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Brain Marathon effort aided therapy horse program

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Courtesty photo

Rebecca Brain of Hanson ran the 2018 Boston Marathon for Ironstone Farm in Andover.

When Rebecca Brain second-guessed running the Boston Marathon or contemplated stopping nearly midway through the race, she got the extra motivation she needed to persist — one way or another.

The 23-year old Brain was one of two runners representing Ironstone Farm, a working farm in Andover that provides beneficial therapy using horses for people with a wide range of physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities. After applying to a bevy of charities in November, Brain was selected as one of Ironstone’s runners in February after a visit to the farm.

“Seeing the farm itself definitely made it more real and more exciting when I found out they had accepted me to run,” Brain explained. “When they called me after I visited and told me they would love to have me run, it was super exciting. I went and told my mom and all that and I went for a run that day too, and I think I just smiled the entire run.”

It’s a cause that touches close to home for the Hanson native.

“I’ve had family members with Down syndrome,” Brain said. “My aunt had breast cancer, my grandfather had cancer. I have family members who could have definitely utilized their organization.”

With the Boston Marathon less than two months away at the time, Brain had to kick her training — which consisted of hill climbs in Newton on Tuesdays and longer runs in Boston on Saturdays — into full gear. Brain felt ready to go, but things changed when she looked at the weather forecast.

“I was talking to my mom the Saturday before and I was just really, really nervous about everything and the weather conditions were getting me down,” Brain explained.

So, what kept her going?

“Sunday before the race I went for the last quick run just keep my muscles loose and in my head I was thinking these people who utilize Ironstone, they have a lifetime of struggles,” Brain said, “so I can have an uncomfortable five-hour run ahead of me and in those five hours I can experience sort of the daily struggles that these other people go through.”

The day of the Boston Marathon was something Brain could have never imagined. Frigid winds and torrential downpours put a damper on her 4:30 finishing goal. At mile 15, she nearly quit.

“I was just in a pretty rare state and my mom, my aunt, my grandmother and a bunch of other family members were waiting for me right at the Welcome to Newton sign,” Brain said, “right at mile 16 and my uncle was there with them and he ran in 2003 or 2004 [and] he jumped in with me and ran until the Newton firehouse and he was super motivational and was like, ‘You got this, you got this.’

“That was a super important time because I was really feeling it at mile 15 and wanted to be done, but he pushed me to keep me going.”

Brain finished in 5:10.14. More importantly, she has raised about $5,000 thus far for Ironstone Farm.

“I would love to be able to do it again, especially for Ironstone,” Brain said. “I definitely want to keep running more marathons. I joked the other day that I want to run a marathon in every state so I think that’s my very long goal ahead of me. But definitely Boston comes first, I’d love to be able to run many more Boston Marathons and hopefully qualify one day.”

To donate to Brain’s Ironstone fundraiser, visit: https://challengeunlimitedironstone.causevox.com/rebeccabrain.

 9.5 percent assessment increase OK’d

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The School Committee voted to reduce the fiscal 2019 assessment increase to the towns to 9.5 percent over the current budget during a special meeting on Monday, April 23.

The committee also gave its final approval of revisions to the regional agreement. Both issues will go before voters at town meetings on Monday, May 7.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes took part in the meeting remotely by conference call, necessitating voice votes, and member Kevin Lynam was absent. Vice Chairman Fred Small presided over the meeting.

Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue, who could not attend due to ongoing meetings with his town’s Finance Committee, sent an email to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner Monday advising her that Hanson could go to 9.5 percent, but no higher.

“The town of Hanson will do its best to meet an overall assessment [increase] of 9.5 percent,” McCue wrote and Small read into the record. “Anything in excess of this amount cannot be supported by our FY ’19 budget. Additional reductions in the assessment are obviously helpful.”

At 9.5 percent, the increase to the budget, is $1,924,598. For Whitman that would mean $1,151,295 and Hanson’s share is $773,304 based on enrollment.

He said long-term strategic planning would be necessary before work begins on the fiscal 2020 budget, however.

“This is probably one of the more difficult things that we face,” said School Committee member Robert Trotta, noting the committee had initially debated seeking a 13.65-percent increase to include no-cost all-day kindergarten in the budget. “Obviously that would have been too rich for both towns, and I feel as though, as a School Committee member, going down to 9.5 is probably the right thing to do.”

An 11-percent increase would have added a special ed science instructor at each middle school as well as an elementary-level social worker parent liaison.

The 9.5-percent increase provides level services. A 5-percent increase would have meant the loss of 19 positions, according to Gilbert-Whitner.

“We have a very solid strategic plan and our plan tells us we need no-cost full-day kindergarten, it tells us that our foreign language program is not very strong,” she said, noting that new English, science and math programs are also needed. “It’s all going to cost money.”

Trotta said the School Committee sets assessments with what is best for the school system in mind, but it runs into town budget constraints.

“There’s been a lot of talk about starting this budget process earlier in the year,” he said. “It seems as the budget process as it stands doesn’t really seem to gel when it comes to this idea.”

School Committee member Steven Bois agreed, adding that budgets reflect what students need more than what the district needs — as well as providing other essential town services.

“I want a four-minute ambulance response, I want the best in our police personnel,” he said. “We hope that we can find a way to do this.”

School Committee member Michael Jones also wants taxpayers to realize the schools are struggling, too.

“There’s no new trucks, there’s no new employees, in this budget,” he said. “We’re losing this year. … This is not a step forward at 9.5 percent. In my opinion, it’s a step backward.”

“From my point of view, we’re providing the same services that we provided this year — nothing additional — and we’re eliminating a position from one of the schools that was there due to a bubble in enrollment,” Small said.

“It’s really got to be everyone coming together — all the departments — It’s good fire, it’s good police, it’s good schools. It’s not one at the expense of the others,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “We also have to push at the state level.”

Unfunded and underfunded mandates from state and federal legislation were again criticized.

“I don’t think the people that are making those decisions contact the people who would be impacted by [them],” Trotta said.

“I sit here again disappointed,” said School Committee member Christopher Howard. “I’m disappointed as a whole in where we’re at both within this budget process and where we are collectively with the towns. … It comes down to what should those communities look like?”

