PLYMPTON – Saturday, May 6, has been named “Plympton Town-wide Cleanup Day.” Monday night Selectmen heard a presentation by Jill Palenstijn of the Plympton Garden Club seeking permission from selectmen to change the Plympton Garden Club’s Clean-up Day. “We’re hoping to have a town wide event,” said Palenstijn. As of right now, the event will take place on Saturday, May 6.
The clean-up day involves people from the community working together to pick up trash collected on many of the major streets throughout town. There’s also discussion of the Garden Club getting the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts involved.
Palenstijn told the board they want to make a giant pile of trash that people can drive by for short period of time and see what Plympton can do when everyone works together. Afterwards, the Department of Public Works will bring the trash to the town’s transfer station.
Selectmen Clerk John Traynor asked Palenstijn if Routes 106 and 58 would be a part of the clean-up. Palenstijn says, “We’re still compiling a lists of streets. We are however open for suggestions for streets to clean.”
In order to make the event safe, Palensteijn also told the Board that the Police Department is already on board. She says, “Chief Dillion has generously donated a cruiser to check in at various spots around town,” during the event.
New Council on Aging Director Joy Marble introduced herself to Board of Selectmen.
Previous Council on Aging Director Chris Maiorano accompanied the new Director as she told Selectmen she was excited to meet the seniors and hoped to fill the shoes of Maiorano as well as possible. “I’m confident we are in good hands,” Maiorano replied.
Marble was the Chair of the Council on Aging in Halifax for ten years.
She said that although she didn’t want the Board thinking this was her main priority as director, she thinks Plympton’s Council on Aging could benefit from some collaboration with Halifax.
Marble said, “I had ideas about collaborating with Plympton before when I was in Halifax.”
On Saturday March 18, there will be a luncheon for the Council on Aging. New Director Marble will be in attendance to meet the senior citizens.
Selectmen are considering requiring other boards and committees to broadcast their meetings on Area 58 Television.
Chairman Colleen Thompson brought up discussion about requiring other boards and committees to video tape their meetings for Area 58 Television.
The Board is considering this as a potential bylaw change.
Town Coordinator Dale Pleau believed that some aspects of implementing this bylaw shouldn’t be too difficult.
He said, “This can even be done with a laptop and then updated to the website.”
Pleau and Selectman John Traynor both acknowledged that there may be some push back from some boards and committees.
Traynor asked the rest of the Board if it would be a good idea to send out a memo next week asking the different committees and departments for feedback.
Colleen Thompson and Christine Joy both agreed.
Public Safety Building Update
Board of Selectmen Chair Colleen Thompson announced that the Public Safety Building Committee will be at next week’s selectmen’s meeting on Monday March 20.
The Public Safety Building Committee, which is also chaired by Thompson, will present their plans to fund and build a new police station for Plympton. Thompson told the board that compared to where they started a year ago, the committee is in a much better place and is excited for the board to hear the plan.
The next scheduled selectmen’s meeting is Monday, March 20, at 6 p.m.