HANSON — Selectmen Tuesday, Aug. 9 approved two goals for developing open space and recreation plans, paving the way for a working session on the latter between members of the board, Town Administrator Michael McCue and representatives of the current recreational and parks committees.

The goals, formulated seven years ago by a previous Select Board have been dusted off to ensure consistency in terms of management and style in how things will be handled, according to Selectmen Chairman James McGahan.

“These were two goals that were part of the open space and rec plan and that committee is looking for approval of those two goals or at least a review and agreement or amendment of additional goals,” McGahan said at Tuesday night’s meeting. “I think it’s time.”

The goals, which would allow the town to apply for grants, are expansion and improvement of recreational opportunities as well as protection of natural resources and biodiversity. They involve a review of recreational and parks committees (Recreation, Parks and Fields, Memorial Field and Town Forest) and considering the consolidation of two or more of the committees under a newly created Recreation Committee. There would also be an effort to improve the General Bylaws to be consistent with state regulation of off-road vehicle issues and to participate in state efforts to regulate use on a regional level.

McGahan noted that membership of the Memorial Field and Town Forest committees have dwindled over the years. He said merging the committees would permit a new Recreation Committee to expand into activities outside Camp Kiwanee.

“Basically we’d have to redraft its intent,” he said, which would have to go before Town Meeting.

“If we’re going to get into a discussion about this, I tend to agree with you that you would want the possibility — like other towns do it — where the Recreation Committee would take care of town-wide [events],” said Recreation Committee Chairman James Hickey. “But I also think that, if this was to go through, the Recreation Committee now as it stands would have to have [its] name changed to the Camp Kiwanee Commission, where it would strictly deal with Camp Kiwanee and Cranberry Cove.”

Hickey thought town events, such as the bicentennial celebration and annual Memorial Day parades, would be perfect projects for a new Recreation Committee. He added that Camp Kiwanee would be the only recreation facility generating revenue, and additional recreation demands would strain those funds.

McGahan said another possibility would be “vendoring out” Camp Kiwanee management, including the liquor license responsibility now borne by the town and inspectional responsibilities.

“It’s something to consider as an option,” he said during the meeting.

“We’ve got a board of volunteers who are doing the best job they can, but with turnover within the board things don’t always follow procedure,” he said Wednesday.

McCue suggested the working session of the boards involved as an “unofficial bandying about” of ideas in a “roll-up-the-sleeves” setting.

Selectman Bruce Young agreed that such a session would be a constructive one.

“That would also give us the chance to work with the representative of the Recreation Committee on firming up and establishing what the duties and responsibilities of a professional recreation director,” Young said.

Resident Audrey Flanagan also urged the working session because members of the individual Recreation, Parks and Fields, Memorial Field and Town Forest committees are passionate about what they are doing.

“Right now, the first step in the process is agreeing to these goals that were set for us seven years ago by a different board,” McGahan said.

“These are preliminary discussions,” Selectman Kenny Mitchell agreed. “Anything we do is going to take a process, it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Phil Clemons, one of three members of the Town Forest Committee, said that as the town forest has become a conservation property, it is redundant.

“We crave not being on the committee anymore, because there’s really nothing to do,” Clemons said. “That would be the easiest thing of all to have it just fade away.”

The natural resources goal simply coordinates town goals with state regulations.

“I’ve had a lot of people calling me concerned that motor bikes and ATVs are [being driven] where they should not be,” McGahan said July 26. “Obviously we want to enforce our state regulations for those.”

Selectman Don Howard said Tuesday night that he does not believe there is space in town for permitting off-road vehicles and insurance requirements would be prohibitive.

WHITMAN — Lisa Green has resigned from the Board of Selectmen, effective July 29, in preparation for submitting an application for the vacant assistant town administrator position.

Whitman has been without an assistant town administrator since Greg Enos left in April to take a human resources manager job in Ashland.

“While we haven’t fully pinned it down yet, we know we’re going to be seeking an assistant town administrator and she wants to be in the running for that,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said. “We haven’t fully determined yet how we’re going to fill this job. Obviously we’re going to be advertising and seeking qualified candidates.”

