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Budget talks begin

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Whitman and Hanson town administrators will meet with school district Business Services Director Christine Suckow over the summer to examine the numbers and create a document outlining revenue — and expenses for all departments and capital improvement needs — as they begin work on a comprehensive budget approach for next fiscal year.

Another meeting will be scheduled when that process is concluded, most likely before Sept. 11, as Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam urged a realistic fiscal outlook be ready by September.

Former W-H School Committee Chairman Wilbur Danner of Hanson had suggested appointing subcommittees to examine the “actual cost of the schools or the departments” and bring that information back for discussion.

“We can sit here and talk forever about what we need. We need something tangible … then work together to try and reach that goal,” agreed School Committee member Robert Trotta.

More than two dozen town and school district officials, School Committee members and concerned residents from both communities met Monday, June 12, conducting a wide-ranging discussion to begin the process of determining how to best coordinate town and school budgets to meet ongoing fiscal challenges.

“This is not a School Committee meeting,” said Chairman Bob Hayes, who facilitated the session Monday night. “This is a meeting of people in town and town officials. … [We’re trying] to be objective to try and settle some of this budget stuff, and it’s not just school budgets — the towns are having the same issues.”

The greatest need is one of more revenue to fund all town budgets, officials said.

“We’re trying to figure out how, collectively, how to move forward,” Hayes said. “For years people have urged us to start early to see what we could do. Now we’re off and running.”

He stressed the group is in no way trying to circumvent boards of selectmen, but rather seeks to come up with ideas for addressing financial challenges facing both communities.

State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, attended and state Rep. Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman was represented by staff member David Walsh.

“You’re not alone,” Cutler said. “Every town is facing these kind of challenges. … At the state level, we’re having the same sort of issues with revenue, our revenues are not meeting their benchmarks.”

New state revenue sources are being considered, such as an Airbnb tax or a surtax on the state income tax, as well as the revenue from now-legal recreational marijuana, once governing legislation is complete, he said. Absent major changes such as those, Cutler doesn’t expect to see Chapter 70 increases for the next three years or so.

“I think we should be suing the state,” School Committee member Fred Small said about cuts to such mandated reimbursement programs.

Hanson Selectmen Chairman James McGahan and Whitman Selectmen Chairman Carl Kowalski also attended along with Whitman Finance Committee member Shawn Kain and Michael Dugan of the Hanson Finance Committee.

“We’re coming down to two basic principals,” Dugan said. “Where’s the revenue coming from and what are the expenses we need to support. … Poor choice of words, but where the biggest fires are going to be.”

Schools represent about 33 percent of Hanson’s budget and 65 percent of Whitman’s. Student population also has an affect on those percentages.

Kain urged a greater level of transparency in the budgeting and financial planning process, with a long-term approach.

“If we’re going to ask people to sacrifice, it’s very important that we demonstrate to people how we’re sacrificing in all departments,” Kain said.

Lynam said gross estimates from the towns and the schools by August or September would help identify what the towns can expect for the next fiscal year’s budgets.

“The bigger picture is our ability to identify our resources, your needs and put them together to figure out how to meet them,” Lynam said. “The elephant in the room is how much of that budget has to be allocated to education. … What I would like to see from the schools is earlier estimates.”

Whitman resident Christopher George asked why firefighters and police personnel did not face the same layoffs as teachers during recent tight budget years.

“The only department that lost employees was the schools,” he said. “Every other town around us has figured out they need more revenue. … In the absence of more revenue, the other departments have, essentially, kept level service and at some point that’s got to give.”

Lynam said finding the revenue was the only viable solution.

“We’re not going to cut fire,” he said. “We’re not going to have people waiting for an ambulance for 13 minutes because only one shift’s on. You’re not going to cut police with everything that’s going on.”

He said there are three departments that deliver a “huge percentage of essential services” — the schools, police and fire department — along with public works.

“The rest of us are overhead,” Lynam said. “But without that overhead, nothing else gets done.”

Practically speaking, George said he is talking about an operational override that could result in cuts across the board to all departments if it failed.

