Elections were held this past Saturday, May 17 for Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton. Highlights and results are below. Please note that these represent the preliminary results as of Monday, May 19.
Halifax
Several of the races on the Halifax ballot were uncontested. Running uncontested, Robert Mullen won a three-year seat on the Board of Assessors, Jessica Page won a three-year term on the Halifax Elementary School Committee, Holly P. Dillon won a two-year term and Christina Palmer a one-year term to the Board of Library Trustees. Additionally, Bruce Sylvester won a five-year term to the Planning Board, Donald Alger Bosworth won a three-year term to the Board of Water Commissioners and Mark Helisek a three-year term to the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. Candice Greene also won a three-year term on the Board of Health.
There were several contested races as well including a coveted seat on the Board of Selectmen. William Smith defeated former Selectman Gordon Andrews to fill the three-year term left vacant when longtime Selectman John Bruno completed his sixth (non-consecutive) term.
There were three candidates for two openings for three-year terms as Constable. Thomas Hammond and Jake Okerfelt narrowly defeated Michael Schleiff to win the seats. There were also three candidates for two three-year terms to the Board of Library Trustees. Ultimately, Rodney Hemingway was defeated, and the seats went to Erin Nagle and Susan Hill.
The final contested race was for a three-year term to the Halifax Housing Authority. As of Monday, May 19, both Amy L. Troup and Lori Costa-Cline were recorded as having received 24 votes apiece. There were 544 ballots left blank for the position. Halifax Town Clerk Susan Lawless told the Express that if the candidates remain tied once the results are certified, the Halifax Housing Authority and the Board of Selectmen will meet jointly to appoint one of them.
Kingston
Kingston’s town election saw an extraordinarily low voter turnout with just four percent of the residents voting. Carl Pike won a seat on the Board of Selectmen for a three-year term defeating opponent Jesse Pyne. With two openings on the Regional School Committee and just two names on the ballot, both Amy Cortright and Megan Garrity Cannon won three-year terms.
Jesse Keith was the only candidate on the ballot for two open three-year terms on the Kingston Elementary School Committee. There were 13 write-in candidates, however, including Sheila Marie Vaughn who won the second seat with a decisive 85 votes. Notably, Timothy Fitzgibbon received 52 write-in votes while none of the other write-ins received more than two votes.
In one of the only contested races, Rosemary Donahoe won a three-year term on the Board of Health over candidates Joseph Casna Jr. and William Kavol.
Uncontested races included Kenneth Stevens for a two-year seat as Assessor, Robert James Erlandsen for a three-year term as Water Commissioner, Joseph Paul Cunningham Jr. for a three-year seat on the Recreation Commission, and Elaine Fiore as Water Commissioner for a three-year term. Both Emily Bruce and Andrew Kostka were named to three-year terms as Library Trustees. Robert Short and Gregory Charles Zec were named Constable for three-year terms.
While the Planning Board didn’t have anyone officially on the ballot, there were 24 write-in candidates and a three-way tie for a five-year term. The Kingston Town Clerk’s office explained that in the case of a write-in tie, the Board of Selectmen in conjunction with the Planning Board will appoint someone. They will choose between Paul Basler, Robert Gosselin Jr., and Norm Harbinson who received three write-in votes each.
In another contest with no official candidates, a three-year term for Assessor was won by Michael Martin who received the most write-in votes of 15 names submitted.
Plympton
Plympton had a significantly higher voter turnout with 30 percent of registered voters casting ballots.
In the one true contested race, incumbent Selectman John Traynor lost his seat to Nathaniel Sides who will serve the three-year term. Another unexpectedly contested race popped up for a three-year term to the Plympton Elementary School Committee where write-in Alex Ritter received 18 votes to candidate Brian Wick’s 60 votes.
