Whitman-Hanson Express

You are here: Home / Archives for Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Inspired to help others

By

The School Committee on Wednesday, March 7 saluted current eighth-grade Project 351 ambassadors Allie Erikson of Whitman Middle School and T.J. Woodward of Hanson Middle School, as well as recent program alumni now attending WHRHS and serving as adviser/mentors to this year’s ambassadors.

“When I first found out what Project 351 is, it inspired me,” Erikson said. “I truly did not understand how many people needed our help.”

She is conducting a sock drive at WMS on March 26 and has volunteered at Boston’s Pine Street Inn.

“It’s such a great organization and I’m so glad that I was chosen,” said Woodward, whose sister Courtney was also a Project 351 ambassador. “I’m looking forward to doing clothing drives and a canned food drive later on. I just think it’s a great organization to be part of.”

On launch day he was working with a group of students at the State House assembling school kits for Haitian children moving to Massachusetts and hygiene kits for families who can’t afford a lot of those items for their children.

The program, begun in 2011 as a student service project in coordination with the observance of Martin Luther King Jr., Day and incorporated that first year as part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s inaugural festivities. An eighth-grader from each of the state’s 351 cities and towns travel to Boston to participate in the service learning program’s day of service.

It now has been expanded to include fall and spring service projects and leadership training.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes shook each student’s hand, telling them how proud the committee is of their work, “What you’re doing is really making a change,” he said. “Keep up this good work.”

“Project 351 is honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” said Chris Blackman, now a W-H freshman. “It’s incredible to have the feeling of helping people and the community who you may not even know, but you know need help.”

An annual clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons is a key aspect of the W-H students’ work.

“ My experience has been life-changing, because it kind of opens you up to the real world, in that more people need help and there’s always a lending hand to give,” said W-H junior Abigail Trongone of Hanson. “When you give that lending hand, people give it back – one act of kindness leads to another.”

Whitman junior Rachel Putur, who still volunteers for the community at the Whitman Food Pantry, also spoke of the good feeling derived from helping others.

“People come together as a community and make a great difference,” she said.

“Project 351 is the most fulfilling and inspiring experience a kid my age could take part in,” said freshman Emma Rodgers of Hanson, who conducted a clothing drive through her dance school, Boss Academy and St. Joseph the Worker Church. “[It] also taught me to express gratitude to people who help me along the way because every little thing really matters.”

“I’ve been able to help a group of 10 eighth-graders through their year of service so far and was with them on launch day,” sophomore Courtney Woodward. “My experience with Project 351 has been pretty amazing. I changed my attitude on how everything is in the world around me and have been able to give back to my community and help people.”

W-H senior Regan Hayes said she has seen a lot of personal growth within herself through participation in the program.

“You can see that there’s a lot of hope for the future,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner said. “These are wonderful leaders and they will become even better leaders as a result of Project 351 and the work that they do.”

School Committee member Robert Trotta said he hopes the students’ enthusiasm continues as they grow older.

“I think your generation is the one that can hopefully make a positive change in the world,” he said.

School Committee member Steven Bois, who works at the JFK Library in visitor relations, where last year’s program culminated, urged all the students to visit the library and remarked how they reminded him of some of the points President Kennedy made in his inaugural address.

“He talked about how [change] would not take place in the first 100 days, or the first 1,000 days, or the lifetime of his administration, or of us on this planet, but said, ‘Let us begin,’” Bois said. “Those are such strong words but I think it resonates in everything that you do.”

Funds voted for Pre-K transfer

By

WHITMAN — After a 45-minute start delay in an effort to meet the 150-voter quorum requirement, Whitman’s special Town Meeting took only 10 minutes or so to pass the three warrant articles by wide margins.

A transfer of $256,752.62 from capital stabilization was passed by an 83 percent to 17 percent margin to fund costs involved in structural changes at WHRHS to accommodate moving the district’s pre-kindergarten program from Maquan School.

Voters also authorized the town — through the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator — to enter into contracts for energy purchases or net metering contracts for terms of up to 20 years. The measure passed by an 87 percent to 13-percent margin.

Both articles passed with no discussion.

Voters also moved forward a protective zoning bylaw prohibiting all types of non-medical marijuana establishments in town by an 81 percent to 19-percent margin.

The issue must now pass a special Town Election from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 17 for the ban to go on the books. All precincts vote in the Town Hall Auditorium.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner expressed gratitude for the passage of pre-K transfer costs, noting the passage allows work at the high school to begin over April vacation week.

Quorum scramble

Officials were, however, dismayed by the time taken to reach a quorum.  At the 7:30 p.m. start time there were only about 105 voters in the Town Hall auditorium, prompting a flurry of texting friends, family and neighbors to attract more voters. Town Administrator Frank Lynam also broadcast about a half-dozen appeals over the live cable access feed, urging viewers to drive over to the meeting and guaranteeing they would be done in less than a half hour.

He was right, as even with the pre-vote refresher on using electronic voting devices and reading of the meeting call took less than 15 minutes.

