Plympton selectmen met Monday, July 27, and gave updates on the committees they are forming to address goals for this coming year.

Selectman Colleen Thompson’s Public Safety Building Committee with seven members including the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief who will serve in advisory roles.  The committee could use one more member, Thompson said.

Selectperson Christine Joy met with Town Moderator John Traynor, to discuss the recent report of the Department of Revenue  which outlined areas of concern in the way the town handles its finances.

Finance Committee chairman Susan Ossoff will serve in an advisory role.  The committee is still seeking members and anyone interested should contact the selectmen’s office at 781-585-2700.

Chairman Mark Russo had nothing new to report on his area of focus: internal and external communication improvements in town government.

Selectman Colleen Thompson and former Selectman John Henry have been working on the Blue Wave solar proposal which has been tied up in litigation for  months with an abutter and continues to be stalled.  The board approved contacting IRC Solar Roof Systems, a Maine company, to have them present their proposal to  install and maintain a solar array on the Dennett Elementary School roof.  They ask in return that Plympton sign a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Among the board’s correspondence was a letter from a private company, US Soccer, requesting the use of Plympton’s soccer fields by two of their teams, twice a week.  The company indicated that they would be willing to pay rent and also train the town’s soccer coaches at no charge.

Chairman Russo asked other board members if they were aware of any other situation where the town would rent the town fields to out of town agencies.  They had not. 

Town Co-ordinator Dale Pleau suggested that if the board wanted to pursue the concept, they might consider Harry Jason Field for the soccer club as it is hardly used at this time.  Selectmen tabled it to give the board more time to fully investigate the company and its proposal.

Selectperson Joy read the request of the organization AJC-Global Jewish Advocacy asking selectmen to join mayors of major cities such as Boston, New York, San Francisco, in signing a statement denouncing anti-Semitism in all forms worldwide.  According to the letter of request, the effort is an international push for community leaders to stand in solidarity against hatred.

Joy told the board she wished the wording had been more inclusive, fighting all types of discrimination.  Russo stated, “this is one small step toward that goal.”  The board unanimously signed the statement.

Linda Leddy, noted the Express newspaper accounts of grants being awarded to Halifax and asked what steps Plympton is taking to secure grant funding. She asked specifically about the Commonwealth Community Compact grant from the office of Governor Charlie Baker which asks communities to apply for monies to promote best practices in municipal government.  The program is under the direction of Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. She also noted the Halifax Fire Department grant for emergency equipment for their two ambulances.  “I think we should be going for whatever money we can get,” Leddy said.  Pleau said he will look into it. 

In other business:

• Zoning Board of Appeals member Ken Thompson told selectmen that even though there is an opening on the ZBA, he wanted to let the board know that membership on his board takes a person with a number of qualifications and experience to be effective.

• Art Morin, chairman of the Board of Health, said that the town would no longer offer blood pressure clinics due to the expense.  He recommended senior citizens and others go to the pharmacy or to the doctor’s where they can check their blood pressure for free.

• Xfinity is making changes to their product bundles and tv packages.  Selectmen advised citizens to cable bills for more information.

• The inter-municipal agreement for Plympton to join Area 58 Community Access Media was received the morning of the meeting.  Russo told the board it could be signed as early as at the next meeting.

• Anyone interested in any committee openings are asked to contact Selecten’s Assistant Kristen LeVangie at 781-585-2700.

• Appointed to the Public Safety Building Committee were Colleen Thompson, Nancy Butler, Robert “Jake” Jacobsen, Henry Weikel, Arthur Morin and Robert Karling.

The board will next meet on Monday, August 10.

Connects to state intitiative; Commends fire department’s pursuit of grants

At Tuesday’s Selectmen’s meeting in Halifax, Selectmen agreed to join the “Community Compact”, a state program initiated by Gov. Charlie Baker to provide grants to cities and towns to promote “best practices.”

The “Community Compact” is  “an opportunity for cities and towns to enter into partnerships with the state to accomplish mutually agreed upon goals,” according to information from the Office of the Governor.  These “best practices” can range from Capital Planning to IT Security, to anything that a city or town might suggest.  A town can apply for up to three areas in one application.

