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ESSER changes raise questions

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The school district fielded some questions from residents this week as to how the second and third round of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will be incorporated into the fiscal 2023 school budget.

Whitman resident John Galvin noted that the committee certified a new budget before Town Meeting last year in which $775,000 was taken out of the assessments from the towns, and asked how the schools were planning to spend the $2.3 million in anticipated ESSER III funding.

“From my understanding [the district] was going to take ESSER money to fund a special team of interventionists because everyone was coming back from remote learning,” Galvin said, asking if the $775,000 was coming out of ESSER money. He also said his understanding was ESSER funds were going to be used for the $775,000 again next year because the towns would be able to handle that since if was one-time money, and asked if that was still in the plan.

“You’re correct in both spots,” Szymaniak said. “I just don’t know if it’s ESSER II or ESSER III at this point.”

Galvin asked if the interventionists would continue their work into a third year, eating up a lot of the ESSER funds.

“What I was asking him was, because he [Szymaniak] had this big community survey on how they wanted to spend all this money [with ESSER II and III funds left],” Galvin said.

He said he wanted to confirm that while $775,000 last year, you said was coming out of ESSER III, Szymaniak also said he planned were going to use ESSER III this next year, and possibly a third year — which would eat up more than the $2.3 million anticipated.

“That’s what I wanted on the record,” Galvin said. “Using one-time money in an operating budget’s a bad thing.”

Szymaniak indicated that the interventionists were not a long-term program, he said.

Stressing his question came as a private citizen, Galvin said the School Committee on April 14 voted on a new assessment funding $775,000 from their own funds for the special group of educational interventionists, with Szymaniak indicating he was going to use ESSER III funds instead.

“When I presented the budget in February, we were taking some ESSER III money from that allotment,” Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak replied at the meeting. “We might not have to do that, because we still have ESSER II money, but in June we found out we had to jump through some more hoops than we had to do for ESSER I and ESSER II.”

There are some “wide-range things the district can look at” using ESSER III money, according to Szymaniak. “Potentially, the assessments to the towns don’t include the interventionists at this point.”

ESSER I for the district totaled $292,273 and expending all but about $100 for initial COVID response; ESSER II grants totaled $1,001,704, expending $592,066, leaving a balance of $996,411.

“That’s there right now because I’m still outstanding $1.1 million-something in CARES [Act funding],” Szymaniak said at the School Committee meeting Sept. 15. “We thought ESSER II might have been used to cover some of our CARES money. We put in a lot in CARES, so we didn’t have to dive into ESSER II.”

ESSER III was just coming out, without any parameters last year and $2.314 million has been awarded, but the district hasn’t applied for it. The grant is due on Oct. 4.

“So we were looking at CARES not covering some of our expenses and using ESSER II money,” Szymaniak said. “We didn’t use that yet and we’re feeling pretty sure – 98 percent – that we’re going to get all the CARES money, so we’re going to be able to use this ESSER II money in fiscal 2022 and ’23.”

One of the necessary components of the ESSER III grant application is a needs survey of what the community sees as the district’s needs, Szymaniak said.

The one-year grant includes extensions to a second and third year, with the total allotment having to be spent by Sept. 30, 2024. Symaniak said the district is still trying to find out if the money has to be actually spent by that date or if it can be encumbered for later spending by that date.

It can be used to benefit students and for building up-keep, but can’t be used for teacher, administration or staff raises. Improvements may also be made to after-school activities, help sessions for students or even summer programs, but it can’t be used for a program like foreign language curriculum in the middle schools that would then have to be supported by the budget. The funds can be used for air-conditioning and, potentially, for playgrounds if COVID was in some way a concern that needed to be addressed.

“It has to be for programs or for people to put in that program,” he said. “These are one-time monies. We have to be very careful how we structure our finances going forward.”

Not having to dig into all of ESSER II and ESSER III, is a positive, “but it doesn’t necessarily take away the responsibilities of the two towns to fund our budget,” he said.

An update on the overall budget outlook and how ESSER funds might be used this year will be outlined at the October meeting, Szymaniak said.

“We’ll be clear and transparent about how those funds are being expended,” he said. “Our budget was approved at Town Meeting and then we got a notice from the fed saying, ‘These are some of the stipulations around ESSER III’ and a lot of us said that would be great to tell us back in May before Town Meeting.”

Szymaniak said the district is also waiting for CARES reimbursements from Plymouth County for things done last year.

Smooth school opening

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The opening of the 2021-22 school year on Wednesday, Sept. 1 had “no real issues,” Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak reported to the School Committee on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

“There were lots of happy eyes,” he said. “You couldn’t see smiles, but, with kids, you could tell how excited they were to be in school, same with teachers.”

While there were “a couple hiccups” with transportation, nothing critical as far as opening, he said.

Szymaniak also touched on the COVID protocol, it’s effect on the first days of the school year and “where we’re at right now.”

Schools throughout the state are under a mask mandate until Oct. 1, depending on a vaccine percentage of 80 percent.

“It’s frustrating for me, and reporting to the committee, that’s the extent of the information that I have to share with you about the vaccine mandate and what 80 percent is,” he said. “There are a lot of us guessing, to say is it by school? By district? Is it by teachers? Is it by community? We don’t have that information.”

