Whitman-Hanson Express

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Mourning Hanson’s king of the roads

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HANSON — The town is mourning the death on Thursday, June 20 of Highway Surveyor Bob Brown following a brave battle with cancer.

After working for several years for the Hanson Highway Department in 2011, following in his father’s footsteps Brown was appointed Hanson Highway Surveyor. He served in many capacities, including countless committees, throughout his career.

Interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini, who posted an announcement of Brown’s death on the town website, extended sympathy to his family on behalf of the town.

“He was a great man who dedicated a good portion of his life to the town of Hanson and he’s going to be missed, both by the residents and by his co-workers,” said Tree Warden Dave Hanlon, for whom it is a double loss. He has worked with Brown for 18 years and considered him a friend.

“He was doing well,” Hanlon said of Brown’s recent prognosis. “It’s tough to deal with because not only was he my boss, he was my friend. He was my friend long before he was my boss.”

The Highway Surveyor’s pickup was parked in front of the Highway Department building and former police station on Liberty Street this week, the windshield draped in black crepe and Brown’s reflective safety vest draped over the brush rack on the front grille.

“He was a dedicated professional and worked tirelessly with other departments to achieve a common goal for the good of the Town, the Town which he loved,” stated Marini. “Rest in Peace, Bob. We will miss you.”

She added that it is always difficult for the town to lose an employee, but especially so of Brown.

“Bob was a great guy,” she said. “Everybody liked him.”

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr. echoed that sentiment.

“He was instrumental in efforts to coordinate between the highway and fire department, along with the other departments. He will be greatly missed,” Thompson said, saying he was shocked at Brown’s passing. “He was an asset to our town and community.”

Police Chief Michael Miksch also found the news of Brown’s passing difficult to process.

“Bob was one of the first people I met when I came to Hanson,” Miksch said. “I quickly learned his gruff exterior was really hiding one of the nicest and funniest people I have had the pleasure to meet.”

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, said that when Brown became Highway Surveyor, she never feared driving on Hanson’s roads in the winter.

“I always knew when I was in Hanson, even if I didn’t look at the townline sign, because our roads were always eminently better than any other surrounding town and I felt safe driving on them,” she said.

But FitzGerald-Kemmett said she will also remember Brown’s dedication to helping community organizations in need of assistance on fundraising projects.

“Every single time I asked Bob if he could help in any way possible — before I became a Selectman — he would just say, ‘Yup, my guys will be there. Anything for the kids, anything for the community, whatever I can do,’ and I know there’s been a ton of people on Facebook sharing similar types of stories,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, specifically noting the Hanson PTO for Brown’s assistance with the February Polar Plunge. “He stepped up for them … He just really loved what he did. He was very involved in the town.”

Miksch agreed.

“Anytime I called looking for assistance there was no hesitation in meeting my request,” the police chief said. “His concern for the citizens of Hanson and their safety was evident with every approaching storm. He loved his job and he loved Hanson. I miss him.”

Hanlon also said he would most remember Brown’s love for the job.

“One of the big things with Bob was that he was very high on customer service, community service — do anything we can to help the residents, if it’s within our power,” he said.

Brown was also a devoted dad to his daughter Alyssa Brown Adams, said FitzGerald-Kemmett who performed the ceremony when Alyssa married Theodore R. Adams of East Bridgewater about five years ago.

“You’ve never seen a father more devoted to a kid in your life,” she said. “He was so proud of her and she was basically the light of his life.”

Selectman Kenny Mitchell also recalled Brown’s devotion to his daughter.

“He always talked about Alyssa, because he raised her,” Mitchell said.

He was also devoted to his job.

“Bob was a great man,” Mitchell said. He served on the Parks and Fields Commission with Brown for about seven years as well as the Highway Building Committee for four years.

“He was just dedicated to the town of Hanson,” he said. “That and his roads.”

Mitchell said Brown never missed a Highway Building meeting before becoming ill, and was frequently the first to arrive.

“He told me ‘I can’t wait to get back to my job, I love it, I really miss helping people,’” said FitzGerald-Kemmett about her frequent phone calls to touch base with Brown. “I think it was in his DNA because his dad was on Highway and it was just a family thing. He loved his job and it showed.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett also sent Brown notes of encouragement throughout his illness.

“I was shocked,” Mitchell said. “He really thought he could beat this.”

Mitchell, too, kept in contact with Brown as part of the town’s requirement that employees out on extended sick leave had to be contacted every 30 days and he was the Selectmen’s contact for Brown.

“It’s going to be hard shoes to fill,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I don’t know if we’re going to get anybody with Highway in their veins like that guy had.”

In accordance with Brown’s wishes, all services will be private.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a cancer or animal charity of one’s choice.

Looking to Kiwanee’s future

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HANSON — Selectmen welcomed new Recreation Director William Boyle, who started work June 3, and the new business plan for Camp Kiwanee on Tuesday, June 18.

“I know the topic of Camp Kiwanee to be an emotional one,” said Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “Before we get into this discussion, I want to let you know that we will not be discussing the enterprise account in any depth tonight.”

She said the Finance Committee has proposed eliminating the account and discussions between that board, Selectmen and the Recreation Commission to address the future of the fund will happen soon.

“It would be premature and unproductive to discuss them tonight,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “This board is supportive of the work the Recreation Commission is doing and we recognize that there have been some obstacles along the way that have hindered them from making the kind of progress they would have liked to have made.”

