There is a tentative final version of the Host Community Agreement between Green Earth Cannabis, to be located at 657 Monponsett Street, and the Town. The HCA is available at
http://www.halifax-ma.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4496/f/uploads/green_earth…
Interested parties can send in questions and comments concerning the HCA to the Board of Selectmen until Tuesday, May 25. The Board will also accept public comments concerning the HCA at 7 p.m. at its meeting on May 25.
LaNatra helps secure funding for new playground
Kingston -– State Representative Kathy LaNatra announced that she secured funding for the Dennett Elementary School playground project in Plympton. The funding, which comes as part of the Massachusetts House of Representatives fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget, is in the amount of $25,000.
The funding will be used to increase the rubberized surface beneath the playground to increase the playground’s accessibility for students with disabilities and to create a safer environment for students to play. Initially, the project was listed as ADA compliant. Due to this funding in the FY22 House budget, the project will now increase to ADA+ compliant.
“Ensuring equitable accessibility in schools is of the upmost importance,” said Rep. Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston). “This accessibility must extend to all facilities and the playground is no exception. Recess is a wonderful time for students to develop friendships and learn valuable social skills. In filing this budget amendment, I wanted to ensure that each and every student at Dennett would have the ability to do this in a safe, and accessible manner. I want to thank the Dennett School Committee and their commitment to the Dennett students. I was thrilled to have been able to assist in any way I could with this project.”
The Dennett Playground Project was published last week and the process of soliciting construction bids will begin in the coming weeks.
The project has been years in the making and has been a top priority of the current school committee. The project is funded through school choice funds, as well as the funding from the State budget.
The rest of the funding will come through Community Preservation Act funding, which was voted on at the Plympton Annual Town Meeting on May 12..
Halifax Fire Dept. hosts vaccination clinic May 20
The Halifax Fire Department will hold a vaccine clinic on Thursday, May 20 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Halifax Fire Station, 438 Plymouth Street, Halifax.
The clinic is for those over the age of 16. First doses will be scheduled through the portal – https://www.maimmunizations.org/appointment/en/reg/1902953606 with second doses scheduled for June 10 after the first dose has been given. Please contact the Fire Department at 781-293-1751 with any questions.
ATM to finish Monday, May 17
Halifax Annual Town Meeting adjourned at 11 p.m. Monday night, May 10, with less than half of the 59 articles voted on. Left for Tuesday were two of the most contentious articles – the ban for the sale of nips, sponsored by Shirley Graf and enlarging the board of selectmen from three members to five, sponsored by Selectman Gordon Andrews. However, even those articles couldn’t bring Halifax townspeople out a second night in a row and Tuesday’s assemblage was dismissed at 8:05 for lack of a quorum. It was 13 voters short of the needed 100, according to Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor. This is Gaynor’s last Town Meeting as she is retiring May 22, and then the new town clerk, elected on May 15, will take over.
The Halifax Elementary School budget was voted with little discussion, after the finance committee requested the school committee to hold to a 2% increase.
Paula Hatch, chairman of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee asked the town to put back the funds that were deleted in order to keep to the 2% increase that the elementary school had abided by. This would have put back $130,890 into the Silver Lake District budget. Regional Halifax Elementary School Committee chairman Gordon Andrews defended the Silver Lake budget and the request for the deleted funds saying that some of the issues are reduction of state reimbursement with a number of students going to Charter Schools, taking those state education dollars with them. “We need to fund the schools,” he said. The townspeople did not agree, and the amendment failed.
A young man came to the microphone to say, that if the town keeps turning down Silver Lake budget items, they won’t want Halifax to be part of the region.
Salaries were reclassified for several Halifax employees, including the Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Town Administrator, so their salaries would be greater than those who work for them. This was recommended by the Finance Committee.
Item 6 in the General Government budget had $124,500 for Law. Selectman Andrews asked that it be reduced to $74,500, saying that the town spends too much money on legal fees. It was pointed out that much of the legal fees are spent defending the town against suits by Selectman Andrews and that reducing the law category would hamper the town’s defense. One resident stood to say that if the town would just do what the judge said (and not appeal the decision) the town wouldn’t incur extra costs. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig pointed out that the first suit that was successful gave Andrews only $200 in damages. It was Andrews who appealed, “seeking greater relief”, Seelig said. The amendment failed and the Law line of the warrant article was voted at $124,500.
