In the wake of the commonwealth’s vote last year to remove the MCAS test as a graduation requirement, school districts have been grappling with whether to keep it as an educational tool and how it should be used if it is retained.
“We’ve always had high graduation requirements at W-H,” Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak said during the Wednesday, Jan. 15 School Committee meeting.
Vice Chair Hillary Kniffen noted that the change is a shift to the Committee’s requirements, asked what graduation requirements have been set.
The Committee unanimously voted to accept changes to the district’s high school graduation requirements, after a lengthy discussion on the implication of the changes toward graduation requirements.
High School Principal Dr. Christopher Jones presented this year’s changes to the program of study to the School Committee.
The main changes concern a change of language due to graduation requirements following the ballot question removing it as a graduation requirement last November.
Jones said language changes are usually done merely for updating, accuracy and clarity; two new course additions – Teen Literature II and Physics: Electricity and Waves, or Magnetism – accessible via graphic. Course adjustments to keep courses fresh and provide students with different opportunities and options, are also included in the program of study.
The updated graduation policy changes from requiring the MCAS test to just mentioning “successfully passed all requirements set forth by the WHRSD School Committee, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Department of Education.”
A schedule change to eight different blocks of class time, also means students are now required to take minimum of seven classes, instead of six – with a total of 98 credits instead of 90 to graduate, beginning with the Class of 2028 with certain number in certain classes – beginning with the Class of 2026.
“Students have to have a certain number of credits to graduate, and a certain number of those credits have to be in certain courses,” Jones said. “We haven’t adjusted the number courses that they need, or specific courses that they need, so we put those into electives. That doesn’t mean that they have to be a half-year course. It could be a full-year course – it really opens up options for students to explore more of what they would like to explore when they’re in high school.”
Jones said it is a requirement that is easily attainable by the time they’ve completed their four years of high school.
“Now that the MCAS is off the table, and – DESE – we’re still waiting for guidance, and maybe we’ll get it this year, probably not,” she said. “But, by the time we get it, it’ll be too late for this current class. Right? So, what is our role here?”
She said, if the language in the program of study refers to requirements set by the School Committee, “then that means we, as a School Committee, have to have a conversation about adopting MassCORE or looking at the MassCORE framework.” She noted that MassCORE is what most state universities look at, as well.
“Is that a future topic?” Kniffen asked.
Szymaniak said if the district aligns with MassCORE, which requires the increase to 98 credits, but it is a modified version, or a future topic to be discussed.
“It could be both,” Szymaniak said. “We use MassCORE, [which is why the credit total is being changed]. It’s modified MassCORE. A student in science could take biology, could take physics, and then, potentially, could take two other courses to fulfill that requirement.”
Glen DiGravio asked for confirmation that the local School Committee is subordinate to the other two, referring to DESE at the state level and the U.S, Department of Education.
“We couldn’t supersede them?” DiGravio asked.
“Yes, you could,” Szymaniak replied. “Right now, there is nothing from the Commonwealth of Mass. … Certain School Committees now, still require MCAS.”
“We could do that?” Digravio asked.
“You could,” Szymaniak said. “If you do, you’re opening up for a lawsuit from voters, saying you’re not supporting the vote of the Commonwealth.”
The vote in 2024 reset the law and abolishes the MCAS tests.
The MCAS vote is now law, “but the phrase “local requirements” have also to be factored in, Szymaniak explained.
There is no competency determination in the Commonwealth,” said Szymaniak. “The state only gave us MCAS, which is a competency, not a graduation requirement in the Commonwealth, however, a number of our students still have to take MCAS because it’s a federal assessment, for attendance – not necessarily schoolwork.
“This is where the state is doing the push-pull right now,” Szymaniak said. “The School Committee has always approved graduation requirements and the state said, ‘For a state diploma, because of the law, you need the competency determination for MCAS.’ That is now off the table, so the School Committee could do multiple things.”
W-H has always had high graduation requirements, according to the superintendent.
Kniffen noted that the district requires two units of foreign language, adding that it is important for the School Committee members to know how many courses and credits students are supposed to take at W-H.
“Currently, we don’t have foreign language at our middle schools,” she said. “If you take a foreign language in middle school, and you take it in seventh and eighth grade, that can set you up to go more than just your first two units [in high school]. I’m just saying that there are more budgetary implications to – now that we don’t have MCAS – making sure that the students have access to these things in that way.”
Member Dawn Byers argued that, when they approve the program of studies changes, they are, essentially, setting graduation policy. But, when the high school advocates for no mid-term and final exams in order to give more in-class time on learning, but when the committee supported Jones in that, MCAS was still a measure of competency and a tool.
“Now, our students are not experiencing the learning process to learn, [and prepare] for a midterm or final exam or an MCAS,” she said, adding that she has heard feedback from some students that the situation is problematic for them.
She also noted that AP Spanish is being removed because it doesn’t qualify for W-H students. Robotics is not offered until junior year.
Jones countered that AP Spanish has not been removed [but] the way it’s worded is a little tricky.
“It’s being taken out that we’re not offering it,” he said. “So, we’re taking that back, because it was put in the program of study last year that it was not going to be offered … it will be offered,” he said. “Now, whether it runs or not depends on how many students can qualify or apply for it or to enter into it.” He said the number is very low right now. “If I were a betting person, I don’t think it will run next year,” Jones said.
Whitman Health Board issues bird flu caution
PLYMOUTH — State environmental and health officials are informing the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu, which very rarely infects humans, is suspected to be the cause of over 60 deceased Canada geese, swans, and other birds in Plymouth.