She said it is time to come together for the greater good and put past issues behind them, to that end she asked Boyle to meet with Selectmen to focus on the future of Camp Kiwanee.

A Pembroke native, Boyle said he has volunteered on Pembroke Recreation, Community Preservation, and was elected to the housing authority and has some background in the public sector, although this is his first time working in the public sector. His father has been a longtime selectmen in that community.

Boyle also ran his own financial services business for six years and has worked as branch manager for an Irish whiskey company.

“I’m looking forward to the future — to everything that the camp has to offer,” he said. “In order for everything to work successfully, you need to work together.”

He said he looks forward to be “just another team member.”

Boyle also spoke on behalf of the commission about Camp Kiwanee goals.

He said the five-year capital plan would be revamped and have discussed that goal with the Collins Center at UMass, Boston. That project, estimated to cost $10,000 would not be looked to for a start date until next spring.

Coupling capital priorities with grant opportunities is another goal, as is increasing recreational programming.

The Dept. of Housing and Development (HUD) is changing the way the Hanson Housing Authority is supported, from a public housing funding program to one using tenant-based vouchers.

Hanson Housing CEO Thomas G. Thibeault briefed the board of Selectmen on how the change would be made and what it means for residents.

Consultation with local government and community is part of the process, Thibeault said.

“The [former] LZ Thomas School, back in 1995 became a public housing complex consisting of six units — two two-bedrooms, two three bedrooms and two four-bedrooms — it’s federally funded through HUD,” he said. The federal housing program works on an income-based scale to determine the amount of subsidies offered.

“I believe you taught there at one time,” Thibeault teased. Selectman Wes Blauss, a retired middle school teacher, about the school-turned-apartments building.

Most federal HUD authorities over see 50 to 100 apartments, with more being better to be able to take care of the capital needs.

“So we’ve been struggling to take care of LZ Thomas and now, in recognition of that, they’ve given us the opportunity to change the funding stream,” Thibeault said. “What it would basically do is double the amount of income that the Hanson Housing Authority would get.”

The funding would increase funding by about $54,000 per year to support the complex, but nothing changes for the town’s operations. Hanson Housing authority would be the owner with a deed restriction on affordability and residents would remain.

“[HUD] asks that you authorize the town administrator to approve supporting the change,” he said. “It’s not guaranteed. It is a real estate transaction, so the transaction would take off the declaration of trust that HUD has on the property now and would give complete ownership to the Hanson Housing Authority.”

The board voted to support authorizing interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini to approve the change.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if Hanson residents do, and would they continue to receive housing preference for the Thomas facility.

“They are and they will be,” Thibeault said. “This was going to be part of the state public housing program back in 1995, and something went wrong.”

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s office stepped in and they made it a federal public housing property, he explained.

“I’m sure it solved a short-term problem, but it created a long-term problem because of the scale,” Thibeault said. “But I believe this would get us a long way to solving the problem.”

The board also voted to award bids for the Wednesday, June 12 tax possession auction. Nine parcels, most were abutting the property of residents who bought them for $500, but a parcel on Monponsett Street sold for $63,000; another on Rollercoaster Road went for $61,000; a Baker Street parcel was sold for $3,500; and another on Monponsett Street brought in $1,000.

Two parcels, on Monponsett Street and Whitman Street were not sold.

Marini said closings on sold properties are expected to be complete by the end of July.

Whitman finishes TM work

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WHITMAN — It was almost 8 p.m., Monday, June 17 before Whitman’s continuation of its Town Meeting — slated for 7:30 p.m. — could begin the work of completing the work started on Monday, May 6. A quorum of 150 voters was required for the tree special Town Meeting articles on the warrant.

By 8 p.m., 172 voters had signed in to complete work on the warrant.

The Town Meeting was adjourned to this week to allow residents to vote on a debt exclusion on Saturday, May 18 to remove the new police station and Town Hall/fire station renovations from the levy limit, freeing up funds for the articles voted on this week. The measure freed up free cash for other town needs.

That ballot question was narrowly approved.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam said there were $668,799 in appropriations sought.

Some residents, however, questioned the wisdom of voting on the remaining articles at all.

“I’d like people take a moment to think about the process that we’ve evolved over time and the process that the policies suggest that we follow,” said Forest Street resident Shawn Kain. “Right now, we don’t have a capital plan. The policy in place says that there should be a capital plan.”

He said the town is not currently following the policy.

“I think, for us to go forward with a number of these articles is just — it undermines the process,” Kain said. “If we sacrifice in a small way in the short term — the next couple months — and hold off on funding these articles, with the exception of safety … I really think we should hold off on funding these articles until we have a five-year capital plan in place.”

Kain argued that such a plan would enable the town to forecast it’s finances to give definitive indication of whether the town should spend or save.

Lynam countered that he had said repeatedly in meetings before the Board of Selectmen that the Collins Center at UMass, Boston had been contracted last fall to work on just such a capital plan.

“The process for doing that involved analyzing our capital spending for the last 10 years, our current requests and the capital requests that have been submitted over the last year,” he said. “They total about 70 items and, not counting the DPW, around $15 million.”

Lynam said the capital plan the town is developing won’t be available for another couple of months, when the process is expected to be completed. He said the policy to which Kain referred, allows Town Meeting to act and that all the requests before Town Meeting Monday, “have been capital requests for a number of years and we are, to some degree, clearing the board with some of them.”