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski chalked up the sparse attendance to the upcoming storm and the fact that people were likely at the store stocking up on milk and bread or gassing up generators.

“It’s tough to get people out sometimes,” Town Moderator Michael Seele agreed. “There’s a storm coming and everything else. It was great that we got the quorum, we got the business done that we needed to get done.”

When quorum was achieved it was greeted with an enthusiastic round of applause.

Lynam, however, said the struggle for a quorum was more likely a symptom of apathy.

“People are becoming very apathetic,” Lynam said. “Governing is work.”

He said that makes it hard for the Town Meeting system to remain viable.

“Certainly in the last few meetings [it would] indicate that there is not a lot of enthusiasm for Town Meeting,” Lynam said.

MariJuana bylaw

The only questions asked during the session involved the exact result of a yes vs. a no vote on the marijuana prohibition bylaw and why a special election is also required.

“If this sounds familiar, it’s because we already voted in a general bylaw,” Lynam told voters. “The Canabis Control Commission is also seeking towns vote to establish a protective zoning bylaw. A yes vote will prohibit the sale of recreational marijuana for the town of Whitman.”

He also explained that the March 17 special Town Election is necessary due to state requirements. That ballot, containing only the marijuana question, has exactly the same language as the warrant article.

After the meeting, Kowalski noted that Whitman voters had voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016 and might repeat that vote. But Lynam said he wasn’t so sure that the vote would be reprised.

“I think the majority will support the prohibition question,” Lynam said. “The question is why. What did they vote for [in 2016]? Did they vote to have marijuana in Whitman or did they vote to decriminalize it so that young people being arrested for having marijuana would not have their lives ruined by a conviction?”

He said people he has talked to about the issue have indicated that, while they voted for the legalization ballot question, they only wanted to prevent making people criminals for possession of marijuana alone.

Working to close gap

By

The School Committee on Wednesday, March 7 reluctantly voted to transfer $450,000 from the excess and deficiency fund to help a bit in closing the $2.6 million gap in the fiscal 2019 budget.

A $450,000 transfer from E&D would mean an 11 percent assessment increase to the towns to fully fund the budget – a $1,387,777 increase in Whitman and an $840,705 increase in Hanson over last year’s assessments.

Every 1 percentage of assessment is worth about $200,000 from both towns with about a 60/40 percent split based on population.

The enrollment certified Oct. 1, 2017 shows 2,333 or 59.82 percent of district students live in Whitman and 1,567 or 40.18 percent live in Hanson. The dollar amount swing at a level (equal to last  year assessment) is an increase to Whitman of $ 54,699 and a decrease to Hanson of ( $ 54,699) before any potential assessment increase is voted by school committee.

School Committee members Fred Small and Dan Cullity voted against the transfer in the 6-2 vote. Members Kevin Lynam and Robert O’Brien Jr., were absent.

The committee was slated to vote on certifying the budget at its Wednesday, March 14 meeting. The committee also supported by consensus the drafting of a separate warrant article for full-day kindergarten for a possible vote March 14.

The proposed $43 million fiscal 2019 budget is level service-plus package.

“We have added some other items,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner. “One of those is a position we’re calling family liaison.”

A person with a social work or school adjustment counselor background would work with the three elementary schools as a liaison between the schools, the school community and with families to direct them to programs to provide help and to work with social work interns though North River Collaborative.

A $40,000 multi-year, one-to-one electronic device effort, the addition of a special education teacher to bolster the science curriculum at each of the middle schools and resources to fund the elementary science program, now funded by a grant, are also included in the spending plan.

“I’m not confident that we’ll see much more in terms of Chapter 70 state aid to schools unless we see it as an increase in per-pupil,” Gilbert-Whitner said. Right now, the formula adds $20 per pupil. There is, however some effort to increase that to perhaps an additional $75 to $100 at the State House level.

“Unfortunately, that’s not a number we’re going to have for you on March 14,” she said.

Regional transportation – which is supposed to be funded at 100 percent – comes in at around 60 to 70 percent at most, as do special education circuit-breaker funds. The last time the district was fully funded for regional transportation was 2007.

“We need to stay involved with our legislators,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “All of that will help with the deficit we’re trying to control.”

Special education costs have been a concern as well.

Small asked if the board was at a point where it would consider suing the commonwealth for full regional transportation reimbursement.

“The state auditor has issued a report saying that regional transportation should be funded at 100 percent,” he said. “There’s a lot of money at stake. … There is a bill that, I believe moved out of House Ways & Means [Monday], to take a look at how school regions are being funded.”

He also urged residents to write their state representatives to demand improvements in regional funding. Because of its status as a region, W-H cannot charge for busing, either.

“I get that that’s an aggressive move Mr. Small is proposing,” said School Committee member Christopher Howard. “But we’re again staring at a budget none of us like, so at some point we have to do something.”

In the past four years, the region has lost about $4 million in unfunded regional transportation reimbursements.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes suggested bringing in state legislators to ask for legislation to increase that funding, which the committee supported by consensus.

“Doing nothing is not an option,” he said.

The committee then turned its focus to the annual decision over tapping into E&D funds.

