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Mask policy stays for back to school

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The Silver Lake Regional School Committee held a joint meeting with Union 31 as well as Dennett and Halifax School Committees on August 10. Vice Chair Eric Crone led the Silver Lake School Committee and chaired the meeting as Chair Paula Hatch was having technical difficulties. Sheila Vaughn called the Kingston Elementary School Committee meeting to order, Summer Schmaling the Halifax Elementary School Committee meeting, and  Jon Wilhelmsen the Plympton Elementary School meeting.

Superintendent Jill Proulx offered to begin with an explanation of the latest guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Public Health (DPH). Proulx said that both Departments “strongly recommend that all students in kindergarten through Grade 6 wear masks when indoors except students who cannot do so due to medical conditions or behavioral needs.” She said that they noted that masks aren’t necessary outdoors and may be removed to eat indoors. Both departments also strongly recommend that masks be worn by all unvaccinated inhabitants of the school regardless of whether they are staff, student, or visitor. “Any child or family member who chooses to mask should be supported in this choice,” Proulx read from the guidance. All staff and students are mandated to wear masks on school buses and in a medical setting.

Proulx said that a new test and stay protocol will soon be released by DESE and the DPH which will allow asymptomatic close contacts to remain in school while being tested daily rather than quarantining at home. Vaccinated staff and students will be exempt from quarantine. Proulx told the school committee members that they had also been provided with a letter from the school pediatrician as well as links to the masking recommendations from the American Pediatrics Association, the CDC, and the Massachusetts’ Association of School Counselors. “All advocating, in their own language, for universal masking in schools regardless of vaccination status,” Proulx said.

An attorney was present to discuss recommended policy changes. He said that the Committees present could make a determination that night regarding masking that would fall into one of three categories. The first would be universal masking, the second would be to adopt DESE guidelines, and the third would be not to require masks except for school transportation and the public health department. He said that he has had discussions with DESE on two issues, the first being the right to adopt masking policies more stringent than that required by them (this is allowed) and the second is in regard to student discipline when a student is required to but refuses to wear a mask. “The legal department of DESE has told me that they will be issuing additional recommendations and guidelines,” he explained. He further said that special legislation mandating universal masking may be forthcoming though he noted he did not know if it would pass and if the Governor would sign it. He advocated for the Superintendent to be given the authority to make changes as necessary.

Crone then opened the discussion to questions and comments from the various committees alternating between them. Andrews began asking, “If we go with a non-mask requirement and parents do not feel like they can send their students to school without everyone being required to wear masks, what are we required to provide for them – anything at this time?” The attorney responded that the child would be truant in that case. The flipside of that would also be true where if a mask is required as a policy and a caregiver elects not to send their child due to that policy, that child would also be truant. Andrews pointed out that if enough children did not attend school, that day would not count.

Vaughn said that the Kingston Board of Health just voted to mandate masks. The attorney said that as far as he knew, the Kingston Board of Health did not have the authority to mandate masks in schools. He said he would have to confer with DESE and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to clarify. Timothy Lewis, with the Kingston School Committee, asked the attorney for his opinion on DESE’s recommendation. After clarifying that he was there more to offer legal counsel than opinion, the attorney stated, “The clearest policy and provides the greatest defense is universal masking.” Referring to no masking, he said it “does raise legal risk because even though permitted it is not recommended and it could result in greater legal liability for the school district.”

Silver Lake Regional School Committee member Gordon Laws asked the attorney to elaborate on the extent to which the District would be liable based on different scenarios. “I think that there really is no realistic threat if you either have universal masking or follow the DESE or DPH advisory because those are state sponsored and you have a right to follow the guidance of your state,” he said. He elaborated that were you to make policy less than that required by the State you could possibly be liable. Of the 17 school districts represented by the attorney he said none had thus far voted to not even recommend masks.

During Plympton’s opportunity to speak, Chair Jon Wilhelmsen said, “I’ll just make one point this time around… I think we’re all looking at the guidance right now and talking about the Superintendent having the ability to react to the different guidance; it’s not just about ratcheting up measures… but it’s also, as we hopefully get things under control, to be able to relax standards.” He said that would allow for quicker decisions instead of waiting for a School Committee meeting to be scheduled and held.

Silver Lake Regional School Committee member Emily Davis said, “I’m very uncomfortable that we’re even having this discussion.” She was referring to feeling like it was odd that they were discussing public health as members of school committees. The attorney said that he agreed and the State should really be telling schools what to do. He said if legislation goes through that is what will happen.