Hanson figures put 38 percent of the town’s 12-to-15-year-olds vaccinated and 61 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds. In Whitman, 47 percent of 12-to-15-year-olds and 58 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds are fully vaccinated.

Both Whitman and Hanson have encouraged people to get vaccinated. A vaccine for children under age 12 is supposed to become available sometime in October, but what that exactly means and where it can be dispensed has not been provided.

“If the commissioner [of education] holds true to 80 percent, we’re not taking the masks off at this point,” Szymaniak said.

“I’m extremely frustrated because I don’t have any information to share with the community,” he said.

He said he has been asked by residents if the mandate is linked to school funding. Without directly addressing that, he said 50 percent of school funding comes from the state and it is important to follow the COVID mandates.

Szymaniak said the School District is not seeing transmissions between kids at the schools. But there is an increase in the COVID positivity rate in both communities.

Mass. DPH numbers indicate that there have been two positive cases at the high school since Sept. 1, Whitman Middle School had three, Hanson Middle School has had four cases. Six other students in Hanson tested positive before the start of school.

Duval Elementary had three positive cases since Sept.1, Indian Head and Conley had none and the preschool had two.

Szymaniak also spoke about COVID testing.

“We were ready to go with tests Day One, and we didn’t have them,” he said. “They came in last week.”

The training that Lead Nurse Lisa Tobin was supposed to attend was canceled, so she is trying to self-train virtually.

He said the “Test and Stay” program — which administers five tests in the nurse’s office over five consecutive days — only tests students if they are in close contact within school.

“If you play Pop Warner [football] and come to school, I can’t test you,” Szymaniak said, noting the confusion surrounding the Test and Stay program.

He said mask protocol is being adhered to without incident and, the few situations at the high school have involved the need to remind students to pull the mask up over their noses.

Masks are provided to students that need them.

A severe shortage of bus drivers, limit the available buses for sports.

“We’re lucky we’re getting bus drivers to drive our kids to school,” Szymaniak said. “After school [activities] and field trips are going to be severely limited by the amount of drivers that are there.”

Class size

More parents are either opting to homeschool or take advantage of school choice, although the number is down from last year’s pandemic.

Compared to 2019, when there were 35 homeschool pupils and 58 school choice students coming into the district. In 2020-21, during the peak of the pandemic, there were 93 homeschool students and 50 school choice; In 2021-22 Szymaniak is up to 65 homeschooled and 50 school choice students coming in and 36 going out.

“We’re still choicing kids in from all over the South Shore, which is a good thing,” he said. “[Students going to other school districts] is something we’re going to dig in deeper.”

He noted that enrollment is decreasing across the district with Hanson enrollment leveling off at about 100 students per grade below grade five. In Whitman, it seems to level off at grade six at between 150 and 160 per grade.

“This committee has worked extremely hard and diligently to try to lower class size in the district,” Szymaniak said. “I’m pleased that, in our elementary schools we have some really good balance, especially in our earlier grades.”

At Duval, top class sizes range from 16-18, Indian Head is around 20-23. The middle schools average class sizes is about 20 and the high school is around 20, except for foreign languages, which average close to 30.

Public Comment

John Galvin, of High Street in Whitman, expressed concern about a “significant” transfer of $3.7 million in line item transfers voted at the previous School Committee meeting to balance the fiscal 2021 budget.

“Last year, at this time, you also took a similar vote [of $3.1 million] … to balance the budget of fiscal year ’20,” he said. “This year, $3.7 million is over 6 percent of the budget, so that means that, at the end of the year, this committee re-appropriated 6 percent of the budget.”

Glavin said he sent an analysis comparing the two transfers to the committee and administration.

“What I found was simply mind-bending,” Galvin said. “The amount of line items in one year that had a significant deficit, the next year had a significant overage. Some of the line items were $1 million from one year to the other.”

He said a new subcommittee on budgets is forming and the hiring of a new business manager is still ahead, but he said he hopes it is time the committee really takes a look at how they prepare the budget, “starting from the gound up.”

Legion salutes the fallen

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WHITMAN — Under a brilliant blue sky, eerily similar to the one 20 years ago when America came under terrorist attack with the hijacking and weaponization to four commercial airliners, Whitman American Legion Post 22 began the town’s commemoration of that fateful day.

Color guards from the Sons of the Legion, Whitman VFW and Whitman police and fire departments taking part in the ceremony, the community honored the first responders and civilians — who worked in the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and who were aboard Flight 93 over Shanksville, Pa. — lost that day. The fire department unfurled a huge American flag from its ladder truck for the ceremony, and a wreath-laying at the department’s 9/11 Memorial concluded the event at 8:45 a.m. — the time the first plane struck the WTC on Sept. 11, 2001.

Laying the wreath was Hanson resident and former call firefighter for the Whitman Fire Dept. —  now a Plympton Fire Department firefighter-paramedic, Paul Skarinka, who later was deployed to Iraq as an Army corporal, where he was wounded in action. Clancy said he asked Skarinka to do the honors because he could not think of a more fitting person to do so.

“We all have reflections of that day,” Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said before the wreath ceremony. “I was here working that day, when we watched the world change forever. Little did we know we were watching history unfold before our very eyes.”

Clancy said the thing that sticks with him is how America came together on Sept. 12.

Police Chief Timothy Hanlon also spoke.