The Whitman Board of Health is warning residents of the Avian Flu. It is imperative not to touch any birds you may come across dead or alive
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) are advising the public to refrain from handling birds or other animals that are dead or appear sick.
The recent outbreak at Billington Sea in Plymouth has impacted over 60 Canada geese, swans, and ducks. Smaller outbreaks of suspected HPAI impacting fewer than 15 geese at each location have been reported in recent weeks in other parts of the state. Officials responded quickly and are collecting, testing, and safely disposing of dead birds. Prompt reporting of sick and dead birds by the public will expedite testing and diagnosis in cooperation with state and federal partners who have been monitoring HPAI for several years.
Both wild and domesticated birds can become infected with HPAI. Raptors, waterfowl and other aquatic birds are most at risk for infection, although any bird species should be considered susceptible. Birds may be infected with HPAI without showing any signs of illness. Wild mammals, especially those that scavenge on birds such as foxes, can also become infected.
Humans are rarely infected with avian influenza viruses. Humans that have prolonged close contact with sick or dead birds infected with HPAI are the most at risk of becoming infected. People with questions about the public health impact of HPAI can visit DPH’s Avian influenza webpage or call the Division of Epidemiology (available 24/7) at 617-983-6800.
Reporting wild birds
The public should report observations of sick or deceased birds if 5 or more birds are found at a single location using this simple form at mass.gov/reportbirds.
- Reporting domestic birds: The public should report sick or dead poultry or other domestic birds by calling MDAR’s Division of Animal Health at (617) 626-1795.
- Handling birds and other wildlife: The public should strictly avoid handling any sick or dead birds or other animals. Report sightings as indicated above or call the local Animal Control Officer.
- Keeping pets safe: Pets should always be kept away from wildlife. Cats are highly susceptible to HPAI and may die from an infection. Cat owners in affected areas should keep their pets indoors to prevent them from being exposed to infected wildlife.
- Hunting geese: While eating wild game meat is generally considered safe, licensed hunters can minimize risk from wildlife diseases by following best practices when handling and processing game.
Override questions linger
WHITMAN – The Select Board and Finance Committee agree that it will likely take an override to resolve the town’s deficit situation. The question remains how big and whether it would be a one-year or a multi-year one?
Some important numbers, which would allow a projection, are not in yet, which is one reason another joint meeting is planned for Tuesday, Feb, 25, after the School District budget is released on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
“It might make sense to have more joint meetings than we’re accustomed to, said Select Board Chair Dr. Carl Kowalski during the Tuesday, Jan. 21 joint meeting. FinCom Chair Kathleen Ottina attended remotely be phone and Finance members Mike Flanagan, Jason Hunter, Vice Chair Mike Warner, Rick Anders and Al Cafferty also attended. Select Board member Laura Howe was absent.
W-H Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak also attended the meeting.
Select Boad member Shawn Kain opened the meeting with a brief review of the latest revenue and expenditure projections before the two boards got down to discussing the financial outlook for fiscal 2027.
“The preliminary budget numbers indicate that an override is necessary [his emphasis] to maintain level services,” Kain said, announcing that current revenue projections and expense outlook put the town at a deficit of about $1.7 million, inviting a discussion “on the size and scope” of an override this year.
That figure already factors the 2.5 percent increase for town department and adding a progression of 1 percent and so on, dividing the calculations to 1-percent increases, without interrupting that negotiation.
But what kind of override? That was his question regarding the size and duration of such a move.
Flanagan said Kain’s last budget review on Jan. 7 “opened my eyes a little bit,” and he found some sense in Select Board member Justin Evans’ proposal of a possible multi-year override, “to spread it out a little bit.”
Winter also favored a multi-year override.
“I would be concerned each of the following years … that we have to go back each year to hope that [voters] would go for another one,” he said. “We’re hearing it from the departments. We have some pretty major capital outlays that need to be made.”
All union locals for both the schools and town are due for contract negotiations this year, Evans and Szymaniak also noted.
Looking at a deficit that big, Ottina asked if a grant from the state secured by Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter that allows her to project the impact of different union contract raises on the budget
Carter confirmed that information.
While not wanting anyone to tip their hand in a contract negotiation, Ottina wondered what the pact of a 1-percent rise, “just or the sake of having a piece of information out there.”
“On a multi-year override, I don’t think we explained exactly how that works too well,” Evans said. “So, my thought was, if we have reasonable expense projections out, say, three years, is override to the level that you would need to be at in those three years, and not tax to the levy in the first two years.”
By intentionally leaving excess levy, which [the town] had not been doing for the past three years, so that we’re no hitting the taxpayers at the maximum level,” he said. “It would be one override vote, but it would step up, almost like it was a couple of overrides.”
It would increase by 2.5 percent plus new growth during the interim years, but it’s all projection right now.
“For me, I’m thinking that we should have the smallest possible override that we could ask the people to consider, knowing that we’re sacrificing, we’re demonstrating our sacrifice, and asking them to sacrifice in a way that’s a complement to our own, so we can just get by with level services, but that is a different message” he said.
While going back before the voters each year is a harder route, Kain said it would be the better route.
Andrews said he agreed, noting that a year-to year override is a better option because, it gives the town options.
Where the budget stands
“If we look at what we had in revenue last year, and what we have in revenue this year … we’re looking at a little over $800,000 in new revenue,” Kain said. “We’re pretty sparse, is the message that was sent out to the department heads.”
Among the bigger expenses officials are keeping an eye on is an 11.32 percent (or $323,260) increase in Plymouth County Retirement. “It’s a huge number for us,” Kain said. Medical and health insurance is estimated to increase by 7 percent.
