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Fitzgerald remembered by Halifax Selectmen

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Margaret “Peggy” Fitzgerald remembered by Halifax Selectmen, Town Gazebo considered

Halifax selectmen, who had not met in three weeks, met Monday to deal with a busy agenda, beginning their meeting with a moment of silence out of respect for Margaret “Peggy” Fitzgerald, who passed away last week at the age of 84.  She had resided in Halifax for 75 years.

  Fitzgerald, a former Selectmen Chairman, School Committee Chairman, Town Accountant, and member of the Finance Committee (who only resigned from her position several weeks ago), among other boards and committees, served the town and region for more than 50 years.

   All of the members of the board had a memory to share about Fitzgerald, and Selectmen Chairman Roy was moved to tears when reading from her obituary, calling her a neighbor and mentor.

   “This is a tragic loss,” stated a visibly shaken Roy.

Gazebo on the green

   Paul Ledwell and his family have offered to donate a gazebo to the town in memory of their daughter, Caitlin, who passed away in 2012 due to injuries sustained in a car accident.

   The Ledwell family and the fund set up in her memory will pay for the gazebo, and its maintenance going forward, according to Ledwell.

   “I don’t want this to look like something that was purchased at Home Depot and dropped in,” he said. He showed the board a picture of the gazebo in Pembroke center, which is 20 by 40 feet, which he characterized as large, but not that large.

   The board was concerned by the size, but set up a meeting with Ledwell to stake out several options on the lawn, to get a better sense of what size is the best fit for the town and to set up a definitive location. John Campbell, chair of the Building Committee, and John Shea, chair of the Historic District Commission were available as well to give input.

   Campbell had some concerns about maintenance, but Ledwell insisted his family or the memorial fund would pay for yearly upkeep. Shea wanted to be sure the structure would blend in. Shea and Campbell will also attend the meeting with Ledwell and the board when they stake out the proposed structure.

Chairman Roy thanked Ledwell for his generosity to Halifax.

Class II license stipulations

  Holders of Class II auto dealers’ licenses have been in the news recently due to accusations of having too many vehicles on their properties. Now the board is looking into revising some of the stipulations on the licenses.

  One difficult to enforce, but new idea from Town Administrator Charlie Seelig is to put a one-year limit on the length of time a vehicle can physically be on the premises of a dealership.

  This would encourage dealers to sell vehicles rather than allowing them to sit and be used for parts, for example, according to Seelig.

The board passed this stipulation, and it will be up to Seelig to enforce.

Regionalization

  At the recent FinCom summit between Kingston, Plympton, and Halifax further regionalization was a topic of discussion. The Halifax selectmen discussed this idea in further detail.

There was excitement about the idea of sharing an information technology, or I.T. professional at the summit and the board shared this enthusiasm.

Selectman Tom Millias suggested a Conservation Officer might also be a position that could be shared, likely with Plympton.

   “We’ve been down this road before, we just have to do it,” selectman Troy Garron said.

   Charlie Seelig will try to set up a meeting of the tri-town selectmen to move forward with these proposals.

    In other news:

• Algae counts remain high in the Monponsett Ponds (above 70,000/ppm.) The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is setting up a joint meeting in the near future between the Town of Halifax and the City of Brockton to discuss Brockton’s past diversion of water from the lake, which Halifax officials assert is environmentally detrimental. The City of Brockton is not currently diverting due to the high algae counts.

• The board is researching the title to a property at 5 Short Street that is believed to be town-owned. The property has a house on it, and is valued at approximately $130,000. The board will continue to discuss possibly selling the property.

• The board discussed changing the Treasurer-Collector position from one that is elected to one that is appointed. This must be voted at Town Meeting, and has been defeated before. Although all of the board members expressed a preference towards appointments for positions that require technical expertise, all thought it was too soon to ask voters about this again, for now.

• Edward Gavin, Jr. expressed interest in either the Finance Committee or Capital Planning Committee. There is a vacancy on FinCom and the board is interested in interviewing him for that position.

• The board will next meet on November 24th at 7 p.m. Fire Chief Jason Vivieros is expected to be present to present final findings of the Fire Study Committee. The FinCom will join the meeting at 8:15 to discuss the FY’17 budget with the board.

3 Reasons To Advertise in the Express Holiday Gift Guide

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Just in case you need 3 reasons to advertise in the Express Holiday Gift guide, I will give them to you. Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner, and we all know how hectic that season gets. A 2008 holiday stress poll by the APA showed that more than eight out of 10 Americans anticipate stress during the holiday season.