Selectman Chairman Carl Kowalski agreed.

“We haven’t decided what we’re going to do with the position yet,” he said. The board meets next on Aug. 30. “At that point we’ll discuss the procedure for applying for the position, I expect she will be one of the applicants and I expect her to do well during that process, although I have no idea who else is going to apply.”

Kowalski said Green has been “a terrific selectperson while she’s been on the board, using her experience and ability as a lawyer for the town and for its citizens,” noting he is sorry to see her go, but that the process for hiring a new assistant town administrator would be an interesting one.

In compliance

Green said Sunday that her resignation was timed to keep in compliance with state Ethics Commission rules requiring a 30-day period in which she has not served as a selectman.

“The law is very restrictive and they are very clear that I have to be off the board for 30 days in order for the Board of Selectmen to even consider my application [for assistant town administrator],” she said. “It was a very difficult decision. I enjoyed being a selectman for about five years now and I enjoyed working with all the other board members. It’s been a great positive learning experience.”

Her term would have expired in May 2017.

“I think Lisa has a lot to offer, however, we have to conduct a search and interviews — not a world-wide search, but we’re going to advertise,” Lynam said. “We’re going to see who applies. She’s certainly got a lot of things going for her. … She understands the system.”

Lynam said he finds Green’s legal background appealing.

Green said she would enjoy serving the town on a full-time basis rather than part time. She has served as a selectman for five years and is an attorney for the Commonwealth working for the Social Security Administration in claims investigation. She has stressed her interest in the management of the town.

“I do have a law degree,” she said. “I have been involved in a lot of things with Whitman in the last five years.”

She citied her participation in contract negotiations, among other projects that have “improved the well-being of the citizens of the town.”

She also said she has respectful and positive working relationships with Town Hall staff and could be helpful in securing grants for improving the town.

“I put my full heart into everything that I do,” Green said, noting that while her fellow selectmen — who have not been in contact with her, likely out of respect for ethics regulations — were probably not surprised by her decision.

“They know the position was open and they knew I had expressed interest,” she said. “It was an honor to serve the citizens of Whitman and I thank them for putting faith in me for the last five years and we’ll see what the future holds.”

The board voted on July 12 to review and update the job description of the assistant town administrator position and the approach to take in seeking a new person for that job. Selectman Lisa Green recused herself from the discussion because she is interested in applying for the job.

Job description

Lynam said the position remains a vital one as he currently has $163,009 in projects pending for the Green Communities grant to deal with, as well as three projects under the Community Compact — $25,000 for a wage and personnel study, $15,000 for solar energy project analysis and some $10,000 for the reuse plan for the old Regal property — in addition to other management duties.

“We are approaching a year with four contracts up for renegotiation,” he added. “I don’t think there’s any question in my mind that the town is best served by maintaining the position of the assistant town administrator and I would like the board to consider moving in that direction.”

Voters at the May Town Meeting approved the line item to continue funding the position’s salary.

“I think we need to look at the description of it,” Selectman Dan Salvucci said of the assistant town administrator post. “We felt as if we needed one before, and it seems we still need one. … Do we want someone that will step into [Lynam’s] shoes eventually, or do we want somebody that just wants to be a good assistant?”

Kowalski and Selectman Scott Lambiase volunteered to work with Lynam on reviewing the job description and salary — about $63,000 — offered.

“Clearly, we want to hire someone who’s capable of functioning in my role when I’m not here,” Lynam said. “My biggest concern right now … surrounding towns are compensating people at a much higher level than we are.”

He noted one of the factors in Enos’ decision to leave was the then-$61,000 salary, which is less than some of the department head with whom he was asked to work in a management or administrative role.

The town is negotiating with the Collins Institute at UMass, Boston to conduct a broad-based wage and personnel survey of Whitman town employees in part because of Lynam’s concern about salary parity with other communities as well as job descriptions and expectations.

“I don’t think this survey will prevent us from making a reasonable analysis here,” he said. “But I think we have to talk about it a little bit and recognize we’re not going to hire somebody at the funding that the line presently has.”

