Whitman-Hanson Express

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Marlborough Fly Fishing show set

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MARLBOROUGH  – All the rods, reels, accessories, clothing and gadgets that make fly-fishing the sport it is will be on display for the first time in 2020 at the annual Marlborough Fly Fishing Show, Jan. 17-19 in the Royal Plaza Trade Center.

The exhibition facility, 181 Boston Post Road West, will play host to the annual three-day weekend bouillabaisse of all-things-fly-fishing – for beginner to seasoned veteran – with seminars, casting demonstrations, fly-tying, destination films, Fly Fishing Film Festival and the newest tackle and clothing in a sold-out exhibition hall. There are about a dozen film, video and live presentations per hour.

Fly Fishing Show® hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $15 for one day, $25 for two days and $35 for three days. Children under age 5 are free as are Boy and Girl Scouts under age 16 in uniform. Children 6-12 are $5. Active military with an ID are $10. Parking at the Royal Plaza Trade Center is free.

Some $50,000 in Fly Fishing Show door prizes are up for grabs highlighted by an $11,000 value trip to an outer atoll in the Seychelles; an $11,000 trip for two to El Faro Lodge in Cuba; an $8,600 week for two at Blue Horizon Lodge in Belize for bonefish, permit and tarpon; a $6,160 vacation for two at Pesca Maya in Mexico’s Yucatan, a $5,300 Atlantic salmon trip to the Restigouche River Lodge, Canada; a $5,050 trip for two to the Belize River Lodge, Belize; a $4,400 Brazilian Amazon adventure at Vilanova Lodge, and a $3,500 trip to Colombia’s jungle with Ecuador Fly Fishing Tours for peacock bass and payara.

There will be 20 classes with experts. Class registration is $85 except for an 8-hour advanced casting class with Borger and Mac Brown on Jan. 16.  Tuition for the Thurs. class is $625.

Regular classes include those by George Daniel, Sheila Hassan, Jason Randall, Alan Caolo, Joe Cordiero and Gary Borger with subjects ranging from Casts that Catch, Nymph Fishing, Rigging and Leaders for Saltwater Fly Fishing, The Perfect Cast, Beginning Casting, and Practical Nymphing.  

The northeast premiere of the 2020 International Fly Fishing Film Festival is scheduled for Jan. 17 at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Among the Film Festival presentations are:

• “Particles and Droplets,” by Gilbert Rowley, a look at the world from a different perspective with fly fishing the catalyst.   

• “Aurora Fontinalis,” by Intents Media. An adventurous trip after giant brook trout in the far north.    

• “qaluk, by Hooké.” A far northern fly-fishing adventure to Nunavik in search of Arctic Char.

• “The Mend,” by Broc Isabelle. A father-son relationship complicated by career and responsibilities all set to a fly-fishing background.

• “Nine Foot Rod,” by Dana Lattery. Four fly-fishing guides embark on a trip to Oman in search of giant trevally and Indo-Pacific Permit.

Other films include “AK 30,” seeking a 30-inch trout in Alaska’s Naknek River; “The Bull Run,” looking for a bull trout north of the 49th parallel in the Rockies; and “Poetry in Motion,” the story of Maxine McCormack’s journey to become world fly-fishing champion.   

Total film screening time is just under two hours.

In addition to the films, there will be fly fishing product give-aways and other promotions at the event.

Fly casting demonstrations are scheduled by Borger, Brown, Hassan, Caolo, Bob Clouser and Jeff Currier among others. Featured fly tiers include Borger, Caolo, Cordiero, Clouser, Ed Engle, and Tim Flagler.   

Fly Fishers International (FFI) will host a free learning center with casting, fly-tying, knot tying, rigging and choosing a fly.

Among the approximately 75 Adventure and Destination Theater presentations are programs on Labrador’s Monster Brookies, Taimen in Mongolia, Fly Fishing in Iceland, the Kanektok River in Alaska, Fly Fishing Western Maine, Florida Keys Spring Tarpon Fishing, Fly Fishing the Upper Connecticut River, and Alaska’s Bristol Bay.

There are nine hour-long seminars each day with topics including Where Trout Are, Streamer Tactics 2.0, Understanding Trout, The Best Tidal Rivers in the Northeast, Fishing the Film, Clouser’s Top Tips to Catch More Fish, Fly Fishing for Trout in New England Streams, and An Introduction to Trout Spey. Seminar directors include Randall, Daniel, Boyd, Borger, Currier, Clouser, and Engle among others.

