This aerial photograph of East and West Monponsett ponds was taken by Halifax Police Chief Ted Broderick. It dramatically shows the harm drawing down water from the ponds has done. According to the law passed in 1964 to allow Brockton to take the Monponsett water as an “emergency measure”, Brockton must pay to maintain the ponds if they draw water from the ponds.

The City of Brockton has turned over some documents regarding its water diversion from the Monponsett ponds, according to Halifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig, but as of press time he is not certain what exactly was released. This is in response to a formal public records request for, among other information, the water budget for the city.

Halifax has made multiple requests to secure these documents.

But the requests were ignored long before the formal public records request was sent, with notable regret, according to Seelig.

According to Halifax Health Agent Cathy Drinan, Brockton Water Superintendent Brian Creedon is misinterpreting– and possibly disregarding– legislation regarding Brockton’s use of water from the Monponsett Ponds, ignoring the part of the 1964 law passing on a financial obligation to the City of Brockton to maintain the Monponsett Ponds. 

This has angered Halifax officials as well as state officials such as Representative Thomas Calter who has threatened to take the matter to the Attorney Genera’sl office, according to Driden. The legislation clearly states that Brockton has a financial responsibility to maintain the Monponsett Ponds if they are diverting water from them.

Seelig, if he did indeed receive the necessary documents, will be going through the budget attempting to reach out to Brockton to find the money from their water department in order to fund this mandate to maintain the Monponsett Ponds so that cash-strapped Halifax does not have to.

Brockton has the right under 1964 legislation, crafted during a severe drought, says Drinan, to divert water from the East Pond into Silver Lake, which is then treated for Brockton drinking water and is sold to adjacent communities.

According to both Seelig and Drinan this diversion, given that water levels are high enough, can happen anytime between October 1st to May 31st.

The diversion reverses water flow by gravity across natural watersheds, and brings water from the stagnant and algae-ridden West Pond into the East Pond, which has suffered as well from both algae and invasive weeds, though to a lesser extent according to Seelig. The East Pond has been able to stay open all year, this year.

Drinan stated that the treatment administration has helped, referring to the chemical water treatments that the taxpayers of Halifax pay for to help keep the ponds cleaner.

Selectman Chairman Kim Roy has been very vocal about the Monponsett Pond “situation” for some time, and despite her anger, wants to work with Brockton officials to find a long-term solution to end the pollution caused by this practice, as do other Halifax Selectmen and Halifax officials.

“It is about our small, beautiful community not being able to enjoy the ponds. This has become personal; it is hard for it not to,” said Roy. “Besides being a beautiful natural resource for our residents to enjoy, the practice of disturbing the natural flow of water is destroying the ponds and the wildlife.”

Halifax Selectmen Kim Roy talks to the Express about water, sustainability, and about doing the right thing. Photo by Abram Neal.

Interview with Kim Roy, Chairman of the Halifax Board of Selectmen.

Why is this issue so important to you? Is it just that the town has lost control of one of its natural resources or is it more personal?

This issue is very important for so many reasons. Besides being a beautiful natural resource for our residents to enjoy, the practice of disturbing the natural flow of water is destroying our ponds and wildlife. It is about our small beautiful community not being able to enjoy the ponds. It has become personal, it is hard for it not to.

Why should all Halifax residents be concerned, even if they don’t live on the ponds?

Even for residents that do not live on the ponds, they still can enjoy them. Or may I say, when the ponds are open, people can enjoy them. In recent years, residents have not been able to fish, boat or swim for most of the summer. East Pond, this year, has remained open. I believe that the treatment administered helped. All of the taxpayers have collectively spent a lot of money on trying to maintain the ponds. All residents should be concerned about not only the tax dollars that have been spent, but also the impact that the water management of the pond has caused on the lack of use of the ponds as well as the impact on the environment.

Describe your feelings about Brockton selling its treated water supply?

To say that I was upset when I first heard that Brockton had been selling its treated water is an understatement. The taxpayers of Halifax, partly because of Brockton’s practice of disturbing the natural flow of the ponds, have spent their hard earned tax dollars to treat these ponds. To have Brockton sell the water to another community adds insult to injury. When I met with the Brockton Water Commissioners and questioned the fact that they made money selling our water, the response I got was, “we don’t make that much money.” If Brockton is making even a dollar selling water that we (Halifax) spend our money trying to maintain, it is wrong.

