered similar situations. He pointed out that the average teacher salary at Silver Lake is far greater than the average salary of a Kingston, Halifax, or Plympton resident and said those teachers should be held more accountable.
Committee Chair Paula Hatch thanked him for coming in and having such thoughtful remarks. “Bullying and such is nothing this Committee condones,” she said. She asked if the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) had been contacted and was told that they had. Superintendent Jill Proulx said that she couldn’t share the details of that investigation with the Committee during open session. Hatch promised the parent that she would respond back to him after digesting the information.
Sarah Hickey gave an update on the bids received for the CTE overhead door project. It was explained that it isn’t simply a garage door but rather “a pretty extensive project” involving the rebuilding of the steel frame around the door as well. Hickey said she asked the Emergency Response Team for the High School regarding the current doors, “If the doors were open and the building were to go into a lockdown, is this going to need ten minutes to shut the door – is that a concern and the answer back was yes.” The two doors needing replacement are in metal fab and automotive. The Committee voted to change the budgeted amount for the two doors from roughly $181,000 to $201,000. Committee member Gordon Laws asked if it was over the capabilities of the CTE students to build the doors and was told that it definitely was outside of their scope.
CTE Director Elliot Glass spoke to the Committee regarding a carpentry project. “We have a great project that we’re recommending that we’ve been working with the customer on; I previewed this quickly with our CTE Sub-Committee last time we sat together in April; I did share the plans and the application with Paula [Hatch]… this project is within walking distance of the High School,” Glass explained. He said that it is a two-car garage with a mudroom built off the side of a single family home. “All of the pieces that we looked at to evaluate from course curriculum to the scope of work, safety considerations, travel and location, customer readiness were all very high… so it’s a great project,” Glass said.
The principals both gave updates. Couet presented the school improvement plan which the Committee voted to approve. She also presented a learning update thanking the curriculum coordinator in particular. She said that they utilize STAR testing for an assessment specifically in English/Language Arts. It is computer adaptive which means that students get moved to higher levels as they answer questions correctly. She said that the meeting grade level expectations went up from fall to spring. She did note that the exceeding expectations category was going up for math, but not ELA. She said that the school was working on cross- curriculum assessments and assignments between ELA and social studies.
High School Principal Michaela Gill said that they spent the first half of the school year as a faculty analyzing student MCAS scores and “really breaking down where do they perform well and what are areas that we need to help our students improve.” Gill said that common assessments were administered in ELA across all four grades targeting multiple standards. She said that while they were falling short in meeting or exceeding expectations in several standards in the fall, they have since made improvements in achieving those goals. She said that they would continue to work toward improving things further through professional development, student interventions, and other means. She also shared math updates including growth in students meeting or exceeding expectations in algebra.
Student representative Connor Doyle, who will be attending Assumption College in the fall, recapped student activity for one final time. He said that students enjoyed spring spirit week following April vacation which included soccer mom and barbeque dad day. He said that the AP government mock election took place between the breakfast sandwich and the French toast stick with the latter coming out on top. He also acknowledged many upcoming events including graduation and prom. He said that the class of 2028 would be coming to the High School for step up day. He thanked the Committee for allowing him to serve as their student representative.
Hatch told everyone in attendance, “We have a budget for next year, all three towns – hard fought, was not an easy process. I want to thank the taxpayers for supporting the budget… I want to thank this Committee for everything you did this year to get us to this point, it was a brutal year… I want to thank the SLEA for putting your heads together… having said all that, I want to thank everyone at this table… and everyone who had a hand in this administratively.”
There was a lengthy conversation about hiring additional staff to ensure that Silver Lake doesn’t miss deadlines, etc. per the required corrective action plan that came about due to an audit from DESE. Someone asked what would happen if they were to miss a deadline in the future and Hickey said they could withdraw federal grants from Silver Lake. Committee member Jason Fraser said, “I would like to see them try.” He said they would support Hickey were they to miss a deadline, etc.
Superintendent Jill Proulx provided an update saying that negotiations for several key positions within the District were underway. She said the only one that could be announced that evening was the new Assistant Director of Student Services Elizabeth MacKay. “Elizabeth is an experienced school psychologist and special education administrator,” Proulx said. She also said that they are in the process of hiring a new Athletic Director.
Fraser provided the Legislative Agent’s report. According to Fraser the House budget came through for Silver Lake “quite a bit.” He credited Representative Kathy LaNatra for the record high $104 per pupil minimum increment in the House budget which had previously been set at $30 by the Governor. Fraser said that this would help the town of Halifax, in particular.