“This group is talking more of getting together to see how we’re going to expand revenue, not how we’re going to kill each other,” Hayes said.

Whitman resident Marshall Ottina also urged that public safety officials be included in the meetings to help ensure the financial plan is comprehensive, representing all town departments.

“Department-wise [approach] tends to pit one against the other, and we don’t want to do that anymore because nobody wins,” agreed Whitman-Hanson Education Association Vice President Beth Stafford. “If we present a united front and present one thing ‘for the town’ … I think that’s really important.”

School Committee member Dan Cullity noted that the overall budget problem started in 2008 when the state reduced its Chapter 70 reimbursement from about 70 percent to about 50 percent. The state has also informed the district that the towns must increase funding closer to the expected target share.

Grants that have been depended on to fill the void and support needed programs are also beginning to run out, which present another budget challenge.

McGahan asked about the possibility of hiring a professional grant-writer, perhaps one paid on the basis of the successful applications they write.

“Grants are called soft money,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner. “They’re going to be here for a period of time and then they’re gone, so in terms of sustainability that’s a concern.”

The district often has to partner with other districts or educational collaboratives that better qualify with demographic profiles in obtaining grants.

School Committee member Alexandra Taylor asked about the likelihood of attracting more commercial development to benefit the tax base.

“From a practical standpoint, the only way to generate that revenue is to move Whitman and Hanson to a highway,” Lynam said. “We’re too far off the road to attract large businesses.”

While Whitman does well with small business, revenue raising is limited to taxes and fees, he said.

Elimination or charging fees for non-mandated busing of school children was also questioned as a possible revenue source by a parent. But Lynam argued families with two working parents often depend on that transportation for their children.

“That’s a voters’ decision,” he said.

Gilbert-Whitner also noted the district is required by law to provide transportation for any student who lives two miles or more from a school, and is reimbursed for transporting students within a mile and a half.

Whitman resident Cheryl George pointed to surrounding towns’ success in passing operational overrides to support all departments. But others pointed out, Whitman-Hanson’s regional school district, and the commercial tax base of those surrounding towns, makes the process more difficult.

Gas main ruptured: No injuries reported as repairs made

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WHITMAN — A mushroom-like plume of brown debris was seen drifting over homes on Hogg Memorial Drive in Whitman around 8:20 a.m. on Thursday, June 1 after workers in the street hit a gas main while replacing water pipes — an ongoing project in the neighborhood, according to Fire Chief Timothy Grenno.

A Whitman officer on a detail at the scene reported the initial gas break alerting officials to the incident. The area was shut down to traffic and residents in approximately 15 homes on the street, out of an abundance of caution, were evacuated. There were six people combined and the Whitman Middle School on Corthell Avenue was used as a brief place of shelter for those closest to the accident zone, Grenno stated in a press release.

National Grid was on scene later around 9:30 a.m. and began to repair the pipe. Later in the day a Clean Harbor crew was preparing to sanitize the area after 5 p.m. A worker said he was unable to comment on what was being cleaned or tested and referred the Express reporter to National Grid for comments.

The initial incident was startling to neighbors who said they did not hear anything just voices and shouting following the incident as the crew realized they hit the gas main.

Jennifer Grady, who lives at 201 Hogg Memorial Drive where the digging was occurring and quickly realized there was something serious as she saw brown smoke covering her windows. She exited her home and later was directed to leave the area for safety reasons.

Two homes closest to the scene were covered in brown and reddish dirt and rust. There were no reported injuries.  Residents were able to return home at about 10:20 a.m. according to Grenno.

“When you have a leak of that size, it clears all the rust and dirt out of the line, because of this, a brown gas cloud covered the south and west end of town and began blowing into the center of town,” Grenno said.

Whitman is at the end of the National Grid line in a highly pressurized area.  Firefighters secured the scene and set up hoses to protect nearby structures, anticipating possible ignition of the gas, he said.

EMS was also on scene to assist a male resident on the street who was unable to exit his home due to his medical status and sheltered in place at his residence.

Whitman Police assisted on scene and were instrumental in evacuating homes. The East Bridgewater Fire Department provided station coverage for Whitman and responded to several emergencies in town.