The Author’s Booth offers the opportunity to have books inscribed and “talk fly-fishing” with award-winning, best-selling writers.

For class availability and registration or a complete list of door prizes, Destination Theater, Adventure Theater, seminars, fly tiers, and casting demonstrations, visit flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/ or phone (814) 443-3638.

Hanson mulls uniform management policy

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen will be considering a review of the Town Administrator Act to, perhaps, develop a uniform management policy for department administrative assistants in an effort to address concerns over the protocol used, and the proper appointing authority in the recent hiring of, Dori Jameson of Abington as administrative assistant to Recreation Director William Boyle.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said after asked for an opinion from legal counsel on the issue.

“I followed the process that we’ve used historically for the position,” said interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini about the selection process. “The town administrator works with the chairman and, generally, the department head, but previously we didn’t have a department head for recreation, so we had two members of the Recreation Commission review the applications, decide who they’re going to interview, select the interviewees and conduct the interviews.”

The town administrator then made a recommendation to the Selectmen.

That is the process Marini followed.

The position is one that ultimately reports up through to the town administrator, FitzGerald-Kemmett said, as the Selectmen appoint the Recreation Commission.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said some of the Recreation Commission members, however feel like they were not part of that process to hire someone they will be working with, and asked Marini to address that point as well as the opinion from legal counsel.

Marini said 11 applications were received for the administrative assistant position, which were sent to the Recreation Commission chairman and Boyle for review.

“We used those two people because that was what we used for other positions,” Marini said. The Recreation chairman, Boyle, Marini and Selectmen’s Administrator Greer Getzen each picked five or six people to interview. They interviewed the six people who “made it through the cut.”

“They were all good applicants,” Marini said. “They had varying skill sets for recreation.” Some were more involved in direct programs with residents — such as playing basketball with the kids — one had been an event coordinator for a restaurant and two were administrative people. Marini said the search panel selected the person with the strongest administrative skills.

Marini also said she is familiar with Jameson as someone she could go to with questions about handling administrative issues over the years. Jameson has also been an assistant town administrator/assistant town manager during that time.

Jameson knows how to run an office, open meeting law regulations and is a certified procurement officer. While Marini had been concerned why Jameson would want the recreation job, it turned out Abington had cut her position and asked her about it. While Jameson had answered that she enjoyed not working for a while, she really wants to work and thought the position was right for her.

Marini checked with town counsel to verify that departments under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Administrator Act lists Recreation as one they oversee.

But Town Counsel Katherine Feodoroff also suggested the Town Administrator Act be reviewed and perhaps adjusted for a uniform management policy to assure fair and equitable compensation across all departments.

“This comes up frequently enough” for FitzGerald-Kemmett to term it a good idea.

Some Recreation Commission members said they would at least liked to have had a say in narrowing the field of applicants to the final six.                                                                                         

Power failures 

Representatives from National Grid also attended the meeting to address frequent power losses in town.

“I want to make sure that the citizens of Hanson are not losing power at a rate that is just really getting kind of ridiculous,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s a mere inconvenience to some people, but for a lot of people — quite a few people that may depend on oxygen tanks or are in precarious health conditions — it’s more than an inconvenience, its downright dangerous and life-threatening.”

She said she has heard from a couple of elderly people dependent on oxygen tanks, who “live in fear of us losing electricity,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

National Grid Manager of Community and Customer Relations for the South Shore Joe Cardinale said that, during storm events, he is in charge of community liaisons. During major events a liaison is sent out to every community.

“We look at where the outages are,” Cardinale said of after-storm procedures. “During every storm event, we have tree issues on this feeder [line].”

Once repairs are made, crews have to go up and down the line looking for any additional wires to houses that may be down before utility lines are re-energized, he explained. An expanded tree management program has been instituted to trim and/or remove problem trees.

Trees overhanging power lines are trimmed and an eight-foot right-of-way along power lines takes care of most town trees. All trees to be removed are tagged and homeowners are notified when privately owned trees are involved, and homeowners may decline to permit removal.

The entire circuit for Hanson is involved in the program.

All National Grid employees and contractors carry identification and customers can also call the customer service line or the Hanson tree warden.

Goals,
accomplishments

In other business, the board received a preview of plans for the new Highway Department building and reviewed the boards goals and accomplishments for the year.

“We’ve had quite the year,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “And when we think of some of the bad things that have happened this year, I like to think of some of the good things that have happened.”