“Every year, in the last few years, we’ve been hitting excess and deficiency,” Hayes said. “Right now, there’s $936,000 in E&D.”

In June 2016 E&D was certified at $1.2 million with $750,000 taken to help balance the current budget with just over $400,000 returned. Over the past three years amounts put back into E&D have decreased with the use of more exacting budget software – $422,000 last year, $600,000 the year before and close to $800,000 the year before that.

“I want to be very cautious,” Small said.

“The trend we’re taking – E&D isn’t supposed to balance the budget, it’s supposed to be for emergencies,” Dan Cullity agreed. “We’re chipping away at what we’re supposed to have for reserves to pay for the budget. … This is dire. We can’t keep putting that E&D to pay for the budget.”

Hayes predicted that, at the current rate, there will be no E&D money within a year to two years.

Since the School Committee is able to budget only once a year, it is permitted to keep an excess and deficiency fund up to 5 percent of the budget, which would be $2.5 million if fully endowed, for emergencies during the year, including unforeseen special education costs.

A $500,000 transfer from E&D would mean a 10.75 assessment increase to the towns to fully fund the budget – a $1,302,781 increase in Whitman and an $875,054 increase in Hanson. A $400,000 transfer from E&D would mean an 11.25 assessment increase to the towns to fully fund the budget – a $1,363,375 increase in Whitman and a $915,754 increase in Hanson.

School Committee member Steven Bois, suggested the $450,000 transfer.

“I can’t see taking more than what we put back last year and we’ve been trending down, down, down with what we’re putting back,” Small said. “My comfort zone is $400,000.”

Bois said he would not consider a suggestion by Small to reduce the amount to $400,000.

“I’m not withdrawing [his motion for amendment],” Bois said. “Discuss the merits of the $450,000. … We’re ushering in a new superintendent, we’re ushering in a new assistant superintendent, we’re ushering in a new high school principal. I’m sorry, I’m not willing to [BS] around with this.”

He added he is ready to vote for an assessment equal to the balance of the budget.

“I just feel we’re playing with one-time money – and it’s supposed to be emergency money,” Small said.

Building panel hears Duval roof update

By

WHITMAN – Progress on the roof and windows repair project at Duval Elementary School and school district capital projects proposed for the May 7 Town Meeting were reviewed by the Buildings, Facilities and Capital Projects Committee on Thursday, March 1.

Representatives of project engineers Gale Associates — project manager Sam Moore and Ed Stewart — and the W-H Regional School District members met with the Buildings Committee in an effort to assess progress with the project design and budget and prioritize other capital projects. Gale was contracted a year ago to perform an evaluation on Duval to determine the cause of deterioration and leaks traced to the exterior wall systems in the school’s newer addition and areas where severe ice damming occurred during the winter of 2014-15.

“Because of the budgeting it is going to be extended over a multi-year period of time,” Stewart said. Moore updated the committee on the schedule and budgeting for phasing-in the project.

“We know we want to perform the construction work for the first phase over the summer,” Moore said. “These [budget] numbers are not hard numbers, it’s stuff that [Schools Business Director] Christine [Suckow] and Gale will be working on to refine the percentages.”

The project is estimated to cost a total of $1.1 million with $600,000 already appropriated by a Town Meeting appropriation.

“This is probably not the way to go into a project — with partial funding,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said, noting he would be discussing the issue with Selectmen regarding a possible article at Town Meeting to fund the difference. “Initially, we thought we’d be doing an initial repair, evaluating it and then coming back, but it we’re all-in, then I think we have to look at how we fund [it].”

If the project is done in three phases, the first would remove all existing wall cladding and exterior insulating finish system (EIFS) on the second floor, replace windows and repair the low asphalt-shingled roof and sloped roof below it. Phases two and three would replace the upper roof areas.

“The question is, ‘Do we bid it out as one project and then look at, essentially, that single contractor or general contractor being contracted for three years?’ of course, sticking with the phasing plan,” Moore said.

Stewart said Gale has done multi-year contracts before, with a benefit being a single warranty in place. Inflation considerations for materials and labor would have to be factored in. A stipulation would have to be included that follow-up phases are subject to appropriation.

Building Inspector Robert Curran asked if the committee could specify the type of windows used in Phase I be used for subsequent phases if multiple contractors are used.

Stewart said the board could vote to require a proprietary product.

Leak tests will also be conducted during construction.

Committee member Dan Salvucci asked how the phased contract approach was taken.

“It’s three-phase because we asked them to do it,” Lynam said. “It’s not their preferred approach — it’s budget-driven.”

Backing up Phase I would be the repair of “active leaks” that are going on now.

“One of the biggest concerns we have right now is just the scheduling,” Moore said, especially centering on the 16 commercial-grade windows that have to be ordered to match existing windows, to be installed before school reopens in late August.

Lynam asked if any of the active leaks were located in the non-contracted area, below the lower roofline. School officials said they would know after the Friday, March 2 nor’easter and would be checking the building throughout the storm. Based on Gale’s study none have been found in that area so far.

