Whitman-Hanson Express

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Memorial Day events outlined

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With Memorial Day just two and a half weeks away, veterans’ organizations are finalizing plans for parades in both towns.

Ahead of the Monday, May 30 observances, Boy and Girl Scout troops will be placing flags on veterans’ graves and Whitman’s Duval School will be holding its annual “We Remember Ceremony” on Friday, May 27. Duval pupils, their families and school staff will gather in the school gym at 9:30 a.m., along with invited town officials, veterans and members of the Duval family, for a program of patriotic music, student poetry and honors for deceased veterans.

On Memorial Day itself, parades and memorial ceremonies for those fallen in service to country are the focus of a morning full of events.

The 149th annual Whitman Memorial Day Parade forms at 8:45 a.m. at the corner of Park Avenue and Court Street. The parade steps off at 9:30 a.m.

Marchers make their way along South Avenue to the Town Hall for ceremonies at the Honor Roll and then up Temple Street to the World War I Memorial Arch and then along a route to Colebrook Cemetery for ceremonies followed by programs at the Whitman Park flag pole, the Civil War Soldiers Monument and at the Veterans Monument for All Wars near the park pond for concluding ceremonies.

In Hanson, units including the WHRHS marching band, veterans’ groups, color guards, civic leaders, antique cars, horse, clowns and youth groups gather at Indian Head School for a ceremony and 10 a.m. parade start.

The parade heads down Liberty Street to the Town Hall green for ceremonies at the Civil War Monument, after which the parade re-forms and proceeds to Fern Hill Cemetery for the main presentation ceremonies and a keynote address. Hanson’s parade and related events conclude at 11 a.m.

Hanson Scouts are scheduled to place flags on veterans’ graves on Tuesday, May 17 at Fern Hill. Should a flag and/or appropriate marker be missed, families of veterans are asked to call the Veterans’ Agent at 781-293-2772 after May 17 so arrangements may be made.

The Hanson Veterans’ Services office reminds families of deceased veterans that they are eligible to receive, at no cost, a printed Presidential Memorial Certificate, a plastic grave marker commemorating the era and conflict in which the veteran served, and either an upright headstone or flat grave marker commemorating the veteran’s service branch, name, rank, birth date and year of death. For more information, contact the Hanson Veterans’ Agent.

LAST CALL!!!!

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Thursday, May 12, at 2 p.m. was the last day to submit for letters to the editor in regard to the annual town elections on Saturday, May 21.

Hitting their Stride

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Behind a first-place finish from Senior Captain Samantha Coletti and juniors Alexandra Santos, Lily Nolan and Olivia Morse in the Sprint Medley Relay, the Panthers finished 12th in the Sunday, May 1 Division 2 Relay Meet at Marshfield High School.  Coletti (1,200) combined with junior Lily Perkins and senior captains Jill O’Leary (800) and Abbie Newman (mile) to take fourth place in the distance medley.  Santos, Perkins and senior Olivia Reed took fifth place in the long jump.

The girls’ track & field team improved to 2-1 with a 99-28 win over Quincy at home on Tuesday, May 3. Junior Alexandra Santos with wins in the long jump (16′) and the 100 dash (12.4), along with a second-place finish in the 400 (62.5), and freshman Dorothy Donohue with wins in the 100 hurdles (17.5) and triple jump (31′ 5″) and a second place in the High Jump (4′ 4″) led the way. Other double winners included Senior Captain Samantha Coletti in the 400 (60.1) and 400 hurdles (69.0) and sophomore Julia Cosgrave in the 2 mile (13:38) and discus (48′ 10″.)

The boys’ track team dropped its meet to Plymouth North 94-42 Thursday, April 28. Whitman-Hanson winners were: Matt Evans in the shot put (second in discus), Riley Holland in the discus (second in shot put), Pat Duffey at 800 meters (third in discus and the mile) Dan Cashman had a great day placing second in the high jump, triple jump and was third in the 100.

Whitman-Hanson bounced back Tuesday, May 3, beating Quincy 89-47 as eight W-H boys won events on the way to their first victory of the season.

