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Plympton BOS 6-27-16

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PLYMPTON– The Plympton Board of Selectmen held a lengthy meeting on Monday, June 27 and along with continuing a gravel permit hearing– see accompanying article– they discussed matters as various as choosing a locking system for Town House, Selectman John Traynor’s “talent bank”, and overall compliance with zoning and permitting rules.

Locks for Town House

The Selectmen discussed last week how too many people had keys to Town House and some possible solutions for replacing the locks.

One idea was an electronic card reader, that either reads a magnetic stripe or uses radio-frequency chip, such as in a bank or hotel as a “key-card” system. Town Administrator Dale Pleau researched these types of systems, and noted that they would cost “thousands of dollars” for even the simplest of systems. Although they do have advantages, such as central computerized logging of all access, the Board agreed with Pleau that the expense was too great.

The Selectmen chose the option of “re-keying” the door– or simply changing the locks– and being much more careful with which Board and Committee members receive keys after the locks are changed.

Selectman Christine Joy wants the keys to be non-duplicable, even if that is an additional cost.

Talent Bank

Although he wants to get away from the wording, “talent bank”, the concept, such as the one that exists in Halifax is something that Selectman John Traynor has brought with him to the Board.

He would like townspeople who are interested in volunteering with the Town in some way, but do not have a specific idea of how they would like to volunteer to fill out a form that would be retained on file and the town could contact that individual as necessary.

He also wishes to identify those in Town with specific skills that might be needed, and target them by asking them to volunteer.

Traynor has been working diligently to see how programs work in surrounding communities, but he does want to do more thorough research and not rush things in Plympton.

He is planning on pushing back implementing the concept until the end of the summer as he continues to refine the plans.

Compliance

The Board says that it has come to their attention that many Townspeople are simply skipping dealing with Town House altogether, and striking it out on their own when starting a construction project or the like.

This is illegal, and can be dangerous.

The Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Colleen Thompson warned residents that they do in fact need to pull the appropriate permits and that violators will be dealt with appropriately.

The Board is considering taking out a newspaper advertisement to drive this point home. They also wish to inform residents that once they have a permit in hand, they need to follow the rules and stipulations on that permit.

Upland Club event will help Amy Breault: Go to Russia for stem cell treatment

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Amy Breault, who grew up on West Street, Plympton, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was just 16 years olf.  That was in the year 2000.  Since then, she has become legally blind and needs assistance walking.  She hasn’t let that slow her down, though, or dulled the smile she always wears.

Today, Amy is a loving 32-year old mother fo a beautiful 3-year old daughter, Arianna.

Since her initial diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS, she has continued to jump life’s hurdles as she now battles secondary-progressive MS.  There are few effective treatments for this type of the disease. Local practicioners have been unable to find an effective FDA-approved medication to slow the MS progression.

Amy has the opportunity to use her own body’s stem cells to repair what was once considered permanent damage.  Because this highly-effective treatment is not available in the United States, she will travel to Russia to receiver her autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant, where she has been invited for treatment.

Amy, with her sidekick Brendan Bibaud, invite the community to join them at the Upland Club, Upland Road, Plympton, Saturday, July 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a chicken bake.  There will be a DJ, raffles, and much more for a family afternoon for all ages.  There is no charge to come and meet Amy under the Upland Club Pavilion and lend your support to her mission.  Optional tickets for the chicken bake dinner are $20 per person and can be purchased at the Upland Club r by calling Kim at (781) 585-5741.  All proceeds will go to Amy for her stem cell treatment in Russia.

For those who wish to help but cannot attend, donations may be made directly at http://www.youcaring.com/amy-breault-360701.

Standing their ground: Property owners standing up to eminent domain threat

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Imagine that you bought your dream house in a bucolic neighborhood on a tree-lined cul-de-sac called Heather’s Path in Plympton.

Yes, there is a busy street nearby, and some light commercial property, but plenty of vegetation blocking any of that. When you bought the property, you knew there might be a chance of further development, but that was not a primary concern.

