WHITMAN — The Recreation Commission reminds residents of plans for its 49th Annual Family Fun Day in Whitman Park for the 4th of July.

Recreation Director Oliver Amado outlined the schedule of events and equipment upgrades during the commission’s Thursday, June 22 meeting.

“Everything’s been all set for the 4th of July for the last three months,” he said.

A water slide, music, clowns, moon walk, field day races and games, a dunk tank and egg tosses, touch-a-truck and more. The 5K road race, which preceded park events will not be part of the Recreation Commission’s events, should it take place.

But the commission is considering a run around the park perimeter if DPW work on path improvements is completed in time.

Amado replaced all field day equipment for this year’s events.

The schedule starts at 9:30 a.m., with the bike and carriage decorating contest, featuring more prize categories. The Family Fun Day games run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the pool open free of charge for residents from 1 to 5 p.m.

The Boy Scouts will again be selling hot dogs and hamburgers, snacks and drinks to fund their programs.

Park and pool

Amado also reported during the meeting that income for the summer park program has already reached the level needed to fund the program and all planned field trips this summer, with more money expected to come in.

“If money should stop coming in — which it won’t — it’s already enough for five weeks of labor, supplies and trips,” he said. “It’s already paid for.”

Any additional income would go toward more staff should enrollment for the program continue to grow as expected as well as to reinvest into the program for equipment and any other needs.

The pool program is also in the black for eight of the nine weeks offered between Town Meeting Article 2 and revolving accounts.

“We should be hearing bells go off,” said Commission member June O’Leary. “That’s amazing.”

Amado said a lot of money has been invested in the pool and park program this year. JJ Pools vacuums the pool every 10 days for $100 each time, and conducts daily spot-checks of the pump and chlorine levels — even though pool staff also does that — at no additional cost.

“We’re in real, real good shape,” he said. “Right now people are talking about how crystal clear the water is — you could read a quarter this morning from the bottom of the deep end. The quality of the water is bringing in people in droves.”

The autumn hockey league, which has just started accepting registration is up to $850, according to Amado and field use fees have brought in nearly $6,000.

WHITMAN — Selectmen on Tuesday, June 20, discussed eviction proceedings aimed at squatters inhabiting a recently foreclosed property on Temple Street as well as plans to honor the late state Sen. Edward Kirby at a Whitman Park ceremony on Saturday.

The board has proclaimed Saturday, June 24 as Edward P. “Ned” Kirby Day in Whitman, which will include a tree dedication in his memory at the Whitman Park bandstand at 11 a.m. Saturday.

June O’Leary of the Friends of Whitman Park said a great American elm tree, selected by the Department of Public Works, has already been planted and will be the centerpiece of the ceremony.

She said Kirby had been especially helpful when she first came to the Board of Selectmen for permission to work on improving the park 17 years ago.

“When I wrote my first grant, for $285,000, Ned was a big part of that,” she said. “We appreciate that.”

The short ceremony in the park will include presentation of citations to Mary Alice Kirby.

The Selectmen’s citation, researched by the board’s Administrative Assistant Laurie O’Brien, notes Kirby’s legal education and Korean War-era service in the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s office as well as his service as both a state representative for six years and a state senator and as an elected member of the Plymouth County Commissioners. He also served as an administrative law judge and a worker’s compensation appeals judge. Kirby was also instrumental in returning commuter rail service to the area.

“I wanted to recognize him,” O’Leary said. “We just don’t thank people enough, we really don’t. There are people in this town — like yourselves — that serve for years and that service should be recognized. I appreciated Ned, he was the type of person that you were glad to see coming … he had a wonderful outlook on life.”

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski noted that both he and Town Administrator Frank Lynam had the same experience with Kirby at different times.

“He was the first person to welcome us to town,” Kowalski said. “He ran to us at church. … He was a terrific guy and I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

The land court authorized the foreclosure of the property at 1030 Temple St., in December. Subject to a recapture, the property owner — or their heirs — have a year to reclaim the property, of which time six months remains.