“Public safety, first responders, military and civilians alike, came together,” Hanlon said. “This was perpetrated against us as a nation.”

“It’s a dark day in our nation’s history,” said Sons of the Legion Commander John Cameron. “We’ll never forget those who passed away on that day.”

After a benediction, state American Legion Chaplain William Sheehan delivered the official American Legion commemorative speech, focusing on the legacy of Sept. 11, 2001 and the new generation born after it. Former state Rep. Geoff Diehl and Boston City Council candidate Donnie Palmer, both slated as featured speakers were unable to attend.

“Some lost parents that day,” Sheehan said. ‘Others lost siblings and friends, some have served in the military or became first responders as a tribute to those who were lost.’

He described how, much like those coming of age at the time of Pearl Harbor, the 9/11 generation did not seek to grow up during war.

“Evil came to America, and Americans responded,’ he said, noting that the feelings most Americans experienced on that Tuesday morning 20 Septembers ago, are still remembered by those old enough to understand their significance and the way shock, sadness and anger swiftly turned to resolve.

He compared the heroism of passengers on Flight 93 with that of other Americans who fought at Gettysburg, only 90 miles away.

“President Lincoln said, ‘…the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here…,’” Sheehan said. ‘Just like Gettysburg, a field at Shanksville is hallowed ground. It is where Flight 93 was brought down to Earth, not by terrorists, but by those bravely resisting their evil intent.”

Sheehan noted the post-9/11 surge in American patriotism, marked by skyrocketing sales of American flags, and funds established for the lost first responders and their families.

“Where have all the flags of Sept. 11 gone?” he said. “It is up to us to answer that question.”

He said the flag is still brought forth on the traditional patriotic holidays and in response to horrific attacks such as the Boston Marathon bombing, the Pulse nightclub attack and so many others.

“We have been inspired by the service of healthcare workers, volunteers and first responders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sheehan said. “Yet those moments seem to be overshadowed by violence in our communities, vitriolic politics and a questioning of America’s role as a beacon of hope and freedom.”

Sheehan said the legacy of the more than 3,000 people — Americans as well as citizens of many other countries who worked in the WTC complex, need not be lost to current political divisions.

The better legacy would be to reassure those worried about the future, to comfort those mourning a lost loved one and to temper the rage of those angered by such events, he said.

Cameron spoke again following a ceremonial volley by the Sons of the Legion firing squad and the playing of “Taps.”

“On this day, 20 years ago, 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights, 2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning, 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shifts, 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for their morning patrols,” Cameron read from a writing about the night of Sept, 10, 2001. “Eight paramedics went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift. None of them saw past 10 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001.”

He urged those in attendance not to take one second of our lives for granted.

Hanson EDC updates board on South Hanson project

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HANSON — The town’s Economic Development Committee on Monday, Sept. 13, presented its latest work in the efforts to revitalize the Main Street corridor.

The EDC gave its second presentation during a joint session with the board. Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, who also serves on the EDC, along with fellow members Ken Sweezy and Jim Geronaitis attended the session.

Geronaitis and Stantec representative Phil Schaeffing and, at times, former Town Planner Deb Pettey, past and present town administrators have worked on a grant to fund and plan for the Main Street efforts, according to FitzGerald-Kemmett.

The local rapid recovery plan, as it is known, includes actionable plans tailored to the unique economic challenges and COVID-19 impacts of downtown areas through a planning grant funded by the Mass. Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Hanson is one of 120 communities — mostly medium or small in size — across the commonwealth to participate in the grant program.

The area between Elm and High Streets is being referred to as South Hanson Village, Schaeffing said.

A business survey was conducted in the spring and the EDC has been reviewing project recommendations during the summer toward drafting a plan and public presentation, which is due to DHCD by Oct. 8.

Those project recommendations include building and façade improvements — which is one of the primary recommendations — maintenance and repair and general improvements such as signage. Projects fall into one or more of six categories: public realm, private realm, revenue & sales, administrative capacity, tenant mix and cultural/arts.

Improvements to the pedestrian environment, to improve access to businesses and the MBTA station are looked to in an effort to aid safety to cyclists or pedestrian, which are also safety priorities of the federal Department of Transportation.

Infrastructure improvements to accommodate present and future development and connection to the Burrage Pond trails are being explored, Schaeffing said, as is the encouragement of more housing.

“From a business perspective, having more residents that are living nearby, especially for retail or service-oriented businesses, is helpful for that business,” he said.

“There’s more to talk about on this,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s not our place to be unilaterally saying that we’re knocking on people’s doors and saying, ‘Please come to Hanson and develop this type of housing.’ We’re talking about is there a way for us to develop a zone and work with it so we can effectuate the outcome more than we have the existing 40B.”

Schaeffing said any housing development depends on having regulations in place that permit the development.

Engaging local business owners is also being looked at to help increase sales and encouraging a “buy local” atmosphere as well as facilitating third-party technical support to help increase online sales and marketing.

Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer said a town-wide visioning process might be the best step to take next.

“We had some really good outcomes with the Plymouth County Hospital property where that was quite the turnout for a committee,” Dyer said.

Sweezy suggested a good approach would be to look at the area in terms of what image Hanson wants to project as a community.

Selectman Jim Hickey endorsed that approach, but had a question about the funding, especially for sidewalk extension.