Hayes said both towns have been among the most supportive of the schools in the state.

“While 9.5 percent isn’t ideal, it’s probably as much as the towns can afford, whether we’re talking about police or fire or any of those people,” he said. “They’re very supportive of the schools and  the things that we do, so I would support the 9.5 percent 100-percent.”

In other business, Mass. Association of Regional Schools (MARS) consultant Malcolm Reid and Steve Donovan and MARS Assistant Executive Director Stephen Hemman attended the meeting.

Hemman outlined the next steps for the regional agreement at Gilbert-Whitman’s request.

Five or six original copies of the document will be sent to each town meeting with appropriate signatures of School Committee members and certified votes from each Town Meeting — if passed by the required majority vote — will be attached for submission to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the commissioner’s signature.

Town Meeting will not be permitted to change anything.

“This is the document,” Hemman said. “If one town wants to change something, then it can’t happen.”

Small also noted the agreement has been reviewed and accepted by the School Department’s legal counsel.

Hayes, who also chaired the revision subcommittee, thanked those who served on that subcommittee and otherwise assisted with the process.

“We had people from the town, we had selectmen, we had a lot of people who participated in this committee and did a tremendous amount of work,” Hayes said.

Gilbert-Whitner also thanked the MARS consultants.

“They’ve been with us all the way through the process,” she said. “We began this a year ago … going over an agreement that had been typed on an Apple IIe computer. We’ve come a long way with this — there were schools in it that are no longer in existence. I think this is a great document for the future.”

Operational override sought

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WHITMAN  — Selectmen voted by a slim margin Tuesday, April 24 to recommend a budget to Town Meeting that includes the entire 9.5 school assessment increase within the levy limit — and to call for an operational override to fund the $603,000 needed to fully fund other departments.

Selectmen Brian Bezanson, Randy LaMattina and Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski voted for the override recommendation with fellow board members Scott Lambiase and Dan Salvucci voting against.

A special election for an override question will take place Sturday, June 2.

LaMattina supported the operational override provided department heads be able to make a fair impact statement on Town Meeting floor, at 7:30 p.m., Monday, May 7.

During discussion, Lambiase and LaMattina had argued in favor of including 7.5 percent of the school assessment within the levy limit, placing the remaining 2 percent within an override.

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno, who spoke against an operational override said after the meeting that his cellphone was already blowing up with messages from angry members of the firefighters’ union.

“I think the board has put the town into a difficult position tonight in placing an operational override on town departments that are already strapped to fund one budget,” Grenno said. “I think it would work a lot better, I guess is the best way to put it, if everybody shared a little bit of the pie.”

He said he does not have a lot of confidence in the town’s willingness to pass an operational override.

School Committee member Fred Small, who attended the meeting in support of the assessment, pledged to support other departments in the effort to pass an override.

“I can only speak on behalf of myself, but you have my undying support for the override,” Small said after the vote. “It’s not our intent to pit one department against another, it’s just our intention to try and survive.”

A 9.5-percent assessment increase puts Whitman’s share at $1,151,295 and a 7.5-percent increase puts it at $908,000. If it were part of an override, it would grow by $22,700.

“This has to be coupled with a real understanding that next year we hit a real wall unless we make some progress [with budgets],” said Town Administrator Frank Lynam. He said the immediate course of action, should Town Meeting approve the 9.5 percent, would be to meet with department heads to determine what must be done to ensure a successful override.

The Finance Committee had come back to the Board of Selectmen with a recommendation to place 5 percent of the schools’ assessment increase, or $603,210, within the levy limit, which would have required an override to fund the remaining 5.5 percent — or $602,783 — for the schools. That represents $12,667,403 in the levy and $602,783 outside the levy limit. The total budget increase is 10 percent.

Fiscal 2018 began with a $30,382,000 budget, according to Lynam. This year, requests totaled $32,488,000. There were 29 articles included in the first draft of the warrant totaling $2,500,000 in appropriations.

Articles recommended inside the levy now total $828,433 with articles funded from other sources, including free cash, the ambulance fund, the police fine account and borrowing total $1,743,000.

“In preparing this budget, we removed 13 articles totaling $724,508,” Lynam said. “Each of the schools we’re participating in have significant increases.”

South Shore Vo-Tech, seeing an increase of 10 Whitman students, is up 8.9 percent, Norfolk Vocational-Agricultural is up 10.6 percent and WHRHS is up 9.5 percent in their assessments.

Salvucci, who also serves as the Whitman representative to the SSVT School Committee, stressed that school’s entire budget is only up 3.9 percent.

“The problem is half [the W-H] budget is funded by the state and that revenue is not growing,” Lynam said.

Small said the 9.5 percent assessment increase represents a 2.6 percent increase in the overall W-H budget.

“I am unbelievably uncomfortable with this proposition,” Kowalski said of the Finance Committee’s recommendation for a 5 percent increase within the levy for the schools. “It appears to be arbitrarily a 5-percent assessment and then hoping for a successful override to grant the schools the money they say they need to just keep things going.”

Kowalski noted a strong school system is what attracts families to settle in a town.

“Our police department and our fire department are both departments we can be proud of as a town,” he said to a large crown attending the meeting, including Grenno, Police Chief Scott Benton and Deputy Chief Timothy Hanlon. “They are also well-equipped and well-compensated — and they’re well-peopled.” He admitted that the DPW have routinely been budgeted as “the fourth out of four.”

Kowalski said the town’s budget needs to expand and an override is the only way to accomplish that.

“I’m totally uncomfortable, however, asking for half the money we want to give to the schools and they basically scrape by with what they have now,” I’d like to see the assessment go up. If that means that the Finance Committee has to go back and deal with the other departments and see what can happen there … then it has to go that way.”

Bezanson said he completely agreed.

“I know you’re shocked,” he quipped. “I’m not one for overrides. I’m not one for higher taxes … but why do we subject the schools, all the time, to being the ones that have to have the overrides?”

Bezanson echoed a frequently voiced position of Kowalski’s — “At some point, we have to decide what kind of community we want.”

Salvucci asked if discontinuing non-mandated busing could be a solution, but Lynam argued the money involved was such a small part of the total budget it would not have much effect, and that the bus contract does not allow the town to do much more than reconfiguring a small number of buses.