“I do have a concern that there are people, for lack of a better word, squatting in the property,” Lynam said, seeking the board’s approval to have the town’s land title attorney take the necessary steps to evict them and secure the building. “Although I’m aware there are people in the property, I didn’t want to move in the winter months because I’m also aware there’s a young child there and was reluctant to start an eviction process.”

Once the foreclosure process is complete, the town gets the proceeds of sale. according to Lynam.

“We’re into the property right now for a $76,000 in taxes, fees and interest plus whatever interest we expend to secure the property,” he said.

In other business, Selectmen approved year-end transfers and announced receipt of a Green Communities Grant, for which Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green wrote the application.

The transfers included those from the Selectmen’s office for the elevator, accounts and street lighting. Transfers for the Health Inspector’s line and two for clerical expenses were also included, as well as a transfer for part-time clerical expenses at the Conservation Commission as well as a small transfer for additional clerical at the Council on Aging.

DPW is working on a water main project, replacing water gates that are more than 10 years old, on Bedford Street where the state is working on the reconfiguration of two intersections. Lynam said they want to take the opportunity to have the state do some of the work at what would be a discounted cost. The cost of the necessary engineering is just under $20,000, which is being transferred from retained earnings in this year’s budget to pay for those costs.

Green said the $197,408 phase two grant will allow lighting upgrades in the police station and DPW building as well as heating systems in the fire station and library, while make possible the purchase of an industrial sized steamer/kettle cooker for Whitman Middle School.

“By completing that grant, Lisa is returning to the town not only in savings, but in actual capital costs, more than twice her salary,” Lynam said.

Whitman and Hanson town administrators will meet with school district Business Services Director Christine Suckow over the summer to examine the numbers and create a document outlining revenue — and expenses for all departments and capital improvement needs — as they begin work on a comprehensive budget approach for next fiscal year.

Another meeting will be scheduled when that process is concluded, most likely before Sept. 11, as Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam urged a realistic fiscal outlook be ready by September.

Former W-H School Committee Chairman Wilbur Danner of Hanson had suggested appointing subcommittees to examine the “actual cost of the schools or the departments” and bring that information back for discussion.

“We can sit here and talk forever about what we need. We need something tangible … then work together to try and reach that goal,” agreed School Committee member Robert Trotta.

More than two dozen town and school district officials, School Committee members and concerned residents from both communities met Monday, June 12, conducting a wide-ranging discussion to begin the process of determining how to best coordinate town and school budgets to meet ongoing fiscal challenges.

“This is not a School Committee meeting,” said Chairman Bob Hayes, who facilitated the session Monday night. “This is a meeting of people in town and town officials. … [We’re trying] to be objective to try and settle some of this budget stuff, and it’s not just school budgets — the towns are having the same issues.”

The greatest need is one of more revenue to fund all town budgets, officials said.

“We’re trying to figure out how, collectively, how to move forward,” Hayes said. “For years people have urged us to start early to see what we could do. Now we’re off and running.”

He stressed the group is in no way trying to circumvent boards of selectmen, but rather seeks to come up with ideas for addressing financial challenges facing both communities.

State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, attended and state Rep. Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman was represented by staff member David Walsh.

“You’re not alone,” Cutler said. “Every town is facing these kind of challenges. … At the state level, we’re having the same sort of issues with revenue, our revenues are not meeting their benchmarks.”

New state revenue sources are being considered, such as an Airbnb tax or a surtax on the state income tax, as well as the revenue from now-legal recreational marijuana, once governing legislation is complete, he said. Absent major changes such as those, Cutler doesn’t expect to see Chapter 70 increases for the next three years or so.

“I think we should be suing the state,” School Committee member Fred Small said about cuts to such mandated reimbursement programs.

Hanson Selectmen Chairman James McGahan and Whitman Selectmen Chairman Carl Kowalski also attended along with Whitman Finance Committee member Shawn Kain and Michael Dugan of the Hanson Finance Committee.

“We’re coming down to two basic principals,” Dugan said. “Where’s the revenue coming from and what are the expenses we need to support. … Poor choice of words, but where the biggest fires are going to be.”

