Whitman-Hanson Express

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Whitman calls special Town Meeting

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WHITMAN — On Monday, Dec. 2, five days after consuming that Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings, Whitman voters will be asked to attend a brief special Town Meeting seen as vital to the town. The Town Meeting would start at 7:30 p.m., in Town Hall Auditorium.

Among the items on the four-article warrant is funding toward repairs to the town’s wastewater system — and a quorum of 150 registered voters is vital for that business to be addressed, according to Town Administrator Frank Lynam.

The Board of Selectmen, in an unusual afternoon meeting followed by an equally unusual Tuesday meeting of the School Committee [see related story], voted 4-0 to approve date and warrant for the Town Meeting. Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski was not present.

“The DPW is in need of an appropriation to begin the work to replace the sewer force main,” Lynam said. “I know it’s difficult, sometimes, to have special Town Meetings at this time of year and I’ve asked that we do this early in order to have the maximum amount of time to promote this meeting because our ability to continue to use our sanitary system, is dependent on that force main — and it is failing. We’re at a critical point, now.”

That work is being addressed under article four on the warrant — which seeks $900,000, of which $121,676.23 is to pay for a retro-assessment for sewer service in 2016. Another $88,083.70 is for fiscal 2017. Both are due to Whitman’s negotiation of a successor contract with Brockton since July 1, 2015.

“We have finally reached a point where we believe we are in agreement,” Lynam said. “We won’t know that until we see final document language.”

Whitman has not been billed for fiscal 2018 yet.

“Those items, along with the cost of designing and building a force main will be somewhere near $900,000,” Lynam said. By appropriating that amount, he said the town should have sufficient funds to do the work and any left-over funds will be returned to the sewer enterprise account.

The first article is to transfer $4,500 from Norfolk County Aggie to pay a prior year bill to Collins Engineering, who helped the town with the repair evaluation of Hobart’s Dam.

Article two would transfer $37,918 from both Norfolk County and the law account “because we would really like to pay the [police] chief we just hired for the whole year,” Lynam said.

Article three is a transfer up to $7,209 — perhaps less would be needed, but that is not clear at this point — to cover for the Animal Control Officer, who has been out on workmen’s compensation.

“Even though there are only four articles, those four articles are very important,” said Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci.

Selectman Justin Evans said he had an issue with taking funds from the law account for part of article two.

Lynam said those were the funds most likely to be available, as the town does not have additional levy space. Any resulting shortfall in the law account would have to be addressed in the May special Town Meeting, he noted.

“Frankly, I didn’t want to use free cash,” he said.

Lynam said he has been meeting with the assessor and they have determined that this year’s excess levy has “dropped dramatically.”

It is now $3,982.

He said the information would likely give the town an appropriation levy of $27,241,000 and a tax rate of $15.86, figures to be clarified at the tax classification hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Finding new roads towards healing

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HALIFAX — Local writer and holistic healer Isabella Rose has a lot on her plate these days, as she works to help people gain connections to the region’s past as well as with healing in the midst of the opioid crisis.

The inspirational book contributor is not only continuing her education in holistic healing, she is also serving as an ambassador for the Plymouth 400 celebration next year.

“They’re such a wonderful organization,” she said of the Plymouth 400 organization. The ambassador program involves a course at Curry College to help visitors gain the best possible experience from the year-long celebration.

She has also become an advocate for overdose awareness since her partner’s death, joining the Moms and Dads of Team Sharing, a support group for parents who have lost children to overdoses, Plymouth County Outreach and East Bridgewater Hope — and she continues writing, with two new books coming out this year that feature her work.

“It’s unfortunate that his relapse cost him his life and his future,” Rose said of her loss. “But I firmly believe there’s a blessing in everything. Sometimes we have to look a little harder for it.”

She had not known her late partner during his addiction to heroin, and did not realize, at the time, how much a part of his recovery she had been before his relapse following a serious car accident.

The MDTS has supported Mass. Attorney General Maura Healy in her case against Perdue Pharma and the Sackler family.

“There is hope,” she said of the work the three groups are doing to combat opioid abuse. “I want to help everybody heal and live life to their fullest potential.”

Rose has since earned a bachelor’s degree in holistic health science and is pursuing a master’s degree in natural medicine with an eye toward pursuing a doctorate in opioid recovery.

She has contributed to another in the “365” book series — similar in format to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series — which includes the work of devotional writers. Her latest participation is in “365 Soulful Messages,” as well as with the upcoming “Calling Earth Angels and Healers.”

“Soulful Messages” is the fifth, and final, volume in the best-selling “365” inspirational series. A reader of that series, who had attended one of Rose’s workshops recommended her to “Earth Angels” co-author Geri Magee, Ph.D., who invited her to “write about my journey as an earth angel and healer.”