Leading the list of accomplishments, FitzGerald-Kemmett said were some key hires: Town Administrator John Stanbrook, who starts Jan. 6, Getzen and new Highway Director Matthew Cahill, who starts Jan. 2 as well as a new recreation director, environmental agent, health agent and conservation administrative assistant.

The acquisition of the Sleeper property abutting Camp Kiwanee, establishment of an economic target area along Main Street and work with a property owner at the former Ocean Spray building regarding his plans to develop a mixed-used property there.

The town is also exploring the reuse of the former Maquan School for affordable senior housing, meeting the required threshold for 40B housing in Hanson.

“We got JJ’s [Pub site] cleaned up, at no additional cost to taxpayers, despite naysayers,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. She also mentioned the plastic grocery bag and polystyrene foam beverage cup and food container ban introduced by Selectmen Matt Dyer and Wes Blauss; regional dispatch services and planning for the town’s 200th anniversary celebration in 2020, among other accomplishments.

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with each and every one of you guys,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of her fellow selectmen. “We’re very fortunate to be supported by a fabulous staff of people at Town Hall, volunteers on all the committees — we’re lucky. We’ve got a great town and it shows time and time again.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell went over the Weston & Sampson plans just received that afternoon for the proposed highway barn at the former LiteControl property.

“This is not the final plan, so I don’t really want that out yet,” Mitchell said. The plans provide the scope of the building and parking lot, salt shed that has a non-permeable floor to avoid salt contamination of the wetlands, an low-heat vehicle storage building, fueling station and the main building, which includes a maintenance bays.

Animal control changes hands

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WHITMAN — Animal Control services will be taken over, as the initial responsibility for oversight by the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator in the new year.

The change will be in force until a “more suitable plan” can be developed, Town Administrator Frank Lynam informed Selectmen at the Tuesday, Dec. 17 meeting.

“The Board of Health has notified us that they wish to — can I use the word reneg? — on their acceptance of managing the Animal Control Department, as of Jan. 1,” Lynam said.

Animal control has traditionally been managed by the Police Department.

“We obviously have to do something fairly immediately,” Lynam said, noting there was not much of an option available for reassigning it.

“When we did this, there was a considerable increase, monetarily, to that department for this specific purpose,” Selectman Randy LaMattina noted about the Health Board’s oversight. “I would just like us to be aware of that and figure out a direction.”

Lynam said he would discuss the financial ramifications of the change with the Finance Committee.

“Since [the Board of Health] is an elected board, we really can’t direct them to do anything, but we’re recognizing their decision to — I’m looking for a word — to relieve themselves of the animal control process and that has some impacts,” Lynam said.

Selectman Brian Bezanson asked if the financial aspect was not something that was more properly up to the Health Board Chairman and Finance Committee to decide.

“There has to be some decision made somewhere,” Lynam said. “The Board of Health is the appointing authority for the health agent, the budget is voted annually at Town Meeting and there are certain responsibilities that we all have when we vote and adopt annual budgets, so that’s a discussion that has to happen.”

Lynam said the Board of Health maintains it needs a full-time health agent, animal control notwithstanding.

“Like any department, a case has to be made for supporting the budget that you request,” he said.

As Hanson Selectmen have approved $30,000 for its share of the $60,000 cost for a joint town hiring of an independent auditor for the School District’s operating costs, Whitman Selectmen authorized planning for an expenditure not to exceed $30,000 for the town’s share.

“It’s a lot of money, but there’s a lot of questions,” Lynam said. “As we speak [Dec. 17], I don’t know where the money’s coming from.”

He has asked the town accountant to “look at all of our numbers” to figure out from where the $30,000 could be drawn.

The type of firm selected may hinge on what they are looking for — whether the numbers add up or where the money is spent, according to Lynam.

“Those are two different types of audit,” Lynam said. “We’re trying to understand what the basics for spending are and how we’re affected going forward.”

Lynam said the town has identified its costs and what its trends have been over the last five years, with the result being they are saying there is a structural deficit for fiscal 2021of at least $1.7 million.

“That’s without the numbers that were thrown out by the school [district Dec. 11],” he said. “We have to start somewhere.”

Bezanson said the audit could be viewed positively, especially if it verifies what the school district has been saying.

SSVT unveils FY 21 budget

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HANOVER — The South Shore Tech School Committee has been presented with a fiscal 2021 budget increase of 4.09 percent —$589,319 — increase that would also decrease the total assessments to member towns. An increase in non-resident tuition is expected to offset the budget increase, according to Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey.