After a brief discussion, the Board decided to apply for the grants in the areas of Information Technology Security, Capital Planning, and Financial Reporting. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, who chairs the committee disbursing the grants, stated in the same information, “by promoting best practices and incentivizing our cities and towns, I look forward to championing this effort to create better opportunities for our schools and communities.”

Also during the Tuesday meeting, Fire Chief, Jason Viveiros was commended for “aggressively pursuing grants.”  Chairman Kim Roy and the rest of the Board voted to send him a letter of commendation.

Chief Viveiros and his department secured another grant from F.E.M.A. in the amount of $714,210 towards the purchase of Halifax’s new aerial ladder fire truck. As taxpayers approved one lease payment of more than $160,000 toward the truck at the annual Town Meeting in the spring, these funds will be returned to the town.

Last Friday morning, the Lucas Automatic Compression machine, which automatically does the chest compression portion of C.P.R., was brought out again to assist with a rescue.

This is the second time in a week that one has been used, and the two the town owns were purchased through a F.E.M.A. grant, secured by Chief Viveiros.

Roy pointed out as well that she would also like to recognize the police officers who respond to emergency calls; they are often the first to arrive. “It really takes a village,” said Roy.

In other business, the board appointed Michael Zarrella to the Capital Planning Committee, discussed current and future improvements for the 5th Avenue beach on West Monponsett Pond, held a hearing on a dog bite that occurred in May, and received status updates on several ongoing matters.

The Board briefly interviewed Michael Zarrella, an 18-year Brockton firefighter and seven-year Halifax resident to the Capital Planning Committee. They unanimously appointed him to a term expiring in June 2018. “I want to give back to the town,” said Zarrella.  Selectman Thomas Millias stated that he was “thrilled to be getting so many qualified candidates to fill board openings.”

Residents on West Monponsett Pond living near 5th Avenue beach, between 4th and 5th Avenues, have recently significantly cleaned up the beach. While the selectmen were very pleased with this improvement, some residents are asking for more permanent fixtures, everything from benches to volleyball nets. Selectman Troy Garron was concerned about the ongoing maintenance costs of such items, although the Recreation Committee is looking into how to keep up the beach now that residents have put so much work into it.

The Board held a pro-forma dog-bite hearing. Although the incident happened at the end of May, and involved two dogs from the same family, according to the selectmen a hearing is held anytime there is an incident involving domestic animal bites.

On May 28, two dogs, one a 14-year-old schnauzer, got into a squabble at 11 Baker Street. The owner stepped in to break the fighting dogs up, which Animal Control Officer Noreen Callahan, also present, mentioned was a mistake, and the owner received a minor bite.

Although everything turned out well, selectmen, especially Selectman Garron, were concerned that it was only a one time incident and quizzed the three family members on exactly what happened until he was satisfied that there was no danger to the family or public.

In Other News:

• There are two openings on the Planning Board. If interested, contact Selectmen Assistant Pam McSherry at 781-294-1316.

• Solar panel powered lights in order to light up flagpoles in town are being studied by the Highway Department and Town Administrator Charlie Seelig.

• The City of Brockton continues to be unresponsive according to Town Administrator Seelig to invitations to discuss water quality issues in the Monponsett Ponds, which Brockton taps for drinking water and which the selectmen believe is affecting the water quality of both ponds. This is an ongoing issue.

• The Board declared an SUV from 1986, still used by the Fire Department, as surplus at the request of the Fire Chief and the sale process of the vehicle will begin.

• Selectmen went into executive session with Police Chief Edward Broderick for the purpose of discussing the “Security of the Town,” which according to Town Administrator Charlie Seelig had to do with staffing changes.

The Plympton Historical Commission met Monday night at the Town House for a demolition hearing on a house located at 6 Cross Street and a continuation of a hearing for a second demolition hearing for 3 Forest Street.

Present were Commission chair Jon Wilhelmsen, Jane Schulze, member, and Jill Palenstijn, member, who is also a licensed contractor, and Rick Burnet, Associate member, who is a licensed contractor and builder.

The Cross Street property, owned by Melinda Descanctis, is a Greek-revival cottage, a common mid 19th century structure for Plympton.  Similar structures exist or existed on Center Street and perhaps elsewhere in town, according to Wilhelmsen.