She said she was aware of her gift as a child, but as she grew older she “started to forget who I was” through life experiences.

“I’m just rediscovering who I am, and I share [in the book] about the car accident and the divine intervention,” she said.

Rose’s car accident in December 2017, which caused a collapsed aorta that was not immediately diagnosed, was one of the transformative events in her life, which have helped her follow her urge to write.

Her partner had saved her life in the crash, Rose said.

“It’s by the grace of God and the bravery of my late significant other, who physically saved me from the car that day, that I’m here,” she said. Two months later, he had died from an unrelated incident and her world “Completely came crashing down around me.”

She wrote about him in one of her essays.

“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t thank him for loving me and loving me enough to want to risk his life to get me out of that vehicle,” she says now. “He’ll always be a part of me and my story.”

Her work has been featured in three devotional books from Goodness Abounds, an independent publishing house based in Oregon publishes collaborative books focused on the soul and life-changing moments.  She also writes with the Women Unleashed program online and teaches warrior goddess training workshops geared toward women’s empowerment, although some men attend, and focuses on self-care.

Rose is holding a book signing from noon to 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15 at Storybook Cove’s new location, behind Delaney’s Columbia Car Care Center on Washington Street in Hanover as the Hanover Mall closes it’s current facility. And another with two other “Soulful Moments” contributors at Tatnuck Bookseller in Westborough Dec. 8.

She also will cohost on the Angelic Realms Radio Show [mariagmaas.com/angelicrealmsradio] and the podcast series How to Connect with Angels [theglitchmovie.com/about-our-podcast].

School funding eyed

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While there is still contention between some town officials in Whitman and Hanson over the school assessment funding formula, a meeting with representatives of the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was held this week to explain the history of the issue, differences in funding formulas and the worst-case scenario if the divide is not bridged.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes stressed the unusual 5:30 p.m., Tuesday meeting time was designed to accommodate DESE representatives Christine Lynch and Michelle Griffin of DESE’s Office of Regional Governance, but that it was also intended to refute social media rumors about the issue, the only one on the agenda.

Members of both towns’ boards of selectmen, town administrators and finance committees attended the meeting, as well.

“There’s been some social media myths traveling around to do with the assessment that the town of Whitman is trying to balance their budget through the town of Hanson,” Hayes said. “That is totally, 100-percent untrue.”

He said Whitman is trying to develop a long-range plan for financial sustainability.

“This assessment issue came up through some other meetings, and it is coincidental,” Hayes said. “It is not one town pitting against the other. I want to make that very clear. … It is two towns — we are a regional school district. This committee’s charge is to advocate for children and get them the best education that we possibly can.”

Whitman Selectman Randy LaMattina said he wanted to head off any social media claims that his town was trying to force Hanson into something.

“I think, now that everyone is on the same playing field, we know what is going to transpire,” LaMattina said. “Now we know where to go.”

“We’ve been two great towns,” Hayes agreed. “Our kids are Whitman-Hanson. Our element is Whitman-Hanson. We’re red and black — we both bleed it, and we want to come to some agreement as a committee, as both boards of selectmen, as residents, as finance committees — we want to come to this agreement.”

Hanson Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett thanked the School Committee for arranging for Lynch and Griffin to meet with the town officials.

“The Hanson Board of Selectmen stands ready to respond to whatever decision it is that you guys make,” she said. “I really hate to see it get to a point where we’re going to have to see the state take over.”

School Committee member Christopher Howard asked if the panel submitted language in the assessment provisions for a phased-in approach, would that work?

Lynch said it could be looked at, but was noncommittal at this point beyond saying it would be reviewed.

“What I see is the need to come together and to work toward a solution to get this done,” said School Committee member Christopher Scriven.

While Whitman Finance Chairman Richard Anderson and Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci reminded the School Committee later in the meeting that their respective boards had unanimously voted to recognizes the statutory formula as the only acceptable budget method for Whitman.

Salvucci said that, no matter what formula is used, the schools will get their money, but town departments will pay the price.

“We are at our max,” he said. “We are $3,000 over the levy limit, we found that out today.”

Howard replied that Lynch had said at least five times that it is important for both towns to work together and that to come to an immediate conclusion without doing so would be premature.

“The bottom line for the Whitman Finance Committee may not be the same as for the Hanson Finance Committee or School Committee or the Whitman or Hanson boards of selectmen,” Anderson said. “Our responsibility is to recommend to Whitman Town Meeting what is in the best interests of the taxpayers of the community.”

He said the Education Reform Act’s intent was to recommend an assessment formula based on an aggregate, wealth-based methodology. While his board recognizes the challenges facing taxpayers in both towns and the importance of meeting all the stakeholders each year.

