Plympton-Halifax-Kingston Express

You are here: Home / Archives for News

Plympton BOS hears marijuana plan

By

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met virtually on Monday, Feb. 22. Much of the meeting was spent on an appointment with Nick Rizzo to informally discuss steps to acquire a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Plympton to establish a cannabis business in town. Rizzo, who is originally from Kingston, is a veteran who will be retiring from the military in May. Rizzo said his partner John White, who is also originally from Kingston, has been in the cannabis industry for eight years running a cultivation facility in Maine. “We feel that these businesses can be a really positive part of a community… we want to build a local, sustainable business that is energy conscious and is pretty small in scale,” he explained.

Rizzo explained a bit about his specific proposal saying they were hoping to run a cultivation facility consisting of several greenhouses to start. The facility would not be public facing and Rizzo said they would sell their product to other establishments in the State. Rizzo said he had investigated the Plympton bylaws and had spoken with several property owners in the industrial zone regarding potential locations. The preferred location is one on Spring St. right off the highway.

Rizzo said that he had a previous proposal for a retail establishment in Kingston a year and a half ago that fell through. “If this is something that you all really don’t want in Plympton, I’ll respect that; I don’t want to waste your time or mine,” he explained.

Russo asked about impact in terms of noise and odor. Rizzo said that noise should not be an issue as they won’t be operating any heavy equipment with the exception of the initial construction. He also said that the specific greenhouse they would like to use has an odor mitigation system. Selectman John Traynor asked about size and Rizzo said he was hoping to start with a 5,000 sq. ft. greenhouse and eventually expand to 10,000. He also said he was expecting to initially employ 5 full time employees.

Selectman Christine Joy asked about the concern over the amount of water needed to run the facility. Rizzo said that they had considered that but told the selectmen that his partner, who was unable to attend the meeting, was the true horticulturist. Regarding electricity, Rizzo said he feels that most people getting into the cultivation business are sinking money into unsustainable buildings. He noted that the wholesale price of marijuana was likely to decrease as it moves closer to federal legalization and said that businesses with high operating costs won’t be able to survive. “From a business perspective we would love to get into solar,” Rizzo explained.

Town Treasurer Colleen Morin asked Rizzo what the anticipated profit to the town would be, but Rizzo said he was not yet prepared to discuss revenue numbers. He said that in other towns they had negotiated three percent of gross annual sales.

Chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Ken Thompson, who was on the call, said he had the opportunity to talk at length with Rizzo and was impressed with his breadth of knowledge. Thompson said that he was aware of the 2-acre property Rizzo was interested in and noted that it was between other industrial businesses. He shared his opinion that it would have little impact on neighbors.

“For me personally, I’m not a big fan of marijuana but I’m here with an open mind to listen and I appreciate your proposal and your very frank answer to our questions,” Joy said. “I appreciate you being honest with me too,” Rizzo said. Russo said that several years ago another grow facility was proposed but was met with considerable resistance from residents. “It was pretty controversial, and it was a bit of a struggle,” Russo explained. “I, at least personally, could imagine being excited about this,” Russo said of Rizzo’s proposal. Traynor told Rizzo that he felt that the selectmen owed it to Rizzo to let him know exactly what information they need from him in order to move forward. Russo told Rizzo that they would be in touch with him.

Rizzo ended his time before the selectmen with a short story about how he became involved in the industry. He told the selectmen that almost 20 years ago his brother was killed. He said that his mother tried many things “to learn to live with her new reality.” “I’m not going to tell you that cannabis fixed her problems but I will say that when it came to nightmares and things that pharmaceuticals couldn’t seem to fix, we saw some glimmers of hope in cannabis and it turned a lightbulb on in my head where I thought okay, what will all of this look like in twenty years when perhaps people are able to be more open about how it might help especially in a more controlled setting,” Rizzo explained.

Dave Alberti who serves on the ZBA and the Bylaw Review Committee and Vicki Alberti who serves on the Open Space Committee asked to share their opinion with the Selectmen. “I would just like to say as residents of Plympton and a user of medical cannabis that I would welcome a grow in Plympton; I think it would be really good for the town and I just want the Board of Selectmen to understand that I think the majority of the town would probably feel the same way,” Vicki explained.

The Board also took care of several appointments and reappointments in town. Judy Dudley was reappointed to the Community Preservation Committee through June 30, 2023. Russo said, “She’s been a loyal and active member of the Community Preservation Committee.” Dave Bugbee was appointed to the Wage and Personnel Board through 2023. Art Morin was appointed as the coordinator of Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES) through June 30, 2023.

Town Administrator Liz Dennehy said there is a workshop on March 10 for the Hazard Mitigation Grant. Dennehy said she is working with Area 58 to have them provide a Zoom link as well as having it broadcast on TV. “People can watch the workshop and learn about what we are trying to put into the plan,” Dennehy explained.

“As far as COVID goes, our numbers are coming down a little bit,” Dennehy told the Board. She said that a smaller surge was anticipated following February vacation.

The selectmen shared their raves for the past few weeks before adjourning. Joy said her rave was for Nick Rizzo. “Him coming in with his presentation… when he told the story at the end, I definitely know what he is talking about; I’m glad that his mother was able to find some peace because that was just a horrible thing and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy,” Joy said. Russo said that his rave was for the same. “However we decide… about a marijuana grow facility, I salute the youthful, energetic, forward looking, well spoken, just kind of a refreshing approach,” Russo said. Traynor said his rave was for getting his vaccine at the Marshfield Fair grounds.