Uncontested races included Dean Jafferian for a three-year term as Assessor, Jared Anderson for a three-year term to the Board of Health, and Michael Lemieux and Steven Lewis each to three-year terms on the Finance Committee. Several Library Trustee seats were taken including a two-year term which went to James Lundgren and two three-year terms for Daniel Cadogan and Lillian Ferguson.
Barry DeCristofano won the three-year term for Moderator and Paul D’Angelo Jr. won a five-year term on the Planning Board. Jason Fraser will also serve another three-year term on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. While no candidate appeared on the ballot for a one-year term as Constable, write-in Peter Klemme did receive 12 votes.
Plympton also voted down the debt exclusion needed to fund the design, construction, equipping, and furnishing of a new Fire Station. The Town Properties Committee has been working on the town-wide campus project including the new Fire Station plans and determined that renovating the existing station would ultimately prove costly and impractical. If the debt exclusion passed, it would have meant, on average, an increase of about $470 annually for taxpayers.
Halifax Town Meeting action …
Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Halifax Town Meeting Addresses Rising Costs and Citizen Petitions
Halifax officials are recommending the use of $745,000 in free cash to balance the town’s fiscal year 2026 budget, as rising education costs and minimal increases in state aid create significant financial challenges.
The proposal came during the May 12 Annual Town Meeting, where Town Administrator Cody Haddad presented an overview of the budget situation to residents.
“Due to significant increases in the cost of education, the town was facing a major budget shortfall,” Haddad explains. “In order to present a balanced budget for FY26, the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen opted to utilize one-time funds, free cash, in the amount of $745,000 to subsidize the town’s operating budget.”
The town’s estimated revenues for FY26 are $30,635,633, representing a 3.26% increase from FY25. However, this growth is “largely stunted by a continued reduction in new growth and minimal increases in state aid,” according to Haddad.
Education costs are increasing by $1.25 million for FY26, with the Halifax Elementary School budget rising by 11.63% and the Silver Lake Assessment increasing by 5.6%. These increases may necessitate a Proposition 2.5 override to fund the FY27 budget.
“This is a buffer year, recognizing that next year, the town will likely need to go for a Proposition 2.5 override,” Haddad says.
Fixed costs that the town has little control over are also rising significantly. The assessment to Plymouth County retirement is increasing by almost 8%, and health insurance costs are up 8%.
In using free cash to balance the budget, several capital items had to be postponed, including a new ambulance, a police cruiser, and repairs to the historic Blacksmith Shop.
The budget includes reductions in staffing in the administration/selectmen’s office, building maintenance department, and library. Expense accounts in the Fire Department, Board of Health, Council on Aging, and library have also been reduced.
Halifax Elementary School has made several reductions to staffing and expense budgets to present a balanced budget this year.
Finance Committee Chair James Walters notes that the committee was unable to maintain its core values this year, including maintaining existing levels of government services and funding operating budgets exclusively from revenue funds.
The meeting also addressed several citizen petitions, and articles related to the MBTA Communities Act, which mandates certain zoning changes near transit stations.
Town Meeting approved Article 21, a proclamation stating the town’s opposition to the MBTA Zoning Law. The proclamation notes that Halifax “strongly opposes the provisions of Chapter 3A of the Acts of 2021, which mandate multi-family zoning as of right near MBTA stations in communities like Halifax.”
The proclamation urges the Massachusetts Legislature to amend or repeal the law “to restore local control over zoning decisions and to provide municipalities the ability to craft development solutions that are appropriate to their unique conditions and priorities.”
Town Counsel Richard Hucksam informed residents that the town recently filed a complaint in Superior Court asking a judge to issue an injunction to prevent the state from enforcing the MBTA zoning requirements.
“The town is technically in violation of the law,” explains Selectman John Bruno. “What we’re trying to do here is to work within the law, to work within the system, to change the law.”
A citizen petition (Article 25) requesting an impact study on the financial effects of the MBTA zoning law was defeated. The article, proposed by resident Van Donnelly, would have directed the Finance Committee to lead a study on how the MBTA zoning would affect town costs.