“We’re hoping the input [tonight] might sit for a while and maybe your recommendation might change,” Hayes said.  He added that it was important to look at it from the perspective of the future of the school district, as the financial pendulum has swung back and forth to the benefit or detriment of both towns in the past.

Hayes, a Hanson resident, said Whitman did not vote on the agreement, opting to pass over it at Town Meeting, but not because of the assessment issue.

“They had an issue with language in pulling out of the district,” he said. “It had nothing to do with one town paying more than the other, because that was also another myth that was all over the internet.”

Lynch advised the district to look closely at the two assessment methods, and how they impact both towns, to try to come to some agreement.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said the meeting resulted from a request for more information on the assessment portion of the regional agreement at the School Committee’s September meeting.

“What’s in play is the agreement [or alternative] method we’ve been following as a district since 1991 and a statutory method,” he said. “Both are legal methods of assessing.”

The agreement [or alternative] method is based on student population between the two towns and the statutory method uses the towns’ minimum local contributions as a starting point.

Lynch said the statutory method derived as part of the Education Reform Act in 1993, which required towns to reach a minimum local contribution as part of Chapter 70 funding requirements.

“Unfortunately, there was very little consideration for towns that were part of regional school districts,” she said. Most regions were formed in the 1950s with a per-pupil funding formula. An amendment to the Ed Reform Act later permitted regions to revert to using the agreement method.

“But, they set a higher bar,” Lynch said. “Instead of the two-thirds [of member towns] approval of the budget, which is your typical way to approve a regional school committee budget, the requirement then became that you have to approve it unanimously to use the agreement method.”

There are about 30 two-town regional school districts in Massachusetts.

“You are not unique,” she said. “Many of these districts have gone through this over past years.”

She added that many towns, over time, have come to some agreement, involving some compromise, to move forward and get their budget passed each year without a lot of discussion.

When a budget impasse does occur the Education Commissioner is authorized to set a 1/12th budget for the district under the statutory method until a workable local budget is approved, according to Lynch.

“Should there be no local budget by Dec. 1, the statute also requires the Commissioner to take over fiscal control of the district,” she said. “Under that scenario, the assessments must be calculated under the statutory methodology.”

Hanson Town Counsel Kate Feodoroff asked if the state took over, what does that look like, because she found the state funding source hard to identify in that scenario.

“That final budget [the commissioner] sets for the year, may be more than was set as the 1/12 budget, could be less than, could be the same,” Lynch said. Letters would be sent out to school and town officials asking why they want the money they are asking for in their budget.

“Ultimately, the commissioner will set it,” she said. The statutory method would be used to calculate the budget, using current state aid figures. The commissioner, however takes over fiscal control, approving all line items, collective bargaining agreements, new contracts over $25,000, new hires — basically any financial decision made at the district level.

While Lynch encouraged the School Committee to work with the towns to come up with an assessment method, the committee has the right to propose that method.

The Education Reform Act itself was the result of a lawsuit in which the state was accused of not devoting enough money to education.

School Committee member Fred Small said Whitman’s minimum local contribution was $10,631,538 last year while the assessment was $14,398,151. In Hanson, the required contribution was $8,892,401 and the assessment was $9,670,975.

“There’s a vast disparity in what was spent more than the required dollars,” he said.

Small noted that the committee owes the town a direction as finance committees begin preparing budgets.

WHRHS fields curfew is lifted

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HANSON  — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Oct. 22, voted to reopen athletic fields at the high school for high school-age students only.

Use of the fields was restricted in late August due to positive tests for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in mosquito test samples within Whitman. Fields were closed for use from dusk to dawn.

W-H Athletic Director Bob Rodgers recently requested that the board revisit the issue.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett noted the request would ordinarily go before the School Committee first, but noted they have not met recently “for a variety of reasons.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett also said there were reports of EEE-positive mosquitos in Hanson and some residents had expressed concerns. Dias said the DPH would have reported it to her if the risk was high.

Rodgers said he was aware people were not happy with the Selectmen’s vote to close the fields, but he supported it at the time.

“This board was making a decision based on a lot of cases of EEE across the state,” he said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said she heard from Selectmen Kenny Mitchell that people weren’t happy, as well, but she has heard different reactions.

“I have had an overwhelming number of mothers coming up to me, saying ‘Thank God you did this,’ and I think it may be the age differences,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “For younger children, parents were very happy not to be the bad guy.”

Rodgers said people 12 and over and age 50 and over are most susceptible to EEE, so he understood the vote. But he said mosquito physiology makes them less likely to fly and to seek out sugars instead of blood when temperatures go below 50 degrees.

