Linda Redding
Special to the Express
The Halifax TRIAD met on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at the Halifax Town Hall. Halifax resident Dave Thurston was the guest speaker with a presentation on his 2022 hike of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.).
The presentation included pictures that Dave took along the way. He shared stories and discussed items from his hike that were on display including his tent, walking sticks and the medal he earned for completing the Appalachian Trail.
Dave started on the Trail. on March 1, 2022 at Springer Mountain in Georgia. Hiking the Appalachian Trail was a childhood dream for Dave and on October 12, 2022 he fulfilled that dream reaching the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine.
Dave noted that preparing for the seven month 2194.3 mile hike included daily long walks with a backpack weighing about thirty pounds. Hikers on the Trail must carry all their food and supplies. At points on the trail there were “Trail Angels” who would have water and food to help out the hikers. His wife would mail new hiking shoes and supplies to check-in points along the trail.
On the Appalachian Trail Dave was known as Christian. Hikers take on a trail name that they use along the trail with other hikers and at check-in stations. Dave’s “Certificate of Congratulations “ for completing the Appalachian Trail features his trail name.
Area 58 Community Media recorded the presentation and it will be available on the Halifax Community Channels and on the Area 58 Community Media YouTube page.
TRIAD is a partnership between local and regional groups to help inform and educate seniors. Halifax TRIAD meetings take place the first Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. in the Great Room of the Halifax Town Hall.
The April meeting will feature first responders from the Halifax Fire and Police Departments..
BOS will return to in-person meetings
The Plympton Board of Selectmen met Monday evening, March 13, to discuss and vote on several issues, including whether or not to continue meeting remotely or to resume in-person meetings as have some other town boards, including the Plympton School Committee.
The law that made remote meetings acceptable under the Open Meeting Law, was passed in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown in order that municipalities could still conduct their business while being in quarantine. That allowance expires on March 31, at which time full in-person meetings will need to resume. The state legislature has a bill before it to extend the remote meetings deadline for two years, allowing the towns the option of meeting remotely until March 31, 2025.
The question before the board was whether or not selectmen would seek to continue their remote meetings or return to in-person meetings. Selectman John Traynor spoke in favor of continuing the remote meetings because of their convenience and also spoke to the merits of in-person meetings, the best, in his estimation would be a hybrid of both, with the ease and convenience of the ZOOM meeting, and the option of people coming in for an in-person experience. Chairman Christine Joy said, “We’re not there yet,” to which Traynor replied that it was tested and it worked flawlessly.
Joy further stated that with ZOOM meetings, there has been greater public participation and that often, in person meetings were not attended by any members of the pubic.
Selectman Mark Russo said that he didn’t think the legislation to allow the continuation of remote meetings had passed the legislature and suggested the board wait to vote on the matter until the legislature voted. He did say that remote meetings were able to run more efficiently. Joy said she was in favor of returning to in-person meetings until the legislature votes, making the March 27 meeting the first in-person selectmen’s meeting. That meeting is also a continuation of the SLT hearing for its Spring Street location.
On Joy’s motion, the board voted unanimously to return to in-person meetings as of March 27.
Plympton resident Pat Burke, after the vote, because he had difficulty getting into the ZOOM meeting, said he wished the town would continue both in person and remote meetings, saying it might encourage people to participate in town government.
In other matters, Town Clerk Tricia Detterman brought to selectmen the question of allowing Vote by Mail for local elections. Other towns in the commonwealth have decided to eliminate that option, citing its cost and the unnecessary burden of another vote by mail. State and federal elections would not be affected. Detterman said that she was personally in favor of keeping the vote by mail option. “Hopefully we get more people participating in the electoral process.”
Selectman Traynor told the board that the Town of Sharon, where Deborah Sampson went to live with her husband Benjamin Gannett and where they are buried, was promoting a “forever” stamp in honor of the commonwealth’s official heroine. The Sharon Historical Society Feb. 9, 2023, voted unanimously to support the issuing of a Deborah Sampson Forever Stamp. The Town of Plympton Board of Selectmen voted to join in support of the effort. People who wish to support the new stamp may write a letter of support to Stamp Development, Attn: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300, Washington, DC 20260-3501. The deadline for mailing your letter of support is the first week in April.
Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy told the board that Plympton would discontinue its regionalization of the Animal Control Officer services, effective immediately, with a vote of the board. She said that Carver had not been able to provide the service for a number of reasons and that both towns found it would be easier just to sever the relationship for now.
Selectmen voted to allow the bicycle race “Harbor to the Bay” permission to ride through the town on Sept. 23, from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on Spring St., Brook St., and Mayflower Rd. This will be their final bike ride.
As for the Raves that usually close the meetings, Russo told the board about serving on the Community Preservation Committee with David Chandler, who passed away last week. Russo remembered that he would come 20 minutes early to prepare for his meeting and Chandler also took to coming in 20 minutes early and the two would talk about everything from the state of the economy, national banking, politics, down to chain saw maintenance. After years of these pre-meeting visits Russo said he found that the conversations with Dave were the perfect preparation for the upcoming CPC meeting. Chandler, the board agreed, was a lovely gentleman and will be dearly missed by the town.
Traynor agreed with Russo and wanted to give a shoutout to the police who were able to put together a presence at Chandler’s funeral, with an officer at the door for the wake and two officers to accompany the funeral, all at short notice.
On another note, Traynor said he was happy to see there were 60 people at the Pay-T trash seminar held March 4 at the Town House, because there wasn’t enough space at the library to accommodate the crowd. The presentation by Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte will be repeated Saturday, March 18, for those who didn’t attend March 4, also at the Town House. There will be refreshments and coffee at the library for those who have already seen the presentation.
Traynor also told the board the Recreation Commission is full and active and working with Liz Dennehy with some funds that have been earmarked for their use. Traynor recalled the days when Plympton didn’t have enough players to field a softball team so the town sent their players to Halifax. This spring, he told the board, there will be four Plympton softball teams!
The meeting adjourned. The next meeting will be the continued hearing for SLT on the Spring St. project. It will be in-person, in the Deborah Sampson room of the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Road.
Building inspector terminated
The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, Feb. 28. They began the meeting by going into Executive Session to discuss the possible discipline or termination of the Building Inspector James Perry. Selectman Naja Nessralla recused himself from the hearing and deliberation. Upon returning from Executive Session, Selectmen Chair John Bruno said that they voted to terminate Perry, effective immediately. According to the town’s website, Steven Solari has been named as the interim Building Inspector/Commissioner.
The Selectmen also held a hearing to determine if they will be opting-out of mail-in voting for local elections. Town Clerk Sue Lawless gave a brief description of the purpose of the hearing. Lawless said, “typically, these elections are low-interest and given the increase of unfunded mandates from the State, it would be a cost-savings for the town to opt-out. While I understand that the idea of vote-by-mail has become popular by many, I do not feel that the Town has made the changes necessary to support it. My office is currently a part-time office and the vote-by-mail process is very labor-intensive.” She went on to say that many residents did not return their mail-in ballots. Lawless also clarified that absentee voting will still be available. A new hearing would be held annually to determine whether to opt-out of mail-in voting.
The Selectmen opened the hearing to public comment. Resident Frederick Corrigan inquired what the cost was that made it prohibitive. Lawless said that while she didn’t have a dollar amount, the real issue was a staffing one. Corrigan responded saying, “I can’t see where we can take 437 people in this small town and say just because you’re old and you don’t have a car or you have a disability, you can’t vote.” “As stated previously, anybody with a disability or a reason why they cannot go to the polls, has an option to absentee ballot,” Lawless answered. Selectman Jonathan Selig said, “I can see both sides of the issue; I’m not into limiting voting access, if there’s a way, we can get creative to get people there – I have a minivan, I can drive folks there.” The Selectmen voted to opt-out of mail-in voting. Bruno noted that come May, if there’s an issue, they will make a different decision for next year.
Bruno said, “Just in case this crowd is here for the Morse Brothers part of the agenda, those four things are kind of standing things on our agenda until we get them resolved so we were supposed to have an inspection of the property today but because of the storm, we weren’t able to do that. We intend to get it done this week and we will report back to the Board this week… if anyone’s here for that, that’s all we’re going to talk about tonight is that part of the update.”
