Whitman-Hanson Express

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

SST sees increase in Chapter 70 aid

By

HANOVER — Preliminary assessment figures for South Shore Tech indicate that the school will be receiving a $540,719 increase in Chapter 70 aid as a result of having an additional 38 students in the district.

 Assessments for Whitman and Hanson will also be lower, according to figures  Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey presented to the South Shore Tech Regional School Committee meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

“Hanson’s enrollment went down by a couple of kids,” he said this week. “That’s always an influencing factor. Now, Whitman’s enrollment went up, but their assessment went down. How does that happen?”

That is because the capital budget within the assessment is much lower than last year so towns like Whitman, with higher enrollments, are poised to benefit more.

A certification vote will be taken the next meeting at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Scituate regularly holds its annual Town Meeting in April, and has been joined on that early schedule by other towns such as Abington.

“Assessments can be changed after certification, but they can only go down,” Hickey said.

During the public hearing section of the meeting Jesse McSweeney, chairman of Norwell’s advisory board asked the School Committee why the per-pupil assessment has increased twice in the last three years. He was the only person to ask a question.

Hickey said about 70 percent of the assessment comes from the towns’ minimum local contribution within the state’s Chapter 70 formula, with the other 30 percent coming from apportionment to the member towns through the regional agreement, which is based on a rolling average.

“Per pupil costs absolutely matter when it comes to things like debt, capital and any operating costs that go above the state’s foundation budget,” Hickey said. “It has a direct connection to enrollment.”

Per pupil calculations are done at the end of the process to try to give an across-the-board comparison.

“Oftentimes our towns are interested in seeing how the different towns shake out in terms of per-pupil costs,” he said. “The biggest driver is a town’s ability to pay and the Chapter 70 formula. … It’s an attempt at equity.”

Norwell School Committee member Robert Molla said it was only the third time in his tenure that a Norwell representative has attended a meeting. 

Hickey said a large number of families have indicated interest in the rapid test for the omicron variant of COVID-19. More than 180 families and another 100 or so staff members were signed up as of Jan. 26, with one more day left to do so.

Principal Mark Aubrey introduced the members of the school’s HVAC department.

“Putting together a vocational program team is kind of like building a Major League baseball roster,” he said. “You have that wiley veteran, who’s been there a while, who knows the system better than anyone — that’s Mr. Sean Mulkern.” 

He described Russ Esau as the really strong free agent and Greg Boudreau as the promising player brought up through the organization.

“They have come together, doing a great job re-looking at the curriculum, redistributing some things, rechanging the order of events and bringing some stuff in,” Aubrey said.

Mulkern said he believes teaching chose him 15 years ago rather than the other way around. His son also attended SST.

“One of the things that intrigued me about the school is how it helped my son change and how his life became better,” he said.  When an opportunity for a job at the school came his way, Mulkern said he knew he could teach people as he had done at his job, so he gave teaching at SST a try.

“The amount of progress we have made taking our shop from 15 years ago being a place people were put to becoming a place where people fight to get in and that’s where I wanted to be and that’s where we’re at today,” he said.

Lifelong Abington resident Esau said his son also graduated from SST. He had wanted to work at the school 15 years ago, but there were no staff openings. For 10 years he commuted an hour and a half each way to a job teaching HVAC at the Leominster Center for Technical Education in the Leominster Public School system.

As much as he liked that job and city, when the opportunity to teach at SST came up, he said he felt at home.

“I’m creating a plan and a program that I know works,” Esau said.

Boudreau, “brand-new to teaching” and the school has 30 years’ experience in industry.

“I’m bringing a wide range of industry experience, [and] these two gentlemen are great mentors,” he said, noting that his plumbing experience brings that component to the HVAC program at SST.

Hanson school study leaves questions

By

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 25 heard a presentation from consultants hired to conduct a De-Regionalization Feasibility Study during a joint meeting with the De-Regionalization Feasibility Study Committee.

Selectmen peppered the consultants with questions and comments.

“I think this was a great presentation, but I still find myself with so many questions,” said Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “I don’t feel I’m completely armed with the empirical data that I would need to make an educated decision about whether this is a cost-effective decision to make or not.”

She said they were “maybe halfway there” on the information needed to make an informed decision.­

“I think we are all in consensus that we need more information before we can even think about which direction we want to head,” said Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer.

Selectmen Joe Weeks and Jim Hickey had already asked a lengthy list of questions on points TMS consultants had reviewed in their presentation.

Weeks also said more local control was as much as a concern for Hanson residents as school budget costs.