“It is the most professional way of doing it; they just have it well mapped out and I’m very supportive. If anyone is thinking about getting a shot and they can get to Marshfield, that’s the place to go,” Traynor said.

Two charged, one will be charged, in Tractor Supply disturbance

By

Benjamin Paulin

Email: ben@jgpr.net

Special to The Express

PLYMPTON — Chief Matthew Clancy reports that the Plympton Police Department will charge a man with making threats at a business in town over the weekend.

Two additional men were subsequently arrested by Carver Police, who seized two handguns, a large knife and multiple pills during a motor vehicle stop with all three men inside.

The unnamed male suspect will be issued a summons to appear in court at a later date and will be charged by Plympton Police with Threats to Commit a Crime: To Wit Murder. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a criminal complaint has not yet been filed by the court, so the identity of this suspect is being withheld at this time.

Additionally, Adam Laurenco, age 32, of Taunton was also charged by Carver Police with:

• Carrying a Firearm Without a License

• Possession of Ammunition Without an FID Card

• Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm

• Possession of a Class B Substance (Oxycodone)

• Possession of a Class B Substance (Xanax)

Nicholas Bellefeuile, age 31, of Middleborough was also charged by Carver Police with:

• Carrying a Firearm Without a License

• Possession of Ammunition Without an FID Card

• Carrying a Dangerous Weapon (Brass Knuckles)

• Possession of Class B Substance (Oxycodone)

• Possession of Class B Substance (Xanax)

Bellefeuille and Laurenco  were arraigned in Wareham District Court on Monday, Feb. 22, and were released on $1,000 bail.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, Plympton police officers responded to the Tractor Supply Company, located at 406 Main St. in Plympton, after receiving a report of multiple customers who were behaving oddly and allegedly causing a disturbance inside the store.

Upon arrival, officers learned that the three men involved had left the store and were heading south into Carver. One of the men was reportedly armed with a large knife. Officers were given a description of the vehicle and suspects and the description was put out over the radio to neighboring police departments.

A short time later, Carver Police located a truck matching the description given traveling south on Main Street (Route 58) with three males inside. A traffic stop of the vehicle was conducted in the area of 32 Main St. and Plympton Police responded to assist.

Through the roadside investigation, officers determined that the three occupants of the truck had been at Tractor Supply Company a short time prior to being stopped by police. One of the men was armed with a large knife and the other two were armed with handguns. None of the suspects had a license to carry a firearm.

As a result of this investigation, Bellefeuille and Laurenco were placed under arrest by Carver Police and the third man was issued a summons to appear in court.

“This was great police work and cooperation by both departments to quickly locate and arrest these men and get two illegally possessed guns off the streets,” Chief Clancy said. “I want to thank the Carver Police for their assistance in the investigation and prompt response to the incident.”

Carver Police Chief Marc Duphily said, “This incident was able to  be resolved thanks to inter-agency support and the strong relationship we have with the Plympton Police Department. I want to commend our officers who were able to locate this truck and conducted the traffic stop leading to the arrests and seizure of weapons.”

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Call for local clinics

By

WHITMAN — A state policy change due to take effect March 1 would eliminate delivery of new vaccination doses for local fire departments and boards of health. It is meeting with near-universal criticism amid local officials and public safety personnel.

“It is highly premature to cut off the line of local vaccine doses, especially at this critical time,” said Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno on Thursday, Feb. 18. “It cuts off a literal lifeline for many residents.”

Cutting off the supplies to the local clinics — operating for several weeks — showed a “gross lack of forethought” and is a waste of municipal time, energy and resources, he argued.

As state legislators, educators and representatives of more than a dozen Plymouth and Norfolk county police and fire departments and health boards looked on, Grenno sounded the alarm over the state’s mass vaccination program at the expense of local clinics. Holding a press conference at the Whitman Knights of Columbus on Bedford Street, officials expressed concern that the vulnerable elderly are especially being left behind.

“Since the Cold War, municipalities have been asked to plan and prepare for emergency situations,” said Grenno, who also serves as Whitman’s Emergency Management Agency director. “As a result, local leaders are uniquely qualified and trained to handle a situation such as the distribution of vaccines.”

State Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, attending along with state Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, and state Rep. Kathleen LaNatra, D-Plymouth, said he planned to meet with state Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders’ office later in the day to readdress the change.

He said regional legislators sent a letter to the Baker Administration expressing disagreement with the vaccination policy change because local communities have the personnel to handle the situation.

“Our chiefs today aren’t saying that the mass vaccine sites aren’t working, they’re saying that they need it here, locally,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the Baker administration counted on local health officials from the beginning of the pandemic and is now shutting them out.

LaNatra added that Kingston and Plymouth have been in talks with Mass DPH for a long time with “no straight answers” to set up a regional vaccination site at the Kingston Collection.

“We need to put this back local,” she said. “Our chiefs, our boards of health, know their community. They know who is housebound.”

LaNatra, whose first-responder husband has been able to receive his second dose of vaccine, but not all have been able to do so.

“It’s a big lack of supply and every other week they’re changing their mind,” Brady said of state officials.

“We’re not against the mass sites, we’re not against the pharmacies that are having these [clinics] as well,” Abington Fire Chief John Nutall said. “There’s definitely a need for that, however, they cannot cover all of our residents.”

He said the state cited a question of equity as a major factor in officials’ reason for the policy change, but noted a supply had been approved for a private health spa located in an exclusive country club.