Would you be willing to cooperate with Brockton to find a solution to this problem rather than blame them, or have you been always willing to cooperate while the City of Brockton has been stubborn?

I think that trying to attend Water Commissioner meetings, reaching out to the City Council, the mayor’s office and supporting SWIMI grants have shown that we are willing to work with Brockton to find a solution. We have attempted to work with them, tried to engage them in participating in grants. Our latest attempts to get a response to our many letters have gone unanswered. It is disheartening that they are not willing to even answer a letter. It’s not the residents of Brockton whom I am upset with. Most probably don’t even know their source of water. They probably don’t know how green it is with algae before it is treated extensively in order to be able to be drunk by them. They have a right to know that their public officials are not only fully aware, but are ignoring a small community that has limited financial [resources]. I am not sure if the residents of Brockton saw that very disturbing photo of the source of their drinking water, and knew that our residents cannot go near the pond for fear of becoming ill, would be happy with their elected officials. I am still willing to work with Brockton, I won’t give up. I won’t give up trying to resolve this matter. I was elected to do the right thing for our community. Brockton should know that we are not going away. We are willing to work with them, but will not be bullied by them.

Should the Central Plymouth County Water Commissioners and the Plymouth County Water Advisory Board have any teeth to enforce its own decisions, in your opinion? Who would enforce an unpopular decision (i.e. a ruling against Brockton)? Would this be something worth years of possible litigation and who would pay?

I absolutely, without any doubt think that the Central Plymouth County Water Commissioners should have the final say in regulating water practices. It is in the 1964 legislation. If Brockton wants to use the 1964 legislation to use the water, then I will stand by the legislation that states that Brockton has a financial responsibility to maintain our ponds and listen to the rulings of the Central Plymouth County Water Commissioners. I am not sure that there is a clause about Brockton selling water, but then again, that is not what the spirit of the use of the ponds was ever about.

The Green Team, part of the “Youth Unplugged” project of the Wildlands Trust, helped create the new trail from Ring Road to the Cato’s Ridge Conservation Area, part of Plympton Parks. For three weeks this summer, outstanding science students from Brockton, Duxbury and Plymouth high schools learned about and participated in South Shore conservation, agriculture and science projects, among them Plympton Parks.

The Plympton Open Space Committee and the Friends of Plympton Parks are delighted to announce that there is a new access to Cato’s Ridge Conservation Area from Ring Road.  Thanks to owner Roger O’Neil, residents can once again enjoy the beautiful wetlands and winding paths through his large marsh and continue on to enjoy the trails through Cato’s Ridge. To find the new entrance, look for the Plympton Park sign about 50 feet east of #23. Parking is allowed off-street, outside the entrance gate to the Dennett School, just around the corner off Crescent Street.  Please do not park on Ring Road. Trails are open dawn to dusk.

The new trail from Ring Road was largely created by the Green Team, part of the  “Youth Unplugged” project of the Wildlands  Trust, which provides many kinds of partnership support to the town’s open space initiatives. For three weeks this summer, outstanding science students from Brockton, Duxbury and Plymouth High schools learned about and participated in conservation, agriculture and science projects throughout the South Shore, including this one for Plympton Parks. They did a great job and said they loved being part of Parks project. We thank them and our loyal local volunteers, especially Dave Albierti, for creating this new access .

This October, we are looking forward to opening Churchill Park, off Main Street, which will provide parking, trails and another access to Cato’s Ridge over a long boardwalk that has more than 250 special inscriptions. Watch for work days to help out and be ready to celebrate!

Representative Thomas J. Calter, center, presented retiring Plympton Sgt. Robert Costa, left, a Proclamation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives during Monday night’s meeting of the Board of Selectmen. Adding his good wishes to the 30-year veteran is Plympton Police Chief Patrick Dillon, right.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen meeting Monday night was bittersweet honoring retiring police Sergeant Robert “Robbie” Costa, after 30 years of service to the town. 

