Whitman-Hanson Express

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Sounds like team spirit

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By Brooke Loring
WHRHS Student Intern

Last Tuesday, Whitman-Hanson Regional High School held its annual pep rally, in anticipation of the Panthers’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Abington Green Wave.

Planned by sports captains and Whitman-Hanson Athletic director Bob Rogers, students and faculty gathered in the gym for a day centered around school spirit. This year, seniors Samantha Smith and Quinn Sweeney hosted the day’s events, which included a dance off, musical chairs, and a battle of rock-paper-scissors. There were also performances by Whitman-Hanson’s cheerleading team (who recently won the State Championship), the majorettes and band, as well as the Pop Rock Ensemble. Celtics tickets were also raffled off, being won by Rosie Brazie and Zach Garnic. Students also had the ability to “pie” their teacher in the “Pie-in-the-Face” contest. Unfortunately, chemistry teacher and freshmen football coach, John Rozen, was met with a pie, not once but two times … for the second year in a row.

Rally is also a school event loved by students because, while they show off their school pride, it also gives them the ability to show off their class pride, too. Freshmen and sophomores dress in white, while juniors sport red and, seniors, black. The classes try to prove who has the most Panther Pride by being the loudest and most whimsical at the rally. Students also enjoy participating in an event that is “student led,” according to senior Ashley O’Brien. Student athletes and their accomplishments are also honorably mentioned

Following the indoor events of Rally, is the annual powderpuff game, where senior and junior girls, coached by JV and Varsity football players, face off in the ultimate battle: flag football. Along with the game, male cheerleaders can be seen on the sidelines pumping up the crowd by attempting a human pyramid or kick line. Entertainment also included the banter of seniors Mike Cook and Bob Dauwer announcing the game, as well as a breathtaking performance of “Sweet Caroline” by Cook. This year, despite the chilly weather and rain, the senior girls took home the victory, with a score of 12-0.

Being a senior at Whitman-Hanson, Rally is one of the events I will miss the most. I’ll miss dressing up, and getting glitter all over the bathroom floor, and the feathers from boas floating in the hallways (Students of WHRHS would like to thank the event staff as well as janitorial services for the clean-up). I’ll remember the excitement of missing class and the anticipation of the Thanksgiving game. I will miss being able to see the rivalry between Whitman-Hanson and Abington. However, I will miss Rally because it brought the school together in an event of indescribable excitement, school spirit, class rivalry — and pie.

Negotiating for better rates

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The School Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 14 voted to request that Business Services Director Christine Suckow seek lower increases in annual costs for the bus and custodial services than are currently contracted over the next two years. She agreed to make the requests and come back with information in December.

“It’s in writing that we have the right to exercise these options,” School Committee member Fred Small said. “The question is, by what date do we have to exercise the options and isn’t it worth a phone call to say, ‘We’re looking into doing our own [transportation] perhaps, etc., would you consider doing something that we would lock in for two years. … It’s still the same contractual obligation, we’re just not tying our hands for that extra year.”

He had suggested earlier in the meeting, during a report on a recent Mass. Association School Committees conference, that the district might want to consider purchasing its own fleet of buses to save money in the long run.

“I’m just looking at it as is there any harm in asking,” Committee member Christopher Howard said. “What do we have to lose?”

Suckow reported that contract extensions put out to bid for optional years four and five of the First Student bus and SJ Services custodial contracts and four through six for Collegiate Press for copy center services during her report on the fiscal 2019 budget update.

First Student will increase by $60,128 for next year’s budget and another $41,630 for fiscal 2021, or 3.5 percent and 2.5 percent respectively. Suckow said the figures were brought in during November to enable her to plan for building the fiscal 2020 budget.

“Do we have to agree to do both years, or could we do one year at a time?” Small asked about the transportation increases. Sukow said it was a decision for the committee to make, but she suggested they adopt both years of the contract extension, especially with First Student, which has little competition.

Committee member Robert O’Brien Jr., said he did not object to voting on a two-year figure, but argued it didn’t hurt to seek a better percentage. When contracts were put out to bid, they were negotiated for three years with options for four and five.

A vote also requested that Suckow ask for a similar reduction involving the contract extension for SJ Services — which included  3 percent hike of $29,000 and a 2-percent increase of $29,000 for fiscal 2021.

The Collegiate Press contract, which does not include increases in the three-year extension, was approved without discussion.

Suckow also expressed concern that transportation and out-of-district placement costs for special education and mandated costs for homeless student transportation, which is already $2,950 in the red, will increase.

“The rest is pretty status quo,” she said of the budget. The federal homeless transportation reimbursement, which has been 30 percent, is sometimes not received until the year after it is spent, Suckow said.

Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said the district is working to “brining the program in” with more services at the middle school level to help keep students in the district and control out-of-district placement costs.

“We might be spending money for next year’s budget to make money by keeping our kids here,” Szymaniak said, adding the district’s legal counsel has been consulted and had made a “stong recommendation to build a couple of programs” in language-based middle school programs that are now placed out. The expense would add a couple of teachers and paraprofessionals to work towards saving money in the future.

