by Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Shortly after I moved to Halifax in the 70’s, an older couple moved in across the street from me. They were to become very important to my kids and me. My marriage had broken up and I was alone with two young children. My son Brian was starting second grade and my daughter Heidi was four and also deaf. I was holding down a job so I could keep my house and I needed someone to get my son off to school in the morning and to take Heidi until I got home in the afternoon.
The man and his wife who moved in were friendly and my kids and I liked them right away. Their names were Kitty and Les. They were from the Boston area, Les, a retired respiratory therapist from the Deaconess Hospital and Kitty a seamstress. As we got to know each other and they found out my situation, Kitty offered to help with my kids and agreed to the price I could afford to pay.
My ex was not good about keeping in touch with our kids and Heidi especially became attached to Les. Kitty and Les were a couple of color and one winter morning when my kids and I were in Cumberland Farms on a Sunday picking up a few groceries, Les walked into the store. Heidi spotted him from the back of the store and started running, her blonde ponytails flying out behind her while she yelled as loud as she could, “Dada!” Les kneeled down on one knee and opened his arms as she ran into them for a big hug. He was smiling and chuckling as people were curiously looking on. The memory still touches my heart.
Kitty and Les were good to my kids and they went willingly every weekday morning to their house. As time passed we grew closer to them and I got to know them very well. They became like family to us. Some years later when I married again, they came to my wedding. I met and got to know some of their family, one being a niece of Kitty’s who was a mounted Police officer in Boston and patrolled on horse back.
As Les aged he developed diabetes. He’d walk over to visit me when Kitty was busy with a customer who needed sewing done and begged me to make him a lemon meringue pie. My heart went out to him but I told him I couldn’t because of his health and because it would upset Kitty. What did finally pacify him was being able to have a small dish of ice cream on a regular basis.
As his health declined I went over to visit with him often. He became like a second father to me, I could talk to him about anything. He eventually needed a hospital bed which was delivered to the house. Kitty took such good care of him and he was able to stay at home with help from a visiting nurse.
One morning when I got up I had a sinking feeling something was wrong. I saw one of my neighbors come out of Kitty’s house and he looked sad. As I stepped outside he looked at me, nodding towards Kitty’s house and I went right over. When I went in Kitty was standing beside Les’s bed, tears running down her face. I gave her a big hug and she said Les had just passed.
Every Easter Les gave Kitty an Easter Lily and every year he’d plant it in their front yard in hopes it would bloom the next year. Some bloomed but were scraggly, they never did well. The Easter after Les passed I was in my kitchen when I heard someone calling my name. I looked outside and Kitty was coming up my walk. “Come, you have to see this, please come!”. She seemed dazed and close to tears. Alarmed, I went with her. As we approached her house a strong scent filled the air and to my amazement her small front yard was filled with beautiful Easter Lilies, all in bloom. She gestured toward the flowers saying, “this is not of this world; do you think this is the sign Les promised me when he got to Heaven?” I told her without a doubt I knew it was.
Cournan announces candidacy for State Representative
Jane Cournan, a proud resident of Pembroke, has announced her campaign for State Representative for the 6th Plymouth District. Jane brings a fresh perspective, unwavering commitment, and dedication to serving the people of the district. She is a registered Republican.
Jane understands the challenges facing the commonwealth and is committed to finding common-sense solutions that prioritize the needs of its citizens.
Professionally, Jane is the Co-Founder of Pageview Media and the popular magazine “South Shore Home, Life, and Style” – the premier luxury lifestyle magazine dedicated to celebrating the coastal communities south of Boston. With a background in finance, a mom, and a small business owner, Jane possesses the leadership skills necessary to effectively represent the needs of her constituents.
Cournan is an advocate for fiscal responsibility, honest government, and individual freedoms.
“Solutions are not one size fits all, and I will make sure everyone has a voice. I am committed to engaging with the community, listening to the concerns of residents, and working collaboratively to develop effective policies that benefit all.”
Jane believes in fostering a business-friendly environment that promotes economic growth, creates jobs, and ensures prosperity for all Massachusetts residents while at the same protects our environment and natural resources.
Jane recognizes the importance of quality education and will work to improve and expand educational opportunities for our towns.
“I am excited to embark on this journey to serve the people of Massachusetts and look forward to earning the trust and support of voters across the district.”