There was standing room only with all the family, friends, and Brothers in Blue who came to add their well-wishes, including a citation from the House of Representatives, presented by Representative Thomas Calter who noted that a copy of his citation will be archived at the State House, along with citations issued to such notables as Paul Revere.

Tri-Town Television signed

Selectmen were finally able to sign an agreement between Carver and Halifax to create a regional public television studio, the culmination of three years of work, said Selectmen Chairman Mark Russo.

Carver and Halifax, whose public cable television station has already been covering Plympton events for more than six months will now officially join with Plympton to create a studio that will cover all three towns, and be known as Area 58 Studios.

The agreement now needs to be signed by Carver and Halifax Selectmen because there were minor details that were changed at the last minute to the document.

Karen Foye was appointed to the studio’s board of directors for a three-year term, while Russo was appointed to a two-year term.

School fields protocol

The Selectmen were informed that Town Counsel determined that the Plympton school committee has ultimate control over school grounds and buildings, including the use of fields.

This concern was recently raised as there has been interest in leasing out school fields to private athletic clubs.  Recreation Commission Chairman Kevin Kaupp and and his committee came to the board last meeting to determine how to proceed.

Jon Wilhelmsen, chairman of the Plympton School Committee spoke to the matter, having just returned from a school committee meeting, and told selectmen that the school committee under its clarified authority will allow the Recreation Committee to “outsource” maintenance of the sprinkler systems and use of the school owned fields outside of school hours.

Wilhelmsen also spoke to the fact that the school committee was reticent to approve any form of solar panels on any of the Dennett School’s three roofs, despite the presentation to selectmen at their last meeting. As the school committee has the last word on this matter, this is a serious hurdle to the proposed project.

Members of the Recreation Commission were present to discuss vandalism to basketball backboards at the Parsonage Road recreation area. They were informed that further damage had occurred and the board discussed whether or not to file another insurance claim to replace them again, fearing of increased insurance premiums in the coming year.

All agreed it was best to try not to file an insurance claim, and pay for the cleanup and replacement backboards from other funds. They also will choose a different material for the backboards, such as Plexiglas or metal as opposed to glass.  Discussion of possible lighting and/or security cameras at the courts was tabled for a future meeting.

Committees recently formed to focus the board on important projects reported progress, including the DOR report committee chaired by Selectperson Christine Joy and the public safety building committee chaired by Selectman Colleen Thompson.

According to Thompson, the public safety building committee has reached a consensus that they would like to attempt to plan a new public safety complex on the current campus near Town House, even seeking to have some preliminary engineering studies done.

In a related matter, the selectmen voted to take the town-owned Maple Street parcel adjacent to property owned by Chairman Russo off of the possible site-list, so that Russo will not have to recuse himself from every vote related to the proposed new public safety complex. Property owned by the town on Center Street is still a possible back-up site.

Finally, the Board, with regret, accepted the resignation of Kristen LeVangee, the selectmen’s assistant as of August 27, 2015. The board is currently searching for a replacement.

In Other News:

• Plympton Mobil and Convenience will change its name to Plympton Gas and Convenience. Their contract with Mobil has ended.

• The board will meet Monday at 6 p.m. on the following four dates: August 31, September 14, September 21, and September 28.

It is that time of year again! Here is the list of bus routes for the Silver Lake School District. Please note, they are subject to change. If you have any questions, you can contact the Silver Lake Regional School District at (781) 585-4313. The Express would also like to remind all students to use safety precautions when walking to or from the bus stop. Have a happy and safe school year!

This aerial ladder truck is similar to the model that the Halifax Fire Department will be purchasing.
Photo courtesy of Rosenbauer America.

The Halifax Selectmen addressed several important issues Tuesday, August 18, in a brief 45-minute meeting.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros updated selectmen on the selection of the new aerial ladder truck that will be purchased with the $714, 210 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant program. Viveiros updated selectmen on the specific model his department had chosen after a very close analysis.  Viveiros and his team chose the low bidder, Rosenbaur America, out of Attleboro. 