Sweezy said the main focus is what funding is available now and then

“What do we want it to look like?” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of the zoning and visioning considerations. “Do we want it to be modern … or are we looking for it to resemble a quaint New England town with lighting so people feel safe?”

She noted that the EDC has received feedback that people do not feel safe walking to the MBTA.

“This is really a pivotal time for the town of Hanson,” Dyer said, while agreeing with FitzGerald-Kemmett that none of it will happen overnight.

“A quick-hit that may make some of us feel a lot better … is the façade piece,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I really hate to use the analogy about slapping lipstick on a pig, but I’m willing to do that if it makes people not cringe when they drive through that area.”

Green elevated

Selectmen voted to change Town Administrator Lisa Green’s title from interim to permanent, pending a good performance evaluation.

“I think that Lisa’s been doing a great job,” said Dyer. “One of the things I keep on hearing, as I make my way through Town Hall is, ‘Well, we’ll see how long Lisa is with us,’ ‘She’s interim,’ and I think, at this point, … I personally would like to keep her and I would like to see her become the town administrator and drop the ‘interim.’”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said she has done an outstanding job after having to hit the ground running.

“Boy, did she get handed a lot of ticking little time bombs, not getting into details, but you guys all know,” she said, but expressed concern that the board take extra pains to ensure proper procedure.

“She goes constantly above and beyond,” Dyer said. “She’s here for the best interests of the town of Hanson.”

Selectmen Joe Weeks said he did not feel he had enough information to make that decision and preferred to wait until after seeing how Green works Town Meeting on her own. Selectman Kenny Mitchell’s absence also concerned him, as Weeks felt the full board should be able to weigh in.

Selectman Jim Hickey said the issue is simple.

“All it does is take off the interim,” he said. “Her contract runs out next August anyway.”

Hickey noted that, if she misses Town Meeting for a training program, it’s because she wants to be a better town administrator.

Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff said that, while the move might be unprecedented for Hanson, it is not unprecedented for other communities.

“There are certainly many, many examples of interims that morph into a permanent without doing an exhaustive search because its like a probationary period,” she said. “You have the benefit of seeing people in action as opposed to on paper or how the interview. In that sense, it can be quite positive.”

She said that takes place routinely across the commonwealth.

Dyer also argued that former Town Planner Deb Pettey was hired the same way.

FitzGerald-Kemmett also noted that Green was among the top four applicants of an “exhaustive” search that yielded a hire that lasted 16 months.

Selectmen approved the change 3-0-1, with Weeks abstaining.

Whitman welcomes new police officers

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WHITMAN — The Whitman Police Department has officially welcomed two new members as officers.  Richard Belcher and Christopher Ezepik were sworn in by Town Clerk Dawn Varley on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

“In this time of ongoing reform in the police profession, our most recent addition of officers Belcher and Ezepik have been a blessing, as the number of people interested in this career has dropped dramatically,” Police Chief Timothy Hanlon said. “It’s encouraging to see that there are people who realize the difficult situations that police officers respond to, but who remain committed to facing the challenge.”

He said besides Belcher and Ezepik, there are “a few in the bullpen waiting for an opportunity to open in the ranks of reserve/intermittent officers as well as the auxiliary unit.

Hanlon described each officer’s background before they were sworn in, by turn.

Belcher is a long-time Whitman resident and a 2006 graduate of WHRHS. He received a certificate in criminal justice from Lincoln Technical Institute, Somerville in 2008 and was appointed as a reserve/intermittent officer in 2017 and appointed as a full-time officer in November 2020. Belcher recently graduated the Cape Cod Municipal Police Academy, completed training and has been assigned to a permanent shift.

Ezepik is also a Whitman resident and a 2007 graduate of Cardnial Spellman High School and received a bachelor of arts degree in 2011 from Stonehill College.

He was also appointed as a reserve/intermittent officer in 2017 while he was employed as a court officer at Taunton District Court. Ezepik was appointed as a full-time officer in March 2021 and graduated in the 70th officer recruit class at the Plymouth Police Academy on July 23, receiving the top academic award. He is currently undergoing field training while awaiting a permanent shift.

“I’m glad to see that you’re Whitman residents, I like that idea,” said Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci in welcoming the new officers on behalf of the board. “Congratulations, and the main thing is stay safe.”

Reflections on those lost

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WHITMAN — If Saturday morning’s American Legion 9/11 ceremony was about national unity and patriotism, the evening ceremony hosted by the town’s public safety departments was an occasion for more personal reflections on the meaning of the day.

After Whitman firefighters again unfurled their huge American flag, suspended from the ladder truck, in the setting sunlight, federal, state and local officials were joined by Fire Chief Timothy Clancy and Police Chief Timothy Hanlon in reflecting on Sept. 11, 2001 and beyond.

“This gathering is good for the soul,” said U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass. “It allows us to remember and appreciate the heroism and the sense of unity that tragedy sometimes brings.”

Selectmen Vice Chairman Daniel Salvucci placed 9/11 as one of the three news events in his life that personally affected him — along with the Feb. 3, 1959 plane crash that killed rock and roll singers Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and the Nov. 22, 1963 assassination of President Kennedy. He had been a fan of Buddy Holly and he had voted for the first time in 1960 and he could not understand why anyone would kill a president.