Also questioned in the General Government budget was the total Town Clerk salary of $57,062. Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor pointed out that the total town clerk salary included the $1,000 reward for her certification. The total was reduced by that $1,000 and the General Government budget passed.
Amy L. Troup questioned the Animal Control Officer salary that increased from $18,105 budgeted for FY21 to $21,619 for FY22. She was told that it was a step increase for that contract approved by Wage & Personnel. Also questioned was the wages increase for the Building Inspector, that was also the result of a step increase. Jeff Bolger said he thought that step increases needed to be voted on in order to make that change. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that the change was voted on in the previous year.
The Public Safety budgets were approved, as well as the Public Works, and Highway budgets.
Public Works Cemetery, Walter, and Solid Waste Management budgets were all approved unanimously.
Health and Human Services budget, the Culture and Recreation budget, the Debt Service budget, and Fixed Costs all passed unanimously.
Jeff Bolger asked for an explanation as to how the Gas and Oil and the Heating Oil prices could be the same from last year to this year. “Can you share the secret?” noting the rising oil prices. The Finance Committee answered that there is a buffer amount to address fluctuations in oil prices, and if the true total, at the end of the fiscal year, is much more than the budgeted amount, that can be dealt with by a transfer from the reserve fund or free cash. The FinCom member said that last year only 80% of the budgeted amount was used.
Article 5, dealing with all of the various Revolving Funds, were consistent with what has been done in the past and passed unanimously.
Articles 11 and 12 asked the town to fund the provisions of collective bargaining agreements between the town and the Police Chief Joao Chaves and Fire Chief Jason Viveiros. They passed unanimously.
Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward asked the town to approve Article 15 for $300,000 to maintain town roads. Hayward told the group that the $150,000 that has been allocated in past years, “just doesn’t go very far anymore.” The town agreed and approved the article.
Article 16 to fund the purchase of parcels of land between Carver Street, South Street, and Plymouth Street was passed over.
Article 17 to transfer from available funds $18,500 for the Assessors’ Recertification Account passed.
Article 19 voted $5,000 for the purchase, installation,, and implementation of a new copy machine for the Police Department.
Article 23 was voted by the town to replace hallway flooring at the Halifax Elementary School as part of ongoing maintenance.
Summer Schmaling, Halifax Elementary School Committee member spoke to Article 25 which would use $18,600 to install central air conditioning in the Tech Lab and Art room to keep the school’s computer networks cool. The article passed.
Article 27 saw the town vote $5,400 for the repair, reconstruction, and replacement of the fences at the Vaughn Fields at the Police Station. Dick Steele spoke to the article.
Article 28 asked the town for $3,500 to support South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.’s continued free legal services in civil matters to elders, low-income families and their children. FinCom recommended; the article passed.
Town meeting voted to pass over Article 32 that would purchase a work order/asset management system. The finance committee did not recommend it and it was passed over.
Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward asked the town to approve $71,000 for a new F550 gasoline powered truck with a dump body, sander, and plow for the Highway Department. The guys in the room picked over the requirements, whether it should be gas or diesel, and how many plows does the department need, should we spend more to save in the long run… In all, they settled down and the town voted to pass Article 34.
Director of Building Maintenance Scott Materna answered questions about his Article 37 that asked the town for $81,000 to be combined with the $35,000 already voted for the same purpose at the Special Town Meeting of August 2018, to repair and replace the handicapped ramp and portico at the Town Hall. When asked why it costs so much, Materna answered, “We tried to fix it in house, but found it needs to be re-engineered.” He told the townspeople that the proposed ramp, for which he is still receiving bids, will be concrete, not wooden, and will be maintenance-free for a long time. Questions arose as to whether a concrete ramp can be attached to an historic building and how would it look? Materna said that the ramp needs to be ADA compliant and the proposals he has will be so. The FinCom recommended the project and the article passed.
Article 38 asked the town to transfer from undesignated fund balances the sum of $10,000 to repair the roof at the Holmes Public Library. The article passed with the Finance Committee recommendation.
Article 40 was passed over. It asked the town to fund a new Council on Aging van.
Article 41 asked the town for $10,000 to hold a series of workshops for department heads concerning personnel practices including recruitment and hiring, and proper procedures relating to discipline and termination. The article passed.