“Without an impact study sitting there with our town lawyers, I think we’re looking like we want to agree on something just to get rid of it,” Donnelly argues. “Without this impact study, we have no basis to go forward with lawsuits or anything else we want to do.”
Another citizen petition (Article 26) seeking to impose a moratorium on new building permits due to water supply concerns was also defeated. The article, proposed by resident Amy Troup, cited concerns about water bans, water quality issues, and capacity limitations.
Water Commission Chair Richard Clark strongly opposed the article, stating, “I’ve been with the water department for 40 years… I’ve never heard so much crap in my life.”
Clark explains that the department is currently working on a $3 million project to address water quality concerns. The treatment plant is back online, and the filtration plant is expected to be operational within days.
“When that gets back online, the superintendent is going to schedule some flushing in the areas of town that have had some dirty water during this time,” Clark says. “This fall, we’ll do a complete flushing, which will eliminate all of these problems.”
Town Meeting also approved Article 19, creating a new anti-littering bylaw with a $300 fine per violation. The bylaw was suggested by the town’s Beautification Committee.
“Litter is detrimental to the environment,” explains Beautification Committee Chair Shirley Graf. “Cigarette butts, the number one littered item, contain arsenic, lead, and nicotine, which can leach into our water and soil.”
The meeting marked the last for Town Administrator Cody Haddad and Board of Selectmen Chair John Bruno. In response to the applause at mention of his retirement, Bruno quipped, “Are they applauding because they’re glad I’m retiring, or are they congratulating me?”
Memorial Day Memories and the Civil War
By Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Special to the Express
When I was in the fourth grade at Indian Head School in Hanson, I joined the school band. I played the clarinet and kept on with it through Junior High. Every Memorial Day our band marched into the Fern Hill Cemetery in Hanson. We all wore royal blue capes with satin gold colored lining and hats to match with black patent leather visors. Growing up with parents who had served our Country, including some of our mothers, we had heard many stories and were very proud to be part of the Memorial Day ceremony, which we took very seriously. Every year there were three boys chosen to play TAPS on their trumpets, each one placed on a specific hill to be the echo for one another. In spite of the large crowd, it was always a solemn occasion. Our music teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt, were always there to lead us in. ‘Abide With Me’ , one of the songs we played. It took on a whole new meaning when we played it on Memorial Day and I thought about so many people who had lost their lives in the War. The very first time I was in the band and part of the ceremonies when those three young boys played TAPS and it echoed through the cemetery on that beautiful day in May, it struck me that there were young men not much older than some of us who never got to live out their lives. Some years later, I thought about some of my own classmates who never made it home from Vietnam.
In later years as an adult, every parade I went to that Vietnam Vets were in, I applauded and even stepped forward one time to shake the hand of one in the parade who was in a wheel chair. His grasp and the look in his eyes as he thanked me, I will never forget. Even though Vietnam has been labeled as an unpopular War, it’s not the fault of those who served and it angers me that they are not applauded in some of the parades. I was also told by a school mate who had served in Vietnam and still attended Memorial Day ceremonies at Fern Hill, that the gun salute brings back a variety of emotional responses, depending on their experiences. We truly owe so much to so many who fought and sacrificed so much for our Country and our Freedom. It should never be taken for granted. To all who served who are still here, my deepest thanks and gratitude for your service.
When I was in school and we started learning about the Presidents, I was taken with Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and learned all I could about him and that War. One early Spring day in 1983 I was looking out my window. March had given way to April and the crocus were pushing up through the ground in my backyard. I found myself thinking about The Civil War and that it may have started on a Spring day like this. A Free Verse poem came to me so quickly that I picked up my pen, writing fast to keep up with the words and visions I saw. Several years later I found out my Grandfather’s Grandfather, Corporal Edwin W. Pratt had volunteered for the 18th MASS Infantry in August 1861. He was one of only seven members to re-enlist and was moved to the 32nd Infantry and went home to Hanson when the War ended at Appomattox in 1865. There is a famous copyrighted Painting that is also a print by Mort Kunstler (who recently passed away) that is shown on his site called, ’The Salute of Honor’, It shows the Blue and the Grey lined up facing each other the day the War ended; one of the most important moments in American History.