Halifax School Committee member Lauren Laws asked if they elect to follow DESE recommendations, how will they enforce who is and isn’t vaccinated. “As far as getting proof of vaccination, we have no legal right to do that with students or teachers or staff and that’s because of HIPPA,” the attorney explained. He said you can ask about vaccination status but you cannot require proof. “That’s one reason why some places are going to universal masking,” he added.

Timothy Lewis of the Kingston Elementary School Committee made a motion that their Committee rescind the masking policy. Committee member Jeanne Coleman seconded the motion. The motion was to rescind the current policy with the intention to vote through a different policy at a later date. Coleman said she was unsure why there was a need for any policy whatsoever beyond following the guidance of DESE. The attorney said that previously some school districts didn’t adopt a policy because there was a mandate in place. He said that the administration would have to put together a note to families letting them know that they are acting in accordance with DESE’s guidance. The Kingston Elementary School Committee voted to rescind their previous masking policy.

Plympton School Committee member Jason Fraser said that in light of DESE most likely coming out with further guidance, “I think it makes sense for us to table any ideas of making any further motions tonight for the Plympton School Committee.” The attorney forewarned that taking no position assumes that DESE will do what they said they are going to do, particularly before the start of the school year. Wilhelmsen pointed out that for Plympton, Proulx already has the ability to amend their policy based on whatever guidance comes out from DESE. Another member clarified that Plympton’s current policy mandates masks as it calls for following multiple sources including the CDC who is calling for a mandate. Fraser said, “I’m not comfortable making those medical determinations having these authorities over us including the District doctor now saying that he thinks all of our students should be masked in order to protect all of our vulnerable students and staff… this is a very confusing conversation and topic at this point and I would like to defer to those public health officials.” Fraser said that he wanted to leave what they had on the books while calling for a meeting prior to the start of school. Nicole Mahoney said that she respectfully disagreed. Mahoney said that she wished to rescind their policy in good faith that they would meet again before school reconvenes. Amy Hempel seconded Mahoney’s motion to rescind. The Committee voted unanimously to do so.

Schmaling made a motion for Halifax to rescind the policy requiring face coverings. Several members of the Halifax Elementary School Committee, including Schmaling, spoke out vehemently against requiring all students to wear face masks. Lauren Laws clarified that the vote they would be taking would only rescind the current policy as she said she would like to see them put a policy in place at a later date. “I feel like last year’s school was very successful because the kids were masked,” Laws said. With respect to another member’s claim that some of the Committee members calling for masks in school have been openly doing things on social media without masks, Laws said, “you know, everything you talked about was outside.” She added, “There are changing parameters right now that I feel like need to be watched.” Schmaling clarified that in rescinding their policy they are following DESE’s guidance. The vote to rescind the current policy was unanimous.

Silver Lake Regional School Committee then began their discussion. Committee member Christopher Eklund made a motion asking for Silver Lake to adjourn saying he no longer felt the format of the current meeting was conducive to conducting business. He recommended they reconvene before the start of school. Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee seconded that motion. Crone clarified that this would leave the current policy in place which requires masking but gives Proulx the ability to make amendments to the policy as she deemed fit provided it complies with CDC, DESE, and DPH guidance. Crone said he agreed with Fraser that they need to see what new guidance or mandates come down the pipeline prior to the start of school. The attorney clarified that if they didn’t meet to put a new policy in place, Proulx would be forced to go with the most stringent of guidance.

The Silver Lake Committee then took a vote to adjourn leaving the current policy requiring masks in place with the intention of meeting again before the start of the school year. No votes came from Paula Hatch, Lukasz Kowalski, Schmaling, and Davis. Yes votes came from Gordon Laws, Fraser, Eklund, McGee, and Crone. With votes weighted differently depending on town, the vote ended in favor of adjourning the meeting with the current policy still in place.

Vaughn asked that the Kingston School Committee stay on. Kingston Elementary School Committee member Cowett then made a motion that Kingston align its recommendation with respect to masking in schools with that of DESE. They voted unanimously in favor of Cowett’s motion. Halifax made a similar motion that was also voted through unanimously.

There was also a reorganization of Union 31. There was a motion and a second to appoint Gordon Andrews as Chair and it was voted through unanimously. Summer Schmaling was nominated for Vice Chair and like Andrews, voted through unanimously. Michael Cowett was nominated and voted in as Secretary of Union 31.

Motorcycle crash kills two

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By Stephanie Spyropoulos
Express staff

HANSON — A motorcycle crash took the lives of a father and daughter with ties to Halifax and Hanson on Friday night.

Former Hanson resident James Ripley, 58, and his daughter Jenna Ripley, 19, both of Halifax died following the crash on Route 58 Monponsett Street near Hill Road around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, according to District

Water rights: Who is right?