Whitman Fire Rescue cleared the scene around 11:30 a.m. National Grid was on-site completing repairs, and Hogg Memorial Drive was closed until all crews cleared.

“We’re thankful that no one was hurt and we appreciate residents’ cooperation and patience during this incident,” said Chief Grenno  “At no time was anyone in serious danger.”

W-H Cheers Class of 2017

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Amid glances back on the past four years and glimpses of future goals, the 272 members of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Class of 2017 graduated Friday, June 2 with tears, cheers and laughter.

“As we leave here today, remember that we have all been blessed with enormous opportunities, and it is our responsibility to take each door that is opened to us and use it to make a contribution,” said Valedictorian Olivia Morse. “With the strife and conflict that is plaguing the world today, our courage, compassion, and determination is needed now more than ever.”

It was a night to celebrate great academic and extra-curricular achievement, but Principal Jeffrey Szymaniak also recognized graduates who had more pressing challenges to overcome on their way to a diploma.

Honor Society graduates, 12 military-bound seniors, band, chorus and show choir members, 81 Adams Scholarship winners, athletics participants and sportsmanship award winners, championship teams, Superfans, academic competition award winners, art students who participated in the Memory Project for orphan paintings and various art competitions, Mock Trial competition participants and seniors who have worked to support fundraisers for several local nonprofits were among the students recognized by Szymaniak for a round of applause from the audience.

“Today is about academic achievement,” Szymaniak said. “However, there’s some of you … that should be commended for actions that aren’t on any traditional awards list.”

He referred to “The Missing Awards List,” which he ran across on a blog that recognized students “brave enough to come to school the day after a bad day.”

“I wish I could give an award for those sitting here who did homework and studied while juggling a job, had to take care of siblings or a sick family member, to help pay the bills,” he quoted. “I wish I could give an award to those of you who cope with surgeries, allergies, medications, conditions, tests, procedures, doctors appointments, measured diets … as part of your normal.”

He also saluted the parents who take care of the students who don’t get the awards, applauding the award-winners while thinking “my kid, too.”

Student speakers also saluted the hard work all their classmates have done toward this day.

“Whether you believe it or not, each and every one of you seniors out there has become more mature and grown tremendously, not just in your education, but as a person over these four short years at Whitman- Hanson,” agreed Class President Lily Spicer in her welcoming remarks. “We’re not freshmen anymore and soon we won’t even be seniors. Together it is time to say goodbye. Enjoy this summer and within the next few months, we will all begin a new and exciting chapter of our lives.”

“Our time here has emphasized that life isn’t meant to be easy, and that the greatest things we could ever hope for arrive only with work and determination,” Salutatorian Emily Cook said. “Dreams and aspirations are what motivate us to act, to pursue success; but never let your dreams remain just that – figments and reminders of what could have been.”

Graduation night awards [below] were presented to: Emily Cook, Zara Rabinovitz, Madison Jolliemore, Emily Gonzalez, Michael Gorman, Jessica Gaudreau, Devyn Smith, Patrick Brown, Owen Lydon, Taylor McVeigh, Luke Tamulevich, Morse, Robert Caliri, Hannah MacDonald, Mikayla White and Spicer.

“Each graduating class is unique in its accomplishments,” School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said. “Since their arrival as freshmen in 2013, they have participated in academic and athletic programs in a building that supports 21st-Century teaching and learning. … Now it’s up to the graduates to shape their future and, as you just heard, they have a future and it’s a great one.”

Hayes said the class has the keys to their own future success, but offered some advice.

“Confront challenges,” he said. “Learn to use your time wisely. Put down that cell phone and socialize with your friends and family. Look to the future with hope, embrace the world we live in and leave it better that you found it.”

Both Hayes and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner encouraged the graduates to return often to touch base with the school because they will always be W-H Panthers.

“This is the best day ever,” Gilbert-Whitner said, quoting her grand daughter’s approach to life. “You’re just the best ever and it’s just so exciting to be here and feel the energy here this evening.”

In her prepared remarks, Gilbert-Whitner reflected on the meaning of success.