Winners for W-H were: Shane Walsh in the 100, Bryce Pulkinen in the mile, Billy Martell in the 400, Hurdles Josh Prevetti at 100 hurdles, Pat Duffey in the 800, Lucas Muscoso at two miles, Brian Edwards in the high jump and Dan Vanemringe in the triple jump.

The girls’ track team traveled to Silver Lake High School Thursday April 28, losing to Plymouth North High School by a score of 96-40.  Senior Captain Samantha Coletti won both the 400 meter hurdles (1:06.8) and 800 meters (2:20) in the losing effort, while Plymouth North standouts Jordan Callahan and Jackie Sullivan led the Plymouth North squad. W-H’s Alexandra Santos was also impressive winning the 100 meter sprint (12.6) and taking second place in both the 200 (26.9) and long jump (16′ 1″.)

Hanson voters support Maquan roof repairs

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HANSON — In a Town Meeting that impressed even Town Moderator Sean Kealy with its smooth going, Hanson voters acted on 37 articles in less than two hours Monday, May 2 — with no discussion at all on the W-H regional school budget or override articles.

“This is great,” Kealy said at one point, urging the crowd to attend more town meetings.

After the meeting, School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said he was not surprised by the lack of discussion on the school articles.

“It was pretty much cut-and-dried [as to] what it was going to do,” he said. “It’s got to go to the vote, and that’s what everybody wanted, anyway. The people of Hanson have always been good to the school district.”

Kealy had explained that the individual expenditures involved in the Student Success budget, listed in the warrant and read aloud by Selectmen Chairman Bruce Young, would not be a subject for debate.

“We don’t have control over it,” Kealy said. “We either give them the money, or we don’t give them the money.”

He explained School Committee meetings are open to the public and concerns could be expressed directly to them. Young also outlined that Article 6 appropriates the funds, but the ballot question must authorize spending.

After the article passed without discussion, resident Joseph O’Sullivan sought reconsideration in the hope that his motion would fail. Kealy asked for his reason, explaining the Hanson Town Meeting tradition required a “compelling reason,” such as correcting a mistake in wording or calculation.

“We have never done it to close out an issue,” Kealy said. “I do not want to set that precedent, so is there a compelling reason other than you just want no monkey business later on?”

“I want no monkey business later on,” said O’Sullivan, withdrawing his motion.

Kealy reported there were 268 voters present when the Town Meeting began at 7:40 p.m. The 10-minute delay was allowed so that people still in line to sign in by the 7:30 start time could do so. A few more voters arrived after Town Meeting convened.

The town’s free cash balance at the beginning of the special Town Meeting, which was conducted first, was $885,030.

One article that received some unexpected debate within the special Town Meeting was a proposal to spend $3,000 from free cash to pay for a person to come in and scan oversized Planning Board documents onto a digital format. The program was begun last year,

New resident David Pell of 33 Great Cedar Drive asked why the town didn’t buy its own scanner, which could save money in the long run.

“We’re paying $3,000 on an ongoing basis,” Pell said. “I think it would be cheaper if we bought ourselves a printer.”

Capital Improvement Committee Chairman John Norton pointed out that the town owns such a printer. The Historical Society worked with the Community Preservation Committee to obtain one, which is housed at the Hanson Public Library.

“If they walk over to the library, they can save $3,000,” he said. On a counted vote of 172-84, the Town Meeting took Norton’s advice and rejected the Planning Board’s article.

“Once again, welcome to town,” Kealy said to Pell with a laugh after the unanticipated exchange.

Discussion also cropped up in the annual Town Meeting regarding  the Maquan School roof repair project under Captial Improvement projects on which there had been a hold placed by selectmen until the board’s pre-Town Meeting session .

Selectman James McGahan, in a meeting of the Board of Selectmen prior to Town Meeting, advocated leaving the figure at $322,000 in case the roof repair came in higher than the current estimates received from Gale Engineering.

“We expect this price to be less, but any difference between the price [goes] back into free cash,” McGahan said at the time, and repeated his reasoning during the Town Meeting session.

Young had argued for reducing it to $150,000. Hayes agreed with McGahan’s approach.