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Cathleen Drinan
Express correspondent

Spoiler alert: this article is full of opinions and emotions. I no longer represent the Town of Halifax and this column is my own.

I was asked to “cover” the online meeting of the City of Brockton Department of Environemental Management meeting Aug.3, discussing the Resource Management Plan for Monponsett Pond (RMP), prepared by its consultant CDM Smith out of Providence, RI.. I put the word cover in italics because there is too much to cover in a short article.

The water quantity and quality issues and practices for the City of Brockton would require at least a white paper to summarize all that has happened (and not happened) over the many decades. It really needs someone to choose the topic of Water Resource Management between Watersheds as his or her PhD thesis to sufficiently cover this topic. The topic should/could be fairly simple if nature, science, and water management were respected. Yet, it has been politicized and complicated for so long, it takes patience to pick apart the tangled threads. I don’t have that patience anymore.

I do have many questions, though.

Before the online live review of CDM’s report, I started to read the report. It is 161 pages long, available online at https://brockton.ma.us/news/resource-management-plan-for-monponsett-pond/ It is not the length that prevented me from finishing reading it. It was the content and the memories; memories as the health agent, of working with others on numerous grants to help the Monponsett Ponds, of being a member of the Central Plymouth Water District Advisory Board and so many more. At the time, those activities were filled with purpose and hope. Everyone needs hope, right?

From the RMP:

“Humans impact freshwater systems, particularly when water sources serve multiple uses.

Monponsett Pond, located in Halifax and Hanson,  is one such water source, as it serves as a drinking water supply for the City of Brockton, cranberry bog irrigation source, aquatic life habitat, and a community and recreational asset.

This report addresses the Resource Management Plan (RMP) requirements of the May 21, 2019 amendment to the Administrative Consent Order (ACO), Enforcement Document No. 0001010.

The ACO defines the RMP as recommending “metrics and procedures for Silver Lake diversions and Stump Brook Dam operations intended to improve Monponsett Pond’s water quality and ecosystem while maintaining Brockton’s drinking water supply reliability.”

(Me: Stump Brook Dam operations are going to improve Monponsett Pond’s water quality and ecosystem while maintaining Brockton’s drinking water supply reliability? Show me how!)

“The amendment to the ACO requires the RMP include the elements listed below, along with the report section(s) where the requirements are addressed.

a. Establishment of monthly Monponsett Pond elevation goals or some other metric on which to base Stump Brook Dam operating procedures to balance the needs to providing:

§ Stump Brook flow

§ Better flood control, including reduced need of flood control diversions to Silver Lake

§ Improved flushing of West Monponsett Pond

§ Fish passage

§ Adequate water depth for bathing, fishing, and cranberry cultivation

§ Impoundment to provide adequate water for Silver Lake diversions

(Me: Fish passage? Why is there even a fish ladder when fish cannot reach it?)

“Compilation of a recommended actions list and prepare a preliminary feasibility assessment of additional measures that could be performed by others, including but not limited to, the Towns of Halifax and Hanson, area cranberry growers and residents to improve water quality in Monponsett Pond, such as: programs to upgrade septic systems; improved stormwater management, installation of a control structure between EMP and WMP, and utilization of alternative procedures and/or technologies, and chemical treatment.

*** “Implementation of recommended actions list prepared herein is not the responsibility of the City.”

*** (Asterix, underline and bold are mine alone.)

“Pond levels are controlled by natural hydrology, a dam on Stump Brook and diversions to Silver Lake.”

(Me: What is natural about this situation???)

Brockton’s water emergency resulted in the 1964 legislation, adding the Monponsett Ponds and Furnace to the city’s water supply. Why hasn’t the legislation been removed? Surely, emergency legislation is not supposed to last forever!

The first engineering company Halifax worked with was Princeton Hydro in 2013. They concluded that the current quantity and quality practices for the Monponsett Ponds could not be sustained. Their conclusion remains as truth.

Other questions:  Why are words such as reciprocity, stewardship, restoration, gift, hope, and love missing from the Plan?

The word watershed does appear but in an unnatural compartmentalized context. Here is an example: “The ponds are part of the Taunton River watershed. The natural routing of water is from Stetson Brook to EMP, through the culvert to WMP, and out to Stump Brook, which flows into the Satucket River, a tributary of the Taunton River.”

There is more to it than that AND water is being transferred from one watershed to another. That is wrong!

§ “The 1923 Chapter 91 license, noting that this document refers to a reference point that most likely has been disturbed/lost. Information will be gleaned from this document, to the extent practicable.”

