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Return of the River Herring?

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Taylor Fruzzetti
Express correspondent

HALIFAX — River Herring will be able to return to their native spawning grounds in the Monponsett Ponds this spring, but work will still need to be done in order to improve their journey in years to come.
River Herring or Alewives are an anadromous species – meaning they can exist in both fresh and salt waters, as they migrate up rivers from the sea to spawn. But for approximately 100 years, river herring were unable to access their spawning ground in the Monponsett Ponds due to waterways being blocked.
The river herrings’ journey back to Monponsett began in 2017 when the Carver Cotton Gin Mill Dam on the Sautucket River in East Bridgewater was removed due to the Office of Dam safety determining the dam a hazard according to Jeremy Gillespie a local Halifax conservation activist.
The Carver Cotton Gin Mill was erected in 1842 and blocked the natural passageways for herring to travel upstream. John Fabroski, president emeritus of the Plymouth County League of Sportsmen, fought for the dam’s removal for 17 years.
“Once that dam was removed on the Satucket River, that allowed the herring to get into Robbins Pond,” said Gillespie.
For Diadromous Fisheries Project Leader Brad Chase of the Division of Marine Fisheries, the next step was to create a fish passageway through the Stump Brook Reservoir Dam in East Bridgewater. Chase began talking with the bog owner who owns the dam to install a fish ladder in 2018.
After design and feasibility work, the Division of Marine Fisheries received a grant through the Taunton River Stewardship Council for engineering plans and permitting for the fish ladder, which was installed in the fall of 2023 according to Chase.
“It was one of those restoration targets that was thought to be too difficult way back when, but now it’s a reality,” said Chase. “Once that fishway was in, there was a chance to get the fish up to the Monponsett Ponds.”
According to NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a fish ladder, also known as a fishway, provides a detour route for migrating fish past a particular obstruction on the river. Designs vary … but the general principle is the same: the ladder contains a series of ascending pools that are reached by swimming against a stream of water. Fish leap through the cascade of rushing water, rest in a pool, and then repeat the process until they are out of the ladder.
According to Chase, some river herring will be able to make their way to Monponsett in late March of this year but work to improve culverts at Furnace Street and Elm Street will need to be done. Chase also plans to speak with the City of Brockton, which operates the fishway at Stump Brook Dam, to improve conditions.
“All of those little pieces I think are important,” said Chase. “I think we can make it work this spring but I think a better design is needed there,” said Chase referring to the Stump Brook Dam.
Although river herring are not technically endangered, the population has declined over the years due development threatening their habitats. Both Gillespie and Chase stressed the importance of river herring for the ecosystem and cultural significance.
“Some people call them potato chips- everything eats herring,” said Gillespie. “It will be a big boom for the whole ecosystem.”
“Traditionally, people used to use these fish for food and for bait and that practice has been banned since 2005,” said Chase. “Our agency is hoping to restore the population so people will have access to use these fish again. It’ll be very modest, but hopefully there’ll be a way where people can use this traditional practice and gather food.”
With the return of the river herring, the Town of Halifax is seeking volunteers to restore the Alewife Restoration Committee.

Annual Election Calendar announced for Plympton

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Plympton’s Town Clerk Tara Shaw has announced the Annual Plympton Town Election Calendar.
• Plympton’s Annual Town Meeting: May 15, 7 p.m. at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St., Plympton
• Plympton’s Special Town Meeting: May 15, 8 p.m. at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St., Plympton
• Last date to register to vote for Annual and Special Town Meeting and Election – Friday, May 3, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Plympton’s Annual Town Election, Saturday, May 18, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Town House, 5 Palmer Rd., Plympton.
Candidates for Election – Important Deadlines
CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION-IMPORTANT DEADLINES
The last day to submit nomination papers to the Board of Registrars/Town Clerk is Friday, March 29, 2024 at 5 p.m. at the Town Clerk’s office.
The last day to object or withdraw Nomination papers is Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 5 p.m.
Nomination papers are available in the Town Clerk’s office during regular business hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. or by special appointment. Nomination papers may be obtained will be given ONLY to the person seeking nomination, OR, to a person presenting a signed authorization form from the candidate. Nomination papers must be signed by at least 20 registered Plympton voters.
Plympton Positions on the ballot include:
• One (1) Selectman for a three-year term.
• One (1) Board of Assessor member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Board of Health member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Finance Committee member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Library Trustee for a three-year term.
• One (1) Planning Board member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Plympton School Committee member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Town Clerk for a three-year term.
• One (1) Tree Warden for a three-year term.
For answers to any questions regarding the election, email: townclerk@plymptontown.org

