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Plympton permitting process to change

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PLYMPTON– During the regularly scheduled selectmen’s meeting on Monday, August 22, the majority of the meeting was taken up by a presentation to board and committee members, along with town employees regarding changes to the building permitting process.

At the behest of Selectman John Traynor, a workgroup was formed several months ago to address what was seen as a haphazard “loosey-goosey” system of moving building permits through the various departments, boards and committees. Builders have even been known to wander Town House trying to get various portions of a permit “signed-off” on.

The workgroup recommended having a single focal person in the Building Department, in this case Kathy Wright, to be the designated permitting coordinator, who will move permits through the new process.

Further security was another recommendation of the board, and each permit application will now be assigned a master control number as it moves through the system.

A further recommendation is that boards coordinate their schedules so that delays aren’t introduced due to posting requirements or conflicting schedules. A permit application will begin with the Building Department at step 1. The application will be reviewed in a timely fashion by the Permit Coordinator, who will determine what boards, offices and committees the project will need to pass through at step 2. Step 3 involves a check to make sure all taxes are paid on the property by the Tax Collector at which point a control number will be assigned to the application. Step 4 will have the Assessors assign a street number to a parcel if it doesn’t have one. At this point the Building Department will review the application with the input of the Fire Department and the Highway Department (steps 5, 6 and 7).

If the project needs to be reviewed by the Zoning Officer or the Planning Board, that will occur next (steps 8 and 9), finally moving to the Conservation Commission and the Board of Health in steps 10 and 11. If all requirements are met, a building permit is issued. At any step, an affirmative response moves the application along to the next step, but a negative response sends the application back to step 1.There are some notable exceptions. Some minor projects, according to Building Inspector Tom Millias, do not need extensive review outside the building department. Other projects may receive early Conservation Commission or Board of Health review if they involve locations near wetlands in the first case, or septic designs, repairs or wells in the latter case.

The proposal was agreed upon by those present, many of whom had participated in the workgroup and it will be implemented on a trial basis beginning September 6.

Early voting preparatons in Plympton

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The Town of Plympton Residents will be accommodated by the Town of Plympton Town Clerk, Tara J. Shaw, to “Early Vote” in the November 8th Election based on the terms provided in M.G.L. c. 50, § 1 (950 CMR 47.00: EARLY VOTING PROCEDURES).

Qualified voters may vote early in person at the Town of Plympton Town House or by mail and only in the town in which he or she is registered to vote. The deadline for the last day to register to vote for the November 8, 2016 Election is Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. The designated polling location is the same as all other Town of Plympton Elections located at the Plympton Town House, Community Meeting Room, 5 Palmer Road, Plympton, MA 02367. The mandated early voting period is Monday, October 24, 2016 and Friday, November 4, 2016. (Guideline specifics are as follows:  The voting period for early voting shall run from the eleventh business day preceding the general election until the close of business on the business day preceding the business day before the election; provided, however, that if the eleventh business day before the election falls on a legal holiday the early voting period shall begin on the first business day prior to the legal holiday.) To help clarify this law, and in the case of the Town of Plympton, Early Voting hours will be limited to the normal business hours of the Plympton Town Clerk which are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday evenings 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The specific dates are October 24-27 and October 31 – November 4.

“Generally, keeping polls open under normal circumstances is expensive, and that is true for early voting as well. This is the reason we are conducting early voting using the Town Clerk’s Office regular business hours within the time period mandated by the state. Back in January when meeting with the Finance Committee for the FY17 Budget, the specific guidelines for Early Voting had not been ironed out by the state, therefore, I did my best to predict costs for at least one additional Election Worker in addition to myself and my Assistant Town Clerk to accommodate Early Voting. In an effort to not put a strain on the already tight budget needed to perform all of the tasks in my office mandated by the state, and in a lot of cases, unfunded mandated costs, I am prepared to put in additional time if needed to help streamline the process and to keep the residents of Plympton informed. More informative material will follow by way of Town of Plympton website News and Announcements and Plympton-Halifax Express updates. Thank you for your patience as we launch ourselves into a new era that includes Early Voting!”

~ Town Clerk Tara Shaw.

Fire Dept. honors young heroes, swears in six more Swears in

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HALIFAX – Halifax selectmen met Tuesday evening in the Great Hall at the Halifax Town Hall as they welcomed  six new firefighters/paramedics to the Halifax Fire Dept.  Fire Chief Jason Vivieros was all smiles as the Great Hall filled with more than 50 friends and family to witness the event.

Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor administered the oaths to each of the half dozen, and each new badge was pinned by an important person in that firefighter’s life: father, son, daughter, friend.  Sworn in were Dillon Riley, John Eaton, Keri Kelleher, Alyssa Smith, Marc McGarry, and Bridget Ricciarelli.

Special Awards

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Chief Vivieros had two special awards to present.  Chief told the audience of receiving the call that no emergency responder wants to hear, “unresponsive child at the bottom of a swimming pool” last month.  “These guys never moved so fast…” to get to the scene.  It was the keen observance of two children who noticed something wrong and got help.  A 911 call was placed and when Halifax ambulance and EMTs got there, the child had been pulled from the pool, CPR begun, and the little girl was responding.  Halifax took over and rushed her to South Shore Hospital where she recovered fully.

Chief Vivieros presented special commendations to the two children who averted this potential tragedy: Jonathan Greeley and Olivia Shea, and noted that it was Olivia’s little sister who was saved.

The audience applauded these two young heroes.

Selectmen heard recommendations from the Solar Field committee who encouraged the board to seek proposals from “as many as 50…” solar companies to see what is out there and make some comparisons.

Alan Winkler, with the Solar Field Committee, advised selectmen to thoroughly investigate owning their own solar array, instead of “leasing” the equipment and getting 25 cents off your electricity rate for the next 20 years.  If the town owns its own equipment, it will reap all the benefits and tax credits, in addition to the power at an inexpensive rate.  He further advised putting out an “RFP” or Request for Proposals as soon as possible to get the information in so the town can be ready to act by the first of the year.

Selectmen agreed that they did not want to rush into a solar project until they have all the facts, and asked the Solar Field Committee to assist them in understanding all the information.

Asked what background he had to make these recommendations, Winkler told the board he had worked as an accountant/auditor for many years for the firm of Arthur Anderson and then worked for an energy company with diverse energy projects.  He has recently been working as a consultant helping people get the best deal possible in the energy field.

Halifax Town Administer Charlie Seelig told the board, “We have a group of residents who want to remove the blighted properties in tax title.”  They suggest to pass some sort of by-law regarding the upkeep of properties, and also to see how owners can be helped to keep their properties up.  The group will be meeting with selectmen on Aug. 27. The Tax Collector will also be at that meeting.

The perennial dog hearing for Tarawood Kennels has been continued to Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 7:45 p.m.  Seelig agreed with selectmen that two hearings for the same Kennel have been scheduled and because the testimony and evidence is much the same for both hearings, they will run concurrently.

Seelig said that the original hearing for barking dogs will be heard as well as the 25 petitioners hearing which claims that no notification was given for any of the Appeals Board hearings which approved the special licenses for Tarawood Kennels.  Seelig cited case law of Kramer vs. Somerville which called into question the validity of a permit when proper notification was not given.  He also advised the board that legal remedy may be sought against the town because of the lack of notification to abutters by the Zoning Board of Appeals.  Seelig furthered that the abutters might take the kennel to court as the numbers of dogs allowed has increased several times without due notice.  Next Tuesday, Aug. 30, the matters will be heard in the Great Hall of the Town Hall at 7:45 p.m.

In other business selectmen

• appointed Cesar Calouro to the Halifax Fireworks Committee.

• heard from Rick Springer and Mike McGonnigle from Coneco Engineers and Scientists in Bridgewater who would like to submit a net metering proposal for a solar project on Franklin Street.

• reminded people of the upcoming State Primary Election on Thursday, Sept. 8.  Election will be held at the all-purpose room of the Halifax Elementary School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• heard from Douglas Hall, owner of a 3-year-old pointer/hound mix dog who ran into the street and bit a neighbor’s husky dog.  The animal control officer testified that she felt Hall was taking the situation seriously, and is in the process of training this dog that he has owned for only 3 months.  The owner of the husky was not in attendance.  No further action was recommended.

• re-appointed Selectman Troy Garron to the MBTA committee.

• issued a permit for live entertainment to Salon Serenity for Saturday, Sept. 17, from 1-4 p.m.

• received a request from Larry Henrich for a solar assisted flashing stop sign to call attention to the stop sign at the intersection of Pine and Plymouth streets.  Henrich would help defray the cost.