“Another issue to think about is we have to do this work in the summer,” Hayes said during the selectmen’s meeting, cautioning that under-funding the project could delay it because additional funding would have to wait for the October special Town Meeting. “If we can’t do it in the summer, we’re back to the next summer.”

One resident asked how the animal control officers’ hours, which she found inadequate, could be increased. Kealy and selectmen pointed out that, as a regional service, changes would have to be negotiated with partner communities Whitman and Abington. It was one of only four minor questions asked about the $22,621,024 budget article.

“It almost seemed too easy to get through that article compared to previous years,” Kealy said. “It might seem easy, but it’s not. It took a lot of effort by the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen with the help of all the town departments, the school board — a lot of work went into this and it’s really a testament to their hard work that we were able to do this so smoothly.”

Town Meeting also gave unanimous support to the establishment of a Memorial to John Ferry at the intersection of Winter and Liberty streets, also voting to support the expenditure of $2,000 for a marker there.

Veterans’ Agent Bob Arsenault said the highly decorated WWII veteran was worthy of the honor, not only for his wartime service to country, but also for a lifetime of service to community.

“John did many things for many people,” Arsenault said. “He was a quiet one. … Many people, for one reason or another, couldn’t afford to have their vehicles fixed. … John would put it on the cuff.”

He also said that Ferry was known to provide reconditioned used cars to some residents who could not afford to buy a car.

“He loved the town of Hanson and I think this is only appropriate for us to do for him,” Arsenault said, indicating a dedication ceremony is being planned for early September.

Public information

Voters were also given questionnaires on open space use preferences from the Conservation Commission prior to checking in at Town Meeting and a demonstration of electronic voting devices was also presented in the Hanson Middle School lobby.

“I’m not quite sure whether I’m in favor or opposed to [electronic voting] at this point,” said Kealy about the work of the special committee he appointed to report back to him, selectmen and the Finance Committee at the end of the year or sooner.

Festival faces deadlines- Hanson board votes on insurance, contract items

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HANSON — The Recreation Commission has begun the work of revising its policies and procedures by deciding Thursday, April 28 to form a subcommittee for that work.

In the meantime, members have voted 6-0 to amend section 12 of its policies and procedures to allow recreational vehicles on the Camp Kiwanee property under certain circumstances by a majority vote of the commission and selectmen — and then voted 6-0 to allow no more than 15 RVs on Camp Kiwanee grounds during the May 20-22 Bluegrass on the Bogs festival.

The RV waiver for the festival would also require locating RVs where they are visible to Hanson Police, festival and Recreation staff, the fire department and Board of Health.

Both Recreation Commission votes were contingent on majority votes of the Board of Selectmen during it’s meeting Monday, May 2 before the annual Town Meeting.

Commission member James Hickey urged that members of the Board of Selectmen and new Town Administrator Michael McCue also be on the policy revision subcommittee.

“We don’t want to be spending all this time and be going in a different direction than the Board of Selectmen wants us to be going in,” agreed Commission member Sue Lonergan.

Selectmen voted 4-0 prior to Town Meeting, with Selectman Don Howard abstaining, in favor of both amendments.

The board made it clear their vote on the RV exemption was in force for this year’s bluegrass festival only, especially in view of concerns on the part of both town counsel and the festival producer’s insurance carrier regarding the lack of hookup facilities at the camp.

“At this point, because it came so late in the process, we’re just trying to patch it up,” said town counsel Jay Talerman. “Next year we’ll get it in a little bit more shape, but [his associate Sarah Bellino] felt, with the beefing up of the agreement, we’re basically covered from a liability perspective. Is it perfect when we have the RVs there? No. But we felt the town was covered … this was a patch.”

Selectmen have also imposed a Friday, May 13 deadline for submitting the insurance coverage, cleared by town counsel, and a revised and re-signed rental agreement for Kiwanee — including a clause indemnifying the town and police detail requirements — to the board for a Tuesday, May 17 vote.

“If we don’t have it, the event is not moving forward, it’s done,” Selectman Kenny Mitchell said of the updated documents.

Bellino of the town counsel firm of Blatman, Bobrowski & Mead had listed the RV prohibition as one of four issues she “highly” recommended be addressed before the bluegrass festival is allowed to proceed in an email to selectmen April 26. She also listed public safety details, the need for liability insurance and sanitation concerns as points that need to be addressed before the event.