 

 

 

 

Halifax Annual Town Meeting and Town Election – Important Dates

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The Warrant is now open for the Town’s 2024 Annual Town Meeting which is scheduled to occur on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the Halifax Elementary School. Citizen petitions must be submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office by March 12, 2024.
In order to participate in the Annual Town Meeting, residents must be registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote in order to participate in the 2024 Annual Town Meeting is Friday, May 3, 2024.
All questions relating to Voter Registration should be directed to the Halifax Town Clerk’s Office by calling (781) 293-7970 or e-mailing ClerksOffice@halifax-ma.org. More details regarding Elections and Voter Registration are available on the Town Clerk’s web page as well as the Elections & Registration web page.
Any questions regarding the Annual Town Meeting, submitting warrant articles, etc. should be directed to the Halifax Board of Selectmen’s Office by calling (781) 294-1316 or e-mailing Pamela.McSherry@halifax-ma.org.
A copy of the Warrant will be posted on the Town’s website and mailed to every household when it becomes available.

SLT ABC application withdrawn

By

Deb Anderson
Express staff
SLT Corporation of Carver has withdrawn its application to operate an ABC (Asphalt, Brick, and Concrete) recycling facility on property located off Spring Street in Carver and Plympton.
Carver, Plympton, and Kingston health agents and other interested parties received notice from the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection Southeast Regional Office in Lakeville, that the SLT Construction Corporation’s permit application was withdrawn. On Feb. 12, 2024, MassDEP officially withdrew SLT’s application no. 22-SW46A/47A-0004-APP.
The application was denied at the Feb. 2 meeting of the Plympton Zoning Board of Appeals, where the board reviewed Plympton’s definition of Light Manufacturing, and concluded that an ABC operation did not fit that definition.
The roll call vote of the Zoning Board of Appeals was unanimous in upholding the decision of the Zoning Enforcement Officers, Tom Millias, and Kathy Cannizzo.
Plympton’s first phase of the public hearing on SLT Corporation’s application to site its ABC recycling plant on property off Spring Street was held on Jan. 4, to a room full of concerned Plympton residents. The continued hearing brought several attorneys from SLT armed with a 32-page slide presentation showing the workings of the proposed business.
Plympton’s Zoning Enforcement Officers issued their determination to deny the SLT application because the property is in a Groundwater Protection District and water would be used to mitigate the dust from crushing asphalt, brick, and concrete into rubble. There was no method stated to return the water to state drinking water standards.
Second, the definition of “Light Manufacturing” in Plympton’s by-laws states that the fabrication, assembly, processing finishing work and packaging must be done in a manner such that noise, dust, odor, vibration, or similar objectionable features are confined to the premises and are in no way objectionable to abutting property.
SLT maintained that any vibration, dust, noise, or odor would not be felt outside of the Spring Street, Plympton’s property lines. As the Spring Street property abuts Carver, the entrance and exit for the facility would be through Carver.
The MassDEP sent a letter dated Feb. 13 to Peter Opachiski, SLT Construction Corporation, stating that the permit application has been officially withdrawn.