The 6th Plymouth District consists of Duxbury, Halifax (Precinct 2), Hanson (Precincts 2 and 3), Marshfield (Precincts 2A and 4), and Pembroke (Precincts 1, 2, 3A, and 4). It was previously represented by Democrat State Representative Josh Cutler.
The General Election will be held on Nov. 5, 2024.
To learn more about Jane Cournan, and her campaign for State Representative, please visit janecournan.com
Girl Scout Cookies to share
Last Thursday, March 7, the Brownies and Juniors from Plympton Girl Scout Troop 70837 stopped by the Plympton Town House to bring cookies to the Council on Aging and the Plympton Food Pantry. They also delivered cookies to the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center in Barnstable. This cookie season, from December through the end of February, the troop sold 2,700 boxes from their standouts at the Plympton Library and the Halifax Stop & Shop. The scouts braved the cold and kept their smiles as they sold box after box of cookies. Many customers told the girls to “keep the change” or made a donation, and from those funds, the girls were able to buy 187 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to donate to the COA, the Food Pantry, and veterans.
Coffee with State Rep. LaNatra
KINGSTON – State Representative Kathy LaNatra announced that she will host a monthly event for constituents called “Coffee and Conversation with Rep. LaNatra.” Constituents from across the 12th Plymouth District will have the opportunity to come and speak to Representative LaNatra and her staff about issues they care about, concerns they have regarding legislation or State policy, get assistance on any issues they are experiencing, or to hear from the Representative on events from Beacon Hill.
“I take my job as a Representative of the 12th Plymouth district seriously, and that begins by listening to my constituents and providing opportunities for constituents to engage with myself, my staff, and let their voices be heard,” said State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston). “I am excited to begin hosting this monthly event to give my constituents another opportunity to meet with me, talk with me and allow me to better understand the needs and viewpoints of the residents of the communities I serve.”
“Coffee and Conversation with Rep. LaNatra” will take place once a month at a different coffee shop or restaurant throughout the 12th Plymouth district. This month’s event will take place on:
Friday, March 22, 10:30 – 11:30 AM
at The Early Bird Restaurant, 287 Main St.. Kingston.
Representative LaNatra can be reached at (617) 722-2575, or at her email [email protected]. If you cannot make the “Coffee and Conversation” event, you can reach out to her office at the number listed above, or through her Chief of Staff at [email protected] to set up another time to meet.
Kathy LaNatra proudly serves as a State Representative for the 12th Plymouth District, which consists of the Towns of Kingston, Plympton, Precinct 1 and 2A of Halifax, Precinct 1 and 5A of Middleborough, Precinct 3 of Pembroke, and Precinct 1, 2, 3, 5, and 13 of Plymouth.
School Committee asks for cuts
The Halifax Elementary School Committee met on Monday, March 4. Superintendent Jill Proulx presented the Version III FY’ 25 budget to the Committee. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) mandated that Silver Lake address what they saw as long -standing structural issues in the way the regional agreement was implemented and as a result the budgets for the three elementary schools and Silver Lake look different than years’ past. Some of the changes over the previous year were that Pre-K will now be a Silver Lake expense, Silver Lake positions in the elementary schools will now become school/town employees, and out-of-district special education tuitions for Pre-K and secondary will also be Silver Lake expenses. Shared-cost positions will now be paid according to percentages in the updated regional agreement. Proulx noted that multiple legal opinions were consulted and agreed on the new agreement.
Changes from the Version II to Version III budgets include removing Pre-K out-of- district tuitions at a savings of $215,990, special education transportation adjustment at a savings of $120,934, special education tuition adjustment of minus $609, and a 240 grant allocation at a savings of $37,205.
Version III of the budget represents a regular day increase of 15 percent or $937,694. Special education tuition and transportation for Grades K through 6 represent a decrease of $2,781,192. Laws said she was concerned about the 15 percent regular day increase even if the overall budget represented a decrease. Proulx also told the Committee that there was one known retirement for FY’ 25. For out of district vocational, Proulx said there would be five placements. She said that they won’t know the exact numbers until April 1.
Regarding what was not included in the updated budget, Proulx said that potential enrollment increases, especially for kindergarten were not updated. A reduction in technology expenditures of $40,571 was not yet reflected. The reduction will be courtesy of a REAP grant.