Memorial Day – Lest We Forget
Stephani Teran
Express staff
Memorial Day Parade and Celebration Tri Town Schedules and Routes
Plympton
Parade starts at 10 a.m.
Parade Route: The parade forms in front of the Historical Society Building, 189 Main St., and winds its way down Main Street to the Town Gazebo on the Town Green.
A Memorial Day Ceremony will follow the parade at the Town Gazebo with readings of: The Gettysburg Address, In Flanders Field, and an original essay read by a Dennett student titled: What Memorial Day Means to Me.
Following the ceremony there will be a Touch-a- Truck Event and a cookout at the Fire Station with free hot dogs and ice cream at the Plympton Library.
Halifax
Parade Starts at 10 a.m. The parade will form in front of the Halifax Country Club and conclude at Town Hall, 499 Plymouth St.
A Memorial Day Ceremony will follow the parade in front of Town Hall.
Kingston
Parade Starts at 10 a.m.
The parade will form at the WWII Memorial (across from Cancun Restaurant, 145 Main St.) and proceed onto Landing Road, Main Street, Green Street, and Evergreen Street. A Memorial Day ceremony will follow at the Kingston Veterans Memorial. After the ceremony there will be a community cookout behind Town House with free hamburgers and hot dogs. Please bring your own blankets and chairs.
Kingston adopts new math for K-8
Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Kingston Public Schools is implementing a new mathematics curriculum for grades K-8 starting next school year, following an extensive review process by a committee of teachers and administrators.
The district has selected HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) as its new math program after comparing it with another highly-rated curriculum option, iReady.
“HMH was the one that was highly rated across the board by the teachers in each one of the categories,” said Assistant Superintendent Tricia Clifford, who presented the curriculum update at the May 5 School Committee meeting.
The curriculum change comes as the district’s contract with enVision, its current K-5 math program, expires this spring. The Big Ideas program used for grade 6 will expire next year.
Committee members evaluated both HMH and iReady using a rubric and rating sheets, with HMH emerging as the clear preference. Teachers noted that students found the HMH lessons “more engaging and easier to access” than the alternative.
“We went with HMH in part because the student usability was much better than the other program we reviewed,” said Brian DeSantes the District’s K-6 Curriculum Coordinator.
The district has already begun planning for implementation, with professional development sessions scheduled for this summer and throughout the next school year.
“Choosing a program is important, but the implementation is as important because that is really where we’re going to see it happen in the classroom,” Dr. Clifford explained.
The initial investment for the new curriculum is included in next year’s budget. While the first year will require the largest expenditure for materials, costs are expected to decrease in subsequent years.
The first year cost for the curriculum is $103,000, but the committee expects that to drop going into years 2 and 3 of the contract.
In other school news, Kingston Elementary School Principal Dr. Kerri Whipple reported that 111 students are currently registered for kindergarten for the upcoming school year.
“I connected with all – majority of the local preschools. I’m visiting two more tomorrow,” Dr. Whipple said. “I send them all the kindergarten information. So I’ve done a ton more outreach than I have before and trying to build those relationships with the local preschools.”
Dr. Whipple expressed enthusiasm about these outreach efforts, stating, “I’m having, like, a blast. I don’t want to leave. It’s, like, the best hour when I get to go there to visit them.”
The elementary school also presented positive data on student achievement. Dr. Whipple reported improvements in reading scores across multiple grade levels.