Morse Bros. suit against Halifax fails

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Plymouth Superior Court ruled Feb. 5 in Morse Brothers, Inc vs. Town of Halifax and the Halifax Select Board, to uphold the restrictions on the earth removal permit issued by the Select Board Sept. 1, 2023.
Morse Bros. stated that even though they have been operating a cranberry business in the Town of Halifax for some 45 years, it was the first time they had been required to obtain a permit pursuant to the Halifax Earth Removal Bylaw.
The plaintiff, Morse Bros., filed a complaint alleging that the bylaw was improperly applied, and the conditions were invalid. Morse Bros. asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction to prohibit enforcement of the conditions.
Morse Brothers, Inc. asked the Court to declare that the restrictions would harm their business and stated in their filing that the Town had never asked for these restrictions in their Earth Removal Permit in the past. They further stated in their filing that “Morse Brothers has historically relied on the sand available on its Halifax property to renovate and maintain its bogs both in Halifax and in nearby towns.” During the past year, the complaint stated, Morse Brothers has been excavating soil, screening sand, and transporting the sand to Hanson as part of its renovation project.
They said that their company has engaged in these practices for decades, and its farming practices have been “in harmony” with the town. Morse Bros. received notice Sept. 1 that Halifax was requiring Morse Brothers to obtain an earth removal permit for the first time, pursuant to the Halifax Earth Removal Bylaw, or to “cease and desist any sand removal or transportation-related activities.”
On Oct. 4, 2023, Morse Bros. submitted a request for an exemption from the bylaw, noting that the bylaw negatively impacted its “ongoing cranberry bog maintenance” and “unreasonably infringed on protections of land uses for the primary purpose of agriculture under state law.” Simultaneous with its request for an exemption, Morse. Bros. also applied for an earth removal permit under the local bylaw.
Nov. 15, 2023, the Halifax Select Board granted the permit, subject to several conditions. The first condition limited the hours of the earth removal to between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2:25 p.m. Monday through Friday, and in no case on a legal holiday. The limitation applies also to the starting of engines, loading and unloading trucks, and preparation for commencing of work.
The permit also states that vehicles loaded with soil and/or sand shall not exceed 10 miles per hour while on Lingan Street. To avoid conflicts with school buses, vehicles traveling to and from the project location for the purpose described in the permit shall not be present on Lingan Street during school bus pick-up and drop-off times provided by the town.
Morse Bros. would also be limited to 25 trips per day of vehicles loaded with soil and/or sand.
Each truck and driver entering or exiting the property shall be provided by Morse Bros. with a list of rules and regulations regarding road safety. Each driver shall sign an acknowledging receipt of these rules and regulations. It is the responsibility of Morse Brothers to keep record of this information and provide it to the Town as requested. And no activity is allowed under the permit during the 2024 school vacation weeks of February 19 through 23 and April 15 through 19.
In their ruling, the court said it must assess “whether the moving party has shown that success is likely on the merits and that irreparable harm will result from denial of the injunction; and the risk of irreparable harm to the moving party outweighs any similar risk of harm to the opposing party”.
In applying these requirements, the court found that Morse Bros. was not entitled to a preliminary injunction because it has not shown proof of irreparable harm.

 

Regional clinician program begins

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Plympton Police Chief Matthew Ahl addressed Plympton selectmen at their in-person meeting Feb. 12 regarding a new regional clinician role.
“We’ve been working for about a year or so trying to get the clinician program off the ground, and I give a lot of credit to the Carver Police Department – they’re the holder of this grant and we’re the beneficiary,” Ahl said. He also told the Selectmen that the grant encompasses Plympton, Carver, Halifax, and Hanson. “So essentially the program is we have a clinician that’s allocated to all four of these departments that rotates through… she’s really there to help mitigate all the things that we see in the streets now… it’s a big push… so with that being said, her ability to go out there and diffuse the situation, speak with parties that are involved whether it be a domestic incident, temporary psychosis, if she has to issue a Section 12… so she’s kind of there on the threshold on the forefront to take that onus off of us as a Police Department and be the health proxy to kind of guide us in our decision and make sure that we’re doing the right thing,” Ahl explained. He told the Selectmen that while they are only about two months into the program, it has been “impactful.” The current contract is for three years, though Ahl said he envisions it being a long-term program. Selectman John Traynor asked if she was also involved with the Fire Department. Ahl said that while she was not, she has been willing to jump in and help in situations involving other departments.
Traynor said, “I think sometimes we think of us as such a small community that we don’t have some of the services that the larger towns offer but that’s not true. These regional associations like you have here, we have the opportunity to reach out and really bring top people in to help out.” Ahl agreed referring to the comfort dog program as another example of community collaboration.
“Sounds really good to me; I like the fact that it’s both proactive but it’s also there situational in the event that you needed somebody,” Joy said. She also asked if something came up in Plympton while the clinician was working in a neighboring town, would it be possible to get her to respond to the incident. Ahl said, “we have an agreement… if there’s something that’s pressing with our community and say that she’s over in Hanson for the day, then we’re going to collaborate and figure out a means to get her from Hanson.”
The Selectmen reviewed a proposed MassDOT Letter to property owners regarding the Winnetuxet Bridge Project. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy told the Selectmen that the letter was drafted by Attorney Jonathan Eichman. Dennehy said, “It’s a required part of the process because we are getting federal aid for the replacement of the bridge. It’s not going to make any notable changes to the property… basically there are two existing utility poles, and the state just needs to – it’s essentially a permanent easement, but because it’s permanent, they just need to take the land by law so that they can access the two poles. The property in question is 1 Pope’s Farm. The Selectmen voted to approve sending the letter.
For Town Administrator’s updates, Dennehy said that they have been busy with the budget process. She also noted that they had quite a few items in correspondence. She said that the Town Clerk was looking for a vote to acknowledge receipt of local election and presidential primary election information as well as the officer positions that will be open on the ballot on May 18. Also included in the vote was acknowledgement and approval of police details for the presidential primary on March 5, the local election on May 18, the state primary election on September 3, and the state presidential election on November 5. The Selectmen voted to approve.
The Selectmen also voted to approve the sale of the Class III and Scrap licenses from Alby’s Salvage to Angels Auto Inc. Alby’s is retaining their Class II license.
Selectman Mark Russo led off the raves talking about the implementation of a community clinician. “I have a feeling this is going to be a cool thing in terms of support at the time of a problem and thwarting more substantial problems later on to the degree that it’s sort of preventative medicine which of course is the best medicine,” Russo said. Joy said her rave was for an article in the Express recognizing three Dennett Elementary boys who put their fire dept. training to use in a fire emergency at home. Plympton’s Fire Dept. honored them as Young Heroes. “What a great story and a fantastic outcome,” Joy said. Selectman John Traynor said he supported Russo’s rave for the new clinician program.