He also stressed that a number of articles were also being passed over in an effort to “put them in the queue for prioritization.”

“I don’t know what failing to act on these requests would accomplish,” Lynam said.

Retired educator Mary Fox of 565 Washington St., questioned several school-related articles, including one for a motorized physical education curtain for the Whitman Middle School gym.

She said that, when she taught on Long Island, N.Y., a neighboring district was sued when a child was fatally injured by such a device.

“It would allow us to run two classes concurrently in the gymnasium so we’d be able to separate them,” said School Committee member Fred Small, noting the mechanical curtain is the type now recommended. “If it wasn’t safe, we would not do it.”

Fox pressed for information on who would control the curtain and where the switch is located.

“Everything’s safe until it’s not,” she said.

Small said a switch like the one being sought would likely be key-operated and under the control of school personnel.

“I have the utmost confidence,” he said. “No one wants to see a child get hurt. We would be sure that it was safe.”

The article was approved.

Another question raised over school-related articles centered on why the Finance Committee recommended not to pass an article to repair the access road at WHRHS, when Hanson Town Meeting approved it.

“Speaking for the majority of the Finance Committee, the discussion centered on the condition of Whitman’s roads and although, this is a project that needs to be done, the Finance Committee feels this is something that can be re-addressed at a later date,” said FinCom Chairman Richard Anderson.

Toward the conclusion of the meeting, the remote voting devices did not all function properly and a standing count was taken on an article regarding the resurfacing of the track at WHRHS. The article was approved when 142 yes votes — with a two-thirds margin needed — were counted.

McCue separation pact OK’d

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HANSON — In a meeting featuring several legal issues — and lawyers — Hanson Selectmen on Tuesday, June 18 announced a mutual agreement between the board and Town Administrator Michael McCue to dissolve his employment contract.

Selectmen also reviewed and approved licensure rules and regulations for marijuana cultivation firms as well as the board’s role in the process of permitting such facilities — and announced findings of an ethics complaint by former labor counsel Leo Peloquin against two selectmen during the process that led to the board hiring a new law firm.

Selectman Kenny Mitchell read from a prepared statement concerning McCue after an hour-long executive session opened the meeting, which began an hour early for that purpose. In that session, Selectmen also conducted contract negotiations with interim Town Administrator Meredith Marini as well as one regarding the Hanson Police Relief Association.

“The Town Administrator had a four-year employment agreement that was set to run until 2022,” said labor counsel Jamie Kenny of Clifford & Kenny in Pembroke. “Tonight, the board has approved a separation agreement, which allows those contractual obligations to fall away and the agreement now between us is a separation agreement, which will end [the] employment relationship on July 1.”

She explained that these types of agreements have a seven-day revocation agreement before it becomes completely binding and effective. It is not a public document until that time.

“My understanding is, at that time, the board will release that as a public document along with a town statement,” Kenny said.

Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett made a statement on behalf of the board.

“This board is committed to complete transparency in all matters to the extent permitted by law, that being said, in compliance with state law, it is the policy of the town  not to comment on confidential personnel matters and/or ongoing investigations into personnel matters,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “Because of these constrictions, we have not commented on any action with respect to the town administrator. Mr. McCue had an employment agreement with the town. There were three years left on the existing agreement. At this point, we have a tentative mutual agreement to separate Mr. McCue from employment, effective July 1, 2019.”

She said that once the seven-day revocation window expires, the board will release the agreement as a public document.

“The board looks forward to moving quickly to finding a new town administrator and to beginning the next chapter for the town,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

The board then voted to enter into an interim town administrator contract with Marini. Both votes were unanimous.

Marijuana facilities

Town Counsel Katherine Feodoroff then discussed with Selectmen the issues surrounding the board’s role in licensure of marijuana cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities.

Questions about that role have surfaced during community meetings held by owners of a cannabis grow facility planned for the Hanson Industrial Park on Commercial Way in compliance with the process of in negotiating the host community agreement (HCA) required by the state’s Cannabis Control Commission.

“I’ve asked out counsel to attend tonight’s meeting to clarify the Selectmen’s role and responsibilities with respect to the licensing of a proposed marijuana cultivation facility in Hanson,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “This discussion is the first discussion we have had as a board regarding the proposed cultivation facility since learning about their attempt to locate here.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett cautioned those attending the Selectmen’s meeting that, after the board’s questions were addressed that, while the audience would have the opportunity to ask questions, “We will only entertain questions that relate to the topics we have proposed in our meeting agenda.”

“While I realize that people may feel strongly for and against the legalization of marijuana and recreational use of marijuana, that falls outside the scope of our discussion tonight,” she said. “It is something that has been decided at a state level. … We will have future discussions, which we will open up to the public and that will be more detailed about things you may be interested in that we are not discussing tonight.”

Feodoroff outlined the licensing structure of the town’s general by-law, which has similar licensing authority as by-laws regulating alcohol licenses, which are renewable annually.

She also presented a draft application for the process, which Selectmen voted 5-0 to adopt.

The board also has the authority to negotiate HCAs with any marijuana establishment trying to site in Hanson.

“Because there is a [town] prohibition of retailers, this just applies to your cultivators, the manufacturers — the folks that convert the marijuana flower to products — and the testing facilities,” Feodoroff said.