“We’re really looking at how we can be more effective and efficient,” Szymaniak said. “Our kids want to stay here and we want to keep them here.”

Small said inclusion is important.

“It’s nice that we save money, too, but keep our kids here,” he said.

MCAS results

“We’re like our peers,” Assistant Superintendent of Schools George Ferro said. “We are in the middle. … How do we get out of the middle?”

He indicated the district should not focus so much on what the state tests, but to look at the tools it provides educators in order to prepare students to succeed on the tests as well as out in the world.

“Our focus is clearly on learning and meeting standards … but we also have to make sure we’re giving our kids the playbook in which they’re going to have success,” he said. “We also need to embrace and change the lives of our elementary teachers.”

W-H schools arre among the 74 percent of individual schools in the state not requiring state assistance or intervention. The district also was part of the 90 percent of districts not requiring state assistance or intervention. It was also among the 53 percent of state districts that partially met every target for every school and student category.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has come up with a new accountability system in grades three to eight, according to Ferro.

New test results will be “exceeding expectations,” “meeting expectations,” “partially meeting expectations” or “not meeting expectations.”

He said it is important to note it is not just a change of names in the grading approach.

“The test that students take right now is much more rigorous, as far as the standards for reaching MCAS scores,” he said. “It is much more difficult, and they made it that way for certain factors. They valued readiness for the next grade level and consistent expectations across grades.”

Success is now based on student achievement, student educational growth rates, high school completion rates, English proficiency, chronic absenteeism and advanced course work.

“They’re trying to take a whole look for the district,” Ferro said. “Right now the state can look at every single teacher, every single student and every single time a teacher and a student interface at a data point.”

He said there are an average of 84,000 data points in a school year.

Hanson hires legal counsel

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HANSON — Selectmen on Tuesday, Nov. 27 voted to retain the services of Mead, Talerman & Costa MTC of Millis as general town counsel, but opted to end 14 years of work with labor counsel Norris, Murray & Peloquin LLC of Norwood.

The board unanimously voted to contract with Clifford & Kenny LLP of Pembroke for labor counsel services as of Jan. 1, 2019, with current attorney Leo Peloquin completing current work and transitioning all other projects to Clifford & Kenny.

Peloquin’s performance in the divisive investigation into rental and operational practices as Camp Kiwanee two years ago was a major factor in the decision for some Selectmen. Others cited the division of labor used by Clifford & Kenny — one partner dealing with fire department contracts and the other specializing in police contracts.

Also interviewing for both general and labor counsel positions were Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane MHTL of Quincy and Brooks & DeRensis of Boston.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett initially questioned the intent of the discussion.

“There is no agenda on that,” said Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell. “We can pick two finalists [for each service] and come back to another meeting and have them come back. If there’s a consensus on who we want to pick, we can pick them and we don’t have to have them come back.”

He noted that the process had been initiated to review the services provided by both current firms and to see if the town was “getting the best bang for the buck.”

Town Administrator Michael McCue said he had tailored the agenda item to permit the board to proceed in whatever manner they wished.

“I got a little concerned after the last meeting that the board may have felt I put too many constraints on the process,” he said. “I want the board to make its decision on how it wants to move forward.”

“This is important and I would love a unanimous vote,” said Selectman Wes Blauss. “I don’t want to string someone along if, in the end, minds are made up.”

For that reason, while Mitchell had argued for Peloquin’s firm, he voted for Clifford & Kenny as labor counsel in the end.

“I’m speaking for our current labor counsel,” he said. “Leo’s got the track record … he’s dealt with over 300 employee cases over the past 14 years and had only four go to litigation. … He’s won all four.”

Mitchell said Peloquin has always worked in the town’s best interests and has 33 years’ experience.

“The system wasn’t broken, but we wanted to test the waters to make sure the system wasn’t broken,” he said. “I don’t think Leo is the best-liked person in the town of Hanson, I don’t think he gets many Christmas cards from employees in the town … but I think we have to make the best decision for the town and put personal differences and personal opinions aside.”

He asked for McCue’s opinion on the choice because he deals with labor counsel most directly.

He said he is comfortable with the town’s current law firms for both general and labor counsel and it made sense to him to stay with the firms.

FitzGerald-Kemmett agreed with the points Mitchell made, but liked other firms’ use of a database of contract costs in the region that the town could use for comparison.

“Leo’s done [the job], but he hasn’t done it with the precision I would like to see,” she said. “I’d like to see some more preparation for some of those conversations that we’ve had. … If we retain him I’d want him to improve upon providing that information well in advance of those discussions.”

She also noted that while he has not been a popular figure, “He was asked to do a job.”

Selectman Jim Hickey said Clifford & Kenny’s division of work on contract negotiations appealed to him, as well that the firm would have Selectmen driving the process.

“He said any negotiations start with us,” Hickey said of a follow-up phone call he had with John Clifford. “Any negotiations that we did [since he joined the board] or contracts that we were going to sign, we got Friday at noontime on the agenda [with Peloquin]. Maybe that’s just me and it’s my fault because I never asked, but I didn’t know.”