“If you look at last winter to this winter, we’re at 15% increase, which is awesome,” she said regarding first-grade DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) scores. “And I think that has a lot to do with our literacy instruction.”
“We’re teaching OG [Orton-Gillingham] every single day in every single classroom. We’re doing Hegarty. It’s a huge multisensory approach to learning,” Dr. Whipple explained. “I mean, honestly, I am in there, and I’m learning so much. We weren’t taught this way.”
Kingston Intermediate School (KIS) Principal Andy Materna also presented data showing improvements in reading scores but noted that math remains an area of focus.
“We’ve been static in math. We’ve been static in math for a number of years now, and we’re focused on math,” Materna said.
To address this, KIS has already made adjustments to its schedule to allow more time for math instruction. The new district-wide curriculum is expected to further support these efforts.
Both schools are also enhancing their transition programs for students moving between buildings. KIS and KES are collaborating on a second-to-third grade transition night to help families prepare for the move to the intermediate school.
“I’m really excited for it, to start meeting these families,” Materna said. “I’ve gone over to lunch, to the second grade lunch, to meet those kids and hung out with Mr. G. side-by-side. Just that little bit of facetime with students, little things like that.”
The district is also developing a comprehensive literacy plan focusing on five key areas: leadership, assessment, tiered instruction, professional learning, and family engagement.
“As we embark on something as large scale, as looking at curriculums, looking at professional development, all of these things, it’s very advantageous to have a strategy behind who, what, when, where, and how,” Dr. Clifford explained.
The literacy plan will guide the district as it begins reviewing English Language Arts curriculum options in the fall, with potential implementation in the 2026-27 school year.
In other business, the committee approved making information available about a free DARE summer camp for students entering grades 5 and 6. The camp, sponsored by the Kingston Police Department, will be held July 28 through August 1 at Whitman-Hanson.
The committee also mentioned the need to move scholarship funds into an interest-bearing account to enable the awarding of the Fonts scholarships, which haven’t been distributed for about five years due to lack of interest income.
The last day of school for Kingston students is scheduled for Friday, June 13, with the next School Committee meeting set for July 7.
Sen. Fernandes secures $75,000 for Silver Lake schools
Jason Fraser
Special to the Express
In a year marked by tight budgets, Senator Dylan Fernandes has stepped forward as a champion for our community. At a time when every dollar counts, the Senator and his dedicated staff secured an earmark for $75,000 in the FY26 state budget for Silver Lake Regional Schools to address safety and accessibility issues on campus.
Since his election in the fall of 2024, Senator Fernandes has been meeting with constituents and community leaders across his district, including members of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. His collaborative leadership has bridged the gap between legislative action and educational needs. His proactive engagement underscores his commitment to the well-being of students, staff, and community members, ensuring that critical issues are addressed promptly. This partnership has yielded tangible outcomes, demonstrating that when policymakers and educational leaders unite, practical, real-world improvements follow.
Jason Fraser, the Legislative Agent for the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, commented, “We extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Dylan Fernandes and his team for their pivotal role in this process. Their foresight, dedication, and willingness to collaborate have transformed fiscal challenges into opportunities for a safer, more accessible campus at the Silver Lake Regional Schools. This collaboration not only reflects the Senator’s commitment to public service but also serves as an inspiration for further partnerships that prioritize community welfare and the future of our educational environment here in Silver Lake and beyond.”
Making a Memorial Day Parade
Stephani Teran
Express Newspapers
In a society that increases in rush and intensity all the time, Plympton is a haven for traditions and events that bring the community together and provide a chance for people to slow down and appreciate life. One such tradition is the town’s annual Memorial Day parade where veterans who lost their lives in service are honored and remembered. The expected scene marching down Main Street is quintessentially “Plympton” with lively children donning town team baseball caps and Scout uniforms, a line of tractors driven by grinning proprietors who are easily recognized as local farmers and friends, familiar first responders who also assist in organizing the event, elegant horses urged further down the road by expert equestrians astride, and of course the crowd favorites: the cow and bumblebee trains from Sauchuk’s loaded with some of the tiniest townspeople waving flags.