“We’re not exactly sure where that’s going land, so that’s just a place-holder,” he said.
WHRSD, about a $20 million assessment line for Whitman, and $200,000 for every 1 percent it increases. Kain therefore put an estimated increase of 5 percent sits at close to $1 million.
“It is also important to note that we had discussed as a board earlier that a creative way to get them some revenue that’s not currently used in the operating budget, is the funding that we used to fund our OPEB liability,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that we’re not going to fund our OPEB liability, it’s just that it would go in the queue at Town Meeting and we’d ask for the Town Meeting’s support to pay for it with free cash.”
Resident John Galvin asked why free cash has not yet been certified by the state.
“We can’t talk about it unless we get it certified,” he said.
Carter said she had the town accountant’s office to check on the free cash certification status on Tuesday. The tax rate had been set in mid-December and took priority as well as a lot of year-end documents to be reconciled by the treasurer-collector’s office.
“I was told today that, where we have a new accountant in place full-time, the DOR is putting us at the top of the list and were working on it this afternoon,” Carter said, adding that it was hoped that task would be done that afternoon and could be available as soon as Wednesday, Jan. 22.
The budgeting situation means that the district is “missing critical components” in the district budget.
“They don’t have an educationally sound budget at W-H Regional School district, so they need more funding,” he said. “But they’re getting less money from the state because [of] this hold-harmless situation, so they’re in a bind.”
Instituted in 2021 to help with funding gaps as pandemic-related enrollment losses, hold-harmless provides funding stability for districts experiencing declining enrollments. It can take several forms, such as limiting changes in state aid from year to year, providing supplemental funding for districts with declining enrollment, or using past enrollments in grant calculations, but some argue it may unintentionally disadvantage districts that were seeing steady enrollment or increases before the pandemic.
“We know they’re in a difficult situation with their current budget,” Kain said, noting that Szymaniak has reported to the School Committee on the specifics of the problem. “That’s definitely going to hurt when it comes to hold-harmless, which means we’re not looking to get more money from the state.”
South Shore Tech’s Whitman enrollment is down a bit, as well, Kain has included a level-funded number as a place-holder, but SST Superintendent/Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey said that number would be reduced some to reflect that decline.
Kain noted that Whitman Fire Department’s budget is down by 2.36 percent, due mainly to recent retirements.
“We used free cash last year [$509,212], so that puts us behind the eight-ball a little bit this year,” he said.
Resident Robert Kimball of Auburnville Way said his calculations put SST at a 10-percent decrease in Whitman students for an $80,000 decrease in that budget.
Galvin noted that SST’s budget is a zero-based plan calculated on a three-year rolling average of the enrollment for each community.
“Even though [Whitman] is down 18, that average isn’t going to come down that much, it will, but not that much,” he said.
Kimball also pointed to a new cannabis retailer expected to open by mid-year, and expressed the expectation that it might help reduce the hit on taxpayers. He also questioned how WHRSD enrollment numbers could be continuing to decline when “we seem to have more and more people moving into the community.”
Szymaniak said the high school is down by 109 this year, and indicating the same trend has been true for lower grades – although there is anecdotal evidence of some classes bouncing back a bit. But the high school number “isn’t surprising” because some students opt for SST or carter and parochial schools.
“It looks like grades one and two are continuing to build back up to areas that might be sustainable, but those [families] aren’t having four or five kids anymore, they’re having one or two.”
“I’m very pleased that we’re having this discussion in January,” Ottina said. “The information has to be gotten out to the public.”
Noting that Hanson is using ARPA funding to help them illustrate the override need to its residents through the use of Guilfoil Public Relations, a firm already used by Whitman Police and Fire, as well as the schools to inform residents a how an override could hep the town’s fiscal outlook,
“Supporting an override doesn’t mean that you want the override to pass,” Kain said “But I do think the right choice is to allow the town to make that desicion.”
Hanson hires for PD and IT
HANSON – While the Select Board keeps an eye on the budget bottom line, they made a few hiring moves to bring some essential personnel on board during their Tuesday, Jan. 14 meeting – appointing a new police officer and an IT director.
The hires came amid a meeting in which the budget’s ability to maintain services frequently bubbled to the surface.
“We’ve never cut first responders in town, we don’t want to cut first responders in town,” Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said during a later discussion on the town’s efforts to inform residents of the need for an override. “We’ve done everything we can to attract people, to retain people, to treat those unions well.”
She echoed Vice Chair Ann Rein’s comment that more than 50 percent of the town budget is tied to the one area where the town has no control – the school budget.
“We’re supporting an elephant we can’t do anything about, and then we have to support the town services that they want,” Rein said. “They want good police officers. They want a good fire department.”
Town Administrator Lisa Green said her conversations with department heads have often included the conclusion that the housing growth in town over recent years means that Hanson has out-grown its public safety departments. Reductions in municipal services, especially the quality of the schools, could mean a decrease in the value of those homes, making the town less attractive to young families who could afford the necessary taxes to maintain public safety services.
“People don’t always act in the moment for their future needs,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “This is serious.”
In presenting his case for the new officer, Deputy Police Chief Michael Casey noted that the Hanson Police Department had lost two officers last year through transfers, and Chief Michael Miksch had been before the board just last month to bring on one replacement through a lateral transfer.
Since then, Casey said after the loss of the two who transferred elsewhere, the department posted two full-time academy-trained, MPTC-certified officers looking for laterals and had conducted several interviews after receiving applications and vet the officers through police consulting firm.