The town voted to approve spending $21,500 to purchase and install overhead doors at the Highway Barn in Article 45.
The town voted to support a part-time school resource officer for the Silver Lake Middle School at a cost of $36,000 for Halifax’s share in Article 48. Plympton’s share of $14,000 will be voted at their town meeting later this week. The position has been totally funded by Kingston for the past two years. The town voted to approve the article.
The town passed over Article 50, which would fund a new portable PA system.
Article 56 asked the town to vote to allow the Silver Lake Regional School District to establish a stabilization fund. The Finance Committee spoke against the article saying that there would be no control over how the money is spent once it is funded. Paula Hatch, chairman of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee said that the money would have already been voted by the towns to add to the stabilization fund. Some likened it to giving the schools a blank check. The article failed.
Next Monday night, May 17, the town will once again attempt to get a quorum to discuss several items that could change the face of Halifax, from how many selectmen will be on your board, how the planning board changes in flood plain maps can affect your properties, or whether or not you can buy a sleeve of nips at your local liquor store, drink them on the way home and throw the empties out the window. There is a lot to talk about and if you don’t take part in the decisions you can’t complain if they don’t go the way you wanted.
BOS hears litter and traffic problems
The Halifax Board of Selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, April 27. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig provided the Board with a COVID update saying there had been 10 additional cases since April 17 and 18 total cases in the previous two weeks. Those numbers bring the total for Halifax, who moved from the red to the yellow risk zone, to 513 total cases. Seelig also reiterated the Governor’s state-wide update which includes reopening dates. Additional outdoor activities are approved as of May 10 with further reopening occurring on May 29. A full reopening of the State is scheduled for August 1. “Of course, all of that is dependent on case loads and vaccines,” Seelig explained. Seelig said he plans to talk to the Board of Health agent about increasing capacities in the town meeting rooms. He also noted that town meeting is not considered a gathering per the State. Town employees were issued a return-to-work order per the approval of the Selectmen at their previous meeting.
Concerns Over Speeding
The Board had an appointment with Owen Graves, a resident of South St. in Halifax for over five years. Graves attended the meeting in the hopes of drawing awareness to the lack of speed limit signs on South St. and the resulting problems with speeding that occur. “The speed limit is supposed to be 30; people go nowhere close to starting at 30,” Graves explained. He told the Selectmen that cars fly down the street at 40, 50, and even 60 mph. He noted two deaths that occurred as a result in just his first two years living on the street. Graves noted that he drives a lot for his work and said that he sees many signs in other communities alerting drivers to the appropriate speed. Selectman Chair Tom Millias told Graves, “I’ve lived your pain living on South St. and in particular motorcycles are incredibly scary because they come screaming down the street… this is something we can and should refer to the Highway Safety Committee.” He added, “It probably should be looked at harder than it has been in the past and this is a good impetus to do that.”
Another resident also attended Tuesday’s meeting to discuss what he sees as a need for a 4-way stop on Circuit and Laurel streets to force drivers to slow down. While Seelig said that it had previously been determined that a 4-way stop wouldn’t be appropriate for the area, the Board said they would like to see the issue taken up by the Traffic Safety Committee.
Request for a Nips Ban
Another concerned resident Shirley Graf also met with the Selectmen. Graf had previously been named as the Litter Buster of the Year award winner for the entire State of Massachusetts during 2020. Graf asked the Selectmen for their support of an article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant to ban the sale of single use containers for alcoholic beverages in Halifax. Graf provided statistics including that she had picked up 8,443 nips bottles in town since beginning to do so 28 months prior. She also stressed that after speaking to Police Chief Joao Chaves she learned that very few littering citations are issued despite the large amount of litter in town. Selectman Troy Garron said, “Personally, I don’t drink and I can’t understand how so many liquor stores are still selling it knowing the problem that we have.” For their part, both Millias and Selectman Gordon Andrews said they would like to invite the local liquor establishments in to voice their side of the argument before endorsing such an article. Before she left, Millias told Graf, “We applaud you for your efforts… I am just overwhelmed by it.”
