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HOW HALIFAX REGARDS PRISON PLAN

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“They want to take our good old town of Halifax for a State prison and wipe us off the map, do they? Well, we be long-standing Plymouth Rock Yankees round these parts. There’s people that have tried to drive the Yankees before, but they didn’t drive. So they can’t drive us out of here, by gum!” said Oliver Holmes, one of the oldest inhabitants of Halifax, as he raised his voice in protest against what he terms the “terrible aggression” of a syndicate of Boston real estate dealers who have offered their holdings as a site for a new State prison instead of the island of Nashawena.

In a letter which they have sent to the members of the General Court and the State Board of Prison Commissioners, this syndicate has pointed out how feasible it is to remove the residents of Halifax, who now number about 500, from their homes and how easily the beautiful Cape town may be converted into a vast state farm of over 9000 acres of rich land, situated on the shores of the two Monponsett lakes.

The news that the town had been proposed for a prison site has stirred up the inhabitants. Few approved the idea. Many opposed it. “If those convicts land here,” said George Estes, keeper of the general store, “I would get a Gatling gun, plant it on the Methodist steeple and shot down every mother’s son of them.” A large gathering of village gossips who were in the store at the time nodded approval.

Only one man, Selectman Henry Haywood, approved of selling the town. Mr. Haywood said: “If they want to clean us off the map, let them clean away, provided they use water enough by way of compensation. By ‘water’ I mean good old greenbacks.”

From the collections of

Susan Basile

Halifax Historian

Rat infestation on Upland Road seems under control

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PLYMPTON– The Plympton Board of Health met Tuesday, July 5 and mostly heard updates on old business. Several of the more notable topics addressed were the following:

• Two houses on Maple Street need to be inspected by the assessor in order for the Health Department to ascertain the number of bedrooms, which is directly related to the size required of a property’s septic system. 48 Maple Street is refusing access while 66 Maple Street cannot find a mutually agreeable time for the inspection.

• A rat infestation on Upland Road seems to have abated. A neighbor moved a wood pile where rats seem to have been living, and the properties will be monitored.

• An inspection of a septic system was conducted by a licensed inspector on Bradford Road, but the inspector was not licensed in Plympton. Not all towns require local licensure; many just require state licensure, according to Cathy Drinan, Health Inspector. The Board will fine the company that the inspector works for $150 for the unlicensed inspection.

• Someone sold a Grove Street property, but the culprit cannot yet be ascertained. They left a dumpster in the driveway. The dumpster company was apparently never paid, so they dumped the contents on the driveway itself and left the pile of refuse. The Board of Health isn’t sure who to take action against– normally it would be the buyer, said Drinan, but the dumpster company should not have left the trash on the driveway. Because this was an anonymous complaint, the Board’s options are limited at this point in time.

• The sale of the property at 59 Parsonage Road from the federal USDA Farm Service to Richmond Poole has not closed yet as Mr. Poole’s attorney is traveling in Europe.

Halifax fireworks go off without a hitch

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HALIFAX– While the afternoon activities scheduled on the Town Green almost didn’t happen due to a lack of funding, the Halifax Fourth of July celebration went off as scheduled thanks to a generous last-minute donation from the Halifax Country Club.

The activities included bouncy inflatables, a petting zoo, a balloon artist, face painting, a DJ, as well as games for children. There were also snacks and an ice-cream truck.

Later on in the evening, a large crowd gathered on the lawn behind Halifax Elementary School in preparation for the big fireworks show. Although some of the earlier activities were still available, as the evening got darker townspeople entertained themselves.

Shortly after 9:15 p.m., an approximately 20-minute firework spectacular began to cheers from the crowd. While it was only 20 minutes, the colorful display felt like it lasted for hours.

The only downside was the intense traffic on Route 106 after the celebratory day ended. All-in-all residents from Halifax and surrounding towns appeared to have a wonderful time taking in not only the fireworks, but all of the other happenings offered.

“Not only petty but spiteful”: Jeff Randall’s daughter on neighbors

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PLYMPTON– After a hearing on a gravel removal permit which, due to a clerical error, referenced an incorrect map from nearly a decade ago and will be reissued, Meaghan Randall, daughter of Jeff Randall, wished to let her neighbors know: “stop harassing my family.”

In an emotional statement, the daughter of the farmer who in the last six months has brought the town apparently full-circle in proposing a medical marijuana “grow-facility”, a Chapter 40B mixed-income housing development and finally back to the cranberry and horse-boarding business, accused her neighbors and former friends of “retribution” and “harassment”.

Randall, who lives at Hayward Farms with her parents, stated that she was afraid that the harassment would go on unabated until her father is caused financial hardship through their opposition to various activities that go on at Hayward Farms.

To bolster her claims that these regular complaints to Town House were retribution for the proposed grow facility, she read from a  May 9 e-mail from Sharon Housley of Ring Road that Housley wished to, “establish a record that Mr. Randall does not follow regulations put forth by the town.”

She called the neighbors on Ring Road, three couples which she specified by name, “not only petty but spiteful,” and stated that she worked with High School students that had better manners.

She also accused them of spreading false information, eye-rolling, laughing at her parents, and ‘snarky’ comments.

Chris Housley of Ring Road responded briefly and mentioned again the history of trucks bringing dirt onto the farm, something that had been discussed in terms of the gravel removal permit, although the dirt has nothing to do with gravel removal, says Jeff Randall.

Randall says that dirt is brought onto the farm, mixed with horse manure, and sold as compost. For that operation, Randall has agreed to limit truck traffic, although he asserts that he does not have to because it is an agricultural by-product. Neighbors are complaining of truck-traffic very early in the morning, which Mr. Randall denies.

The Selectmen are clarifying that assertion.

One neighbor said that they had been “letting this go for years.”

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.