Whitman-Hanson Express

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Regional pact to face TM challenge

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HANSON — On the eve of the start to a new school year, Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak briefed Hanson Selectmen on district funding calculations, Whitman’s passing over the amended Regional Agreement at the May Town Meeting, and the potential impact of 15 years’ of Whitman billing errors for water and sewer at the high school.

During the Selectmen’s review of October Town Meeting warrant articles Tuesday, Aug. 27, the board added a place-holder article to revoke pervious Town Meeting approval of the amended Regional Agreement.

“If we don’t revoke the agreement we have in place, we could be locked into this right now … especially where it sounds ambiguous, at best,” said Hanson Finance Committee Chairman Kevin Sullivan in recommending a warrant article. “Just something to think about.”

“It’s easier to have it on, than not,” said Interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini.

There is no plan to revisit the fiscal 2020 school budget, Szymaniak said.

“One of my goals this year, after I met with School Committee last year, would be to be as up front with the Hanson Selectmen as inquisitive as the Whitman Selectmen have been,” Szymaniak said.

He reviewed how the Regional Agreement was revised in June 2018, and approved by Hanson Town Meeting that fall. Whitman voters, during a “difficult budget process,” Szymaniak noted, passed over the agreement.

“I started asking some questions about why the Regional Agreement was passed over, and the issue around funding came up,” he said.

There are two ways to fund a regional school district, according to Szymaniak. The statutory method is based on the minimum local school contribution and the alternative method, which does not — it is instead currently based on enrollment figures with Whitman bearing the cost of 60 percent of the school budget and Hanson 40 percent. Under the statutory method, he said Hanson might be paying more under the alternative method.

“It could be a substantial swing,” Szymaniak said. “I don’t know if members of the Regional Agreement Committee  knew that the statutory method was going to have an impact on the town of Hanson as drastic as it has.”

The issue was slated for further discussion at the Wednesday, Aug. 28 School Committee meeting.

He sought a recommendation on the issue from district legal counsel on how to proceed without an approved and signed Regional Agreement and was advised that the statutory method would be used until that happens.

The minimum local contribution takes into account inflation, enrollment, wage adjustment, property values, income and municipal revenue growth.

W-H has been funded through the alternative method since 1991, and, despite a 2007 recommendation from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) that all regional school districts begin using the statutory method, the district did not make that change. He said the 2018 revised Regional Agreement it is inferred that the statutory method be used, but not expressly written out.

Selectman Jim Hickey said he would be interested in looking up School Committee minutes from those discussions to determine why the DESE memo was not recommended at that time.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said it was likely at the time that, while DESE was recommending, but it wasn’t required.

“It seems as time has gone on, it’s a firmer position that DESE’s taking,” she said.

“When DESE usually recommends, that means it’s in effect,” Szymaniak said, adding that he does not see that yet, but noted Dennis-Yarmouth is also grappling with the question.   

FitzGerald-Kemmett also asked about the dollar amount Hanson would be shouldering, noting she had heard it to be about $900,000. Szymaniak confirmed that figure and said Whitman has not yet put the Regional Agreement on any warrant for a fall Town Meeting.

“We definitely appreciate the heads-up,” she said. “We appreciate being told about it.”

Whitman’s Override Evaluation Committee has hired consultant John Madden to conduct and audit/needs assessment, based on where the town could be financially in five years.

Marini said she has discussed the issue with Town Accountant Todd Hassett, who said the statutory agreement would likely be the one that would be used, based on his experience in other communities.

“We really need to know this sooner, rather than later, for planning purposes because that’s a significant amount of money and we have no magical way of making that money appear,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

“This isn’t unique to the W-H School District,” said School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes, a Hanson resident, who attended the Selectmen’s meeting. “This is popping up with Regional Agreements across the state. As you can see, every attorney has a different opinion on it, but it looks like it’s going to fall over on the statutory method.”

He said he expects it to be challenged legally.

In theory, Szymaniak said the agreement could be voided at town meeting and changed to the alternative method, but that the absence of any contract or an expressly worded change, it would default to the statutory method.

The water/sewer bill, discovered by Whitman’s new water superintendent in February, would be split 60-40 without DESE’s involvement.

Since the high school was built in 2004, incorrect bills from the Whitman DPW — said to be caused by human error — have left the School District with not only a $300,000 bill, but no accurate idea of the actual water cost for future budgets.

“That’s a heck of an error,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett.

“A heck of an error and it says human error on the bill,” Szymaniak said. “I have kind of kicked that can down [the road] because of the bigger issue right now.”

The district’s legal counsel is reviewing the situation, but current case law only covers a case of going back about seven years to rectify bills caused by human error.

Police chiefs offer back-to-school safety tips

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As students prepare to return to school, Whitman Police Chief Scott Benton and Hanson Police Chief Michael Miksch would like to remind residents to follow several important safety tips.

“We encourage parents to have safety conversations with their kids before they go back to school,” Benton said. “This includes how to safely cross the street and how to be careful when getting on and off the bus.”

Whitman-Hanson Regional School District students return to class Wednesday, Aug. 28.