Town Administrator Cody Haddad asked the Board if they would like to reevaluate how reappointments are handled. Selig said that he would like to see the Boards and Committees become part of the appointment process since they have more expertise on the specific subject matter than the Selectmen. Bruno said that he is usually in favor of reappointments and noted that in his career as a Selectmen, he can only recall maybe one time where he didn’t vote in favor of reappointment. Bruno said that if a Board has an opinion on a reappointment, he would certainly be in favor of hearing their input.
Haddad addressed getting specialized training for Boards and Committees including 40B training for the Zoning Board of Appeals. He said that they have reached out to necessary parties to setup the trainings. He said he is also working with the Attorney General’s office to set up some open meeting law trainings including some that are specific to Halifax.
Haddad also addressed a grant application for Halifax Mobile Home Estates to have trees removed at a cost of $750,000. “I have been working with the State to draft an application… but ultimately my recommendation would be… to vote to allow the Town Administrator to submit it… if we are awarded it, then you would vote to approve it.” The Selectmen need to oversee the project. The Selectmen agreed to pursue the grant on behalf of the Mobile Home Estates.
The Selectmen also dealt with a live entertainment request for Halifax Pride. Authorization has already been granted for use of the Town Green on June 17. The entertainment would include Silver Lake Regional High School students, a family-friendly drag performance, and a DJ. The request was already approved by the Fire and Police Chiefs as well as the Board of Health. The Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the entertainment request. The Selectmen also fielded a request for use of the Town Green on Saturday, April 22 by the Boy Scouts for a bottle/food drive fundraising event. The Selectmen also approved this request.
Haddad told the Selectmen that they had a team formed in town to work on the Council on Aging project which had some funding approved during Town Meeting. He said they would need to come into compliance with Massachusetts procurement law which requires that a building project projected at over $1.5 million must bring in a project manager to oversee the whole process. The Selectmen approved Haddad moving forward as necessary.
Haddad addressed the MBTA Action Plan that had been the subject of much debate during recent Selectmen’s meetings. The Selectmen had ultimately voted to approve moving forward with the Action Plan. Haddad said, “On Feb. 17, I received a letter from the State under Secretary of the Department of Public Housing and Community Development… notifying us that they have accepted our Action Plan and that we are in interim compliance through December 31 of 2024.” He further said that he had a meeting with Old Colony Planning Council for technical assistance moving forward.
Mayflower Church to host Chowder Fest March 18
KINGSTON …Mayflower Church will host a free Chowder Fest dinner at the Briggs Building, behind the church, at 207 Main Street, Kingston, beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 18.
The event is open to the public from 4 to 6 p.m. All are invited to attend, and no RSVP is needed. There is no cost. Pastor Anton Brown said that the Chowder event is one of the church’s popular community programs. “We are all about outreach, and meeting more members of the community. Our event is a great chance to have people come by, say hello, and enjoy a free chowder dinner.” The church has hosted the event for nearly ten years.
Additionally, attendees will have the chance, if they choose, to participate in some good-natured competition and vote for the “best chowder.” Dozens of chowders will be available, prepared by different members of the church.
Mayflower Church hosts Sunday Morning Worship live as well as online, at 10 a.m. each Sunday. The service is also broadcast Sundays at 7 p.m. on WPLM 99.1 FM. Mayflower Church is located at 207 Main Street, Kingston, MA 02364. Reverend Anton Brown serves as Pastor. For additional information, please call 781-585-3167 or email [email protected].
Plympton school budget up 8%
The Plympton School Committee met in-person onMonday, Feb. 27, for the first time in nearly three years. Previously, meetings had been held virtually.
Superintendent Jill Proulx shared Version Two of the budget with the Committee. Regular day is at 3.13 percent, special education is at 22.24 percent, and the total budget is an increase of 8.56 percent. Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen asked which numbers in the budget were down that would likely increase next year. He said he was worried for down the road when laptops or other equipment would need to be replaced. Director of Business Services Christine Healy said that the funding Technology Director Steve Pellowe has received in grant money, would last for several years. Tech, textbooks, and instructional software were the three areas named in the budget as having significant decreases. “We cannot guarantee that that’s going to carry over to another year where it wouldn’t go back up again,” Wilhelmsen said of those areas. Committee member Jason Fraser called the budget “extremely tight” and “fiscally responsible” despite the seemingly large increase. The School Committee voted to approve the 2023-2024 out of district vocational budget of $60,000, the special education budget of 1,388,644, and the regular day operating budget of $2,854,051.