Schools represent about 33 percent of Hanson’s budget and 65 percent of Whitman’s. Student population also has an affect on those percentages.

Kain urged a greater level of transparency in the budgeting and financial planning process, with a long-term approach.

“If we’re going to ask people to sacrifice, it’s very important that we demonstrate to people how we’re sacrificing in all departments,” Kain said.

Lynam said gross estimates from the towns and the schools by August or September would help identify what the towns can expect for the next fiscal year’s budgets.

“The bigger picture is our ability to identify our resources, your needs and put them together to figure out how to meet them,” Lynam said. “The elephant in the room is how much of that budget has to be allocated to education. … What I would like to see from the schools is earlier estimates.”

Whitman resident Christopher George asked why firefighters and police personnel did not face the same layoffs as teachers during recent tight budget years.

“The only department that lost employees was the schools,” he said. “Every other town around us has figured out they need more revenue. … In the absence of more revenue, the other departments have, essentially, kept level service and at some point that’s got to give.”

Lynam said finding the revenue was the only viable solution.

“We’re not going to cut fire,” he said. “We’re not going to have people waiting for an ambulance for 13 minutes because only one shift’s on. You’re not going to cut police with everything that’s going on.”

He said there are three departments that deliver a “huge percentage of essential services” — the schools, police and fire department — along with public works.

“The rest of us are overhead,” Lynam said. “But without that overhead, nothing else gets done.”

Practically speaking, George said he is talking about an operational override that could result in cuts across the board to all departments if it failed.

“This group is talking more of getting together to see how we’re going to expand revenue, not how we’re going to kill each other,” Hayes said.

Whitman resident Marshall Ottina also urged that public safety officials be included in the meetings to help ensure the financial plan is comprehensive, representing all town departments.

“Department-wise [approach] tends to pit one against the other, and we don’t want to do that anymore because nobody wins,” agreed Whitman-Hanson Education Association Vice President Beth Stafford. “If we present a united front and present one thing ‘for the town’ … I think that’s really important.”

School Committee member Dan Cullity noted that the overall budget problem started in 2008 when the state reduced its Chapter 70 reimbursement from about 70 percent to about 50 percent. The state has also informed the district that the towns must increase funding closer to the expected target share.

Grants that have been depended on to fill the void and support needed programs are also beginning to run out, which present another budget challenge.

McGahan asked about the possibility of hiring a professional grant-writer, perhaps one paid on the basis of the successful applications they write.

“Grants are called soft money,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner. “They’re going to be here for a period of time and then they’re gone, so in terms of sustainability that’s a concern.”

The district often has to partner with other districts or educational collaboratives that better qualify with demographic profiles in obtaining grants.

School Committee member Alexandra Taylor asked about the likelihood of attracting more commercial development to benefit the tax base.

“From a practical standpoint, the only way to generate that revenue is to move Whitman and Hanson to a highway,” Lynam said. “We’re too far off the road to attract large businesses.”

While Whitman does well with small business, revenue raising is limited to taxes and fees, he said.

Elimination or charging fees for non-mandated busing of school children was also questioned as a possible revenue source by a parent. But Lynam argued families with two working parents often depend on that transportation for their children.

“That’s a voters’ decision,” he said.

Gilbert-Whitner also noted the district is required by law to provide transportation for any student who lives two miles or more from a school, and is reimbursed for transporting students within a mile and a half.

Whitman resident Cheryl George pointed to surrounding towns’ success in passing operational overrides to support all departments. But others pointed out, Whitman-Hanson’s regional school district, and the commercial tax base of those surrounding towns, makes the process more difficult.

Amid glances back on the past four years and glimpses of future goals, the 272 members of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Class of 2017 graduated Friday, June 2 with tears, cheers and laughter.

“As we leave here today, remember that we have all been blessed with enormous opportunities, and it is our responsibility to take each door that is opened to us and use it to make a contribution,” said Valedictorian Olivia Morse. “With the strife and conflict that is plaguing the world today, our courage, compassion, and determination is needed now more than ever.”