FitzGerald-Kemmett met with Interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini, Health Board Chairman Arlene Dias and School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes on Friday, Oct. 18 to discuss a path toward permitting unrestricted use of the fields with both the Health Board and Selectmen.

“[Mass. Department of Public Health’s] rule is still the same, which is what my recommendation was — not closing the fields,” Dias said of her most recent discussions with the MassDPH. “Because Hanson is moderate risk, people should only do personal protection, long sleeves, long pants and repellent.”

She said the mosquito population is slowed down when the temperature dips below 50 degrees, but a hard frost of two hours of 28 degrees or lower, is required to kill them off.

Dias said the DPH did not require the curtailing of outdoor activities.

“If we have 60-degree days and won’t have a hard frost until November, the concern is still there, for me at least,” Selectman Matt Dyer said. He said he would feel horrible if someone became infected with EEE or West Nile after the board voted to lift the ban at the high school.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here, advocating for this, if I thought I was putting our students at risk,” Rodgers said. He said not one high school parent called him to demand the fields be closed.

In other business, Community Preservation Commission Chairman Thomas Hickey said they have had some interest from sports in town about potentially applying for some CPC funds for field renovation.

“A lot of attention has been given to the middle school field and we’ve welcomed the opportunity to learn a lot from these leagues,” Thomas Hickey said, noting that much of that conversation has centered on the fact that the soccer league can’t use it. They have deemed the field unsuitable for play.

Thomas Hickey said any CPC funding would likely require a conversation about an overall plan for how the town will maintain its fields would be necessary if a funding application came before selectmen and Town Meeting.

“I think it would be helpful to get a perspective on how everybody views the roles and responsibilities with respect to that piece of property,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Where do the soccer parents begin and the schools end and who is responsible for what? I really am asking.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell, who also serves on the Parks and Fields Commission said that body has never been responsible for school fields. Jurisdiction over the middle school fields has always been a question, he said, with Parks and Fields viewing it as a responsibility of the School District.

Hayes said it is a school field, but the district has no responsibility for scheduling use.

“We have no idea who uses it when or whose responsible for cleanup or any of the above,” Hayes said. “It’s been a problem since that school was built.”

The district’s Facilities Department mows the field, but that is all.

Hayes said the field was also done improperly.

“Nobody’s blaming anyone,” Hayes said. “Those fields have been a problem with drainage, with water, with everything.”

He said broken glass has been working its way to the surface of what should have been “virgin loam” since the fields were built.

Thomas Hickey said the CPC is using some administrative funds to have a firm look at a couple options — restore it to the original condition or possible redesign and construction based on current needs. The plans may become “dead on arrival” if the maintenance plan question is not answered, however, he said.

Selectmen agreed that issues of field ownership and responsibility needs to be determined.

Hayes indicated he and Rodgers would love to see an artificial field constructed at the middle school, with CPC funds paying for the foundation materials and funds for the playing surface would have to be raised.

Rodgers said the high school is working on a long-term plan to convert baseball and softball fields to artificial turf multi-use fields so community groups can use them, without damaging the surface, when high school teams are not.

In other business, Selectmen held the annual tax classification hearing, with Assessor Lee Gamache introduced new Board of Assessors member Emer McDonough before giving the tax rate presentation.

The tax rate is estimated at $15.27 per $1,000 valuation for fiscal 2020 as a single rate, down 27 cents from fiscal 2019.

Hanson has historically used a uniform tax rate between residential and commercial properties because it is primarily a residential community.

“I don’t think we want to give any disincentive to any businesses locating here,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Selectmen voted to adopt a uniform tax rate for fiscal 2020. They agreed with the Board of Assessors’ recommendation not to adopt a residential tax exemption and small commercial exemption.

Whitman real estate and personal property bills

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In an effort to reduce postage costs in fiscal year 2020 Whitman began mailing real estate and personal property bills twice a year instead of four times a year. In July taxpayers were mailed a double coupon “preliminary” tax bill which included a remittance slip for the quarterly bills due both on Aug. 1 and a Nov. 1. The “actual” tax billing in December will also include two remittance slips for the Feb. 1 and May 1 due dates. Please retain the second slip for the next due date.

Please refer to the “preliminary” real estate and personal property double coupon bill mailed in July for the second quarter remittance slip which is due on Nov. 1.

 If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact the Collector’s Office at 781-618-9721.

Hanson’s newest Eagle takes flight

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HANSON — Like many Eagle Scouts, Michael Curran, 17, was honored to receive congratulatory letters from President Trump, former presidents George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter; U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren; and Gov. Charlie Baker. Curran also received a congratulatory letter from a Vatican representative of Pope Francis.

But how many Scouts receive a letter from their favorite football coach, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichik — as well as an autographed photo from wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — congratulating him on his new rank of Eagle Scout?