With students often on their phones texting, browsing the internet or playing games, the Whitman and Hanson Police Departments recommend that parents talk to their children about the following safety tips provided by the National Safety Council (NSC) when headed to and from school:

• Never walk while texting. If you need to respond to a text, move out of the way of others and stop on the sidewalk.

• Never cross the street while using an electronic device.

• Look left, right, then left again before crossing the street.

•  Cross only at crosswalks.

• Do not wear earbuds while walking across the street and stay alert.

Drivers should be on increased alert when traveling through school zones and should NEVER text and drive. Additionally, the NSC reminds operators to:

• Stop and yield to pedestrians crossing at a crosswalk or intersection.

• Never go around a school bus that has its lights activated and stop sign out.

• Always stop for a crossing guard holding up a stop sign.

• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas.

• Do not honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way.

• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.

To ensure that children who travel to school by bus get there safely, the Whitman and Hanson Police Departments advise that students follow these tips from the NSC:

• When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing or other behavior that can lead to carelessness.

• Line up away from the street as the bus approaches.

• Wait until the bus has stopped completely and the doors open before approaching.

Behavior on the bus:

• If available, always wear your seat belt.

• Don’t put your head, arms or hands out the window.

• Always wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up from your seat.

Getting off the bus:

• If you have to cross in front of the bus, walk at least 10 feet ahead until you can see the driver. Make sure the driver can see you too.

• Wait for a signal from the driver before crossing. When the driver signals, look left, right, then left again. Walk across the road and keep an eye out for sudden traffic changes.

• If your vision is blocked, move to an area where you can see other drivers and they can see you.

The return of classes also means that there will be many new teen drivers operating on the roads going to and from school.

According to the NSC, teen crashes occur most often because they are inexperienced. They may misjudge gaps in traffic, the right speed for road conditions and turning safely, among other things.

The Whitman and Hanson Police Departments, in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminds parents to set rules before their kids hit the road with “5 to Drive:”

• NO cell phones while driving

• NO extra passengers

• NO speeding

• NO alcohol or drugs

• NO driving or riding without a seat belt

Statistically, half of all teens will be involved in a car crash before graduating from high school. Car crashes are the number one cause of death among teens, yet many crashes are preventable. Teens who continue to practice driving with their parents after obtaining their license increase their chances of avoiding a crash.

“A major part of driving safely in general is to not be a distracted driver. This is especially important during the school year,” Miksch said. “Drivers need to be able to give their full attention to school zones, buses and crosswalks. Anything that takes away from your attention on the road puts kids in danger.”

Benton and Miksch and the members of the Whitman and Hanson Police Departments would like to wish all students and faculty a fun and safe school year!

Hanson’s Main Street progress eyed

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HANSON — Maintaining progress at a group of former old Ocean Spray buildings along Main Street, where workers have been installing new windows and siding recently, is key to the future of South Hanson, town officials say.

“We all get a lot of pressure about that,” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “Every time we see people at an event … they say, ‘What the hell’s going on with that whole area?’”

A past security problem at 1011 Main St., has led the Fire Department and Building Inspector Robert Curran to approve an occupancy permit to help secure the building, Curran told Selectmen at the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 20 meeting.

He said the building has a fire alarm and sprinkler system, but has had issues while renovation work has been done, including a roof collapse from snow pack

“I have been approached by prior Selectmen to try and help this guy the best I can, to encourage him not to close the building down,” Curran said of the building’s owner. “If the building becomes abandoned, then my feeling is, we’re going to be in trouble.”

He said that, in abandoned buildings, sprinkler systems freeze and fail, leaving the structure to become a potential fire hazard.

Curran noted the owner has Zoning Board of Appeals approval for 21 residential units, with 13 planned in the first phase of development.

“The problem is, it’s going to take a lot of money,” Curran said. “I think he’s spent more money on that project than he ever thought he would.”

He added that industrial buildings could always be shut down.

“There’s all kinds of problems all the time,” he said. “What you’ve got to do is hope that everybody’s safe and that you’ve identified most of the structural issues.”

The building’s owner spent more than $100,000 in design so far just to get the residential aspect started, but Curran said he does not think the man was aware of all the new seismic requirements and other requirements.

“This is going to take a, hopefully, positive attitude from the town,” Curran said.

Curran said his vision for the property is a project called The Village at South Hanson with businesses on the first floor and residences two or three floors.

“Then the whole area will start to develop,” he said.

The board of Selectmen planned to meet with the building owner on Wednesday, Aug. 21 to discuss his plans and what the board can do to help, short of a financial investment.

“We need to try to move this ball forward,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s a blight and everyone in town acknowledges it — and it’s private property. You can’t really dictate what people can do with their private property.”

“It’s been an ongoing issue since the 1980s,” Curran said. “This building hasn’t looked good in a lot of years. As long as there’s forward movement, I think that’s progress and I do believe that could be downtown Hanson — I really think that is a possibility.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the property’s location near the Commuter Rail station makes it logical for such a project.

“I think the attitude of the town has got to be to reach out and help him,” Curran said, noting that some buildings to the rear of the property have been sold and plans are in the works by new owners.