“This is specific to make sure we have all this in place before the event goes off,” Recreation Commission Chairman David Blauss said of the RV waiver.

“You need to establish some kind of exception to that under circumstances where the use of recreational vehicles, there’s sufficient policing of how those recreational vehicles are parked and how they are maintained,” said Selectmen Chairman Bruce Young, who attended the Recreation Commission meeting.

Blauss said the policies and procedures would likely be maintained as-is, but should allow room for exceptions by a majority vote of both the commission and selectmen.

Young said RV owners, when traveling look for electricity, water and sanitation hook-up facilities not available at Camp Kiwanee.

“When you don’t have that particular option, naturally you restrict RVs,” Young said. “You don’t encourage them.”

Sue Lonergan suggested the RV ban was initially aimed and controlling people who might seek to park an RV at the camp for an entire summer and that cabin rentals, too, are limited to two weeks for that reason.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t have someone living with us for the season,” she said.

The exception approved April 28 would be used in the event another event sought to have RV access.

Food pantry benefit

In other business, the Recreation Commission voted to set aside the date of Friday, Oct. 28 for what will likely be a benefit chili cook-off festival with music in support of the Hanson Food Pantry.

Laura Fitzgerald-Kemmett, of the Food Pantry’s board of directors, made the pitch for the event, saying she would pay the $40 liquor permit fee out-of-pocket so the pantry would realize 100-percent of the event proceeds.

Hickey had suggested the commission might donate the fee as a gift to the pantry, but Fitzgerald-Kemmett declined, arguing the pantry did not want to start a precedent the commission could not keep up.

“It’s the Hanson Food Pantry,” Hickey said. “Everybody’s volunteering. We could co-sponsor this where the [pantry] would not be charged a dime. That’s why I’m here, it’s to do stuff like this and not have people spending money out of their own pocket.”

“I love where your heart is at, I really appreciate it … I just would be afraid that you guys would be setting a precedent.”

The pantry’s board of directors have also considered a trivia night event for the 5 to 11 p.m., Oct. 28 time slot for the 7 p.m. event, Fitzgerald-Kemmett said.

“We’re kind of narrowing it down, but either event would be ideally suited for Camp Kiwanee,” she said. “Both would involve liquor because, frankly, liquor makes the money flow at fundraisers — it’s just a fundamental truth.”

Other than bartenders, who have to be paid so they can cover insurance and the liquor license fee, the Food Pantry is planning on all services — including the hall rental — to be donated as the pantry is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

“I enjoy trivia,” Fitzgerald-Kemmett said, “But I thought [a chili cook-off] would be a little different and I’ve got a line on a couple country-western bands that could play.”

Eagle project

The commission also voted the go-ahead for Hanover Troop 1 Boy Scout Matthew Minihan to work on the assembling and installation of screens at a Camp Kiwanee porch as well as two barbecue pits as his Eagle Scout project.

The Scout plans to check to see if building permits are required for the work.

     

Clock ticking on passport service

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WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen during its Tuesday, April 19 meeting discussed the future of passport services at Town Hall — a program that could end up doomed by its popularity.

Several years ago, Whitman joined several other communities in the “labor-intensive” task of aiding residents through the passport application process, according to Town Administrator Frank Lynam.

“We accept the applications, we scrutinize the information, we witness their signing and then we send it into the State Department for investigation and issuance,” Lynam said. “It involves a bit of time with the people applying, particularly when you have a family and, most particularly, when you have a large family.”

Passport work was done out of the Town Clerk’s office until the State Department determined in 2011 that it was an inherent conflict to have the office issuing birth certificates to help in issuing passports, at which time the job was handed off to the Treasurer-Collector’s office with that office’s “enthusiasm and support,” Lynam noted.

“It seems, since that time, to have grown a bit,” he said. Two employees plus the manager in both offices serve the public at the collector’s window, causing crowded conditions during passport hours. Lynam and Treasurer Mary Beth Carter have, therefore, been discussing if another department could pick up the service.

“My recommendation, unless we have another place to send this, is to discontinue the service,” Lynam said.