The superior features of the truck described by Viveiros included:

• Longer ladder
• Climbable Ladder (not just a bucket ladder)
• Gallivanted Steel Ladder (heavier, but stronger than aluminum)
• Safer jacking system for uneven surfaces (known as an ‘H’ jack)
• Maintenance in Attleboro (vs. East Hartford)
• Nozzles at top of bucket/ladder can be operated remotely from ground
• Smart operations system (truck’s computer will prevent unsafe operation of many systems and cannot be overridden by the operator)

Same tax rate for residential and commercial property

Principal Appraiser/Assessor Karen Trudeau presented recommendations from the Board of Assessors that the tax rate remains the same for both residential property (89.5% of the town’s tax base) and commercial property.  The board considered splitting the tax rate, as it does every year, splitting the tax rate to apportion a higher tax to commercial business owners. The board agreed with Assessors that the rate should remain uniform.

Letter to town’s Representatives in General Court

Selectmen proposed to write a letter to all of the town’s representatives at the state level regarding proposed changes to the public records laws in the Commonwealth. The Board has vocally opposed the changes, with Selectman Troy Garron noting that the change would increase the burden on towns and cities to comply while the judiciary and Office of the Governor would claim exemption from the law.

Water wars

The water wars continue, with Town Administrator Charlie Seelig personally delivering public records requests to the Mayor, City Councilmen, and Water Commissioner for documents regarding Brockton’s water operations, including their budget. Brockton has continuously ignored requests for this information as Halifax and other communities bordering the Monponsett Ponds seek evidence that Brockton’s historic and continual tapping of water from the ponds is causing environmental havoc that ends up costing taxpayers “upstream.”

Both Seelig and Selectmen Chairman Kim Roy expressed disappointment with the City of Brockton. “I’m sorry it has come to this,” said Roy. Seelig added that he has simply been ignored for too many weeks.

Water woes

Beginning September 1, all outdoor watering will be banned due to painting and repairs on the Halifax water tower. The tower will be emptied, and the system will not have enough pressure for outdoor watering. At night the town will need to tap into Brockton’s water system (at a cost– the same water that ironically is partially supplied by Halifax.)

“We’ll have to connect into our own water at night!” quipped Selectmen Chairman Kim Roy, who has been very vocal about the Monponsett pond water situation.

Special Town Meeting/Selectmen’s Meeting set for September 8

A special town meeting will be held Sept. 8 at the Halifax Elementary School at 7:30 p.m. Three articles will be considered. Two concern the fire truck grant: the first will allocate money originally voted at the annual town meeting to finance the first year’s lease of a new ladder truck and the second to cover expenses for the new FEMA grant truck, and return the remainder to the taxpayers. 

The third article concerns the Halifax Elementary School’s IT budget, which has a surplus. The school is asking to use the approximately $11,000 it now has left over to begin putting in place the infrastructure for a new phone system, which is estimated to cost approximately $30,000.  The phone system itself is not being voted at the special town meeting.  This article is being framed as a safety issue, as each classroom does not currently have a phone.

Selectmen remind residents that this meeting may save taxpayers money, and a 100-person quorum is required for the meeting to begin.

In other news:

• Two routine “live entertainment licenses” were granted to Dawn Corby and Salon Serenity.

Coming home to roost

SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT: Parent volunteers and members of the Hanson-based United Bantams 4-H Club stand behind their renovation work at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Photo by Tracy Seelye.

MARSHFIELD — The United Bantams 4-H Club, based in Hanson, is a group of chicken enthusiasts on a mission for the 148th annual Marshfield Fair Aug. 21-30.

They’ve spent the past month working two to three times a week — almost 40 hours — renovating the old 4-H poultry barn at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Members and parent volunteers have been updating displays and cages as well as adding new features to a wing of an L-shaped building they will share with a photography competition and model train display.

The chickens have, indeed, come home to roost — and they’ll be joined by ducks and some other feathered friends.

“We’ve been doing a ton of work,” said United Bantams leader Mary Drake, whose club includes members from Hanson, Whitman, Abington, Pembroke, Plympton and other Plymouth County communities. “The chicken barn has not been represented by 4-H for a long time — it’s not a 4-H barn.”

Neighboring dairy and sheep barns, by contrast, had retained their 4-H management all along. As she spoke parent volunteers Peter Trask and Shawn Barry were climbing up on the roof to restore the “Poultry Show” sign Trask’s wife Lisa repainted, along with a sign bearing the 4-H four-leaf clover logo.