Curran provided a department report to the board, noting the busy time of year for inspections.

There have been 172 residential building permits issued since January and nine commercial building permits, Curran said. The department has also issued 132 electrical permits, 77 for plumbing projects and 93 gas permits.

Curran also reported that he had just completed the back-to-school building inspections.

He has also asked the attorney general’s office for help with eight properties in town through the abandoned housing initiative, one of them being the former liquor store on Main Street as well as buildings on Bayberry Road and West Washington Street, among others.

“They are amazing,” he said of the attorney general’s office. “They’ve helped us tremendously.”

In other business, Selectmen reviewed their goals and warrant articles for the October special Town Meeting.

Troop 68 Boy Scout Zev Andruk also outlined his Eagle project to rehabilitate the three-quarter mile section of the Bay Circuit Trail that winds through the Hanson Town Forest.

The trail passes through two wetlands zones in the town forest and he has received permission from the Conservation Commission for two small foot bridges he plans to put in.

“It needs a lot for it to be an active hiking trail, but with what we have in store for it, we believe we can get it done in just under a month,” Andruk said. “This project is basically reclaiming an entire portion of the town so that it has an entire lap around the town forest, making easy access for town employees or the Fire Department.”

He and Conservation Agent Philip Clemons have already walked the trail and marked trees, mostly fallen, that need to be removed. Clemons has also donated all the four-inch Bay Circuit Trail markers and two larger signs for the parking area. A small ATV will need to be used to haul equipment and chainsaws — which, like the ATVs will be used by adults.

The Board of Selectmen’s permission was needed to use motorized equipment in a conservation area. The board voted to grant that permission.

Hanson Selectmen pick their new executive assistant

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HANSON — One search is over. Selectmen on Tuesday, Aug. 20 voted to endorse the recommendation of interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini to hire Greer Getzen of Norfolk to succeed Marini as Executive Assistant to the Board. Getzen accepted the position.

“I just want the board to find a fit for them,” Marini said, noting that the Town Administrator Act calls for her as interim to make a recommendation to them as the relevant board. “I felt that the board needed to have part of the interview process. It’s a really close relationship and I’m not going to be here.”

Marini plans to retire in December so long as a new town administrator is in place by that time.

The board was impressed with Getzen’s experience.

Getzen, who also has experience as an interim town administrator in Dover from 2004-09 and as town administrator until 2018, also has 14 years’ experience as an executive assistant to that town’s Board of Selectmen.

Also interviewing with Selectmen Tuesday were Leanne Monaghan, currently part-time clerk with the Hanson Water Department, and Halifax Assistant Town Treasurer Linda Cole. Both may also be considered for clerical vacancies in Hanson’s Conservation and Planning departments, Selectmen said.

The three finalists were all recommended for interviews after Marini, Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett and Selectman Kenny Mitchell independently reviewed résumés of 36 applicants.

“I’ve been told that there’s some concern regarding the posting process,” Marini said before Tuesday’s interviews began. She said that, in compliance with general bylaws, an internal posting was done two weeks ahead of public posting, with preference in the process given to town employees.

Department heads and Marini — in the capacity as town administrator — reviewed the applications before she, FitzGerald-Kemmett and Mitchell made their recommendations for which candidates should sit for final interviews. Mitchell and Marini interviewed five people Tuesday, Aug.13.

“I think this is the first time we’ve ever done this that Laura, Kenny and I went through them — at different times — and all picked the exact same people,” Marini said.

Getzen had begun her career as a paralegal and then worked for Legal Aid, assisting low-income people with applications for federal benefits before becoming an executive assistant with the town of Natick from 1995 to 2004. She took the position of administrative assistant to the Dover Board of Selectmen in 2004, where she worked until leaving to become project/procurement specialist for the town of Westford in 2018.

“I found local government really fascinating and important,” she said. “Over time the selectmen grew to trust [me and the town administrator] and grew very comfortable with us. We were the first administrator and assistant who were there for a long term, before that it was three years and out. We were used as a stepping-stone.”

She admitted her departure from Dover was prompted by a selectman’s campaign platform of “out with the old, in with the new” and she was concerned she would be painted with that brush.

“I’m not sure what the reason was, but I just felt the language was on the wall, she said. Westford was not a good fit, she said, as she was seeking “a real executive assistant position” and the more clerical role she walked into “bored me to death,” Getzen said.

“I have a broad range of skills and experience,” she said.

Selectmen were impressed with both her skills and candor.

“You’ve explained very clearly why you left your current position and you come to us highly recommended,” said Selectman Wes Blauss. “My only concern is I had to go on Google Maps — where is Norfolk?”

He wondered about Getzen’s ability to contend with the commute, especially in winter.

“I am not afraid to drive and I have a good four-wheel-drive vehicle,” she said. “For me, it’s not a problem.”

Marini said that, as long as the board was comfortable with any of the finalists, Getzen got her nod because Getzen has the skills and experience to take the executive assistant position before a new town administrator was chosen.

“We asked her about how she feels about taking the job and not knowing who the boss was going to be,” Marini said. “We asked everyone the same question. It wasn’t going to be a problem for any of them.”