To attendees, the parade may seem like an event that comes and goes in a few hours, but a deeper examination of the efforts that go into putting this display of remembrance together reveals months of planning and collaborative efforts between various town organizations as well as the time, energy, and expertise of the parade committee, and the experience and direction of the Board of Selectmen and Selectmen’s Assistant, Briggette D. Martins.
Martins, who grew up in Plympton, remembers marching in the Memorial Day Parade as a Brownie in Girl Scouts and with the Plympton Children’s Garden Club. “The parade has been going on for over fifty-five years,” she recalls while sitting in her sunny office after an hour-long parade committee meeting.
Martins explains that one of her job duties is to organize and oversee the Memorial Day Parade each year. “The first year I did it was 2016 and it was cancelled that morning because of heavy rain and lightning,” she says laughing.
Martins said the parade route has stayed about the same aside from the Plympton Tricentennial when it came down Mayflower Road. She explains that in order to keep things running and organized it takes a substantial collective effort from many “faithful helpers” as she refers to the people who have been assisting and supporting the parade for many years without fail.
“I want the town to know that volunteering is huge,” she says while listing off the many people and organizations who work with her on this event each year.
Martins and the Parade Committee meet at Town Hall each month to collaborate and organize the Memorial Day events. Serving on the committee with Martins is Plympton Fire Chief Cheryl Duddy, Lieutenant Daniel Hoffman of the Plympton Police Department, Rob Firlotte of the Plympton Highway Department, Plympton Library Director Mike Slawson, Captain John Sjostedt of the Plympton Fire Department, and the Board of Health Administrative Assistant, Cathy Ferguson. The meetings demonstrate teamwork, sharp thinking, thorough planning, and friendly banter. When an issue or question comes up it is clear that the committee is comfortable with each other and knows the process well enough to work through things quickly. A great deal of time is spent discussing and refining the parade route and road closures. Safety is very obviously the first concern of all on the committee and detailed plans are made to ensure this for everyone. Factors like heat, walking distance, water bottles, and pacing are also taken into consideration.
Careful decisions are made as to who will be walking and riding in vehicles. The parade order is set to best serve everyone and ensure that antique cars and small children don’t overheat.
In addition to planning the parade procession a good deal of time is spent organizing the subsequent ceremony at the Town Gazebo. Each year the committee thoughtfully reviews the program line up, the chosen readings, songs to be shared, and flag displays that best pay respect to those who the day pays homage to.
“We honor the past and the present,” Martins says when stating her intention with the ceremony.
The reflective Town Gazebo ceremony is to be followed by some fun with a “Touch a Truck” event and hot dogs served at the Fire Station as well as a Build Your Own Sundae at the library. The committee is always appreciative of donations for materials and supplies for these events and they go to great lengths to ensure families can enjoy themselves with food and drink after the parade.
Following the Parade Committee meeting Martins asked that the town be made aware of a few things. First, Martins asked to include a list of people in our town she would like to thank for their help -both currently and over the years. She extends her special thanks to: her Parade Committee: Kim Adams, the Albertis, the Kupic family, the Wilhelmsens, Jennifer Macdonald, Mike Lemieux, Roxanne Whitbeck, Scott Sauchuk of Sauchuk Farm, as well as PAYS, Sysco, the Plympton Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Dennett Elementary School, the Plympton Fire Department, the Plympton Police Department, and anyone who has offered help in any way to continue the parade’s success each year.
A few items Martins asks the public to remember this year to increase safety and provide a positive experience for all: “We are not throwing candy,” she reminds, “This is a somber parade and we are to be respectful of the meaning of it.”
She also asks that parents dress their children appropriately for the weather which is often quite warm and provide them water and sunscreen. In addition, she asks that law enforcement’s road closures are strictly adhered to in order to avoid potential safety issues and to keep the parade running on time.