“We’re not allowed to question why these decisions are made,” Nutall said. “It is time to question what is going on, so that we can get the vaccines to our residents that we know best.”

Grenno said there is no doubt that there is a need for regional vaccination efforts, especially in larger areas or areas more adversely impacted by COVID-19, but said they must work in connection with locally led health boards and first responders. It is especially crucial during Phase 2 of the distribution, when seniors ages 75 and older are inoculated.

Whitman has more than 950 residents over age 75, and Grenno’s department offered to help transport them to a mass vaccination site with all proper precautions.

“We’ll register you, we’ll hold your hand, we’ll walk you in, we’ll get you vaccinated and we’ll bring you home,” he said the department told them.

Less than 25 of them accepted that invitation because of fear or mobility problems, he said.

Four Whitman clinics had been scheduled, which would have vaccinated more than 500 of them. The clinics have all been cancelled because the state is denying the vaccinations.

“These individuals are the ones who should be asked to drive the least distance and be given the greatest access to quick and efficient vaccination sites,” Grenno said. “They’re our neighbors helping each other  … local clinics for the oldest and sickest population, offer a familiar, a comfortable and convenient location when people need it the most.”

Mass sites are difficult for some to get to, involve long lines and staffed by unfamiliar people, while at local clinics they would be greeted by local fire personnel and health agents and involve shorter lines.

Whitman-Hanson Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak said vaccinations for teachers and students are also a concern, especially since teachers would run the risk of missing a school day to travel to a mass vaccination site.

“It was surprising to me that our schools aren’t being used as mass vaccination sites,” Szymaniak said. “Our school nurses are available and ready to work with our local health agents and fire chiefs to provide vaccines not only to our 65-and over populations,  but sequentially, our teachers.”

He noted teachers have been moved down the priority list for vaccines.

He argued the change reflects either a significant policy change by the state or a major vaccine supply shortage coming to the state from the federal level.

“Either way, it is an issue that should be discussed and addressed,” he said.

Grenno also expressed concern about the status of the state’s online vaccination registration at VaxFinder, which crashed due to heavy demand at about 8:30 a.m. Feb. 18. The state’s 211 information line also went down that morning.

He said Whitman registers its elder residents, noting a lot of senior residents don’t even own a computer.

“We are prepared to provide local vaccine clinics,” said Medway Fire Chief Jeff Lynch, who is president of the Norfolk County Fire Chiefs Association. “We’ve done extensive planning, we’ve done significant investment in equipment and training for our firefighters.”

Lynch said fire personnel stand ready to bring the vaccine to homebound elders, but as of now, he is not aware of the plan to serve them.

Hanover Town Manager Joe Colangelo said his town has already invested $500 in federal CARES Act funds to build up a program to test residents and merge to vaccinations. Hanover Fire Chief Jeff Blanchard added that town’s frustration is palpable.

“We are prepared to do vaccinations, but we have no vaccine,” Blanchard said.

Abington Board of Health member Marty Golightly has vaccinated more than 200 75+ residents and has a plan in place to vaccinate shut-ins, asking only for the supplies to take care of his town’s own people.

Communities represented: Whitman fire and police departments, schools and town administrator, Hanson Fire Department and Board of Health, Abington Fire Department and Board of Health, Hanover Fire Department and Town Manager, Cohasset Fire Department, Duxbury Fire Department, East Bridgewater Fire Department, Halifax Fire Department, West Bridgewater Fire Department, Medway Fire Department and Board of Health, Plympton Fire Department State Representative, Canton, Stoughton Board of Health, Brookline Fire Department and Middleboro Fire Department.

Back to school plan is explored

By

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen and Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto held a parent information session on Thursday, Feb. 11, regarding further in-person learning. Wilhelmsen noted that the evening’s virtual call was not a School Committee meeting. Wilhelmsen began the session with a lengthy statement, the bulk of which is presented below.

“The School Committee, administration, and teachers have always believed that more in-person learning is better for our students; we also have been actively thinking about this for many months… we must achieve additional in-person time in a way that is ultimately safe and successful. As some of our neighboring communities are unfortunately finding out, additional in-person time at the expense of certain safety protocols such as six-foot distancing without additional mitigation efforts can cause even greater disruptions to students’ in-person time… Mr. Veneto, administration, and staff are currently working on a plan for additional in-person learning this school year which will be presented to the School Committee for discussion, consideration, and a vote at our next meeting on Monday, February 22… At a high level, the plan will address increased in-person learning time this year, likely four to five days per week. It is also likely the plan will be dependent upon vaccination of staff to mitigate the six-foot distancing. We are additionally looking at Wednesdays for alternating cohorts to provide additional in-person learning time which is something we think could be done more quickly.”

Veneto added, “I think it’s fairly safe to say that every one of our staff members would like to see children back in the building five days a week. The trouble with that is that we need to make sure that we are doing it safely.”

Parent Katie Rondeau asked if the School Committee and Administration were set in their determination to stick with six feet of physical distancing as opposed to three. Wilhelmsen said they were committed to following the CDC guidance of six feet. He also said that as the staff that wants to be vaccinated are, it would put them in a better position to be able to relax that requirement. He also pointed out that reducing the distancing requirement would result in more close contacts having to quarantine for two weeks if they were exposed to someone who tests positive. Assuming the entire class does not have to quarantine, those that do would likely be doing asynchronous work. Noting the importance of consistency, Wilhelmsen said that Duxbury recently went back to more in-person learning and within a week two second-grade classes were in quarantine for two weeks.