Request to Change Marijuana Bylaws
Representatives of the company Colonel Boothe met with the Selectmen to inquire about a change to the zoning bylaws surrounding marijuana and the buffer zone around venues serving alcohol. Currently, marijuana establishments are not allowed within 500 ft of venues that have a pouring license. Colonel Boothe asked the Selectmen if they would support a petition article to ban that portion of the bylaw saying, “there’s an effective ban on a second retail store.” According to Colonel Boothe, there are no lots in town left that are not restricted by the current bylaws. Millias said, “Obviously the town has been supportive of establishments based on the votes at town meeting… I personally think it ought to be a public initiative.”
According to the company, the bylaw most likely exists to prevent people from buying cannabis and then consuming it in a restaurant. They pointed out, however, that it feels redundant as public consumption is already banned by State law. Garron said that the bylaw was originally intended for the protection of the public noting, “the public need to decide whether to change that.” The Selectmen voted not to support an article at town meeting to amend the bylaw.
In other marijuana news, Seelig said that the town attorney had reached an agreement on a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Flower and Soul on a proposed retail facility. Seelig said that the agreement would soon be posted online in order to receive public comments.
Update on Campus Building Project
Andrews told the other selectmen that the Committee had discussed a possible affordable solution to the problem of a senior center for the short term while they examine the other municipal buildings. “We all know the issues at Pope’s Tavern,” Andrews said. He said that the Committee is working on establishing short term, mid-term, and long-term plans noting that they hope to move forward with a solution for the senior center before tackling an overall campus solution including the Police and Fire stations. Andrews also noted mechanical failures with hot water pipes at the school. ““The one thing I’ve noticed being on the Committee is we’ve gone around to every building in town and every building in town needs work,” Andrews said.
Mosquito Control
Several residents attended Tuesday’s meeting after seeing the hearing to opt out of the state’s mosquito control program listed on the agenda. Seelig said that the State had issued a letter to all communities saying that there was a possibility to opt out of the program. The Selectmen had wanted to give residents an opportunity to come and speak on the issue. Seelig noted that they had not received any communication from anyone wanting to opt out. One resident spoke during the meeting saying he survived eastern equine encephalitis as a child. He recalled spending weeks in the hospital with frighteningly high fevers. He called it a “terrible idea” to opt out. All residents speaking during the hearing were against opting out.
Silver Lake Assessment
Seelig said he spoke with the Finance Committee about recommending an across-the-board increase for non-union employees. He said, “I understand it’s been a tough year for many including unemployment and under employment for many residents in Halifax however the town’s employees have, in general, worked above and beyond throughout the pandemic with few if any complaints.” Seelig said that the Finance Committee is not recommending approval of the Silver Lake assessment but noted that town meeting would make its own decision. Seelig said if Kingston and Plympton approve the assessment, Halifax will eventually have to as well. The assessment includes a 1.6 increase for Silver Lake employees. This would leave town employees without anything. “If school employees get something, town employees, union and non-union, deserve something too,” Seelig said. Seelig suggested a one percent increase.
Requests for Use of Town Property
The Board approved the use of the town green for the Historical Society plant sale on May 8 from 9 am through noon as well as a Boy Scout bottle drive on Saturday, July 17. Both events will include whatever COVID protocols are required by their respective dates. Seelig also said that line dancing groups were starting at the Great Hall and noted that they had worked with the Board of Health on appropriate safety measures.
Other News
Seelig alerted the Selectmen to the passing of longtime resident John Peck. Peck was a longtime member of the Conservation Commission. Seelig spoke of Peck’s charitable work including the annual Thanksgiving meal hosted by his family at the Country Club. Those present at Tuesday’s meeting observed a moment of silence in his honor.
Seelig also told the Selectmen that Finance Committee member Lauren Carmichael had resigned in late March. Seelig said he was appreciative of her service. Seelig also noted some awards that were recently granted including Firefighter of the Year for Jeff Arcieri, Officer of the Year for Matthew Cunningham, and Citizen Hero Award for the Halifax Building Maintenance Staff. In a final piece of good news, Seelig said that Halifax was listed as a top spot to live for communities south of Boston by the Boston Globe on April 21.
Holmes phone system upgrade nears completion
The Holmes Public Library, Route 106, Halifax, has successfully upgraded its phone system. As they fully transition to their new service provider, there are a few pieces of information they would like patrons to be aware of.
Continue to contact the Library at (781) 293-2271; however, if more than one person calls using that number, they will receive a busy-tone. This is only temporary and will not occur once the transition to the new service provider is completed.