“We were able to hire officer Thomas Malloy, who started Dec. 23, and in that same process, we were able to then fill the second vacancy with an officer Kyle Crombie,” Casey said. “He is a graduate of Bridgewater State, and started over in Truro Police Department in 2023. Just finding an officer … you’re extremely fortunate, and Kyle, just like officer Malloy, is [a round peg for round hole] – they fit perfect.”
Casey asked for Crombie’s appointment as a full-time police officer and liquor control officer for the town of Hanson, contingent on passing a medical exam, background check and completion of a conditional offer, with a target start date of Feb, 3.
The board unanimously appointed Crombie by a 4-0 vote. Member Joe Weeks was absent.
The Board, also voted 4-0 to appoint Stephen Burke as the town’s new IT director.
Hanson has been without an IT Director since April, but recently conducted a search for new director and searched ed town records for information regarding salary, possibly removing it from the bylaw to make it a contractual position to provide more flexibility for the town, conducted a search and collected resumes. After a review of the resumes, Planning Board Chair Joe Campbell, who has professional experience in information technology, and Green, who said that process gave them a list of four candidates to bring in for interviews. Three of them interviewed, and one had withdrawn their name from consideration.
“After the interviews, we both agreed that the most qualified candidate to present to the Board this evening would be Stephen Burke,” she said, adding that [they wanted] to present to the board the recommendation written by Mr. Cambell.”
Describing the candidate vetting process as the best way to make its hiring decision and citing his own expertise of 30 years in both military and civilian IT work, stated that all the applicants were well-versed in municipal experiences as well as having an abundance of professional background, education applicable to most aspects of the position’s requirements, but the interviews made the difference.
“After the in-person interviews, it is my highest recommendation to the town to select Mr. Stephen Burke,” he said, noting Burke’s ability to learn and adapt, commit to the town and position – as well as having displayed critical out-of-the-box thinking. “[His] pedigree, educational experience and education surpassed my expectations.”
Green added that Burke has already been helping Hanson with its IT needs without any hiccoughs and has kept the town moving forward and added her highest recommendation to the Select Board to appoint him.
“We probably haven’t adequately expressed our appreciation for you for bailing us out, literally with no notice,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said of the sensitive position. “I was hoping that this [process] would ultimately result in you being the person that we hired, but we wanted to go through that.”
She asked Green when Burke’s effective date would be.
“Is it, like, five minutes ago or …?” she asked.
Green said she would meet with Burke to work out salary and contract terms as he provided his notice to the town of Whitman, where he had been employed, with the aim of Jan. 28 as his effective start date.
FitzGerald-Kemmett also thanked Campbell for his help to the town in the hiring process.
Board member Ed Heal echoed the appreciation for Burke’s assistance over the last months.
“He’s helped me out over the short period of time he’s been helping us,” Heal said. “It’s been very valuable to have him here.
SST building vote is Saturday
Voters in the nine towns sending students to South Shore Technical High School —Abington, Cohasset, Hanover, Hanson, Marshfield, Norwell, Rockland, Scituate and Whitman — go to the polls on Saturday, Jan. 25 to vote on a new building proposed for the school.
Polls for voters in the nine towns are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Whitman voters casting ballots at Whitman Town Hall Auditorium and at Hanson Middle School gymnasium in Hanson.
A simple majority of the votes cast in all nine communities will decide the issue.
The proposed building project is to construct a new, 900 student school with two new, high-demand vocational programs: Plumbing and Veterinary Science. The building would be constructed on the current athletic fields in the back of the property. Project construction would start in mid 2026 and the school would be opened for the 2028-2029 school year. SST is the second oldest vocational school in Massachusetts, opened in 1962.
Hanson absentee ballots are now available at the Hanson Town Clerk’s Office. Absentee voting is done at the Town Clerk’s office and can be done up until noon on Friday, Jan. 24. For more information, call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-293-2772.
To vote by absentee ballot in Whitman,an application has to be filed before an absentee ballot can be sent. The deadline for applications for absentee voting must be on file by noon on Friday, Jan. 24. You may vote absentee only if you are unable to vote at the polls on election day due to absence from town during the hours polls are open, physical disability or religious belief.
You may vote in person during regular office hours. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
For more information call the Whitman Town Clerk’s office at 781-618-9710.
Hanson moves ahead on accessory dwellings
HANSON – Town Planner Anthony DeFrias discussed with the Select Board on Jan. 14, the accessory dwelling units amendment to the town’s bylaw, which would to bring Hanson into alignment with new state legislation involving Section 3 of the Zoning Act, aimed at improving housing affordability in Massachusetts.
The board voted 4-0 to accept the proposed bylaw amendment, and forwarding it to the Planning Board for their recommendation. Member Joe Weeks was absent.
Approved almost six months ago, the legislation goes into effect on Feb. 2. Hanson’s public hearing will be Jan. 27, putting the town ahead of the Feb. 2 enactment date of the law.
If the town has a public hearing and notice before that date, anyone coming to the town for an accessory dwelling unit will follow these new bylaws until such time as they are approved at Town Meeting.
“If we do not have something in place, our current bylaw will become null and void on Feb. 2 and, in essence, we will not have any bylaw,” DeFrais said. “We’re doing this to be pre-emptive and protect the town.”
With the regulations in place, the town can go through the process of putting it before the Town Meeting in May for approval, according to DeFrais. As part of that process the Planning Board is asking the Select Board to consider the bylaw, and send it back to the Planning Board for a report. The Select Board would then hold a public hearing and make any amendments, adjustments or edits as it has in the past with other bylaw changes.
Town Counsel prepared the language for the Planning Board request.