Another parent asked what the administration considered the biggest challenges to a full return. Wilhelmsen said that while Veneto and others are working on a plan for lunchtime it remained a hurdle as the six feet of distancing required at lunch is non-negotiable. Veneto said that 48 students are able to fit on the floor of the cafeteria and another 2 to 4 on the stage while maintaining the DESE mandated six feet. Wilhelmsen said that, just that evening, new guidance had been released that relaxed the requirements for distancing on buses, making that less of an obstacle. “There’s a lot of other logistical issues that just need to be worked out and thought through,” Wilhelmsen responded.

Wilhelmsen answered a question regarding whether the school had a threshold in mind from a vaccination perspective. He said that the hope was the State can get things sorted out so that teachers and staff can be vaccinated as quickly as possible. “If folks want to make some calls, feel free to call DPH or your reps and ask them why they changed what they were doing these last couple of weeks,” he said. There had been a plan for both the Plympton and Halifax Fire Departments to host vaccine clinics in order to assist with a speedy administration of the Phase Two levels of vaccine distribution. “That all fell apart last week when the state took away the doses,” Wilhelmsen explained.

Parent Nikki Mahoney asked if there was a contingency plan for teachers that plan not to get vaccinated. Wilhelmsen said that he, personally, was not thinking that being vaccinated would be a requirement for being in the school.

Wilhelmsen said that he hoped that the school would return to full, in-person learning or close-to, by the end of the current school year so that they could better formulate a plan for the fall. He said that based on what he has heard from the CDC, etc. not much will change between now and the fall in terms of masking still being required and children likely not being vaccinated.

The issue of the large first and fifth grade classes were also discussed as another obstacle to a full return. Veneto noted that the numbers include those students who are currently electing to be fully remote. Currently the art room has been transformed into a fifth-grade classroom. Parent Heather Eddy said that she felt the focus should be placed on how to get those two grades back into the building at six feet of distance and asked about looking for alternative places to put classes. Wilhelmsen pointed out that using a room such as the gym for a classroom would mean that it couldn’t be used for other purposes including gym class and potentially basketball. “The space itself is extremely limited, we have looked at every square inch and we are using every square inch right now,” Veneto explained. Several first-grade parents on the call did note that they wouldn’t be opposed to seeing the other grades return to full, in-person learning even if the first-grade needed to stay hybrid.

Currently the gymnasium is divided with one half utilized for gym class and the other for a luncheon area for teachers. Rondeau asked, “If we were to move the first grade into the gymnasium and then use the empty first grade classrooms for the teachers’ luncheon, would that help with opening up space?” Despite saying that the acoustics wouldn’t be ideal for learning if half the gym was being used for gym class, Veneto called it “a good thought.” She also recommended either pausing gym classes or possibly moving gym classes outside even during the winter. “I don’t disagree, that’s something to think about,” Veneto said.

A question was asked as to whether the school had considered the use of portable classrooms. Veneto said the most common suggestion was whether or not tents could be used. He said that tents are a good option when the weather is nice but not during winter months. Veneto said that while portable classrooms are something they are looking into they are likely cost prohibitive. CARES Act funding has dried up as of December 31.

Wilhelmsen said that they were asked to hold to a 1.6 percent increase for the year during last year’s budget cycle. He said that normally they would present anywhere from a 3 percent to a 5 percent increased budget, noting that even that is quite lean. The Dennett took what Wilhelmsen called “significant advantage” of the CARES Act money, spending somewhere around $120,000. “We do not have a blank check to get students back to full, in-person learning at the snap of our fingers,” he explained. He also said that just because a need is identified and money found for that need, it doesn’t mean that the staff or other means to fulfill that need are available. “I’m down two staff members right now and I’m trying to fill those positions,” Veneto said of the shortage of available candidates. He also referred to the school as being one staff absence away from the building not being able to function. He called it “a challenge every single day” just to make sure there is an adult in front of children.

Parent Angela Wilbur said she would like to share her perspective as a licensed clinical psychologist. “I’m hearing a lot about busing and lunches and teachers’ health and welfare which are all extremely important but I have yet to hear anything about the children’s mental health,” she said. Wilbur said that since the beginning of the pandemic, mental health referrals have increased over 500 percent. “Wait lists are full, inpatient units have no beds, outpatient providers, which I am one of, are caring for patients who should be hospitalized, suicide rates have almost doubled, overdose rates are astronomical, kids report severe depression, debilitating anxiety, isolation, and self-harm. Pediatricians are treating rapid increase referrals in insomnia, sleep issues, headaches, and G.I. issues. Social anxiety has increased, behavioral issues have increased, those who were school phobic before have regressed, prescriptions for antidepressants and other psychotropic medications have risen over 30 percent. Many of these kids have never presented with mental health issues ever before.”

Wilbur said that just as there is a gross shortage of teachers, that same shortage exists for mental health providers for children. She called it a mental health crisis and said, “These children are resilient but they can’t continue like this, this has gone on for too long and it is unfair to ask them to continue on like this.” Wilbur said that due to her profession she has had countless families reach out for resources saying that the word most often uttered regarding their children is that they are “suffering.”

Veneto responded to Wilbur saying, “I know I’m speaking the truth when I say that the social and emotional component of this whole pandemic has been paramount in every one of our staff meetings. Your sentiments are well shared.” Wilbur stressed how much she knows the Dennett staff care for the kids but added, “I need the plans to reflect that priority of their mental health… I hear so many obstacles and barriers and I know that so many of those are real but there has to be solutions within this.” She said that she was worried about relying on mitigation from vaccinations that likely won’t occur for another month and won’t be fully effective for several weeks after that.