Gale will be backing up its bid-phase services with submittal review, pre-construction meetings with the contractor and bi-weekly meetings during construction.

School priorities

District officials were asked during the same meeting to prioritize the most important of more than 15 projects on their matrix at Whitman schools and about a dozen more at the high school flagged for possible action in 2018.

“We know we’re not going to be able to do all of them,” Lynam said.

In addition to the Duval roof, security upgrades to Conley and Duval schools; fire alarm and smoke detector replacement at Conley and Whitman Middle schools; updating security cameras at Duval and replacement of rooftop units at Whitman Middle all totaling between about $200,000 and $250,000.

“It is extraordinarily important for us to beef up that area of security so we can minimize the exposure in the schools because there’s a stop point,” Lynam said. “It’s our job to make sure our kids are safe.”

School Committee member Fred Small, who chairs the Facilities Subcommittee, said if Conley fire alarms could be replaced at about $55,000 and saved for parts to support the system at WMS, it could be a cost-effective solution to get through the year.

Facilities Director Ernest Sandland said the difference in new security cameras at Hanson’s Indian Head School last year is “phenomenal in what you can see.”

At the high school, Whitman’s 59.82 percent share of $210,000 in roadway repairs; $225,000 for resurfacing the outdoor track and $60,000 for security camera upgrades were cited as top priorities. A total of about $495,000 with Whitman’s share at $296,109.

“This is overwhelming,” Curran said of the complete matrix list. “In my opinion, you’ve got to take care of what you’ve got before it gets broke, but it’s kind of a lot.”

“We have to put it down somewhere,” Sandland said. “You’ve got to make the decision, but I think it’s up to us to identify what our needs are. … We’re in a tough spot because if we don’t identify [needs] people will come back and say, ‘You should have told us about this two years ago and we would have given you the money.’ We hear that all the time.”

“Or, ‘You don’t take care of it,’” Gilbert-Whitner agreed.

Whitman articles adding up

By

WHITMAN — Finance Committee members made the argument for greater fiscal restraint during a meeting with the Board of Selectmen Tuesday, March 6.

Chairman Rick Anderson and Vice Chairman David Codero both made statements to the Selectmen before reviewing some of the capital improvement requests.

“We do appreciate the opportunity to come before Selectmen and update the progress of the Finance Committee,” Anderson said, noting that the addition of new member Rosemary Connelly, the committee is back up to full membership. “I think the most pressing concern that we have as a committee is that we believe we have a spending problem here in the town of Whitman.”

He said there are a number of departments that continue to appear at budget meetings “with extraordinary expectations.”

“I think we have to work together to change the mentality of, ‘OK, here’s what I want, I need — find a way to pay for it,” he said. Instead, Anderson said that, as a community with a very limited business tax base and taxpayers that are really stretched thin, one message has to get out.

“Here’s what we have, try to make it work for your budget,” needs to be the operative thought, he said. “I don’t want to say that the sky is falling but we need to take a look at some of the major capital projects that are coming up within the next five to 10 years.”

Projects Anderson said are needed include a new DPW facility, which is “long overdue,” as workers are now subjected to unsafe working conditions and there are two dams in town at the end of their useful life. He noted that the school district has 48 capital projects in the matrix for elementary and middle schools with a total price tag of $2.3 million. Capital projects on the high school’s matrix total almost $2 million.

In two years, Anderson noted the town will be looking to submit a statement of interest to the MSBA for a new middle school as well.

“These are some of the things that are above ground,” he said. “Some of the things that are below ground are just as concerning.”

Anderson stressed that the occurrence of two main breaks in the past two years, which cost more than $800,000 to repair. A long-tem plan is needed to address repairs to the sewer system installed 33 years ago, he concluded.

Codero reviewed capital warrant articles coming before the May 7 Town Meeting out of numerical order as a way of grouping them by type of request for consideration. The Finance Committee has not yet made its recommendations on the articles.

“At this time we are reserving any judgment,” Codero said. “The department heads have brought forth a lot of articles.”

In December 2017, a special Town Meeting already approved $173,000 in salary additions along with $4.3 million in capital spending, which impacts the fiscal 2019 budget. On March 12, another special Town Meeting will vote on $277,000 for improvements to the high school for the preschool program.

As of last week, there are 48 warrant articles proposed for the Monday, May 7 warrants.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam has said not all the proposed articles will appear on the final warrant.

“This warrant, as you look at it today, is chaotic because it’s simply a draft of every article,” Lynam said. “This will not be the final product.”

Lynam and Finance Committee members agreed there are more meetings to come before the warrant is completed.

“This doesn’t take into consideration the $500,000 in warrant articles for the school district, nor the school district’s assessment to the town or deficit spending for snow plowing,” Codero said. When all warrant articles are added up, he said the Finance Committee estimates they represent more than $2.6 million in excess of the town’s budget.

“If all these articles were approved … we’re looking at raising taxes in this town anywhere from $500 to over $1,000 a year per household,” said Selectmen Dan Salvucci. “That’s not going to happen.”