And then a certified letter showed up in the mail in January, 2015 showing a giant development to be built behind you. Each iteration gets larger, and stranger. A hotel going up behind Tractor Supply? On a river that doesn’t exist? This couldn’t be real, right?

But it is.

And not only that, one to three residents of Plympton whose property straddle the Carver/Plympton line are having their Carver property threatened to be taken by eminent domain.

This is Melissa Singletary’s nightmare. Her back yard will be nearly eliminated should the project move forward as proposed. Singletary is terrified that she will have to walk away from her home after living their just 2 1/2 years.

“This is my retirement. A lot of sleep has been lost thinking about this,” in the last 18 months, she says. Other neighbors, Nancy and Gordon Massingham of Montello Street may lose their driveway, while other long-time residents cannot imagine the changes to their neighborhood that the development will bring, especially those who live on Montello Street and Heather’s Path.

Jeanne Winslow, of Heather’s Path, said she had received a notice from the Carver Planning Board that up to 30-50 trucks a day would pass through the Plympton section of Montello Street during the construction phase, raising safety issues.

The developer, Route 44 Development, has proposed the project. The latest iteration of the proposal, according to residents, references a U.S. Supreme Court case involving New London, CT granting expansion in the eminent domain powers of governments, allowing private property to be taken for commercial development if it benefits a city or town.

Carver Selectman Alan Dunham has said previously that the project will not include a hotel, and is still in the early stages of planning. But despite his assurances of plans being in the early stage, the Carver Redevelopment Authority just sent the plans to a consultant for further updates. Recently provided plans look quite detailed.

This group of residents has been appealing to the Carver Selectmen and the Carver Redevelopment Authority, but those land-owners or neighbors are not having their voices heard, they say.

“We are being treated like second-class citizens [by the Carver authorities],” said Singletary. “We are nothing to them.”

The group has said that they have come up with multiple solutions that would alleviate their concerns, only to have their fears fall on deaf ears.

The situation continues to be volatile.

2016 Gatorade Softball Player of The Year!

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Silver Lake Regional High School super softball star Maddy Barone from Halifax has added yet another title to her impressive collection – she’s been named the Massachusetts 2016 Gatorade Softball Player of The Year!

This has been a year full of recognition for Barone, who closed out her senior year with the Lakers June 12, when her team’s perfect season record fell to King Phillip Regional in the Division 1 South Championship.

Barone is a four time Patriot League All Star and was named to the Boston Herald All Scholastic.

She signed a letter of intent earlier this spring to play for the University Southern New Hampshire.  .

Barone hoped to lead her team to the Division 1 South Championship, but were unable to bring it home after King Phillip Regional’s win June 12 5 -2.

At 25-1, their season was still one for the books.

In addition to play on the ball field, basketball court, and in the gymnasium, Barone is an excellent student, maintaining a weighted 4.26 GPA, and also donates her time as a youth softball instructor and umpire.

An active member of her community, she volunteers in the Holidays in Halifax Committee among others.

Plympton-Carver TRIAD 10th Anniversary Gala Luncheon

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This year marks the tenth year for Plympton and Carver TRIAD a group of local elders working together with fire and law enforcement to meet the needs of seniors.

Among the many who attended the event were both Plymouth County D.A Timothy Cruz and Sherriff Joseph McDonald along with local fire and police chiefs.

  Plymouth County D.A.  Timothy Cruz addressed those in attendance.

“Great job everyone. The seniors, law enforcement and fire working together… it really is a collective group who work together,”

On his public website the TRIAD efforts are described:  The Plymouth County TRIAD is a cooperative effort that consists of the district attorney, the sheriff, the local police chief, the local fire chief, the council on aging director, S.A.L.T. council members, seniors, and representatives from the supportive services that assist seniors in their community.

TRIAD assesses the needs of each community separately. Every community that adopts the TRIAD approach is able to tailor the needs of TRIAD to their seniors.

Sheriff Joseph McDonald commended Janine Eaton liaison for the TRIAD program and Resident Service Co-coordinator for Hallkeen Corporation at the Woodlands.

“We appreciate the cooperation and help for all the group has done and the hard work of Janine Eaton because without her there is no us,” said McDonald.