Fourth grade teacher Ann Walker, who has been at the Dennett since 2001, said, “I have been teaching for 28 years now and this is the hardest year I have ever had.” Walker said the first and foremost concern of all teachers following the closure in March was not academics but the social and emotional welfare of the children.

She said how proud she was of the people she works with including the School Committee who she said has been working countless hours to do what’s best for the children.

“If it were that easy, we would have done it, we would have had those children in the building,” Walker said. “Our town has had more in-person time whether it be in the building or interacting with an adult online than most schools in the area,” she continued. Many other districts have not offered learning time with teachers on remote days but rather asynchronous work only. Walker called the parents “heroes” and stressed that the School Committee, the teachers, Principal Veneto, and the parents all have the same goal.

One parent questioned the length of time in between regular School Committee meetings. Wilhelmsen pointed out the busy schedules of administration including the Superintendent who attends all School Committee meetings within the larger Silver Lake district. “If we need to meet to do something and to take action that we can’t deal with either by having a meeting like this where we’re updating parents or by not having to have a decision by the School Committee and meeting offline in separate sub committees, I mean we’re going to do that.”

Citing his six years on the Committee and his initial plan not to continue with the Committee, Wilhelmsen said, “I don’t not get it… I was going to be done… but then COVID hit and I felt it was really important to be able to help in any way that I can to shepherd us through this; it’s not just me, I’m only doing a little tiny piece of this.” He continued, “I spent more time in July on the School Committee than I spent in the six years prior.” He mentioned the additional time spent by Veneto and the teachers working full-time over the summer as well. “We’re committed to this and we’ll do what we need to do,” he said.

The next meeting of the Plympton Elementary School Committee will be on Monday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. where a plan for more in-person learning will be presented and discussed by the Committee.

LaNatra named to four key committees

By

KINGSTON -State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston) has been named to four key legislative committee assignments for the 2021-2022 term of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Representative LaNatra will serve as Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee of Export Development. The duties of this committee include considering all matters pertaining to the Commonwealth’s exports, trades and international competitiveness. As Vice-Chair, Representative LaNatra and the committee will play key roles in cultivating and promoting Massachusetts as a global economic leader, developing partnerships between Massachusetts and other states and nations related to trade and commerce. Her committee will also work to support Massachusetts goods and services in international markets.

Representative LaNatra will also serve as a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means; the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight, and the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

She said, “I thank House Speaker Mariano for his confidence in me, and I’m eager to work on each of these committees. In particular, the Joint Committee of Export Development and the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies will play critical roles for our state as we emerge from this pandemic. I look forward to working with my colleagues, and for my constituents, on these important issues.”

Representative LaNatra’s district includes all residents of Halifax, Kingston and Plympton, as well as residents of Precincts 1, 11 and 13 in Plymouth; Precinct 1 in Middleboro; and Precinct 1 in Duxbury.  To reach her, email Kathleen.LaNatra@mahouse.gov or her legislative aide, Chris Jean, Christopher.Jean@MAhouse.gov. The phone number for the office is 617-722-2430. For updates and announcements, please visit Representative LaNatra’s Facebook page, https://bit.ly/2Ura8VR

or her website, https://www.kathylanatra.com.

Nomination papers now available for May 15 election

By

Plympton Town Clerk Tricia Detterman has announced that nomination papers are now available in the Town Clerk’s office at the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Rd., Plympton.  Following are the positions that will be voted on at the town’s annual election on Saturday, May 15, 2021.  Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The following positions will be on the ballot:

• Selectman, three-year term

• Board of Assessors member, three-year term

• Board of Assessors member, one –year term

• Board of Health member, three-year term

• Finance Committee member, three-year term

• Two Library Trustees, three-year terms

• Library Trustee for one-year term

• Planning Board member for five-year term

• Planning Board member for four-year term

• Two Plympton School Committee members for three-year terms

• Silver Lake Regional School Committee member for three years

• Town Clerk for three years

• Tree Warden for three years

Nomination papers may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office and will be given ONLY to the person seeking nomination, or to a person presenting a signed authorization form from the candidate.  The Town Clerk’s office is open by appointment during regular business hours:  Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The last day to submit nomination papers to the Board of Registrars with 20 signatures is Friday, March 26 at 5 p.m.  The last day to object or withdraw nomination papers is Tuesday, April 13 at 5 p.m.

Halifax focuses on vaccine rollout

By

The Halifax Board of Selectmen meeting on February 4 was nearly Zoom bombed before Town Administrator Charlie Seelig was able to recognize an absurd name and ended the Zoom portion of the meeting. A Zoom bombing occurs when an uninvited participant joins a Zoom call with the intention to disrupt it in some way. The practice, which is a federal offense, has become more common during the pandemic with so many people conducting business virtually.

Once resolved, the Board turned their attention to Halifax Board of Health agent Bob Valery for a COVID update. Valery noted that Seelig has been posting the town’s daily numbers and said that for him the focus has been on the two-week numbers of positive cases versus those that were tested. Valery said the week prior there were 763 people tested with 65 of those being positive. This is a positive test rate of 8.52 percent. “We’re not gaining but we’re not dropping as well as we could be,” Valery explained.