“Now, at this very moment in time, each one of you is a success, having completed all of the requirements to attain a high school diploma,” she said. “In earning your diploma this evening, you have accomplished a tremendous amount from the beginning of your public school journey in kindergarten to the stage this evening.”

She also quoted the poem “Success,” attributed to both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Bessie Anderson Stanley:

“To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

Senior Sophie O’Brien, the class speaker, noted the obstacles that had to be overcome on the way to successfully completing high school.

“And along the way, many of us can agree in saying we got lost, or in other words, felt like we got defeated, or that we just wanted to give up,” she said. “But clearly, we got out of bed, and we didn’t let those late nights, bad grades, or tough losses, stop us because look where we are. We have made it to the biggest stage of our lives so far and made the journey worthwhile.”

Planning for PCH future

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HANSON — Members of the Final Plymouth County Hospital Site Committee met on-site with a land development consultant Friday, June 2 to discuss possible recreational use of the land. The 8:30 a.m. meeting touched on what LLD Collaborative Principal Michael D. Farias called a master plan for recreational uses.

Farias’ Fall River collaborative will present its suggestions to the town through Town Administrator Michael McCue.

“You let us know what you’re trying to accomplish, and exactly where you’re looking at,” Farias said.

Parcel 1, the former hospital site where the committee is looking toward open space and passive recreational use is likely to be his main focus as well as Parcel 2, the U-shaped property around the hospital. Parcel 3 is conservation land.

Farias asked if there has been “any type of public process” such as brainstorming what residents want on a wish list for the site. Selectman Don Howard, who chairs the PCH panel, said that has no happened yet, but fellow Committee member Marianne DiMascio said surveys have indicated some ideas, but a proposal should come first.

“Before we could do anything, he had to get rid of the hospital,” Howard said. “Now that we’ve got it down, things are going to open up a lot more.”

“This has been going on for a long time, so we have some sense of what we’d like to see,” DiMascio said.

Don Ellis indicated the committee is looking for a schematic as to what can go where and how it should look, so McCue can take it from there.

Farias said his design approach is to take photos during the site visit for an analysis of what might work best as uses for the property, based on the geography, topography and vegetation that exists.

“That gives us the dos and don’ts so when we go public to do kind of the brain-storming and the wish lists … and go right into a couple schematic designs — 180 degrees in one direction and 180 degrees in another,” Farias said. “Then what we do is a preferred concept of a master plan. It takes the best of all the ideas and puts them together into one particular plan and that becomes the focal point of what you’re going to build on.”

He encouraged the committee to include the concepts it most wants in the plan as five of 10-year proposals that can be competed as funds become available or to revise as needs change.

“It sounds like you are saying ‘think in terms of phases’ because waving a wand is unlikely to be possible or not even a good idea,” said Committee Clerk Phil Clemons.

Farias said that was exactly right, comparing it to building a home. The frame is more important to get right, while specifics such as granite countertops may be added later.

Committee members indicated that playing fields should be part of the plan, even though there are some in town. McCue and Howard said a mixed-use park in Hanover may be the pattern they look to, as multi-use fields are important as sports such as lacrosse grow in popularity. Clemons, meanwhile, pointed to the need for a facility active elder residents may use without worrying that access would be restricted by school hours.

“There needs to be some general informal recreational space,” he said.

Farias said all parks now are designed with accessibility for all abilities and age groups in mind. Maintenance costs or seasonal limitations for park use should also be considered, he cautioned.

“You can always find the money somehow, some way to build something, but it’s the residual costs associated with maintenance,” Farias said.

Clemons said the committee is also strongly considering a solar field as one use of a portion of the property, most likely on the former hospital site.

Another proposal at the property is to eventually move Schoolhouse No. 4 from Main Street to an area near the Bonney House, which sits to the front of the PCH site, as a village green type of area with an historical component, according to Clemons and Ellis.

“I want to see that as being a very nice complement to the park-type space — a place for people to meet and do things and learn,” Clemons said.

Ellis said a farmer’s market area adjacent to the food pantry and community garden is also being considered.