Carter said more than 600 passports were processed last year over 7.5 hours a week on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday and Thursday mornings, taking 15-20 minutes to complete each application. On one Tuesday evening, 24 applications were processed. The State Department estimates applications will increase over the next two years.

So far this year the town has taken in $13,025 for applications and $4,160 for photos — a total of $17,185. Last fiscal year, the total revenue from passports was $19,270. Postage costs came in at $6.45 per application package.

“A large amount of the passport applications we process are for non-Whitman residents,” she said. “Due to the volume of traffic at the collector’s office … it had become burdensome to also continue the passport function.”

Citing the collector’s office main function as dealing with inquiries and receiving payment from Whitman residents.

“My plan is for the Treasurer-Collector’s office to remain as a passport facility through the end of the calendar year,” Carter said. “I was hoping we’d be able to find another department willing to take over this function, as we did back in 2011.”

If that is possible, she would like to begin the transition in July, with the present five passport agents serving as assistants and backup through the end of the calendar year, when the Treasurer-Collector’s office certifications expire.

Qualifications are basic — scanning applications,  asking questions, witnessing signatures and administering an oath — the issue, Lynam said, is the time involved.

In Brockton, the post office conducts the application process, while in East Bridgewater it is done by the veterans’ services office by appointment only, Carter said. Whitman post office does not offer the service, which can only be conducted by a government office.

Selectman Scott Lambiase suggested a member of the clerk’s staff might be separated out to handle passports.

Overdose crisis

In other business, Police Chief Scott Benton urged residents to heed the messages imparted in the April 11 “If I Only Knew,” program sponsored by Whitman-Hanson WILL to help curb the overdose problem.

“It’s choices,” he said, during his monthly report to selectmen. “There are people who don’t want to say anything because they don’t want to be ‘ratting out’ your kid. Well, you know what? Rat them out.”

“Save a life,” agreed Selectmen Vice-chairman Dan Salvucci, conducting the meeting in Chairman Carl Kowalski’s absence.

“There are a lot of great kids out there, but this is something that we’re dealing with and something to be aware of,” Benton said.

Benton reported that his department has received 3,753 calls for service between Jan. 1 and April 10 — compared to 2,895 during the same period last year.

There have been 118 arrests, criminal complaints and protective custodies during that same period and 11 drug overdoses, two fatal. There were 12 overdoses during that period last year.

“We were doing pretty good in January,” Benton said. “We had our Whitman-Hanson WILL presentation last week [April 11] and, right after the presentation, we had three overdoses that evening — one fatal.”

Another of the overdoses that night, overdosed again Wednesday, April 13.

“It’s sad, but it illustrates, certainly, that this is a problem that we’re facing and that we’re going to continue to tackle,” Benton said. “You have to show compassion. … When you come off of heroin, you get sick and people don’t want to get sick, so they’re on the heroin, too, in addition to the addiction itself.”

He said the epidemic is a situation where the adage, “There, but for the grace of God go I,” applies.

“I don’t know anybody that isn’t touched in one way or another by this,” Benton said, noting some people ask him why so many resources are invested in repeat overdose cases. “What would you give to hug your child again? That’s as simple as I can put it. If you look at it that way, with that empathy, you understand that you’ll do anything — so if we save them 100 times, we save them 100 times, that’s the way it goes.”

Through the WEB Task Force, Benton said there is a county-wide effort to establish and maintain a database of available beds in treatment facilities to which officers can connect through their cruisers.

“This will lead to us being able to give that information and be able to offer help and followup,” he said.

Whitman and Hanson police and fire officials have been working with WHRHS officials on crisis planning.

Hull may join SSVT region

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HANOVER — Hull could become the ninth area community to join the South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School region, joining Abington, Cohasset, Hanover, Hanson, Norwell, Rockland, Scituate and Whitman.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recommends the process take a year or longer, according to Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas Hickey. The process would culminate in a revised regional agreement that would come before all eight town meetings, plus the town of Hull.

Hickey also told the district School Committee on Wednesday, April 20, that the addition would have little effect on the number of students accepted from current member towns.