“Any Super Bowl tickets go with that?” an audience member asked about the Belichik letter.

Those presentations by Troop 68 Scoutmaster Kevin Keane concluded the Court of Honor ceremony Sunday, Oct, 27 at Lakeside Villa, Halifax, before the Patriots game was turned on in the adjacent buffet room during refreshments.

A perfect conclusion to an event honoring a Scout who ended his own speech with, “Go, Pats!”

Curran is among four Troop 68 Scout to achieve his Eagle Badge this year, following two other Scouts — Alec Fraser and Jacob Barbato who completed that work last year. Liam Keane will have his Court of Honor on Nov. 22 and Michael Doucette’s will be held on Dec. 8, both at Camp Kiwanee. Zev Andruk earned his Eagle Award Oct. 22, and will have his Court of Honor at a later date.

Curran’s mom Maura had the honor of pinning on his new Eagle Badge, while his dad Jim bestowed a new Eagle neckerchief on him during the ceremony, which started with the presentation of the Colors, recitation of the Scout Oath and Law, a prayer by the Rev. Kwang Lee and a candle ceremony signifying the qualities in the oath, the spirit of Scouting and the path to an Eagle Award.

“This is an occasion for pride and joy as well as a time for serious reflection,” said Mark Derocher, assistant Scoutmaster. “The Eagle Award is the highest rank of recognition that Scouting offers to a Boy Scout. It is earned through the advancement program and only a small percentage of boys who begin with Scouting are recognized with this honor.”

Curran has earned 34 merit badges, 13 more than required for Eagle rank.

Selectman Jim Hickey, state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, and state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, also attended the ceremony to present citations in honor of the event from the Hanson Board of Selectmen and the Mass. General Court.

Curran’s project was placing handicapped-accessible picnic tables at the snack area at Hanson’s Botieri Field, LZ Thomas and Robinson ball fields. “I was a part of youth sports for over 20 years in town,” Hickey said. “I told [Michael] how much I appreciated him doing [the project] over at the field.”

“This is quite an achievement,” said Cutler, who lamented not sticking with Scouting himself as a youth. “It’s important to acknowledge both his achievement, but also as a community, I see how many folks are getting their Eagle Scout here in Hanson. This is unusual — the number of Eagle Scouts that we have — and that’s because of the great program you have.”

Brady read the resolution and offered a comment about his own Scouting experience.

“I was lucky I was a tenderfoot,” Brady said. “I want to thank all the Scout leaders out there because, without your support these Eagle achievements would not become possible.”

Assistant Scoutmaster, and Deputy Fire Chief Rob O’Brien presented congratulatory certificates from himself and Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., and Police Chief Michael Miksch sent congratulations on Curran’s Eagle Award.

Curran thanked his fellow Troop members for their support of his project and the fundraising for it, as well as his parents and family. He also thanked master woodworker Charlie Garcia for his help.

“He took the time to help create a detailed material list and helped me make plans, so I could make these picnic tabled handicapped accessible,” Curran said. “He also welcomed us into his home for several weekends and helped us create quality picnic tables. Without his help, this project would not be possible.”

He presented mentor pins to his cousin Conor Keane and Troop Treasurer Kris Fraser.

Final TA list near

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HANSON  — Interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini announced to Selectmen on Tuesday, Oct. 22 that MRI, the consulting group conducting the search for a new town administrator, has received 39 applications.

Fourteen essay assignments were sent out to various candidates and MRI is currently scoring those returned essays. Following that phase, MRI will be conducting telephone interviews with candidates and expect to have a list of final candidates to the board by Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 and have asked how many candidates Selectmen want to see.

With three finalists, the interviews may be completed in a single night, but a list of five or more would likely require two.

“The recommendation was, once you have the interviews, you should make a decision quickly because these are good candidates and they are likely to be valued applicants in another community,” Marini said.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said she would prefer a list of five names as three seemed insufficient from such a large pool.

“We’re not talking about 39, 14 made the cut,” said Selectman Wes Blauss, noting only 14 were sent essay requests.

Selectman Matt Dyer asked how many essays were returned.

Marini said 13 seemed still in play, with 11 already returned and MRI saying they were waiting for two more.

“I really don’t want to put a number on it,” said Selectman Jim Hickey said. “If they have three applicants that they feel we should interview and get it done in one night, then OK, but if they have seven people — which is probably too high of a number — but if they have seven people that they think we should talk to, then it’s seven.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell agreed.

“I like where you guys are going with this unless they say, ‘We have 14 great candidates,’ then we’re going to have a problem,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

The interviews will be conducted in a public meeting. MRI said they would be willing to work on consecutive days, including a Saturday, if the board wanted to interview more than three or bring two finalists back for a second interview before making a decision.