Holiday gatherings blamed for uptick

Valery noted that the State has seen a reduction in cases and said that the previous capacity limits of 25 percent for some close-contact businesses was to be increased to 40 percent capacity on February 8.  “The reason we did have a high run rate after the holidays was because of gatherings,” Valery said. He acknowledged that traditionally the Super Bowl is also a big day for gatherings.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said that the town has continued with testing for town employees every Wednesday at the school and the Town Hall. “We still get a decent turnout for that,” he said. Viveiros said that all first responders that wanted to be vaccinated in town have been and said that as of that day, roughly 125 seniors over the age of 75 had been vaccinated in town.

During the February 4 meeting Viveiros had provided the selectmen with a lengthy update on the town’s vaccination efforts including plans to open up a mass vaccination site for the towns of Halifax, Kingston, and Plympton at Silver Lake Regional High School. The plan was to secure doses of the Pfizer vaccine through their association with Dr. Muse of Signature Healthcare Brockton. The hospital was planning to store the doses as the Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -94 Fahrenheit necessitating the use of special ultracold freezers. The Moderna vaccine can be shipped and stored using regular refrigerator freezers.

Since the February 4 meeting, however, the State shut down vaccination distribution through local entities such as Fire Departments. The Department of Public Health will no longer be supplying the previously expected doses. Instead, the vaccines will be distributed either through private companies such as CVS or Walgreens or through State run sites such as Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park.

Viveiros recognized the work that had been done up to that point on the vaccine rollout by administrative assistant Kendra Kelly, Fire Captain Matthew Cunningham, and the Council on Aging staff. “They’ve done such a great job,” Viveiros said. A robocall was placed to all seniors in town over the age of 75 and the Council on Aging worked with them to schedule appointments.

Vaccine differences

Viveiros and the Selectmen also discussed differences between the two approved vaccines as well as possible side effects. Both vaccines require two shots and the interval between doses is 28 days for Moderna and 21 days for Pfizer. Viveiros cited the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine at 95 percent and 94.5 percent for Moderna. He said that the one-shot vaccines that are yet to be approved, including both the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, have effectiveness percentages somewhere in the high sixties.

Of the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, Viveiros said, “They say the body will react to it a little more aggressively,” he explained. It is common for people to experience a fever, chills, body aches, and other flu-like symptoms. “Overall, from people I’ve talked to, a lot of people in the healthcare profession have already got their second injection and I haven’t heard any horror stories about it,” Viveiros said. The Selectmen thanked the emergency team for their work on vaccine distribution. “Just the teamwork you guys have shown has put us and our residents in a really good position so I just want to say thank you,” Selectman Gordon Andrews said.

Wage and Personnel

Following the COVID update, the Board turned their attention to regular town business. Seelig said the Wage and Personnel Public Hearing was held with the Finance Committee. Amendments to be considered include a step increase for the Board of Health agent from a Step 2 to a Step 4, evaluation of pay scales and steps for Grades 6 and 7, discontinuities in Grades 11 through Grade 14, and changes to benefits for call firefighters. The need to address the minimum wage problem was also discussed. As the minimum wage rises, it puts pressure on the jobs on the lower end of the town’s pay scale to be increased as they are not intended as minimum wage positions due to required responsibilities. The selectmen plan to do research on comparative towns before making any final decisions.

Bud’s Goods Host Community pact

Seelig told the Selectmen that Bud’s Goods and Provisions had filed their special permit with the Planning Board. Bud’s has a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with the town for an outdoor marijuana growing facility. The hearing is on March 4 at 7:05 pm.

Fireworks 2021

Viveiros said the Fireworks Committee had reached out to him looking for some guidance on how and if they should proceed. The Committee currently doesn’t have the funds to put on the fireworks and is uncomfortable reaching out to local businesses given the economic climate due to COVID. Instead, if there is interest in still having fireworks this year, they would try to do some sort of online fundraising. Seelig said they currently have just over $8,000 but would need roughly $13,000. Millias pointed out that the event is only five months away and said that even if the gathering limits were raised from what they are now, a typical fireworks display in town would bring in thousands. “Doesn’t sound safe to me,” Valery said noting that he does, however, love fireworks. The selectmen agreed to advise them not to plan for 2021.

PEACE flag standout Saturday in Halifax

By

Halifax has recently been embroiled in a controversy surrounding what kinds of signs and flags can be displayed in classrooms. Most recently, flags with vertical rainbow bars and PEACE emblazoned in big black bold letters across them were hung in the back of classrooms at Halifax Elementary School. The flags were removed after Principal Kayne Beaudry received complaints from parents who said they felt politically marginalized by the presence of the flags. Still, other parents wished to have different flags displayed in the classroom.

Silver Lake Superintendent Jill Proulx sent a letter home to caregivers stating, “Under equal access laws and regulations, we have to provide access to numerous points of view and cannot discriminate based on a particular viewpoint.” Moving forward, all flags and signs must be approved by the school administration prior to being displayed.

WBZ TV recently aired a piece on the controversy in town. Reporter Paul Burton interviewed Halifax Elementary School fifth grader Charlie Eldridge. Eldridge said that for him the flag represented “… that everyone should have peace and not be rude/mean.” He went on to say that the flag spoke to the need to just accept everyone for who they are. Parent Evan Smith told WBZ, “It’s simply encouraging love and kindness and I honestly don’t know why anyone would feel politically marginalized by that.”