“It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the data,” he said. “As a homeowner, as a taxpayer and as someone who has to take a vote on something, that’s hard to reverse. There’s still so many data points that I’m missing.”

Town Administrator Lisa Green noted that Selectmen had voted before she came on board to form a de-regionalization committee and have consultant firm TMSolutions Inc., out of Auburn study the potential and possible effects of such a move. They compiled and studied documents on assessments, revenue support, staffing, special education and other issues — and attended the meeting remotely to present their report.

The Jan. 25 presentation can be viewed on WHCA-TV’s YouTube channel as well as rebroadcast on its Hanson access channel.

Judy Houle, senior VP and chief education officer at TMS and Associate Consultant for Special Projects and Business Services Michael DeBarge presented the report. A 43-year educator, Houle has been a teacher, principal, curriculum director, superintendent and business manager for school districts. She said TMS has done three de-regionalization studies, including Hanson’s and two regionalization studies.

DeBarge holds a master’s degree in conflict studies from the London School of Economics where he studied how institutional design could be used in conflict resolution. He also provides general financial management services for K-12 schools.

“We were to provide information to the town of Hanson with regard to the question of should the town separate from the W-H Regional School District or remain with them,” Houle said.

The scope of the study was to inform Hanson officials of the educational, financial and administrative impacts. Legal implications and a potential timeline and processes for town officials’ consideration.

“For me, it’s what’s best for the kids,” Selectman Jim Hickey said. But he added that 30 percent of Hanson’s population is over age 60 and 45 percent is over 50.

“We either have people ready to go to a fixed income or already on a fixed income,” he said.

Houle responded that it was an important concern, but added that quality schools help property values to go up.

“Financial considerations have been driving a lot of this discussion, and the big questions before us are what do you save as a result of de-regionalization? What costs would be incurred as a result of that?” DeBarge said.

The three options TMS brought forth for the town to consider are to:

• fully separate for a PreK-12 district and a decision about the WHRHS faculty;

• PK-8 supervisory union and region for nine to 12 or

• maintain the status quo.

“I still find myself asking the question, ‘What would it cost to completely de-regionalize,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said noting that complete de-regionalization was not fully fleshed out. She cited legal costs and forensic accounting as two areas of concern.

“Both towns would have to vote to amend or dissolve the regional agreement,” Houle said, advising that be done by July 2023. She noted that the next steps right now would be to engage stakeholders in both towns to discuss the issue. She said the soonest any separation could be achieved, were that the decision would be 2025.

“We recommend you move slowly and methodically in this process and make sure stakeholders’ voices are heard,” Houle said. She noted that total cost would depend on the option Hanson chooses.

The commissioner of education must approve any long-range feasibility plan by Dec. 31 of the fiscal year any de-regionalization would be planned.

The first option raises issues over ownership of buildings or responsibility for building a new facility; the need for a separate administrative set up and a new school committee, the need for added staff and the loss of regional transportation reimbursement.

Option two presents some of the same considerations, but DeBarge said the impact would be lessened as special education programs would be easier absorbed and most central office services could be shared.

The third option’s main focus is collaboration in containing costs while maintaining a high level of educational programs. 

The regional agreement, first entered into in 1956 established a grade nine to 12 region and was amended in 1992 to become a K-12 district. The assessment methodology was amended in 2020 to conform with the state’s preferred statutory method based on the rolling average of enrollment in the district, and was the impetus for the study.

Hanson owns the Indian Head Elementary and Hanson Middle schools, both of which Houle and DeBarge have toured. They noted HMS’ high-priority capital needs are roof and kitchen repairs and gymnasium egress. Outstanding high-priority capital needs at Indian Head are the playground and lead paint, which is currently encapsulated.

Hanson’s share of capital costs to the town’s schools is $710,650 and $1,643,703.12 for a total on $2,354,365.12. Hanson’s liability for regional capital costs is also calculated based on enrollment.

“Your regional agreement specifies that you are liable for any capital debt that has been incurred during the process and at the time of separation,” Houle said.

DeBarge said the financial impact of de-regionalization was investigated in concentrating on three specific areas — the foundation budget, transportation and human resources. 

“From 2015 to 2021, Hanson experienced a total decline in foundation enrollment of nearly 14 percent,” DeBarge said. The decline in enrollment, however, does not translate to financial savings.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), determines the adequate spending level for a school district, based on enrollment inflation and the wage-adjustment factor, DeBarge said.

Hanson should also consider that, should de-regionalization be pursued, transportation reimbursement would disappear.