Public safety requests include new protective gear for firefighters, more rifles, shotguns and ammunition for the Police Department and an increase in the police cruiser fleet. Codero said the weapons and ammunition requests have not yet been adequately explained.

DPW requests include new vehicles as well. The Board of Health is looking to upgrade its sharps collection kiosk.

Licensing, website upgrades and other technology equipment requests are also included in the warrant so far. Facilities requests for town buildings other than the schools include roof repairs for the library, masonry repairs at Town Hall, asbestos remediation at the old police station, seal coating the Senior Center parking lot and the proposed changeover to LED streetlights.

Wind-blown havoc

By

The familiar buzz of chainsaws could be heard throughout neighborhoods in Hanson and Whitman over the last few days as storm cleanup and damage assessment efforts also continued — nearly 72 hours after Friday’s historic winter storm Riley battered the east coast.

The storm, which reportedly underwent bombogenesis (intense strengthening) off the coast of New England, was relentless with winds recorded as high as 70 mph and higher closer to the shoreline, according to weather reports.

Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno also cautioned residents, during the Tuesday, March 6 Board of Selectmen’s meeting to be wary of damaged trees that could fall during this week’s storm.

“It came in a little bit stronger than we expected it to,” Grenno said of the March 2 storm. “The big concern right now is I know of three or four trees that are partially uprooted and are unstable.”

Winds through Thursday, March 6 re expected to gust to about 45 mph.

“It’s going to bring those trees right down,” he said. “There’s a lot of damaged trees out there.”

If the root ball of a tree is already lifting up, that is wind-storm damage almost certain to bring a tree down in the second storm, officials said.

Both towns fielded dozens of storm related calls into Tuesday related to flooding of homes, power outages, gas leaks and downed wires among other issues.

During the peak of the storm — Friday into Saturday — both towns’ public safety departments were fully staffed. Hanson’s first responders were operating at full capacity, including three 911 dispatchers. Whitman-Holbrook dispatch regional center and EOC was in full operations.

Humongous trees were falling while responders were trying to reach those in need making for demanding and hazardous conditions. Hanson police and fire responded to an urgent tree-down call with three cars trapped with their occupants still inside at 680 Liberty St., just before 7 p.m. Friday near Gorwin Drive.

“Live wires came down with the tree so the occupants had to remain in their cars for approximately half an hour. Fortunately, there were no injuries,” said Hanson Police Lt. Michael Casey. “There were many close calls.”

Route 58 (Liberty Street) was closed down for over eight hours in Hanson, which impeded travel times for emergency crews. Route 58 is a main point of access for Hanson.

Utility workers clear fallen trees and replace poles brought down by the Friday, March 2, top, on Liberty Street in Hanson Saturday afternoon.

With impassible conditions in both towns, utility crews brought in from other states, DPW and highway, and tree crews worked around the clock as giant tree trunks freshly ripped from the earth littered the roadways. Piles of branches and tree limbs line many streets throughout Plymouth County.

Commending all first responders Lt. Casey said he was proud of all his officers who performed incredibly under the extremely dangerous conditions. Several police cruisers including Chief Michael Miksch’s vehicle sustained damage by falling tree limbs while responding to calls, he said.  The officers were not injured.

Whitman was dispatched to 130 calls Friday, March 2 through Tuesday night, 90 percent of them storm-related, said Grenno, who estimated the Police Department responded to between 150 and 160 calls in that period.

Trees had fallen on several homes in Whitman.

“ I want to thank the residents for their patience and to the public safety responders, fire, police, DPW and the school district for their cooperation through the storm,” said Grenno. WHRHS had been opened as a warming center during the day while power was out, even though limited staffing prevented overnight shelter provisions. The DPW was able to divert some crews to Easton, where more than 200 trees were felled be the storm, to help that community try to clear streets on Tuesday in preparation for the next storm, Grenno said.

He noted that Whitman was back to “just about 100-percent power” as of 6 p.m., Monday and school, which was still out due to a continued lack of power at Hanson’s elementary schools, was to be back in session Wednesday. At the height of the storm Grenno estimated that 75 to 80 percent of the town had been plunged into darkness — some as long as three days.

“National Grid experienced catastrophic damage to their infrastructure system,” he said.

Hanson Fire/Rescue responded to 162 storm-related calls from 7 p.m., Friday through 7 p.m. Monday. They were also involved in assisting with 20 medical calls, offered EMS support two times and received EMS support on mutual aid for three calls.

One Plymouth County Dive technician was activated from Hanson for a swift water rescue to a Norwell staging location. The department provided mutual aid at the Halifax structure fire Monday night at 8:30 pm on Oak Place. There were a total of 12 reported fallen trees on homes, which sustained damage, according to Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr.

He commended town department officials and first responders from Whitman and Hanson who worked seamlessly together.

“I would like to thank all of the departments and W-H school district who were in contact with us throughout the storm. It was through great co-operation that made facilitation of a warming and charging center possible at the high school,” said Thompson.

The library in Hanson experienced “several significant leaks” during the storm in different areas from past leaks that prompted the town to replace the roof  two years ago.