A Change.org petition titled “Re-hang the Peace Flag at Halifax Elementary School” was started by Lana Eldridge and as of press time it has 5,727 signatures. The petition is aimed at Superintendent Proulx. The message on the petition says, “Please join me as I support my son, Charlie in his quest to get the Rainbow Peace flags re-hung at Halifax Elementary School. To encourage children to foster a community of love and acceptance is so important in today’s world. This flag represents us all on a human level. We should be celebrating each other, not fighting amongst ourselves!”

An event has been organized by Lori Costa-Cline and Jay Cline called Stand-Out PEACE for this Saturday in Halifax. A Facebook page has been started for the event. Organizers describe the event as, “a respectful public stand-out to promote peace and inclusion in our town and beyond.” The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with demonstrators lining up along the sidewalks at the intersection of Routes 106 and 58. While participants are asked to bring signs that promote peace and inclusivity, they have been asked not to bring signs that display broader political messages.

The flag in question was designed by artist Virginia Fitzgerald and features 10 vertical stripes of different colors and the word PEACE in black lettering. The red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple colors are representative of the rainbow flag originally designed by artist and activist Gilbert Baker in the late seventies for the LGBTQ community. The current iteration of the Pride flag actually features a few less stripes than Baker’s original.

The PEACE across the flag is reminiscent of the Italian peace flag first flown in 1961 in demonstrations against nuclear weapons. That flag has horizontal multi-colored bars and the word PACE, or peace in Italian, in white across it. In 2002, the flag was given new life as it was used in the campaign throughout Italy to protest the impending war in Iraq.

The current rainbow PEACE flag causing the controversy in Halifax has new colors added in skin tone shades to represent racial justice. The website commonstreet.org states, “The Rainbow Peace Flag Project seeks to extend kindness and caring across national borders, with love that includes people of all sexualities, genders, abilities, religions, races, and cultures, and to condemn acts of violence and hatred, embracing peaceful dialogue instead.”

State nixes local vaccine programs

By

To Plympton and Halifax residents:

It is with regret that I must issue this letter regarding COVID Vaccines.  The Town of Plympton had partnered with the Town of Halifax to provide a local solution to bringing vaccines to our seniors and other persons who qualify for Phase II COVID Vaccines.  We anticipated the first clinic to have been today, Wednesday, Feb. 10.  This has not happened.

Effective this week the State of Massachusetts Department of Public Health will not support local entities such as Fire Departments to administer any type of a vaccine program. DPH will no longer provide us with the medication, despite very successful programs already underway or that had been previously approved and slated to begin this week.

According to the Governor, vaccines will be distributed through private concerns such as CVS, Walgreens, etc., or State-run sites such as Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park, and others.

This was unexpected and problematic. Please refer to the Governor’s press conference notes at https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-two-mass-vaccination-sites-new-appointments

There is a new site on the South Shore at the Marshfield Fairgrounds.  To book an appointment there, you must be eligible under the Phase II guidelines and be a resident of Plymouth County.  The link to that site is   https://www.marshfield-ma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/vaccine-clinic-information-and-senior-assistance

The other option it to go online to mass.gov/covidvaccine   or call 211 if you wish to make an appointment for the State sites

If anyone does not have internet access, or has issues with transportation or other COVID related problems please reach out to Captain Cheryl Davis at 781-689-0131 or email her at plymptoncommunityems@gmail.com

Thank you

Steve Silva

Fire Chief / Emergency Management Director

Plympton accountant, treasurer, to retire

By

It was announced during the Monday, Feb. 8 Plympton Board of Selectmen meeting that town accountant Barbara Gomez will resign effective May 27, 2021. Selectman Christine Joy said she accepted the resignation “with regret but tremendous appreciation of Barbara’s years of service to the town.” Joy continued saying, “she has been our financial rock that we’ve all leaned on; she will definitely leave a void.” Selectman Chair Mark Russo expressed gratitude to Gomez for “her patience along the way,” particularly in his early days on the Finance Committee and as a new selectman.

Town treasurer/collector Colleen Morin will retire effective June 3, 2021. Joy again expressed regret, this time at losing Morin who she called a “super source of information.”

“The nice thing is the foundation has been laid by Barbara and Colleen and it’s always great when we know that things are running well and we can take off from there,” Selectman John Traynor said. Of Morin, Russo said he was “very appreciative of her patience and sharing of wisdom along the way and a quite ready smile which was very much appreciated.” “Their expertise and kindness over the years has been very much appreciated and both of them will be well missed,” town administrator Liz Dennehy said.

Area 58 Director Richard Goulart attended Monday’s meeting to provide an overall update as well as discuss a renewal for the existing agreement which expired in September of 2020. The original agreement was signed in September of 2015. Goulart explained, “Substantively [we] don’t intend to change the agreement in any significant way.” He said that they would likely address COVID in the new agreement. Russo said, “cable access is just a constantly and rapidly evolving field… fully recognize this will probably look totally different in five years.”

Goulart said that currently Area 58 is operating out of 96 North Main St. in Carver but noted that they were hoping to move to a different location closer to both Plympton and Halifax. He said the hope is to cut down on their expenses associated with their location. Their current layout is around 3,000 square feet and their new location would need to be at least as large. Goulart said they were looking for feedback on possible locations.

Goulart said that both Carver and Halifax are occasionally holding live meetings but noted the extent to which COVID has changed their business. Traynor asked if it would be possible to live stream the selectmen meetings. Goulart said that it would be possible as long as Area 58 were the hosts of the Zoom meeting. “If you can do them live then that’s going to give us a lot more outreach,” Traynor said. Goulart said they are working on a plan for how to go live from the selectmen’s meeting room once in-person meetings are resumed. Joy spoke to a possible negative of having Area 58 host the virtual meetings as the selectmen or town administrator would lose their ability to mute a participant were things to get out of hand or inappropriate.