“Currently, as our bylaw stands, accessory dwelling units, whether attached or detached – attached, under our definition of ‘in-law apartments,’ detached would be a separate structure on the site that would be a dwelling,” he outlined. “We require that a special permit process be followed to obtain permits for an in-law apartment and a detached accessory dwelling through the Zoning Board of Appeals.”
The new legislation changes that process to an “as-of-right building” process.
“A person will be able to, as-of-right, apply for an attached or detached accessory dwelling unit,” he said.
Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if the bylaw change would come under the purview of the Planning Board or ZBA going forward.
“I do like the idea of more consistency,” she said. “I think they could be a wonderful attribute if done properly.”
DeFrias said it would come under the ZBA purview.
“One of the things that we are asking for is that there be a site plan review required, so it’s not just a wild west show,” he said. “It wouldn’t be a situation where the ZBA would just shoot it down, but they could condition it, and it also gives the abutters the ability to come in and know what’s going on in their neighborhood and have some input.”
Getting out override facts
HANSON – The Select Board on Tuesday, Jan. 14, voted 4-0 after nearly an hour of discussion, to use Guilfoil Public Relations to assist them in presenting the case for an override in the run-up to the annual Town Meeting and Town Election in May. Member Joe Weeks was absent from the meeting
Guilfoil, already on a retainer of unused hours under which had initially been hired with ARPA money, to help the board deal with an election-related issue at the town’s water tower in October, had presented a media plan, including guest editorials to the Express and website information on the potential financial effects to the town if an override failed.
Select Board member Ed Heal balked at the whole idea, before finally voting on the proposal, because of concerns about cost and ownership of the site, how much of the work the board might be expected to do and whether it might come cross as an attempt to “sell” the public on supporting an override.
“When you say ‘educate the community,’ I think there’s probably going to be people out there who are going to say, ‘You’re not educating us, you’re trying to sell us,’” George said.
Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said the intent is that the board is fulfilling its job responsibilities of fully informing the public.
“We’re not trying to sell anybody,” she said. “It’s just the facts. … I would say ‘inform’ is a better term [than educate].”
Concerns aired
All four members present had some initial concerns on one point or another, but were swayed by the closing window for getting information before the public.
“I’m looking for the value in it, and I’m not seeing the value in what they are providing,” Heal said at the outset. “We’re still providing the data and information to them. They’re just going to host it.”
“They are going to work with us,” Town Administrator Lisa Green said, noting that her office had approached John Guilfoil Public Relations Agency and said they would be working with the town on press releases, the website posts, fliers and mailers, slide show presentations and guest columns for the Express.
“They were very good with helping us respond to inquiries and things like that,” Green said about the water tower issue. “With the hours that they gave us for that proposal, we only used about seven hours out of 36 [contracted for]. We still have 29 hours, which they [can use] to help us with communication of budget education and override education for our residents and the public.”
Green also pointed out that, at mid-January, time is not on the board’s side for getting information before the public to be of use for a May Town Meeting and Town Election and that, if not used, the ARPA funds would be lost. She had already spoken to department heads to have them start getting information to Guilfoil.
“We are working as quickly as we possibly can to start getting this information to them,” she said. “There’s a lot of moving pieces on this.”
She said their proposal includes creating a website for the town that will present all information regarding the budgets the budget process, an override and that process, look at town departments to provide “as much information as we can get out there” on town finances, services it provides to residents, to potential effects if an override fails.
“Their proposal was very, very reasonable,” Green said. “We will be using ARPA money to pay for this. They [will] keep the website up to date …”
“Can we talk about funding?” asked FitzGerald-Kemmett. “Where is the money coming from for this? We are in fiscal crisis and we’re heading into an even bigger fiscal crisis.”
Green said the town had ARPA money that had already been paid for the October crisis communications services and the remaining contracted hours will be used toward the budget education services.
“In other words, we bought a package of hours and we didn’t use them all up,” said member Ann Rein.
The $9,000 in ARPA funds would now be used toward the website design, Green explained.
“We have a year’s worth of service on this and the website is ours always,” she said. “I believe they’ll make a link to it so that people can go on our website and click on the link and come right to this website that will have calculators, questions, answers, it will have budget information for each department …”
Website
FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if it would be similar to the one that South Shore Technical High School has for their project, which is like a micro-site devoted to the building project.
“Which I really love, because it I don’t want to read about everything else related to [SST] I don’t need to,” she said. “I can just go to this thing to read about the SST article and everything I want to know is right on that link. … It’s been very thoughtfully put together.”
Green said Guilfoil has done the same type of project for other towns and school districts, noting that they are professionals who know how to word things.
“And they understand that we’re not advocating…” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
“It’s the facts only,” Green said. “It’s going to be beneficial because we’ve never had something like this before. We haven’t had an IT director, so having somebody with this knowledge build [the site] and, once we do get our IT director on board, they can help build it, as well.”
Earlier in the meeting the Select Board had voted to approve the hiring of Steve Burke as IT director on the recommendation of Green and Planning Board Chair Joseph Campbell (who has extensive professional experience in IT and helped with the interview process).
“But for now, we have these folks on board and they can start the process,” she said.. “We’re going to start feeding them the information – the budget process, and things like that.”
“If it’s ours afterward, I would truly love to use it prospectively, for future town meetings, to help with all the information that people need for Town Meeting on that one site,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Rein said the town is paying the monthly fee after the first year of the website for domain registration.
“We’re going to own that, all we have to do is host it,” she said.
Heal said he had asked the same questions FitzGerald-Kemmett was posing and made notes on the proposal sheet and hadn’t received answers.