Ms. Descanctis told the Commission that she is not willing to consider renovating the structure and would replace it with a modular structure with 2 ½ baths, a three-car garage, and would be complete with septic system.  “Without being too aggressive … I’m definitely not going to rehab the house.  It’s not feasible,” she said.

“Is there a middle ground here?  If not, we’re all just wasting our time.“   

Dana Nilson, a contractor with Southeast Development Co, LLC, from Marion, said , “It all doesn’t have to go into a dumpster, much can be salvaged.  There are other ways to salvage this.”

Wilhelmsen said that he had to look at the by-law and see what it allows.  “We’re trying to work with folks and we want to do our job.”

Jane Schulze remembered how overwhelmed she felt when she first moved into her antique home. She asked Ms. Descanctis if she had wanted to restore the home when she first purchased it, to which Ms. Descanctis said she had thought it would be worth it.   

Jill Palenstijn commented, “As an historian, what concerns me is not just this one house, but many.”   “In 15 years it could be a totally different landscape as one after another old homes are replaced.”  She said she could also look at it from a practical point of view, but like others on the board, said she needed more time to consider the proposal.

The Commission adjourned the hearing on 6 Cross Street to Monday, August 3, at 7 p.m. to give members time to review the added information brought before them.

They then re-opened the hearing on the 3 Forest Street property, owned by Elsie Murgida.  Architect Bob Gosselin of K&G Development Corp in Kingston, brought new drawings for the Commission’s consideration.  The owner, at age 85, is unable to deal with the house as it stands and seeks relief by way of reconstructing the home.

The plan first brought to the commission was a very basic ranch with none of the character of the old house, which was likely built as a summer cottage near Silver Lake in the 1920s.  The new plan drawn mimics the original house’s architecture while meeting the needs of the homeowner. 

Jill Palenstijn commented, “I certainly appreciate the nod to the original.”

Associate member Rick Burnet had made a site inspection to 3 Forest St. determining that the original part of the house would be difficult and costly to salvage as it rests on a limited foundation.

This hearing was continued to Monday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Wilhelmsen gave the following insight into the by-law:

The Demolition Delay Bylaw for Historically or Architecturally Significant Buildings was enacted to help preserve and protect “significant buildings within the Town of Plympton…Such buildings reflect distinctive features of the architectural, cultural, economic, political or social history of the town…”

Additionally, “The intent of the bylaw is to provide an opportunity to develop preservation solutions for significant, preferably preserved properties threatened with demolition.

The bylaw is intended to encourage owners and townspeople to seek out persons who might be willing to purchase, preserve, rehabilitate or restore such buildings rather than demolish them, and to limit the detrimental effect of the demolition on the historical or architectural resources of the Town.

The bylaw also allows the Commission discretion on how to meet this goal as it states in Section 3.5 that the Commission shall “determine whether the building should be preferably preserved”.

The Commission takes its role very seriously and endeavors to take into consideration any and all information provided by the applicants.

That said, it must also be sure that it upholds the intent and purpose of the bylaw. The current applications before the Commission are more challenging than those that have previously come before the Commission given that the structural concerns are less certain.

The Commission must consider the intent and purpose of the bylaw along with the information presented by the applicants and that which it has independently gathered to arrive at a decision.

The hearing process is the primary avenue of relief that the homeowner has. The consideration of all information available and provided is a role that the members take very seriously.

Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros got quite a present as he approaches his first anniversary of being named Fire Chief in Halifax on August 4 – he received notification Tuesday that the Town has been awarded a $ 714,210 grant from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for a new ladder truck.

Halifax will pay a minimum matching sum of $35,710.50, or 5%.   

“I have a lot of people to thank for this,” Viveiros said.  “Everything we do here is a team effort.”  He went on to explain how much support he received from his Captains and Administrative Assistant Patricia Forsstrom who researched the grant and compiled the statistics.  Writing the grant took many, many hours of work, he said.  Selectmen, Town Administrator Charlie Seelig, and other town officials, all wrote letters of support.

“We applied for the grant Dec. 2, 2014 … we knew it was a long shot but never lost hope,” he said.   Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. William Keating, and Sen. Edward Markey directly supported the grant application, he said.  “I can’t thank them enough.”