“My wife and I planned a vacation to Las Vegas … on Sept. 11, 2001,” Salvucci said. “The flight that took off before ours was the one that hit the second tower. A higher power was protecting my wife and I.”

They had briefly considered taking the earlier flight.

Lynch kicked off the program following W-H student Grace Morgan’s performance of the national anthem.

Lynch recalled his experience as a candidate on a primary ballot on Sept. 11, 2001 as he watched news coverage of the attacks and the selfless work done by police and fire personnel — and the passengers and crew of Flight 93.

“While there was much tragedy that day, I choose to remember the heroism,” he said. “When I first arrived in Congress, my swearing-in was delayed until Oct. 26, because following those attacks, there were antrax attacks on several of the [federal] buildings, including the U.S. Capitol.”

He recalled being assigned to the Oversight Committee, which was charged, among other work, to review the 9/11 attacks — work that required several trips to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I will never forget [that] during our investigation, we had to review the radio transmissions of the firefighters and police from inside the World Trade Center,” Lynch said. “WE were amazed, listening to those tapes, and reading the transcripts, because … we tracked the progress of those rescue teams … The last transmission from the New York Fire Department was from the 81st Floor of Tower 1.”

He said there is no doubt in his mind that fire personnel “knew that they were in great peril and that they would probably not come out alive.” He said such heroism is what first responders like those in Whitman sign up to potentially face every day.

“We should be thankful, and grateful, for the commitment they make to our families on a daily basis, because it is unpredictable what the demands of that job might require them to do,” Lynch said.

State Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington had a similar message, but began her talk with her experience as an eighth-grader whose friend lost their father on one of the planes flown into the World Trade Center.

“As a 13-year-old, I remember how our country came together,” she said. “We thanked our police officers for the services that they gave to our communities. We thanked our firefighters … Our flag was a sign of pride and unity.”

She said her hope, going forward is that we continue to do those random acts of kindness, encouraging people to buy a coffee or lunch for a veteran and thank them for their service and to thank police officers and firefighters for their service of protecting their community.

“We must teach our children, to learn their history so they don’t repeat the mistakes of the past,” State Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, said in thanking parents for bringing their children to the ceremony. “A house divided does not stand, so we should all work together …we all work together for the betterment of our community.”

It’s almost impossible to consider that the 9/11 attacks were 20 years ago, Selectman Randy LaMattina said, noting that he remembered exactly where he was that day.

“We join together to remember some extraordinary lives lost that day,” LaMattina said. “Tonight we honor the bravest — 343 New York City firefighters, 71 law enforcement officers, and countless other heroes, who on that day, met danger head-on and chose to selflessly put the safety and protection of others in front of their own. Their actions have not been forgotten.”

He also reflected on how, after that day people were more willing to compromise and worked together with pride in their nation and treated neighbors with more kindness.

“In the times that we face now, maybe that’s something else that should not be forgotten,” he said.

Town Administrator Lincoln Heneiman also spoke of the legacy of loss.

“The attack on Sept. 11 brought a sadness too deep to imagine, let alone name,” he said. “Furthermore, it happened on a day so bright that pilots actually have a name for it — it was a severe clear day. … A day that began with infinite visibility became a day of blinding grief. We shall never forget.”

Selectmen Justin Evans and Brian Bezanson also attended the event. Honor guards representing the VFW, Whitman Police and Fire departments also participated.

Hanlon thanked the residents and guests who attended and reflected on what could be learned from 9/11.

“Public safety encompasses many forms from the various departments,” he said. “We are your Whitman Police Department and we do much more than enforcing laws.”

He said police address many issues that have to do with the quality of life, like homelessness, unemployment and drug addiction.

“Agencies come together to achieve greater access to one or more of these resources to get people back on their feet,” in addition to the work they do that can put them in harms way as they protect citizens.

Clancy concluded the program by thanking the dozens of residents who attended to remember the defining moment in history that was 9/11 and the rallying phrase: Never forget.

“I can safely say we have not forgotten and we shall never, ever forget that day,” he said.

Rev. Joshua Gray, also a Whitman firefighter/paramedic offered the benediction, and Rev. Christy Coburn offered a closing prayer. Two moments of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in New York City, the Pentagon and over Shanksville, Pa.

School graffiti probed

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Staff report

HANSON — Whitman-Hanson Regional School District Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak and Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch report that racist graffiti was found outside the Indian Head Elementary School this week.

During an open house event on Tuesday, Aug. 31, a parent noticed the graffiti on a light pole outside the school. The parent then reported it to a police officer on detail.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional School District and Hanson Police are actively investigating the situation.

“We take this situation very seriously and want the community to know that what was found at the school this week in no way reflects the values and principles of our schools or the community as a whole,” Szymaniak said. “We strive to make the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District an open and inclusive place for all, and if any student, parent or community member would like to discuss this or any other issue with us we encourage them to reach out to us immediately.”

Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch described the graffiti as writing, “either done with a marker or a greasy finger” on  pole on school grounds.

The department has reviewed the past 30 days of video surveillance footage from security cameras, saying it may have been done before that.

“This incident is uncommon in Hanson, and does not reflect this community,” Miksch said. “Whoever is responsible, will be held accountable for this. We urge anyone with information to contact the Hanson Police.”

Anyone with information on this incident may contact Hanson Police at 781-293-4625.

