WHITMAN – A spate of recent events has reminded Select Board Chair Dr, Carl Kowalski of a line from a movie that he says speaks to a need for talking to each other, rather than at each other.
“As I was getting ready for the meeting tonight, something kept going through my head. … I’ve had [that line] in my head for a long time,” Kowalski said. The 1990 film “The Sound of Silence,” featuring Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern, included the line, “The whole world’s wild at heart and weird on the top,” he recalled, going on to explain his meaning.
The line reminded him of some things.
“We’re living that right now,” he said. “We have reports of swastikas in the neighborhoods. We have rumored reports – false rumored reports – of illegal immigrants living in the armory. We had a stand-out of 300 people in Hanson over the weekend in support of a man who’s breaking the law in Hanson by projecting something on the town [water] tower – which is town property.
“We have the police having to pay attention to the house of the town manager in Hanson – one of our former colleagues – who merely did the right thing by telling that person that it was against the law and he should take it down,” he said, noting that official’s life has been threatened and they have received “nasty emails.”
Contacted that evening, Hanson Select Board Chair Laura Fitz-Gerald-Kemmett had no comment. [See story opposite]
All of that’s been going on over the last couple of days, Kowalski informed his board about the examples he cited.
“The whole world is wild at heart and weird on the top,” he repeated.
He said he was relating that information as an introduction to a program, planned by the Whitman Freedom Team, at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24 at W-H Regional High School.
Kowaksi was extending an invitation to all residents to attend, or to watch at home. Speakers at the event will include Democratic state Sen. Mike Brady of Brockton and Republican state Rep. Alyson Sullivan-Almeida of Abington.
“It’s for a night of unity, hoping to inspire and share the Whitman team’s message of civility and mutual respect,” he said. “Certainly, it’s timely. Unfortunately, it’s really needed.”
Campbell retires
The Board then recognized the retirement of Det. Eric Campbell, who attended the meeting with his wife Diane, daughter Morgan and sons Dylan and Justin.
“They’ve always been supporting him, as families do in the police profession,” Police Chief Timothy Hanlon said.
Campbell began his career in the auxiliary unit, moving on into patrol in 2001 and beginning a 24-year career as a full-time officer. He has served as a DARE officer, a school resource officer, has been a detective since 2012, and has been an honor guard volunteer as well as the auxiliary liaison officer. He has also served as a union president for many years and still serves as the department’s evidence officer until his official retirement date.
“He’s worn many hats here and all those are appreciated,” Hanlon said. “What I can say about Eric Campbell is, he’s always been available to do those jobs to the best of his ability. He is as dedicated as they come.”
Hanlon said that Cambell won’t be completely retiring as he will return to being an auxiliary/special police officer.
“He’ll be down to one hat,” Hanlon said, presenting Campbell with his retirement badge. The police union presented him with a plaque in appreciation of his service and the Select Board presented him with a citation from the town.
The board then voted to appoint Campbell as an auxiliary/special police officer, effective Oct. 24 through June 30, 2025.
“That was a long retirement,” Kowalski joked. “OK, you’re back on the job, Eric.”
“Heck of a retirement,” Vice Chair Dan Salvucci jested.
Green report card
In other business, Old Colony Regional Planning Council (OCPC) Senior Development Specialist Paul Umano presented Green Communities program’s annual report.
The town’s 10-year report card was encouraging.
“You guys have done an amazing job with reducing your energy use and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with [Assistant Town Administrator Kathleen Keefe] and her team with the upcoming spring round grants,” he said, noting the typical grant is around $225,000 per grant year There is also a grant program for $500,000 for de-carbonization programs.
“The possibilities are endless,” he said.
Umano’s presentation was aimed to show the town’s overall standing as a green community. There are five criteria required by the program: as-of-right siting; expedited permitting; maintaining energy use; fuel-efficient vehicle policy and the “stretch code,” which is the more stringent building code governing new construction.
Under the as-of-right siting criteria, there are requirements for renewable or alternative energy generating facilities; renewable or alternative energy research and development and renewable or alternative energy manufacturing facilities in designated locations.
“The town currently has a range – I know the town as a little bit of aggregation and a little bit of solar as well – you’ve maintained that status throughout [and] you’ve been designated as a Green Community,” he said.
“The third criteria, I think is the most important – maintaining your energy use baseline data,” Umano said. “The idea is [that] your baseline is FY 2014.” That calls for a 20-percent reduction of energy use.
“You guys are doing an amazing job in terms of reducing your energy use throughout,” he said again, The 20-percent benchmark is maintained in municipal buildings, while open space is well over 20 percent, while traffic and streetlights are almost at 60 percent; town-owned vehicles are at a 16-percent reduction level and the Water and Sewer Department is at just 6 percent.
“That’s just amazing work across the board,” he said.
Board member Justin Evans offered kudos for the long-term energy reductions.
“The streetlights was all Lisa Green, our now twice mentioned in this meeting former assistant town administrator – a project that she spear-headed and really converted them all to LED using Green Communities grant,” Evans said. “I think credit where it’s due. It saved us 60 percent off our carbon emissions chart there.”
Projects the town has done which stand out include the Council on Aging, where a high-efficiency water heater has been put in place; some insulation work at the Fire Department, some rooftop control units have been put in at the police station; some EV charging stations have been placed at the DPW and a boiler has also been replaced there as well as at Town Hall.
“By no means is that an exhaustive list, but some of the key highlights over the years,” Umano said.
For future planning, he called attention to the town buildings with the greatest current energy use: Town Hall, the police and fire stations, the library and the DPW’s “town barn.” They are also the highest carbon emission buildings.
Energy-use intensity, comparable to miles per gallon on one’s car, is also tracked for the review – and the list is basically the same as for energy use, with the armory building replacing the library and DPW on the list. Umano also gave the town high marks for its fuel-efficient vehicle policy, with no reported violations.
“It looks as though there are no new significant changes [under the codes for new buildings] in the community,” he said.
Select Board member Laura Howe noted that, with the new DPW building under construction, that department’s numbers will be greatly improved.
Member Shawn Kain asked if there was anything in the program pertaining to an organic waste, or composting, program. Umano said he was not aware of one, but the topic came up again as the board was voting on the new trash rate of $360 per year based on costs, ($335 for seniors). The rate last fiscal year was $335.
Kain suggested such a composting program could help reduce the weight – and therefore the cost – of trash hauling in Whitman.
“I know other communities do it, and do it pretty well,” he said. “It would be good to get some feedback from the DPW about it.”
Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter said she could send Superintendent Bruce Martin an email about the question.
“It’s worth looking into,” Howe said.