Overall, the Plympton Memorial Day Parade is always a meaningful experience for those who attend and participate. Martins said her hope for future parades involves including a few floats. She encourages local businesses to step up and make a “big deal” out of the parade by creating a float featuring a theme and local talent or townspeople who would fit nicely with the purpose of the event.
When met with eager volunteers, Martins certainly knows how to orchestrate and motivate all who are willing to help to make the Plympton Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony a special and cherished tradition.
“I still get goosebumps every year,” says Martin, rather proving that the honor and reflection meant to be shown and felt through the parade are kept sacred and at the heart of all the bustle and effort.
O’Leary to present Small Museums in Massachusetts program at Kingston’s Adams Center
Local author Alison O’Leary visits the Adams Center (33 Summer St., Kingston), on Wednesday, June 4 at 6 p.m. to discuss “The Best Small Museums in Massachusetts.”
With the summer season approaching, enjoy an opportunity to explore and learn about a wide variety of collections, artifacts, and experiences offered by the Commonwealth’s many small institutions. Some of the museums include dramatic displays, iconic sculptures, military history, immersive exhibits, intricate handiwork, fascinating backstories, and forgotten history.
O’Leary is a longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers from Austin, Texas, to Reno, Nevada, to Bath, Maine, and suburban Boston. She was previously a correspondent for the Boston Globe, and editor for The Boston Parents’ Paper, and skirt! magazines.
As an author, O’Leary published “Abandon Ship,” a middle-reader book with NYT bestselling author Michael Tougias. She has also collaborated with Tougias on writing “Attacked at Sea,” a middle-reader adaptation of “So Close to Home,” published in 2016. An avid outdoorswoman, O’Leary penned “Inns and Adventures,” with Tougias in the same year. Additionally, she was part of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s tradition of publishing guidebooks, as O’Leary helped write, “Best Day Hikes Near Boston.”
O’Leary has won awards for writing and editing over the years: a 2017 Charlie Award (Silver) for history writing from the Florida Magazine Association, and numerous awards from the Parenting Publications of America organization for her work at The Boston Parents’ Paper, including travel writing. She travels around Massachusetts delivering talks about her books, and speaking about travel and hiking areas around the Commonwealth.
O’Leary most recently appeared at the Kingston Public Library on May 2, 2023, delivering the program, “Microadventures in Massachusetts.” You can learn more about her on her website, https://alisonoleary.com.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org.
For more information, you can contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at smiller@kingstonma.gov.
Haddad announces he will resign
Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Halifax Town Administrator Cody Haddad announced his resignation during the Tuesday, April 29 Board of Selectmen meeting, effective at the end of July, marking the end of a two-year tenure that brought stability to the town.
“I will be resigning from my position as town administrator here effective at the end of July,” Haddad told the board. “It was a personal decision. I think that’s best for me and my family at this time.”
Haddad, who will be returning to Dartmouth as Town Administrator according to Dartmouth Week, emphasized his commitment to helping with the transition over the next few months.
“It certainly wasn’t anywhere near as long as Mr. Bruno’s,” Haddad said of his tenure. “But I think looking back I think I gave the town my all. I think we made a lot of progress.”
The announcement followed a meeting that began with heartfelt tributes to Chair John Bruno, who previously served five terms as a selectman before returning for his non-consecutive sixth term in 2022.
“In typical John Bruno fashion, he didn’t want anything big for his last meeting here,” said Haddad, who thanked express Bruno for his service. “In time of instability, you came back and provided the stability that the town needed.”
Jonathan Selig adds his appreciation, joking that “when I grow up, I want to be John Bruno.”
“We were in some tough times, and I always wondered if there was a bat signal that we sent out,” Selig says. “Because John heard it and to many degree rescued the town.”