(Really?? Lost information? How do you glean from that?”

§ “Discussions with Massachusetts Historical Commission, and town engineers and/or historical commissions in Halifax and Hanson on available historical mapping of Monponsett Pond.”

(Halifax has a town engineer?)

As the live online meeting was nearing a conclusion, a guest, Pine DuBois, asked questions about the quality and quantity to Jones River and Silver Lake. Jonathan Hobill, of MA DEP responded each time that this report was addressing the Monponsett Pond.

Again, I ask you, how do you take a chunk out of a watershed, compartmentalize it, and ignore the undeniable connections to other areas and water bodies in both the same and nearby watersheds? It makes no scientific sense!

As I believe there is no easy way to wrap this up, I conclude with the words of Mavis Staples: “What do we do with this history now? Do we go in like a surgeon? Do we go in like a bomb?”

I am not alone in wishing the band aids and minor surgery would cease and desist and the “emergency” dams are bombed away!

For an informative FAQ, please see what Jones River has prepared.

https://jonesriver.org/facts/brockton-water-supply-faq/

Cathleen Drinan is a freelance writer interested in public health, art, nature and more. She can be reached at [email protected]

Community Flea Market In Halifax Sept. 11

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The Halifax Congregational Church is sponsoring a community flea market, open to all, Saturday, September 11, on the Town Green from 9:00 – 3:00. The cost for a space is $25, and tables will be provided on a first come first served basis.

In the event of rain, the market will be inside the church and recommended covid protocols at that time will be observed.  Our famous, delicious chowder will also be offered, for take-out, beginning at noon.

Gather your “stuff”, go in with a friend, maybe you have craft items to sell, or just bring your “get rid of” things from all the sifting and sorting you’ve done over the past year!

To reserve a space, or with questions, contact Susan Mahan, Coordinator, at 781-293-0422 or [email protected].  Checks should be made payable to Halifax Congregational Church, and mailed to the church, attn. Treasurer, at 503 Plymouth Street, Halifax, MA. 02338. The deadline for reservations and payment is Sept. 1.

BOS reconsiders Green Earth Cannabis vote

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen held a brief meeting on Friday, August 6 to reconsider a previous vote. Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews and Selectman Troy Garron were in-person and Selectman Ashley DiSesa was participating remotely.

Aside from Executive Session, on the agenda was the reconsideration of a vote from their June 11 meeting not to enter into a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Green Earth Cannabis, Inc. Andrews recused himself from the initial vote as well as the reconsideration as his father owns property within close proximity to the proposed lot. On June 11, Garron said that he had heard from many residents who opposed the establishment.

Director of Operations for Green Earth Cannabis Robert Maker had appeared before the Board of Selectmen during their July 13 meeting to plead his case and ask them to reconsider their decision. Maker said he has lived in town for 27 years and asked the Board to consider his ties as well as his contributions to the community over those years. Maker had also said that they hoped to create jobs for local Halifax residents. “We are preparing to mitigate whatever impact the facility may have on the neighbors,” Maker had also said at the time.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig explained at the Friday meeting, “If the Board rescinds its previous vote from June 11, we’re basically starting from that point where the Board has not made any decision. A person or entity is entitled to appeal an action taken by a municipality within 60 days of said action. As the 60-day deadline is this week, Green Earth Cannabis does not need to file suit against Halifax as long as the Board of Selectmen vote to rescind their decision not to sign the HCA. This saves on legal costs for both sides.

DiSesa confirmed with Seelig that if after going through all the motions, they could still decide against entering into an HCA with Green Earth. Seelig assured her that they could. A public forum/ hearing on the HCA will likely be scheduled for later this month. If, after that forum, the Selectmen still decide not to sign the HCA, Green Earth will have the opportunity to appeal the decision. Garron made a motion to rescind their previous vote and DiSesa seconded making it unanimous.

Carver cosiders Plympton’s needs in Urban Renewal project

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on Monday, August 9. They began with an update on the Carver Urban Renewal Project. Both Selectmen Chair Christine Joy and Selectman Mark Russo attended the most recent meeting for the project.

Joy said that her biggest takeaway from the meeting was that the project would entail a 24/7 operation. Joy also said that the Redevelopment Authority as well as the Department of Housing Authority would have control over the project. She said they are working on getting a consultant for the project and added, “At this point everything is really conceptual; they’ve got quite a bit of work to get where they want to go.”