Building Commissioner Robert Curran was slated to inspect the damage this week, noting “it is likely wind-driven rain entering the sidewall.

Students ponder walkout

By

If WHRHS students take part in a symbolic 17-minute national student walkout centering on the gun control issues on Wednesday, March 14 they will not face suspensions.

School officials have been discussing with students what form their action may take in efforts to support expression of First Amendment freedoms while keeping them safe and ensuring no instructional time is lost.

The walkout, organized by students of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is one of two upcoming national actions sponsored by the Never Again MSD group. The other is a series of March for Our Lives protests in Washington, D.C., and cities around the country – including Boston – on Saturday, March 24.

A previous student walkout observed nationally took place a week after the Feb. 14 Parkland mass shooting, and fell during school vacation week in the Bay State.

W-H Principal Jeffrey Szymaniak discussed his approach during an update on school safety and security at the Wednesday, Feb, 28 School Committee meeting.

“This really seems to be right now a high school issue,” he said. “Kids are buzzing around – ‘What are we going to do? Are we going to do anything? Are you going to take a stand against us if we walk out of school?’”

He invited students and faculty to a meeting Thursday, March 1 to talk about what the students may have in mind for the observation between 10 and 10:17 a.m., March 14, and has already designated a school-wide study period around that time to ensure no instructional time is lost.

“If they want to take the lead, I’m super-happy that we have some vocal kids in this school … we have some really good community members as well and they’re interested in what’s going on in this country,” Szymaniak said. “Right or wrong, left or right, I’d like to hear what they have to say.”

While he is not sure if the students plan to do a walkout, stay in class and write their congressmen, or go to theygym for a period of quiet reflection to honor the 17 lives lost on Feb. 14, Szymaniak said he has talked to teachers to make sure they are supervised and both police departments to make sure they are safe.

“If we’re going to do anything, there has to be some communication with our legislators about how we feel at Whitman-Hanson,” he said, noting the students are concerned about mental health and how the “system didn’t work this time, but it can in the future” and perhaps students can help lead that change.

If television crews show up, however, they will not be allowed to enter school grounds during school hours and students have been advised to avoid social media debates with adults on sites such as Whitman Pride or Hanson Connect. Community members who have questions should contact him directly, Szymaniak said, a position echoed by Committee Chairman Bob Hayes, who also welcomes questions from the community.

At South Shore Vo-Tech, Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey said students are thoughtfully organizing a remembrance activity on March 14 during the 17-minute window in memory of the lives lost in Florida.

“They are coordinating ideas with administrators,” he said. “Students who do not wish to participate will not be required to.”

W-H School Committee member Robert Trotta applauded the students’ wish to express their opinions.

“I think there’s a lot of strength in what has been going on for the youth,” he said. “Hopefully that will be the root of a new generation taking care of this particular problem.”

The school district has made safety and security one of its three operational pillars in recent years.

“We were all horrified by the shootings on Feb. 14 in Parkland, Fla., just as we were horrified by Sandy Hook in December 2012, this also brought home to us two weeks ago how critically important the safety and security of our students, our staff, our schools, our communities is to all of us,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner. “In our response to this we communicated with families, our building principals have also communicated as well.”

The district’s Safety and Security Committee met Monday, Feb. 26 with chiefs and their deputies from both towns to review what is currently being done to ensure it.

“We would have had that meeting anyway, we meet with them regularly, but clearly the focus on this was what happens when there is an active intruder or active shooter,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “A big comfort to everyone is we do have very strong partnerships with our police and fire departments.” The district’s committee is also bolstered by representation of all grade levels by principals from Duval, Hanson Middle and the high school.

A meeting was also planned Thursday, March 1with teacher union representatives Kevin Kavka and Beth Stafford to discuss staff involvement in school safety and security as well as a parent information night on Tuesday, March 6.

There are things people can do, the meetings were intended to stress.

“If something doesn’t look right, doesn’t sound right, doesn’t seem right — report it,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “I think we’ve found that, since Sandy Hook, people are better at that. We’re finding that here at the high school if students hear something, they’ll report it.”

People have been instructed not to prop doors open, to go through security and to wear ID badges to help ensure student safety.

Teachers and administrators had also taken part in a tabletop emergency drill using a fire scenario as recently as Feb. 8.

Hanson Library looks ahead

By

HANSON — Job applicants are frequently asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” The Hanson Public Library is asking patrons some similar questions about its next 20 years, and is encouraged by the public’s feedback so far.

A survey, now being circulated on the town website and via email to regular patrons as well as on paper at the circulation desk, will soon be mailed out to gather data through March 9 on the library’s future program offerings and expansion needs.

One need not be a Hanson resident, as library patrons from other communities are encouraged to take part in the study.

So far, the online survey has garnered more than 200 responses, according to Library Director Karen Stolfer of the project being conducted concurrently with the state-required strategic plan, which helps the library apply for grants. The aim is to finish both planning efforts by the fall.

“It’s kind of the first step toward expansion,” Stolfer said last week. “Before you can apply for a construction grant, the state requires you to have a building program on file with them.”