Proulx also shared with the Committee a draft of the assessments for each of the three towns. Halifax’s share of the assessment in FY’ 24 was $5,582,257 and the FY’ 25 share is $8,918,067. The decrease, however, for Halifax Elementary School in the town’s operating budget is nearly 20 percent. The overall cost to Halifax for education, including Silver Lake regional, is a 10 percent increase. The cost of education to Halifax in FY’24 was $14,858,409 and the cost for FY’ 25 will be $16,350,721.
Proposed costs added to the current version of the budget include a special education teacher at a cost of $65,000, a part-time ESL teacher at a cost of $32,000, and a building substitute at no additional cost. Capital needs for FY’ 25 include water testing and plumbing, student and staff bathroom updates, and bleacher replacements for the gym. The plan for the gym bleachers is to put them on a warrant article at Town Meeting at a cost of $45,000. Regarding a Hero Academy Program proposed by Principal Kayne Beaudry during the last School Committee meeting, Laws said, “I just feel like, at this point, we can’t do anything beyond a level-budget except for the building substitute that doesn’t cost anything. I don’t see how we can entertain anything beyond a level budget especially since we are looking at cuts right now. It’s sad, but it’s where we are.” Proulx pointed out that Kingston does need the ESL teacher and that Halifax may need to look at cutting $32,000 to make space for it. “That would be a civil rights violation if you didn’t fund it,” Proulx said. Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch said that contracting the services rather than filling the position could end up costing considerably more than $32,000.
The School Committee voted to ask the Board of Selectmen to push back the timeframe for Town Meeting due to unknowns as well as lingering questions surrounding the school’s budget. Laws pointed out that overall enrollment at both the elementary level as well as Silver Lake Regional are down. She asked what cuts to classrooms might look like. Proulx said, “I think that you would be better served by giving us a dollar amount that you want us to cut, by then asking us to deliberate here in open session.” The dollar amount that was suggested by Town Administrator Cody Haddad for both Halifax Elementary and Silver Lake Regional is $1 million. The Committee came to the consensus that they should attempt to cut their portion of Halifax’s enrollment in Silver Lake which is roughly 32 percent. Proulx said that they would set about cutting $320,000 with the cuts labeled by tiers.
Proulx said that a Plympton School Committee member asked that a new agreement with PAC (Pilgrim Area Collaborative) be presented to the Halifax School Committee. “I’m asking the School Committee to review it and ultimately each school committee would review it and then the Chair would sign it,” she explained. Chair Lauren Laws asked if there was a timeframe and was told it had to be signed by April 30. The Committee agreed to table it until their April 1 meeting.
The issue of whether to distribute natural gas safety materials flyers to students came before the Committee. While not directly an advertisement, the name Eversource does appear throughout the flyer. Included in the distribution would be packets that actually smell like natural gas so students can learn to identify the scent. A Committee member asked if, instead, the information could be disseminated during the Fire Department visit rather than as a flyer promoting a company. Laws voted against distributing the flyer, but the rest of the Committee voted in favor and it passed.
The Committee also discussed advertising on school grounds as a result of a 100 days sign that was put up which shared a QR code. I thought the sign was really nice; it was just the QR code that was questionable, Laws said. Laws asked Beaudry if he attempted to take it down and he said they tried to find out where it came from and called it a “mistake.” Laws said that it was the QR code specifically that violated policy.
An update was given for the DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) Subcommittee. Lori Costa-Cline said they were looking to bring on a DEIB coordinator and asked Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch if he could help them with that. Costa-Cline asked Lynch, “What is the process, so we have school policies and district policies so if a school/district policy is violated, how does that interact with the student handbook in terms of like policy violations… the understanding, I think, we both have is we have school policies which gives our school community rights, protections, while they’re in the space of the school… if a violation happens, is there corrective action?” Proulx said that it depends on what is found during the investigation. If bullying is found, then the procedure for that is followed, if harassment is found, then that procedure is followed, etc. Putting it succinctly she said that necessary protocols are followed depending on what could be substantiated.
Beaudry provided a Principal’s Report. He said that School Council met on February 28 with the main focus being handbook revisions. He said a draft proposal would be shared with the Committee during the April 1 meeting. “The water issue, we just sent a notice out today, we’ve been doing monthly updates… so this was the third round of testing that we’ve done and we did find that there were still elevated areas in the building.” He said that they have been flushing the system every day beginning at 5:30 a.m. due to the high lead levels. “That has shown that it does reduce the levels,” Beaudry said. He also said that they have been working on replacing fixtures where the levels continue to be high.