Depending on the hiring cycle, there may be sufficient funds available to offer more money to start, but another Town Meeting vote would have to follow to increase the salary going forward if that is done, according to Lynam.

Selectmen, meeting next on Aug. 30, should have more information from the job description subcommittee’s work, with an eye toward hiring someone by the end of September or early October.

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen Tuesday, July 26 welcomed a new firefighter to the official ranks of the Hanson Fire Department, as well as new department chaplain.

Hired in July 2015, firefighter Eric Adams has recently completed his probationary period, Chief Jerome Thompson reported. Adams grew up in Whitman, graduating from WHRHS in 2006 and has been in the EMS field for seven years and a paramedic for two.

He graduated from recruit training at the Mass. Fire Academy with Class No. 237 in December.

“Out of the seven new members we’ve hired in the last 24 months, this is position number five,” Thompson said. “As with the others, he’s been a great addition to our department.”

Adams’ father Daniel pinned on his new badge after Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan administered the oath of office.

“If I poke him, is there anybody here who can help us out?” Daniel Adams joked as he did the badge-pinning honors.

The Rev. Kwang H. Lee, vicar of St. Joseph the Worker Church in Hanson, was sworn in as chaplain. He had been awarded his helmet during Firefighter Memorial Sunday observances in June.

Thompson said Lee, who has been a priest for five years and assigned to St. Joseph for about a year, had expressed interest in the chaplaincy — a position he did not believe had been used at the Hanson Fire Department before.

“Looking at some the things we face today, we thought it would be a great idea to have that on our department,” Thompson said. “The fire department chaplain provides spiritual and emotional support to firefighters and their family members when necessary, but this service will also be available to our community members whether during a medical emergency or fire or maybe a natural disaster.”

He noted that Lee has been visiting firefighters at the station to talk with them and “kind of get to know the lingo.” He has also attended Barnstable Fire Academy to observe the training process.

Lee is also working with the Mass. Corps of Fire Chaplains to be trained in critical incident stress management skills.

Thompson presented Lee with his badge after he was sworn in by Sloan Tuesday night.

New ambulance

Thompson also briefed selectmen on the Fire Department’s recent operations and capital plans — including a request he is considering for the October special Town Meeting to transfer funds from ambulance receipts to pay for a new all-wheel-drive ambulance next year. That would also include a new stretcher system.

“We’re currently looking at different chassis for our next ambulance,” he said. “That makes the ambulance 4-wheel-drive, it’s more of a rugged chassis.”

Department personnel test-drove a model at the station Tuesday.

“Right now we’re weighing all the pros and cons,” he said, stressing that ambulance runs are paid for through patient insurance and noted there is a process through which indigent residents may apply for a waiver.

Current ambulances will be rotated into support services such as gear for the dive team and the oldest vehicle will be donated to the Highway Department.

“It’s a testament to your maintenance program,” said Selectman Bill Scott.

Work on the station’s septic system still needs to be done, with plans due for review by the Board of Health in August, with the aim of completing work in the fall.

“If we can get that completed in the fall, we can go ahead and the second capital plan we already have the funding for is the parking lot,” Thompson said.

The reconfiguration and renovation of the front of the fire station has been completed, Thompson said. That work, much of which was done by firefighters, helped improve department operations.

He also reported his department has responded to 1,109 calls for service as of 5 p.m., July 26 — 707 were EMS-related with 13 of those for opioid-related incidents in Hanson.

Total calls for service are down slightly over the same period last year, he said, but multiple calls are up.

Two important training programs for which Thompson credited funding from selectmen and the Finance Committee, were a May pump-operating training — designed to reduce risk of damage to trucks and the water supply system — and a live burn exercise in June at the Barnstable Fire Academy.

“Even though we’ve seen a decrease in fires, we still need that hands-on training to work on our techniques and look at fire behavior and keep ourselves as safe as possible,” he said.

The department also plans to stay involved in the community with non-emergency events.

Firefighters have trained Cranberry Cove lifeguards in waterfront safety and, through a grant will continue school fire safety programs. They also participated in water day at DARE Camp held at WHRHS this week.