“It appears that the Finance Committee is looking for direction on this,” Kowalski said. “I would like to see this board give them a little bit of direction.”

LaMattina noted that Selectmen made it very clear to the Finance Committee the previous week that 5 percent was not an acceptable number for the school assessment increase.

“We made it very clear we didn’t want to see less than 7.5 percent guaranteed going to the schools,” he said. “I’m saddened that this was even presented in front of us because this is a complete 180 from what we talked about showing more fiscal stability and ttying to do the right thing — not only by the schools, but by every other department in town. I’ll tell you right now, there’s no way I’m supporting 5 percent.”

LaMattina said he felt they provided sufficient direction last week.

“At some point, we have to come up with a number and maybe and override is going to have to be on both sides,” Lambiase said. “There’s going to be a lot of pain felt on both sides.”

“I think the citizens will do the right thing,” Bezanson said, noting the town has long been one of the more financially stable communities on the South Shore.

Lynam said that, while not enough, 78 percent of new growth funding has been used to finance school budgets.

“The problem is, we’ve been allowed to build a budget that’s not sustainable without our partner in the budget, and that partner being the state, continuing to contribute,” Lynam said. Much of the School Department’s costs, such as utilities and retirements, are not controllable, either. “We’re creating an us-and-them and that’s not the way to fund an operation. It may also be an issue of what area is more sensitive to the voters.”

During the discussion, Grenno asked if, in effect, the town was being asked to vote a second time on the $310,000 override passed last year to add three firefighters to the department.

“I get what the schools are looking for and what maintains basically what they are doing now and helps us further the school district,” Grenno said, noting his son attends W-H schools and he thinks highly of the districts’ quality. “But you’re basically playing Russian roulette with all the other departments in town.”

He said he did not understand the logic.

“If the schools need the money, then I support them, let’s go for an override and let’s support the schools and get them their override,” Grenno said. Lambiase agreed that the schools have to have a dog in the override hunt, too.

“Otherwise, there’s no incentive for the schools to participate in this,” he said. “And they’re the ones that can convince the town that we actually need this — we need it on both sides.”

Kowalski and Bezanson said they have been hearing about departments being pitted against each other for 14 years.

“We’re still looking at a small section of the town [government] to cut up, to make it up if this override doesn’t work,” Lambiase countered. “That’s just not going to work, it would be devastating.”

Small said the citizen in him “understands exactly where you’re coming from. The School Committee member has a little bit of blinders and I want to fight for every single thing that we can do for the schools.”

School panel delays final assessment vote, mulls suing state

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When the W-H Regional School Committee convenes a special budget meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, April 23, it will be decision time on the assessment increase to the towns.

In the meantime, the committee voted at the Wednesday, April 11 meeting to seek legal representation, on a contingency or pro bono basis, to determine if the panel could or should sue the state for the past 10 years of underfunded regional transportation reimbursements that the state requires, but does not fully fund. They are also seeking other area regional school districts to join in such a lawsuit.

“We need to do something, we need to try something,” School Committee member Fred Small, said in support of his motion, arguing the funds owed could be as high as $400,000 per year. “To do nothing is not an option.”

The April 23 meeting was scheduled to permit more time for more focused discussion before a vote, as well as additional talks with town officials in the interim, without delaying a School Committee vote on a final assessment too close to the Monday, May 7 town meetings.

The percentage can remain the same or be reduced, but cannot be increased as the budget has already been certified. Every percent cut from the budget cuts three positions.

An 11-percent increase was voted when the committee certified the fiscal 2019 budget on March 20 — a $1,387,777 increase in Whitman and an $840,705 increase in Hanson over last year. Without that assessment, the school budget is in deficit by $2,228,482 after transferring $450,000 from excess and deficiency. After conferring with the town administrators and finance committee members last week, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner said the increase could come down to 9.5 percent with a cut of one position at the Conley School — where there had been an enrollment bubble that has moved through the grade levels — and if proposals for adding a special ed science instructor at each middle school as well as an elementary-level social worker parent liaison were scrapped from the budget. The Conley position cut lowers the budget by $90,000 and the other moves could save about another $300,000.

Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue said his town could potentially handle a 7-percent increase, while Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam said a 5-percent increase is as far as his town could afford to go.

“I want to express my appreciation to Ruth and her team for the conversations we’ve had over the last couple of weeks,” McCue said in urging the committee to seriously consider Gilbert-Whitner’s recommendations. “Both towns are obviously, and unfortunately this seems to be the case every year, struggling in terms of meeting the assessment that the School Committee has voted.”

Excluding the enterprise fund that exclusively finances sewer and water projects, Whitman’s budget is $31 million.

“I have 5 [percent]. I know where I can get the extra money,” he said. “If we went to 7, then I would have to do some other things, but I could still get the money. If we go to 9 or 10, we’re changing the way we do business in the town because that’s the only way I can make it work.”

“We do not want to eviscerate the schools but we also do not want to eviscerate our towns,” McCue said. “The town of Hanson cannot support an 11-percent increase without some draconian cuts that I don’t think anyone in either town wishes to see.”

It would take an increase of $370 to the median single-family household in Whitman to meet the 11 percent assessment increase, Lynam said.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

“Frankly, I’m concerned about the viability of our communities,” he said. He said that, as bedroom communities, the only thing Whitman and Hanson have to offer prospective homebuyers is the quality of life, a significant part of which is the quality of town social structures, especially the schools.

Lynam said that while he personally would be willing to pay an added $440 on his home as a result of an override, he does not think enough others in town would support it for an override to pass.

He also expressed concern with towns’ ability to sustain an average 4-percent budget growth from the school district with no help from the state.

Small asked if a 7-percent commitment could be made if an override was needed for the rest. Lynam said he would have to explain to his residents why an override would be necessary and it would have to be one to fund all town operations, including schools.

McCue also stressed that the towns are committed to educating the children in their communities, but must also be able to fund some requests of other departments as well.

“We find ourselves faced with a very significant challenge in one of the most difficult budget deficits in recent history,” Whitman Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson said. “The reality is that the town cannot financially support the budget that was presented by the district earlier this year.”