Curriculum Coordinator Melissa Farrell appeared before the Committee to address some concerns over handwriting. She handed out the Committee a printout that included some of the Massachusetts’ frameworks connected to handwriting. She said that the art of handwriting starts in kindergarten with hand strength and noted that they use occupational cards to work on that aspect. She said they spend a minimum of 20 minutes a day working on that type of development. She said they continue to work on letter formation, etc. in first grade, but by second grade there is no official handwriting instruction. “Part of that comes from the idea that just consistent letter formation, letters start from the top, letters start from the top,” Farrell said. Committee member Jessica Page acknowledged that she was the person who brought forth the concern saying that her two young school-aged children (Grades K and 2) are struggling with it and are not appearing to get the instruction outlined by Farrell. “I’m scared that we are cheating our children by moving them past these basic skills too fast,” she said. Beaudry acknowledged that they even see fourth, fifth, and sixth graders that aren’t able to use proper capitalization, etc. He said that himself and the Assistant Principal are aware and talking about what needs to be done in the lower grades to address these issues.
Bryant University Students Named to Fall 2023 Deans’ List
SMITHFIELD, RI- Bryant University is pleased to recognize the students from Kingston and Plympton for their academic success in being named to the Fall 2023 Deans’ List.
To earn a place on the Deans’ List, students must have a GPA of 3.4 or better for at least 12 semester hours of work. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!
• Benjamin Andrade of Plympton
• Jacob Bugbee of Kingston
• Jake Cipullo of Kingston
About Bryant University
For over 160 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering an exceptional education that anticipates the future and prepares students to be innovative leaders of character in a changing world.
Bryant delivers an innovative and uniquely integrated business and liberal arts education that inspires students to excel.
With approximately 3,700 graduate and undergraduate students from 38 states and 49 countries, Bryant is recognized as a leader in international education and regularly receives top rankings from U.S. News and World Report, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, and Barron’s.
Visit www.Bryant.edu.
Towns weigh zoning options
Taylor Fruzzetti
Express correspondent
Many Massachusetts communities will be faced with a decision following the 2021 law to implement zoning for multi-family housing for communities that have commuter rail stations or are adjacent to them.
According to the mass.gov website, the new law requires MBTA communities to “have at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right.”
The law is intended to address the housing crisis in Massachusetts and approximately 177 cities and towns are subject to the MBTA Communities Law according to the state’s website.
The Multi-Family Zoning Requirement also calls for these housing communities to have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, the housing must be no more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, etc, and no age restrictions.
Communities that benefit from the MBTA, and communities adjacent to MBTA communities, are being told that they must adopt the new zoning changes by Dec. 31, 2024 or they will no longer be eligible for funds from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, or the MassWorks infrastructure program.
Additionally, towns that fail to comply with the zoning changes may be subjected to civil enforcement per the state’s website.
On Feb. 14 of this year, the Town of Milton held a special election to vote on the issue and ultimately overturned the MBTA Communities Multi-Family Overlay District which had originally passed at a special town meeting on Dec. 11, 2023.
The vote took Milton out of compliance with the state law, resulting in Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell filing suit against the town of Milton on Feb. 27, according to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General.
“The MBTA Communities Law was enacted to address our region-wide need for housing, and compliance with it is mandatory,” said Campbell in the press release.
According to Halifax Town Administrator Cody Haddad, the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee is looking to find a solution that would have a minimal impact on the town, but also allow for the town to be compliant with the MBTA Zoning Requirement.
“The situation in Milton, in my eyes, only further affirms that the state will continue to make this requirement a priority and towns that do not comply will be penalized,” said Haddad. “We are cognizant of the state’s concern regarding the housing crisis facing Massachusetts, but we are also aware of what the Halifax community desires for their town.”
Haddad said that the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee will likely present their findings at the Fall Town Meeting.
“This topic can be controversial to many residents who are concerned that the zoning requirements could change the look and feel of a community, and impact several town services, including schools,” said Kingston Town Administrator Keith Hickey. “I am not sure of the reasons why Milton voted the zoning down but will be looking into what the sentiment of the voters was, if Kingston can learn from what occurred in Milton, we will do that.”
Hickey said that he plans to present the initial recommendations of Kingston’s MBTA subcommittee to the Selectmen at their meeting on March 12.