Residents raise their concerns

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HANSON — Residents voiced concerns ranging from water problems — including potential pollutants from nearby landfill— to traffic density and parking at the Tuesday, Aug. 31 public hearing at the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Resident Timothy Qualter, of 528 Spring St., said during the public question and comment section of the meeting that, while many of his questions had already been addressed at the meeting, he brought up two failed perk tests on the property in the past.

He alleged that Webby Engineering took a depth of five extra feet of soil to test, before deciding the land was buildable.

“What it does not encompass is our backyards and houses,” Qualter said, noting that he has a vernal pond at his house in the spring. A neighbor has knee-deep water on his property after a heavy rain and yet another resident near by has to keep a sump pump running continuously to keep up with water.

“This is in a flood area,” he said. “We have an ongoing water problem now and a septic system is going to go in there? What’s going to come out of that? … It’s going to be in our basements.”

Water in basements is one of the biggest concerns for abutters, he said.

ZBA Chairman Kevin Perkins asked when the perk tests failed and Qualter replied  that it had been in the 1990s. Perkins pointed to Title V septic regulations, which went into effect in 1995, but Qualter countered that the added weight of more soil added to the site during prep work countered the effects of Title V.

Qualter also pointed to contaminants such as boric acid and other carcinogenics, were originally found in test wells going back to 1993 and asked what more recent test date showed. He said his wife and several other Spring Street residents have battled cancer for which they blame the groundwater contamination.

“I really think there’s something in this area that has to be addressed that’s not being addressed,” Qualter said.

“I think a lot of what you said is speculative,” Perkins said, drawing Qualter’s ire as he demanded to know why the cancer connection he sees is speculative.

“This board has done its due diligence and gotten information from local engineers, local people, about both of your concerns,” Perkins said, responding to Qualter saying he’s lived on the street since 1974. “If that is your concern, why do you still live there?”

“I think that’s a very rude thing to say,” another member of the audience interjected to the loud agreement of several members of the audience.

Perkins gaveled for order, saying the meeting could be ended if order was not restored, and asking engineers to comment about groundwater contamination and water table issues.

Water mottling, how it stains the soil at high points was not taken into consideration in the 1970s, when perk tests were done for houses of that era, Cushing Trails attorney Michael O’Shaughnessy said.

Another area resident said his house has the same water problems as Qualter, and also pointed to the five feet of soil added to the development site as the cause of excess water being forced out of the ground into basements.

“I lost my washing machine, my dryer, two freezers — whose going to pay for that? Who’s going to buy my house?” the man asked. “The town?”

Qualter has asked for a current evaluation of any contaminants in the area and why the lowest part, subject to flooding, has been selected for a leaching field.

Consultant Bill Kenny of River Hawk Environmental said the DEP has a couple locations included on the post-closure landfill monitoring close to the project area.

“The results of monitoring those didn’t reveal boric acid,” he said. “They’re monitoring for volitile organic compounds, a variety of metals, sodium, nitrates, cyanide sulfide, chloride [among others] and nothing was outside of acceptable limits for the DEP in those southern-most landfill areas.”

There were higher numbers in the more northern area.

Joe Pignola, of the Mass. Housing Partnership, was asked if it would be overstepping to ask for more soil and groundwater samples from the landfill area that abuts the Cushing Trails project.

“The most I would advise the board would be to engage an environmental engineer of equal qualifications [to those who have already conducted those tests] to verify what needs verifying,” Pigola said. He said banks financing the project would likely also require such tests.

Town Counsel Jay Talerman said he had not seen the study already conducted, and echoed Pignola’s statement that additional peer review studies would be done during the process.

“We would not duplicate what DEP would do, but we do have the essential obligation to review issues that could affect public health and safety,” he said.

Christopher Costello, of 446 Spring St., asked if there was a buildable buffer zone beyond which construction is not permitted near a landfill. He asked if the results of site tests could be published to better inform the public.

The DEP has determined no setback applies in this case, O’Shaughnessy said.

Another resident asked if the number of permitted residents per unit had been calculated. Perkins said septic regulations are calculated based on bedroom numbers and the septic regulations will be designed based on 88 bedrooms.

The woman asked how the number of tenants would be policed.

“We can’t speculate that someone is going to have 16 kids living in a two-bedroom house,” Perkins said to the woman’s concern.

Locating extra parking at the development’s entrance, and the noise that could come with it, was another concern by area residents.

“That just made sense as far as the site layout goes,” O’Shaughnessy said, noting the added spots were at the request of the ZBA. “We looked at other spots and we just didn’t think it was conducive to add other spots throughout the site that would work.”

Parking relocations will be re-examined, however.

Another resident was concerned about whether the private road/driveway of the development is wide enough at 20 feet of driving surface, for emergency access and snow removal. Perkins said the fire department had not expressed a concern, but the driveway issue would be reviewed. Perkins also said fire officials had said street names were a concern because of the similarity to other streets in towns. Street names are being reconsidered.

Christine Cohen 493 Spring St., said the traffic study was done during COVID and asked if another study would be done. Perkins said he understands her concerns and noted peer reviews have been done, and said the issue would be reviewed again.

The ZBA supported doing another peer review of the environmental study in light of residents’ concerns.

Peer reviews of studies outlined

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HANSON — The Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, Aug. 31 continued it’s public hearing on the Cushing Trails LLC application for a 44-unit comprehensive Chapter 40B permit off Spring Street.