The regulations also define types of facilities included in and allowed by the license procedure. Police inspection, prompted by resident complaints, would be permitted.

When a facility is licensed, the regulations must be kept on-site with employees required to read, understand and abide by the posted regulations as well as attesting they have done so. Admission to the facilities would be strictly limited for members of the public and the town can establish hours of operation, including closure for inventory or other reasons — which the Selectmen must be advised about for security concerns. Without an HCA, a marijuana facility is not permitted to open.

Changes to the premises — as well as any change of ownership or license transfer — would have to be approved by the Board of Selectmen.

“Violations of local or state law, violations of other [governing] bodies’ regulations — like the Board of Health — violations of the Host Community Agreement, fraud, all these kinds of things could bring an entity that’s operating in town back before the Board of Selectmen to have a discussion,” Feodoroff said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked about the steps and timeline involved.

Feodoroff said an application of intent must be filed with the CCC. A provisional license can be issued following a community outreach meeting and a signed certified document stating a HCA has been reached with the town.

“They haven’t gotten there, yet,” Feodoroff said of the current applicants Ralph Greenberg and his daughter Alli of Randolph, whose company is called Impressed LLC.

FitzGerald-Kemmett also asked if language requiring most efficient use of water or restricting use of agricultural chemicals can be included in the HCA. Feodoroff said some towns include those regulations in the special permit-granting process, but she said concerns about water use could be points of negotiations in an HCA. Odor control concerns can also be raised.

“For cultivators, odor control and smell are the big issues that special permit authorities tackle,” Feodoroff said. “That requires a whole host of documents which will have engineering relative to what their HVAC system’s going to look like.”

Selectman Matt Dyer asked what responsibilities the town had for the proper posting of the community outreach meetings.

Feodoroff said that is not the Selectmen’s responsibility at all.

“You can facilitate the process, because you obviously know this is an important issue to your constituents … but it’s not your obligation,” she said. “They [the applicants] won’t get through the CCC unless they properly host in accordance with the CCC regulations.”

“We’ve gotten potentially different feedback on that, so it’s good to know,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “It’s not an approval process.”

She said the meetings were intended to offer residents an opportunity to make their concerns known. The Greenbergs will be hosting two more outreach meetings, at the Hanson Library on Thursday, June 27 and in the Selectmen’s meeting room at Town Hall Tuesday, July 2.

Two have been already held, but posting issues with the first have led the applicants to decide not to submit it to the CCC, according to Feodoroff.

A resident asked if, since retail facilities can be limited to 20 percent of the number of alcohol-sales establishments in a town, are there similar restrictions for cultivators, manufacturers or testing facilities.

Budget’s impact on jobs outlined

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Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak reported which personnel cuts would be made within the fiscal 2020 budget during the Wednesday, June 12 School Committee meeting.

“There’s been some questions about where we ended up in terms of staffing,” Szymaniak said. There were 19 positions cut as well $292,000 cut from budget items such as supplies, legal costs and other areas. Some others were moved to other areas.

The personnel cuts include; a central office accountant, a facilities building use coordinator, the technology director, six paraprofessionals — none involved in one-to-one individual education plans, a high school business teacher, a high school science teacher, a science teacher at Hanson Middle School, a grade teacher at Indian Head, a grade teacher at Duval, two grade teachers at Conley, and a duty aide at each elementary school. A part-time music teacher who did grade five band was also cut.

“We also eliminated foreign language at the middle schools because of equity issues,” Szymaniak said. “We recycled those positions into three elementary adjustment counselors because we had to work in our social-emotional need.”

He explained the district had been inequitable in how it offered middle school foreign language.

“Before the state came at us and said there’s an issue of equity there, we recycled that with the hopes of looking at a better budget in the future — putting together a solid foreign language program, either six through 12 or, in our vision K to 12,” Szymaniak said.

He said class size was not severely impacted, but there will be a student population bubble in the fourth grade at Indian Head and the fifth grade at Conley and Duval.

Szymaniak said he is “cautiously optimistic” about returning some classroom teachers when the state budget is finalized and the fiscal 2019 budget is closed out, but is not looking to resolve any other budget issues.

School committee member Fred Small asked if a budget meeting between the committee, town administrators, selectmen and finance boards had yet been scheduled.

That meeting was slated for 7 p.m., Monday, July 22.

“We’re going to take a look at the whole budget, going a little bit backwards for comparison and see what our increases might be,” Chairman Bob Hayes said. “Maybe get a little bit better forecast for the towns before they get into their town meetings or special town meetings.”

Small said his vision is also to determine what the committee wants to see, in the event there is an override, to restore services and to enhance services the district should be providing.

“I really think we have to address our short-comings and the only way we’re going to do it is to ask the public,” Small said.

School Committee member Christopher Howard suggested a three-year look forward so the towns understand what lies ahead. Szymaniak said union and bus contracts have two more years left, which could help with that process. School Committee member Dan Cullity advocated a five-year approach.

Where money would go from an expected operational override in the fall for Whitman remains a question, Szymaniak said, adding Hanson has said nothing about any plans for an override.

Szymaniak also reported that he has received a letter from the Whitman DPW, which stated the high school’s water and sewer meters have been misread since the school opened — and $307,000 is owed by the district.

“They apologized for the error,” he said. “My problem, outside of the letter I got yesterday, is I have no budget projection on what we use for water in this building now.”