State aid figures for Chapter 70 funds are not yet available, but the district assumes level funding will be continued. Regional transportation reimbursement, meanwhile, is being assumed at 80 percent — up from 70 percent in fiscal 2020 — and the budget total assumes that stabilization funds will remain at $37,280 to defray bus lease costs.

The committee heard Hickey’s annual budget presentation on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

“Whatever we value, that’s what we budget for,” Hickey said to open his presentation. “We build our budget from zero.”

A Jan. 22 public hearing on the budget is planned.

Supplies and technology costs, such as for steel or tools, will increase in some programs. There is also $89,644 in new personnel requests, such as moving a graphic communications instructor to full-time as well as adding English Learner and horticulture instructors and a horticulture aide.

Capital requests for 2021 total $782,414 — including septic and roof repairs on the building.

The project design cost included in the 2021 budget comes to $199,936 for the design and $69,978 for an owner’s project manager.

Hiring an owner’s project manager and design will be the first steps toward deciding what the district will go out for bid for planned capital projects. The work could be done separately, the roof one year and windows the next, or do it all at once. The original cost estimate from fiscal 2018 came in at $1,236,800 for the roof and $396,625 for the windows, and $1,777,425, including the cost of metal panels under the windows. For fiscal 2021 the 4-percent hike brings the total cost to $1,999,361 with a 6.5-percent contingency plan of $129,958 built in.

Cost increases anticipated at 4 percent per year, brought the combined projects cost to $1,848,522 in fiscal 2019 and to $1,922,63 in fiscal 2020.

Accomplishments for the past year include continuing strong growth in MCAS scores and student attainment of third-party vocational credentials. The school is also actively involved with area workforce development boards and the South Shore Chamber of Commerce and has implemented work-based adult education programs.

The district has also used skills capital grants to bring in $300,000 for capital purchases. It goes into the fiscal 2021 budget year owing only the final interest payment on the 2010 roof and window project debt.

Another roof and window project for the newer wing of the school is among the capital goals.

Other budgetary goals include expansion of the horticulture and landscape program, building a “clean room” with grant funds for the storing of metal fabrication and machining inspection equipment, expansion of adult education and workforce development partnerships and for analysis of school operations accountability as well as social-emotional learning initiatives.

Student attendance and expansion of the breakfast program participation are also planned.

Whitman reviews snow, ice budget

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WHITMAN — With winter beginning to take hold, Town Administrator Frank Lynam proposed a change to the budget process for snow and ice removal to the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

“Obviously, we are going through some difficult mechanisms right now with the budget,” he said. “However, we start every year in the hole [for snow and ice removal] with the exception of two since 2007.”

The town appropriates $120,000 for snow and ice and the costs, when it hasn’t been able to pay for it have varied from $249,000 to $475,000. He argued that, if the starting budget was increased to $250,000 the town would have still seen nine deficit years out of the last 13; at $300,000 Whitman would have seen five deficit years.

He cautioned, however, that any increase must be looked at in view of how it might affect the current budget.

He urged the board to look at the issue toward deciding whether more money should be committed to snow and ice in order to get an even start to the year. Lynam also provided his cost analysis to the finance committee.

“I’m not looking for a vote, I’m just bringing it forward to say it’s something we need to look at as part of our overall revamp of our budget process,” he said.

Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci said he had always been told by the DPW that, once the snow and ice budget was increased, it could never be decreased.

Lynam said that is not correct, but if a town increases the budget line and ends up with a surplus, it would be capped at what that budget is the following year.

“It’s just for the year following the reduction, you’re not permanently enjoined,” he said.

Lynam told the board that he was recently contacted by state officials about their work to update flood maps, including a change in procedures.

Once the maps are updated, the town must update them through its bylaws, according to Lynam.

Building Inspector Bob Currant will be the point person on the project.

Selectmen also heard a report on the Dec. 4 meeting of the New Regional Agreement Amendment Committee.

“What can I say? We met, we dissolved,” Lynam said.

“I will tell you the dissolution of the committee was definitely a … both towns agreed on it and just feel it’s the best way to handle things, the assessment being one of the major hurdles to get over,” said Selectman Randy LaMattina, who attended a Dec. 4 meeting of the committee with Lynam, Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski and their Hanson counterparts.

“We just felt that the towns really needed to happen in a smaller group and tackle that issue rather than take on a whole regional agreement at this time,” LaMattina said.

Lynam reminded the board that informal discussions had been held on the issue previously and he said he was sure that could happen again.