He added that the Whitman Finance Committee has not yet voted any recommendations for the town budget, but at its April 10 meeting “it was generally accepted” that a 5-percent assessment ($623,402) increase could be recommended — but even that amount “represents a significant challenge” for the town, he said.

Lynam said even that percentage would be “absolutely devastating” to Whitman as it represents 76 percent of this year’s new growth.

“As Yogi would say, ‘[It’s] déjà vu all over again,’” Lynam said. “It’s easy to say we’re going to do better next year. I think we’ve been saying that for 15 years — and then the act of governing happens, the act of education happens … and we start doing all the things we have to do to make our world function and the budget sits back there a little bit.”

He said Whitman has contributed an average of 83 percent of town growth to the school budget, which he said sounds great.

“The problem is, our growth is a terrible number,” Lynam said, noting it averages between $250,000 to $300,000. “Neither Whitman nor Hanson has industry. Neither Whitman nor Hanson has an opportunity for rapid and strong growth.”

A “phenomenal” jump in growth last year, which saved Whitman’s budget according to Lynam, was from National Grid, which came under the personal property category and is not sustainable, Lynam said. That $92 million figure has already amortized over two years by almost $30 million and will be gone in three or four years and while, the tax revenue it generated still exists, it has shifted from commercial to residential property.

School Committee member Dan Cullity said Whitman’s decision to fund the new police station within the levy limit about the same time state Chapter 70 funds began to decrease in 2007 created a “perfect storm” of budget problems.

“With that happening, the schools began getting rid of things left and right,” he said, suggesting the towns had not provided sufficient financial backing, to which Lynam took exception.

The total impact of budget increased in all other departments is 2.1 percent, while the schools increase was 4.2 percent.

“I don’t have an office that’s overstaffed,” he said. “When I make cuts in personnel costs I may be closing offices.”

School Committee member Kevin Lynam suggested Cullity’s question was more a political than management one.

“Only the voters can go and vote for a tax increase,” he said. “Short of that, you’re talking about reallocating the money, changing the pie chart. … Maybe that should be on the table.”

LEGAL OPTIONS

School Committee member Robert O’Brien Jr., prompted Small’s idea for a lawsuit when he asked how much the district loses each year to unfunded or underfunded mandates from the state. He pointed to communities pushing back against plans to bring towns under OSHA oversight.

“Towns have to push back because it happens in the public safety sector all the time,” said O’Brien, who is Hanson’s deputy fire chief. “You want [us] to do something? OK, but the state’s got to fund it.”

School Committee member Robert Trotta pointed to teacher strikes and protest marches in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona as evidence that educators are finding support in their demands for adequate state funding.

While not opposed to taking legal action, School Committee member Christopher Howard urged the amending of the motion to see if other regional districts might join in the effort.

“Going it alone may be a challenge, but I do think its time to come up with something,” he said. “We talk about the same thing over and over, year after year.”

Small’s only concern would be the potential for receiving a watered-down settlement and said he would start making calls the next day.

Gilbert-Whitner said the other option would be seeking legislation that permits regional districts to charge for transportation.

Whitman Selectmen, Fincom weigh ‘what-if’ scenarios

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WHITMAN  — In a joint meeting with the Finance Committee Tuesday, April 17 — which involved some heated exchanges between Selectmen and Finance member Shawn Kain — officials discussed the town’s ongoing revenue problem and how to balance the fiscal 2019 budget.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam has already “X-ed out” 20 articles from the annual Town Meeting warrant, including those seeking new DPW vehicles, public safety radio, data terminal and radar equipment and a reduction in requests for police cruisers and another which reflects a change to the approach in repairing the library roof, as well as some schools maintenance articles. Some others, including a new utility vehicle for the Fire Department, are in question.

“You’ll see the articles that we went through and said, ‘Can’t do it’,” he said. “What I’m saying is we’ve gone bare-bones and there’s a danger in this because we’re now removing items that involve capital maintenance.”

It also leaves the town’s budget still $1 million short, Lynam said.

“Some of these are critically important,” agreed Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson, noting his committee had not yet voted on recommendations. “We’re going to look at budget scenarios that may reinstate some of them or that may actually remove additional ones.”

Selectmen plan to continue that deliberation on Tuesday, April 24 following the Finance Committee’s work in the interim and a special School Committee meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, April 23 when its members are expected to make a final vote on assessments to the towns. Recommendations on annual Town Meeting warrant articles will be voted on next week. The annual warrant must be posted by April 30 for the May 7 Town Meeting.

Four special Town Meeting warrant articles were recommended by a 4-0 vote of Selectmen — Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski was absent — and 7-0-1 votes of the Finance Committee — with Kain abstaining. A fifth article involving town speed limits was recommended by Selectmen.

Right now, Whitman Selectmen are weighing the options between three “what if” scenarios involving the tax impact of each one.

“I would be really opposed to an override that funds part of the deficit and doesn’t fix the problem,” Lynam said.

‘WHAT IFS’

Based on a $16.01 per thousand tax rate, tax bill using the current value with stabilization added, based on a median single-family home worth $278,400 would be $4,596.38 per year with a 50-cent per thousand increase or $139.20. Calculating the current value and adding the school assessment increase would put it at $4,667.12 per year with a 79-cent per thousand increase or $219.94. The current value with both amounts would increase it to $4,821 with a $1.31 per thousand increase or $364.70.

“That’s a fix that solves the problem — for this year,” Lynam said. “But we haven’t solved the problem and with due respect to people who think we have to do more planning, we have a revenue problem.”

That median single-family annual tax bill is now $4,457.18.

“I don’t think any of us are seriously recommending that W-H accept 5 percent,” Lynam said, reminding the board that Whitman is not the only town player involved in the school budget. “We’re probably not going to do 7.25 [percent].”

The town is also taking a serious look at the $381,357 cost of non-mandated busing. While it would not likely be eliminated, discussion will continue to center on subsidizing only part of it.

There are currently 775 students who ride the bus and live outside the 1.5-mile mandated busing radius around schools, putting the per-student cost at $493.

A user fee of $165 per year per student is being looked at to help reduce the cost of non-mandated busing by one-third or $86,245. The School Committee is also looking into a possible suit against the state for unpaid regional transportation funding. [See related story].