Bruno, characteristically humble in his response, reflects on his time serving Halifax.
“I wasn’t expecting anything like this. It’s really unnecessary. It’s my town, too, so I don’t mind pitching in when I can,” Bruno said. “This go-around has been an adventure, really, kind of an adventure in a lot of ways. But I think we’ve managed to bring things back to stability.”
Bruno returned to the board after the resignations of two Selectmen and the Town Administrator, leaving Selig on his own, creating a leadership vacuum in the town.
Following Haddad’s announcement, board members express their appreciation for his leadership during his time in Halifax.
“Cody came in at a crossroads much like you did,” Selig tells Bruno. “He not only settled the waters a little bit but kind of charted a course for us.”
Selig notes that many residents have approached him to praise Haddad’s work, calling him “a shining star,” adding “We went from putting out fires in the now to thinking down the road. And that was refreshing. We started developing plans for not just the next six months, the next couple weeks, but like, what are we going to do down the road?”
Thomas Pratt, the newest member of the board, offered his perspective: “I have nothing to compare Cody to. I think with my election about a year ago, just under a year ago, I was supposed to come in with some sort of adversary reaction to the status quo. I never had another town administrator besides Cody.”
“Anybody you talk to in town, in this building, in this room, has nothing but glowing things to say,” Pratt adds. “I always felt prepared. I was always ready. I was never surprised at what was before us.”
The board discusses beginning the search for Haddad’s replacement immediately, with Bruno suggesting they aim for some overlap between administrators to ensure a smooth transition.
“The end of July will come here faster than we realize it,” Bruno says. “It’s better to have ideally… some sort of an overlap where whoever this is, if we could get them in, say by the beginning of July even.”
Haddad offered to reach out to search firms to get proposals for the board to review at their next meeting.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better tenure,” Haddad says. “I think we accomplished a lot. The board has been phenomenal. I speak with my colleagues all the time, and many people are not as fortunate as I am to have had such a phenomenal board.”
He assures the board and residents that he remains committed to Halifax for his remaining months.
“I’m not going anywhere yet. I still have a few months of work here. We still have a lot of work to do. I’m not going to let off the gas here.”
Haddad also promises continued support even after his departure: “My number is not changing. Even if I’m no longer here, I’ll always be supportive of Halifax.”
The meeting also included the introduction of Joe Braga as interim building commissioner, approval of a motorcycle safety awareness proclamation, and discussion of a petition article for town meeting regarding land acquisition.
The board unanimously approved several other items, including a $1.3 million borrowing for water treatment plant upgrades, a contract for Town Hall portico repairs, and a three-year contract for Town Accountant Lindsay Martinelli.
Sauchuk wins bid for carousel
Stephani Teran
Express Newspapers
Fans of Edaville Family Theme Park in Carver may have been sad to see its iconic items on the auction block, but Plympton will play a part in keeping the memory of Edaville alive as the new home for its beloved carousel. Scott Sauchuk, owner of Sauchuk’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Plympton, purchased the 1986 carousel for $90,000 at the Edaville auction last Wednesday. The carousel, built by Chances Rides, Inc, will be moved about ten miles away, but people will be able to find it tucked nicely into the seasonal hustle and bustle of Sauchuk’s outdoor family games and activities.
“Carousels are a safe, family friendly attraction that will fit in nicely with our fall festival,” said Sauchuk. “Many other farms across the country have added carousels.”
The carousel will be an included attraction with the corn maze admission in the fall and will no doubt make many new fans as well as bring back memories for old ones. As for using it during other times of year there are big plans.
“Beyond that we might use it for birthday parties and field trips next year,” Scott explained. “I hope to get it set up and running and licensed by this fall, but I certainly cannot guarantee that.”
It’s safe to say that no matter when it is ready for use there will be plenty of eager riders, young and old, local and from afar, who will make new memories, all thanks to Scott Sauchuk keeping a local treasure local.
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