“While transportation expenses would decline, if you look at the percent of transportation funding that has been reimbursed, you see that this is not an inconsequential amount of money,” he said. If Hanson opted for partial separation, some of that reimbursement would be maintained, but it would be only at the high school level.

“The point is, transportation is a major factor to consider, and separation does not entail significant savings,” he said. De-regionalization would also increase the costs for staffing by about 4 to 5 percent, for cost of living, advancing steps and salary lane changes with additional education. Those figures do not include custodial costs. Administrative and instructional support costs must also be considered.

Town Meeting fails quorum

By

WHITMAN — Resets seemed to be the order of things on Monday, Jan. 31 as officials, unable to achieve a required quorum — checking in only 127 of the needed 150 — were unable to take action on about half the seven-article warrant at the special Town Meeting. 

Selectmen, meeting both in open and executive session before the Town Meeting,  were forced to table next steps in the assistant town administrator search after contract negotiations with designate Rogeria Medeiros-Kowalczykowski proved fruitless.

The special Town Meeting warrants not acted on Monday will likely have to be delayed until the annual Town Meeting in May, according to Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman on Tuesday, Feb.1.

 Selectmen will take up the assistant town administrator situation at an upcoming meeting.

Medeiros-Kowalczykowski, currently the assistant to the town manager in Stoughton, had impressed the board both on paper and in her interviews.

The search attracted some 90 applicants, of which the search subcommittee of Kowalski, Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman and Selectman Justin Evans interviewed eight semi-finalists to narrow the field to the three interviewed by the entire board on Jan. 11.

 “I’d say we have three really strong candidates, and they all have their own strengths and, perhaps, weaknesses or errors of opportunity,” Heineman said. “I think, in many ways, [Medeiros-Kowalczykowski’s] skill set and past match – quite precisely, in many ways – the job description that we identified.”

Heineman said after the meeting that the town was not able to come to an agreement with Medeiros-Kowalczykowski.

When it came to the main business of the night — the special Town Meeting — the lack of a quorum meant that the wait of more than half an hour past the scheduled 7:30 p.m. start, was longer than the meeting which clocked in at about 16:30 minutes. With only 127 voters attending, only three of seven warrant articles could be acted on.

Heineman said Tuesday that falling 14 short of a quorum was disappointing.

“Unfortunately, on the warrant, there are several articles that we cannot act on … but there are a couple that we can,” said Moderator Michael Seele. “So if the meeting is going to be OK with that, I think that we can. The rest of it will have to be considered at a later time.”

Of the three articles that were acted on, two calling for approval of land donations to the town took up the bulk of discussion.

Article 1, calling for authorization for the town to appropriate from sewer-water retained earnings, $352.50 to pay a professional engineering services invoice from fiscal 2021. A 9/10 vote was required. The Town Meeting voted to approve the article.

Discussion centered on Article 5 a gift of land at Little Comfort Circle on Assessors map 23D, block 23D, lot 46 and — after that was approved, Article 6 concerning land on Hogg Memorial Drive shown on Assessors map 22A, block 8, lot 124 was also passed quickly.

A Harvard Street resident asked to know exactly how much tax money the town would be losing by accepting the land.

Heineman said the Little Comfort land, offered as a donation by the landowner was billed $5,484.75 in fiscal 2022.

“So, by accepting this land donation, that means that this town loses $5,484.75 in taxes?” she asked.

“The town would no longer be collecting those taxes,” he replied. “Correct. Beginning in fiscal year 2023.”

She also asked if the land is buildable.

“I cannot speak to that directly,” Heineman said.

Developer Steve Egan, who made the offer to donate both parcels of property in Articles 5 and 6, spoke in favor of the gift.

“One of the arguments that we always get, when we’re doing any type of project is about open space,” he said. “Where is area for the animals and some conservation areas.”

He noted that people don’t want to see all the trees come down and every available space developed.

“As part of most of our projects now, we try to incorporate areas of open space and conservation, whether it be in Whitman or other towns that we work in,” Egan said. Both parcels being donated are in the same area off Auburn Street.

The Planning Board approved plans that allowed for smaller lots on both sites, which left the company the ability to donate a couple of large sections of open space, with plans to donate them to the town when the projects were completed. One of the plots in the Hogg Memorial site is a 19-acre section of land abutting the Whitman Middle School. Another section of the donation abuts another 4.5 acres of town property to the south of their land, giving the town a contiguous area of about 58 acres.

At the Little Comfort development, a 15-acre piece was left as an open space area, abutting a 48-acre piece in East Bridgewater — more than 60 acres of land bridging both towns.

“I think it’s important that we develop responsibly, trying to create come open space area,” Egan said. “These two projects did both.”