Proulx said that earlier this year they became aware of some problems surrounding the integrated preschool program. She said the main problem is that Silver Lake Regional is a Grade 7 through 12 program and does not include elementary. Wilhelmsen said, “Just so everyone’s clear what programs we are talking about – we are talking about the integrated preschool, which is pre-k, the sort of in-district special ed programs that are K-6… we’re also talking about certain support staff within our budget for our special ed, in-building program.” The State is allowing for a grace period so the district can make necessary changes.
Proulx said that they need to look at a multitude of factors including the need for additional staffing as well as increases to tuition as they look to find the best option for restructuring. Wilhelmsen said that one option would be to fully regionalize the entire district where you would have a single school committee overseeing everything. Proulx explained that an entire grade level could be added to the regional district but noted that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) would not allow for individualized programs such as the special education program, to be added to a district. Fraser asked if they could consider running a collaborative in lieu of the program being added to the district. Proulx explained that it could incur additional costs as staffing would need to be added as it couldn’t be shared. Proulx said that as of right now, they can either fully regionalize or one of the schools could fully absorb the programs. Fraser said that he was not interested in having the discussion surrounding fully regionalizing and Wilhelmsen said he thought that the residents of the three towns would likely feel similarly. “Plenty more to come on that,” Wilhelmsen said of the discussion. Fraser said, “I’m just a little surprised that DESE isn’t working harder to make what we have work considering it is right and good for kids.”
Wilhelmsen said, “Kingston is footing the bill for certain extra work for this program; they’re not being compensated for it. The people are doing the work and they’re doing it because there are students in their building and they would not neglect any student in their building but we’re not (we and Halifax) are not paying any percentage based on our students being in that building for administrative staff, for school psychologist, for nurses, for whatever, and that is something that we need to address regardless.”
Fraser gave an update on two policies. He said, “One has to do with access to our security cameras… it’s basically who is allowed to view our cameras and for what reasons and what rights parents have to any of the footage on cameras, for which circumstances.” He further said that the policy allows for emergency responders to access the cameras during emergencies. Parents are also allowed to come in and view the recordings though he noted that faces of students would be blurred. The second policy has to do with the current policy surrounding student surveys and the rights of parents to be notified when said surveys are given. Fraser said that parents would be given plenty of time to opt-out of surveys and would also be given sample examples of questions.
The Committee dealt with unfinished business. Wilhelmsen said that he met with the Police Chief to discuss putting out a sign to let people know that dogs are prohibited from the fields on the school grounds. Regarding the playground, Director of Business Services Christine Healy said that they will be ready to put the new surfacing down in the spring. Regarding the ongoing solar project at the school, Wilhelmsen said, “giving credit where credit is due, I have to thank the folks at DESE for being incredibly prompt in getting us their approval.” He said that panels should be placed on the backside of the building by April. “Hopefully that will have some incremental impact on our cost for electricity,” he explained.
Wilhelmsen gave an update on Capital Improvement and said that himself, Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto, and Director of Facilities Matt Durkee met to talk through some of the pressing items for the year ahead. He said there are no excess funds this year so they will need to think about things “a little bit differently.” He said that they will need to pay for a few classroom floors through an article at Town Meeting. He also said that improvements to the roof will likely be paid for with ARPA funds. There is a plan to use Town Properties Committee administrative funds to pay for an infrared study of the Dennett’s roof to determine what next steps need to be taken and what will be the associated costs.
Fraser provided a legislative update. Regarding private special education schools, Fraser said that typically the State governs how much those schools can raise their tuition. He said that they usually see three or four percent increases but that a 14 percent increase was approved for FY24. He said that the Governor would be releasing the House One budget soon but said that it appears that Plympton would be receiving an additional $40,000 in Chapter 70 funds next year. “Special ed Circuit Breaker is fully funded already in this first version of the budget for the year at 75 percent but she also included four times more dollars for extraordinary relief which is not paid back for the year that has already gone by; we can access those funds for the years that we are encumbering those expenses,” Fraser explained. He called it the first inning of a nine-inning budget process but noted that it is looking good for schools so far.