“Once the MBTA overlay district is finalized, staff will have several informational meetings, website postings and informational TV shows on PACTV to introduce and discuss what is being proposed,” said Hickey.
Hickey said that the vote on the MBTA overlay district will be at the Fall Town Meeting.
“Hanson is going to continue to move forward with creating the zoning for the MBTA requirement until a judgment of the Court directs otherwise,” said Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green. “Something to understand is that we are simply creating the zoning, not the housing.”
Green said that Town Meeting will be provided with all the facts and will vote on the zoning changes.
“There must be an understanding that all towns are subject to legal action by the state for not complying with the legislation,” said Green. “The residents who attend Town Meeting and vote on the article will have to decide whether they prefer spending taxpayer dollars on legal fees to defend the town against a suit by the Attorney General’s Office and lose thousands of dollars in grants, or simply vote to create the zoning and benefit from the thousands of dollars of grants.”
Mary Beth Carter, Whitman’s Town Administrator, said the town is planning to put this proposed zoning by-law amendment on the May 6, 2024 Annual Town Meeting warrant. “I found it surprising, however Milton’s decision not to comply with this mandate has no influence on what will be decided in Whitman,” she told The Express. “Once the by-law is accepted, that may bring forth housing projects that up until now would not have been possible.”
Plympton Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that Plympton has received a technical assistant grant award which it has used to acquire the services of Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Devellopment District (SPREDD) who will assist the Town with drafting a zoning overlay-type district that will be in compliance with the Commonwealth’s guidelines. Once drafted, this would go through the normal process for review and potential adoption of the zoning bylaw edits. Dennehy said she doesn’t expect a vote will take place until the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting.
Civics and Government classes hear from resource officer from
Matthew MacKenzie
Special to the Express
Friday, March 1, Patrolman and Student Resource Officer Brian Hurley, visited the Civics and Government classes of the team 8-2 Panthers, at Silver Lake Regional Middle School. Officer Hurley, a former graduate of Silver Lake who went on to study criminal justice at the University of New Haven, returned to his home community and has been an officer for the past three and a half years. Along with answering a substantial number of student questions throughout the day, Officer Hurley also recalled to the students how he became interested in policing, his role as a police officer, and his philosophy of policing which focuses on de-escalation. Students enjoyed both listening to Officer Hurley speak about his job and having ample opportunity to answer their questions.
Halifax honors first responders
The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 27. The meeting began with a packed house.
Police Chief Joao Chaves awarded Sergeant Michael Boncariewski and Sergeant Patrick Sterling letters of commendation for their heroic actions responding to an emergency Feb. 2. Chaves said, “Had it not been for the quick action of the officers on the scene, the patient would not have survived this medical emergency.”
Sergeant Sterling was retiring shortly after the meeting. Selectmen Chair John Bruno said, “I have had the unique privilege of having been on the Board when Sergeant Sterling was appointed for the first time 29 years ago. I also have the unique sadness to say goodbye though I know you’re coming back on a part-time basis.” The crowded room erupted into rousing applause for Sterling.
Chaves then turned his attention to the appointment of Daniel Chahine. Chaves said that Chahine graduated from the Police Academy in 2022 and worked at both the Orleans Police Department as well as Simmons College. Chaves also said that he has an English degree and worked as a substitute in the Pembroke school system. “He brings a great attitude and work ethic to our team,” Chaves said. Chaheen appeared before the Board. “I’ve been born and raised in Pembroke Massachusetts… it’s always been my dream to become a police officer and I’m lucky enough to achieve that goal. Halifax specifically, the South Shore in general has always been my home; it’s always been the place where the culture and environment is somewhere that I love to be and would like to stay for the rest of my community life,” Chahine said.
Chaves also told the Selectmen that he was recommending Tina Oliveira to serve as Police Matron for a term ending June 30, 2024. He said that she is a Halifax resident who has been serving in that role for the East Bridgewater Police Department. He also noted that she comes from a law enforcement family. Oliveira spoke saying that she also brings a nursing background. The Selectmen unanimously appointed her.