Fraser also thanked Senator Bruce Tarr saying he was named the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Legislator of the Year. Fraser said that Tarr put in quite a few amendments to be debated including one to fully fund regional transportation. Another is to increase the per pupil increment to $125 per student. Yet another amendment is to get the inflation index from 1.35 up to 4.5 percent with provisions for catch-up years coming in the future. Fraser said that Circuit Breaker is fully funded at 75 percent for tuition and transportation. “MASC was the organization calling for that and the Senate listened and it’s in the budget already,” he told the Committee. One of the Committee members commented on how lucky Silver Lake Regional School Committee is to have Fraser who works to get money not just for Silver Lake but for the entire State. This comment was met with applause.
Halifax Board of Health sponsors Rabies Clinic
The Halifax Board of Health is partnering with Dr. Finney from the VCA Hanson Animal Hospital to offer a Rabies Clinic on Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Halifax Highway Barn, 60 Hemlock Lane.
One (1) and three (3) year vaccines will be available at the clinic. Proof of a valid (unexpired) rabies certificate is required for your dog or cat to be administered a three (3) year vaccination.
The fee per vaccination is $15.00 regardless of which vaccine is administered. Only cash or check payment methods will be accepted; credit or debit card payments will not be available.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Board of Health by calling (781) 293-6768 or e-mailing [email protected].
Dog walking in the cemetery?
The Plympton Board of Selectmen met for the first time since the town election that saw former Selectmen Chair Christine Joy voted out in favor of newcomer Dana Smith. Following an election the Selectmen typically reorganize nominating the new Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk. The Board voted unanimously to appoint John Traynor as Chair, Mark Russo as Vice Chair, and Smith as Clerk.
Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte spoke saying that a resident was found to be bringing dogs into the towns’ cemeteries. He said that the resident became frustrated when confronted. Firlotte recalled the owner saying “that rule is your opinion and it doesn’t matter to me and I will continue to walk my dogs here.” He also noted that the owner’s dog jumped up and scratched the door of his vehicle. Firlotte said that the “No Dogs” rule has been in place for the entire 19-year duration of his tenure working in Plympton. Traynor said that he looked into the rules regarding dogs in cemeteries in neighboring communities and noted that most do not allow dogs either. Traynor said that in the long-term they may need to look into having a pathway put in place at the cemetery specifically for dog walking. He noted an overall problem in town with a lack of spaces for dog walking and said that owners not picking up after their dogs is part of the problem.
Russo noted that there is a sign in the cemetery stating general policy and he said that number one on that list is that the responsibility for enforcing those rules lies with the Board of Selectmen and the Burial Agent. Russo said that rule number seven says that dogs and horses are prohibited from the cemetery. He proposed potentially changing the rule to allow dogs on the walkways in the cemetery rather than on the grass near the graves. Smith said, “I love dogs; I’ve got two of them… I would kind of second the idea of trying to develop a park that’s a little bit safer and dedicated to that; obviously in the interim you have to come up with some solutions toward this, but it does shift some burden on the Highway Department if they’re going through to clean and do their normal maintenance of that area as well.” He said that he would like to see the town explore the possibility of a dog park.
Russo stressed that a leash law as well as regulations around cleaning up after the dogs would need to be strictly enforced. Traynor said that he was uncomfortable with Russo’s suggestion. “We owe the town a solution to the issue of dogs walking, but I don’t think the cemetery is the right solution though except if we could have a walkway around it,” Traynor said. Firlotte did interject to say there wasn’t much room around it that didn’t include graves.
The resident Firlotte spoke about was in attendance. She handed out typed out notes on her proposed suggestion which she distributed. She said that while she appreciated the Board’s proposed solutions, she is 79 years old and likely wouldn’t see them come to fruition. “I choose my times carefully,” she said of when she goes into the cemetery to walk her dog. “The few people I’ve met have been fine. I’ve had a picnic with people. I just met some college students who are doing a paper on the cemetery. I’ve met a man who is actually archiving the artwork and sending it to Harvard. So there’s just a lot of stuff going on there. My feelings are I’m always up for a compromise,” she said. The resident also apologized for the scratch on Firlotte’s car. Traynor asked her her opinion on Harry Jason Park. The resident said that she does go there but noted that she has had issues with ticks there.
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy recommended pursuing pricing from a company such as Oh Deer for spraying for ticks and mosquitos. Even if only for the safety of the children using the fields at various parks.
Russo said that the authority over Harry Jason Park is the Recreation Department while the Selectmen and the Burial Agent have authority over the cemeteries. Still other areas in town including Churchill Park, Cato’s Ridge, and Two Brooks are under the authority of the Conservation Commission. Traynor questioned that and asked Dennehy to look into who has purview over what and confirm.
“Let’s find a solution that makes sense for the town,” Traynor said. Russo said, “On the other hand, the problem of dogs and the degree of freedom is endless and goes on everywhere; in the ten years I’ve been a Selectmen, it’s the subject I fear the most.” Smith suggested potentially having the containers that dispense dog waste bags. Firlotte did note that those containers tend to fill with water and become “nasty” bringing ticks and diseases.