Another noteworthy takeaway from the meeting was that if the height of the building was extended to 60 ft. there would be an additional 100 ft. setback added as well. “So that was good to hear,” Joy said. “I was very happy with the level of concern that they gave to Plympton residents,” she explained saying that she and Russo were both allowed to speak during the meeting. According to Joy, Plympton will be allowed to talk to the developer to stay abreast of the plans. Plympton will also be kept informed of future meeting dates.

Russo added, “I was very appreciative of how willing they were to listen.” He said he was particularly appreciative of their awareness of the effect the project would have on Plympton residents. Russo also said that he spoke to a Conservation Commission member who thought it might be possible to have a consultant to the developer hired for the abutting town to address issues like wastewater disposal and wetlands. He said he would look into the possibility.

Bridge projects: Ferguson and

Winnetuxet bridges

Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte was in attendance and provided an update on state bridge projects.  Firlotte said that they were planning on doing some structural testing with the grant for the Ferguson Memorial Bridge on Route 58. He said they were thinking about a scheduled replacement in 5-7 years.

Regarding the Winnetuxet Bridge, Firlotte said that one change that they would like to make is to widen it a bit and to allow for some kind of sidewalk. All at the meeting agreed that they wouldn’t want to move away from a wooden bridge. They all agreed that they were happy that the State was open to their feedback. Selectman John Traynor said he was “afraid at some point in the process they’ll throw a switch and we’ll find ourself with a totally different bridge.” Firlotte noted that he didn’t expect to incur any costs on the project calling it “almost like a State gift.” He also said the work to the wooden bridge wouldn’t occur for several years.

Beer Garden Licenses

The Selectmen met with Mike Johnson and James Wright who own Brewery 44. They explained that they had approached Sauchuk Farm with the idea of doing a Beer Garden. Johnson and Wright explained that the concept has become quite popular recently. They described it as providing people a chance to sample a few beers while expanding upon their market base. Their intent would be to setup a pop-up tent area with two beers and a seltzer to sample during the hours of operation from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.. They were applying for 13 individual liquor licenses for every Saturday and Sunday up to but not including October 31.

Russo explained that he was concerned that a precedent not be set were the licenses to be issued. He also said that he would feel more comfortable issuing just a few licenses to ensure that no problems arose. Joy agreed with Russo. The Board voted to approve the first 4 licenses.

Covid cases increasing in town

Town Administrator Liz Dennehy was absent from Monday’s meeting so Joy provided her update. She said that Covid cases were starting to pop back up in town with three recorded since August 5. She noted that as of yet, there were no plans to change any of the protocols in place. She did, however, note that some towns are starting to issue mask mandates in public buildings. The plan will be to watch and see what develops over the next several weeks.

Town House WiFi

Joy also said that there was an inquiry out currently with Comcast to try and figure out a plan for establishing Wi-Fi at the Old Townhouse. For correspondence, the Selectmen approved the use of the town green for a wedding. “Good luck to the couple that wants to get married,” Russo said cheerily.

40 child increase at Dennett

Chair of the Plympton School Committee and Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen gave a brief update on the schools saying that more would be known regarding safety protocols after the Silver Lake Regional School Committee meeting the following evening. He did note that there would be an extra 40 children in the Dennett this year as the outgoing class was small and the incoming class quite large. Regarding the new playground project, Wilhelmsen said the old playground had been removed and the hope was to have the new one installed in time for the start of school. Siding has been replaced on the side of the building facing the parking lot. The parking lot has also been redone.

Wilhelmsen also provided an update on the Town Properties Committee. He said they “need to take a little time and look at recreation because when we do the plan it impedes upon the existing ball fields.” He said that as part of Phase 2 the Committee plans to get an idea of what the costs are as well as how it will all fit together.

OCPC to help with truck traffic

Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) continues to pursue restrictions on heavy truck traffic on certain roads in Plympton. Dennehy is working with Kingston on how to alleviate it on Ring Rd. Russo noted that he would like to see this project moved along quickly.

North Plympton Cemetery

Traynor gave an update on a clean-up event that he had hoped to have at the North Plympton Cemetery. The plan was to have the Boy Scouts assist. He said he had a lawyer draw up a release for the 15 acres the cemetery sits on but told the Selectmen that the woman who owns the property refused to sign it. Traynor said he will be pushing the project off to the fall but noted he plans to take pictures to show how overgrown it has become.

Raves for COA

Traynor also praised the Council on Aging (COA) saying that more and more events were being held. He praised the leadership of both Director of Elder Affairs Colleen Thompson and Chair Nancy Butler and said that he believed the COA was finally becoming what the town had always hoped it would become.   