Selectman Matt Dyer expressed concern that, while Peloquin knows the town, he is concerned about the firm’s plans for expansion and noted that Selectmen still have not been debriefed about the Camp Kiwanee issue.

“I feel I’m out of the loop on that, I don’t know exactly where we are,” Dyer said. “I don’t really know how to judge his work when I don’t know the ins and outs of the past.”

Dyer said he was impressed with the Clifford & Kenny approach for dividing contract work, use of comparison databases and a better client/staff ratio.

Mitchell did not like the two different attorneys for police and fire contract approach. McCue agreed that he would prefer working with a single attorney, but he would agree to talk to Clifford & Kenny as to which would be the lead attorney.

Blauss said the issue that sold him was the responses gleaned from FitzGerald-Kemmett’s question to the interviewing firms on their elective office experience.

Clifford & Kenny; Mead, Talerman; Brooks & DeRensis all have partners and/or associates with experience working for communities “on the other side of the desk” during contract negotiations.

“I taught for almost half a century and I was on boards and commissions in town and I think that gives you a huge perspective on things,” Blauss said.

Selectmen asked for a transition period to permit Clifford & Kenny to receive information on pending work with all new work going immediately to them as of Jan. 1.

General counsel

Mitchell led the praise for Mead, Talerman attorney, Katherine Feodoroff, who has been Hanson’s lead attorney for the past couple of years. The firm’s RFP indicated Talerman would remain lead counsel with Feodoroff acting as immediate backup. But others did express concern that the reverse has been true lately.

Mitchell said Feodoroff proved “extremely knowledgeable [and] led us in the right direction” on the issue of marijuana control bylaws for the town.

“I had anticipated, going into this, that I wouldn’t want to change general counsel, but then when we met with Brooks & DeRensis and they started talking about the depth and breadth of what they have there I was thinking to myself — not about Kate — but have we at least been somewhat taken for granted?” said FitzGerald-Kemmett before she ultimately voted to keep the firm. “Kate has become the person. But Jay [Talerman] was the person we signed up with.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett questioned whether the board wanted a single firm to represent both general and labor counsel duties, or to keep them separate. She preferred separate firms.

“The reason for that is I like to have the agility that, if things go south with the relationship, we don’t have to start all over again with both disciplines,” she said. “It’s worked out pretty well so far and it’s good if you have a matter that might cross over into both [areas].”

Blauss was also grappling with the decision between Mead, Talerman and Brooks & DeRensis before ultimately deciding to keep the former. Hickey expressed a preference for Talerman, Mead noting the smooth transition between attorneys.

“I didn’t realize it had happened when it happened. It was such a smooth transition that I don’t think anybody noticed,” Hickey said. He also liked the way Feodoroff is able to explain difficult legal precepts in plain language. Dyer agreed.

Worst-case planning: Whitman departments offer forecast for impact of cuts

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WHITMAN — Town officials are preparing worst-case budget scenarios to help prioritize needs.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam and Selectman Scott Lambiase reported to the Board of Selectmen Tuesday, Nov. 20 on progress with the fiscal 2020 budget. Lynam said he has begun receiving budget proposals including 3-percent and 6-percent budget cuts, to help forecast the effects if such cuts are needed as the town addressed the current levy limit and town financial obligations.

The problem Lynam said he has seen so far is that the budget proposals have included expense lines, such as debt payment and utilities, where cuts can’t be made.

“I would be remiss not to point out that, while we’re working on this, there is still an elephant in the room and I think we need to step up the pace,” Lynam said.

He also said net metering and the change to LED streetlights will help save some money, but there are other obligations such as health insurance and contractual obligations that must be paid.

“The purpose of asking for the 3-percent and 6-percent budget from everybody was to get that exercise going and to get them to realize that its going to be deep and meaningful cuts if we have to make them, and we have to get everybody’s head wrapped around what that is going to look like if we want people to understand that we may be — or most likely will be — looking for some sort of operational override,” Lambiase said.

Benton said he has already begun talking to his officers about the “very real possibility of layoffs.”

“The quickest that we can get to a number that we, as department heads, can figure on it’s going to help us,” Benton said. “I don’t want to wait.”

Lynam said the schools had projected a 5-percent increase due to rising operating costs — a $1.4 million increase — with no anticipated increase in Chapter 70 aid.

“We’re not talking increases this year — we’re talking reductions,” he said, noting there have been recommendations from some town officials against using the $1.2 million in free cash for levy expenditures, including on the $836,000 debt service for the police station.

Combined growth is $900,000.

Police Chief Scott Benton said that, since town administrators’ salaries are voted on at Town Meeting, that information concerning school administration salaries are, in the interest of greater transparency.

“Ultimately, the schools are responsible to the town, just as the selectmen are and the other departments are,” Lynam said. “It doesn’t make sense not to give people what they’re looking for, because if you want someone’s support, they need to understand why you’re asking for it.”

Lambiase said he has the impression from budget discussions that the school district intends to do that and wants to do so.

“They know the predicament that we’re in,” he said.

Selectman Brian Bezanson said the district has to remember that Whitman was “very kind” to the school budget last year, and that there could be “a lot of ill-will in this town, going forward, if these town departments get ruined and they are just going merrily on their way.”