“If Hull were to be factored into the formula … I think that might translate into five seats out of a given freshman class of 170,” he said. “That number changes slightly depending on enrollments, but, if it were happening right now, that’s what it would be.”

Hull has 64 eighth-graders, compared to 183 in Whitman and 143 in Hanson as of Oct. 1 this year. Whitman’s total grade 9-12 enrollment at SSVT is 137, and Hanson’s total grade 9-12 enrollment is 80.

He and Chariman Robert Molla had met with Hull’s Finance Committee on April 4, explaining the process involved in the town’s joining the district.

“The Finance Committee down there was overwhelmingly there to support joining South Shore Regional School District,” Molla said. “In the very near future they’re going to put their planning committee together and we have to put a planning committee together as well.”

Molla added that, while lengthy, it’s a process SSVT had undergone before.

“We’ll be able to help our communities out by spreading spending over nine towns instead of eight towns,” he said.

Hull’s Town Meeting on the second week in May will consider an article on whether or not to support creation of a planning committee, Hickey said. If that happens, the School Committee will vote on the same question as an agenda item.

“The formation of a planning committee merely brings us to the end of a beginning, which is we’ve got two parties that want to talk about the possibility,” Hickey said. “These votes are not entrance into to the district. It is the first of many steps.”

“I think Hull is really going to push for it,” Molla said. “They’re going to get it on their agenda as fast as they can. If they should have a special Town Meeting in the fall, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Hickey also reported that Scituate’s April 14 Town Meeting supported the SSVT fiscal 2017 budget, with six communities — including Whitman and Hanson — convening town meetings on Monday, May 2. Abington’s Town Meeting is held in June.

It’s time to have your say

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Residents in Whitman and Hanson will convene in town meetings on Monday, May 2.

In Whitman, the sessions begin with the annual Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m., for which a quorum of 50 registered voters is required. The special Town Meeting is slated for 7:45 p.m., requiring attendance of 150 registered voters to meet quorum. Voters meet in the Whitman Town Hall auditorium.

Hanson convenes both the annual and special Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Hanson Middle School auditorium, requiring 100 registered voters to meet quorum.

Town Meeting warrants for both towns are now available online.

Both communities’ town meetings will set municipal budgets, including local assessments to the Whitman-Hanson and South Shore Vo-Tech regional school districts.

The WHRSD budget’s 20.15-percent local assessment increase includes an overall 3.5-percent hike inside the levy limit with the balance contingent on a Proposition 2 ½ override in both communities. The total increase outside the levy is $3 million, apportioned based on student population.

Whitman Selectmen voted 5-0 on Tuesday,  April 5 to place a $1,726,588 ballot question for its share of the assessment increase in the $49,714,344 WHRSD operating budget for fiscal 2017. Hanson Selectmen voted 3-2 on the same night to place a $1,241,141 article and ballot question for its share of the assessment, which would increase the town’s assessment to $8,956,207.

Whitman’s annual Town Meeting warrant also includes a total of 54 articles, with 15 articles on the special Town Meeting warrant. Annual warrant articles range from equipment and capital improvement expenditures to by-law amendments pertaining to yard sale permits and dog control regulations — increasing fees for animals picked up by control officers as well as for leash and bite violations and striking a section on outlawed breeds.

Another Whitman article seeks town action on a proposed aggregate agreement for electricity rates from an alternate supplier to National Grid.

The special Town Meeting warrant seeks an $8,000 transfer between accounts to pay for the recent special state senate election, removal of an unsafe building on South Avenue, adjusted bills for Brockton sewer service, equipment lease/purchases, school repair reimbursements and acceptance of a gift to the town of a parcel of land on Auburn Street.

In Hanson, the annual Town Meeting warrant will take up a total of 25 articles, with another 13 on the special Town Meeting warrant. As in Whitman, Hanson’s annual warrant articles include equipment and capital improvement expenditures. There will also be an article proposing the contracting with the state to accept state funding for reconstruction or improvement to town roads as well as seeking  funds for repairs to the Maquan School roof. Another seeks voter approval to name the intersection of Winter and Liberty streets in honor of John Ferry, as well as the funds needed to place a memorial marker.  Voters will also be asked to place the Smith-Nawazelski Conservation Area under the care and custody of the Conservation Commission. The special Town Meeting warrant seeks to transfer funds to pay for school repair reimbursements, stabilization fund investment and water purchase from Brockton while High Street water tank is being rehabilitated as well as for acceptance of a land donation on Hawks Avenue.