Keynote Speaker Alice Bonner Secretary of Elder services at the executive office of Governor’s affairs said their vision and mission is promoting the independence and empowerment of older adults and people with disabilities and their care givers so they will have access to the resources they need to live well and thrive in their community.

She has been traveling around the state in honor of Older American’s month, which was established by President John F. Kennedy in the 1960’s  to recognize the value and importance of adults in our community.

The theme this year is Blaze a Trail.

“There is no better example of blazing a trail than the Duxbury Police chief getting an idea and having you guys really make it happen…then sustaining it for the last ten years,” she said of the TRIAD members.

Bonner urged those in attendance to keep thinking about positive aging… “One of the really important things is being protected from elder abuse, financial exploitation and we need to build communities like this where people are looking out for one another,” she said.

Eaton also thanked longtime group members and founders of Plympton Carver TRIAD Plympton police Sergeant  Steven Teri,  Heidi Bassett (retired Carver police)Barbara Faherty  of D.A .Cruz’s office and Lissa Budge Johnson along with numerous others who have helped run all the programs  over the last decade.

Duxbury Dispatch is coming, Fieldston Farms agreement

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HALIFAX– On Wednesday, June 22, Halifax Selectmen met and finished the bulk of the work in finishing an update to a 23-years-old consent agreement with Scott Clawson and Fieldstone Farms to hold horse shows. The Board also signed a dispatching agreement with Duxbury and heard from Jeffrey Bolger regarding concerns with access to Silver Lake from a Brandeis Circle lot.

Duxbury dispatching

The Board signed an agreement with the Duxbury Regional Emergency Communications Center (D.R.E.C.C.) to contract-out Police and Fire dispatching services for five years.

The Board states that no changes to service will be noticed, other than the lack of a physical human dispatcher sitting in the Halifax Police Station, and that the agreement is contingent upon upgrades to the Police Station.

There are plans to build a “safe-room” at the station, where someone could lock themselves inside, communicate with a remote dispatcher, and take shelter in an emergency until an officer arrives, as no one will be physically in the station at some times during the night with this change

Grant money from the State will be used for these upgrades, as well as to fund necessary technology upgrades, for both Halifax and Duxbury.

According to Selectman Kim Roy, contracting out dispatching to Duxbury will represent significant savings, in the realm of $175,000, each year of the 5-year contract.

The D.R.E.C.C. already handles call-taking and dispatching for the Town of Plympton as well as the Town of Duxbury. Plympton had a very smooth transition to regional dispatch, according to Selectman Tom Millias, who works as the Building Inspector for Plympton.

Clawson agreement hammered out

After months of negotiating, Scott Clawson and Fieldstone Farms will receive much of what they are asking for in a consent agreement painfully hammered out over many meetings. At this meeting, Clawson and his attorney, Phil Taylor, went over a draft agreement paragraph by paragraph.

The changes began when Scott Clawson, proprietor of Fieldstone Farms was originally called before the Selectmen because he had advertised more show dates for his annual “Class A” equestrian event than original agreement allowed.

His horse shows are governed by a 23-year-old consent agreement that came about due to an action by the Building Inspector at that time which was litigated, and a settlement was reached with the town.

The original agreement was signed by Clawson, as well as the Board of Selectmen, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Building Inspector. Clawson, through his attorney, asked the board to change the agreement only after he was called before the Board to explain his excess shows.

But, the Board argued with Clawson and his attorney stating that the reason the board has summoned him in the first place was because of the fact that he had advertised too many shows in violation of the agreement. Clawson never was supposed to be there asking for more shows–or anything for that matter, he was there to explain himself for the violation.

In the end though, Clawson will receive more shows (not to exceed 30 days of shows), an increased number of horses (through changing the way that horses are counted; by “entries” not by “head” as one horse could be entered multiple times in a multi-day show), an increase in the number of RVs that could park overnight during shows for security staff, as well as other updates in the language to address today’s concerns. He will also be able, from time to time, to ask for an extra date or two if he gives the Board sufficient notice.