Dennehy noted that several neighboring communities do have dog parks including Scituate. She said that she didn’t believe they were particularly expensive to construct. “I did sign up for a municipal account with the PETCO grant program so I want to see if we’re eligible maybe for some sort of donation. I’m trying to think outside the box and I did see that they have a feature where you could sign up as some sort of governmental agency so I can pursue that avenue a little more as well,” she said. Traynor recommended that they also see about reaching out to Kathy LaNatra as well.
Dennehy provided an update. She said they are waiting to hear back on the Green Communities Grant that was submitted. Dennehy told the Selectmen that they had to pull out the Highway Department work from the grant but noted that they were going full steam ahead with the necessary work to the heating system at the library. The work needed for the Highway Department would have to be rolled into a future grant cycle Dennehy explained.
The Selectmen turned their attention to their rants and raves of the last few weeks. Traynor said that his rant was that only 27.6 percent of residents turned out to the town election. “Which is pretty high compared to our history, but it frustrates me that the other 74 percent or whatever that percent is can’t take the 10 or 15 minutes it takes to come out here and vote,” he said. “I do think we need to work on getting more people here,” Traynor said. Russo said he agreed. “Also we tend to have boards and commissions and committees that are endlessly looking for more talent,” Russo said.
“I’m going to turn it from a rant to a rave on the fact that that many people did participate, and to go off on one of the things Mr. Russo said, I think you’re absolutely correct on it that people have to understand what those positions are and I think that one of the things that may be underutilized… most people now rely on social media… I think to a certain extent we’re expecting people to sort of search for things versus having information presented to them,” Smith said. He advocated for a social media campaign that would explain what each particular board does and what the open position entails.
Russo said his rave was for two Selectmen that he served with, the first being Joe Fratus. “Joe had plenty of flaws. Many, many flaws actually. As well, he and I could disagree about just about absolutely everything… I’m going to come to the rave; and the other rave is for Christine Joy who I served with for the last six years. I learned a lot from both of these people. Joe… when he was dying… we became sort of odd fellow friends along the way which I remember very fondly. But what I learned from both of them is that there are some fundamental things about how to be a good Selectman. But I also learned that it’s not very complicated… 1. Is to show up. 2. Is to do the work… by far, the most important thing I learned from them is regardless of ideology, the best interest of the town is always our first interest, so I’m really grateful to have spent time with those two people,” Russo said.
The Selectmen also discussed moving their meeting time. Smith recommended moving the meeting to an earlier time in the afternoon. Traynor said he would be willing to try and pilot an earlier time, but Russo said that he was hesitant due to transparency concerns. “When I first ran for Selectman, maybe 11 years ago, in large part it was a lack of civility on this Board and a lack of transparency. It wasn’t so long ago that on this Board, decisions were literally made in cigar-filled back rooms and selectmen making decisions that way. One of the many things I pride myself on and pride the Board of Selectmen on in how we have been the last decade, is how transparent we are and I’m pretty sensitive to complaints of citizenry that we aren’t available,” Russo explained. Selectmen agreed to move their meeting time to 2 p.m. on Mondays for the summer. Russo agreed as long as it was understood it was only a trial for the summer and would be reconsidered in September.
Kingston BOS reorganizes
The Kingston Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, May 21.
“Thank you to everyone that voted in the town’s annual election; we very much appreciate everyone that took the time to cast their votes in the very damp weather,” Selectmen Chair Kimberley Emberg said. She also thanked Sheila Vaughn for her years of dedication to the town including nine years on the School Committee and four as a Selectman. Emberg welcomed new Selectman Melissa Bateman.
Selectman Tyler Bouchard thanked Harbormaster Tom Taylor for all of his dedication to getting the boat ramp and parking lot ready. “For the amount of time that Tom Taylor, the Harbormaster, put into volunteering because when I say volunteer, he doesn’t get paid for the time this was happening so from the fall until now, he was off the books and he was down there every day,” Bouchard said. He also sang the praises of the volunteers who helped bring the project to life as well and in the process, saved the town a lot of money. Bouchard’s comments were met with a round of applause.
Emberg told the Board that they would need to do a reorganization of the Board following the election. “It’s been an honor to serve as everyone’s Chair here for the last three years; I would like to nominate someone else to be the Chair for this year,” she said. She nominated Selectman Eric Crone to fill the role. The Board voted unanimously to appoint Crone as the new Chair. Bouchard was voted in as Vice Chair. Emberg was voted in as the Clerk.
The Selectmen approved the shellfish aquaculture license renewals for John Wheble and Thomas Taylor following a brief public hearing. The renewals are good for 10 years.