All outbound phone calls from the Library will temporarily display (781) 590-3878 as its caller-ID. Once the transition to the new service provider is completed, the Library’s caller-ID will be (781) 293-2271.
The Holmes Public Library appreciates its patrons’ patience during this process. If patrons have any questions regarding the information above, please e-mail [email protected] or call (781) 293-1739.
State Rep. LaNatra secures funding for 12th Plymouth District
KINGSTON (April 30, 2021) – Representative Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston) announced that the Massachusetts House of Representatives has passed their fiscal year 2022 (FY22) budget. The budget, funded at $47.716 billion, continues the State’s strong support of cities and towns in their recoveries from the effects of COVID-19, and includes significant investments in education, supportive services for vulnerable populations, and workforce and economic development, among other priorities.
Representative LaNatra worked hard to ensure that the 12th Plymouth District and the South Shore received adequate funding to continue to support its residents through this difficult time, as well as ensure that the district and the region continues to develop its economy, improve public safety, and support children, veterans, and those struggling with homelessness and food insecurity.
The following amendments were supported by Rep. LaNatra and adopted into the House FY22 budget:
• $100,000 for the Nathan Hale Veterans Outreach Center
• $25,000 for the Kingston Business Association to provide support to their members through grants
• $25,000 to the Plymouth Coalition for the Homeless
• $50,000 to conduct a market feasibility study for economic development in Plymouth County
• $1,700,000 for the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs
• $40,000 for the Duxbury Fire Department for fire safety improvements
• $25,000 for the Town of Middleboro Police Department to implement measures intended to build positive relationships in the community
• $2,000,000 to be transferred to the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund established under section 13T of Chapter 23A of the General Laws
• $200,000 for the Massachusetts Partnership for Youth to provide training and workshops that address harmful behaviors for at-risk youth
• “This budget meets the needs of the 12th Plymouth District, the South Shore and the entire Commonwealth,” said Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston). “This pandemic has been incredibly difficult, but it has highlighted issues that have impacted families all across Massachusetts for a long time. This budget is a great step towards solving systemic problems such as food insecurity, a lack of affordable housing, and adequate childcare. I want to thank Speaker Mariano and Chairman Michlewitz for their support of the 12th Plymouth District, as well as for so many crucial investments in education, food insecurity, small businesses, veterans, and health care that were made during this House budget debate.”
• The FY22 House budget reflects the local aid commitment recently made by the House and Senate. It increases Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) by $39.5 million over FY21 for a total of $1.168 billion and Chapter 70 education funding by $219.6 million over FY21 for a total of $5.503 billion, fully funding the first year of a six-year implementation plan of the Student Opportunity Act (SOA). Enacted in 2019 to support equitable funding for our most vulnerable students, the Legislature’s funding schedule ensures the SOA remains on track to be fully implemented over the course of seven years as opposed to the Governor’s budget proposal.
Additional education funding allocations include:
• $367 million for Special Education Circuit Breaker;
• $154 million for Charter School Aid;
• $82 million for Regional Transportation; and
• $14 million for Homeless Student Transportation.
Continuing the House’s commitment to high-quality early education and care (EEC), the FY22 budget includes a $20 million investment in rate increases for child care providers across Massachusetts.
Other early education and care funding initiatives include:
• $15 million for Head Start grants;
• $12 million for child care resource and referral agencies;
• $5 million for EEC higher education provider opportunities; and
• $2.5 million for early childhood mental health grants.
Building on Speaker Mariano’s priority to ensure Massachusetts residents from diverse backgrounds have access to meaningful educational opportunities, the House budget invests in higher education allocating $571 million for the University of Massachusetts system, $315 million for community colleges, and $291 million for state universities. The budget also includes a $10 million increase in scholarship funding over last fiscal year for a new total of $130 million, and funds the community colleges SUCCESS Fund at $10.5 million and the STEM Starter Academy at $4.75 million.
The budget also includes large investments in labor and economic development, such as the creation of a trust fund dedicated to job training for the offshore wind industry to be administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. This budget makes an initial deposit into this fund of $10 million to establish and grow technical training programs in our public higher education system and vocational-technical institutions. The fund will also prioritize grants and scholarships to adult learning providers, labor organizations, and public educational institutions to provide workers with greater access to these trainings.