Lynam cautioned against pitting the schools against the town.

“Remember, they are part of us,” Lynam said. “It can’t be an ‘us and them’ but there has to be an understanding among us, too. If we’re able to present a sound, well thought-out, well-justified budget, then it’s up to Town Meeting to say yes or no. If they say yes, we all benefit from it — if they say no, we all lose.”

Police chief report

Benton reported to Selectmen that there has been some good news in town concerning the opioid crisis.

While there have been 29 overdoses, with two fatalities, so far this year — compared with 40 overdoses with five fatalities at the same time in 2017. But he cautioned that it might not be a complete picture of the situation.

“To bring it into focus, the more Narcan that’s present, and people are also able to get Narcan from the pharmacy, sometimes you won’t even have anybody call on an overdose situation,” Benton said.

He added that education and enforcement have made a significant improvement. Plymouth County Outreach has won a national community policing award as well as a $500,000 grant to allow hiring a full-time administrator and records keeper, pay for recovery coaches, host officer and team member training and to fund a data base.

Whitman, Bridgewater, Middleborough, Bridgewater State and East Bridgewater are also jointly applying for a Jail Arrest Aversion Grant to address mental health issues relating to calls for police services.

“Obviously in an emergency [if] a person is in distress, threatening to harm themselves of something, they’re going to be transported right away, but the follow-up will be when this clinician comes in, similar to what we do with the Plymouth County Outreach,” he said. “I think we can all agree that mental health is at the forefront of a lot of issues we deal with.”

A grant was also secured for radio infrastructure, to clear up the town’s communication dead spots, through the efforts of IT Director Josh MacNeil.

“What makes this grant amazing is we had so little time,” Lynam said. “We found out literally days before it had to be submitted.”

Benton also reviewed recent high-profile arrests, including the arrest of a Rockland murder suspect and several drug and weapons arrests.

He also said enforcement regarding parking on sidewalks had not been done much in the past, but in light of a complaint on an ADA basis from a resident who uses a wheelchair, the department has begun issuing warning cards as they plan to begin enforcement.

“I will tell you this,” Benton said. “If the officers realize this is the third time they’ve put a warning on your car, you may wind up getting a civil fine anyway.”

Winter parking ban

Lynam announced that the annual winter overnight parking ban — 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. — goes into effect on Saturday, Dec. 1 through April 1, 2019 to enable snow removal. Tickets will be issued to violators and, if a vehicle impedes snow removal, it will be towed. That includes the town parking lot next to the former First Baptist Church on Washington Street.

Solid waste fee

The board voted that trash fees are going up $36 to $285 for fiscal 2019. A $25 discount for seniors who own their homes was approved for trash fees for the 596 residents receiving water discounts to begin in fiscal 2020.

Nov. 6 Election

Lynam also shared some observations about the recent state election.

“It was really an incredible turnout — over 4,000 people came out and that’s in addition to the 2,000 people who voted early,” Lynam said. While he said the day went rather smoothly, the one observation he would make it was that parking was “an absolute disaster.”

“Part of that can attributed to the fact that employees — both town employees and election workers or part-time employees — parked in the town parking lot,” he said. “That should not happen.”

Lynam recommended that in any future years in which a state or national election is held, parking in the Town Hall lot and in front of town hall be reserved for citizens trying to vote. Parking would be provided near the police station, with transportation to Town Hall provided by COA vans.

Veterans affairs

Veterans’ agent Thomas McCarthy reported that Whitman was well represented at the annual Tri-Town Veterans Day Parade with the Fire Department Honor Guard winning first place and Police Department Honor Guard taking third. The WHRHS band won first place for the band performances and the W-H majorettes took third.

McCarthy said a Veterans Day Parade committee is being formed to improve planning. Selectman Dan Salvucci noted that both Abington and Rockland have longer routes that Whitman and that the town should organize a longer route when it hosts the parade next year.

Local programming — or more QVC?

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Proposed FCC rule changes to preempt local government from regulating or imposing fees related to non-cable services provided by cable companies, among other provisions, have raised alarm among both local access providers and town officials.

The changes would allow cable operators to treat funding for cable-related costs as “in-kind” donations, allowing them to deduct an undefined amount from monies that traditionally have gone to community media. This rule change would eliminate a major source of funding from WHCA and could result in community media centers closing their doors in every community across the country.

“I think it’s very short-sighted,” said Whitman Hanson Community Access TV Executive Director Eric Dresser.

“What we do here — and what access centers across the state do — is hyper-local, and it’s essential,” WHCA-TV Access Operations Coordinator  Kevin Tocci says. “It is your source if you want to know what’s going on with local government … we provide video on demand on YouTube.”

Local public, educational and government (PEG) access programming is funded by franchising through the local community’s issuing authority — generally the board of selectmen — with a rate paid to cover the “burden of taking up space on [utility] poles” via the cable portion of the cable company’s income.

Both select boards and town administrators in Whitman and Hanson have filed letters with the FCC against the proposal. Both trade organizations to which WHCA-TV belongs — MassAccess, and the Alliance for Community Media on the federal level — have also filed lengthy comments against the proposal, citing several legal precedents.