“Basically, we get the first year for free,” Green said of a budge webpage. “There’s no charge for the first year of hosting and supporting a website. After that, it’s $199 a month that we put into the technology line, but they will continue to host the site, software updates, nightly backup .. 24/7/365 support.’
He countered that, while the town owns the domain, and as long as the town pays Guilfoil, they will keep the site up and the town’s URLs will work.
“The minute we stop paying them, our URL that somebody gave somebody else is gone and we can’t get it back,” Heal said. “We can’t take it in-house. The domain is not the data.”
Rein said she would want the details looked over with respect that the town would have the ability to take the site over.
“This does not allow that,” he said.
“We could negotiate it, is my point,” Rein replied. “We can’t afford $200 a month. … It would be nice to know that we have that option to buy our stuff outright.”
“We could make it more sustainable for us to take the wheel,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
FitzGerald-Kemmett said it wasn’t a deal-breaker, but that the board would feel “a lot more encouraged about it” if they were able to get some assurances that Guilfoil would be good partners and give the town the wheel at some point.
“For at least one year, they’ll get us through, the information we need to get out there,” Green said.
But Heal’s objection was that Hanson would be providing the data and words to Guilfoil.
“They’re not massaging our words,” he said. “They’re basically putting them up on the site. Correct?”
Seeking value
Green said that was, indeed, correct, but if Guilfoil decided a submission could be worded better, they will put their PR skills to work. She said she would ask the firm for the specifics Heal and George were seeking.
Heal agreed on that point, but said he was “looking for the value in it.”
“They need to clear it up,” George suggested.
“The reason you hire a PR firm is to do this kind of work,” Rein said. “I don’t think there’s anything nefarious here. I think we’re getting what, at least we understood what we’re going to get.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett said that, when she spoke to them, Guilfoil staff said that is what they said they would be doing.
“They’re going to be managing the communication project, which we do not have the staff to do,” she said, including suggested website postings and press releases.
“I would feel comfortable if Steve Burke feels comfortable with this,” Heal said of the data management plans. FitzGerald-Kemmett said she would like to hear his thinking on sustainability and cost.
Whitman discusses extent of override
WHITMAN – Any override to help resolve the town’s budget should be one to level-service departments as the Select Board should also the difference between a one-year override and a multi-year override. The Select Board intends to delve into the issue deeper when they meet with the Finance Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
“I’m kind of leaning – just my own personal opinion – that we should consider simply a one-year override, the major variable being the hold-harmless situation that the schools’ [are] in,” said Select Board member Shawn Kain. “It’s very difficult to predict out [and it] has a major impact on the town’s finances.”
While the town is not in a deficit now – it was able to balance the books this past year, Kain noted – projections put the fiscal 2026 budget at “a little bit of a deficit.”
“That’s the gap we have to keep our current services,” he said. “Each year our books have to be balanced” between costs vs. revenues coming in.
He added that is a difficult to calculate specifics because the numbers from the state are so difficult to compute effectively, said Kain, who provided a to the Select Board on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Kain, indicated that what he had in mind was, a “bit more of a quick discussion, or at least the start of a discussion.”.
“It wouldn’t be a great scenario if we looked for a three-year override and we came out of [hold-harmless] early,” Kain said. “That would mean, in a sense, we’ve asked for more money than we kind of needed, and I don’t think the town would appreciate that.”
Chair Dr. Carl Kowalski said that appraisal of the situation was correct.
“It doesn’t feel good to say, ‘Hey, we’re asking for a small override and it might be the case that, to hold onto services next year, we’d also have to have an override,’” he said. “But it does feel like the right thing to do.”
“Take it a year at a time,” Kowalski agreed.
Hold-harmless is a provision that ensures school districts receive at least the same amount of aid from one year to the next and can include supplemental funding for districts with declining enrollment. Calculating state aid amounts based on past enrollments and ensuring that all districts receive at least a minimum amount of aid, plus additional per-pupil funding.
He explained that the town could be in hold-harmless for a year or two before emerging from it, or it could be for the next three years, or even just for this year, if the town starts to pull out of it, according to Kain,
Without updated numbers since the presentation he provided at the last budget meeting, he suggested a discussion of the type of the override Whitman is considering.
Finance Chair Kathleen Ottina has said her board is interested in meeting with the Select Board on Tuesday, Jan. 21, according to Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter.
“The obvious being, should this be an override where department heads should consider new services or opportunities to add the things that they’ve been hoping to add over the last five years,” Kain said. “We’ve been asking them to hold off, so that when we put forth the override there’ll be not just be level-service, but … some additional things as well, or should we set the directive that the override that we’re really looking to create is one where we’re just trying to get by. What we’re looking for is not to add an additional financial burden on the people of the town, given the climate with debt that’s going to be added to the rolls.”
Kain, putting himself in department heads’ position, said, “If I knew an override was coming, it might be my opportunity to put in the things that I haven’t been able to get over the last five years that I couldn’t get,” he said. “Which is understandable. But, from my opinion, I don’t think that should be the case.”
Kain argued that, if residents are going to be asked to sacrifice for the town by way of higher taxes, it’s very important that the town demonstrate the sacrifices it is making.
“I think that’s going to be a critical component this year, in particular,” he said. “If people think that we’re adding one more thing and they feel like their taxes are going up that much more, it’s a bad kind of vibe, and a message that’s difficult to stand behind.”
But, he argued if the town can show they are making every effort to get by and in as efficient a way as possible without losing services while asking for more of a tax contribution, that would be a more acceptable message.
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Kowalski said, “You’re right.”
“One hundred percent,” agreed Select Board member Laura Howe.