Additional investments include:
• $50 million for adult education;
• $24 million for Youthworks Summer Jobs;
• $5 million for Small Business Technical Assistance;
• $5 million for Community Action Agency Operating and Outreach Support;
• $5 million investment in Local Tourism Recovery Marketing;
• $2.5 million for Urban Agenda Grants; and
• $2 million investment in Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
The Commonwealth’s commitment to MassHealth remains one of the largest drivers of the budget. In FY22 the House provides $18.969 billion to fully fund its caseload, which has increased as more residents became eligible during the pandemic.
The House’s FY22 budget accurately reflects this enrollment growth, showing the necessary increase in spending beyond what was included in the Governor’s budget proposal, while also factoring in the increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) reimbursement levels.
Many of the House FY22 budget’s most significant increases represent essential services and programs that serve Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents, including $771.1 million for the Department of Transitional Assistance to maintain support to families, at-risk parents, victims of intergenerational trauma, seniors, and persons with disabilities. Other notable health and human services investments include $30 million for Emergency Food Assistance, $13 million for Healthy Incentives Program, and $500,000 for a public awareness campaign on the contraceptive ACCESS Law.
The House’s FY22 budget also includes funding for housing and homelessness prevention, investing $22 million in direct appropriations for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) Program to promote housing stability and combat the threat of evictions. The budget also includes $148 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) and $84 million for public housing subsidies.
Additional investments for individuals and youth include:
$56.4 million for Homeless Individuals Shelters;
$12.5 million for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP);
$12 million for Rental Subsidies for eligible DMH Clients; and
$8 million for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth.
The budget funds the Department of Developmental Services at $2.29 billion, aimed to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. It includes $219.9 million for Day and Work programs; $84.9 million for Respite Family Supports; a $55.4 million increase for DDS’ Turning 22 class; a $7 million investment in transportation services; and $23.4 million for head injury treatment services.
Reflecting the Legislature’s strong commitment to providing access to care and treatment for individuals with a substance use disorder, the budget allocates $160 million for the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, including support for the MA-Access to Recovery program and targeted investments in five additional recovery centers. The budget also provides funding for low-threshold housing for people experiencing homelessness, mental health disorders and at risk for HIV; outpatient and mobile services for persons with disabilities; and treatment at correctional facilities.
In an effort to ensure every resident has equal access to the criminal justice system, the House’s FY22 budget includes a $775 million investment in the Trial Court; $35 million for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation,; and increases for Prisoners’ Legal Services and Mental Health Legal Advisors. The budget also renews commitments made by the state’s criminal justice reform, such as $11.1 million for community-based re-entry programs, and $4 million in pre- and post-release services.
The budget also continues the House’s focus on environmental and climate protection by including $312.6 million in funding for environmental services, which includes increases for state parks, environmental protection, and the endangered species programs. Additional investments include millions for hazardous waste site cleanups, river ways protection and access, and Clean Water Trust contract assistance.
The House budget makes the MEFA college savings tax deduction permanent, creates a commission to develop recommendations and best practices for responses to mental health emergencies, and creates a new program to approve rural growth funds that would invest in small businesses in rural communities. It also eliminates the sunset on the Film Tax Credit and increases the Conservation Land Tax Credit.
The House Ways & Means Committee, which Rep. LaNatra sits on, introduced their FY22 budget on April 14, 2021, following a review of the Governor’s proposal and a series of budget hearings.
After a three days of debate and over a thousand proposed amendments, the budget passed by the House of Representatives 160-0 and now goes to the Senate.
Fire Capt. Cheryl Davis honored
On April 26 Plympton Fire Captain Cheryl Davis was formally recognized for a myriad of accomplishments. Davis received the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) State of Massachusetts Certificate of Commendation for Exemplary Service to Humanity by Administering Emergency Medical Assistance. Davis’ name will be submitted by the VFW to compete nationally with other winners from the United States, its possessions and Germany. Additionally, Davis was presented with a Commendation for Service to the Community on behalf of State Representative Kathy LaNatra and Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano. State Sen. Michael Brady also presented Davis with a Certificate of Commendation.
Chair of the Plympton Board of Selectmen Mark Russo was in attendance as was fellow Selectman John Traynor and Plympton Fire Chief Steve Silva. Both Russo and Silva recognized Davis for her efforts in coordinating Community EMS for Plympton as well as her hand in the structure of the new Plympton Ambulance.