The deadline for that filing was midnight, Thursday, Nov. 15. The deadline for reply comments is midnight, Friday, Dec. 14.

Those comments would likely be limited to response to previously filed comments.

“They (the FCC) want to be able to charge back, through municipalities, for what they consider in-kind services,” Dresser said. “You’re allowing them onto your poles and you’re basically having an exchange of fee for that. They’re trying to negotiate that back, saying, ‘We’ve got your channels on our spectrum and if we didn’t have you there, we’d have somebody else there.’”

The concern is that cable access organizations are not sure what the value of channels is going to be assigned, according to Dresser.

“We don’t know what things they want to charge back, we don’t know what things they could charge back,” he said. “That’s the concern.”

“We don’t know how aggressive they are going to be,” Dresser said. “If they’re just looking to stop giving away free cable boxes, well then that’s not a huge deal. But if they’re looking to assign a value to each of these channels, that’s a much bigger deal.”

That raises the specter of threats to replace local access channels with another QVC-type channel.

Small cell wireless is also a concern as phones head to 5G from the current 4G capacity. Instead of out-of-the-way cell towers, 5G will most likely be accommodated on “every third telephone pole down the main thoroughfare.” Dresser said he feels the cable proposal is designed to finance the 5G upgrades, for which the cable companies do not want to pay.

That had been governed by cable contract provisions for stringing cable wires on utility poles, which are now being classified by cable carriers as barriers to service.

Dresser said that, while it may pave the way for advancements to cell phone technology, it overlooks local programming services provided since 1984.

“It think it would be just absolutely outrageous to lose the ability to turn on local cable,” Whitman resident Richard Rosen, who was a Selectman when the town’s cable service was chosen, said on a Nov. 16 installment of Monday Night Talk with Kevin Tocci on WATD. “What you people all do and what local cable does for people is amazing. … To think that it could all go away so easily is just wrong.”

On Monday, Nov. 12, Dresser joined Director of Marketing and Educational Services Carol McGilvary of PACTV and Marshfield Community Television’s Executive Director Jonathan Grabowski on WATD. The three are also MassAccess board members.

Becoming a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit in 2005, WHCA produces coverage of local government as well as local programs created by residents, such as Rosen’s award-winning show “Buzz Around Bees.” It sends its production truck to local sports games.

“We’re in a lot of places and we love the work that we do,” Dresser said during the WATD discussion.

Celebrating 10 years in operation this year, Marshfield Community Television produces 17 local shows as well as an educational program involving 150 students at Marshfield High, according to Grabowski. It provides gavel-to-gavel coverage of eight government bodies.

“It’s going to impact everyone,” Grabowski said of the proposed FCC rule change. “It’s going to significantly reduce funding or it’s going to close down access centers.”

PACTV has served Duxbury, Kingston, Pembroke and Plymouth for 21 years according to McGilvary doing the same kind of government coverage and education and locally-produced programs as Marshfield — as well as annual coverage of the Plymouth Thanksgiving Day parade. PACTV also produces news programs and “Breaking the Cycle,” about the opioid crisis.

While she said there has been a noticeable reduction in cable consumers in favor of “cutting the cable,” there are still large populations of people who still want cable television.

For more information, visit massaccess.org/fcc or whca.tv/fcc.

Elementary safety plan drafted

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What would an elementary student mean if they went home and told their parents, “We had a stay put today?”

It might bring to mind an active shooter incident, but it could also have been something as basic as keeping students in classrooms because a student was sick in a hallway.

“Right now, our parents don’t know that,” Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak told the School Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 14.   

The School Committee received a draft proposal for an elementary-level safety presentation being developed by Whitman School Resource Officer Kevin Harrington.

The work followed a symposium Harrington and Szymaniak recently attended at Stonehill College.

“I asked him to put something together for our elementary kids,” Szymaniak said of the draft currently being reviewed by school principals. “Kevin was looking at this through the lens of a school resource officer and DARE officer and I wanted some input from school principals to make sure it was adequate for our preK to [grade] five students.”

Szymaniak plans to make a formal presentation to the committee at its December meeting and at a parent night he will conduct with Harrington and Hanson Resource Officer William Frazier before it is implemented in January or February.

“Parents want to know what is being talked about with students for safety and security,” he said. “The other piece is our common language — of lockdown, stay put, shelter in place — so that everybody in the district knows common language.”

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said he has heard different parents tell their children to do different things. One would instruct their child to run if an emergency cropped up in school, while another would tell their child to listen to their teachers.

“I think it’s fantastic for children to be on the same page as each other, their teacher and their parents,” Committee member Fred Small said. “I would think it would be a wonderful thing to have not one parents’ night, but to put the parents through the actual training that their child was going to be receiving.”

Cell tower

The committee approved, 7-1, Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue’s request to move forward with the process of placing a cell tower on Hanson Middle School property. Member Christopher Scriven voted no and members Robert Trotta and Steven Bois were absent.

Hanson voters at Town Meeting have already approved a zoning bylaw change to permit cell tower development on public property and town officials have identified a wooded area at the northeast corner of the HMS property as a prime location for a cell tower.