Loss of spaces?: Benton looks to improve safety in crosswalks

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WHITMAN — Selectmen, at the behest of Police Chief Scott Benton, are considering a reduction of the number of parking spaces permitted on South Avenue in front of Town Hall to improve pedestrian visibility and safety in crosswalks.

Old Colony Planning Council will be asked to conduct a study on the feasibility of such a move — as well as a reduction of the speed limit in that area to 20 miles per hour.

“We can go to 20, but there’s a petition process,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said, noting the statutory speed limit is 25 there. Lynam and Selectman Dan Salvucci said the OCPC can work rather quickly on the issue.

“There’s going to have to be some periodic enforcement, too,” Lynam said.

Benton provided a packet of eight photos illustrating the parking spaces and street traffic in front of Town Hall, as well as a copy of the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices, to illustrate his points. The photos demonstrate the lack of room for safely opening car doors and visibility problems when pedestrians emerge in the crosswalk from between cars to cross the street.

“I have people come in all the time complaining they almost got killed in this crosswalk out here,” Benton said. “Are we going to count bodies before we say, ‘Well, maybe we ought to take a look at this’?”

Selectman Brian Bezanson said 15 years of holding political signs in the Venus parking lot on election days has demonstrated to him the need to address the problem.

“You get to see a lot of things, and I can tell you that people go way too fast in front of this building,” Bezanson said. “It’s outrageous. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen one of your officers practically jump out of their shoes to get cars to slow down and stop and not hit pedestrians.”

He said the town is between a rock and a hard place, losing parking spots that are like gold to save somebody’s life. A lack of curb cuts for handicapped access to crosswalks is also a dangerous problem, Bezanson said, advocating a close look at the whole picture of safety in the area. Salvuci said the OCPC would require the curb cuts, which Lynam said should be done in any case.

“There’s a reason to do it for the traffic itself, but, certainly for the pedestrians, the biggest problem I see is visibility,” Benton said of the parking space changes. “They’re not visible.”

The federal guidelines place a minimum of 20 feet from a crosswalk to a parking space, with a recommendation of 30 feet or more. Benton said there are about three spaces in that stretch of roadway that are not 20 feet from the crosswalk. At least three parking spaces would be eliminated with the 20-foot guideline, six would be cut with a 30-foot guidelines.

“What we have here, too, a lot of the time is a lot of ‘almosts,’” Benton said. “Somebody goes to open their door without looking, and the door’s going South except for a motorist’s reaction or their person [opening the door] catches themselves.”

The situation also creates a problem of insufficient travel space for traffic in both directions when a westbound vehicle moves toward the center to provide room for opening car doors.

It presents a problem for crosswalks at Central and Davis streets as well as in front of the post office.

According to Benton, courts have held that, if a driver doesn’t have time to see an obstruction and avoid it, they are not responsible for a collision. A left turn out of Davis toward the east end of town, requires cars to make a wide turn — almost into the left lane — to get around cars parked in the corner space, he added.

Large trucks and emergency vehicles are also faced with the challenge of getting past parked cars.

Benton said that removing parking spaces and reconfiguring traffic flow past the 418 block of South Avenue near Raynor Avenue has reduced the number of accidents in that area. Selectmen Chairman Carl Kowalski, however, said the new traffic pattern there makes it difficult to see westbound traffic coming from the intersection of Pleasant and Franklin streets with South Avenue.

“It’s amazing how a line of cars, with almost no space between them, comes through that [four-way] stop sign,” Kowalski said. “Something has to be done with that.”

Benton said the problem with past accidents there was due more to visibility restrictions from traffic emerging from Raynor Avenue because of parked cars along the 418 block.

Kowalski said parking near Town Hall is also important for elders, especially as the back parking lot is often filled with employee vehicles.

Selectmen Scott Lambiase and Randy LaMattina suggested the municipal lot behind Dunkin’ Donuts is available, and perhaps signage is needed to alert people of its presence.

Hoax bomb threat forces Rt. 18 closure

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WHITMAN — Early morning traffic was snarled in Whitman Tuesday as traffic was re-routed to avoid a section of Bedford Street (Route 18) during an investigation of a bomb threat — determined to be a hoax.