Fraser said that State Representative Kathy LaNatra filed legislation that would increase the special ed reserve fund from two to five percent. “This would, again, allow municipalities to establish a Special Ed reserve fund of up to five percent of net school funding in case they ever face extraordinary special ed costs; we’re at the cusp of that locally.” Wilhelmsen asked if there would ever come a time when the State would just take over special education. “We have had that discussion several times that special ed is the unifier of all school districts across the State. When we find assistance in special ed, it helps urban schools, rural schools, and suburban schools – wealthy districts and poorer districts, all the boats rise together when special ed is addressed … we are still advocating for it to be a ninety percent reimbursement at three times the foundation number,” Fraser explained. He further said that the State wants school districts invested financially so they would likely never take over 100 percent of costs.
Veneto provided a Principal’s report which began with letting the Committee know that enrollment stands at 240 students currently. He told the Committee that no one has applied for the open School Psychologist position saying it was a problem for many districts right now. He said that three people interviewed for a building substitute position but all three took other jobs. In a more positive update, Veneto said that the school is celebrating Read Across America.
Fraser told the Committee that the Governor’s press release on her budget was “a little bit nebulous about some language changes that the State’s going to be putting into this year’s budget to lessen restrictions on ESSER dollars from the State perspective to allow school districts to spend down those moneys before they sunset in a more fluid way.” Esser refers to Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds that were issued to schools as a result of the Covid pandemic.
Superintendent Jill Proulx provided an update on students attending private, parochial, and charter schools. She said that Plympton has gone down from an all-time high of seven students to just two students this year. She said that overall students in the three communities attending private, parochial, or charter schools is actually up despite Plympton’s numbers falling. Proulx also said that one student in Plympton is utilizing school choice.
CLINTON, NY–Caitlyn Smith, of Kingston, has been named to the Dean’s List at Hamilton College for the 2022 fall semester.
To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must have carried a course load of four or more graded credits throughout the semester and earned an average of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.
Smith, a senior majoring in history and religious studies, is a graduate of Silver Lake Regional High School.
Halifax Police Dept. visits TLC Country Day School
Officer Cushman and Officer McIntyre had a great time visiting TLC Country Day School recently. They spoke with the kids about the role of a police officer in a community and got to see some of the projects the kids are working on. Thank you to the staff at the school for having our Officers stop by for a visit!
Courtesy photos – Halifax Police Dept.
‘Rabbit Hole’ performance at Kingston’s Beal House
The True Repertory Theatre announces its next production, David Lindsay-Abaire’s, 2007 Pulitzer Prize winning drama, Rabbit Hole.
Rabbit Hole will be performed at The Beal House, 222 Main St. in Kingston, on March 17, 18 & 24 at 8 p.m. and March 19, 25 & 26 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $22 for seniors and students. Buy tickets at https://www.truereptheatre.com/impostertickets or at the door (cash and check only).
The play focuses on Becca and Howie, eight months after a shocking and sudden event upends their otherwise perfect life. As they navigate their new normal, they must learn to cope with well-intentioned family, uncomfortable friends, and each other, as they try to rediscover that lining of hope that used to surround their marriage.
The playwright has an incredible ability to wade deep into dramatic water and then suddenly provide the audience unexpected laughter. It is so true to how we experience and cope with tragedy,” said director, Victoria Bond.
Donald Sheehan, True Rep’s Artistic Director, who plays Howie, notes, “This play asks us to confront our understanding of grief and how we process it. Given all that the community has been through, it feels like the right time to share this play.”
Through their Project 719 initiative, True Rep encourages local organizations providing services thematically related to a production, to become involved. For Rabbit Hole, True Rep is proud to connect with Hope Floats Healing and Wellness Center in Kingston. At every performance, True Rep will promote awareness of the center, and their services, that are helping so many to process their grief.
Cast includes Lyra Brennan (Centerville resident) as Becca, Donald Sheehan (Pembroke resident) as Howie, Sarah Gruber (Cohasset resident) as Izzy, Lisa Caron Driscoll (Marshfield resident) as Nat, and Patrick McCarthy (Dorchester resident) as Jason. The show is directed by Victoria Bond (Plymouth resident) and stage managed by Anthea Diamond (Kingston resident).
Buy tickets at https://www.truereptheatre.com/impostertickets or at the door (cash and check only).