Clawson says he wants to leave the business to his children, and wants to work out an agreement that will cover the Board’s concerns for years to come. The Board plans to sign the agreement at their next meeting on July 12.

Brandeis Circle

Silver Lake concerns

Jeffrey Bolger, of Brandeis Circle, came before the Board to address a pressing concern of his: access to Silver Lake.

With a recent drowning on the lake, residents are concerned about people driving in and parking near the reservoir for recreational purposes.

“I don’t want to be a hypocrite…I own a kayak and I’ve been out on the lake,” said Bolger. But Bolger is concerned with the volume of people parking and using the lake, and parking and leaving litter in his neighborhood, as well as safety issues.

The issue originally arose when a parcel of land (Map 23 Lot 2) was gifted to the Town back in 2007, according to officials. The only problem is that the gifter did not have the title to the property, could not be gifted and today the Town does not own it. This is the area of Brandeis Circle that recreational lake users gather.

Bolger suggested putting up “No Parking” signs along the stretch of road, such that Halifax Police could enforce them.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig stated that he thought this was an excellent idea, especially for its simplicity because there are complex jurisdictional issues at Silver Lake– it lies in four towns but is a reservoir for the City of Brockton, who controls the water.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen next meets Tuesday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m.

Traynor meets Carver pols

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PLYMPTON- Monday, June 19, Plympton Selectmen further discussed Carver “urban redevelopment” plans. They also held a hearing regarding Jeff Randall’s gravel permit, and other businesses.

Traynor takes the lead liaising with Carver politicians

With a development on the Carver/Plympton line moving forward, and Plympton residents to be affected, some even with eminent domain seizure of parts of their properties, newly-elected Selectman John Traynor has taken the lead in liaising with Carver officials.

Traynor told the board that his meeting with Carver Selectman Alan Dunham, Carver Town Administrator Michael Milanoski, and Carver Redevelopment Authority member William Sinclair was productive, albeit chilly in tone at first.

Although no concrete measures were agreed on, according to Traynor the officials were receptive to Plympton’s concerns– to some extent.

Many of the suggestions that Plympton residents have come up with to avoid traffic and eminent domain concerns were shut down entirely– for example using an on/off ramp from Route 44 for traffic– as that would necessarily encroach into Middleboro.

The Board’s strategy at this point is to work cooperatively with Carver officials to minimize the impact of the development on Plympton abutters and neighbors in order to protect their interests. It still isn’t clear what more the Board can do to assist residents at this time.

Gravel Permit hearing, or something else?

Jeff Randall, who has variously proposed building a medical marijuana grow facility and a Chapter 40(B) development on his Ring Road farm, also operates several other businesses from his property, including several cranberry bogs, a gravel removal business and a composting operation whereby horses he boards produce manure that is then mixed with dirt to produce compost.

According to officials, there has been a recent uptick in complaints regarding truck traffic to and from this property. Randall’s gravel permit restricts the amount of truck traffic to a specific time period – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For that permit, which he says he accidently let lapse for several months but that the town offered him a renewal, a particular map was attached. Due to a possible clerical error, it may or may not have been the most recent property plan.

Once this matter was settled, the hearing pivoted to his composting business.

Randall says he does not need to be licensed for his composting business, so his trucks can run at all hours. As a courtesy to his neighbors, he said he was willing to restrict his trucks to operating from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Randall, supposedly there to explain himself to the Board for operating outside the hours of his permit, was explaining the rules to the Selectmen, not the other way around, and Selectman Christine Joy stated she wasn’t sure the Board had the authority to limit Randall’s composting business.

A resident in the audience mumbled, “What are we even talking about?”

Then Joy pivoted again, and stated that the Board was trying to determine whether the farm was actually a farm or a “contractor’s yard.” When asked what a contractor’s yard was, the answer was more in what it was not– an industrial property that isn’t allowed in a residential zone.

It is not apparent why the gravel permit issue, which was listed on the agenda, morphed into a composting issue and finally into whether Jeff Randall is actually engaged in agricultural ventures vs. industrial ones on his property, and what rules, if any, he is expected to follow.