“There was a falling out many years ago and what we’re trying to do is mend some bridges, and get this back to being a 4-H barn,” Drake said.

The late Plympton Selectman Joseph Freitas “taught us everything about raising chickens,” according to Drake. He instructed the United Bantam members how to hold, feed and care for their birds.

“Mr. Freitas loved his chickens,” she said. “He was a great guy — and he was here every year and always helping and always right there with everybody.”

Freitas, known as “chicken boy” among friends, was active in the Plymouth County 4-H program for 25 years as the leader of the Fowl Play Poultry Club of East Middleboro and served on the Board of Trustees.

His widow Jacqueline, who attended a recent “Chicken Run” obstacle course fund raiser to help pay for the barn renovation, is scheduled to be the guest of honor at a ribbon-cutting for the rehabbed poultry barn Thursday, Aug. 20 — the night before the fair opens­ — according to Drake.

After a lengthy absence in the county, the United Bantams 4-H Club was the first poultry club to return. Drake noted there are now almost a half-dozen poultry clubs in Plymouth County.

Among the nearly 20 members of United Bantams, some joined to forge friendships as well as to learn more about backyard poultry. Among those is Isabel Barry, 14, of Hanson.

“When I first moved to Hanson I didn’t have any friends,” she said, noting it takes time to get to know people in a new town. “I was basically bored all day.”

Her grandmother had also suggested she join 4-H.

“The chicken barn was always my favorite out of all the barns,” she said.  “When I found Mary’s group, I just loved the atmosphere.”

James Furness, 16, of Abington has been active in backyard chicken raising since he was in the first grade. His two brothers found it less enthralling, mom Lisa noted.

“I always loved the baby chicks and they always asked, ‘What are you going to do when they grow up and become chickens?’” James said.

By the time he began 4-H three years ago, he had begun his own project with three full-grown laying hens. He built his own coop with the help of his dad Bill, who has been a carpenter for 30 years.

James’ assorted flock of seven hens all have names, flouting rule one of farming, “Don’t make them pets,” he joked.

Khloe Drake, 9, followed her mom into raising chickens, saying she likes their soft feathers best.

“We have big chickens, small chickens, all kinds of stuff,” Mary Drake said of United Bantams. “There are more backyard chicken farms than there are for cows and horses combined.”

That growth has occurred within the past five to 10 years — and can be found in some urban settings as well.

“We’re trying to show that it is so predominant that it should have a face,” Drake said as parent volunteers and club members unloaded wood, paint and tools; took cages apart to clean and paint and sand plywood appliqué pieces for a mural backing a nesting box and brooder display where patrons can watch chickens lay eggs and watch eggs hatch.

“Kids could get nose-to-nose with a cow, nose-to-nose with a sheep, a llama or a pig, but they couldn’t get nose-to-nose with a chicken, so we’re making that possible by revamping the barn,” she said. “Every bird in the coop is tested for influenza and pullorum-typhoid. They all have leg bands and have to have a certificate.”

State health regulations also require all poultry exhibited must be free of visual evidence of infectious bronchitis, coryza, fowl-pox, external parasites and laryngotraceitis.

“Nose-to-nose,” or nose-to-beak in this case, means birds will be displayed on lower levels where children can see them, and Plexiglass will be used for safety in some areas — especially in the nesting and brooder display. Steps will be placed near the nesting boxes (which are open in the back) so children can see better. Brooders, where eggs hatch and new chicks are kept warm, will also be lower.

An indoor duckling slide will be included as well as “Mustang,” a resident duck who will be waddling about the nesting area among the chickens because he would be lonely if left home by himself, Drake said. Mustang will also have a small pool, to be placed under a tree on which chickens may perch. Outdoors, about 30 ducks will be splashing and swimming about in a fenced-in duck pond.

“Someone will be available at all times to answer questions, holding chickens so children can touch and pet them,” Drake said. Parents are very involved in the club, which Drake noted is not a “drop-off club” and all parents of club members are CORI checked.

Shawn Barry of Hanson has done much of the construction work along with Bill Furness of Abington.

“There’s no shortage of energy around here,” Barry said Sunday morning as United Bantam members rushed about to figure out which projects they wanted to work on. “We just need to harness it.”