Whitman’s Electronic Voting Study Committee will present an informational report on its findings during Town Meeting and a similar panel in Hanson will provide information on the subject  outside Town Meeting.

Honing festival contract

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HANSON — On the strong advice of town counsel, the Board of Selectmen and Recreation Commission are reviewing a draft of a new use agreement between the town and producers of the Bluegrass on the Bog festival.

The festival is slated for Friday, May 20 to Sunday, May 22.

The selectmen’s office received an email from lawyer Sarah Bellino of the town counsel firm of Blatman, Bobrowski & Mead at 3:50 p.m. Tuesday, in which she included a contract draft she “highly” recommended.

“I have serious concerns about the town permitting use of the camp for this event without addressing these issues and requiring [Old Town Road Productions of Hopkinton] OTP to sign the attached agreement,” Bellino wrote.

She listed public safety details, the camp’s prohibition of recreational vehicles, the need for liability insurance and sanitation concerns as points that also need to be addressed before the event.

“The town should require Hanson police detail during all three days/nights of the festival to ensure safety of attendees and to enforce compliance with the no alcohol policy of the camp,” she stated.

Police Chief Michael Miksch said he has already had a two-hour meeting with producer Michael Foster on Thursday, April 21 during which much of the counsel’s concerns were addressed.

“We went over a number of things,” Miksch said, noting the private security staff used by OTP is not adequately trained. “For lack of a better term, they’re like parking attendants. … I don’t have any real problem with them doing that in the camp.”

He and Foster agreed that “no alcohol” postings would be placed.

“He agreed that if he found anyone consuming alcohol we’d remove them,” Miksch said. “They’ve got a cabin or whatever they’ve got, that’s too bad — they can go. … Going further down the road, the Rec Committee has to address any unauthorized alcohol consumption, not only at this event, but others.”

Miksch said Hanson Police details will be on duty during the event, one on Friday (6:30 to 11:30 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) when crowds are estimated at about 250, and three officers on Saturday’s day-long program when 500-600 people are expected between 10 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. If more people are expected based on ticket sales, police presence can be increased, Miksch said. Overnight details have not yet been discussed.

“I have some concerns about hours,” Miksch said. “We didn’t have any complaints from neighbors — there’s nothing logged of complaints of noise or anything — I just felt 11 p.m. or earlier would be a better time to kind of wrap it up.”

Weekend estimated crowds are similar to a large wedding at the Needles Lodge. A traffic and parking plan has also been provided to police.

“We will have details there every day,” agreed Recreation Commission Chairman David Blauss. “They’re [OTP] rewriting their insurance policy.”

RVs are prohibited because of the slope of the land, lack of hookup provisions or dump stations for sewage waste disposal and OTP’s insurance does not cover property damage from “pollution,” including sewage waste, Bellio noted. She also said OTP’s insurance does not cover the town’s liability for attendees renting cabins, tent or RV space from the company when purchasing tickets and the policy contains no liquor liability coverage.

Bellino also said a log or register should be kept to track renters and that no “overnight guests” are allowed if not listed on the rental application. Vehicle registration information is also needed, she said.

Toilet facilities and garbage containers are insufficient at the camp, as the lodge is not being rented, unless OTP or vendors provide portable toilets and additional trash barrels, Bellino advised.

Blauss noted the cove area toilet facilities and portable toilets will be available in addition to bathhouses at the north and south ends of the camp. He also challenged the definition of RVs, noting security staff uses all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

“I think, for all intents and purposes, they probably mean the ones that have campers,” Selectman James McGahan said.

Blauss noted some of the bands travel in RVs for their accommodations and the terrain limits where they can park so they are in sight of all attendees and staff running the event.

“They put a stiff limit on how many they allow,” Blauss said. “Where these are parked, if anybody was dumping anything everybody would know. These are not isolated spots, these are right on the Kiwanee road.”