Forbes rates North Easton Savings Bank tops in state

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 North Easton Savings Bank was recently named as Forbes’ top ranked bank in Massachusetts for 2021.  This top ranking appeared on Forbes’ most recent listing of America’s Best Banks and Credit Unions in each state.

“We are honored to receive this award and to be ranked as the number one bank in Massachusetts.  I am so proud of our employees as this is a direct reflection of their hard work and dedication to the communities we serve,” stated Rich Spencer, President and CEO.  “This ranking reinforces that we are able to deliver premium experiences which are equal to if not better than those that are provided by national brands.  At over a billion dollars in total assets we believe our local institution is truly capable of providing top tier banking services with a locally focused service strategy.”

To determine the best Banks and Credit Unions in every state, Forbes relies on independent data provided by Statista, a German company that specializes in market and consumer research.  Of all eligible FDIC insured Banks nationally, under 3% were awarded a best in state designation.  Rounding out the top five Massachusetts institutions behind North Easton Savings Bank, beginning with second placement were Eastern Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, Rockland Trust and Cape Cod 5.

      About North Easton Savings Bank:  Rated as the top bank in Massachusetts by Forbes, with over $1.3 billion in assets, North Easton Savings Bank is uniquely situated to provide personal and business banking and lending solutions to southeastern Massachusetts. Founded in 1864, North Easton has a proven track record of growing the community through fair banking practices, financial advising, and local philanthropy. Looking forward, North Easton is well-positioned as the preferred area banking partner with a powerful combination of convenient features like mobile and online banking and the personal, hometown touch of a local bank. North Easton Savings Bank is fully insured by the FDIC and the DIF and is an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, please visit NorthEastonSavingsBank.com.

SL Alum pitching in Cape Cod League

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He pitched well in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, and now he’s pitching in an even better league.

Silver Lake High alum Stephen Quigley, a Halifax native and member of the Wheaton College baseball team, recently joined his second summer collegiate baseball team of the year. He went from being a member of the Pittsfield Suns of the Futures League to being a member of the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. The latter is widely regarded as the top summer collegiate baseball league in the country.

Quigley joined the Commodores last week and made his debut this past Sunday. He pitched three innings and allowed one run which was unearned. He allowed one hit, walked a batter, and struck out a man. He is one of two Wheaton College players on the roster.

Towards the end of the Cape Cod League season — as well as at the beginning of the season — teams tend to have more local players. That’s the case as players either hit their limits in terms of pitch count or games played as well as needing to return to school early for workouts with their respective teams. Not to mention injuries are a factor.

Additionally, Quigley fared well for the Suns this summer. He pitched in five games and went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in six innings of work. He allowed three hits, walked two batters, and struck out nine men.

For Wheaton, Quigley is a two-way player. He batted over .300 in the spring, however, the focus for him this summer has been pitching.

The Cape Cod League playoffs are set to begin this upcoming weekend.

Locals named to Curry College spring Dean’s List

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MILTON — Curry College congratulates roughly 1,000 students who were named to the Spring 2021 Dean’s List including:

Kayla Knudsen of Halifax, Samantha Duffy of Kingston, Trevor King of Kingston, Bruce Nobles of Halifax, Valerie Willette of Kingston, Allyson Colanino of Halifax, Sarah Busby of Kingston, Rachele Bouchard of Kingston, and Melanie Stoltz of Halifax.

Curry College, founded in Boston in 1879, is a private, co-educational, liberal arts-based institution located on 131 acres in Milton, Massachusetts. The College extends its educational programs to a continuing education branch campus in Plymouth. The College offers 22 undergraduate majors in specialized and liberal arts programs, as well as graduate degrees in accounting, business, education, criminal justice, and nursing to a combined enrollment of nearly 2,500 students.

The student body consists of 1,700 traditional students and nearly 800 continuing education and graduate students. The College offers a wide array of co-curricular activities ranging from 15 NCAA Division III athletic teams to an outstanding theatre and fine arts program. Visit us on the web at www.curry.edu.

Brown water is safe to drink

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met virtually on the evening of Tuesday, July 27.

Water System Discussion

Selectmen met with the Water Commissioners and the Board of Health to discuss the water system. Selectmen Chair Gordon Andrews explained that a resident had attended a previous Board of Selectmen meeting to complain about the state of the water supply to her home. The resident had provided the Board with photographs of brown water. Andrews asked if someone could provide some clarification on the discolored water. A member of the Water Commissioners responded, “I know that specific development that she lives in; it’s because of what the water main is in.  it’s an eight-inch water main going in with a two-inch main coming off and a dead end.” He said the building maintenance company was supposed to go in and do something since the Water Commissioners cannot go in and flush. He said the company was not flushing as often as they should be. Andrews asked if the water was safe and was told it was. The resident asked if it was just the condos, why was brown water being seen in other areas in town. The Water Commissioners acknowledged that the town may not have been doing their due diligence regarding flushing in the past and stated that there is a new Superintendent in place as of the last three weeks. “We know there’s been a problem with flushing and we’re going to correct that,” the member of the Water Commissioners stated. “Thank you for taking some ownership,” the resident said. Someone asked if the discoloration could be rust from older pipes. The Water Commissioners said they didn’t believe that to be the case.