“I don’t have a problem being here three nights in a row, on television, because this is one of the most important decisions we’ll make as a group,” Hickey said.

MRI has offered to supply questions for the board to ask and will provide a list of questions they can’t ask.

Selectmen also voted to send a letter to Tetra Tech, the licensed site professionals working on cleanup of the National Fireworks site and collecting public comment, requesting that a complete cleanup be done to background at no cost to local or state taxpayers because they are currently in negotiations with the responsible parties.

Sewer study funds eyed

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WHITMAN — Residents will soon be asked to attend a special Town Meeting to fund an engineering study centering on the replacement of a sewer force main which has already required two expensive repairs.

The DPW Commissioners are seeking a $500,000 transfer from sewer and water retained earnings to fund the study. Town Administrator Frank Lynam said the projected cost of a new pipe is in excess of $8 million. The projected cost of a dual system is about $15 million.

“Good ideas come with cost,” Lynam said.

Both Lynam and Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci suggested a contingency estimate of about $900,000, putting any unused portion toward two bills due to the city of Brockton once a sewer contract is completed. Lynam said retained earnings is intended to address situations like this.

“I’m not shopping for other articles right now,” Lynam said, noting the sewer project and perhaps unpaid bills will be the only items on the warrant.

Actual construction work on the sewer line would have to go out to bond.

A date has not been determined yet, but a best date — possibly Dec. 2 or 9 — will be voted on at the next Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

“I think it won’t be a surprise to many people,” Lynam said of the request. “We’ve had two significant failures in the force main as it travels from Whitman to Brockton across Alger Street and into the woods there.”

The DPW procured funding and performed an assessment of the line, finding that there is “significant potential for failure” along it, according to Lynam. The DPW Commissioners met in a joint session with Selectmen on Tuesday, Oct. 22 to discuss needed actions to ensure the town maintains a functioning sanitary system.

“I know Environmental Partners have done some significant work on this, but there’s a lot more to be done,” Lynam said.

The twin force main, which starts at the Auburn Street pump house, is the main sewer outflow to the Brockton pump station, according to DPW Commission member Kevin Cleary.

It was installed in 1984.

“We had two significant breaks over the last couple of years that were well over $1 million,” Cleary said. “We were lucky where they were — they were accessible.”

Since then the DPW obtained funding appropriations and did some land clearing and followed it up with soil borings and analysis.

“They’ve determined that we’ve run a life span,” Cleary said. “The breaks that we had were from the outside [of the pipes] in — they weren’t [from] the inside out.”

The combination of soil, water and acidity rotted the pipes. Soil borings showed more potential problems from similar soil and water conditions in the area.

DPW Commission member Wayne Carroll said the pipe is rated for 30 years, and was installed 35 years ago.

“The next step is we would like to have a Town Meeting to appropriate funds for engineering, permitting, design and getting bid documents together,” Cleary said. “We can’t wait until the spring to start that and then go into typical bid and construction and all that.”

They are looking to doing that work over the winter to present a much better scope of the value of the project and to allow the commission to come before the spring Town Meeting with better information about options and costs.

Both bypassing and sleeving the old main have been discussed as potential emergency remedies, Carroll said.

Cleary said it costs at least $500,000 to repair emergency breaks to the pipe.

In other business, Selectmen voted to appoint officer Peter Aiken as the new sergeant on the Whitman Police Department. Aiken was the top person on the sergeant’s list, as well as the recommendation of Lynam and Police Chief Timothy Hanlon.

Aiken will be sworn in privately, Lynam said.

Selectman Randy LaMattina, who chairs the Budget Override Evaluation Committee, said that panel has met again after delays surrounding a health issue the financial consultant had been dealing with.

The most recent meeting focused on five-year trends and forecast for 2020 new growth — slightly over $1 million — and noted a downturn in excise revenue, whether an economic trend or a billing issue, and that the state is not providing much help in the form of state aid — up only 1.5 percent over five years with school aid up only .59 percent over that time.

“Our budget trends over the last five years are basically proving not to be sustainable,” LaMattina said. “As we go ahead, that’s going to be diagnosed.”

The consultant will be meeting one-on-one with department heads to discuss where they plan to be in the next five years and whether some of their costs are controllable.

“In terms of progress, we are far and away, ahead of where we were last year,” said LaMattina, noting that department heads are coming together and getting information in earlier this year.

Selectmen also approved a request for SDIP, when space is available, to hold automotive insurance surcharge hearings in Whitman Town Hall for the convenience of both the public and hearings officers.

Fireworks site cleanup work outlined

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HANSON — While most of the work is taking place over the town line in Hanover, Hanson residents had the chance to voice their concerns with state officials last week.