While he said his goal is to ultimately get to the statutory assessment method, but LaMattina said without hard numbers or a measure of voter preference in Whitman, he said Kowalski had recommended a center-lane approach that is neither statutory nor alternative/agreement method. LaMattina, however, argued that the statutory method is the most equitable. Whitman also voted to support the statutory method.

“I know it’s uphill for Hanson,” he said. “It self-corrects. You don’t get into a situation that you go 31 years under an agreement that has really shifted.”

Hanson stands by audit request

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Dec. 17 discussed updated information and concerns surrounding the ongoing school differences with Whitman surrounding  assessment formula for W-H Regional Schools.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett and Selectmen Matt Dyer were slated to meet Wednesday, Dec. 18 with Whitman counterparts and town administrators to further discuss a proposed compromise assessment approach for the W-H Regional Schools.

The board’s agenda Dec. 17 included discussion on the costs of de-regionalizing and of the assessment issue with Town Counsel and possible next steps.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the Dec. 4 meeting of the new Regional Agreement Committee concluded with a vote to temporarily disband [see related story] the panel to permit discussions on a smaller scale to facilitate negotiation. She said whatever is discussed in the smaller sessions would “absolutely be brought back” for discussion by Hanson Selectmen.

“The discussion was how we should move forward with the regional agreement and it was made abundantly clear at that meeting that Whitman was going to go statutory this year,” she said. “The way the composition of the School Committee [stands], with the 6-4 — six Whitman votes to four Hanson — the fact that we’ve had DESE weigh in and all … more than likely, regardless what the School Committee voted, ultimately we would end up with the statutory formula.

The statutory method takes into account a town’s minimum per pupil expenditure designated by DESE — the minimum local contribution — which fluctuates based on inflation, wage adjustment, town’s total earned income, property values and municipal revenue growth. Anything in a budget over the minimum local contribution goes to the regional agreement, based on pupil population, for any other operating expense.

There is no requirement for unanimous agreement by both communities to use the statutory method.

The agreement/alternative method uses strict per-pupil representation to assess the communities, the method currently used by the district. Both communities have to pass the assessment methodology prior to the budget distribution or at town meeting in order to use this method. If one town does not vote the budget forward and the other does, it does not constitute unanimous agreement for the method to be used.

FitzGerald-Kemmett reported that Whitman Selectman Randy LaMattina would be willing to enter into an agreement calling for a statutory formula for fiscal 2021, after which the towns would discuss a transition to a full statutory assessment system.

Going forward, Whitman Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said he favored opening the agreement to something of a hybrid formula that would not be fully statutory nor alternative.

“I don’t know what that looks like,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Part of that is the school audit that both towns have agreed to fund.”

She sought to clarify that the audit is to provide information the towns need.

“If we’re being asked to write a check, we need to know what that check is for, pure and simple,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It is not a value judgment, it is not an indictment of anybody. We have a fiduciary responsibility to have transparency into the way the money is being spent.”

She pointed out that, were the schools not part of a region, that transparency — as with all other town departments — would be easier to achieve.

Dyer said the audit had no connection to any suspicions about school finances.

Every year, we choose a department to audit,” he said. “This is just regular business.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed, but admitted the impetus was also a need for more information. She described the towns’ relationship as currently siloed where the schools are concerned, and that the audit could lead to help the towns get onto the same page.

“They’d be sitting at our department head meetings on a weekly basis and they’d be talking to one another,” she said. “We’re trying to level that playing field and get that level of information we’ve got from the other departments in town.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the board has also been receiving a lot of questions about whether de-regionalization has been considered. It will not be figured out by the May Town Meeting, she said, stressing that people want to know what the structure and cost would be and the whether or not the town would benefit from it.

“I don’t have any of those answers right now,” she said. “My sense is that de-regionalization is probably not a viable — and certainly not a short-term viable — solution right now, but it’s something everyone deserves to have us look into, so we will look into it.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan at what point his board should be looped in.

“Ultimately, FinCom has to play the hand we’re dealt, based on what the schools provide in their budget,” he said. “It’s a little bit discouraging to me that they’ve shown such a high increase already in December.”

He pointed to the $2.5 million in recommendations are an indication that an even higher budget increase than in previous years.

“We’re throwing things like full-day kindergarten right on top,” Sullivan said. “Is this the best time to do that? If they eased into this a little bit more, I feel we could make this work. … But I feel like we’re hammering it down now.”

He argued it could motivate some residents to dig in and refuse to support any budget.