The project more than likely must go back before the Hanson ZBA for variance because it is within 50 feet of an abutter and the Conservation Commission because of nearby wetlands.

Project Manager Sean Mahoney of SAI Communications LLC also attended the Nov. 14 meeting to brief School Committee members on the proposal. Three competitive bids had been received and SAI was deemed to be most advantageous to Hanson, with the potential to bring in about $270,000 in pad lease revenues over the first 10 years, plus about $75,000 in the 25-percent contribution per unit on the tower.

After 10 years, that comes to about $350,000.

“This particular project isn’t solely about revenues, it’s about safety, it’s about communication,” McCue said, citing storms last March that made it difficult for families to reach their loved ones in town because landlines were down and the town continues to have large cell service dead zones. Fire and police communication units would also be hosted on the tower at no cost and the tower’s signal range is planned to be from 2.5 to 3 miles in order to close gaps with other cell service.

Turning blue for the red and black

Several School Committee members, and district administrators, have already signed up to be “Freezin’ for a Reason” on Sunday, Jan. 27 as they take part in the inaugural Hanson PTO Polar Plunge at Cranberry Cove in Hanson. The inclement weather date is Sunday, Feb. 3.

Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak, Assistant Superintendent George Ferro and WHRHS Principal Dr. Christopher Jones have agreed to take the fundraising plunge as have School Committee Hayes and Hanson members Mike Jones and Christopher Howard. Member Robert O’Brien Jr., as Hanson’s deputy fire chief, will be working the event to ensure there is a hole in the ice in which to plunge, as well as for safety.

Prior registration for plunge participation is $30 with each participant asked to raise a minimum of $35 in pledges. Hayes also pledged to treat whoever raises the most money to dinner, including their spouse and children, to a “Johnny Macaroni-type” restaurant.

All those signing up must sign a waiver in order to participate.

Volunteers are also needed to coordinate on the day of the plunge for those a bit leery of jumping into the water in midwinter.

Hiring a legal team

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HANSON — Selectmen on Monday, Nov. 19 completed the last of five first-round interviews with law firms seeking a new contract for labor and/or general counsel services to the town.

The process, begun Nov. 13, is expected to continue with a discussion and selection of two final candidates at the Tuesday, Nov. 27 meeting for a second round of interviews on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Town Administrator Michael McCue hopes a decision can be made by Dec. 18. He began the process in an effort to ensure Hanson was getting the best legal advice it could afford as part of his goals for the year.

“This is a major decision and I strongly advise the Board of Selectmen to choose two … and have them back again for a second round,” McCue said. “You’re not married to the 18th. If his board can’t come to a decision — if they’re not comfortable, if there’s not a majority — we can revisit the way we’re doing it.”

The firms interviewing have been: Clifford & Kenny LLP of Pembroke and Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane MHTL of Quincy on Nov. 13 and current town counsel Mead, Talerman & Costa of Millis; Brooks & DeRensis of Boston and current labor counsel Norris, Murray & Peloquin LLC of Norwood on Monday.

Clifford & Kenny and Norris, Murray & Peloquin are applying for labor counsel services only and the other three are applying to offer both general and labor counsel services.

McCue said any of the five would be a qualified selection.

“What I’ve requested the Board of Selectmen to do is, by Nov. 26, send me the two top firms that you’d like to see again,” for general counsel and labor counsel, McCue said. He and Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell had discussed the process and agreed on that step, but Selectman Jim Hickey asked why a discussion in open session was not being considered as the next step.

“As a group we don’t get to discuss at all what we think?” he said.

“I have a problem with sending Mike a vote email,” Dyer agreed. “I think we should have a group discussion about all five of them between all five of us here. We all come from different expertise, you guys have been on the board longer than I have, and I think your insight would be really valuable to my vote — and then there’s open government. … I think we need to be open and transparent with this,”

Selectmen Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett and Wes Blauss also saw merit in public discussion before narrowing the field of candidates.

“I want to hear [the others’ thoughts] because maybe I missed something,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said, noting that some sort of rubric by which to judge the firms.

“I’m all for efficiency, I’m all for transparency [but] Matt represents a new generation who, nationwide, are demanding transparency in government — and not necessarily getting it,” Blauss said. He volunteered to start off discussion at the next meeting, explaining his top two picks.

McCue, who had provided on-page summaries on the firms, including their size, how long they have been in business, client base and proposed cost, said all five are qualified.

“All five of them are highly qualified firms, the only differences … have to do with how many people work for that firm, the years of business and the amount of municipalities they represent,” he said. “I have experience with all of these firms.”

He said he had no objection to any process the board wished to pursue, but was concerned that a “free-wheeling conversation” about five different firms could result in the board being at loggerheads.

Mitchell said his experience on the police chief search committee, which had narrowed a field of 49 applicants to the two finalists brought before Selectmen for interviews.

“I don’t know that it makes sense taking all five and all of us have the same opinion about one, two or three, when we could narrow it down and then have that deep discussion about those one or two,” Mitchell said.