• voted to maintain the $50 fee for recycling for another year.  The thought is to build up a surplus in the account so that new trash receptacles which would work with the new trash collection truck could be purchased.

Selectmen adjourned to the downstairs selectmen’s meeting room at 9:15 p.m. to go into executive session, for a grievance hearing to appeal a 3-day suspension for Al Hingst, and to discuss a dispatcher contract.

Drought watch: Tips to reduce water use

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HALIFAX/PLYMPTON– As of August 1, Plympton and Halifax are both under a drought watch, the middle of a 5-step scale to measure the severity of a drought. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation has these tips to reduce water usage during this unusually dry spell.

• Abide by local water-use restrictions

Limits on outdoor water use help to ensure that enough water is available for essential needs, including drinking water and fire protection. State permits require public water systems to implement stronger restrictions based on drought conditions.

• Minimize landscape water needs through water-smart landscaping principles:

1) Maintain healthy soils (a minimum of 6-inches in depth, where possible).

2) Choose native plants or plants and turf that need less water.

3) Group plants according to their water needs to maximize

efficiency of irrigation.

4) Minimize areas of turf grass.

5) Use mulch to reduce evaporation and moderate soil

temperature.

6) Maintain turf grass at 2 1/2-3 inches to shade soil and deepen

roots.

7) Leave grass clippings on lawn to shade and return nutrients

to soil.

• Most years, Massachusetts receives enough rain to supply all the water needed for a healthy, drought- resistant mature lawn or landscape, without the need for irrigation. Most lawns can survive extended dry periods without watering – they will turn brown, but revive once the rain returns. To keep an established lawn green, a maximum of one inch of water per week is enough. If there has been an inch of rain in the week, you don’t need to water. (Inexpensive rain gauges can be used to measure rain.)

• Irrigate efficiently, and only if necessary

1) Know plants’ water needs and avoid overwatering.

2) Don’t water 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

3) Water deeply and less often to encourage deep root growth.

4) Regularly inspect and maintain irrigation systems.

5) Use “smart” irrigation controllers that adjust for weather.

6) Use rain barrels to capture and reuse rainwater.

• Cover swimming pools when not in use to prevent evaporative losses.

• Sweep driveways, walks, patios, and other outdoor areas with a broom rather than hosing them off.

• Wash vehicles using a bucket and sponge, employing a hose with a shut-off nozzle for rinse only, or, if available, use a commercial car wash that recycles water (most do).

• Choose high-efficiency plumbing products and appliances.

• Fix leaks! Dripping faucets and leaking toilets, pipes, and appliances can add up to hundreds of gallons of water lost per week.

• Collect and reuse clean household water (water running while you wait for hot water to reach your faucet or shower; leftover water from steaming vegetables or boiling eggs, etc.) and use this to water plants.

• Create a kitchen compost bin as an alternative to using the garbage disposal.

• Turn off water while brushing teeth or shaving.

• Use water-saving showerheads and take shorter showers.

• Wash only full loads of laundry.

Heatstroke or Sunstroke: two different medical issues

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HALIFAX/PLYMPTON– With several weeks of summer left, public safety officials are warning of the proper first aid for both heatstroke and sunstroke. Although similar in cause, the two conditions must be distinguished between as each requires different treatment.

With heatstroke, the skin becomes cold, moist and pale. Body temperature is lowered, lower than normal. A victim’s pulse is rapid, but weak, and breathing is quiet and shallow. They may be perspiring excessively and experience dizziness, faintness, loss of consciousness and cramping.

First aid for heatstroke involves loosening the clothing of the victim and putting them in a relaxed, reclining position. Lowering the head and body temperature should help. Call 911 or a doctor for professional medical care.

With sunstroke, the victim will usually have hot, dry and red skin and a raised body temperature, even a fever. Their pulse will often be rapid and strong and their breathing will be loud and rapid. They may not be perspiring at all. They may also experience nausea, vomiting, thirst, drowsiness, or unconsciousness.

First aid for sunstroke involves loosening the clothing of the victim and putting them in a relaxed, reclining position. Raise the head. Do not attempt to lower the body temperature or apply cold water.

Both sunstroke and heatstroke can be medical emergencies. Do not hesitate to call 911 or a doctor for professional medical care.