“It also should be clear that the override is not specifically dedicated to one department or another,” Kowalski said. “It’s an overall town override because we need some money to keep our services steady, if not exuberant.”
Carter said most of the department heads have submitted their budgets and she has begun scheduling meetings with them individually on their budget submissions.
Vice Chair Dan Salvucci said the board should wait until the final budget bottom line is apparent before they decide if an override is necessary or how much of an override is necessary.
“I don’t want to go for a $3 million override, let’s say, and all of a sudden the budget comes in $1 million more than we need or .. the budget comes in lower, the department heads say, ‘Well, then I want to add this, add this, add this,’” he argued.
Kain agreed, noting that as they file final budgets, the overall aim is to just get by and not adding new items.
Select Board member Justin Evans suggested a multi-year override be considered because of a pension obligation expected to “fall off the books” within about five years.
“It should get us to that point when we see more revenue staying in-house, rather than going to the county to cover pension obligations,” he said. “Also, we really need to be having this conversation both with the school district and with Hanson because, looking at a townwide override including the schools, their budget only works if Hanson also funds it.”
Evans pointed out that Hanson is also considering an override, but added it wasn’t clear if it was planned as a one-year or multi-year override.
“There should be some coordination here so we’re all on the same page,” he said. “Otherwise, the district gets a half-funded override.”
Resident Bob Kimball reminded the board that an override is “going to be tough for a lot of people in town,” noting that in his neighborhood on Auburnville Way, there has been one bankruptcy this year as well as on person who has moved out of town and two or three people with reverse mortgages so they can pay their bills.
“If we’re going to do an override, I want to make sure that the [Select Board], the Finance Committee, everybody, understands the hardship that’s going to go on,” Kimball said. “I want you to consider that when you do your deliberation.”
Some A’s to SST’s frequently asked Q’s
As South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School (SST) approaches its district wide election on the proposed building project, the Express asked Superintendent-Director Tom Hickey to provide some information on a range of topics, including the background on the project, details about the new building and the associated costs of the project.
Q: What is the rationale for the project?
A: Opened in 1962, we are the second oldest regional vocational school in Massachusetts. The district has been applying to MSBA for several years, citing the age of the building and its systems, the lack of space, and a growing waiting list of students interested in attending. District wide we currently have 428 applications for 180 seats in next year’s grade 9 class. Both Whitman and Hanson have consistently had more applicants than allotted seats (almost 4 applicants for every seat), which is part of a strong trend with the growing interest in vocational education.
Q: What is the project being proposed? What is its timeline?
A: The construction would be for a new 900 student school built behind the current school on Webster Street in Hanover. Construction would run from mid-2026 until mid-2028 and the building would be open for the 2028-2029 school year. The current building would remain fully operational during the construction phase.
Q: Are any new vocational programs being added?
A: Yes. We would add Plumbing and Veterinary Science programs, two programs with a high level of interest. More project design information can be found at www.southshoretechproject.com.
Q: What should readers need to know about the special district election?
A: Date/Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday Jan. 25, 2025
Poll locations: Hanson votes at Hanson Middle School; Whitman votes at Whitman Town Hall
Our town clerks have information on the respective town websites about absentee ballots and other details. The ballot question will determine if the project moves forward based on a combined vote tally within the district’s nine towns.
Q: Why does the ballot question language reference the total project budget, if each town will share in the costs?
A: It is required by statute and MSBA to have the same ballot question language in all 9 towns and that the language includes the total project budget cost (the $276m). In the ballot question’s second paragraph, it states that the MSBA is committed to paying a maximum state grant up to 61.86 percent of the eligible costs of the project, which is the maximum grant of $111 million.
Q: What is the projected local share after the MSBA grant?
A: After subtracting already paid for feasibility costs and using some stabilization funds we can put back into the project, we are projecting approximately $162m between the 9 towns, financed over 30 years. The household tax impact information we are providing on our project website includes principal and interest. Please see www.southshoretechproject.com/tax-impacts.
Q: How will the local share of $162m be divided?
A: Per our regional agreement, it is based on student enrollment trends over time at the school. We anticipate Hanson’s share to be 10.28 percent and Whitman’s share to be 17.17 percent by the time the bonds roll on in FY30. Our towns recently adjusted our regional agreement to have debt share adjusted based on a rolling four-year average, so this is a projection based on enrollment trends.
Q: What is the projected tax impact at the household level? When will it roll on?
A: When: The highest amount of borrowing will take place in FY29 or delayed to FY30.
Impact: It depends on how the money is borrowed. Paying back debt can be done with (a) level debt payments which are lower initially but include more interest over the term of borrowing or (b) level principal payments cost more up front but that leads to lower total cost over the life of the borrowing.
The bottom line: At our highest borrowing in FY30:
The average assessed home in Whitman would see a $296 per year ($74 per quarter) increase using a level debt payment model. In Hanson the level debt payment amount would be $235 per year ($74 per quarter)
As an alternative, a level principal borrowing model in FY30 would be higher ($367 yr/$92 qtr for Whitman and $290 yr/$72 qtr for Hanson) but level principal borrowing declines over time.
All of these projected amounts have interest costs baked in.
Q: When will you decide the borrowing model?
A: The district won’t make borrowing decisions without first consulting with towns, and that decision won’t happen until closer to FY29. We show both borrowing models on the tax impact documents on our project website to give readers a comparison.
Q: What should people do if they need more information?
A: If readers have questions or want to double check information, the project website, www.southshoretechproject.com is a good resource. Readers are also encouraged to contact Superintendent Tom Hickey at [email protected] or 781-766-4002 with any questions or suggestions for content for the project website.