3 Reasons To Advertise in the Express Holiday Gift Guide

The Express Holiday Gift Guide will appear in print December 3rd and 4th, and online December 5, 2015.

3 Reasons To Advertise in the Express Holiday Gift GuideIt is my job as the Express Media Editor to help you local business do what you do best – sell your wares. That’s is why we have developed a way to put you in front of local customers in a way that won’t break the bank.

3 Reasons to Advertise in the the Express Holiday Gift Guide

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3 Reasons To Advertise in the Express Holiday Gift Guide

This is an example of how the listing will appear in print and online. The online version can link to your store’s web site.

I am so proud to be able to offer you this cost-efficient, effective vehicle of bringing you sales this holiday season! It’s sure to be a feature we will repeat for years to come.

Our Express Holiday Gift Guide prints December 3rd and 4th in both the Whitman-Hanson Express and the Plympton-Halifax Express, debuts online December 5th. *Book your space today! After November 15th, the price jumps to $45.

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Read more about dealing with holiday stress here at the American Psychological Association.

Halifax pond issues: County water district seeks answers

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HALIFAX — State representatives Thomas J. Calter, D-Kingston, and Josh S. Cutler, D-Duxbury, tried to assure angry residents that their efforts to deal with the Department of Environmental Protection on the Monponsett Ponds issue is making progress.

Both legislators have worked to bring the plight of the ponds to the attention of the State House, looking for a solution.

The meeting of the Central Plymouth County Water District, held at the Halifax Town Hall Great Room Monday, Sept. 14, brought a couple dozen residents and other interested water folks to vent their frustration with the lack of response by Brockton and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Chaired by Plympton’s Jack O’Leary, who was joined by Halifax attorney Paul Collis, clerk, the meeting was a forum for much needed discussion.

West Monponsett Pond is in the height of an algae bloom, despite the extensive and expensive efforts of the Town of Halifax to treat the pond three times this past summer.  The City of Brockton, whose main source of water is Silver Lake, located in Plympton, Pembroke and Kingston, was given emergency authority in a 1964 legislative action to divert water from West Monponsett pond, through East Monponsett pond, and Stump Brook to bring up the levels of Silver Lake for Brockton’s use. Diverting this water has left a serious situation with toxic algae growing in the pond and dead fish on the shore, both seemingly as a result of the lowering of the water level and reversing the natural flow of the west Monponsett pond to cause stagnation. 

Hanson resident Audrey Hayward of Ocean Avenue said that her property value has plummeted due to the toxic stench.  She also blames her health issues on the green algae in the pond.

“They (the symptoms) appear when the green water comes,” Hayward said. “It never dies, just goes down to the bottom of the pond in cold weather. . . . We can’t have company, cook-outs, with the stench and the fish belly-up on the shore.”

She said she has to keep her dog from drinking the pond water, and is still having a hard time making the payments on a very expensive septic system that the DEP strongly insisted that she and her neighbors invest in for the sake of the ponds. She sees no improvement, in fact things are worse from her point of view, and she still has the large payments on the $40,000 to $50,000 septic system to make.  Her neighborhood friend of more than 30 years is losing her home to foreclosure as she isn’t able to make those payments.

“Losing your home because of a septic system?  That just isn’t right,” Hayward said.

Hayward continued that she continually sees boaters on the pond, speeding around, throwing up aerosolized toxins people then inhale.

“I watch people out there pulling their 7- or 8-year-old children on tubes, splashing on the water, breathing in the aerosolized foam,” she said. “Why is that boat ramp still open?  How do we stop that?  You can’t have it both ways!”

Pine DuBois of the Jones River Watershed Association said, “There needs to be a forum… The DEP needs to hear this woman.”

Halifax Selectmen Chairman Kim Roy told Hayward that Halifax is limited in its authority over the state boat ramp.  They do put out signs, but the signs need to be improved.

Brockton Water Department employee Brian Creedon said he had sent a letter to Richard Rondeau, head of the Department of Environmental Protection, South Division in Lakeville, for clarification of the DEP’s position on the Monponsett Pond issue on June 15.

He is still waiting for an answer.

Rep. Calter told the group that he personally brought a petition, signed by 620 residents in 48 hours, to the State House to increase awareness of the problem inaction and wrong action has caused.  Calter continued that he and Cutler believe that the DEP has relinquished its authority in the Ponds issue.  They should realize that diverting water from West Monponsett Pond is a bad idea.

“The City of Brockton has the right to divert water beginning Oct. 1,” O’Leary said.  “It is also their statutory obligation to maintain the ponds, which they have failed to do,” he said.

Creedon told the commissioners that it is his understanding that Brockton has no plan to divert water from Monponsett Oct. 1.