The Water Commissioners insisted that if a proper flushing job was completed then “ninety percent of these problems will go away.” Selectman Ashley DiSesa pushed for an answer regarding when residents would begin to see improvement but an answer was not given. DiSesa also asked if they would be willing to go out to the condos and investigate and was told that they would.

Zoning Bylaw Review Contract

Seelig told the Board of Selectmen that if they wished to make amendments to the proposed contract, they would need to be sent to Attorney Mark Bobrowski soon. “I did talk to the Finance Committee about this last night; they’re welcoming other Boards, Committees, and town officials to participate in this project with the anticipation that the work reviewing and revising the contract moves ahead,” Seelig explained. Andrews said that his concern was that the Finance Committee, through their own admission, does not have the expertise necessary to do the work. He noted that they are not getting the needed outside participation at their meetings. “I think we should consider revamping the bylaw subcommittee and assigning them to work on this task with Attorney Bobrowski,” Andrews recommended. Andrews said that thus far it is really just Attorney Bobrowski providing recommendations on what he sees could be done differently. DiSesa agreed with Andrews. “And who would you put on that Committee?” Selectman Troy Garron asked. DiSesa replied that she would like to see someone from Zoning and Planning. Seelig said that previously there were members from Zoning, Planning, the Selectmen, the Building Inspector, and some members at large.

“I know obviously a number of people opposed this project at Town Meeting back in September; I’m not quite sure that it would be normal to have people that oppose the project and voted against it to be on the same Committee that actually is trying to get the work done,” Seelig said. Andrews disagreed saying, “Except those are the people that you need to get buy-in with two-thirds of the vote.” Seelig asked what would be preventing those against the project from sabotaging it. DiSesa said she felt the necessary checks and balances would be in place. A motion was made to revamp the bylaw subcommittee. It was voted through with Garron abstaining.

Appointment for Live Entertainment Permit

The Board met with David and Linda Tonioli who were seeking the permit for August 14 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Andrews confirmed that they had already verified that a Police detail would not be necessary. DiSesa asked if they would have enough space for parking and was assured that they would. “Our invitations are in the mail?” Garron joked. The Board voted unanimously to approve the permit.

Council on Aging Coffee Group

Seelig said that while a men’s coffee group has been in place for a number of years, they have only recently organized a woman’s one. He said it was great to see more activities happening under the new COA Director. The new Director spoke saying, “In order to increase the awareness of the COA, what has been difficult of course is finding the resources to be able to hold the events. We have so much energy here, tons of energy, I don’t want to squash that energy – I want to create more programs.” Officer Cushman has been invited to the event. “The community is very supportive of one another and you don’t see that often,” she said.

Town Facebook Page

Seelig said that the Board would need to decide whether or not to allow comments from the public as they would need to be moderated if they were allowed. If not allowed, it would simply be a means of posting information to the public. “So, I think posting onto Facebook to share information is good; I think it creates issues if you’re going to have more than one person comment back because if two members of a three-person Board comment back, that’s a violation of an open meeting law,” Andrews said. Seelig said he was more interested in whether or not to allow comments from the general public. DiSesa said that she didn’t necessarily think comments should be allowed but said she did feel that messages should be allowed. Andrews said he felt that they needed to have a policy in place and recommended speaking to the town attorney to see if they have a social media policy to recommend.

ZBA Appointment

Seelig asked the Board if they wished to make an appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Garron said he wished to nominate Daniel Borsari. DiSesa said she felt that applicant Tina Kenyon had the qualifications necessary. “It would be nice to see a mom on the Board with all of her education and background in real estate,” DiSesa said. Garron agreed to second the motion to make Kenyon the newest member of the ZBA. Andrews recused himself.

Department Head Meeting

Andrews explained that they had invited all of the various department heads to see if there were any unforeseen issues, etc. that they wished to discuss. The Board of Health led things off saying that as of right now their budget looks secure but noted that it was dependent upon what happens this fall. Board of Health Agent Bob Valery noted that the town was currently on an increase regarding Covid. He also noted that he’s had more tick bite cases than Covid cases in the last month and said that mosquitos are likely next. DiSesa thanked Valery and the department for all of the extra work that was required in the past year.