The awards were not the first for Davis who previously spent nine years with the EMS division of the Fall River Fire Department. She was recognized in 2019 during the Massachusetts Firefighter of the Year Ceremonies for her heroism in assisting a vehicle that crashed into a building and caught fire in Fall River.
Davis, who has been in this line of work for 14 years, said she grew up in and around the fire station as her father was a firefighter. “I was kind of always around it,” she said. Davis has been a resident of Plympton since 2000 and bought her own home in town eight years ago. “I love the small community,” Davis explained. She continued, “I love living in a rural community; everybody kind of knows each other. It’s a very tight knit community.”
Davis has been instrumental in delivering care to Plympton residents during the pandemic. Through the Community EMS program, Davis and others were able to provide home Covid testing in addition to working with Halifax to deliver a small number of vaccines to homebound residents. She described the program as being in its infancy as it just received approval in March of 2020. Davis said she is looking forward to seeing the program expand outside of the pandemic. “We are looking for the program to grow outside of Covid to include home safety visits and working with seniors to make sure their homes are safe… and to assist them in any way that we can,” she explained.
BOS approves Town Meeting warrant
The Plympton Board of Selectmen held a virtual meeting on Monday, April 26 during which they gave their recommendations on warrant articles for the upcoming special and annual town meeting on Wednesday, May 12.
Chair of the Plympton School Committee and Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen began the discussion, as he had to leave to attend a school committee meeting. Wilhelmsen went over some articles pertaining to both the Dennett Elementary School as well as the town campus. Wilhelmsen said that funds were set aside to be used as a thank you to the staff at Dennett. He pointed out the myriad of things the staff has done to go above and beyond during the past year’s pandemic. The teachers worked throughout most of the summer and were asked to work seven-hour days in the school during a pandemic, aides taught classes that were outside of their usual scope, and custodial staff worked long hours to ensure the building was sanitized. “We think it would go a long way for a small gesture to thank them for everything that we’ve done,” Wilhelmsen explained.
Wilhelmsen also touched on the potential projects being discussed by the Town Properties Committee including the roof at the Fire Station. He told the selectmen that the costs for various projects were only going to increase as time goes by. “If we wait three years, five years, seven years, the only thing I can be certain of is we will have more costs,” he explained. Selectman Christine Joy said, “Starting to get a game plan together is truly appreciated.” Selectman Chair Mark Russo alluded to the many town volunteers who volunteer in a multitude of capacities saying of Wilhelmsen, “Jon may be the paradigm of how many hats can one guy wear.”
Town Moderator Barry DeCristofano said of town meeting, “Because we’re not fully out of the woods yet with Covid, it seems the best approach would be to run the meeting this year the same way we ran it last year.” Town meeting will utilize two rooms just as it did last year and Brian Wick will once again serve as the Assistant Town Moderator in the second room. DeCristofano said the town has hired the same audio/visual company as the previous year since the 2020 town meeting ran so smoothly. “Let’s hope this is the last time it gets so complicated,” he said.
In addition to DeCristofano, the Selectmen were joined by Chair of the Bylaw Review Committee Alan Wheelock and Chair of the Finance Committee Nathaniel Sides. The Selectmen first decided on who would present each of the articles at town meeting. They began with the special town meeting and voted unanimously to ratify acceptance of the first 11 articles. Sides noted that the Finance Committee voted not to approve Item 11B.
The Selectmen then turned their attention to the articles for the annual town meeting. Articles of note include Article 4, which is the line-by-line main budget for the town, and Article 8, which will propose moving toward an appointed town clerk. Articles 17 and 18 pertain to the Police but will be introduced at town meeting by Joy as Plympton Police Chief Matthew Clancy is not a town resident. Articles 19-21 pertain to the Fire Department. Article 23 is the power purchase agreement for solar. Articles 24-29 will pertain to the town campus and will be introduced by the Town Properties Committee and the School Committee will introduce Articles 32-34.
As described in the notice for the public hearing, Article 30 proposes the creation of a new section in the Plympton bylaws “providing for the creation of ‘Accessory Dwelling Units’ as well as associated standards, procedures and provisions for such Accessory Dwelling Units.” The public hearing is scheduled for May 3. The Selectmen decided not to make a recommendation on the article on Monday evening, as they haven’t yet heard from the Planning Board and the hearing has yet to take place. Joy suggested waiting to make their recommendation on town meeting floor after hearing the report from the Planning Board. The other Selectmen were in agreement.