“Halifax townspeople knew we needed a fire truck, and they supported us.  They voted the first of five lease payments of more than $160,000 each for the next five years.  Now those funds can be repurposed for other needs,” he said.

Another Save!

Viveiros added that last Friday, the department credited another “save” with the new Lucas Automatic Chest Compression machine each ambulance is now equipped with, thanks to another $24,000 grant from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

“You can go for a year an not have a save, but to have two in a week?  That’s incredible.”

Halifax selectmen met Tuesday, July 14, and considered more than 20 agenda items.

The Commonwealth is offering grants for cities and towns to improve “best practices” in a number of areas including cyber-security and capital planning.  Halifax may apply for grants in up to three areas.  The board will consider if they want to take action at their next meeting July 28.

$200,000 extra

Shortly before he passed away, State Senator Thomas Kennedy secured approximately $200,000 additional funds in the state budget for mosquito control in Plymouth and Bristol counties. Though the Governor hasn’t signed the budget yet, Selectmen expressed excitement if the extra assistance goes through.

The Board approved and heard about several licenses.

Class 1 license for Morgan

Joseph Salters, representing Morgan Power Equipment, at 888 Plymouth Street, applied for a Class I sales license, required by the state to sell small utility trucks.   These trucks look like a cross between a recreational vehicle and a golf cart, and are used primarily in industrial settings. They are also used by municipalities and police, for example, for patrolling beaches or parks. The request was approved unanimously.

Beer and Wine at Cumberland Farms?

Cumberland Farms sent a letter of intent to Town Administrator Charlie Seelig making Selectmen aware they will apply for a beer/wine liquor license for their Halifax location.  Only two of the five currently available beer/wine licenses in Halifax are being used, and the Board decided to take no action now as the earliest the convenience store chain could apply is January. Selectman Troy Garron expressed his displeasure of the idea of allowing gas stations to sell alcohol. “I don’t like mixing alcohol and driving,” stated the retired police officer.

Appointments and reappointments

Kenneth Vinton, after taking some time to think it over, decided he would like to be reappointed to the Municipal and School Building Committee. He was reappointed unanimously.

Likewise, all election workers were unanimously reappointed.

Selectman Thomas Millias was appointed “special building inspector” for the period of time from July 18 through July 26 to cover for newly hired Building Inspector Robert Piccirilli. He is the former Halifax Building Inspector, before being elected to his Selectman position, and is Plympton’s current Building Inspector.

Recycling revenue might fall

Town Administrator Charlie Seeling reported that nationally, prices for selling recycling to recycling centers are dropping. Part of the reason, he said, is that “more and more people are throwing trash into the very large recycling containers,” so more waste is rejected at the centers. He stated that he wanted to keep Selectmen up to date on why they may see recycling revenue falling.

The Wage and Personnel Committee has requested all updated job descriptions from the Selectmen. Fire Chief Jason Viveiros’ yearly evaluation was filed, as well.

Dog bite

A dog-bite incident in May has prompted the Selectmen to tentatively schedule a hearing for July 28 at 8 p.m. Even though it was an in-family incident, according to Seelig a hearing is “always held when something like this happens.”

Selectman Millias asked the board to consider the future of leaving the door to Town Hall unlocked on Fridays. Since this practice began, it has created much discussion among Town Hall employees and departments, as some are worried about how they are going to budget staying open.

Citizens have been complaining about vans parked on the lawn in front of the Council on Aging during the day.  Selectmen appeared to understand that while it might be aesthetically displeasing, it was a practical interim solution to the parking problem.  Town Administrator Charlie Seelig will look more into the situation.

Three road cuts, road work by utility companies, were approved unanimously.

Missed deadline

Finally, a frustrated Halifax parent that missed the deadline for a tuition application to send her child to South Shore Vocational Technical High School came before the Selectmen to ask for any assistance the Board could give.

Selectmen Chairperson Kim Roy stated that unfortunately, the board has no jurisdiction over a situation such as this as it is between the school Superintendent and the state. All expressed their empathy, but were firm that it would be inappropriate for them to step in.

Though the student had gained a spot, he was not admitted because the Silver Lake School District would not pay his tuition due to this error. According to the parent, she offered to personally pay the tuition, but she was shocked to hear she couldn’t “because it wasn’t a private school.”