“Again, the title of this document is “What If?” so none of these things are etched in stone,” Lynam said. “It’s merely a suggestion for another way to reduce some of the cost that the town is experiencing from non-mandated busing.”

School Committee member Fred Small said the impact of decisions parents make based on user fees will help in calculating how bus routes can be reconfigured and how much would ultimately be saved.

“I think the impact is greater at the high school with people not riding than at the elementary schools,” Small said.

Selectman Brian Bezanson questioned the fairness for large or low-income families. Lynam said non-mandated busing fees only impact families not entitled to a ride in the first place.

“We did set this up and they are counting on it,” Bazanson said. “It’s become a common practice.”

Finance Committee member Marion Mackerwicz said that, as a parent, she appreciated Bezanson’s words but didn’t see the problem.

“If it comes down to will they get an education or if we’re going to cut teachers, I think that walking can be seen in a positive light and I think we’re looking at that,” she said. “We have to look at what creates revenue — the schools do, busing doesn’t.”

But Bezanson questioned if the savings would be enough to improve education. Small said that staggering school start times has already saved the school budgets about $400,000 a year.

“That would be something we’d love to see back to normalcy, but for now it’s just not in the cards,” Small said. “You could establish a family threshold so it would only cost X-amount of dollars per family.” He also suggested a financial need waiver could be considered.

“We’re trying to present this in a way that is mindful of everybody’s interests,” Anderson said.

Lynam said Selectmen had set a 2-percent guide for increases in non-contracted salaries, and requestors who exceeded that were “communicated with” and advised about that position.

ONGOING TALKS

“This is very difficult,” Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci said. “We haven’t seen anything like this since 2 ½ went in. … No way am I a fan of doing layoffs … I will not even consider that, me personally, but I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

“Whether it is 9 percent of 11 percent, the budget is devastating to the town,” Lynam said because of constraints of Proposition 2 ½ and the makeup of Whitman’s largely residential tax base.

He argued that the quality of the schools is one of the most important factors in maintaining that tax base.

“We have been fortunate, over the years, to have a good, well-balanced school system, but we’re beginning to lose it,” he said. “We have less services, we have limited language arts in middle school. … When the schools come in and present a budget, what they’re trying to do is meet the basics.”

Anderson said it is important to continue that discussion.

“We obviously have a unique situation,” Anderson said. “While we’re waiting for the schools to certify a budget number, we still have to move forward with recommendations for the rest of the budget.”

He said time is not on the Finance Committee’s side and agreed more time is needed to work on the budget next year.

Lynam and selectmen also argued that the real solution can only be found at the state level.

“We’re not in a unique position here,” said Bezanson, while acknowledging that the town could have acted sooner when state local aid funds were reduced. “There are many other towns in this commonwealth that are in the same boat and that boat is sinking.”

Selectman Randy LaMattina, among other issues, advocates restructuring the police station debt to free up about $860,000 from the levy limit and sees the damage done to the school budget from underfunded regional transportation mandate.

“But I will not strip-mine departments to fund another,” he said of the school budget, while advocating more than a 5-percent assessment increase. “Something needs to be done and it has to start with the people in this room.”

HEATED EXCHANGES

Kain then weighed in with his request to create a strategic capital plan, focusing on Fire Chief Timothy Grenno’s budget requests and recent comments in response to Kain’s last appearance before Selectmen to advocate more responsible budgeting.

“I really hadn’t intended to reply, but I’m going to,” Lynam said, noting he appreciated Kain’s enthusiasm and efforts to stress his points. “You are part of a committee. This discussion occurred in your committee. You have been zealous about establishing a capital plan this year.”

But he added it was made clear to Kain and the Finance Committee in February that the town was not prepared to build that.

“I really enjoy your comments about capital improvements because right now we have no revenue source for capital [work],” Lynam said, raising his voice. “The one revenue source we might have … is committed to paying for a debt that already exists. So, if you’re the guy that has the answers, tell me where it’s coming from.”

Kain argued that there is a misconception that a plan is only needed when there is financial growth.

“We need a plan when there is not growth,” he said. “When we’re in negative feedback loop we’re in triage. The plan tells us what to do. People need to see that we’re in triage, they need to see the financial trends and see what we’re struggling with so that this is an open, transparent process.”

He said the job of Lynam and the Board of Selectmen is to set priorities.

“I think that’s what a leader does,” Kain said arguing that Selectmen should meet weekly until at least 10 p.m. to create budget policy. “We’re in crisis and we need leaders who are going to have swift, decisive action to help us get out of crisis. We don’t need passive leadership right now and I feel like we’re getting passive leadership.”

Board members took strenuous objection to that characterization.

 “You have the answer for everything but you haven’t given one damn answer yet,” Lynam said. “You talk about manuals. Tell me how that’s going to increase money, I want to hear it.”

 “It doesn’t matter how we got here, we’re in a problem,” said LaMattina at another point. “Your solutions right now, although I agree with some of them — I agree with some of the practices, do not solve the problem right now. As the appointed and elected officials in the town, we need to solve the problem and not argue with each other.”

Mackerwicz argued there should be ways to develop revenues in town and that guidance should come from Selectmen.

“They voted for you to provide that guidance,” she said.

Bezanson later in the meeting said he was offended at the charge that the board lacks leadership and he found it “humourous” that Kain followed his comments critical of passive leadership with abstentions on the special Town Meeting warrant articles.

Keeping future in balance

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HANOVER — “So, life is going to punch us in the face.”

As they walked to their first booth at South Shore Vo-Tech’s ninth annual Credit For Life Fair Thursday, April 12, one student summed up to her friend the day’s lesson with her own take on the program’s motto — “If you don’t have a plan for your money, someone else will.”

The object is to help students avoid getting a financial “punch in the face” from life.

Credit For Life is intended to be a practice session for the realities of budgeting before being faced with the need to do so when it counts. It’s a chance to get financial do-overs, and sometimes they are needed.

Rockland Trust Hanson Branch Manager Karen Sharon, a Whitman resident, said there are two common mistakes most students make during the event — they don’t realize they may not be able to afford a new car right away and that budgeting $25 per month for spending money won’t get them very far. Rockland Trust is the program sponsor at SSVT.