With a year-end deadline to complete this phase of the process, the board voted to continue the hearing to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9.

The hearing, broadcast as a self-service production submitted to Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV for playback on the Hanson government access channel and WHCA’s YouTube channel, was held in the Selectmen’s meeting room at Town Hall.

“There’s numerous topics that we discussed last hearing, traffic, sidewalks, landscaping, septic systems, culverts, parking, environmental concerns and water,” Cushing Trails attorney Michael O’Shaughnessy said. “I believe we’ve presented to the board information on all these points and I think we’ll be able to satisfactorily address all these comments tonight.”

Joe Pignola, attending through a grant to the town of Hanson from the Mass. Housing Partnership, said his role was as an adviser to the board. “My role is to assist … and help you stay within the lines,” Pignola said. He has been an engineer for 30 years who has served on a ZBA as well as a project engineer for nonprofits as well as privately-owned projects. He has worked on 40B projects for 20 years.

“There’s a presumption that the need for affordable housing outweighs local concerns,” Pignola said. “You start with that presumption.”

Local concerns, he indicated are local bylaws, but Pignola said the ZBA must process the data and listen to concerns and understand what’s going on in the community, watching for issues that overcome the need for local concerns to prevail.

He explained that the applicants must demonstrate there are requirements for project eligibility, site control — they have a purchase and sale agreement — and they must commit to control profits and be monitored in doing so.

Pignola said input from the Board of Health would be advised because of the proximity to groundwater, and that there have been concerns voiced about the nearby landfill, as well.

Overall, at the second meeting stage, Pignola said the process for Cushing Trails is ahead of schedule because they had a peer review done right away.

“It all starts with engaging your other boards and your staff to help you in this complex process,” he said. With a window of 180 days from opening the hearing process to competition, he said the ZBA is looking at the end of the year as a deadline, with an extra 40 days after the hearing closes in which to render a decision. Both processes can be extended on request.

A denial or conditioned approval the applicant does not like, gives them recourse to appeal to housing appeals court, which would decide if a conditioned approval was uneconomic.

Town Counsel Jay Talerman added that while peer reviews identify technical issues that require changes, after that it’s not all technical.

“The next part of it … you get to review what is good for the neighborhood,” Talerman said. “Is density causing an issue that reflects or causes issues that are negative for the neighborhood? … things that cost the developers money.”

Developers then can negotiate with the town to address those issues.

“I’m not saying that discussion will happen here, but when we’re done with all the technical stuff, that is the discussion,” Talerman said. “Nothing in this project jumps out as being so egregious as to warrant a denial, but as an attorney … I’m not here to tell you [that] you shouldn’t say no, I’m here to tell you what the risks and benefits of saying no are. It’s your town.”

While Pignola said the aim is to identify issues that would impact or stop the project, he said nothing he has seen so far that is in that mind-set. Every 40B is more dense than local zoning typically permit, he said, making it necessary to answer whether that density is too much for local infrastructure, including Title V septic regulations.

“The bottom line is, I’m here to help you,” he said. “The applicant wants a good project, the neighbors want a good project, and that should be everybody’s goal.”

A project engineer, landscape architect and an environmental consultant also appeared with O’Shaughnessy to speak about the project. They had worked with the applicant on a 350-page report addressing the concerns of people who live in the area, O’Shaughnessy said.

Civil Engineer Joseph Webby said a guardrail has been added to the plan and a vinyl fence has been relocated and the entire site has been wrapped with a 18-inch silt sock to protect groundwater in the area. No parking signs have also been added to ease traffic flow in the area and assist fire apparatus in accessing the development, if necessary. Post-development calculations have also been revised on utilities and storm water engineering, Webby said.

“We’ve had some incomplete details on a drainage basin,” that’s been completed,” Webby said. More frequent mowing of drainage basins has also been added to the maintenance plan.

Perkins asked what material the guardrail would be made of, which Webby answered that a wood guardrail would be made of pressure-treated material.

“I was just envisioning a metal guardrail [like on] the side of I-93,” Perkins said. He also indicated he would expect the entrance of the property be closed off with the 18-inch silt sock at the end of each work day, which Webby confirmed.

Sidewalks would be separated from the roadway by concrete curbing and a four-foot grass strip, O’Shaughnessy said. Visitor parking has also been added to the front of the site and the houses were pushed back on the site plan as much as possible to add an additional parking space at each unit as well as a garage.

“We tried to pull them away from the property line as well,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Evergreen and deciduous trees have been added to the landscape plan to separate the development from the street and other properties and a walking trail has been added around the property. The condominium association would have responsibility for maintaining the landscape of the common areas.

Bill Kenny of River Hawk Environmental reported on citizen concerns about wells located on the Rockland side of the property, including what he described as an important hydro-geological factor — that water at the site flows toward north, away from the site.

Kenny said the DEP tracks, according to state landscaping regulations, the site number it assigns to each project area after a comprehensive assessment to determine where waste and other issues are located in relation to the nearby landfill, followed by the owner’s long-term maintenance and monitoring plan, this case by B Street Landfill run be CDM Smith of Cambridge.

He said groundwater monitoring reports that water quality and flow standard concerns are “not really relevant” because of the northward flow of water [26:00 to 31:00].