The Selectmen held a joint wage and personnel public hearing with the Finance Committee. Bruno said that they wanted to establish a position of substitute librarian. Library Director Jean Gallant spoke. She explained that she has had to close the building several times due to sick staff. She noted that they have a trustee policy that two employees must be in the building at all times. Town Administrator Cody Haddad said that the position already exists so they could move forward with approving it without amending any bylaws. The Finance Committee and one of the library trustees went back and forth a bit regarding the need to actually create a new position. The Finance Committee’s position was that the library associate position already exists and therefore, they can simply hire more people to fill that role rather than create a substitute librarian position. Before adjourning the hearing, the Selectmen and Finance Committee also reviewed possible updates to the performance evaluations of town employees.
The Selectmen dealt with a request for a letter of support for a solar project at 69 Summit Street. “It sounds to me like what you want to hear in the letter is that it’s a matter of public record that it’s under 51A, it’s a matter of common knowledge that it’s a farming land and has been for generations,” Bruno said. Bruno said that they would draft a letter to be reviewed by the project engineer. Beautification Committee member Jeremy Gillespie said, “I don’t think the Board of Selectmen have anything to do here with this project because this is a private matter on private property. The solar panels aren’t going to be providing the town with electricity. If it’s priority habitat or natural heritage, that’s easy you can look it up online… and if it doesn’t fall under endangered species or possible habitat endangered species or priority habitat, it’s not on the wetlands then he can do whatever he wants.” He said that it falls under the Planning Board and Conservation purview. Selectman Jonathan Selig asked if it should come from the Planning Board but was told that they were also asked for a letter of support.
The Selectmen then dealt with a request from Gillespie to revitalize the Alewife Restoration Committee. “The Committee shall have the primary function of restoring Alewife (herring) to the Monponsett Lakes,” Bruno read. The Committee would be a three-member Committee appointed by the Board of Selectmen. “The ultimate goal of the Committee, is to not have to have the Committee… I think the end game here is to have a free-flowing river that starts at the Monponsett and flows to the Satucket,” Gillespie said. The Selectmen approved the restoration of the Committee and appointed Gillespie as its first member.
Haddad told the Selectmen that Town Accountant Sandy Nolan will be retiring in June. The town posted the position and Haddad said that they did receive several applicants. He told the Selectmen that he would like to put together an interview team to handle that portion of the process. “The proposal is to have the Town Administrator, one Selectmen, one member of the Finance Committee, and the Treasurer/Collector,” Bruno said. He then asked the Board how they felt about a Selectmen being on the Committee since the Selectmen would be the ones ultimately choosing the final candidate. The Selectmen ended up approving the interview team with the Principal Assessor in place of a Selectman.
Bruno said that they received a letter of resignation for Steve Goodman for the Conservation Commission. Selig asked that the Board send him a letter to thank him for his time. Selig said that Representative Josh Cutler recently left his position to take one in the Healey administration. He asked that the town send him a letter of thanks for his years of service.
Bruno said they received a letter from a resident regarding the “incredible work” of the Fire Department. The letter said that several members of the Department went above and beyond when they had a carbon monoxide scare. “My father and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without their help,” the letter read. The letter also thanked the paramedics for their help.
MBTA Action Plan
Haddad provided an update on the MBTA Action Plan. He said that they plan to send an application to the State soon. He also said that the town of Milton approved zoning changes during Town Meeting but that they then went forward with a referendum vote to appeal the decision.
Haddad said that that morning the Attorney General announced that she was suing the town. Bruno said, “I agree with the town of Milton. I think this is heavy handed and really a very bad example of legislative work that should be a democracy but on the other hand we have to keep in mind that that’s the kind of thing that’s going to be happening.” He said that the anger should be directed at “the people that created this mess… the State legislature.” The Selectmen decided to, again, send a letter expressing their frustration.
The Selectmen also approved the use of the Town Green for a Boy Scout bottle drive on April 27 and July 20.
BOS votes euthanasia for dog
The Kingston Board of Selectmen met on Thursday, Feb. 15. Selectman Don Alcombright joined the meeting remotely.
The Board opened a public hearing for an incident involving a dog that had bitten multiple people. Town Counsel led the hearing asking the dog’s owner to approach the podium to testify. The owner began by telling the Selectmen that her memory has been deteriorating. The dog in question is named Tyson and is a 6-year-old Rottweiler. The owner said that a visiting nurse called her before a visit during which time, the nurse was told to call before coming to the house so that one of her dogs could be confined. The owner told the Selectmen that she has been rescuing Rottweilers for 30 years. The nurse called from the driveway and the owner said that she warned her not to come into the house. The owner said that the nurse proceeded to come into the house regardless during which time she was bit. The owner said she was a visiting nurse herself for 11 years saying, “I wouldn’t walk into someone’s house without them opening the door for me… I could not understand for the life of me what this girl was thinking.”