“We’ve been telling them for four years what’s involved in the real world. The Credit For Life Fair, with two months left before they graduate, gives them that one concise, complete simulation — that there are a lot of difficult, challenging and exciting decisions they’re going to have to make,” Superintendent/Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey said the timing of the program is part of its impact.

“This is when the senior countdown begins,” he told the seniors during a breakfast gathering in the school cafeteria. “Clearly, we’re sending you a message that you must always have money in your budget for Dunkin’ Donuts and coffee.”

In a more serious vein, he told the largest senior class in school history that they harbor more potential wealth, based on learned skills, than any other group of high school seniors on the South Shore.

“Generating wealth is only half of it,” he said. “[Planning] what you’re going to do with this money, and in what disciplined manner you are going to use this wealth, is essential.”

He urged students to applaud event planner and Math teacher Mary Farmer and the business and Parents Association volunteers staffing booths to help them calculate the funds needed for food, housing, transportation, insurance, credit lending, education and even luxuries and unexpected windfalls or liabilities.

Students’ budgets had to balance and be reviewed by teachers or Rockland Trust offcials at the event’s credit counseling center.

Student Council President Rosa Gachia of Whitman, an Allied Health student said she hopes to become a surgeon and was interested in the cost of the higher education she will need. She has been accepted at three colleges and universities.

“I’m hoping it will help me learn how to manage my money better,” she said, noting her Credit For Life job assignment and income was as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). “I’m hoping this will at least give me an idea of the path I need to take moneywise, because I know I’m going to be in debt a lot because of the schooling and the amount of years and not enough money for it.”

Students were assigned a job title, gross and net annual income figures and charged with making financial decisions with an eye toward maintaining a balanced budget at the end of the event.

Hanson Automotive student Calvin King was looking for some pointers in balancing his credit and savings.

“Trying to get the car was kind of a pain,” he said, but he was one of the prudent ones who opted for a used vehicle for his first purchase. He found “all the math you have to do” to be an eye-opener.

“It’s a lot,” King said.

“The fact that everybody needs a house at some point” was a sobering reality for Hanson Computer Information Technology student Michael Andrasy, who was going it alone on that decision during the event. “I haven’t really calculated it yet, but [the budget’s] going pretty good,” he said. “I’m just out to learn about what I’ll need in the real world.”

Cheyenne Chaplin of Whitman, a Collision Repair Technology student, learned at the Reality Check wheel that even good surprises have a downside.

“I got Patriots tickets, but have to pay for parking and tax,” she said. “I’d like to see how [the event] relates to real life.”

And real life for these students, some of whom are directly entering the workforce, is two months away.

“The timing is perfect,” Hickey said. “We have more students out on co-op[erative learning] than ever before. We have more students working part-time jobs or otherwise in the workforce.”

Threat deemed not credible

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According to Whitman Police Chief Scott D. Benton and Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch, police determined there was no credible threat against Whitman-Hanson Regional High School last week. Police investigated after an anonymous tip was received concerning a student that had been allegedly making threats to shoot a weapon in the school.

The situation came to light at approximately 10 p.m. Thursday, April 5, when another student left their name on the Whitman police tip line about a comment overheard through a third-party conversation.

“We were able to investigate and confirm the statements that were made — shutting down the threat,” said Lt. Casey of Hanson Police. “At no point and time were the students or the staff ever in danger. The situation was under control.”

Casey applauded the students for reporting their concerns to authorities “the incident was thoroughly investigated,” he said.

None of the juvenile students are being identified by authorities, although they are students at the high school.

“I want to assure everyone that the Whitman and Hanson police and fire have the first and utmost priority for the safety of our community, students and staff,” Casey added.

Hanson police said charges may still be pending against the student.

In a prepared joint press release Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth C. Gilbert-Whitner, said the student was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

“Principal Jeff Szymaniak and I would like to thank  Chief Benton, Chief [Timothy] Grenno, Chief Miksch, Chief [Jerry] Thompson, and the Police and Fire departments in Whitman and Hanson for their support, assistance, and partnership,” said Gilbert-Whitner.

Extra police presence was provided by both towns at the school on Friday, out of an abundance of caution, according to the joint statement.

Chief Benton commended the student who demonstrated the courage to provide a tip through the anonymous tip line.

“Any comments about harming others will be treated with the utmost seriousness and vigilance. The safety of the students and our communities is our top priority,” said Benton. “I would also like to thank Superintendent Ruth C. Gilbert-Whitner and Principal Jeff Szymaniak for their assistance every step of the way with this situation.”

Chief Miksch said, “Detectives made quick work of locating and speaking with the suspect and were able to determine that there was no credibility to the threats.

“Great work by officers from both Hanson and Whitman in quickly resolving this issue,” he said. “We want to remind everyone that if they see or hear any suspicious activity to immediately report it to police.”

In an unrelated event, at 9:55 a.m. on Friday, the fire alarm sounded at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School and the school was evacuated.

It was determined that a trip switch on a sprinkler valve failed, causing the alarm to go off, according to the statement.

What’s in a town’s name?

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HANSON — What does a deadly riot in Baltimore have to do with the founding and naming of Hanson, Mass., eight years later? More than one might think … and therein lies a tale.

Sixth-District state Rep. Josh Cutler, who represents Hanson, Pembroke and Duxbury, has put his previous career as a newspaper editor and publisher to work in tracing the story of early American politician Alexander Hanson and how the Maryland native’s name was adopted for the new town of Hanson, Mass., in 1820.

The work, “Alexander Hanson and the Mobtown Massacre,” will appear in an upcoming issue of The New England Journal of Historyand he is working to expand it into a book, currently looking for a publisher. He brought the story to a Thursday, April 5 meeting of the Hanson Historical Society to give its members a sneak peak.

“This has been a pet project of mine, and for those of you who know my background as a former newspaper editor-turned-politician, the whole idea of Alexander Hanson, a former newspaper editor-turned-politician, is intriguing to me,” Cutler said. “It’s been a fascinating journey for me. I’ve been working on in my free time over the last year and a half.”