The library has contracted with Boston-based independent consultant Ruth Kowal to conduct the online and mailed survey.

“She’s helping us with this first stage in the process,” Stolfer said. “She is [also] looking at our collection, what our statistics show, measurements of the building. … You have to project out for 20 years growth.”

Kowal would be available to help make a presentation to a town meeting either this fall or next spring.

“We’re going to use input I get from the building program to help me write the strategic plan,” said Stolfer, who was aware of a state planning and design grant approved several years ago — as well as the Trustee’s wish to move forward with it — when she came on board as director. “I’ve worked here for 13 years, so I know what some of the deficits of the current facility are. … I just want to compare it to what people say.”

Patrons have also been taking Sharpie in hand to provide some off-the-cuff feedback to a series of four questions on flip charts in the library.

The first question asked patrons to share their favorite things about the library — with responses including kids’ programs, painting classes, story times, the helpful staff and being able to borrow from other libraries through the SAILS network. Follow-up questions involve what the library does for the community; what new services, programs or equipment would prompt greater use of the library; and are there physical changes that would enhance the library’s mission.

Demographic data will be part of the study, and focus groups will also be a part of that research with the Library Trustees slated to take part in one with Kowal on Tuesday, Feb. 27, with later focus groups to include the Library Foundation as well as members of the public to follow in early March. Discussions will also be conducted with town leaders, including Town Administrator Michael McCue — who has already begun doing that — and the Board of Selectmen as well as the School Committee.

“We’re trying to get input from different groups in the community,” she said.

The next steps would include a feasibility study, focusing on possible forms of expansion — adding on to the existing building, new construction and, if the latter, the proper location.

“This first documents helps you with that,” said Stolfer, adding the state requires that three potential locations be submitted for consideration in the case of new construction. She said, if that is the direction sought, the current location, Maquan School or the Plymouth County Hospital site are among the possibilities.

The survey also asks residents and patrons from outside Hanson for their feedback on some possible new directions for the library, such as making workspace available to start-up or home-based businesses as well as small meeting rooms for community groups to use.

“We’re trying to see what people want from the library, compared to what we have currently,” Stolfer said.

Regional contract reviews continue

By

The School Committee’s Regional Agreement Amendment Committee took another step toward completing its work Monday, Feb. 25 as its members reviewed the assessment formula and voted to remove a section of the regional pact.

The committee voted unanimously to delete Section X, which outlined steps for withdrawing elementary grades pre-kindergarten through grade eight from the district as fiscally unworkable. Originally included as a “carrot” to gain passage of the regional agreement, members and Mass. Association of Regional Schools (MARS) consultants agreed.

The next committee meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, March 19 in the high school library with another to follow “if necessary” in April, according to School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes who also chairs the Regional Agreement Amendment Committee. After the committee approves final draft, it goes to the towns for approval at town meetings.

“The burden of that cost would probably never see that happen,” Hayes said. “The discussion has come up, but it’s been, ‘Let’s just do this, it’s easy.’ Nobody has ever spelled out what the initial cost would be. Some people actually thought that would be cost-saving.”

Changes requested by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education representative Chris Lynch to sections IV, V, and VI, pertaining to the budget process were also discussed. Lynch is the “person who must approve this before it goes to legal,” said consultant Malcolm Reid.

He said Lynch had a particular concern over present language that dissolves the district automatically if one town votes to leave.

“She believes that it shouldn’t happen automatically,” Reid said. “If one town votes to get out it should go through the regular withdrawal process that is spelled out earlier in your agreement.”

That would require another revision of the agreement being approved by both towns and ratified by the commissioner of education.

“Why do we have this language in here at all?” asked committee member James Egan of Hanson. “That was put in there sort of as a carrot because people weren’t confident that they wanted to stay in the region over the long haul. I think we’re beyond that at this point and don’t see why we need this language.”

“You have the curveball that this high school is owned by two towns, basically,” agreed member Fred Small of Whitman.

“You’re going to be back where you were with a high school and two K-8s, each with their own school committee, their own superintendent and share of central office area and everything else,” said MARS Assistant Executive Director Stephen Hemman.

He said division of assets and liabilities between two K-8 districts would be difficult at best, with millions of dollars in other post-employment benefits (OPEB) among the most expensive liabilities.

“Something like [withdrawal] should be difficult,” said committee member Christopher George of Whitman. “Difficult and costly.”

Reid, Steve Donovan and Hemman, also reviewed the funding formula for calculations of the foundation budget, minimum required local contribution, Chapter 70 aid, total district budget, net school spending and statutory assessment.

“There is a minimum required local contribution based on the property values and the town’s income of its residents,” Hemman said in the assessment PowerPoint presentation, aimed at setting the stage for discussion of the agreement’s budget sections. “They’re usually two years behind on that, but they calculate that based on [a town’s] wealth.”

Chapter 70 aid is based on the district foundation budget — not including transportation, debt and capital expense based on enrollment and number of economically disadvantaged students — minus the minimum required local contribution.

The minimum local contribution is increased incrementally each year by the Department of Revenue and DESE, according to Hemman.