The Board of Health next meets Tuesday, July 5, at 5 p.m.

Come on Down to the Farm!

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The Plympton Agricultural Commission invites the public to “Come on out to the Farm” on Sunday, June 26, from noon to 3 p.m.  There will be town-wide tours at no charge for the entire family.  Come to experience the agriculture that abounds in the heart of Plympton, meet the farmers, and be inspired.

There will be demonstrations at Orion Acres on Elm Street, a 25-acre sheep farm where owner/farmer Linda Shauwecker produces fine Cotswolds and Cheviot wool.   Linda will shear a lamb at noon and speak about wool fiber and will have some woolen products for sale.

Jeff LaFleure of Mayflower Cranberries, will give a “Cranberries 101” talk at 2 p.m.  You will see bogs in bloom on the oldest working cranberry bog in Plympton.

Reunion Farm is in the very heart of Historic Plympton Village.  Geraldine and Macaela Burnet are fourth and fifth generation horsewomen.  They train horse and rider, and board horses as well.  Rick Burnet will be around town on the John Deere if the sun is shining, and you are welcome to watch the operation and even help stack some hay!

Russ Keirstead on Crescent Street’s Keirstead Farm, grows raspberries, cuts hay, and works on his family’s antique farm.  Stop by to learn from Russ about growing your own raspberries. 

Sunrise Gardens has been operated by the Harlfinger family in Plympton for the past 47 years.  Come visit and let Dick and Pat give you a tour of their commercial greenhouses and their ‘mum field.

Just Right Farm is a 300-year old farm that grows produce for its farm to table restaurant.  Talk with Kimberly about starting seed, vegetable gardening, and recipe ideas for your own produce. 

Call 781-936-5330 for more information.

Plympton BOH “letter” holds up closing on 59 Parsonage Road

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PLYMPTON– According to documents obtained from the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds and Plympton officials, the sale of the vacant property at 59 Parsonage Road from the USDA to Richmond Poole is being held up due to an almost two years-old order placed  by the Board of Health on the title to the property.

In September, 2014, Health Agent Cathy Drinan ordered the USDA Farm Service Agency, a federal lending agency which through default proceedings became the owner of the property, to take certain corrective actions to improve the safety of the property following a barn fire that occurred around that time.

After that fire, the house and surrounding land, including trailers with indications of illegal septic hook-ups were so unsafe that even fire personnel were ordered not to enter, according to documents.

The letter in part stated: “The house and trailers are all uninhabitable. The house doors are open, its chimneys are crumbling, the floors are collapsing, the roof and ceiling are collapsing in the kitchen, the ceilings in other rooms are collapsing, and mold is on all the surfaces…The trailers are in the same condition, if not worse. Animals are using the trailers, evidenced by large amounts [of] animal scat. There are also narrow animal paths through the high vegetation to all the trailers and some burrows in the ground…The trailers have evidence of illegal septic systems, determined by the pipes going into the ground from under the trailers…The open unsafe house and trailers pose serious safety threats and are examples of an attractive nuisance to children. This applies to the burned barn also, that has a lower level that is now barely visible between and under the burned beans. There is a deep hole under those beams.”

Drinan laid out corrective actions that needed to be taken immediately, but were never taken, according to Art Morin, chairman of the Board of Health. The USDA, he says, does not have a good history of working with local officials.

The USDA, which successfully auctioned off the house to Plympton resident Richmond Poole, still cannot close on the property because the Board’s letter constitutes a “cloud” on the title according to a letter from Poole’s attorney to the BOH even though Morin states that the USDA incorrectly advertised the property as having a clear title.

Poole is claiming that he cannot continue work on the property, although his attorney says he has completed six of the eight corrective actions the Board ordered, without a “memorandum of understanding” among himself and the other parties, in which the USDA allows him to continue to work on the property by putting money in escrow, and when completed, the BOH will lift the letter on the title and Poole’s lender can disburse money to him to close on the property.

Notably, from the road, trailers are still visible on the property. Poole claims he has not been authorized by the USDA to remove the trailers from the property until he closes, nor does he have the funding to take the trailers off before he closes.