“I’ve gotten some very strong and loud feedback about the fact that, not only are we looking at the struggle of how the assessment will play out, but now we’re  tacking on pretty large increase on top of that,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “They’re doing what they think they need to do.”

In other business, the board discussed a “No Knock Policy” against door-to-door solicitations, in which a list is drawn up and disseminated.

Police Chief Michael Miksch has noted a problem with such a policy concerning maintaining the list when people move or property is sold and the First Amendment considerations of group such as religious or political canvassers. He also noted the 2020 Census will be sending people door-to-door.

Miksch recommends that those who do not want solicitors knocking on their doors should post “No Trespassing” or “No Soliciation” signs, which the police can enforce.

Financial literacy is now a graduation requirement at W – H

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W-H principal Dr. Christopher Jones received the go-ahead from School Committee members on Wednesday, Dec. 11 to use a grant from NextGen, a personal finance firm, to fund a financial literacy program of studies with an eye toward including it as a graduation requirement beginning in 2024.

“We thought it would add up, seeing that we ran a pilot this year,” Jones said. “We were already looking to make it a graduation requirement.”

The $10,000 grant would help implement the program, however the Committee’s support in a vote, reflected in a vote recorded in the minutes to require financial literacy as a graduation criteria. No additional personnel is required with the rolling of a computer application course into the financial literacy program. An $11,500 state grant will fund professional development for the program.

“I’m glad to see we’re doing something on this,” said School Committee member Dan Cullity. “I do believe our students do not — over the last four or five years — come out of here knowing how to do anything for life. [They’re] basement dwellers because they don’t know how to get a house.”

He said there is such an emphasis on college, when only a certain amount go to college while the rest “have to get out there and do the blue-collar work.”

School Committee member Alexandra Taylor, who works in a bank, agreed.

“It’s not just younger people,” she added. “It’s adults my age who have no clue how to do any of it.”

Jones said the course goes beyond that, noting how students cover APR, buying a house, credit scores, interest rates and the like. Jones also outlined a policy approach to vaping and its potential for addiction, including consequences, recently classifying  it as a “suspension event.”

“We want to put in an educational component,” Jones said, noting that suspensions alone proved initially successful, but vaping use is on the increase again. A Saturday program is being looked at, including informational videos and reports as well as discussions with counselors, administrators or the school resource officer. Whitman resident Shawn Kain, of the recovery high school in Brockton, reiterated his request that the possibility of a student’s being diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder.

“I think it’s a whole lot more important or serious than we’re discussing,” Kain said. “I think addiction is a disability and I think it should be treated as a disability.”

He has been advocating for its inclusion in the student handbook as a disability just as any emotional disability.

The School Committee also approved Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak’s request to form a Superintendent’s Council of students with the aim of the students to meet three or four times a year with the committee.

Szymaniak proposed leaning on student leaders for membership on the council, but School Committee member Robert O’Brien Jr., said he would prefer hearing from a  cross-section of students.

“I want to hear from others, quite honestly,” O’Brien said. “I don’t always want to hear from the student leaders … I want to hear from all walks of life.”

Pantry donations

In other business, the students of the WHRHS National Honor Society presented checks for $908 each to the Whitman and Hanson food pantries during the meeting.

NHS members raised a total of $1,817 during the annual Miles for Meals 5K fun run and one-mile walk on Sept. 28, according to adviser Kelly Tanis, a language teacher.

Christine Cameron of the Hanson Food Pantry and Bruce Perry of the Whitman Food Pantry attended the meeting to accept the donations from NHS member Chloe Wilson.

“Thank you to both food pantries for all you do for the community,” Wilson said.

“Year in-year out these kids do this — it used to be under the direction of Ms. Galambos, but now Ms. Tanis — and they do a great job,” Perry said. “The students always come through for us and we really appreciate it. I really want to commend them for that.”

Statutory assessment formula approved for FY 2021

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The School Committee — divided along community lines — voted 6-4 on Wednesday, Dec. 11 to use the statutory formula for calculating the towns’ assessments for the fiscal 2021 school budget.

The six Whitman members supported the move and the four Hanson members voted against it.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes outlined a Dec. 4 meeting of the new Regional Agreement Committee, including him and Vice Chairman Christopher Scriven, two members of each board of selectmen and school district and town administrators.

“It was a very lively discussion about the statutory method vs. the alternative method,” Hayes said. “It was all very valuable information with everybody sort of on the same page and working at it.”