Net school spending is based on the required local contribution plus Chapter 70 aid.

Statutory assessment formula starts with the foundation budget minus Chapter 70 aid, minimum local contribution and any other local funds.

“That amount, whatever it is, is then assessed to the member towns,” based on enrollment, Hemman said. “All this needs to be in the agreement so the towns know exactly what they’re going to be voting.”

Non-mandated busing language was unchanged due to its impact on bus service contracts.

Budgets would require passage at both town meetings by a simple majority. If a budget fails, the committee must issue a new budget, Hemman said. If that fails, a super town meeting is required.

“If that fails, you’re required to do it again,” he said. “If you don’t have a budget by Dec. 31, the Dept. of Education will set a budget for you and then it is also going to take fiscal control.”

Whitman seeks LED streetlights

By

WHITMAN — The town’s planned purchase of LED streetlights is aimed at shedding light on safety while saving the town money down the road.

Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green presented the proposal, which the board supported 5-0, to Selectmen at the Tuesday, Feb. 20 meeting. The purchase will next go before voters at the annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 7.

The town’s roads are illuminated by 856 streetlights, each currently powered by high-pressure sodium technology, Green noted.

“Over the last few years, many Massachusetts cities and towns have been purchasing their streetlights from National Grid and converting [them] to LED (light-emitting diode) technology,” she said.

The streetlights now cost Whitman an average of $152,600 per year to power them. LED lights cost less and use less power to operate, and National Grid has provided the town with a quote for purchasing the streetlights.

“That quote is zero,” she said. “It’s going to cost us zero dollars to purchase the streetlights from National Grid.”

There is also a $49,263 grant available, and National Grid is also providing a reimbursable utility incentive of around $70,000. Total construction cost for converting the lights to LED technology would cost an estimated $278,364.

The grants will bring the cost to the town to $158,309.

The LED lights would save Whitman an estimated $51,396 annually in operating costs.

“As you know, Whitman is a Green Community and converting streetlights to LED is an energy-saving measure, so you are able to include that number [$158,309] on our next Green Communities grant application,” she said. “If we were awarded the next Green Communities money, this project could be funded 100 percent [through grants]. … That is an incredibly huge benefit to the town of Whitman.”

“There is a possibility that we will not receive that grant,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said. “The way I’ve recommended structuring this program is that we will seek permission to borrow $280,000 at the annual Town Meeting.”

He is looking into Statehouse Notes for the possibility of subsidized borrowing for the funds. The Metropolitan Planning Council may also be an alternative funding source but the expectation is that by moving ahead with the project even without grant funding, the cost could be recovered within four years through the savings in the streetlight account.

“It’s a win-win,” he said.

Selectman Dan Salvucci asked if the change to LED streetlights would be brighter than the current ones.

“LEDs can be purchased in different illuminations,” Green said. “They do tend to be brighter, but not you-need-sunglasses-type brighter.”

Salvucci also asked if residents of a street with no streetlight can purchase one and pay operating costs, as is done in Hanson on some private roadways.

Lynam said there are two lights being privately built right now. He also stressed that the Green Communities grant is a competitive process.

Green said the project was ready to start Wednesday, Feb. 21 by entering into an agreement with the Metropolitan Planning Council to begin an audit and the process of reconstruction of the lights. To fund by Green Communities, the town would have to wait for that grant approval, sometime in July.

“The whole project has to be completed by Dec. 31, 2018 and right now everything is falling into place for us to meet that deadline,” Green said.

The town would have to contract for a maintenance plan for the streetlights.

In other business, Selectmen voted to decline its right of first refusal for an affordable housing unit at 100 Franklin St., which was a 40-B project containing five affordable units in the facility, according to Lynam.

“When an affordable unit is sold, the town reserves the right of first refusal,” he said. “Certainly we have no desire to own this property.”

Lynam contacted the Housing Authority, which did not wish to commit the funds to purchase it, so he asked the board to vote to decline the right of first refusal.

Selectman Scott Lambiase questioned the terms of sale, which indicated if a buyer is not found through a lottery sale – which would not be unusual – a sale at market rate would be allowed with any profits going to the town of North Andover.

“Whoever typed that [the letter outlining sale terms] got a few things wrong.” Lynam said. “But the money, if it’s sold in open market conditions, any profit over the acquisition would come to the town to be used for affordable housing [in Whitman].”

Whitman does not have an affordable housing trust, so the sale proceeds, “after consideration, probably would be turned over to the Housing Authority to use to supplement affordable housing,” according to Lynam.

“This isn’t how I typically see it done,” Lambiase said.

Another procedural error with the sale is that the right of first refusal notice had been sent to the Board of Appeals a week and a half earlier, instead of Selectmen, Lynam noted.

“North Andover is an error all the way around,” he said in response to Lambiase’s concern that that community had taken over the lottery sale process. “Obviously this is a form letter they use in surveys.”

Lynam will note that the town of Whitman has voted to decline its right of first refusal and point out that any proceeds, should it go in the public market are to go to the town of Whitman.