The story relates how Federalist firebrand newspaper editor Hanson’s editorials against President James Madison and the United States’ prosecution of the War of 1812 in the midst of heavily Democratic-Republican Baltimore precipitated a three-day riot, which cost the life of Revolutionary War hero Gen. James Lingen as well as itinerant doctor Thaddeus Gale who was a leader of the rioters.

Hanson was born in Annapolis, Md., in 1786, the second son of a prominent family. His grandfather, John Hanson, served in the Revolutionary cause and as first president in Congress assembled under the Articles of Confederation — a title akin to today’s speaker of the house — and is viewed by some historians as the real first president of the United States.

At 22, Alexander Hanson launched his newspaper The Federal Republican and Commercial Gazette.

“He was a hard-core Federalist,” Cutler said of Hanson, who later merged the paper with another publication edited by Jacob Wagner, brought on board as a partner and co-editor. “The paper soon became known very quickly as one of the most extreme of what we call the partisan press of that era.”

With 46,000 citizens, Baltimore was at the time the third-largest city in America, after New York and Philadelphia, and was a Democratic-Republican stronghold.

His editorials had spurred a duel and court-martial when he was a member of the militia, before the 1812 riot.

“[Hanson] didn’t like [Democratic-] Republicans, number one, he hated Madison and he hated France,” Cutler said about Hanson’s opposition to the War of 1812.

An editorial of about 450 words was the match that ignited a plot by the Democratic-Republican mob in the first of two riots. Gen. Lingen and Gen. “Lighthorse” Harry Lee, who was the father of Conferderate Gen. Robert E. Lee, were members of Hanson’s Spartan Band defending the paper against the mob.

Emboldened, Hanson penned another editorial, critical of the “mobocracy” of the first riot.

“This was a different kind of rioting,” Cutler said. “Historians have agreed this particular riot marked a pivot point in rioting in the United States.”

In the 18th Century, riots were more civil and property-based, but the new kind was more violent.

The mob returned to attack Hanson’s house and, after Gale had been shot while trying to force his way into the house by Lee, Baltimore officials convinced the Spartan Band to take shelter in the jail for the night. Rioters got wind of it and tried to ambush Hanson and his supporters on the way to the jail, but missed the opportunity by about five minutes.

Once safely inside the jail, the Federalists were safe until rumors spread that they would be bailed out and the mob descended on the jail the next afternoon. With help from inside the jail, the rioters gained access to the jail and severely beat the Federalists, which ultimately cost the life of Lingen and caused injuries to Hanson from which he never fully recovered.

“It was really a gruesome scene,” Cutler said, noting that it took a suggestion by responding doctors that the wounded were dead and should be taken into the jail for safeguarding to be used as research cadavers to save them. “This probably saved the lives of a number of them.”

Hanson was later elected to Congress and appointed to the U.S. Senate, the second-youngest at that point.

He became a rallying point through which the Federalists were able to bounce back for a time while he, himself died from the lingering effects of his injuries in 1819 at 33.

“He had really sort of faded,” Cutler said. “Although one of the places he was most popular was here in Massachusetts and New England, which was a big Federalist area.”

During a fishing trip to Hingham, Cutler said, may be where future Hansonites got the idea to petition to name Hanson for the town splitting off from Pembroke in 1819-20.

As for Lingen, when Hillary Clinton was first lady, she honored him during the dedication of the Freedom Forum in 1996 as the first American to die in defense of the free press.

Water future eyed

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HANSON — The town’s Water Department is working to inform residents — specifically abutters — of plans and progress in the effort to secure future water supplies for Hanson residents.

Water Commissioners Don Howard, Gil Amado and Don Harvey met with a group of concerned residents to address questions and concerns about proposed new town wells on Wednesday, April 4 in a session broadcast by Whitman-Hanson Cable Access TV.

The project is expected to take about a year.

“I’m a water man,” said Howard, who had worked in the field beginning in 1957 and has served five terms as a water commissioner. “Hanson is fortunate now to have two watersheds,” the Taunton since 1982 and the North River.

There are four town wells sunk into the Taunton where water was pumped directly into the water main, until the million-gallon tank was placed off High Street in 1999 to maintain constant pressure.

Two new wells are planned for a watershed off East Washington Street that empties into the Indian Head River, a brook in that area runs 365 days a year, Howard said.

“We’re doing this now to pump out of two watersheds,” Howard said. “That way it will be easier on the aquifers that are under the ground.”

Howard stressed emphatically that no private land in the area would be touched for the project. The entire project will be on conservation land.

“If there’s no water from the wells, the people that live in the area are going to have a walkway,” he said of the 12-foot wide gravel access road that would connect to other trails there now. “But hopefully we’re going to windup getting a couple nice wells in there.”

Doug Martin of CDM Smith engineering consultants said two studies had already been done on new water sources in 1993 and ’94. There must be 400 feet of conservation, or pristine land, around each wellhead.

Two other areas considered, one near Hanson Middle School, were too close to septic systems or not entirely on public lands.

The location now looked to, area five, showed groundwater in an area that met the other criteria. The property was then surveyed to determine the best access route, flag wetlands and inventoried trees to determine which trees could be removed. That survey located a Colonial-era red oak, which required remapping the access road.

Water quantity and quality must be studied next to determine if wells could be placed.

Residents’ concerns centered on the location of the access road, the type of road being put in and its ability to bear the load of drilling rigs, grade changes, and the extent of future vehicle access needed on the road.

Martin said that, while in some places grade will need to be changed a bit, it would follow the natural contours of the land as closely as possible. No other traffic besides maintenance vehicles will be permitted on the road.

The two well systems would work cooperatively with each other to keep the water tank full.

“By pumping out of two aquifers, you’re pumping less water out of each one, and it makes it better for the system,” Howard said.

“The town of Hanson needs a second water source,” Amado agreed. “If anything happens to our existing source — like it did before — we have to go on Brockton water. That’s the only backup we have.”

Brockton water is also expensive. Two years ago it cost Hanson $330,000 to go on Brockton water for three months while the inside of the water tank was painted. Electricity charges for Hanson to pump its own water for that period of time would be $30,000, Howard said. More water would also mean a more effective hydrant-flushing program, he argued.