Alex Mansfield, Ecology Program Director of the Jones River Watershed Association, said that the ponds need to be allowed to return to their natural flow to give them the opportunity to clean themselves.

Hayward asked O’Leary why, when she as a gardener has to watch her garden die, the people of Brockton have no water ban? Roy answered that she asked the Brockton Water Commissioners that same question and was told that “Brockton people like to have green grass.”

Calter said that with the lack of conservation on the part of Brockton, there may need to be new legislation to deal with the problem.  “Rep. Cutler and I have read the law thoroughly and find it very clear.”

Collis told the group that for the past three years, the Monponsett Watershed Association, the Board of Selectmen and Board of Health for Halifax have been trying to find a resolution to the green water.  Out of frustration dealing with the regulatory authority, the DEP, it has been only through the efforts of Calter and Cutler that we now have the legal vehicle to pursue solutions.

Calter told Collis that they are petitioning Gov. Baker, and are in touch with the DEP, seeking to form a collaboration this week at the State House which will put in motion a solution to the problem.

O’Leary told the group of the conference which he attended, even though the Patrick administration withdrew funds for the commission, which dealt in part with the cyanobacteria problem.  The lecturer spent some time with O’Leary, and told him that a big problem with reversing the water flow from a contaminated pond is dragging the problem from West Pond to East Pond and into Silver Lake itself.  Brockton may well be poisoning its own water source.

DuBois told the group that she would encourage the Commission’s writing a letter of support to investigate Brockton’s entry into the MWRA water system, which goes as far as Stoughton now.   

Brockton has clearly outgrown the present protocol of draining Monponsett ponds to quench its thirst.

Plympton Selectmen: Dealing with tricky issues

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Plympton Selectmen Monday night wrestled with several tricky issues, including whether to do background checks on business license applicants, held a tax classification hearing, and dealt with how a multipurpose building at Sauchuk Farms might be wired for electricity.

CORI Checks for business license applicants?

Both Selectman Mark Russo and Dale Pleau, Town Coordinator, looked into whether CORI (criminal record) checks could be done on business license applicants as had been the previous practice of the town. The issue arose when Angels Auto & Towing requested a Class II license to sell used cars, not specifically because of a problem with them, but because Russo wanted to look into the legality of the practice.

According to Town Counsel and the Police Chief Patrick Dillon, this is not legal due to CORI reform laws. Someone in town could be trained to perform what Pleau has termed “CORI-lite” checks, but as of now the board does not know of anyone with the training or the cost of that training.  Pleau will look further into the matter.

The Class II license for Angels Auto and Towing passed, with Selectperson Christine Joy opposed. When interviewed after the meeting, Joy stated she was not opposed to Angels Auto and Towing per se, but that she felt that all business license applicants should be vetted as to whether they are suitable candidates to run businesses in town in order “to protect the citizens of Plympton.” She used the example of someone with a history of larceny as someone unsuitable to run a business in town.

Residential/Commercial tax rate split?

The board held an annual hearing required by law to determine whether or not to split the residential and commercial tax rate. The hearing was technically a Board of Assessors meeting within the Selectmen’s meeting, and is always held after assessors have set their final values and submitted them to the Department of Revenue.

Splitting the rate increases the tax bill for commercial and agricultural businesses and reduces the tax bill for residents. Most nearby communities do not engage in the practice, and if they do, it is not by very much. Selectmen and assessors agreed that splitting the rate could discourage business from entering a town as it raises their tax bill.

Principal Assessor Deborah Stuart prepared very detailed documents on what other communities do and compared them to Plympton. She also presented in detail the consequences of each of the four motions before the Selectmen, because she stated that she was asked to by a concerned citizen this week.

Susan Ossoff of the Plympton Finance Committee commented from the audience that she believed that the rate should not be split.

Without much discussion, the Selectmen decided against splitting the rate, as has been the practice in the past.

A Complicated Maze at Sauchuk Farms

Sauchuk Farms owner Scott Sauchuk came before the board to request an alternate wiring inspector for a multipurpose building that he constructed as a farm stand for the corn maze he runs at the farm. Sauchuk has been having trouble getting the proper permitting to wire the building. He stated that there was a possible conflict of interest with the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Bob Karling, being the wiring inspector as well.

Although the two men disagreed vehemently, they were calm and polite.

Sauchuk stated that the use of the building will be simply to consolidate operations for the corn maze. The Zoning Enforcement Officer wants time with town counsel because due to agricultural bylaws, any building built on agricultural land is technically an agricultural accessory building, whether it is a shed or a barn, or in Sauchuk’s case, a building with bathrooms, ticket vending, and a farm stand.