“It is my opinion that this development won’t impact anything associated with the landfill,” Kenny said. He added that a swale should carry water away from the property.

One area resident said the report on drainage addressed his biggest concerns about the project — drainage and sidewalks.

“With the latest that they’ve submitted, they’ve shown there won’t be any increase in the rate for volume runoff off site … not at the existing conditions now,” he said of drainage, which had been his biggest concern.

A traffic expert who conducted a peer review of the initial traffic study for the project said, the conservative side the study of the site was satisfactory or above average. He did endorse that some pruning should be done at the site entrance.

“I don’t think you’re wrong moving forward without doing anything down there,” he said.

O’Shaughnessy echoed his contention that, with 61 percent of traffic headed north and about 39 percent headed to the south at the Route 58/Spring Street intersection, during the morning the development would add 13 vehicles and 16 in the evening. The review concluded, according to O’Shaughnessy that it would “not result in a material increase in motorist delays or vehicle queuing.”

Whitman vaccine protocols reviewed

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WHITMAN — Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman updated Selectmen on the effects of the Delta variant in the town, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, opening a discussion on whether mandatory vaccinations should be required of town employees.

Over the last 14 days an uptick in cases brought the positivity rate from 3.42 percent to above 4.79 percent — the first time since May the positivity rate has been over 4 percent, he reported. But the rate of vaccinations has also risen about 1 percent.

“We have certainly been seeing the impact, probably, of the Delta variant,” Heineman said. “On the positive side of things … we have had a little bit of an uptick from Aug. 24 to 31in the percent of those living in Whitman age 12 and above who are eligible to be vaccinated, who have decided to be vaccine.”

The increase is about 1 percent overall, but is higher in the age 12 to 15 age group.

The town has been following the advice of the state and local  boards of health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) throughout the pandemic, Heineman said. The Whitman Board of Health has not met since Selectmen met last, but Heineman said the towns health inspector is keeping a close eye the situation, as well.

“It seems clear to me that both for public and private employers … its beginning to come to some sort of point where there’s an increasing number of employers who are requiring vaccination for their employees,” he said. “The Commonwealth has decided to implement that [mandate] for it’s employees, certainly the U.S. military and some municipalities. … I think that’s something for the board to consider,” he said.

Exceptions have been made in some locations for those with religious objections or medical issues that would be compromised by the vaccine.

While the Board of Health doesn’t require it, Heineman said it should be kept in mind.

“I think the maximum number of folks who are able to be vaccinated … seems to me that’s the way out of this pandemic,” he said.

“My feeling is we’ve been following the advice of the Board of Health and it seems to be working for the town,” said Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski.

Selectman Brian Bezanson asked if there was a way to sense how many town employees have been vaccinated. Heineman said that, so far, it seems to be the subject of medical privacy.

“Anecdotally, a majority of employees are vaccinated,” Heineman said. “To give you an exact number, the only way would to be ask each and every employee if they are vaccinated.”

Bezanson said he was only concerned that, if a majority are vaccinated already, the town might be going down a road they don’t necessarily want to go down.

Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said the department has 47 houses under quarantine for COVID right now, with 55 positive cases.

“We don’t know if there’s anybody out there that hasn’t been tested,” Clancy said, citing the increased availability of tests and vaccines. “I have neighbors that won’t show up on that data sheet even though they have been vaccinated, because they’ve been vaccinated in Florida.”

Selectman Justin Evans, who is required to be vaccinated as a state employee, said a mandate should not be taken off the table as a possibility.

“I don’t consider it a burden, although I know some coworkers who are considering whether this is the end of their time with the state,” he said. “I don’t want to force anyone’s hand there, particularly in the town, but I’d like to pursue any opportunity to try to push this vaccination rate higher.”

Heineman reported that the FDA is expected to approve the Moderna vaccine soon. That is the vaccine the Department gave to residents to begin with.

Clancy said he is somewhat concerned with the specifics of the booster. Originally, it was to be just another shot, but now there is discussion about it being a percentage of the original Moderna dose. He is researching it further.

“We are moving forward,” he said. “We have a site selected and training. …As soon as we get the FDA’s OK, we will move forward.”

Selectmen also received an update from consultant Ann Donner on the town’s strategic plan as she reviewed the process via a PowerPoint presentation.

“It’s an activity that really sets high-level priorities, and an alignment of all departments throughout an organization throughout the town,” she said of the plan. “It’s about long-term planning. What it isn’t, is telling people how to do their jobs.”

The plan development is being done in three phases, the first fact-gathering phase now wrapping up, is the most time-consuming, phase two will be an October strategic planning retreat — open to the public — and the final phase, in November and December will be drafting a plan to review with stakeholders in an exercise session.

The process also identifies other things happening around the town that affects how business is done, such as COVID-19.

Phase 1 also focuses on the key areas on which the town will concentrate and the way every department fulfills its role.

“How do we know when we’re advancing the ball up the field — how we’re identifying progress in the short, medium and long-term,” she said. “Everything fits somewhere within the plan.”

The School Committee has also recently developed a strategic plan for the district.

Donner and Heineman have invited Whitman members of the School Committee to the retreat.

The retreat is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 9 or 23.

Selectman Randy LaMattina asked if the retreat could be conducted by Zoom, if a public health problem arises as a backup plan.

“My fear is something happens and this process comes to a stall again,” he said.