He had not consulted legal counsel yet, but had Business Director Christine Suckow call the district’s insurance company “just because.”

School Committee member Alexandra Taylor said it is her understanding that the problem is town-wide in Whitman due to old meters. Whitman has begun the process of replacing water meters this month.

Small said the sewer portion should not be a problem because of the high school’s graywater system.

The committee heard an overview of what constitutes unfunded and underfunded state mandates from Ben Tafoya, director of the Division of Local Mandates with the State Auditor’s Office.

“The Division of Local Mandates was actually created by the voters when they passed Proposition 2 ½ in 1980,” Tafoya said. “The law also said that the state could not impose unfunded mandates on our cities and towns and created our division to help guide the state auditor in determining what was or what wasn’t an unfunded mandate.”

Several hundred requests for review of potential unfunded mandates have been received since the 1980s, but Tafoya said the number has been decreasing in recent years.

“The good news is since the founding of our office, we have been able to help municipalities claim over $350 million in funding for various activities that were found to be unfunded mandates,” he said.

Cullity asked how the school district could file a request for review of some of the unfunded mandates straining the WHRSD budgets.

Tafoya said a letter should be filed with State Auditor Suzanne Bump’s office at the statehouse, advising that a single letter from the School Committee detailing the issues — or from town administrators, boards of selectmen or the superintendent of schools.

“If it’s from the School Committee it has to be an official act that is documented in the public record,” Tafoya said.

State laws passed after Jan. 1, 1981 must have cost implications for municipalities accepted by the city or town or the commonwealth supplies funding to make compliance possible, according to Tafoya.

“These were things that weren’t optional … and they represented a significant expense,” he said.

In 2017, portions of the early voting law were determined to include an unfunded mandate, necessitating reimbursements to towns for the hours outside normal voting hours for towns. In 2012, portions of the McKinney-Vento homeless transportation requirement were determined to be an unfunded mandate, with the legislature partially reimbursing cities and towns — $9 million for fiscal 2019.

Exceptions over the years have included the imposition of “incidental administrative expense” involved in the municipalities complying with the mandate as a condition of receiving state aid, or when towns have the option of participating in a program or not.

Regional school transportation is not considered an unfunded mandate because it was a requirement imposed on regional school districts prior to 1981, Tafoya said.

“But we all understand that underfunding of that kind of requirement has a substantial impact on the regional school districts in our Commonwealth,” he said.

Small, who had arranged for Tafoya’s visit, questioned special education transportation reimbursements. That expense, Tafoya said is the largest single category of the $785 million spent on school transportation by all state school districts.

School Committee member Dawn Byer also questioned special education reimbursement, particularly whether it met the requirement under Mass. General Law to be considered an unfunded mandate.

“The difficulty with that is that it’s a requirement that pre-dates 1981,” Tafoya said. “That would be its exemption from the local mandate law.”

“Where that is supposed to be funded, I’d like to ask if there’s anything that you can do to help out this region,” said Taylor.

Tafoya said the division has been informing the legislature, regional school district and other stakeholder groups about a report issued in 2017 on the issue, “To try to remind people that these expenses are out there, they’re rising faster than school aid or taxes are coming in and the reimbursement accounts are significantly underfunded.”

He pledged that the division would continue to do that.

155 true individuals

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COHASSET — During a boisterous and joyful ceremony at South Shore Music Circus on Friday, June 7, 155 students from eight communities graduated from South Shore Technical High School as “a class of true individuals.”

“You have hidden talents that many rarely got to see,” said Principal Mark Aubrey, putting on his trademark cowboy hat to the students’ cheers. “Josia Silva [of Rockland] got the acting bug as a youngster and has been performing ever since, including as an extra on the Netflix show ‘Community’ on a number of occasions … Student body President Cody Campbell [of Rockland] has flown an airplane. … you have grown in so many ways.”

Aubrey pointed to athletic achievements such as the Mayflower League Champion girls’ volleyball team, “a couple” of Eagle Scouts and the growth of “picky eater” Tim Murphy of Whitman into a Culinary Arts graduate moving on to employment in the food industry.

“[His] mom is happy to say he will try almost anything,” Aubrey said.

Others are heading into the military, including Hanson resident Trent Quinn-Percivalle who is joining the Air Force cyber-security team.

Aubrey closed by making a request of them in return for the success SST has helped them accomplish.

“Be ambassadors for our school and the excellent education we provide our students,” he said, urging them to return to speak to shops about life in the trades or in college. “As you step out beyond our doors, please know that we do not want our relationship to end with this evening.”

Student speakers also touched on academic and personal growth during their four years at SST.

Brevity was key for Valedictorian Benjamin Doucette of Abington.

“In this class before you are some of the smartest, bravest and funniest people I have met so far in my life,” he said. “After this ceremony, some of us will stay in touch and some of us won’t. Some of us will use the trade skills we’ve learned, and some of us will go into completely different fields. … We’ve grown a lot, but we still have some growing to do.

Senior Class President Alexis Burke of Hanson also expounded on the themes of personal and academic growth.

“It will be very hard to part ways with a place that has given me so much,” she said. “It was here where I cemented friendships, it was here I got to explore my passions, it was here I learned to be a better person, it was here where I discovered myself.”

Rockland’s Cody Campbell introduced himself to students who may have been “living under a rock for the last four years: I am the student body president for the Class of 2019.”

“Yeah, you are!” a fellow graduate shouted to cheers.