Marini agreed that Getzen came highly recommended.

“I thought all three were excellent,” said Selectman Jim Hickey, who noted he felt unprepared to comment further as he had just met all three candidates, but that he would cast a vote.

Getzen was Mitchell’s front-runner.

“But if you told us you couldn’t take the job, I’d be fine with the other two,” he said.

“I really was looking for somebody with municipal experience,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Perhaps the other two … would be excellent here [for other vacancies]. I don’t want to be in a position where we would want to have another interim town administrator — I’m hoping this is the last time we ever have to do that — but if we don’t, I think this woman could step right in and do the job. That, for me, is compelling.”

A Plymouth resident who has worked at the Water Department since 2013, Monaghan pointed to her knowledge of Hanson and her possession of the skills required for the job as reasons she would be the best candidate. She has also worked for Analytical Balance in Middleborough coordinating the sampling and testing for public and private water supplies, and performed similar duties at GeoLabs in Braintree before that.

Hanson resident Cole said her range of experience working for the town of Halifax for 20 years has prepared her for the executive assistant role. She began work in Halifax in a clerical role for the Town Clerk/Treasurer’s office in 1995.

Hanson hires TA search consultant

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Aug. 20 hired Muncipal Resources Inc., (MRI), a recruiting service out of Meredith, N.H., to help with the search for Hanson’s new town administrator.

A second bidding firm GovHR USA of Northbrook, Ill., was not considered because of the firm’s distance and because it did not send a representative to the meeting to meet with the board.

MRI’s President and CEO Alan S. Gould and team member Reginald “Buzz” Stapscynski briefed Selectmen on their services and the type of search they will conduct.

“I don’t like surprises,” Gould said of the thoroughness of their background investigations. “We don’t get surprised.”

MRI has done personnel searches in Massachusetts communities from Lexington and Acton to Hanover, Dighton and Carver.

“I don’t think there’s anybody better in New England,” Gould said. “We know who’s available. We know who’s out there looking.”

He complimented the board for the straightforward request for proposal drafted to guide Hanson’s town administrator search.

MRI does everything from drafting and posting the ad to a comprehensive background check.

Gould, a retired police chief, described the background check as one involving a complete financial work-up, driving records and employment history and conducts pre-interviews with candidates, as well as department heads, citizens and any search committees used in hiring communities.

“We wouldn’t put anyone in front of you that we wouldn’t hire,” he said.

While Hanson is not using a search committee this time out, selectmen expressed interest in meetings between MRI and department heads and interested residents.

“We’ve had some lively discussions at senior centers after lunch,” said Stapscynski. “And we ask what are the challenges [to towns]. What’s important here? And we’ll hear traffic, we’ll hear residential growth, we want more commercial development or parks and playgrounds, and that’s good for us. Doing the search of the next town administrator, we’ll have a good idea of the fit.”

Essay questions are filled out by applicants and early-round telephone interviews are conducted with at least two MRI representatives on the phone, Gould said.

“Every community has challenges and we can find candidates that have dealt with them,” he said. One of the last questions they ask is whether they will find any embarrassing information when they Google an applicant’s name.

“We’ve already done that,” he said. “We’ve got two or three pages [at hand] sometimes of any time they’ve appeared in the press, any issues that are out there.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell noted that compensation has become an issue with previous town administrators and asked when MRI would discuss that issue with the board.

“Where do we need to be to be on an average and get that right?” he said.

Gould said Hanson probably needs to be a little above the salary it now offers.

“We would want to get you to a salary that could be competitive,” he said. “We always like to post a salary range with the top number you could possibly offer.”

During phone interviews, MRI finds out information about candidates that includes their salary worth.

“I don’t want you to fall in love with a candidate and not be able to shoulder the cost,” Gould said. “At the same time we want candidates to know the value of the opportunity here.”

Gould said he usually comes back to select boards with three-to-four final candidates, with three being ideal.

Interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini asked how long the process would take in view of her pending retirement plans in December.

“2019?” Gould asked with a laugh.

He estimated, seriously, that final candidates should be available in 60 days with background investigations taking two to three weeks followed by contract negotiations.

“I would hope it would be Dec. 1,” Gould said.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett also said GovHR’s price was too high and she was not convinced they offered a better or even comparable product.

Rec panel reviews business plan, policies

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HANSON — The town’s Recreation Commission is continuing its review of a business plan as well as policies and procedures. Discussion of increasing revenue was the focus of the panel’s work on its draft policies on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

Member Juvelyn Hartwig said the changes are important, not only to increase revenue, “which is huge for us,” but also for increasing community and business partnerships, while being mindful of the nonprofit status of Camp Kiwanee.

Improving facilities was also cited as an important goal.

Hartwig suggested a 10-percent annual increase in revenue was the short-term goal for which the commission should strive.

The financial plan includes a forecast budget of more than $300,000 for the next fiscal year, including a $53,000 debt payment on septic repairs, that the commission hopes will be resolved at the October Town Meeting. But Hartwig suggested the commission’s goal should be $300,000 in revenue next year.