Traynor mentioned that he hasn’t seen the school committee meetings being posted to Area 58 regularly. Goulart said that he has had difficulty obtaining the recordings of the virtual school committee meetings. He noted that Area 58 has put out feelers to see if the committees would like them to record them or if they would be able to jump on and record the meetings while they are taking place. Plympton School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen was on the call and said that he should be the contact person for the Plympton School Committee meetings.

Dennehy provided a general update on town business. She said that to date, the town had not offered a dental plan for town employees. According to Dennehy the town carries some excess in that particular budget line. She said the cost to the town would be $120 a month for families or $60 a month for individuals. Russo called it “a nice benefit that people will really appreciate without a huge expense to the town.” Joy asked if it would apply to retirees as well and was told it likely would. All the selectmen voted in favor of offering the plan.

Dennehy also provided an update to the water emergency at the Highway Barn on 23 Palmer Road. A large water leak occurred following the recent snowstorm. As of Monday’s meeting, Dennehy said that the affected ceiling tiles had been removed. She said they were unable to tarp the roof due to it being a metal roof as well as some repairs that had taken place, so they used sealant instead. The barn will also have to be checked for damage to insulation in the walls. Dennehy thanked Administrative Assistant Briggette Martins, who she said has extensive experience in insurance, for her work in getting the claims processed.

Dennehy said that the town has been working on their hazard mitigation plan and noted that there will be a public workshop in the next month or so that will be recorded through Zoom. She said she hoped to televise it live as well. The town is looking into several grant opportunities including one that the Fire Chief is working on to increase manpower. Dennehy said that the town had unfortunately received word that one of their larger projects that they were hoping to run through Green Communities would need to go through the procurement process.

The COVID-19 update was brief with Dennehy saying that the numbers have come down a bit in town. Plympton is now designated in the yellow risk category.

Wilhelmsen provided an update on Dennett Elementary and recapped the School Committee meeting from a few weeks ago. During that meeting, which was well attended, there was a lot of public interest around getting more students back into the classroom for more in-person learning. Wilhelmsen said that despite everyone agreeing that more in-person time is better for the children, there are still many logistical issues that stand in the way including limited bus capacity, the physical distancing requirement of 6 ft at lunchtime, and shortages with staff and substitutes, in particular. “To date, we have not gone full remote at all during the school year… we think we’ve had some good successes there,” he explained.

Wilhelmsen mentioned that teachers and elementary school staff are part of the third tier of Phase Two for vaccine distribution. He said the School Committee is interested in looking at what other plans can be put into place in addition to that mitigating factor. “How can we do this in a safe and effective manner both for students but also for teachers and other staff at the Dennett?” Wilhelmsen said that he would be holding a Zoom information session for parents along with Principal Peter Veneto later that week. He said the hope was to keep the lines of communication open and provide parents an opportunity to ask additional questions. “if parents are watching here, we are looking at how we can do this and do it in the right way so that we are successful.”

“I’ll just acknowledge the incredible challenge of balancing the needs and the wishes of numerous variant and disparate stakeholders and groups; you’re surely in the midst of kind of the crossfire from a lot of different directions and we’re glad you’re still standing,” Russo told Wilhelmsen.

Before moving to their rants and raves for the last few weeks, the selectmen also approved a request for use of town property. A Daisy Girl Scout Troop out of Plympton requested to work on the garden beds at the library throughout the spring, summer, and fall. They plan to clean, plant, and maintain the garden beds. Correspondence said that they also plan to do the work entirely outdoors and will adhere to all required safety protocols.

Joy said that she had two raves for the week, the first of which was for Traynor, Russo, and Dennehy working with Senator Michael Brady and Representative Kathleen LaNatra to advocate for the town and to be proactive in looking at ways to meet the town’s needs. “I’m sure a lot of good is going to come out of that,” she said.

Her second rave was for all those that stepped up to deal with the water emergency at the Highway Department including Briggette Martins and Fire Chief Stephen Silva. She noted that without a facilities manager, other people really had to step up to the plate. Chair of the Board of Health Art Morin also spoke up sharing a rave for the same.

Traynor’s rant was for the problems seen in the rollout of Phase 2 of vaccine distribution for individuals aged 75 and over. “I’ve never seen a website problem like the State has created… unfortunately, it’s just a nightmare,” Traynor said. Traynor said that it wasn’t until after filling out all necessary forms that the website would tell you there were no spots available for the selected date. He said this would happen repeatedly. “I think the State and Governor Baker are going to lose a lot of marks over this… it should have been done better,” he said. Both the Council on Aging and Fire Captain Cheryl Davis were assisting those that needed it with filling out the forms and booking appointments. Morin agreed with Traynor saying, “from a Board of Health perspective… it’s appalling.”

Russo said that with both the town accountant and town treasurer leaving, it got him thinking about mentors as he said he has considered both of them mentors along the way. Russo said he has been spending a fair amount of time at Churchill Park where there is a bench dedicated to Gail Briggs. He said that had the town had the opportunity to name either Churchill Park or Cato’s Ridge after someone it would have been Briggs. He mentioned that Briggs passed away before all of her decades’ worth of work came to fruition. “That bench is a wonderful place to sit at the beginning of the Boardwalk to see what she created and remember how her foresight and energy brought forth something that is so beautiful; thinking of you Gail and really appreciative,” Russo said.