Halifax’s Quigley named ‘Pitcher of the Year’

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There may be big things in store in Storrs this spring for Stephen Quigley.
The Halifax native and graduate student on University of Connecticut’s baseball team was selected as the Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
In his first season at UConn last year, Quigley was named First Team All-Big East after tying a team-high with 74 strikeouts over a team-high 76.1 innings in which he went 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA.
The righty spent his first four years of college at Wheaton before transferring over to UConn. Quigley was a shortstop at Wheaton until his junior year when he transitioned to the mound and was dominant. Over 86 innings, he posted a dazzling 2.08 ERA and fanned 92 batters to just 18 walks. At the plate, Quigley hit .279, drove in 49 runs and scored 44 times playing for the Lyons. The Silver Lake product was the Region 1 Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Region by both ABCA and D3Baseball.com. He was also named the NEWMAC Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection during his final season at Wheaton.
Stephen’s younger brother, Michael, a senior, is also a pitcher for UConn.
Quigley and the Huskies, the preseason favorites to win the Big East, open play Friday, Feb. 16 down in Tampa against South Florida at 6 p.m.

MacDonald Industries correction

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In the Feb. 2 edition of the Plympton-Halifax-Kingston Express, we mistakenly reported that a $20,000 gift from MacDonald Industries, was for landfill repairs. What we did not make clear was that the funds were to be earmarked as landfill repairs to help the Town of Halifax with the cost of engineering for the Hemlock Lane landfill, owned by the Town of Halifax, near the Highway Department that is showing some problems.
Halifax Health Agent Bob Valery consulted with Marilyn MacDonald, of MacDonald Industries, for advice on how to approach solving the town’s problem, calling on her experience.
When she found that the problem was beyond her level of expertise, she gave suggestions for engineering firms that would be able to provide plans and a course of action for the landfill repairs. In a gesture of goodwill, MacDonald Industries donated $20,000 that will more than cover the projected engineering costs for the old Halifax landfill repairs.
Valery said, “Let’s fix it and fix it right.” He had noted that repairs in the past had been more a “short term fix”, with the problems recurring over the years. The board voted to approve TRC Environmental Companies to provide the engineering plans for the project.
Chairman John Bruno asked the board to approve his request to write to MacDonald Industries “expressing our deepest gratitude to them for their community concern and gift of $20,000.”
“In my mind, this is extraordinary,” Bruno said, “She’s really a good neighbor”. The board voted unanimously to send that letter.

Another near miss for major storm

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By late Monday night the ominous forecast of a powerful Nor’easter on Tuesday, became much less drastic as the storm’s track began to pull away, leaving much of the area with much less precipitation than originally forecast.
Plympton’s Fire Captain John Sjostedt reported a vehicle accident that shut down Prospect Road for about five hours while the utility pole, the only casualty in the accident, was replaced. The driver, the only occupant in the van, was not injured. The accident took place in the vicinity of 62 Prospect Road. Power was out in the area for a short time.
Coastal Kingston didn’t see much of any snow accumulation, and Deputy Fire Chief Adam Hatch said his department noted no appreciable affect, no flooding of note. “We dodged a bullet this time.”
Halifax Fire Dept. said they had no unusual situations due to the storm.