The Memoir of a Female Soldier
Introducing March as American Heroine’s Month, it is fitting to feature our own official state heroine, Deborah Sampson, in a newly released book based on her life,
This historical novel is closely based on the true story of Deborah Sampson, a young Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man, enlisted in the Continental Army and fought during the American Revolution. Learn about the amazing young woman, brought up in poverty, who enlisted in the army to support herself. This well-researched story helps us learn about this remarkable woman.
Stationed at West Point for a year and a half, she was wounded fighting the Tory loyalists who terrorized the Hudson Valley and was promoted as an aide to a general.
Twenty years later, as a wife and mother, Sampson told her tale as the first American woman to do a lecture tour. In this fictional memoir, Sampson sets the record straight about her life and military service, seeking to overcome prejudice against her and to gain the respect due her.
Deborah grew up in Middleborough, as did Jan Lewis Nelson, the book’s author. In his foreword, the author’s husband, Steve Nelson, tells how Jan recalled first learning about Deborah from a substitute teacher in junior high school. It made a lasting impression on her, and 16 years later she began research for this book, working with local historian the late Charles H. Bricknell of Plympton.
This led to Steve and Jan getting married in the house in Plympton where Deborah was born and living there while Jan worked on her book in 1974. Publishers weren’t enthusiastic about her project so she put the book away while she raised their son and life took the family in another direction. After the author was treated for breast cancer, life slowed down for the Nelsons. Steve took out the old boxes of pages and helped his wife put them together for the book you have here.
Sampson was named the official Massachusetts state heroine in 1983. After receiving an honorable discharge, she received a military pension. She married Benjamin Gannett from Sharon and the couple raised three children. Four years after her death in 1827, Gannett applied for, and received a widow’s pension, the first man in the country to do so. He unfortunately died before he could collect it. Deborah Sampson Gannett and her husband Benjamin are buried in Sharon.
Massachusetts observes each May 23 as an anniversary commemorating Deborah Sampson Gannett’s enlistment in the Continental Army.
The book is available for sale on Amazon.com.
Spring St. hearing continued
The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually Monday, Feb. 27.
The meeting began with a public hearing regarding an earth removal permit application from SLT Construction Corp. for activities at Spring Street. The land in question is approximately 23 acres. The permit would allow for earth removal work as well as construction of a facility to process construction materials and recycle concrete, asphalt, brick, and stumps. Alex Weisheit was on hand as the Town’s Counsel.
Selectman Mark Russo went over the ground rules for the hearing including that arguments between parties would not be tolerated. They began by hearing from the applicant first. Peter Opachinski spoke on behalf of SLT Construction which he said was owned by himself and his brother Mike. Opachinski said that the land was originally taken over by Mass DOT for construction of Route 44. He said the land was deemed surplus to Mass DOT and went out to public bid in 2017 when SLT submitted the highest bid. He said that during 2017 and 2018, McKenzie Engineering designed a subdivision on the Carver side. He said that he believes that people that are opposed to the project think it is merely a rouse to remove earth. Opachinski said that that was “far from it.” He said that there were no substantiated complaints regarding damage to the wetlands. “The main reason for the earth removal permit is to simply level the land and get it leveled out so we can setup what we are considering to be a recycling facility,” Opachinski explained. “There really are no abutters to the site; so I think it’s a great location for an industrial type business to go in eventually,” he added.
According to Opachinski’s presentation, they only intend to excavate roughly 6 of the 23 acres. He said they are looking to remove 50 truckloads per day and noted that the trucks would not be traveling on any Plympton roads. He said the best estimate is that the work would be completed in eight months. He also said the closest house to the location is in Kingston. He said they keep an 8,000-gallon water truck on the site at all times to keep dust to a minimum. He further said that a sprinkler system would be installed as well. “Overall, the water truck has been pretty effective,” he said. He did acknowledge they have had a few issues with ATV and dirt bike riders trespassing.