The statutory method takes into account a town’s minimum per pupil expenditure designated by DESE — the minimum local contribution — which fluctuates based on inflation, wage adjustment, town’s total earned income, property values and municipal revenue growth. Anything in a budget over the minimum local contribution goes to the regional agreement, based on pupil population, for any other operating expense.

There is no requirement for unanimous agreement by both communities to use the statutory method.

The agreement/alternative method uses strict per-pupil representation to assess the communities, the method currently used by the district. Both communities have to pass the assessment methodology prior to the budget distribution or at town meeting in order to use this method. If one town does not vote the budget forward and the other does, it does not constitute unanimous agreement for the method to be used.

No votes were taken at what Hayes described as a largely organizational meeting until assessments were discussed. But by the end of that session the group agreed to ask the School Committee to temporarily disband the Regional Agreement Committee until the towns are ready to work on all aspects of the agreement.

The School Committee approved that motion unanimously. The Regional Agreement Committee had also asked the School Committee for its vote on the assessment method to be used in the fiscal 2021 budget. That required only a majority vote of the School Committee.

“What they didn’t want to do was violate any laws by having quorums and discussions that they could be having with each other,” Hayes said.

Scriven said he thought it was a “pretty positive dialog.”

Assistant Superintendent George Ferro characterized the request as an effort to formulate a budget this year and then come back to examine how the whole plan looks from a language, process and building perspective and look as long-term impact.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said the assessment debates have taken up the bulk of attention over the past five months and that he was “struggling” with requests from both towns for an independent audit of their schools’ operating costs — and a town administrator’s suggestion that the school district needed to “tighten its belt.”

“I’ve been superintendent for a year and a half and I worked really hard last year to do what’s best for the kids,” Szymaniak said. “So, if you want to do an audit of what we do, bring it forth … but to question the integrity of both George and I — and this committee, who put forth a budget last year that cut $1.8 million — I’m offended by that.”

He said the cost of an audit could be better spent on Chromebooks for the high school.

School Committee member Christopher Howard of Hanson said he was concerned that none of the community representatives on the Regional Agreement Committee were present to offer their thoughts about the Dec. 4 session.

“All I can say is they specifically asked us to vote on this in and effort to kind of move forward,” Scriven said.

Whitman member Dawn Beyers expressed concern that disbanding the Regional Agreement Committee “allows them to have sub, sub, subgroups” and she would prefer to see open conversations.

Discussion of the assessment formula revealed that the two towns are still far apart on financing the school budget.

“It was implemented, really, to benefit all the children,” Byers also said of the statutory assessment formula. “As a committee, I’ll hope we’ll recognize our charge — it’s student achievement, it’s continuous student achievement, and we need to talk about how the availability of the statutory assessment does help our budget. It does help our students.”

She said that, as tighter budgets narrow what the district can offer, students will go elsewhere and it will ultimately cost W-H more.

Howard said it is the budget itself that is key, rather than the assessment method.

“The assessment is just how we’re charging the affected towns the cost,” he said.

Hayes said unfunded mandates have a huge impact, as well.

But Whitman member Dan Cullity was more blunt as discussion moved onto the next budget projections.

“To turn around and tell you to tighten the school budget belt — we’re the only department that’s cut, laid off, dropped services — I don’t think we can be tightening the belt any more than we have,” he said. “That really ticked me off, not only as a School Committee member, but as a citizen in the town of Whitman.”

He stressed that assessments to the towns do not necessarily reflect an increase in the school budget. He said either legislation to free up some of the state surplus to fund unfunded mandates, or tax increases would be needed to close the budget gap.

Cullity noted education is the only service required by the state constitution.

“I’m sorry, I’m here for the children — that’s why I was elected,” he said. “I don’t want to pay more taxes, [but] that’s the only way this is ever going to be resolved.”

Byers said W-H is not alone in dealing with unfunded mandates.

“It goes back to our towns and how they choose to support education,” she said.

Szymaniak said the preliminary fiscal 2021 budget is $57,492,938 — an increase of 9.66 percent or $5.9 million.

“That’s giving you what we need to move forward,” he told the committee. That figure includes full-day kindergarten, changing start times, reducing class size in elementary schools and other things that have been “talked about for years and years” that have been cut.

Required expenses total $2,291,200 — including salary increases. Special education transportation costs are up $275,000; special education tuition is up $110,000 and facilities costs are up.

Curriculum upgrades the district needs are also factored into the recommended budget.

“We’ve tightened our belts as much as we can,” Szymaniak said. “This committee has always supported kids and I ask them to continue to support kids. I know you are responsible to your local communities as well.”