There was another incident outlined where Tyson bit another person after the owner’s grandson took the dog off its leash. The grandson testified to the incident before breaking down crying saying how sorry he was for what happened. The Selectmen opted to have a brief recess at that point.
The Animal Control Officers testified next. They began by addressing the first incident that took place in October at the owner’s home. They said that the dog was placed in a 10-day quarantine and said that the dog was released without incident following the first incident. She said she reviewed with the owner that the behavior of the dog was alarming and that actions would have to be taken to make sure the dog was put away prior to people coming over the house. The ACO noted that the second incident occurred in January in the Silver Lake Sanctuary. “Again, this was an unprovoked attack,” the ACO said. The dog was quarantined at the shelter this time, rather than at the owner’s home. “The entire time that the dog was there, the dog was agitated… staff could not go near the dog,” she explained. At the time of the release, the fines and fees had not been paid by the owner. At that time, the ACO requested a dangerous dog hearing before the Selectmen. The fines and fees were paid and the dog was released into the owner’s custody. “I just do not feel comfortable with this dog being in the town of Kingston.. this dog is going to bite again and next time it may be a child.,” the ACO said. The ACO outlined her personal experience saying she has been doing this for 16 years and despite trying to be lenient in these cases, the only recommendation for this dog would be to have it humanely euthanized.
Animal Inspector Debra Mueller spoke next. She told the Selectmen, “I just wanted to let you know, it’s 30 years for me. I, of course, have seen the dog a couple of times… we don’t always know what a dog is going to do and we can’t have a conversation with them, but this dog is going to bite again given the opportunity. The conditions in the house appear to me that they have no way to control this dog and the person that would be controlling this dog has to have the physical stature in order to do that.”
The victims were given the option to testify. The victim of the October incident, the visiting nurse, spoke saying that things were misrepresented in the owner’s testimony. The nurse said that she was never told that a dog was dangerous and also said that she was told to meet the owner in the house in a few minutes. She said she waited a few minutes and then went into the house. She said that she did knock but noted that the owner is hard of hearing. The nurse said that the owner came into the room following the biting and told her she had to get out of her house and that she was going to call the cops on her. “She was not nice,” the victim explained. She further said that she was on three weeks of antibiotics and had to have a CT scan due to the bite. “I still have pain from it,” she said.
The second victim from the January incident also testified. He said that he does typically see dogs off leash in the area but noted that typically they are friendly. He described the incident saying, “Now I’m in a position of do I kill this dog? I love dogs, I’ve had them my whole life I don’t want to do this.” He said that when the owner’s grandson called off the dog, however, the dog let go. He noted that the second dog was very calm. The victim said that he was upset that the owner’s grandson wouldn’t give him any personal information beyond his first name and a false phone number. “None of this talking that I was having with him gave me fuzzy feelings that he was telling the truth which is why I called the police,” he explained. The phone number that was given ended up being a phone number for the Duxbury Highway Department. The victim said that if the owner had been forthcoming with him, he wouldn’t have had to reach out to Animal Control. “I’m a pretty tough guy, if that had been a kid, and again, I don’t want to see a dog put down… it’s all about personal responsibility, people have to be responsible for their dogs,” he said. Crone asked about all the dogs the victim sees unleashed and Selectmen Chair Kimberley Emberg noted that according to the bylaws, no dog is allowed off leash in any of the public areas.
The Counsel reviewed the difference between a nuisance dog and a dangerous dog. A dog can be deemed a nuisance dog through excessive barking or posing a threat to livestock, etc. but reasonably justified in their behavior. A dangerous dog is one that attacks without justification causing physical injury or death or behaves in a manner that poses an unjustified imminent threat. The Selectmen agreed that the dog should be deemed a dangerous dog. As a result of finding the dog a dangerous dog, they then needed to select from several possible actions to take. The less severe of which involved keeping the dog confined within the owner’s premises or muzzled when off those premises as well as obtaining liability insurance. The final and most severe of the options presented was the dog be humanely euthanized. The Board voted unanimously in favor of the euthanasia by the end of the day on February 23. Proof of the euthanasia would be required. Selectman Sheila Vaughn said that she is a dog owner and has had Rottweilers as well. She said how sorry she was for all parties involved.