Amado said the town is committed to the project with the best available engineers working on it.

Conservation Commission Chairman Phil Clemons said the Water Commissioners came to his board early on to discuss its plan to increase the town’s water security and to gain the ConCom’s help in deciding on a location with the least impact on wetlands and other natural resources. The Conservation Commission has continued to keep in close communication on the proposal.

“There’s pretty good water quality in the area and we agreed that it made sense to look there,” Clemons said. “One of the reasons to conserve land as open space and wetlands and all, is for the purpose of protecting water supply. … Why would you protect a water supply and then never, ever consider using it?”

He also agreed a second well field would ease pressure on current water systems as well as the aquifer.

Chiefs defend budget process

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WHITMAN — Fire Chief Timothy Grenno addressed the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, March 20 to defend his department and budget priorities against comments made at the March 6 Selectmen’s meeting and a March 1 Buildings, Facilities and Capital Expenditures Committee session.

The Selectmen’s public forum discussion led to some ideas for an earlier start to the municipal budget process.

“There have been accusations of greediness, untruthful statements and comments or decisions made by unqualified persons related to my proposed budget articles and needs requests for equipment,” Grenno said. The Selectmen’s meeting was broadcast by Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV.

He characterized Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson’s assertion on March 6 that, “Whitman has a spending problem,” as a “rather strong accusation coming from someone who has little experience with our town budget.” He also reminded selectmen that a year ago, Town Administrator Frank Lynam said the town has a revenue problem.

“I have a high opinion of Frank’s financial expertise related to the town budget — far more than anyone else out there. His years of experience is telling when working on budgets,” Grenno said in his prepared statement. “This year, the town’s financial needs were turned around and made into what I believe is an attack against department heads — accusations that we spend too much and that we are the problem.”

Grenno focused on comments made by the Finance Committee to the effect that a number of departments continue to appear at budget meetings “with extraordinary expectations,” in Anderson’s words.

“Those are the most unethical, accusatory statements I have ever heard from a recommending committee,” he said. “The department heads of this town work together every year to put the best financial option for this community forward.”

He said the “premature” presentation of a draft form of Article 2 during the March 6 meeting was “in my opinion, irresponsible” and a personal attack to discredit department heads “who are simply trying to do what is best for our departments and our customers.”

He said the Fincom’s presentation left taxpayers with undue anxiety and a “picture of financial disarray.” The first round of budget talks, Grenno stressed, usually includes the “wants,” while the second round boils the items down to what is needed.

Grenno also pointed to misstatements made during the March 6 Selectmen’s meeting, including that firefighter personal protective gear is contractually mandated. It is, he noted, recommend by national firefighting safety guildelines that gear be replaced every 10 years as cancer-causing agents are released in fires more frequently than in the past and become embedded in protective clothing.

“Cancer is killing firefighters at an alarming rate,” he said adding that two Whitman firefighters have been diagnosed with it in the past five years.

Police Chief Scott Benton also said a Finance Committee comment that a request for additional rifles and ammunition was never explained by his department was incorrect. He countered that he had explained to them that department shotguns are more than 20 years old and his goal to place a rifle in every cruiser.

“I don’t think I have to speak about school shootings to drive that point home,” Benton said. “But when this type of misinformation gets out to the public people start asking, ‘why do they need rifles?’ and I get it.”

Benton said he would have preferred an opportunity to more fully explain the request.

Grenno said he has never been invited to review capital requests with that committee at the March 1 meeting. The armory renovation request is intended to protect vehicles as well as to address space needs, he said.

“Did I expect $300,000 to move forward? Absolutely not — wish list stuff,” Grenno said. “I do expect discussions on the Fire Department’s space needs and a solution for the future.”

Ambulance costs were the source of most of Grenno’s disagreement with Lynam. The chief reminded officials that the $25,000 per year in ambulance maintenance comes out of the $600,000 to $700,000 in ambulance revenues each year — as well as $35,000 in billing charges, $100,000 per year in debt service for the 2001 building project, $285,154 in salary costs all of which — plus already voted lease-purchases, administrative assistant’s salary and regional dispatch — total $661,63.40 for fiscal 2019. Much of it, he said, would otherwise come from within the levy limit.

“You tell me where you can find $661,000 within the tax levy limit,” he said. “The ambulance account assures that we have the basic tools necessary to provide our critical mission of public safety.”

Lynam said he has, for years viewed the ambulance account as a captive fund that provides a great opportunity for the Fire Department to purchase capital equipment, but is at the expense of the general fund because most Massachusetts towns don’t have that account. General funds — $800,000 of a $3.2 million budget — do support the Fire Department, he added.

“I have not once, and I challenge [Grenno] or anyone to say that I have recommended discontinuing that account,” Lynam said. He said his comment was editorial in nature, and something he has said it before and would likely say it again — that the town has been fortunate enough to have decent equipment because of that fund.

“We stand equal in some areas of equipment and we stand less than [equal] in some areas,” Grenno said, noting that he has made strides to reduce costs since becoming chief. “There is no excessive or frivolous spending.”

Proposals

Selectman Randy LaMattina suggested getting rid of the “wish list” process to start off, noting that the Finance Committee is a group of hard-working volunteers already working in a limited amount of time.

Grenno agreed, but said the department heads do not have a complete financial picture by the time budgets are due in December.

Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci suggested early, prioritizing after the first round of talks with the Finance Committee before it comes to Building Needs.

“I really think we need to try a different approach,” Lynam said. “We’re working on numbers now that were initially calculated in December. With few exceptions, those numbers aren’t going to change. … We ought to start talking about budgets toward the end of the summer, not in December because we can do a first pass in September and have a pretty decent idea of what’s available.”

He said talks with both chiefs have resulted in the removal of a couple of articles that “we just know we don’t have the money to fund.” One is the armory renovation project and the other is the radio system, the latter of which will be addressed with funds voted at the December special.

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski asked if the answer lies in Finance Committee member Shawn Kain’s suggestion to take a step backward in favor of long-range planning over always catching up.

“What you’d have to be prepared to do is to actually sit down, somehow, as a town and figure out what we value and then the money would flow that way,” Kowalski said. “It might come out completely different from what we have now.”