Police Chief Joao Chaves provided an update on his department saying, “things are good budgetary-wise.” He also noted that staffing was finally at one-hundred percent. An article will be on the warrant for Town Meeting to remove Halifax from civil service. He noted that it was supported by both unions. “I think for a department our size, it makes all the sense in the world,” Chaves explained. He said that a new program will be put in place where any home that has an autistic child living in it, the family will be provided with a decal for either their home or car. The Department will also participate in a litter program where the officers will be given gift certificates to be handed out should they come across someone cleaning litter. Another program will provide care packages available for children ages 0-12 should they find themselves at the station.

Halifax Elementary School Principal Kayne Beaudry spoke next. “The school is actually, finally quiet for once,” he said laughing. He said the custodians were doing a deep clean of the building to make it ready for the fall. He also gave a rundown of several projects that were underway including putting AC into several areas of the building. Beaudry noted that they had no idea what kind of restrictions will be mandated come the fall.

John Shiavone spoke next on behalf of the Board of Assessor’s. He said the Assessor’s Office should be able to level fund any budgetary matters. He also said they weren’t anticipating any additional requirements for equipment.

Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward provided an update on the Highway Department. He said he would be losing a part-time recycling employee. A mechanic will also be leaving soon. He said they are working on a job description. He provided an update on the cremation garden, saying that 7 lots were sold. A new section is now open and already a burial has occurred.

Holmes Public Library Director Jean Gallant spoke next. “The library is doing well… we’ve made some adjustments to our summer reading program,” she said. She noted that they were very busy and said that they were holding most of their programming outside. She said she is down one 35 hour per week position which she hopes to fill in September. Gallant said she is in the middle of writing a 5-year strategic plan. Gallant said they are also working on a grant to design three new spaces in the library including the toy room.

Treasurer/Collector Pamela Adduci said that cash flow was good in their office. She said they were waiting on word from the Selectmen to send out the recycling bills. Town Accountant spoke on the heels of Adduci saying this was probably the busiest time of year for her as the office closes out FY2021 and opens FY2022.

New Council on Aging (COA) Director Darlene Regan also provided an update. Regan said that the senior center opened on June 28 noting that everyone was “pretty excited to the point where it was difficult to keep up…. you know, in a safe way.” She said she reached out to Valery regarding safety measures including mask wearing in a small environment. She said that they have rebranded a bit in the hopes of reaching out to not only the senior community but their caregivers as well.

Cesar Calouro spoke on behalf of Information Technology. Calouro said he began his 40 hour a week position the previous week and noted that he was able to get their email security system setup. “We’ve also started to implement our new backup solution to our servers as well as dedicated workstations across the town,” he explained. He said that as of right now the only system being backed up properly is the one at Town Hall. Andrews recommended having a meeting dedicated to the IT issues throughout the town. “I know there are a lot of issues and I appreciate everyone’s patience… it does take time, I wish I could do everything with the snap of a finger but I’m not a magician,” Calouro said.

Town Clerk Susan Lawless said that their office has been quite busy and noted that dog licenses are now past due. Lawless also said that they sent out a mass inactivation for people who did not complete their census. She said their voter registration becomes inactive. She said they sent out a postage paid postcard that they just need to sign and send back to verify that they are still living in town.

New Town Counsel Paul DeRensis introduced himself to those gathered.

Other News

Police Chief Chaves made Seelig aware of some valiant actions on the part of one of the town’s officers. “Officer Hingst was able to diffuse the situation and help both the individual and the family… the Chief wanted to make sure that the public was aware of Officer Hingst’s work,” Seelig said.

Garron recommended sending a letter to Hingst.

Seelig said that the Assistant Building Inspector had resigned and asked the Board if he should move forward with the process of finding a new one. The Board confirmed that he should.

Seelig mentioned that the Board has been dealing with a number of complaints and inquired as to whether or not they wished to formalize the process. “I think that we’ve got a new firm with Brooks and DeRensis to reach out and talk to about policies they can recommend,” Andrews said.

Seelig said that he has been asked what steps the Board of Selectmen intend to take to address the lowering of morale that has occurred in the last year. “I think by having these open meetings with department heads – getting people together with the understanding what everyone’s going through with their issues,” Andrews said.

DiSesa said, “I think it’s important that everyone work together… I get that people don’t like change… and there’s been a lot of change in this town in the last couple of months but I think change can be good sometimes and I think if everyone has an open mind about things and works together that will help the morale.”