The Selectmen also dealt with the continuation of a separate dog issue from November. Emberg said that at their November 21 meeting they also held a dangerous dog hearing where they voted a dog a nuisance dog. The Board provided 6 conditions that the owner had to comply with within 60 days. The owner sent notification that they are incompliance with the first two conditions but were unable to come into compliance with numbers 3 through 6. The ACO has given the owner a 30-day extension to come into compliance. Emberg said it would be up to the Selectmen whether to grant an extension for getting the necessary insurance as the ACO doesn’t have jurisdiction over that one condition. The owner spoke during the meeting saying that he doesn’t feel he can afford all that is required of him and has concluded that he will need to rehome the dog outside of Kingston. He noted that it was a difficult decision for his family. An attorney for the town said that the order will follow the dog wherever it goes, but that it would be up to the new community to enforce it. The owner was there to find out what disclosures would be appropriate to make to a potential new owner. The Selectmen had the option to file a case in District Court against the owner were he not to obtain the liability insurance. Selectman Eric Crone said he was hesitant to file a case and, instead, would like to authorize extending the compliance deadline in the meanwhile. Hickey recommended putting it on a later Selectmen’s meeting agenda. The Selectmen voted to extend the insurance compliance deadline to March 2.
Emberg said that since Police Chief Maurice Splaine’s contract was coming to an end and they weren’t yet able to appoint a new Chief, they would need to vote on an interim Chief. The Board voted unanimously to appoint Thomas Kelley per Splaine’s recommendation. Emberg thanked Splaine for his years of service to the town which was met with a standing ovation. The new permanent Police Chief is set to start in April.
The Selectmen reviewed the budget which Emberg called “a level services budget.” Emberg said that her only request was that the Selectmen’s column in the budget reflect all the Town Administrator’s recommendations to show that they were aligned. Town Administrator Keith Hickey did have a few proposed reductions including to the employee benefit tuition reimbursement program. He suggested reducing the budgeted amount from $10,000 to $4,000. He also suggested eliminating the brush chipping on Saturdays from the Streets, Trees, and Parks line. The new general fund budget is $55,442,097. Hickey said that the non-school expenditures represent an increase of about 4.5 percent over last year. The Selectmen voted to recommend the general, water, and sewer budgets. Emberg noted that this is just their recommendation, and it is subject to change before appearing on the Town Meeting warrant.
Hickey provided Selectmen with some Town Administrator updates. He told the Selectmen they had three submissions to the request for proposal for legal firms. He said that the Board should hold a special meeting to interview one or more of those firms. He also said that the boat ramp project is set to begin March 1 and run through the end of May. He said the second part of the project will focus on parking. The IT manager for the town will be retiring in July necessitating a search for a new one. Hickey also said that the four new firefighters approved at Town Meeting have been hired. According to Hickey, a Mass Wildlife Habitat Management grant of over $23,000 has been awarded to Kingston to treat invasive aquatic species. The Fire Department was also awarded a $19,000 grant to replace some aging equipment.
“In our last public meeting we discussed creating regulations for a potential new industry within our harbor – sugar kelp farming. The Harbormaster and Shellfish Constable created some draft regulations for our consideration,” Emberg told the other Selectmen. She noted that it was available on their website for the public. The Selectmen voted to approve the regulations with a few amendments.
The Board also approved the beach sticker fees as presented that evening. The Recreation Commission recommended keeping them the same as the previous year though Emberg said that in the future she would like to see the fees increased. The sale of the beach stickers will begin April 1. Shellfish licenses are available starting Friday, March 1.
Emberg said that the Kingston School Committee voted to send a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Association (MSBA) to seek funding to replace the elementary school roof as well as doors and windows. The Selectmen voted unanimously to support the School Committee’s action. Selectman Sheila Vaughn noted that the roof was 27 years old and past its life expectancy. The doors and windows in question are 24 years old.
Emberg said that the continuation of the earth removal public hearing for PK Realty Trust was being moved to March 12 at 6:15. She also told those assembled that after 26 years PACTV had changed their name to the Local Scene beginning in March.
Nomination papers are available in the Town Clerk’s office and are due back by 11:30 am on March 29. The last day to register for the local town election is May 8 and the election is Saturday, May 18. Vacancies on various Boards and Committees include two openings on the Conservation Commission. There is also an opening on the 300th Committee due to a resignation.
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