Applying as labor counsel, Clifford & Kenny is a small firm with two partners and three associates founded in 2013 by partners with a dozen years of legal experience a piece. They currently represent 20 municipalities including Rockland, East Bridgewater, Marshfield and Fall River.

“We’re very respectful of the relationship with the unions,” said partner Jamie Kenny on Nov. 13. “We don’t go scorched-earth. … These employees are normally long-term employees, they are valued employees and we want to work together to try and reach a resolution that everybody can live with.”

Applying as both general and labor counsel, Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane has a team of 31 attorneys and was founded in 1986 with a 150-municipality or government department client base, but assured selectmen they don’t practice the “hot potato” approach to client representation, according to associate Michael Maccaro.

“We want you to know that, when your issue comes up, that’s the most important issue to us that day,” he said.

The firm has dealt with all labor unions active in the state and a diverse group of municipalities.

“We just make the policy decisions and help you get to where you want to go,” said associate Cynthia Amara.

Current town counsel firm Mead, Talerman & Costa is also applying to become labor counsel this go-round. Founded in 2004, the firm has 10 attorneys, but Jay Talerman would remain as lead general counsel — as he has been since 2014 — with Kate Feodoroff taking the role of labor counsel. She has been lead union contract negotiator for the city of Brockton before joining the firm. The firm represents 16 towns as general counsel and five as labor counsel.

“I hope that we’ve been responsive to you in the past and we will continue to do so,” Feodoroff said. “We like to address problems before they become problems and have solutions — and multiple solutions — so that you can choose from them.”

She said the firm has an open-door policy with McCue.

Brooks & DeRensis, founded in 2018, is also applying for both general and labor counsel. The firm’s 10 attorneys have deep experience  on “both sides of the table” in both political and legal service, and also represent Canton, Mansfield and Randolph for both general and labor counsel. They represent several regional school districts, and have experience helping towns with economic development, as well.

“We’re the ones who are practical and are driven by common sense,” said partner Paul DeRensis.

Current labor counsel Norris, Murray & Peloquin has four partners and Leo Peloquin would remain the lead attorney for Hanson. Founded in 1997 as Collins, Loughran & Peloquin LLC, the firm represents 24 cities and towns and 13 school committees as well as Middleborough Gas & Electric and the Wareham Fire District/Water Department.

“I hope when you look at our record with the town that I treated it like a privilege,” Peloquin said, noting that less than 1 percent of cases he works goes to litigation. “We help [you] get things done.”

They provide towns with a monthly newsletter updating developments in labor law.

“They can say to you, ‘This is what we can do for you,’” Peloquin said of the competing law firms he knows and respects. “I’m sitting here tonight saying, ‘This is what we’ve done for you.’”

All firms except Norris, Murray & Peloquin have partners or associates who have served in elective office. All five noted the need for regular reviews of sexual harassment policy, especially in the wake of the #metoo movement. The firms provided fee estimates for both hourly and flat rates, while most advised that hourly rates may be more a accurate reflection of services received.

If a conflict arose between the towns of Hanson and East Bridgewater, which is involved in an inter-municipal IT agreement with Hanson, firms applying as general counsel indicated they would either step back from the issue or did not represent East Bridgewater. Full interviews can be viewed on WHCA-TV or its YouTube channel.

A club for every taste at W-H

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By Brooke Loring
WHRHS student intern

The introduction of a new principal, Dr. Christopher Jones, Whitman-Hanson High School has experienced many changes within the first months of the 2018-2019 school year. One of those being the introduction of many new and unique clubs.

To name a few, the Fashion Club, the Banned Book Club, and the World Cultures Club, are some of the new types of extracurricular activities provided to students. Whether it is putting their passion for design to the test or learning about cultural traditions, students are able to, as Jones stated, “find out more about themselves.”

Jones also believes that clubs are essential to a school’s culture.

“The more the better…, not only do they enrich the person that joins them, but also the people in it,” he said. “Take the Banned Book Club for example, members are able to learn from each other’s perspectives.”

In order to create a club, students must find a faculty advisor and a proposal to present to Dr. Jones.

“The kids from the Chess Club even sent me a PowerPoint on how to play!” Jones recalled.

“Choice is voice”, Jones concludes, “the choices we make help us spread and share our voice with others.”

They’re filling Santa’s shelves

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By Brooke Loring
WHRHS student intern

WHITMAN — This past Sunday, while most people were at the Tri-town Veterans’ Day parade in Abington, others were busy at work being Santa’s little helpers, at the Whitman VFW Pavilion.

The Whitman Area Toy Drive has now, for 18 years, provided toys for each Christmas season to between 200 to 300 families in economic need.

Donnie Westhaver, chairman and founder of the Whitman Area Toy Drive, found his calling in 2000, after two Toys for Tots trailers of donated toys were stolen and the community was in desperate need.

“We started at the American Legion with only two tables [of toys]”, Westhaver recalled. “We started to get so many toys we had to move.” Due to the many donations from last year, the toy drive was able to start two weeks early this year.

“We have plenty of toys now, for Whitman, Abington, Hanson, and Rockland!” Westhaver exclaimed. Within minutes of meeting Westhaver, his passion for the drive is evident.