In a joint press release Whitman Police and Fire departments stated they investigated a report of a bomb threat at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, May 30,  which was later determined to be a hoax similar to one in another state.

Officials made the decision to close Bedford Street during the investigation out of an abundance of caution, the chiefs said. The business, an insurance office, and surrounding businesses, including a fast food restaurant, were evacuated for a short time.

Police Chief Scott Benton and Fire Chief Timothy J. Grenno both responded to the scene. The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad responded and conducted a search that discredited the threat.

“While we regret the inconvenience this incident may have caused, we hope that citizens and motorists understand that these precautions can sometimes be necessary,” Benton said. “These cases require the utmost caution, because being wrong even once can result in dire consequences.”

The Whitman threat was reportedly received by a business owner via fax. Police stated the hoax was nearly identical to another reported incident in London, Ky., at a newspaper printing company. In both messages, the owner was instructed to wire $25,000 to a Brazilian national in Chicago. Whitman Police warn business owners that these faxes are hoaxes, and any money wired to anonymous individuals will be lost forever and cannot be recovered.

During the investigation, Whitman Police and Fire were assisted at the scene by Abington and East Bridgewater Police units.

The incident is under investigation by the Whitman Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and federal authorities.

Duval students salute service

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WHITMAN — Under a giant American flag, the Duval Elementary School’s students, faculty and some parents gathered in the school gym Friday, May 26 to kick off Memorial Day weekend with the school’s 13th annual We Remember program.

The school welcomed special guests selectmen Scott Lambiase, Randy LaMattina and Dan Salvucci, Town Administrator Frank Lynam, Fire Chief Timothy Grenno, Veterans’ Agent Thomas McCarthy, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Dillon — who is a lieutenant in the Coast Guard — and members of the Duval family at the event.

Retired Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. Anthony O’Brien also attended to lead a group of students, clad in his old fatigue blouses and covers, in saluting the five branches of the armed services with a loud shout of, “Thank you for your service!”

“It is so important that we have you come here to help teach all of our friends that are with us how important it is to pause this weekend and remember the men and women who have sacrificed so much for all of us,” Principal Julie McKillop said in her welcoming remarks.

But the students were the primary participants in the event, as a handful read from reports, poems and letters to veterans in honor of service to country before the student body sang “America,” and “God Bless America.”

“We would like to thank all of our special guests who took the time to be with us today to help us remember the brave men and women who have given their service and lives for their country,” said fifth-grader David Nourse in his welcome on behalf of his fellow students. “We are honored to have you join us in our celebration.”

Nourse singled out Dillon and school gym teacher Patrick Kennedy, a Marine reservist currently on a humanitarian deployment to Hondouras, thanking them for their service.

Students and Duval staff members also placed tiny American flags on a wreath for display in the lobby in honor of relatives who have served their country.

“You help protect us and keep us safe. When people are doing bad things, you protect us through it all,” student Kelsey Fitzgerald read from her letter to veterans. “You are awesome and brave. Thank you, soldiers.”

“Inside every soldier, there’s a heart, and inside every heart, there is love,” read Brailey Murphy from her essay. “In every heart there is bravery — more bravery than anyone can imagine — it all comes from the love. … It makes you strong. It makes you bold. It makes you a soldier.”

The school’s fourth-grade class also presented with donated personal care items to Jason Gray, a representative of the Brockton VA Hospital.

“I understand a lot of hard work went into this, and we thank you very much,” Gray said before pledging to leave immediately to deliver the “conference room full of stuff” to the veterans to whom it was donated. “Thank you for working so hard for us — our country and our veterans — it’s what you give back to your community.”

Salvucci noted the huge American flag dominating the gym wall behind the speakers’ podium as he honored his late father in-law, a World War II veteran who had served in the Normandy invasion and transferred to the Pacific after the war in Europe had been won. Salvucci said the Duval program is his favorite event because he gets to talk about his father in-law’s service and his devotion to the flag.