MOU signed for Parsonage Rd: One step closer to closing on the property

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PLYMPTON– The Plympton Board of Health held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, August 16. Several status updates were heard and new business was signed off on. Most notably, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the board and Richmond Poole so that he can close on the property owned by the USDA at 59 Parsonage Road.

• An MOU was signed between the board and Richmond Poole– conditional on some minor paperwork on Poole’s part– outlining the conditions under which the board will lift the letter on the title to the property. The property was re-inspected, and the only issues other than the trailers on the property involve securing a bulkhead. Mr. Poole’s attorney was present.

Board will monitor

Upland Road rats

• A rat infestation on Upland Road continues to seem to have abated itself. The board wanted to monitor the situation until the end of August, and will inspect the property once more before closing the matter.

• A resident on Elm street with multiple septic tanks on his property wants to reuse one of them. The board will write him a letter stating that he needs to have what is currently there inspected so he knows which one is in the best shape.

Rubbish on Grove St

And Mayflower Rd.

• A resident on Grove Street is working with the Council on Aging and the Board of Health to remove a dumpster’s worth of rubbish from her property. Since the resident hasn’t purchased a transfer station permit, even offers to volunteer to haul the trash– as board member Ken Thompson had offered– cannot be taken up. The board wants the resident to find a permanent solution to the trash problem. “She’s got to take care of it,” said Art Morin, board chair. “That’s the end of the story.”

• A property on Mayflower Street that was foreclosed by their bank and left with rubbish out front is being ordered by the board to clean up the mess. Since the lender is in Texas, the response hasn’t been adequate, but health board staff has found a phone number for the lender and will contact them again.

• Three Building Department permits were signed off on prior to the meeting: one for a Main Street renovation, one for a Main Street handicap ramp, and one for a Prospect Road rebuilding of a collapsed post and beam barn.

Troubled waters ahead for Brockton: Calter calls on Brockton to ‘come clean’ about drastic situation

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SILVER LAKE – State Representative Thomas Calter (D-Kingston) today (August 17) said that residents of Brockton face the very real prospect of running out of water within the next several weeks if the drought continues and Brockton officials do not develop a backup plan.

Calter, who recently wrote a column that appeared in the Kingston Reporter and Plympton-Halifax Express, said that the Brockton Water Department needs to come clean about the drastic situation that the city faces and develop a plan to protect the city in the event that Silver Lake is unable to meet Brockton’s water demands.

Calter noted that Silver Lake, which is the water source for the City of Brockton, is in imminent danger of falling below the level where it can provide water to Brockton.

“The water level in the lake has dropped to historic lows.”He further noted that West Monponsett Pond, which is a backup source of water to Silver Lake, cannot be used to make up the deficit because the level of cyanobacteria is 10 times the health standard.

“There is a real concern because of the drought, which has brought the water to a dangerous low. The levels today are comparable to 1986 when Brockton declared a water crisis.”

Recently, representatives of the Jones River Watershed Association were invited to discuss the crisis at a Brockton City Council meeting. However, that presentation was thwarted by the City’s Legal Counsel who demanded that the public presentation be cancelled.

“People may think that Brockton’s desalinization plant can meet their water needs. However, it can only provide 30% of Brockton’s daily needs,” Calter said. He added, “There is an option for Brockton to hook up to the MWRA (Massachusetts Water Resources Authority) in Stoughton, but that action would require several months of construction.” He said, “We don’t believe that Brockton has researched that or any other option.”

“We are concerned that the city will run out of water without warning and without a backup plan.” Calter said. He has briefed the Governor, the Secretary of Environmental Affairs and the Brockton Legislative delegation of the current water shortage and of the serious health concerns related to the poor quality of water in Monponsett Pond.

Business Certificates needed in Plympton

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Plympton Town Clerk Tara J. Shaw would like to remind people who have a business office in Plympton, that they MUST file a business certificate with the office of the Town Clerk.  The certificate is good for four years, and then must be renewed.  Any time the information on the business certificate changes, or the business is discontinued, an amendment must be filed.  The following definition and requirements of business certificates is as follows from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts web site:

BUSINESS

CERTIFICATES

(110 MGL §§ 5 & 6 and 227 MGL § 5A)

The primary purpose of filing a business certificate is to protect consumers or creditors by identifying the names and addresses of the owners of the business. The filing of a business certificate does not protect a business name as does a corporate filing or a trademark registration. A business certificate filing is commonly called a “d/b/a” (doing business as).