“I saw a need to take care of the community.” Westhaver’s partner, Jane Plasse, has helped with the toy drive for almost seven years now. “She coordinates everything”, Westhaver states gratefully, “she’s the boss lady.”

At the Pavilion, toys are placed on tables and are sorted by age and gender. As Westhaver says, “every table has a reason.” Families are given about four to five toys, or however many to accommodate their needs. “I call it the one stop deal”, explains Westhaver, “and of course we let the parents do the ‘shopping’, they can pick out whatever they want. We meet a lot of single mothers, parents that have been laid off, and military families too. We usually find those in need through schools, churches, and St. Vincent DePaul.”

This year the Whitman Area Toy Drive also reached out to members of the Whitman Food Pantry. Each year, at the drive, about 100 volunteers from the community help set up, including some of Donnie’s fellow Marine veterans.

“It has truly become a community event,” he said. “I sleep good in December knowing what we did.” The drive will have more than 25 drop-off spots for donations, in the area, within the next few weeks. The Whitman Area Toy Drive is an event that surely displays the community coming together to help those in need. While giving an uplifting speech before the event, Westhaver stated his admiration for the community volunteers who turned out to help.

“I love you people, and I couldn’t do it without you,” he said.

Salutes for area’s veterans

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It is now known by many names — Veterans Day in the United States, Armistice Day in France and Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Nations — but no matter what they call, it nations around the world paid tribute to their fallen on the centennial of the armistice that ended World War I at 11 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 11.

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 the armistice went into effect to stop four years of unfathomable bloodshed in Europe and in the Atlantic. Although the armistice ended the fighting, it was prolonged three times until the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed on June 28, 1919, took effect on Jan. 10, 1920.

Locally, Hanson planned to join in the Bells of Peace remembrance to mark the centennial. The bells at St. Joseph the Worker Church was among churches around the nation tolling its bells 21 times at 11 a.m., local time. Town Halls, schools, clock towers, fire engines, and fire with a bell were also encouraged by the Mass. Department of Veterans Services to participate in this program.

The Tri-Town Veterans Day Parade, in Abington this year, gathered bands, officials, floats, color guards and — most importantly veterans’ groups — from Abington, Rockland and Whitman to thank veterans and commemorate the centennial.

Hanson also took a moment on Thursday, Nov. 8 to treat its senior veterans to breakfast and present them with certificates honoring their service. The event, catered by the Olde Hitching Post and sponsored by the Friends of the Senior Center, also features musical tributes by the center’s chorus the Swingin’ Singers.

State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, pitched in to dish out the French toast before he read the Veterans Day proclamation from Gov. Charlie Baker during the ceremony hosted by Hanson Veterans Services Director Timothy White.

“Our office is here to help as well,” Cutler said after White had outlined his office hours. “We hope you’ll consider us a resource if you need any assistance in any way, but certainly with veterans’ benefits.”

American Legion Chaplain Ernest Jutras offered an opening prayer for the program and Town Administrator Michael McCue offered a short speech.

“We beseech you to usher into our world of confusion and doubt, peace and tranquility, which alone can come from [God],” Jutras prayed.

McCue quoted Athenian Gen. Thucydides who lived from 460 to 400 BC: “The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage.”

“The courage described in that quote is and was the courage shown by every man and woman to don the uniform of the United States military,” McCue said.  “That courage is honored today and over this weekend, not by the Veterans’ Day auto sales and department store discounts, but by gatherings such as these across the nation. It is actually that courage that allows us in a free America to indulge in, what I feel, are the trivialities of this weekend.

“Today, here, is what counts on Veterans Day,” McCue continued. “I am proud to have been invited to participate in this and past events in Hanson, especially since I am only a beneficiary of this courage and not one that displayed it. Thank you all for your service.”

McCue extended apologies from Selectmen who were either traveling or working and unable to attend.

White also attended a breakfast for veterans and their families on Sunday, Nov. 11 at the Hanson American Legion. Prior to that he worked at Fern Hill Cemetery to change out veteran’s grave flags for the flags that are in poor shape.

August Silva, assisted White and Cutler in presenting certificates to his fellow veterans.

Veterans and surviving family members receiving certificates of service were: Harold Davis, William Walsh, the widow of Dominic Paradiso Sr., Ed Gronlund, Carol Tavares in memory of her brother Belmiro Tavares Jr. [killed in action, Vietnam], Lisa Wirth in memory of her brother Joseph W. Wirth [killed in action, Vietnam],  Ernest Jutras, Thomas Butler, George Copeland, John Banusiewicz, Ted  Coakley, Ed Weldon, Wayne Seer, James Richards, Robert White, Al Supple, James Stewart, Emery Maddocks, Dave King, Bob Kendrigan, Thomas Anderson, Larry Mills, John Barboza, Clarence Walker, Mark Morrocco, Angelo D’Agostino, Frank Mazzelli, Sam Hammond, Donald Howard, Joseph Marsden, Paul Finch, Bill O’Brien, Peter Travaline, Doug Squires, Allen Comeau, Blakie Bean and Robert Buckley.