Remembering those lost at Pearl Harbor

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WHITMAN — On the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Whitman American Legion Post 22 and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 22 gathered at the post on Legion Parkway for its annual salute to the lives lost on America’s “day of infamy.”

Evocative of the early Sunday morning (Pearl Harbor time) attack, color and honor guards saluted the flag, flown at half staff, before firing a ceremonial volley at 8 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 7.

New Post Commander Robert Schirone thanked the representatives from the Whitman VFW, Legion, Sons of the Legion, the Sons Riders and Knights of Columbus. Town Administrator Frank Lynam and Selectman Dan Salvucci also attended.

Frank Mirano, 98, who joined the service a couple months after Pearl Harbor attack had been invited, but Schirone said it appeared the cold morning was not conducive to his being able to attend.

“Again, our nation has assembled to honor its heroic dead,” Schirone said in his prepared remarks. “Under the quiet sod or beneath the murmuring waves, their bodies sleep in peace.”

Schirone said their souls march on in the destinies of veterans.

“Because of them, our lives are free,” Schirone said of those lost on Dec. 7, 1941. “Because of them, our nation lives. … They fought for us. For us, they fell now with one accord, and deepest reverence, we do them honor.”

After he spoke, the gathering observed 30 seconds of silence and a prayer was offered for the repose of those lost — as well as the honorable way survivors continued on with their lives — before the Whitman VFW honor guard fired the ceremonial salute from three rifles, after which a recording of “Taps” was played.

The brief ceremony was followed by a breakfast collation in the post.

Celebrating season of giving

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HANSON — Residents kicked off the holiday season on Saturday, Dec. 7 by breaking bread — er, pancakes, — with Santa Claus at Camp Kiwanee; thanking volunteers who aid the town’s seniors; and lighting the night sky with fireworks and the town’s Christmas tree.

Hanson Fire apparatus also represented the town and Wyman’s Nursery, which provided wreaths for the engines, in the East Bridgewater Holiday parade Saturday morning.

The volunteers who drive seniors to medical appointments, deliver Meals on Wheels, work the reception desk, and help with the supportive adult day program, sing in the senior chorus, among other projects, were invited to a luncheon at the center Saturday afternoon. A catered meal, with cake was enjoyed while Warren Phillips performed Christmas favorites. Each volunteer received a holiday card signed by the center staff and a pocket planning calendar.

“It’s so wonderful to have you all,” Senior Center Director Mary Collins said. “Take a look around, you are the most important people in this center, I want you to know that. Without you, we would never be able to make it.”

Collins thanked the volunteers for their work on behalf of the staff.

“When I think of my family, I do think of all of you and you make a difference in my life.”

The day was capped off by the town’s seventh annual Holiday Fest on the Town Hall Green.

Craft tables hosted by event co-sponsor Sullivan Funeral Homes and the Hanson PTO provided families with personalized keepsake ornaments and picture frames for the photos with Santa taken by Hanson firefighters.

“It does get a little easier,” Holiday Committee Chairman Steve Amico said of the planning. “What happens is, it all seems to fall together. We have a good corps of people.”

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson, Deputy Chief Robert O’Brien Jr., and Lt. Charles Barends, Police Chief Michael Miksch and Lt. Mike Casey, School Committee chairman Bob Hayes, Amanda Hauck of Sullivan Funeral Homes, Kevin Dykes of the Highway Department, and pastors Kris Skjerli of Calvary Baptist Church and Peter Smith of the Hanson Congregational Church have all been instrumental in planning the event, Amico said.

“Pastor Kris has been unbelievable for the past several years, putting the restaurants together,” he said.

Participating restaurants in town, included Mike’s House of Pizza, The Olde Hitching Post, Meadow Brook Restaurant, Domino’s Pizza and others. The Hanson Kiwanis Club teamed with the Rockland-Hanson Rotary to provide hot chocolate that patrons could add to at a cocoa bar. The Hanson 200 Committee sold souvenir items at a pop-up store in the Nathaniel Thomas Mill, with proceeds going to fund next year’s 200th anniversary celebration of Hanson’s founding.

“We’re going to be joining together with them for the 200th anniversary next Christmas,” Amico said.

Santa received a police and fire escort through traffic, arriving to light the town’s Christmas tree and pose for photos with kids of all ages before a fireworks display capped off the event.

Whitman gets into the holiday spirit next week with the Recreation Department’s annual Christmas party starting at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14 at Town Hall. “Polar Express” will be screened at 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15 at the VFW on Essex Street.