The filing of a business certificate may be used in connection with a court case to show when a business name was first used in a community and to enjoin another business from using an identical or similar name. If you need information on legal protection of a business name you should contact the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office, Corporations Division or your own lawyer.

Any person conducting a business, individually or as a partnership, in the Commonwealth under any title or name other than his real name, must file a business certificate with the clerk of the city or town in which the business has an office. The term person includes a corporation.

The certificate must include the full name and residence of each person conducting the business; the place, including street and number, where the business is conducted; and the title under which the business is conducted. The certificate must be signed under oath by each person conducting the business, certifying that the statements contained in the certificate are true. The certificate may be signed in the presence of any of the following: the town clerk, the assistant town clerk, a person designated by the town clerk, or a person authorized to take oaths, such as a notary public. Each person wishing to file a business must produce evidence of his identity.

Please stop by Town Clerk’s Office for Business Certificates. Fee for filing a business certificate is $20 (expires in 4 years)

Amendments and Discontinuances to Business Certificates

If a business is discontinued, or if the information related to the business or the individuals conducting the business changes after the original filing, a statement of discontinuance or of the new information must be filed with the clerk of each city or town in which the original business. The fee for filing the amendment or discontinuance is $5.00

Fine

Violations of 110 MGL §§ 5 & 6 and 227 MGL § 5A shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars for each month during which such violation continues.

Plympton Selectmen hear about plan to lower electricity costs

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PLYMPTON– On Monday, August 8, the Plympton Board of Selectmen handled a brief agenda. The main item was a presentation from Colonial Power Group on community choice aggregation.

Brian Murphy, of Colonial Power, an electricity aggregation consultant, presented a detailed plan on how an electricity aggregation program might work in Plympton. The town voted at last town meeting to adopt the statute into the by-laws allowing for such a program, but it must be administered by a consultant. Colonial Power was suggested by the Old Colony Planning Counsel.

Community choice aggregation is a buying group organized usually by one municipality (but occasionally a group of municipalities) in order to reduce the cost of electricity for customers in that buying group. It originated in the late 1990’s with the Massachusetts Utility Deregulation Act of 1997.

All customers in Plympton would be part of the program, unless they opt-out. Colonial Power, if chosen as the consultant, would notify customers of the change and their chance to opt-out. NSTAR would still deliver the electricity, bill the customer and maintain lines. About 1/3 Massachusetts communities have aggregation in place.

Advocates say the benefits are choice, stability and savings to customers.

“We’ve never had a CCA program where prices have gone up for customers,” said Murphy.

The next step is for the Selectmen to adopt an aggregation plan, followed by several steps at the state level handled by the consultant.

Murphy mentioned some concerns that residents might have with CCA. One is that tax-dollars would be used. No tax dollars are used, he said. Also, rate-payers can opt-out, but as well, with Colonial they can opt-in and opt-out at any time, which is beyond what state law requires.

He said that if the selectmen choose Colonial, there will be ample question and answer sessions to explain what is exactly going on with rate-payers power.

CPC cleared on postcard brouhaha

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PLYMPTON – A postcard produced by the Plympton Community Preservation Committee demonstrating what the CPC does, in preparation for a Town Meeting warrant article that sought at a future point to ask voters to eliminate the CPC on a ballot, has been cleared by Town Counsel.

Former selectman John Henry questioned the legality of spending town funds on the post card – about $1,000 according to the CPC – from CPC administration funds.

Although town funds cannot be used to influence an election, educational materials are exempt from this campaign finance law when a Town Meeting warrant article is involved.

The postcard was sent to each mailing address in town educating the population about the projects that have been done in Plympton with Community Preservation funds since the Town voted to be included in the CPA.  It also answered questions about low income and senior exemptions.

The Selectmen expressed concern that this might have been a grey area since the Town Meeting article sought to put a question on a ballot at some future date to put an end to Community Preservation Act in Plympton, so they brought the question to Town Counsel for clarification.

Town Counsel Ilana Quirk referred the matter to another Kopelman and Paige attorney, Lauren Goldberg, who cleared the CPC of any wrongdoing, citing several precedents showing that, in her opinion, no issues were raised under the Campaign Finance Law, and the CPC had done nothing wrong or illegal.