Blauss said the Board of Health has been consulted and expressed no issues with the RVs. Last year there were only five or six, but Blauss estimated there could be as many as 15 to 20.

“I don’t think we should have RVs up there,” Selectman Kenny Mitchell said. “It’s clearly in the policy. If you guys have a four-wheeler, that policy may have to be adjusted to allow that four-wheeler, but RVs, it clearly says right here they shouldn’t be allowed. I don’t think we should allow it at all.”

McGahan and Selectmen Chairman Bruce Young said the regulations would have to be modified and approved by the board for any RVs to be allowed on site.

New firefighters

In other business, in addition to conducting the annual Town Meeting run-through, the board welcomed new firefighters Sherylin Mullin and Robert Heffernan who were sworn in Tuesday  night.

Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., said the two were the third and fourth of seven new firefighters being sworn in over the coming weeks, filling retirement vacancies.

“Although it’s difficult to see some of our older members retire, that have more experience, this is an exciting time for our department,” Thompson said. “In order for them to get to tonight, there’s a couple of things they have to accomplish — successfully completing the Mass. Firefighting Academy, a training program and their one-year probation.”

Mullin grew up in Abington, graduating high school in 2006 and working in the EMS field for eight years. Heffernan grew up in Middleboro, graduating from Bristol-Plymouth Regional in 2008 and has worked in EMS for six years.

Mullin’s badge was pinned on by her grandmother, Nancy Monahan and Heffernan’s badge was pinned by his mother Kelly after each, in turn, was sworn in by Town Clerk Beth Sloan.

New Town Administrator Michael McCue also sat in on the meeting in advance of his May 9 start on the job.

Spring household hazardous waste days set

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Do you have stuff that’s too bad for the trash? South Shore Recycling Cooperative member towns will host seven household hazardous waste collections this spring. Residents of host and co-host towns may attend at no charge.  Collections are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. as follows:

April 23 — Plymouth and Middleboro, at Plymouth DPW, 169 Camelot Dr.

April 30 — Hanover, at Transfer Station, 118 Rockland St. (Rt. 139). Usable latex paint* also accepted.

May 14 — Duxbury and Kingston, at Duxbury Middle-High School, St. George St.

May 21 — Hingham, at Plymouth River School, 200 High St.

June 4 — Hanson, at Plymouth County Hospital, 252 High St.

June 11 — Scituate and Cohasset, at Scituate Highway Department, 68 Capt. Pierce Road. Usable latex paint* also accepted.

Residents of those, and of member towns Abington, Norwell, Rockland, and Whitman may attend collections that their town isn’t hosting/co-hosting at their home town’s expense. To do so, obtain and bring a signed Authorization Form from your town’s responsible department (DPW, Health Dept. or Marine/Environment).  Some towns may limit subsidized quantities to 25 gallons or 50 pounds.

Residents from any town without an Authorization Form may attend for a fee of $24 /10 gal or 20 lbs., or $45 /25 gal or 50 lbs of waste. (Volumes are based on container size, not contents). Commercial generators, call ahead to 1-617-852-3086 to arrange disposal and payment. Please bring a check.

Bring: Oil-based paint**, stains**, automotive fluids**, solvents, gasoline, herbicides, pesticides, photography and pool chemicals, acids, bases, and toxins in secure, labeled containers.

*Usable leftover latex paint will ONLY be accepted at the three collections indicated. The Paint Exchange LLC also accepts it at their Rockland site for a fee of $2/can, and remanufactures it into new paint. To see if your paint qualifies, and for hours of operation, go to ssrcoop.info/, click on “Latex Paint”, or call 339-214-8462. If paint has been frozen, or has an odor, skin or chunks, absorb liquid with cat litter and dispose in trash. Do not bring: industrial, pathological and medical waste, radioactive materials, pressurized gas cylinders or explosives.

**Oil-based paint, propane tanks, motor oil, antifreeze, medical sharps, rechargeable batteries, and fluorescent lamps are collected regularly by many towns and retailers.  Residents should use those services if available.  Go to ssrcoop.info, click on “Other Stuff”.

Stericycle Environmental will conduct the collections.  For more information, call the South Shore Recycling Cooperative at 781-329-8318, or go to ssrcoop.info.