Selectman John Traynor said his biggest concern was with environmental protection. “What groundwater protection district are you in – this project?” Selectman Christine Joy asked. Opachinski said he was unsure. “There would be no intention to ever have this be for sewage disposal?” Joy verified. Opachinski said “absolutely not.” Following the Selectmen’s remarks, Russo opened the discussion to anyone that wished to speak in favor of the project. One resident spoke up saying that he personally knows the family and they are honest and trustworthy. Another resident said that he is a subcontractor for SLT as well as the Vice Chairman of the Conservation Commission in Carver. He said that the project “doesn’t affect anything in Plympton.” “In the four years that I’ve worked with the Opachinskis, I’ve never seen them not do what they say they are going to,” he continued. A general contractor with SLT also spoke up in favor of the company and the project.
Dawn Egan, a principal at American Electrical Construction, said she purchased a 4-acre lot from the Opachinskis to use as their headquarters. She said that she grew up in Plympton and currently lives in Carver. “I believe in business and responsible growth and working with Peter Opachinski has been just that,” Egan said.
Russo said that they would next be hearing from those opposed to the project. Russo said that they received a number of letters in opposition to the project that he would read portions of in order to ensure that those residents’ voices were also heard. One letter stated that there was concern that SLT had already encroached upon the stated area on the earth removal permit. Among the allegations in the letters was that SLT has already encroached upon the wetlands and that they have created dustbowls so severe, residents are unable to open their windows. The destruction of land, the environmental impact, and noise complaints were all cited in the opposition letters.
Meg Sheehan with the Community Land and Water Coalition said that their position is that they would like to see the permit denied. She said that a world-renowned hydrologist who is currently working at Harvard, issued a report saying there is a potential risk to the drinking water supply. She showed videos showing emissions of sand to Ricketts Pond as well as into people’s backyards. Sheehan also told those assembled that they believe the permit is incomplete and that there were multiple violations. Her presentation further said that operating a “recycling facility” is not covered in the MEPA Certificate.
The Chair of Carver Concerned Citizens spoke out against the project. “We ask you to look to the future in not only your town residents but the residents of Carver, Kingston, and other surrounding towns; once you allow this in, you’ll have it there forever,” he said. Plympton resident Howard Randall spoke up saying he has lived with this issue for nearly fifty years. He also acknowledged that he knows Opachinski well. He referred to the site as a “wasteland.” He asked Opachinski if he couldn’t think of something better than a recycling center to bring to what he described as a “sensitive area.” Another resident spoke about the “noise pollution” calling it “off the charts.” She also warned about potential toxins. “I believe there to be a vernal pool there with Ricketts Pond being there… there’s endangered wildlife that live there,” she said. Still another resident asked if there would be any further testing of the groundwater. Someone else asked the Selectmen to delay voting on the issue until more information could be ascertained.
“I think the permit has to be denied because in the bylaws, this isn’t an allowed use in a groundwater protection district,” Joy said during the deliberation portion of the meeting following the hearing. Joy said that the facility is not an allowable end use and therefore, it didn’t make sense to grant permission for the earth removal permit. Traynor said he had read Sheehan’s 15-page document as well as other exhibits. “I’m not sure that we should allow a permit, but I think we need a lot more expert knowledge of exactly what’s going to happen there – if the water table is going to be affected, absolutely… if it’s going to affect the wetlands, if they’ve overstepped, another reason it should be declined but I would like to get a lot more answers before I say yay or no,” he said. Russo said if they are going to deny the application, they would have to bring forth a really strong case. Russo said that the Selectmen should authorize Town Administrator Liz Dennehy to work with Town Counsel to identify the experts needed and that they should come at the expense of Opachinski. The Selectmen agreed to continue the public hearing to March 27. They also voted to move forward with seeking necessary experts including a hydrologist.
Following the hearing and deliberation, Selectmen dealt with business as usual. They shared that during Executive Session they agreed to a contract with the Town Administrator for three more years. They also appointed Jeffrey Montello to the Board of Registrars for a term ending on March 31, 2026. Russo told the Selectmen that the seller signed the purchase and sale for Turkey Swamp and that the closing will be April 18. “We are so much closer to having 300 undisturbed acres protected and conserved in perpetuity,” Russo said.
Joy said that her rave for the evening was for “all the people who showed up tonight.” She called it a “complex issue” and said that the goal of the Board is transparency.
Russo said, “I totally agree with everything Christine said.” He said his rave was for the fact that it was an “orderly meeting.” He said he appreciated the “patience and forbearance of everyone.” Traynor said his rant was for the weather since it might delay a speaker that is coming to the town to address trash.