Campbell related how his favorite quote by hockey great Wayne Gretzky — “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

“Speaking from experience, I can say that it is impossible to have a fulfilling life in a shell, afraid to take chances,” he said. “Try something new, make mistakes, fail epically. …I am confident that you will all do amazing things.”
Superintendent-Director Thomas J. Hickey equated the education process as a way of discovering one’s “superpower,” based on the number of popular superhero movies making huge amounts of money — and a teacher’s T-shirt he recently saw which read: “I am a teacher, what’s your superpower?”

Hickey played audio of nearly a dozen seniors discussing what they see as a superpower. Academics, perseverance, art, problem solving, humor, leadership, welding, listening, story-telling and hard work were mentioned.

“You know you have and value and you are confident that you can make an impact on the world around you,” he said. “Continue to discover those super powers, in the workforce, in service to our country, for the love of your family and friends and as a positive influence on your community. The world needs heroes. We need you now more than ever.”

Local SSVT graduates are:

Cameron N. Bagley, Jacob T. Barbato, Erin M. Bizier, Dylan R. Burgio, Alexis J. Burke, Jacqueline E. Clifford, Tucker A. Cobis, Rebecca R. Cooke, Owen M. David, Cameron J. DeStefano, Jeffrey A. Ford, Shane A. Fougere, Jonathan G. Gillan, Josie C. Head, Brendan R. Hogan, John P. Hubbard, Ryan P. Keeley, Liam R. Kernan, Mackenzie E. McGraw, Kyle J. Mishou, Christopher M. Osbourne, Trent Quinn-Percivalle, Noah S. Rodri, Alex J. Spicuzza, Nicole E. Stalker and Samuel L. Stowell of Hanson.

Peter A. Achin, Jacob J. Austin, Justin T. Bennett, Evan J. Cadorette, Kaitlin A. Chatsko, Patrick F. Dolan, Laurel L. Durfee, Maxwell G. Elfman, Casi B. Ezekiel, William F. Keating Glover, Ayla A. Hebert, John B. Jolliemore, Asten N. Knight, Jillian M. Leafer, Cyairra D. Lowe, Kimberly P. McPhee, Nykera N. Mandes, Richard M. Miller, Ashley E. Millett, Kayla E. Mills, Hayley R. Murphy, Timothy M. Murphy, Codey J. Murray, Nicholas D. Podgurski, Kristen E. Saccone, Danielle R. Smith, Aiden M. Toy, Emily L. Vega-Morley, Jade A. Watts, Patrick S. Wilson and Evan M. Young of Whitman.

Hanson confronts littered properties

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen, on Tuesday, June 4, voted to table a decision on a General By-law violation regarding property conditions at 248 East Washington St. because the wrong address was listed on the meeting agenda.

The agenda listed the address of the property as 246 East Washington. Selectmen will vote on the issue when they next meet on Tuesday, June 18.

Building Inspector Robert Curran wrote in a letter to Gilbert Grabowski, the owner of 248 East Washington, that: “Your property is littered with debris, junk, old boats and trailers that, in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good.”

The letter was addressed to 246 East Washington, however, prompting Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett whether the owner was properly informed of the public hearing.

Curran was seeking a 10-day notice for Grabowski to remove the junk, scrap metal and other waste. He also noted the property had been brought before Superior Court in 2014 after enforcement had been initiated in 2012.

“I then tried to work with the property owner to get them to clean it up,” Curran said. “Nothing was done sufficiently … and Selectmen declared it in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good in 2014. We then went to court and the owner of the property cleaned up the property sufficiently for me to say he was OK.”

The property is in need of cleanup again, Curran said.

“This one’s been difficult,” Curran said. “I think this is more of a hoarding issue more than anything and I think we should treat it more like that, so I need your support to take it further.”

Selectman Matt Dyer suggested that the board make sure the address be properly posted on the agenda before a vote is taken. FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed.

Selectmen did vote to declare property at 81 Ocean Ave., as in violation of the General By-law.

Curran provided the board with photographs showing “debris, junk, appliances and auto parts that, in my opinion, is detrimental to public safety, health and good,” he said in a letter to property owner Kevin Smith dated May 7. “There are also two motor vehicles up on jack stands undergoing repairs, one of which is in your front yard.”

Curran told Selectmen during a public hearing on the matter that the property has been before Selectmen, beginning in 2009 with a hearing at which that Board of Selectmen determined the property was detrimental to public safety.

Cleanup had progressed, but was not completed and a follow-up letter was sent.

“We never did go to court because the property was cleaned up, but it’s [now] worse than it’s ever been,” Curran said.

He said he is asking the Board to request Town Counsel to seek and order from the court to clean it up, followed by a permanent injunction to keep the property clean.

Selectmen enforce General By-laws.

In other business, Selectmen voted to suspend the Class II Auto License of Upscale Auto, at 169A Franklin St., with the provision that, if work flagged by Curran be completed by the board’s next meeting on June 18, the vote could be reconsidered. That work includes repair of a fence on the property and ensuring that all cars on site are in saleable condition, including inflated tires.

FinCom votes on June 17 articles

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WHITMAN — Voters will resume the Whitman Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m., Monday, June 17 after a debt exclusion question on the May 18 Town Election ballot freed up funds for some capital articles. Town Meeting will be held in the Town Hall auditorium.