— Dr. Thomas J. Hickey
Blind ‘dates’ and tall tales
Bookstores are doing it, Etsy alone seems to have an entire cottage industry devoted to it, and libraries are doing it – the “it,” for those not up on the latest internet craze or marketing trend – is “Blind Date with a Book.”
It started in bookstores, including larger chains such as Barnes & Noble. Shoppers would encounter tables, usually in the fiction section, where a table would feature books wrapped in brown paper, with a clue about the book inside written in fancy script.
For “The Wizard of Oz,” on might imagine a clue like, “Midwestern girl needs a better weather forecaster.”
Hanson Public Library’s program, is called a Mystery Box, which many online retailers have begun to take to dizzying heights.
“Truthfully, it’s not my program, it’s Julia’s [Nee] program,” said Adult and Youth Services Librarian Hanley Callahan a recent college grad who started in November. “She’s no longer with us, but she spear-headed it from the start. It’s been really popular. We get 20 out of 20 sign-ups every single month.”
Circulation/Customer Service assistant John Carrozza said Nee has always had a talent for coming up with concepts of things that people might like after doing some field research.
“She visits libraries and wherever I go I try to visit libraries and try to get ideas,” he said. Carrozza and Nee borrowed one of the more popular visual puns in the library – a handful of books on a rafter labled “Books for Tall People” – from the Truro Public Library.
At Whitman Library, Senior Library Technician Mary Casey, said a “Blind Date with a Book” will be offered as part of the library’s Valentines Day programming in February.
But Whitman’s promotional project through April is the Non-fiction Reading Challenge, which is taking something of a literary Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride through the Dewey Decimal System.
“We’re going through each category – from the 100s to the 900s, including biographies – and for each category that people read, we give them a raffle ticket and there’s a prize at the end,” Casey said, noting that it is aimed at bringing more attention to the non-fiction titles as Library Technician Petra Reitz conducts the lengthy regular process of “weeding” those shelves.
“That’s what spurred this,” she said. “I think we’re also so programmed with our phones, it leads you to the next read. I wish we could move the Circulation Desk to force people to walk through the collection and look around. The serendipity is no longer there.”
The hope is that the non-fiction challenge pairs off people with something they might not ordinarily read – just as the “Blind Date” and mystery box programs are designed to do.
Casey said more people come to the library in winter anyway, and they are seeing an uptick in use of the study rooms, especially post-COVID if they work from home and want a change of scenery.
The library’s Head of Youth Services/Assistant Director Stephanie Young, is also conducting a children’s reading challenge with two gift card prizes to be awarded.
“Ideally, somewhere in the future, I’d love to be able to extend it,” Callahan said about Hanson’s Book Box program.” “Instead of 20, maybe 25 or 30, as more people become familiar with it.”
Any patrons interested in donating items for inclusion in a month’s boxes, would certainly be welcomed to, she said.
Libraries, however, have focused on the idea as a way to bring more patrons to the library while introducing readers to new writers, while throwing in a bookmark and a craft or two.
“There’s mystery box these days for any interest,” said Julia Nee, a former staff member at Hanson Library, now working as director of the Pembroke Library, who introduced the program at Hanson. “There’s a seasonal one for fashion or jewelry and there’s monthly ones for kids’ events with different craft projects. I can’t remember the library that did it first, but it seemed such a good idea to combine a book and a craft and other fun stuff for readers.”
Nee said her intent was to put a Mystery Box program together that could also be done for free, especially since library budgets can’t support some of the more elaborate offerings in the retail arena.
“We tried to do fun things,” Nee said of her work in Hanson. “It’s the little things. But I also love picking out books for people or recommending books, so that was already a fun part, too.”
While some online vendors still favor brown paper packaging, others go in for fancier paper, often color-matched to the page-marking sticky notes, highlighter or pen for making notations, stickers galore, a reading list to fill out, a tea sachet or packet of hot chocolate, a bookmark and sometimes floral decorative touches. More deluxe sets might include soft, fuzzy socks, a bakery item, special water bottle and perhaps some under-eye patches for a mini-spa treatment while you read.
Then there are the deluxe boxes, which can run $100 or more and include candles, a small cheese board, makeup samples, a bigger assortment of treats and more.
The idea has, from the beginning, been to entice readers to read a genre they might not have considered before. But questions have cropped up.
“Is it really just a marketing ploy to get rid of unpopular books?” some critics have wondered. Is it too good to be true? Aren’t you taking a risk ordering them online sight-unseen?
The answer to all these is – yes. While one can end up with a really interesting book – or one you may have already read, as is similar to the risks of a human blind date, but there are also rip-offs lurking in the internet, so buyer beware.
Online vendors’ order forms usually ask what genre – fiction, romance, thriller, historical fiction and the like – and some may ask an open-ended question for a few lines about what people like to read about, just as Hanson Library does. They are honest about the fact that most books, while new, were overstocks in an effort to save them from landfills.
“I stick with brand-new books,” Nee said. “It was a way to get a book that you didn’t even know that you wanted yet. When people sign up, they tell me what they’re looking for in terms of genre and up to a paragraph about what they wanted. Some people did that, some people didn’t, and there were people who did that month after month and I kind of got to know what they are gravitating toward.”
Hanson Library still offers the Mystery Box program, with the first boxes distributed last week to the 20-or so people planned on to sign up.
Nee, who said she doesn’t recall where she got the idea – the internet, a bookstore or another library, but the program began during COVID, when a lot of libraries were looking for virtual or distance programs. It was a natural extension of the take and make craft kits they were already offering in Hanson.
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