Halifax FinCom hires new Admin
The Halifax Finance Committee met on Monday, Feb. 13. Chair Todd Dargie said that at a previous meeting, they had conducted three interviews for the open position of Finance Committee secretary. The three candidates were Gina DiMuzio, Katelyn Esposito, and Holly Merry. Dargie said that Merry had since expressed concerns that she would not have the availability and capacity to serve in the position. “All three candidates I thought were fantastic… were all qualified to do the position,” Dargie said. He went on to say that his primary concern was that the candidate had municipal experience.
Committee member Frank Johnston said that he liked that Esposito had experience as the office administrator at the Abington Housing Authority. “That brings some value to municipal government that we are looking for… she also had good availability… I think both candidates were well-suited,” he explained. Committee member Michael Bennett said he agreed with Johnston. Committee member Jim Walters said that he also echoed the same sentiments. The Committee voted unanimously to offer the open position to Esposito. Town Accountant Sandra Nolan said that she would forward an offer letter to Dargie.
Building Inspector Jim Perry attended the meeting to provide the Committee with a budget update for his department. He explained, “Pretty much everything is level- funded with respect to the total budget with built in pay raises and so forth; the only additional funds that we are looking for were… $1,800 for training of new secretaries in the Zoning, Conservation, and Planning Departments under the Regulatory Board.” He also noted that currently those positions are vacant and that they are in the process of conducting interviews. “We have found that there is a need to get a lot of training done within those departments,” he said.
Perry said there was some discussion with Nolan about putting that $1,800 under training in the Selectmen’s budget for municipal trainings. New Town Administrator Cody Haddad said, “That should go into that account for training; one of my requests this year will be to increase that… there’s a lot of trainings out there; I’m a very big proponent of professional development so I would like to see that increased.” He continued, “Jim’s request would certainly be approved – it’s warranted; it makes sense to kind of keep it centralized under training.” Dargie asked Haddad if they had started to assess where additional trainings are necessary. Haddad responded, “We’re assessing that; I would like to bring in management training for our department heads and then there are specialized trainings for individual departments… but it’s really a dialogue I’ve begun having with department heads –they know best, they know what they need best so we’re going to take their feedback and bring in the appropriate training as needed.”
Johnston asked Perry to also address the budget line for Interim Inspector. Perry told the Committee, “that is a cost that we incur because I am just a local inspector at this point – an interim local inspector. I have just recently passed my final test to be certified as a local inspector which would then bump me up to interim building inspector/inspector of buildings… so because I did not have that certification we need to hire, beside an inspector of buildings which the previous Select Board appointed, an individual to assist me with certification of occupancies and yearly inspections that are required so that $2,250 goes to pay his time to do those additional inspections with me; we paid him basically a per diem or per inspection fee of $50.” Perry said that the fee should stay in there until the hearing with the Board of Building Commissioners to accept his examinations and appoint him as a conditional inspector of buildings.
Library Director Jean Gallant also provided a budget update for her department. “My budget is really kind of mandated by the State,” she explained to the Committee. “I figure out my wages, I figure out my salary, and then I figure out my expenses and then I put that into a formula, and it comes out with what the town has to appropriate for me in order to get my State aid,” she continued. Gallant said that her State aid has been going up each year, noting that she got $16,000 last year as an incentive grant. She said that she uses that grant to pay for several different expenses including small things like a broken printer or blinds. The library budget for this year stands at $344,790. “Jean’s very good with if there is a wage increase, we refigure her wages and when possible, we then lower her expenses by the same amount that her wages have increased,” Nolan told the Committee. Gallant said that she was requesting $244 to be added into this year’s budget. It was decided to put that expense onto the agenda for their next meeting. They did say that the easiest method would likely be a reserve fund transfer.
Dargie said that an email had been sent out to department heads with a link to an online form to share revenue suggestions. Haddad said he believed that the form was to include existing fee structures and proposed changes. Dargie said that it was found last year that some fees were below neighboring towns and could potentially be raised to increase revenue. Haddad said it should become policy to review fees annually even if changes were not made each year.
The Police and Fire Departments’ budgets will be reviewed during their next Finance meeting.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- …
- 200
- Next Page »