“I always carry an American flag — when you see me marching, I’m carrying this small flag,” he said as he took the flag out of his breast pocket. “This year, when I walked into this room and I saw this American flag, my heart stopped. I want to thank you.”

O’Brien, too, said he was impressed by the giant flag, adding that, for some, Memorial Day is every day.

“If you served in combat, you’ve seen too many caskets with [our] flag on it,” he said. “So, to see that flag is extra special.”

He noted that only 1 percent of the American public serves in the military, and only 6 percent of Americans are veterans, adding that teachers, town officials and public safety personnel should also be thanked for their service to their community. He asked the students to think of those who are serving in uniform now or have served in the past as they honor those who have died in service to their country over the weekend.

More students followed O’Brien, including Camryn Tarr, reading her essay on Betsey Ross and Livia Saya, who read from her paper on the bald eagle. Kathryn Ward, Nathan Smith and Brooklyn Uzzell read from their original poems and Lillie MacKinnon, Van Le and Ariana Beane read from their letters to veterans.

“Thank you for protecting us and all you’ve done for us,” Le read from his letter. “Because of you, we can be safe from harm. Keep up the good work.”

Student leaders then presented red carnations to the special guests and escorted them to the library for a breakfast reception and gave them hand-written thank you letters.

Hanson honors the fallen

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HANSON — Residents turned out, despite a light rain, to watch ceremonies featuring selectmen and other town officials gathered at the town’s Civil War memorial on the Town Green after marching down Liberty Street Monday, May 29.

Keynote speaker, retired Army Col. Robert Huke of Hanson spoke to residents who displayed their support and commitment to the town’s observances despite the wet weather.

Wrapped in blankets, sharing colorful umbrellas and lining the street to show solidarity and respect countless residents remained present to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to country.

Huke touched on the meaning and history of Civil War General John A. Logan, who was a leader of that war’s Union veteran’s group, the Grand Army of the Republic. Logan was a driving force behind the observances we now celebrate as part of Memorial Day, Huke reminded the crowd.

“Enjoy your day, enjoy extra time with family and friends but I ask you this, please don’t forget why we celebrate. This is why the many gather here to honor our veterans the few who were so willing to give of themselves to defend their brothers and sisters and their country,” he said. “There is a difference about today Memorial Day isn’t just about honoring veterans it’s about honoring those who lost their life.”

Other traditional portions of Hanson’s observances included a reading of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address by Bruce Young and a ceremonial rifle salute by the 22nd Mass. Vol. Infantry re-enactment group.

Whitman vows to remember

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WHITMAN — An occasional chilly sprinkle from leaden skies couldn’t put a damper on the town’s Memorial Day parade and traditional observances on Monday, May 29.

After last year’s parade was rained out, organizers vowed this year’s parade would go on as rain was forecast to hold off until the afternoon.

As the parade formed at Court Street ahead of the 9:30 a.m. step-off, residents began to line the South Avenue route in front of Town Hall and Cub Scout leaders organized a group photo on the steps to occupy their energetic scouts.

Town Hall was the first stop along the parade route for a prayer by American Legion member Richard Cameron and remarks by state Rep. Geoff Diehl.

“On this Memorial Day, help us to remember with deepest gratitude and awe the extraordinary men and women who, out of love, gave their lives to protect our beloved country and preserved our liberty,” Cameron prayed. “Help us to be ever-mindful, also, of the wounded heroes in our midst who, with valorous hearts, risked their lives that we might prosper and that our children’s future would be secure.”

Diehl also honored the sacrifice of those lost in defense of country, noting that international peace has been the goal of U.S. military deployments in both world wars as well as current missions in the Middle East.

“Americans are fortunate to have not fought a foreign army on our own soil in preservation of our liberty since the War of 1812,” Diehl said. “But we have had to remain vigilant after attacks on Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Centers, where justice for the innocent and the unarmed has cost us the lives of too many brave young men and women of our armed forces.”

Diehl said Memorial Day observances help keep those fallen warriors alive in our memories.

“It is our duty to answer their sacrifice by immortalizing them … so as not to ever to allow the life they gave, along with many of their brothers and sisters in arms, to be diminished,” he said. “They say that a person dies twice — the time when they take their last breath and the time when their name is last spoken.”