Mass DEP representatives Deborah Marshall-Hewitt and Gerard Martin provided an overview of the work done on the former National Fireworks Site — and a look ahead to the next phase of the work— during a Wednesday, Oct. 16 meeting at Hanson Middle School. Town Moderator Sean Kealy presided over the session attended by Selectmen Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, Matt Dyer and Wes Blauss.

“The board thought that it was important to ask these folks from MassDEP to be here tonight to answer questions that might be unique to Hanson citizens,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett who chairs the Board of Selectmen.

Most of the questions at the Hanson forum focused on water contamination and blasting at the site.

Marshall-Hewitt, a 26-year veteran of MassDEP, is the Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup Audit section chief and project manager for the Fireworks site cleanup. Martin is deputy regional director for the Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup in the Southeast region.

She described the cleanup process contaminated waste goes through, location of munitions on the site and contact information for MassDEP and the state attorney general’s office. Video of the meeting can be viewed on the Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV website.

“No public or private water supply wells have been impacted by the contaminants released at the site,” Marshall-Hewitt said. “That’s a really important piece. I think a few residents in Hanover didn’t quite understand [that], but we have tested groundwater — a lot of the wells in the area receive drinking water from municipal water supply wells. Those municipal water supply wells are tested separately from what we are doing at the fireworks site.”

She said the results have been fine.

Martin added that municipal wells are also required to tap into Zone 2 acquifers, a zone of groundwater no where near the fireworks site.

Right now access to the fireworks factory site is restricted and patrolled by Hanover Police, who have made a number of arrests and stopped several others from entering the site, according to Marshall-Hewitt. People who fish in affected water will not be harmed by handling the fish, but are advised not to eat the fish.

“There has been a fish advisory out for a long time,” she said of mercury contamination. Phase three will focus on dredging sediment to remove heavy contaminants such as mercury, as well as an Immediate Response Action for any more munitions found on the site. The estimated cost, to be shouldered by the parties responsible for contamination is $92 million, including dredging and disposal of dredged sediment.

The work is estimated to take three to four years, Marshall-Hewitt said, but Martin expects it to take longer.

“I think this could be optimistic,” he said. “This is a very involved project. They’re not even sure how they are going to do the dredging yet.”

The process has already taken 10 years, a resident said.

“There are a lot more than we anticipated that are being removed,” she said.

The site involves 240 acres bounded by Winter and King streets in Hanover and Hanson and had been used for the manufacture, testing and storage of fireworks and military ordnance from 1907 to the 1970s.

A Mass. Contingency Plan for the remediation of various chemical contaminants — primarily mercury and lead — is entering a third phase three, for which the public comment period closes Friday, Oct. 25.

“We will not comment on the phase three report until we get all the comments from the public,” Martin said. “We want to consider what your concerns are when we’re looking at this report and figuring out how to move forward.”

Phase three will include the evaluation and selection of cleanup alternatives, a draft of which was submitted to the MassDEP in July.

The Hanson town website (hanson-ma.gov) has links posted for information about what the project has accomplished and what is ahead.

Questions posed from a handful of Hanson residents Oct. 16 focused on the health impacts of lead and mercury contaminants, found in sediment of Factory Pond and Indian Head River.

Mercury was detected in sediment, soil, groundwater and fatty tissues of fish — as well as lead and volatile organic compounds — during phase two. Additional work included indoor air and irrigation well sampling, both of which were concerns expressed by Hanson residents.

State Street resident Peggy Westfield asked about cancers possibly related to the contamination from a personal vantage point. In 1988, her son Matthew died from leukemia at age 7.

“Does the DPH have all that information?” she asked about a Hanover brain cancer case being checked for a connection to the contamination. “Should I give them the information? If you look at people around this room … there are other kinds of cancer that I believe to be caused by this site.”

She pointed to the Indian Head River as a potential site. Martin said she should contact the DPH, which has two people investigating the connection with contamination.

Another asked about irrigation well contamination and explosions — the latter of which have caused cracked foundations not covered by homeowners’ insurance, and stress to pets that has led to destructive behavior.

“Everybody tells me it’s not their responsibility,” said one resident who noted only interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini has tried to help.

FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested the funds from responsible parties funding the site cleanup, should also be tapped to help homeowners.

Paul Nichol, a Winter Street resident, said his dog has suffered a great deal from the blasting.

“We’ve had thousands of dollars of damage caused by my dog,” he said. “The dog hears the siren and knows the explosion is coming, so he starts running through the house, throws himself through a glass door, tried to actually eat his way out of the house through a door.”

He has had to put the dog in day care.