Article 35, which was proposed by Russo, is for funding for a water study. Selectman John Traynor said, “I would rather see us put this off until we have a better idea of what we are getting into in terms of long-term financial costs… at least for this town meeting I would rather we not go forward.” Russo defended the article saying, “this obligates us to nothing more than $7,000 or less.” Russo explained that the intent was to get a handle on how reliable previous reporting has been. He said that he hoped that it would help with further water safety and protection. Joy said she was in favor of the article as she felt there had not been any oversight from the town for a long period of time. The Selectmen voted to recommend the article 2-1. Sides said the Finance Committee passed on making a recommendation on the article as they didn’t feel they had enough information to base a decision. The Finance Committee voted not to approve Articles 29, 32, and 33.
Following the discussion of the town meeting, the Selectmen turned their attention to other town business including the approval of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. They voted unanimously to approve the Finance Committee’s proposed budget of $11,990,351. They also voted to appoint Ronald Drollett Jr. as a Laborer with the Highway Department through June 30, 2021.
Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update saying that there had been a slight uptick in Coronavirus cases in town over the previous two weeks. “The Board of Health is tracking that pretty carefully,” she explained. Dennehy also said that the town is moving forward with several grant opportunities including the hazard mitigation plan. She also said that she is coordinating with Dennett to get the final pieces of the Green Communities grant completed. Dennehy said that they were waiting to hear back on a technical assistance grant as well.
As customary, the Selectmen ended their meeting with their rants or raves for the past few weeks. Joy said her rave was for “the amazing job the Town Administrator has done with the warrant and budget process this year; it has been so smooth.” Noting that multiple parties have been involved in the process, Joy said to Dennehy, “You really are the one driving the bus on this.”
Both Traynor and Russo said their raves were for Captain Cheryl Davis with the Plympton Fire Department. A ceremony was held Monday evening for Davis and both Traynor and Russo attended. Representative Kathy LaNatra’s administrative aide Christopher Jean presented Davis with a citation in LaNatra’s stead, and Davis was named by the VFW as the top paramedic in the entire state. “We are really lucky to have Cheryl. She brings so much to a small town like Plympton,” Traynor said. “I think we can be unbelievably proud of Cheryl and that she is a product of the Plympton Fire Department,” Russo said.
Joy said that Davis was proof that one person can make a difference.
Kingston’s town election – how they voted
Kingston voters went to the polls on Saturday, April 24. This is how they voted:
Selectman. Three-year term. Vote for two. Kimberly Emberg, 503 votes. Shila Marie Vaughn, 417 votes.
Assessor. Three-year term. Vote for one. Scott J. DeSantis, 490 votes.
Collector of Taxes. Three-year term. Vote for one. Jessica M. Kramer, 236 votes. Kenneth G. Moali, 491.
Planning Board. Five-year term. Vote for one. Jonathan Jacob Barnett, Sr., 488 votes.
Silver Lake Regional School Committee. Three-year term. Vote for one. Emily R. Davis, 345 votes, Emma Rose Morgan, 188 votes.
Silver Lake Regional School Committee. Three-year term. Vote for one. Leslieann McGee, 475 votes.
Kingston Elementary School Committee, Three-year term. Vote for two: Katina Bedard, 168 votes. Megan B. Cannon, 426 votes.
Water Commission, Three-year term. Vote for one. Richard Wilson Loring, Jr.. 490 votes.
Board of Health. Two-year term. Vote for one. Dennis N. Randall. 385 votes.
Board of Health. Three-year term. Vote for one. Janet D. Wade, 424 votes. Norman P. Harbinson Jr., 236 votes.
Library Trustee, Three-year term. Vote for two. Emil Flight Curtin, 437 votes. Shannon J. Gauthier, 305 votes. Christine Maiorano, 225 votes.
Recreation Commission. Three-year term. Vote for two. Melissa A. Bateman, 512 votes. Daniel P. Shropshire, 440 votes.
Sewer Commission. Three-year term. Vote for one. Thomas W. Taylor, II. 504 votes.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- …
- 201
- Next Page »