Wiring standards are different for agricultural accessory buildings than normal commercial buildings for several reasons, including the risk of explosion in areas where hay is stored and animals sensing voltages differently than humans in concrete, for example. The wiring for agricultural buildings versus commercial buildings is much more expensive, said Karling.

But Sauchuk said there will be no animals or hay in his building.

He is going ahead with wiring the building (at his own risk, according to Karling), although he legally can start 5 days before pulling a permit.

The Selectmen agreed to allow Karling time with town counsel, and because Karling has no problem stepping aside in his role as wiring inspector in this case, the deputy wiring inspector will follow up.

In other news:

• The Selectmen expect to hire their new assistant within the week. Six applicants were considered.

• The new Blue Wave solar PPA will be presented at the next board meeting. It offers a better deal than their last one: 10.5 cents per KwH over twenty years with no escalator.

• The board will continue to explore coordinating with Carver over industrial land on Spring Street.

• The Parsonage Road basketball court is half repaired; one new backboard was installed, but the Recreation Department is waiting for a second.

• The Public Safety Building Committee continues to regularly meet and seeks public input at their open meetings. Selectman Colleen Thompson says “things are looking good” for keeping everything on the current Town House “campus.”

• The Board of Selectmen will begin its regular fall schedule, with meetings on Mondays at 6 p.m. The next meetings are September 21st, September 28th, and October 5th.

State AG approves Halifax AgCom

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cowHalifax Town Administrator Charlie Seelig announced Wednesday that the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has approved the Town’s by-law establishing a seven-person Halifax Agricultural Commission.

Six of the members are to be from the active farming community and there will be one resident at large of Halifax.

The members shall serve as facilitators for encouraging the pursuit of agriculture in Halifax, shall promote agricultural-based economic opportunities in Town, shall act as advocates, educators, and/or negotiators on farming issues, shall work for preservation of prime agricultural lands, and shall pursue all initiatives appropriate to creating a sustainable agricultural community.

Residents interested in serving on the Agricultural Commission should download the “Talent Bank” form from the Town’s web site and return it to the Board of Selectmen’s Office or call the Office at 781-294-1316 by no later than September 29.

Halifax approves FEMA Hazard Mitigation Plan

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Hazard mitigation

On Monday September 9, 2015 the Halifax Selectmen signed a 15-town hazard mitigation plan submitted by the Old Colony Planning Council. Erik Arbeene, a planner with the Council and Fire Chief Jason Viveiros presented the plan. It is intended prevent natural hazards that might occur.

Everything from earthquakes, to tornadoes to tsunamis are planned for in the nearly 1,500 page document. The plan takes a regional perspective, for example, there is no chapter for how Halifax should deal with mitigating flooding, but a chapter on how the region can mitigate flooding.

Signing a hazard mitigation plan such as the one signed by the board provides not only historical and demographic data used to mitigate such disasters, but allows towns and cities to apply for MEMA and FEMA grants to make improvements to prevent natural disasters from being so destructive to people and communities.

Chief Viveiros added that the information in the document might very well be helpful to apply for other grants, as well.

Monponsett Pond news

Selectmen noted that Health Agent Cathy Drinan is looking to improve signage on both the Monponsett Ponds warning those who seek to boat, swim, or fish in the ponds of the potential health risks. Any ideas from the public are welcome.

A letter will also be drafted by Town Administrator Charlie Seelig to the Brockton City Council at the direction of the board.

The letter will “strongly encourage” Brockton not to divert water from the East Pond until algae counts in the West Pond are below 70,000 ppm, despite the fact that Brockton can legally divert from October 1st until May 31st. This is for the health of both the bodies of water.

In other news:

  • Three recycling abatements were approved while another four need clarifying documents to be properly adjudicated.
  • Halifax Girls Basketball was approved a permit for the use of town property to hold a yard sale on the Town Hall green on Saturday, Sept. 12th.
  • The temporary cellphone tower that will be used while the Water Tower is being repainted has been erected in the Town Hall parking lot and is nearly operational.
  • Theresa Levenson was appointed to the Halifax in Lights committee.
  • Two new full-time police officers were welcomed by the board, Officer Patrick DeRoo and Officer Brian Simpson, both of Halifax.

Water wars continue: Will Brockton pay up?

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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.

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.”

An Interview with Halifax Selectman Kim Roy: It has become personal…

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Roy

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.

O’Neil gives new access Cato’s Ridge in Plympton

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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 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!

Fond farewell to Sgt. Costa at Plympton BOS meeting

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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.

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.