It was a night to celebrate great academic and extra-curricular achievement, but Principal Jeffrey Szymaniak also recognized graduates who had more pressing challenges to overcome on their way to a diploma.

Honor Society graduates, 12 military-bound seniors, band, chorus and show choir members, 81 Adams Scholarship winners, athletics participants and sportsmanship award winners, championship teams, Superfans, academic competition award winners, art students who participated in the Memory Project for orphan paintings and various art competitions, Mock Trial competition participants and seniors who have worked to support fundraisers for several local nonprofits were among the students recognized by Szymaniak for a round of applause from the audience.

“Today is about academic achievement,” Szymaniak said. “However, there’s some of you … that should be commended for actions that aren’t on any traditional awards list.”

He referred to “The Missing Awards List,” which he ran across on a blog that recognized students “brave enough to come to school the day after a bad day.”

“I wish I could give an award for those sitting here who did homework and studied while juggling a job, had to take care of siblings or a sick family member, to help pay the bills,” he quoted. “I wish I could give an award to those of you who cope with surgeries, allergies, medications, conditions, tests, procedures, doctors appointments, measured diets … as part of your normal.”

He also saluted the parents who take care of the students who don’t get the awards, applauding the award-winners while thinking “my kid, too.”

Student speakers also saluted the hard work all their classmates have done toward this day.

“Whether you believe it or not, each and every one of you seniors out there has become more mature and grown tremendously, not just in your education, but as a person over these four short years at Whitman- Hanson,” agreed Class President Lily Spicer in her welcoming remarks. “We’re not freshmen anymore and soon we won’t even be seniors. Together it is time to say goodbye. Enjoy this summer and within the next few months, we will all begin a new and exciting chapter of our lives.”

“Our time here has emphasized that life isn’t meant to be easy, and that the greatest things we could ever hope for arrive only with work and determination,” Salutatorian Emily Cook said. “Dreams and aspirations are what motivate us to act, to pursue success; but never let your dreams remain just that – figments and reminders of what could have been.”

Graduation night awards [below] were presented to: Emily Cook, Zara Rabinovitz, Madison Jolliemore, Emily Gonzalez, Michael Gorman, Jessica Gaudreau, Devyn Smith, Patrick Brown, Owen Lydon, Taylor McVeigh, Luke Tamulevich, Morse, Robert Caliri, Hannah MacDonald, Mikayla White and Spicer.

“Each graduating class is unique in its accomplishments,” School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said. “Since their arrival as freshmen in 2013, they have participated in academic and athletic programs in a building that supports 21st-Century teaching and learning. … Now it’s up to the graduates to shape their future and, as you just heard, they have a future and it’s a great one.”

Hayes said the class has the keys to their own future success, but offered some advice.

“Confront challenges,” he said. “Learn to use your time wisely. Put down that cell phone and socialize with your friends and family. Look to the future with hope, embrace the world we live in and leave it better that you found it.”

Both Hayes and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner encouraged the graduates to return often to touch base with the school because they will always be W-H Panthers.

“This is the best day ever,” Gilbert-Whitner said, quoting her grand daughter’s approach to life. “You’re just the best ever and it’s just so exciting to be here and feel the energy here this evening.”

In her prepared remarks, Gilbert-Whitner reflected on the meaning of success.

“Now, at this very moment in time, each one of you is a success, having completed all of the requirements to attain a high school diploma,” she said. “In earning your diploma this evening, you have accomplished a tremendous amount from the beginning of your public school journey in kindergarten to the stage this evening.”

She also quoted the poem “Success,” attributed to both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Bessie Anderson Stanley:

“To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

Senior Sophie O’Brien, the class speaker, noted the obstacles that had to be overcome on the way to successfully completing high school.

“And along the way, many of us can agree in saying we got lost, or in other words, felt like we got defeated, or that we just wanted to give up,” she said. “But clearly, we got out of bed, and we didn’t let those late nights, bad grades, or tough losses, stop us because look where we are. We have made it to the biggest stage of our lives so far and made the journey worthwhile.”