Memorial Day “provides the living legacy that keeps them from ever dying in vain,” Diehl said.

A ceremonia volley from a VFW firing squad and the playing of “Taps,” and “Echo,” by W-H students Sam Andruk and Matt Gallagher, were followed by the parade’s reforming and proceeding to the fire station on Temple Street for another wreath ceremony before concluding the route of march at Colebrook Cemetry where Boy Scout Nathan Morse read the “Gettysburg Address” during wreath ceremonies at the Civil War Unreturned and American Legion memorials.

Parade participants also gathered at the Whitman Park flag pole for the national anthem and pledge of allegiance and at the Civil War Soldiers Monument for Morse’s reading of Gen. Logan’s Order establishing the first Memorial Day in 1868 and finally to the Veterans of All Wars monument for a prayer and wreath ceremony.

Participating in Whitman’s parade were Grand Marshall Paul Riccilli of VFW Post 697, co-Marshall George Lopes of American Legion Post 22; Diehl, Town Administrator Frank Lynam Selectman Dan Salvucci; the Whitman Police and Fire departments, VFW Post 697, American Legion Post 22 and auxiliary; Sons of the American Legion Squad 22; Post 22 Legion Riders, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 119; Knights of Columbus Council 347; W-H band and majorettes, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Troop and Pack 22 as well as Troop and Pack 59; and Girl Scouts, Brownie and Daisy Scouts.

SSVT agreement review almost done

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HANOVER —  After a meeting of the regional agreement subcommittee planned for this week, the South Shore Tech Regional School Committee members should be receiving a semi-formal copy of it ahead of a full review.

The work has been under way for several months, according to Chairman Robert Molla of Norwell at the Wednesday, May 17 meeting. Once the committee approves revisions, the revised agreement can be forwarded to the member towns.

Town Meetings would need to vote on whether Hull is admitted to the region. At this point, Hull is not a factor in the revisions to the regional agreement.

“The Hull negotiations right now are on temporary hold until at least May 23 [when] they are meeting to give us their indications as to which way they’re going to go and whether we are going to continue negotiations,” Molla said.

Superintendent-Director Thomas Hickey said, if Hull agreed to join the region by the time the revisions were complete, two votes would be needed at town meetings — on the regional agreement and Hull’s admission.

“If they don’t happen at the same time, amending the regional agreement would take a two-thirds vote of our towns,” Hickey said. “Timing matters. It could be at the same town meeting.”

Hull would only vote on the terms of admission, not the regional agreement revisions.

“At our most aggressive,” Hickey said, and depending on the Department of Education’s response, the regional agreement revisions could be ready to present to the member communities this summer for consideration of special town meetings in the fall.

The committee also held a brief public hearing on the annual school choice vote. The members, as is customary voted against participating in the state school choice program because the school already has “an established process for admitting students who reside outside the school district.”

The committee voted to set the non-resident tuition rate at $16,719 for fiscal 2018.

In other business, the committee honored veteran automotive instructor, Ronald Michaud — who retires this spring, as staff member of the month.

He joined the SSVT teaching team Jan. 2, 1985.

“All you need to do is drive up Route 53 – the new automile — to find Ronnie’s success as an instructor,” said Assistant Principal Mark Aubrey of the student body’s honoree. “At almost every dealership, you’ll find at least one South Shore graduate and, in many, literally a handful can be found working under cars, in front offices or selling vehicles on the showroom floor.”

Students described him as a shop instructor who cares about his students and who makes learning fun day in and day out and who helps students obtain careers in the trade.

Student Body President Jacob Cormier of Hanover, who served as student representative to the committee this year, was honored as student of the month. A computer technology student, Cormier was selected by his instructors on the basis of his grades and in-class leadership and engagement, according to Assistant Principal Sandra Balmer.

Sophomores Cody Campbell — team bronze medal and additive manufacturing — of Rockland, Ashton Gnoza — team bronze medal — of Abington and sophomore Chris Osborne — silver medalist, welding — of Hanson were recognized for their success at the recent SkillsUSA state competition.