“It’s too bad when these things follow you home,” said Conservation Commission member Phil Clemons, who has worked for 35 years in the environmental health and safety management in the corporate world. “This is the kind of project where you have a lot of overlap between environmental issues, wildlife issues, human health and human safety issues.”

As a youth, he said he used to fish in Factory Pond, expressing interest in the fish studies, as well as those into human health.

“A very high interest will continue to be sampling or removing sediment from the pond or from the streams,” he said. “Lots of things go on with sediment we don’t usually pay attention to or see, but, by golly, this calls for attention.”

A Sept. 24 public hearing in Hanover, described by most who attended both sessions as contentious, also featured representatives of the Mass. Department of Public Health, as well as staff members of U.S. Rep. Bill Keating and U.S. senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren — who were not present in Hanson.

Marshall-Hewitt said the MassDPH is now conducting a cancer study among people who live in proximity to the fireworks site, and provided general information at the Sept. 24 meeting.

Another meeting is planned for 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14 at Hanover Town Hall, 550 Hanover St., to discuss an upcoming grant opportunity and planning process to identify and implement restoration projects that will restore fisheries, rivers, and wetlands in the North, Indian Head, and Drinkwater Rivers as well as Factory Pond. We recommend potential applicants attend to discuss project ideas before the North River Watershed Restoration Grant Announcement and Application (GAA) is issued in Fall/Winter 2019.

The potentially responsible parties from whom $68 million has been placed in an expendable trust for reimbursement or payment of response action costs are: National Coating Company, MIT, the bankrupt Susquehanna Corp., and Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. (Tronox-bankrupt), which make up the Fireworks Site Joint Defense Group and the Defense Department.

SST reviews MCAS results

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HANOVER — With MCAS test results out, South Shore Tech students scored 10th in the state on student growth in English language arts — at an average of 65.5 percent.

Students who passed the ELA MCAS, but fell short of the score required for an Adams scholarship have the right to retake it, and nine SST juniors have opted to do that, according to Principal Mark Aubrey.

In math, SST was sixth out of 35 vocational school districts in student growth with 56.9 percent improvement and five students will be required to retake the math exam in November.

Attendance is also improved by 23 percent so far this school year.

Aubrey also introduced the school’s resource officer, Adam Hill of the Hanover Police Department. Hill serves at the school 16 hours per week, which usually boils down to two eight-hour shifts per week.

Hill also works during special events such as the Homecoming dance.

“He’s in the classrooms, he’s in the shops, he’s communicating with the kids,” Aubrey said. “He eats lunch with the kids, he sits at their tables. He’s doing a fabulous job and we are appreciative of every moment that he can give us.”

For his part, officer Hill said everyone at the school has been very welcoming.

“I had no idea [of] the capabilities of this facility, I’m truly impressed with it,” he said. “The kids are unbelievable.” He said the students are capable of confidently teaching an adult about their shops.

“You should be proud of the work that goes on here,” he said. “I’m very impressed.”

Hill’s comments came on the heels of Whitman resident Paul Varley’s continued charges of bullying and abuse at the school, to which he said his brother has been subjected. Varley addressed the committee during the public comment period, as his state Rep. Allyson Sullivan, R-Abington, “directed me to come to this committee for your help to take care of all my issues.”

He had appeared before the committee in recent months to address a bullying complaint.

“Now, either Allyson Sullivan or this very committee has no idea what it’s function is, as this committee sent a very brief summation, in a letter stating nothing will be done on the committee’s end, then pretty much dismissing my very lengthy email — time-lining everything,” Varley read from a prepared statement.

He said the committee had suggested he talk to Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey, about the matter, which Varley said he has tried to do.

“The district takes all concerns very seriously and reviews such matters thoroughly; it goes without saying that student safety and student success are critically important priorities,” Hickey said in a statement Tuesday, Oct. 22. “While we cannot comment publicly on specific student matters, the school administration will always seek dialogue in the appropriate venue with any parties who have concerns and questions.”

The public comment is designed to give people a chance to address an issue not on the agenda, and no one on the committee commented during the meeting for that reason.

“My hope here is trying to use this public forum to find someone who cares and can help,” he said. “As I’ve heard from current and former students over the last few years, these are the things going on that the school is also aware of.”

He listed allegations of threats to kill or harm others or blow up the school, sexual assaults and destruction of a motor vehicle as examples.

“This school is, by definition, the model school for a bullying culture,” Varley stated. He described the video-recording and editing of fights for entertainment purposes as well as taking inappropriate photos of each other, and charged that teachers and staff join in on bullying, lying and stealing from students while he accused the administration of not caring.

“I’ve given the school far too many chances to do something tangible, and I live by the motto ‘see something, say something,’ so here I am,” he said. “Here’s your wake-up call South Shore, before catastrophe is at our doorstep.”