He said both properties had been vacant, bringing Whitman under $10,000 in taxes. Meanwhile, the Little Comfort development added $400,000 to town coffers in property taxes. Another $250,000 in taxes was brought in via the Heritage Park/Hogg Memorial Drive project.

“I don’t think the town is losing by accepting some open space,” he said. There is both wetland and upland — or buildable — areas in the donated land. 

Finance Chairman Richard Anderson said the reason his board voted against recommending the article because not enough information was available when they voted.

Selectman Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci had opened Town Meeting by asking that articles 1,2,3,4 and 7 be passed over because there was a failure to draw a quorum.

Frank Lynam, the retired town administrator, pointed out that Article 1 was an unpaid bill.

“It doesn’t fall under the limitations for $25,000, so we can act on Article 1,” Lynam said. “I would like to exclude that from the motion.”

Salvucci agreed to remove Article 1 from his motion.

COVID update

Updating the COVID-19 situation prior to adjourning to Town Meeting, Heineman said legal opinions had been sought from town counsel about the mask policy at the session.

“After much discussion, getting some opinion from town counsel and much discussion with Selectmen Chairman [Dr. Carl] Kowalski and Town Moderator [Seele], regarding what to do if a voter wants to come in to Town Meeting and refuses to wear a mask … in the first instance, myself [or other Town Hall personnel] would ask them to please wear a mask,” he said. If a person still refused, they would be asked to sit in a roped-off section to the left-rear of the hall. No one had to be seated there during Town Meeting.

Two COVID test kits (containing two tests per box) were also handed out to everyone attending — from 5,310 given to Whitman out of the supply purchased by the county. Vaccination rate in town is now at 66 percent, and another Moderna booster clinic is scheduled for 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 9 at the Knights of Columbus on Bedford Street. Appointment slots are still available.

Booster Clinic cancels appointments

By

WHITMAN — A Moderna booster clinic that was scheduled for 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 9 at the Knights of Columbus on Bedford Street has been canceled. Too many appointment slots went unfilled to hold it, Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said Wednesday, Feb, 2.

Clearing town plow drivers

By

HANSON — With a major winter storm being forecast for the weekend, the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 25 discussed potential conflicts involved in some town employees doing double duty as plow operators. One such issue surrounded a Water Department employee who has filed a routine disclosure of potential conflict of interest with the town. The Board approved his disclosure statement, permitting him to plow.

“I understand that it’s permitted and that a [legal] opinion has been received, but I think it’s poor precedent,” Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I guess I’m concerned that it’s quite likely that in the middle of a storm — and this has definitely happened — there could be a water main break and where do those allegiances lie?”

She said she considers the Water Department to be a first responder and questioned how employees could be permitted to plow when an emergency could occur.

“As a public employee, your best interest falls with your employer, number one,” said Selectman Chairman Matt Dyer. “His first priority would be his job and I think as long as we clarify that is what is expected of you, I think that’s a good way to go about it.”

He said Water Department employees had been permitted to do snow plowing in the past.

“As long as it’s clear what the priorities are and [Green] as a procurement officer is comfortable that nothing inappropriate happened in the determination of who was being awarded a snow plowing contact …,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “I want to make sure there is no lapse in procurement in this and there’s not going to be any ambiguities whatsoever as far as what the priorities are here.”

Green said snow plowing contracts are not subject to procurement regulations because towns advertise for plow drivers every year instead of a bidding process.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked if the town hires everyone who applies.

“I think this year, we are,” Dyer said.

“I have no problem if we hire everybody who applies,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “To the extent that if there’s ever a determination over who should and should not be hired, then I’m going to have a problem about it.”

She argued that, from an ethical standpoint, she didn’t see how an average person looking in from the outside could be comfortable with the process.

Green said the Highway Department normally takes the lead in that process and she does not monitor it, but said she would have a discussion with Highway Superintendent Jameson Shave about the issue. She noted that new Town Hall maintenance person Charlie Baker is also going to be plowing for the Highway Department.

“He called ethics … and filed a disclosure,” Green said.

Selectmen Joe Weeks said with the forecast for this weekend, plow drivers would likely be working all night long.

“I just want to make sure … if someone is plowing all night, and they’re going to be exhausted …there is ample coverage [for other emergencies], that people do have people there ready to go, backup for backup,” he said.

FitzGerald-Kemmett said the Water Department should also be apprised of the situation.

Green said she has made it clear to Baker that Town Hall snow and ice removal is his first priority, followed by the Library/Senior Center before his plowing work.