Recreation Director William Boyle pointed out that, if 10-percent growth was maintained over five years, in the final year revenue would be close to $250,000.

But Committee member Brian Fruzzetti argued for a more conservative goal of, perhaps 3 percent a year and build up from there over time.

“I think if you set yourself up for 10 percent right out of the gate … revenue could fall off a cliff,” he said. “I don’t want it to be overpromised.”

Selectman Matt Dyer, the board’s liaison to the Recreation Commission agreed that, in the event of a shortfall at a 10-percent goal, the town would be hesitant to bail them out again.

Boosting Kayak rentals at Cranberry Cove, such as including it in a family membership for $125, was also suggested by Hartwig.

“If people see the kayaks out there, they’ll start to ask questions,” she said. “Then the Cove experience becomes swimming and kayaking, so you’re getting more for your money.”

Dyer also said that the kayaks are not advertised as they should be.

Installation of broadband WiFi was pointed to as a key component in attracting bookings of Needles Lodge for corporate meetings or team-building outings.

While she cautioned that such rentals should not be the main goal, Hartwig said they could be an important part of meeting revenue goals.

“We really need to have a real plan, where it’s not just talking about, ‘Oh, we should be doing this,’” she said about getting the word out about programs like the upcoming Fun Day.

“I think it’s good that we’ve identified a shortcoming in our advertising,” Dyer said. “I think it might be really useful to start breaking those down tonight and start talking about how we should advertise the camp for a wedding. … But, also, we need to look at the hanging fruit — why aren’t there any fliers in the foyer saying, ‘Rent the Lodge!’”

When there are other events there, he said a flier should be available to outline the amenities of the lodge for those who are attending and looking for a venue for other events.

Rental policies were also discussed in connection with a request from St. Joseph the Worker Church for free passes to the Cove for the church’s vacation Bible school counselors. Current policy requires an overnight cabin rental to obtain such free passes and nonprofits already pay a minimum hourly rate when voted on by the Recreation commission and Board of Selectmen, member Joan Fruzzetti said.

“We are supposed to be a benefit for the town,” Hartwig said. “This facility is supposed to benefit the community.”

She noted that the Boy and Girl Scouts receive such benefits when they request to use Kiwanee, suggesting that the commission look into why they receive that benefit and others do not — while recognizing the work the Scout organizations do for Camp Kiwanee in terms of volunteer work at the facility.

“My thought was that we have a better way to communicate for next year,” Hartwig said.

The policies and procedures are still under revision

“St. Joe’s Church is great, their VBS is great, but we have to remember, they’re charging families to utilize their services and they’re asking to come here for free,” Dyer said. “I think this is a hiccough year, and we’re hitting the reset button with this commission.”

He suggested meeting with the church’s vacation Bible school organizers to arrive at an agreement on what would be fair to both organizations.

Hartwig argued that the cost for renting facilities, coupled with the policies and procedures gives nonprofit organizations reason to question why they should try to use Camp Kiwanee.

“We have to create a path to make it easier for some of these folks to come in,” she said.

Joan Fruzzetti said posting photos of the facility on social media could help advertise the camp might be helpful.

“Pictures do a lot,” she said.

Procedures and policies on the lodge rental cost for birthday parties;  for smoking — and e-cigarette/vaping use — on Kiwanee property; as well as camp employees’ clocking in without interrupting wedding function use of the office, is also under review. Brian Fruzzetti argued that any changes to the procedures keep in mind that requiring employees to clock in before doing any work provides protection for the commission and the town in the event that a worker is injured on the job.

Kiwanee to get Netflix close-up

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HANSON — Camp Kiwanee will become the latest South Shore location for filming of the upcoming Netflix movie, “The Sleepover,” as final approval was granted by the Recreation Commission Tuesday, Aug. 13.

The Board of Selectmen must also approve use of the former Maquan School parking lot for film company vehicles, which is slated for the Tuesday, Aug. 20 agenda.

Crews will be working on scenes at Needles Lodge, the shoreline of Maquan Pond, several cabins and other locations at the camp, according to Assistant Location Manager Liliana Kondracki, who briefed the commission on the project.

Netflix will be paying $25,000 — plus costs associated with camp staff, police details and other expenses, according to Kondracki. Caretakers will be asked to monitor the camp and one or two Hanson Police officers will be contracted for the filming dates.

Scenes have already been filmed at Hanover High School and in Scituate and Boston. Filming at Kiwanee is slated for Aug. 21 to 30 with wrap work on Sept. 3 and 4. Filming will not interfere with a wedding already approved for Needles Lodge Thursday, Aug. 22.

The amount offered for the rental was based on the film’s budget and what work would need to be done to dress the location, Kondracki said.

Selectman Matt Dyer, the board’s liaison to the Recreation Commission, asked how Kondracki found Camp Kiwanne and whether she had any advice on how the commission might better market the facility.

“I found it after a lot of research,” Kondracki said describing the process of narrowing down a Google search for “log cabin” after a couple of weeks’ work.

“I’ve been in Boston for about year,” the Florida transplant said of her research here, after working for 20 years in the Miami area. “If you ask me about Florida, I knew everything, here, I’m starting from scratch. … [Camp Kiwanee] wasn’t easy to find.”