The Selectmen also voted to increase the FY24 recreation revolving fund limit from $500,000 to $575,000 per the Recreation Director request. “Any recreation programs that need to be canceled to not allow the revolving fund to exceed $500,000 will have to be canceled for the remainder of the year,” Town Administrator Keith Hickey explained. He further said that the funds are spent on things like programs and field maintenance. The Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the increase contingent on Finance Committee approval.
A developer wishing to construct a recycling plant appeared before the Selectmen for a presentation. “It is worth noting that this project, if approved, would provide Kingston with a significant commercial taxpayer and would provide a reduction in the town’s solid waste cost,” Crone said. He did note that approval of the project would fall under the Planning Board’s purview. Managing Partner Jack Walsh shared an informational video on Kingston Environmental Partners, LLC. The video said that the proposal envisioned the construction of a new facility that would tie into the existing railway system. It also said that they would become one of the largest taxpayers in Kingston. Unlike existing transfer stations, the proposed one would have minimal community impact as the roads used would be ones not typically traveled by residents. “The project will also be subject to a lengthy environmental review by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which encourages community input,” the video stated. Emberg cautioned about saying that the roads used are rarely utilized by residents as there are many existing businesses along those roadways in addition to the few residences.
Hickey explained a bit about the intended project and then said, “we’re having some challenges disposing of our trash in a cost-effective manner.” He also touched on the Host Community Agreement which he said could be “designed to meet the needs of Kingston specifically.” Hickey called Walsh a “straight-shooter” and said he felt confident that the community’s questions would be addressed. Those in attendance were told that they could email any questions to [email protected].
Crone asked how many trucks per day could be expected during peak operating hours. Walsh said, “At peak optimal, there would probably be around 6-8 trucks an hour based on a 12-hour operating day, we’re looking to start around 6 a.m. and end around 6 p.m. at night.” He said that they plan to be closed during holidays and Sundays as well.
Chair of the Recycling Committee Jean M. Landis-Naumann spoke saying, “I’m hoping that you will consider including us in the conversations… certainly at this point I will take it back to the Committee for them to come up with their own position on this project, but I certainly would appreciate us being included in the conversations as this is our meat and potatoes really… and I would urge you to keep in mind that we do have a private hauler regulation… so most of the private companies have gone to a dual truck so half the truck is recycling and half is trash.”
The Board approved six one-day liquor licenses for the upcoming music nights at Gray’s Beach. The nights include June 11, June 25, July 9, July 23, August 6, and August 20 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
The Board also discussed the Town Administrator’s evaluation. Hickey asked for some goals for the upcoming year and Crone recommended finances and budgets to the extent that they can be controlled. “I think it was challenging this year for a lot of different reasons to try to present a budget, a complete budget to the Board, to the Finance Committee, and to the community in a timely manner with the school coming in less than a month before town meeting, so can we work collaboratively with the school committees – I think the Board and the school committees need to be lock step with how we can improve these issues next year,” Hickey said. The Board also discussed whether to give the Town Administrator up to a $3,000 bonus based on his performance evaluation. The Selectmen voted in favor of the bonus with three in favor, one against (Emberg), and one abstention from Bateman.
Emberg spoke during the portion of the meeting toward the end dedicated to Selectmen’s comments. She said that she heard a complaint from a resident regarding the Ragnar Relay Race. According to the complaint, the race organizers were blaring music and announcements from a loudspeaker at 4 am. She said that next year they should make contingencies regarding noise. Bouchard spoke up thanking outgoing Selectman Sheila Vaughn for her years of service.
Bouchard also gave an update on the MBTA Zoning Taskforce. “To stay in compliance with the State’s mandates, the plans have to be filed with the State… so there will be a joint meeting between the MBTA Zoning Taskforce and the Planning Board on June 10 so that will be the final kind of checking off the boxes to send that plan off to the State… in order to get to fall town meeting,” he explained. He urged anyone interested to attend that meeting.
Help choose how to spend Library grant funds for accessibility
This coming Saturday the June 1st Plympton Public Library Speakers Forum will be on hiatus. In its place there will be a community discussion on “Accessibility at the Library”.
The Plympton Public Library was recently awarded a grant for $20,000 from the American Library Association. This grant is intended to help make the library more accessible for visitors with disabilities. The community will help decide how to spend this funding most effectively.
Please join us on June 1 at 10:30 a.m. for our monthly First Saturday program and to participate in the decision-making on how this funding will be spent! This meeting will take place at the Plympton Town House. Refreshments will be provided.
This is an important meeting that I hope you will attend.
John
John Traynor • 62 Crescent Stree • Plympton, MA 02367 • 781-585-6617 cell
[email protected]
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