According to Drinan, and documents obtained from Plympton Health officials, the Board is currently working with Poole and his attorney for draft language of such a memorandum of understanding for consideration. He is also seeking a re-inspection of the property by Drinan, at his own expense, to ensure that everything that needs to be taken care of from the Board of Health’s point-of-view has in fact been taken care of.

Fieldstone Farms co-operation “Disappointing”

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HALIFAX– Two hearings dominated a multi-hour Selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, June 14, in Halifax. Scott Clawson, of Fieldstone Farms was there to finish up a consent agreement with the town that has been in the works for months, but instead got verbally excoriated by the Board for the better part of an hour. A representative from the Morse Brothers, Inc. for an earth removal permit also drew a crowd, and that hearing was lengthy as well.

Clawson defends

actions yet again

Scott Clawson, proprietor of Fieldstone Farms, was called before the Board earlier this year for advertising more horse-shows on his property than were allowed in a decades-old consent agreement he has with the town.

At that period in time, the Board chose to verbally admonish him, and then take up his request to modify the old consent agreement to one which would allow him to, amongst other things, hold more horse shows.

He has been represented by an attorney for most of the process.

This week, a 600-gallon unpermitted diesel-fuel tank, used for equipment fuel, was found on Clawson’s property. The Fire Chief issued a cease-and-desist order, but inspections with the state need to now be done to make sure no leakage occurred.

Clawson insisted he didn’t know that he needed a permit for the tank, and that it had been there a very long time. He promised to fix the problem.

The Board was incensed. Selectman Kim Roy appeared beside herself with anger. Fumbling for words, she eventually got out, “This is just very, very disappointing,” and “I’m angry. I really wanted to make this work. I really did…but…you’ve lost me at this point.”

The Board drove home the point that Clawson does not seem to follow rules ahead of time, only after he has been caught breaking them does he follow up and fix problems. The Board has a long history with him and this type of behavior, they say.

Selectmen Chairman Troy Garron, who repeatedly attempted to move the conversation along but was interrupted by his fellow selectmen, eventually stated that he, “doesn’t get angry,” but looked Clawson in the eye and said, “I don’t trust you.”

These were strong words for Garron, the longest serving member of the Board, who is known for choosing his words carefully.

“Not everyone’s perfect,” replied Clawson, later.

Not surprisingly, Clawson’s consent agreement was tabled for another day (June 22), but not before he had angered one of his neighbors so much that he stormed out of the room, and visibly irritating all members of the Board of Selectmen.

Earth Removal permit for Morse Brothers, Inc.

A representative from GAF engineering, Bill Madden, came before selectmen to present a proposed earth removal permit to the Board and to the public. The permit is being sought by the Morse Brothers, Inc. for their cranberry operation to the west of the West Monponsett pond.

The cranberry growers claim that in order to produce a greater yield, more air circulation is needed around their bogs, and that a particular hill also blocks morning sunlight on a particular area of bogs, which is necessary to remove dew and prevent rot, said Madden.

To mitigate this issue, Morse Brothers, Inc. would like to remove 41,600 cubic yards of earth from a hill in the center of the bogs.

This would result in 1,660 round (truck) trips from the bog at the end of Lingan Street 7/10 of a mile to Route 58.

But, the representative did not know where the dirt was going, although they have a contractor in mind. Without that knowledge, the town and Morse Brothers, Inc. cannot calculate a mutually agreeable limit on how many truck trips could be capped a day to minimize detrimental effects to neighbors.

Several abutters noted that Morse Brother’s, Inc. have been good neighbors in the past, so concerns were mostly of a practical nature.

But, they were concerned about the narrow nature of Lingan Street, vibrations that could damage their foundations or that of the street, and the sheer number of truck trips proposed, especially concerning those with young children.

Others wanted to make sure that there would be no effect on Monponsett Lake.

The hearing was continued until July 12, when more information can be presented and questions answered.

Upcoming dates:

• The Board of Selectmen will next meet on Wednesday June 22, at 6:30 p.m., Town Hall