The debt exclusion removed remaining payments on the new police station and renovations to Town Hall and the fire station from the tax levy. Finance Committee members met Tuesday, June 11 to prioritize Articles 29 through 49 not acted on before Town Meeting adjourned on May 6.

Some articles, including school projects given lower priority on the School District’s capital matrix and some town vehicle requests, were either amended, passed over or not recommended by the Finance Committee.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam said that, as of the time the May 6 Town Meeting session ended, there was $7,491 left in the levy and $439,115 remaining in free cash and $179,227 in capital stabilization.

Selectmen have voted to increase the capital stabilization account by $150,000.

“In order to accomplish that, in our Town Meeting on June 17, our first vote will be to take that money that had been paid from free cash and transfer that to capital stabilization,” Lynam said. “We can’t put it back in free cash.”

The second vote would be to raise and appropriate the money needed to complete the payment for the debt. A portion had already been voted on May 6 and by-law forbids reconsideration at the June 17 session, according to Lynam.

There is $943,242 available for votes on articles on Monday. There are $973,948 in pending requests.

“The committee has to decide how much of the money that’s available, assuming the special Town Meeting is voted as presented, of those balances that we want to remain,” said Finance Committee Chairman Richard Anderson.

“There will be an amendment prepared for each article,” Lynam said. “Every article is going to have to be amended on the floor.”

One of the amendments to control costs is the Finance Committee’s recommendation to support the purchase of two police cruisers instead of the three — at a cost of $65,870.65 — requested by Police Chief Scott Benton.

“All things being relative, if the money was there and we didn’t have a need for it, then I would support that,” Lynam said. He also recommended the purchase of only two of the three plow vehicles requested by the DPW, with which the Finance Committee concurred.

“[They’re] putting body paste on these vehicles so they pass inspection,” Anderson said of the DPW trucks that need replacement. “They’re in that bad a shape. … We have said no to the DPW more than we have to anyone else.”

Anderson reminded the Finance Committee that Benton could further amend to go back to the three vehicles if he felt that strongly about it.

An article to appropriate $100,000 for street paving was unanimously recommended.

When regional school district articles were discussed, former Selectman Scott Lambiase, now a Finance Committee member, asked if there was any sense in recommending articles Hanson voters have passed over.

Lynam said he did not think so, except that some may be revisited at Hanson’s October Town Meeting.

The Finance Committee recommended for passage include: $14,000 for a motorized physical education curtain at Whitman Middle School; $25,000 to replace exterior doors at Whitman’s schools; $45,000 to install thumb-piece latches to all interior classroom and office doors in Whitman schools; $17,946 for Whitman’s share of resurfacing the WHRHS gym floor; $41,874 for Whitman’s share of a handicap ramp to the existing press box at the high school; $20,937 for Whitman’s share of thumb latches at doors in the high school and $14,955 for Whitman’s share of repairs to the fire lane at the high school. A $134,595 share of the cost to spray/resurface the high school’s outdoor track was also recommended.

The recommended articles were at the top of the school’s priorities list.

School articles the Finance Committee recommended be passed over are: articles 42 through 44 — encompassing $59,820 to replace rooftop units at the high school; $44,865 for Whitman’s share of installing solar-powered site lighting and $44,865 to replace two facilities vehicles.

The Finance Committee voted against recommending $125,622 for Whitman’s share of the cost to repair/replace sections of the main roadway into WHRHS. It was the district’s lowest priority of the capital matrix items on the Whitman warrant.

“They’re better than what we’re driving on,” Lynam said.

Finance Committee member Chuck Colby agreed, but expressed concern that Hanson had already approved the expense.

The Finance Committee has also recommended a reduction of interest rate accrues on property taxes deferred by eligible taxpayers for temporary financial hardship (MGL c. 59 §5 clause 18A) from 8 percent to 2 percent.

A hometown thank you

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HANSON — During an often-tearful ceremony Tuesday, June 4, the Board of Selectmen joined with the town’s state and federal legislators to bestow overdue honor to a Vietnam veteran.

“Just the idea that our service members weren’t respected during the Vietnam War is so foreign to me,” said Christopher Matthews, a legislative aide to U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Mass. “I think it’s likely known now, with a sense of shame, that 50 years ago when our veterans returned from Vietnam, they did not receive the respect and honor that they receive today. … It’s an honor today to say on behalf of Rep. Keating, ‘Welcome home, Cpl. Mattson. Thank you for your service and congratulations on this award.’”

Matthews’ father, who served in Korea during Vietnam experienced hostility to his uniform at the time when returning home.

Marine Corps veteran Everett Mattson of Hanson wiped tears from his eyes as state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, spoke to “recognize and congratulate him for his tremendous patience awaiting receipt of his Combat Action Ribbon for service in Vietnam.”

As corporal in the 2nd Marine Div., Mattson served in action in Vietnam in 1966, seeing heavy combat during his service, but did not receive the citation, for which service under enemy fire is required. It was not until he launched a letter-writing campaign in 2004 for an eligibility review that he finally received the ribbon in 2018 — taped onto a letter, which “neither thanked Mr. Mattson for his service nor apologized for the time it took to send him his Combat Action Ribbon,” Cutler said. “Today, we’re here to rectify that, as a community, as a commonwealth, as a nation, to come in a small way to thank you very publicly.”