She said she didn’t know what to suggest, except to say the “amazing facility” should be marketed better. As for screen credits for use of the location, she said that is up to the production company.

“If they are feeling particularly generous, they might put [thanks to the] ‘Town of Hanover,’ ‘Town of Hanson,’ or something like that,” she said. “They not always do.”

Kondracki described the adventure/comedy plot as a coming-of-age story mixed with an “Oceans 11”-type crime tale.

It focuses on two boys planning a sleepover while their goody-two-shoes sister plans to sneak out of the house for the first time at night. Their mom, meanwhile, is kidnapped because of a secret in her past and the kids have to come to the rescue.

Kondracki noted, with a resigned laugh, that plot details were supposed to be confidential, but that an Aug. 7 story in The Boston Globe, already outlined a lot of that information.

“We’ve been working on finalizing things with [Town Administrator Meredith Marini] and the [police and fire] chiefs about it,” said Recreation Director William Boyle.

Kondracki provided the commission a filming outline.

“It’s a family action/comedy,” Kondracki said. “They’re trying to compete with Disney, so it’s that type of project.”

Kiwanee was chosen to film scenes surrounding a portion of the plot where the parents are taken to a remote cabin, as well as the sleepover scenes with the kids. The Frontier Cabin is a focal point of the filming, according to Kondracki.

“They obviously need to do a number of changes to it in order to make it work for the scene,” she said. “Anything that we do would be returned to the original condition, unless it’s something you guys want to keep.”

Among the changes would be replacing the windows at the front for those with a more rustic look, adding wood-panel façades to interior walls to give them a more rounded log look to the room, moving a woodstove out of a fireplace, and adding a vintage refrigerator. A certified HVAC contractor will be installing a propane-fed flame to the fireplace and the film crew has cleared the work with Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr.

Boyle has also approved the clearing of a few low-hanging branches in one spot for better camera angles and a hose will be used to add water to a dry creek bed for a plot point. The pavilion will be used for catering, with food prep being done in a food truck that has already been licensed by the Board of Health.

A temporary floating dock, which the crew is covering with a wooden dock mock-up is being added for scenes at the boathouse.

Gator vehicles will be used to transport equipment, parking of large trucks will be done at the former Maquan School and Kondracki is working to negotiate with Shaw’s for use of part of their lot for crew parking. They expect about 120 cars.

“We’re taking over,” she quipped.

Filming will be done on most of the days from noon to 10:30 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. On the last day, filming is expected to continue all night with the adult cast members — with filming of scenes involving youth actors complete by 10:30 p.m. to midnight.

“In all likelihood, we’ll be seeing the sun come up on Saturday morning,” Kondracki said with a laugh.

County man has EEE virus

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WHITMAN — State and local public health officials have announced that an elderly Plymouth County man is the first confirmed human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in the state since 2013.

“Today’s news is evidence of the significant risk from EEE and we are asking residents to take this risk very seriously,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel of MassDPH. “We will continue to monitor this situation and the impacted communities.”

The nine communities now at critical risk are Carver, Lakeville, Marion, Middleborough, Rochester, and Wareham in Plymouth County and Acushnet, Freetown, and New Bedford in Bristol County.

Whitman Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Timothy Grenno and Whitman Board of Health Chairman Eric Joubert reminded residents that the virus was confirmed in mosquitoes tested in Whitman last week.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MassDPH) has confirmed that the EEE virus has been detected in mosquito samples collected in Whitman this year. As a result of the tests, the Mass.DPH has announced that the current risk level for Whitman is high.

Aerial spraying for mosquitoes in Whitman was completed by the MassDPH and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) over the weekend. MassDPH and DAR officials will monitor the area over the coming weeks and plan to conduct a second round of spraying.

At this time, scheduled activities in town are not affected by the EEE test, according to Grenno.

“The Board of Health is monitoring the situation and will continue to keep the public updated,” Health Board Chairman Joubert said Monday in a joint statement with Grenno. “We would also like to remind Whitman residents that there are health regulations in place regarding standing water in yards and unkempt yards which are common areas where mosquitoes breed.”

Whitman’s environmental regulations for mosquito reduction can be found at whitman-ma.gov. EEE is a rare but serious illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. While EEE can infect people of all ages, people under 15 or over 50 years of age are at the greatest risk for serious illness.

“Though scheduled outdoor activities are not affected by the results of the tests, taking preventative measures, especially the use of proper bug repellent, is a necessity for any outdoor activities, including sporting events,” Grenno said.

This week Mass.DPH and the DAR announced they would be conducting and monitoring aerial spraying in specific areas of Bristol and Plymouth counties to reduce the mosquito population and public health risk. Aerial spraying began Aug. 8 and is expected to continue throughout the weekend during evening and overnight hours.

Although the scheduled aerial spray is designed to help reduce the risk of EEE throughout the area, residents are reminded that they should use mosquito repellent and consider staying indoors during the dusk to dawn hours to reduce exposure to mosquitoes.

In addition to the nine communities now at critical risk, 15 communities in southeastern Massachusetts have been determined by DPH to be at high risk for the EEE virus and 18 at moderate risk.

EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. EEE occurs sporadically in Massachusetts with the most recent outbreak years occurring from 2004-2006 and 2010-2012. There were 22 human cases of EEE infection during those two outbreak periods with 14 cases occurring among residents of Bristol and Plymouth Counties.

EEE virus has been found in 227 mosquito samples this year, many of them from species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.

People have an important role to play in protecting themselves and their loved ones from illnesses caused by mosquitoes.

Avoid mosquito bites

• Be aware of peak mosquito hours: The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during the evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up and/or wearing repellent.

• Clothing can help reduce mosquito bites: Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long sleeves, long pants and socks while outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

• Apply insect repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET, permethrin, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied directly to your skin.

Mosquito-proof your home

• Drain standing water: Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently.

• Install or repair window and door screens: Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

Information about EEE and reports of current and historical EEE virus activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website.

Whitman chiefs plan to retire

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WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen began the transition process for changes at the top in the police and fire departments while they reviewed progress toward addressing the ongoing budget crisis Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno indicated he plans to retire by Aug. 1, 2022 and requested Selectmen call for a fire chief exam by spring or early summer of next year. Grenno has been chief for 12 years, appointed in 2007.

“My wife and I are in negotiations right now, and I can tell you that you should hold the assessment center or the written tests now,” he said.

A spring test should provide a two-year promotions list for the town. Civil service no longer provides the exam as most towns across the state are opting for assessment centers, which create any written tests. A date cannot be set until an assessment center prepares an exam and/or assessment process.

The board approved the request and also voted to promote Deputy Police Chief Timothy Hanlon as chief as of Tuesday, Sept. 17 and to promote Sgt. Joseph Bombardier as deputy chief on that date.

Police Chief Scott Benton has informed the board that he plans to retire on Monday, Sept. 16.

“Hopefully, between now and then, we’ll have an opportunity to have the chief here to thank him for his years of service,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said.

Both Hanlon and Bombardier were the top candidates on their respective promotion lists.

Budget update

Lynam also updated Selectmen on the town budget and Selectman Randy LaMattina updated the board on the Monday, Aug. 4 Override Evaluation Committee session.

Lynam said the town is close to receiving a final draft from the Collins Center on capital planning and that he has received some, but not all, departmental budgets including the requested five-year projections for planning purposes.

There was some disagreement between Lynam and override panel citizen at-large member John Galvin about the meaning of a state Department of Revenue.

Lynam said the DOR indicated that revenue raised, if not used right away, the opportunity to use it for that year is gone forever. However, that money then ends up in the levy limit. Galvin argued that his understanding was that, while the excess levy does need to be appropriated, it does not end up in the levy limit the following year.

“It’s a one-time use,” he said. “If our levy is above the levy limit, any excess levy cannot be used the following year. That’s the discussion Frank and I had at length this morning and I still think we’re not on the same page yet.”

Lynam said he agreed that if the money is not used when it is available, the opportunity to use it is gone, but that the DOR said the levy limit would reflect that money.

“We just got a taste of how daunting this is going to be,” LaMattina said, noting that the Override Evaluation Committee has made a lot of progress after its second meeting. They established a mission statement concerning what the committee is going to do — evaluating the town’s finances and determine whether an override is needed.

He reported that the School Committee will be asking the Mass. Association of Regional Schools for an audit and Selectmen also authorized an independent audit, at a cost not to exceed $10,000, to determine where Whitman is now and what it’s five year financial outlook would be.

“This is something that, I think, really helps us in terms of credible support for presentation,” said Lynam, adding that the Collins Center work does not include a budget review and forecast. “This is a third-party, independent assessment.”

Galvin said if the two independent audits reach similar conclusions, it would provide valuable information about where the town is going financially.

“The key word is independent,” he said.

Heat response

Grenno also opened the meeting with an impassioned defense of his department’s — and the town’s — response to the four-day heat wave from July 18-21 in response to criticism on social media and a resident’s tirade against a member of the department in a local grocery store.

“I feel the need to publically set the record straight to reassure our residents as it pertains to our response to emergency preparedness,” Grenno said. “I’m troubled that I need to come before you this evening to defend our great community, you the board and public safety after a rogue resident took to social media making false claims and statements relating to the recent heat wave.”

The fire chief outlined that the response was in keeping with emergency preparedness plans already in place. Those plans call for a cooling center when: power is lost in town; if a heat wave lasts more than 48 hours; and if the Fire Department begins to see issues with residents. On Sunday, a cooling center was opened because the heat wave had hit the 48-hour mark and, after a vehicle had crashed into a utility pole on School Street and National Grid advised the town that power loss was possible.

“Because of those two issues, we opened the center in accordance with our plan,” he said. “We are on the street. We know what’s going on in our community.”

All information was also relayed via social media, reverse 911 and town websites and, Grenno said, no one uses a cooling or warming center or shelter as long as they have electrical power or during the first 48 hours of a weather emergency.

A cooling center was opened at the Whitman Senior Center on Sunday and the only person who showed up, did so out of an effort to see if they could be of help, according to Grenno. All Housing Authority facilities had power, including in common rooms with air conditioning with generator back-up.

“This resident verbally attacked and bullied one of my members at a local grocery store that day, berating him in public as to why a cooling center was not opened and that my lack of action [reflected] poorly on them as firemen,” Grenno added. “It was so bad that another citizen stepped in.”

He said bullying is unacceptable in any venue, but confronting a firefighter in public to the point where others take notice and comment “is not only ignorant, but repugnant,” Grenno said.

“The type of attitude or politics this person displayed has no place in our community,” he said.

‘It was … meant to be’

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HANSON — It happened when they were on an errand to buy their daughter a dress in January 2018. Christine and James Guindon found something else that caught their eye that day — the former East Washington Street School in Hanson, which had stood empty and unused for nearly 20 years.

For a couple searching for a location in which to expand an early childhood education business, it was just about what they were looking for, and about a year later workmen began renovation.

Buzz around town began soon thereafter.

“I think it’s been a source of curiosity for a lot of people,” Christine said of the reaction to the activity surrounding the building since the Guindons bought the former elementary school at 195 East Washington St.

“Everybody drives by,” James agreed.

Christine is the owner/director of The Learning Well Early Child Education Center at 91 Copeland St., in West Bridgewater and James is a roofer who also does slate and copper work. They had transformed a former church — in a renovated farm building — into The Learning Well and were looking to expand because waiting lists for the school were becoming longer.

The Hanson location already has a waiting list for infants. Christine Guindon said the aim is to have the main floor ready for inspection and, ultimately, opening in November while James continues finish work on the basement level.

“I just really want the town to be proud of it,” she said. “I want it to be a really neat part of the community, and I want people in the community and the surrounding towns to come and enjoy the programs and to utilize it because it’s so unique.”

She opened the West Bridgewater facility in 2016 after she had run a day care out of her home for 10 years, while her children were small and finding available day care had proven difficult for her.

“It’s an important part of a family nowadays, they’re looking for a place where their children will be safe,”

The Learning Well offers a year-round program serving 60 children in 45 families. On a visit to the West Bridgewater School on Friday, Aug. 2, preschoolers were learning about Oktoberfest and other cultural traditions during a unit on Germany as hand-painted German Flags were strung along one end of the class. Younger students in another class were finishing a unit on France before moving on to Italy.

The Guindons had never been to Hanson before that fateful shopping trip, James said, but both had the same reaction to seeing the building — it was perfect for their plans.

“It had been sitting and all the paint from the ceiling was on the floor,” Christine noted. “You really had to see past the bad condition it was in.”

Their two sons have been working on the renovation and her three daughters are teachers at the West Bridgewater location.

“We have a vision for here,” Christine said, noting she would be able to offer two classrooms for each age group she serves in Hanson, compared with the one for each possible in West Bridgewater.

The Hanson neighbors were happy to hear of their plans, Christine said, and they turned out to support the project at public hearings before zoning officials.

A handicapped ramp will be added on one side of the building, and special-order windows to replace the original windows will be installed — but they had to be reordered when the wrong size was initially delivered.

“We have viewing windows [in the hallways], because I am a firm believer that parents, families and people who are touring can see our programs,” Christine said.

The main floor will be divided by age groups with infants to age 2.9 in four different classrooms and preschoolers in a larger class in the basement, along with a gross motor skills/indoor play area and large bathrooms. Classrooms on the main floor also have bathrooms.

“If you’re not in the field you don’t really understand what goes into making a program that fits all ages,” she said. “I surround myself with great people who know what they are talking about, who have taught me so many things.”

Christine said the financial investment has been “much more than anticipated,” mainly due to abatement, removal of oil tanks in the basement, and installation of drainage and a new five-foot thick cement floor in the basement as well as the handicapped ramp and a wheelchair lift.

“I think it was something meant for us,” James said. “I think history in towns is getting lost. You can go through every single town and see buildings being taken down.”

While this school is not historic, he noted the architectural details such as the huge windows are not common these days.

“When we started this program, the biggest thing to me was trying to keep local people involved in it,” James said. “I thought it was important that the towns around it actually did the work.”

Jeff Shaw, “an excellent site man who didn’t kill me on costs” is a local businessman.

“I hope that the community or the town will want to maybe use this space,” she said, noting the basement room would be good for dance or karate classes — or even birthday parties for children who attend the day care.

James took five months to plan the project and gave priority to Hanson companies for subcontracting work on the school.

“The biggest challenge is the one in front of you,” he said, noting that the project’s standing costs for construction are on-target, but other “soft” cost, such as replacing bricks at the back of the school, were unexpected.

He has done a lot of restoration work, including the roof of the Tremont Street Church in Boston — which had been sold and converted to condos — as well as the Mt. Auburn Street Church in Arlington.

Several people they know, from business contacts to family members had passed the school building in the past, but he and Christine had never been to Hanson.

He also noted that a neighbor on one side of the school used to play football with him at Plymouth State — and they hadn’t seen each other since high school. Another man, now living in Washington, D.C., came to visit the building because he had gone to school there and was revisiting his former hometown.