Selectmen opened their meeting with the ceremony correcting that oversight, with Selectmen Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett asking Mattson to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Selectman Wes Blauss presented an official citation to Mattson from the town of Hanson, his voice breaking as he read: “The town of Hanson wishes to recognize you and express the community’s deepest appreciation for your service to your family, neighbors and countrymen.”

Cutler, state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, and Keating — through his aide Matthews — presented official citations in honor of Mattson. Keating, who was preparing for departure to France for 75th anniversary observations of the D-Day invasion on Thursday, June 6 was unable to attend.

“Our nation should be judged on how we treat our veterans who put their lives on the line to protect us, which means no veteran should have to wait for housing, health care [or] benefits they deserve,” Matthews said. “Certainly, no veteran should have to wait 50 years for an award that they certainly deserve.”

Brady thanked Mattson’s fellow veterans for attending the ceremony in support of him. Matthews and Hanson Veterans Agent Timothy White pledged to assist him with any services he might require in the future.

“It’s a heck of a long time, but I’m happy [the ribbon] finally came through for you, sir, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the town of Hanson, I thank you for your service,” White said.

Whitman preps for special TM

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WHITMAN — The board of Selectmen on Tuesday, May 28 received an update on municipal finances ahead of the Monday, June 17 special Town Meeting.

The town has $971,546 in available free cash after the debt exclusion was approved in the May 18 Town Election, and $154,674 available in the capital stabilization fund.

The town voted to use free cash to pay the debt associated with a bond, but with the approval of the debt exclusion, $532,000 can be transferred from that appropriation because it can’t be replaced into free cash, Lynam explained.

Selectman Randy LaMattina suggested the board vote to recommend placing $150,000 from free cash back into either the stabilization account, which now holds $2.6 million, or into capital stabilization, which now holds $154,600. Lynam advocated placing another $200,000 into capital stabilization. The board voted to place the $150,000 into capital stabilization to build the fund back up, leaving about $824,000 available for appropriation.

“At that point we will be able to make a determination on what articles to act on and to amend the source be capital stabilization because they are all capital articles,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said. “Certainly, if we spent all the money we had, we could approve all those articles, but I don’t think that would be a prudent thing to do.”

Lynam said he has spoken to WHRSD and Hanson officials to determine what has been voted by Hanson for school capital projects. He will relay that information to Whitman’s Finance Committee.

He said Whitman would be responsible for $17,946 for the W-H gym floor refinishing; $41,874 for a handicapped ramp at the football field (Hanson approved its share of that work in Oct. 2018); $20,973 for thumb-latches in all interior classrooms at the high school; $14,955 for repairs to the existing fire lane; $59,820 for repair of rooftop units over the performing arts center which have failed and a more expensive temporary system is being used for the remainder of the school year. Hanson had passed over the roof-top units at its Town Meeting. There is also a need to replace lighting, before Green Communities reimbursement, at the Conley and Duval.

An appropriation of $125,622 to repave the high school roadway and $134,595 for resurfacing the track at the high school are being sought as Whitman’s share. There are also articles pertaining to town equipment purchases pending.

“My guess is they’re going to have to be prioritized and it’s unlikely that all these articles will be voted,” Lynam said.

Capital plan

The Collins Center at UMass, Boston, which has been working with the town on both a capital plan and budget model, is working to correct “a number of errors” Lynam flagged before returning the draft document for corrections.

Forest Street resident Shawn Kain has asked to see the draft document, asking whether it is considered a public document.

“I’m not comfortable sending it out, because it’s inaccurate,” Lynam said. “My experience with handing things out while they’re under development is that they typically come back to bite you.”

He told Kain he would discuss it with the board, but preferred to hold it until it was “mostly accurate,” perhaps not before the next draft is received in a week or so.

A capital report has not been received as yet.

Kain asked if the Collins Center report was pubic information. Lynam replied that such reports are not generally considered public until official received by the Board of Selectmen. The Board has not yet received the report.

“It’s not public information yet,” Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski said.

Kain said he would follow up with his concern with the Collins Center, as he argued it should be public.

“This whole process is going to be interactive,” Lynam said. “When they prepare to meet with us on a capital plan, there will be a public meeting, there will be a document presented — presumably, at least to the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee — to begin the analysis and say, does this work, where does it work, how does it work?”

He said the report draft contained misidentified departments and organizational charts.

“I don’t want to release a report like that, because it’s defective,” Lynam said.

“Those are valid discussion points, but to have it open, I think will be helpful,” Kain said.

LaMattina, who described himself as a “transparency guy,” pointed to the numerous draft Article 2s was an example of confusion caused by releasing draft documents.

“If it’s actually wrong, that’s what I don’t want put out there,” LaMattina said. He did, however request that some type of timetable be established to ensure accountability.

John Galvin, a High Street resident, asked about when Selectman Brian Bezanson might present an economic development plan, which was one of his campaign issues, to the board.

Bezanson said he has begun working with Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green on the “first leg” of the proposal.

“It’s going to take a while to get all the moving pieces together,” he said. “I have to speak with the assessors and the treasurer and collector … to get their opinion on how things are going to go and then speak to state officials on exactly what’s legal and what’s not legal and how we can go forward with this.”

He said he hopes it can go forward as quickly as possible because, “the town needs that kind of money policy.”

In other business, Bezanson said a bronze plaque that had been stolen from the Civil War monument, and was not discovered until the Memorial Day observances. The plaque has been recovered by DPW workers and they will work to replace it, he said.