Town Meeting

Selectmen voted to open the annual Town Meeting warrant and discussed options for locations in case COVID variants were still a problem by the Monday, May 2.

As of Tuesday, Green reported there are 406 active cases of COVID in town. While that is higher than the last Selectment’s meeting, she said numbers statewide appear to be dropping and starting to stabilize.

FitzGerald-Kemmett stressed that the 400 represent calls to the Board of Health, which requires a PCR test and a medical provider has to report that finding. It does not mean there are only 400 cases in town.

Selectmen opted to retain the mandate for masks in town buildings until the board’s next meeting in two weeks.

“I would like to err on the side of caution,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett. “Although I am desperately hoping that we’ll be pleasantly surprised to not have COVID running rampant, but I think it would be foolish for us to assume that at this point.”

She said she would be much more comfortable seeking space at the high school as Town Administrator Lisa Green suggested.

Dyer said he really enjoyed having Town Meeting outside, noting that it was close to graduation and they could use the stage if it was up. The WHRHS calendar has graduation on Friday, June 3.

“If [the graduation stage is not up], I’m OK with inside the auditorium,” he said.

Green said she would be discussing the options in more detail with Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan, Town Moderator Sean Kealy and school district officials.

“I just wanted an idea of what direction the board was moving into so we can look at those options,” Green said, noting cost issues would also be reviewed.

“I don’t want there to be a prohibition on people being engaged because they feel unsafe attending Town Meeting, that’s the bottom line for me,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

Technology update

IT Director Steve Moberg reported he has signed the town up for a state Security Awareness Grant which sends out “training” exercises throughout the year, including phishing tests to try to educate staff about safe practices.

“[They] try to trick our users into clicking on them, and if they do click on them, they’ll get an email back saying they clicked on something that they shouldn’t have clicked on and they’ll be assigned additional training,” Moberg said.

Dyer asked if everyone was aware of the tests. Moberg said they hadn’t been made aware of it, he would be making them aware of the program through an email to all staff by the end of the week. He is also looking into ATT’s FirstNet program, a platform operated by the government since 9/11 as a cell service dedicated to first responders with a 99.9 percent up time. If it fails, ATT could be fined by the government, unlike commercial programs. And it could save the town $4 to $5 per line — or $200 per month for the town’s 70 lines. It runs off the same cell towers but the FCC has authorized more power through the system.

Police Chief Michael Miksch doesn’t really want to move from Verizon, Moberg said, so Town Hall will be shifted to FirstNet and perhaps the chief might change his mind later. Moberg said that in the wake of the October Nor’Easter that knocked out cell towers all over the area, FirstNet should help the town.

He also said all the town’s servers should be upgraded or shut down by the end of the week.

Capital articles get nod for TM

By

WHITMAN – The Capital Committee, meeting remotely on Thursday, Jan. 13, voted to recommend the two articles under its purview at the Monday, Jan. 31 special Town Meeting.

Chairman David Codero said Capital items were the only business on the agenda, and were appearing for the first time so his intent was for the committee to discuss them and brainstorm on vetting the requests.

Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman sent committee members the warrant special Town Meeting, suggesting the committee review the two articles — $60,000 for public safety ballistic vests under Article 2 and Article 7 seeking $1,098,100 to create shovel-ready architectural drawings of a new DPW building.

The committee voted 8-0-1 (Codero abstaining) to recommend the Town Meeting vote to approve the ballistic vests, and votes recommended the DPW building architect drawings by the same vote.

“The Police Department’s vests are in need of replacement and we just discovered that the Fire Department vests are in need of replacement, that they are past their warranty,” Heineman said, adding that the amount sought out of free cash would rectify that.

“If I’m not mistaken they have an expiration date and they are either at or past that,” committee member Fred Small said.

Heineman said Fire Department vests’ warranty has expired, rather than a situation of an expiration date per se. 

“I certainly feel like we don’t want to take any chances with that and when the warranty’s out, we should replace them,” Heineman said. “If a firefighter is injured and that vest was out of warranty, I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

Small indicated for some people expiration dates might seem flexible, but agreed with Heineman.

“Could we squeeze another year out or two because it’s out of warranty but not ‘expired?’ Sure. But, on balance, I don’t think that’s an acceptable [decision].”

“You shouldn’t play with people’s lives,” Small said.

“Exactly,” Heineman replied.

Member Joshua McNeil also said the town takes on a big liability risk if the vests are not replaced.

“It’s also just the right thing to do, as far as I’m concerned,” Heineman said.

Fire department protective vests contain ceramic material, and are heavier, but used less frequently, according to Heieman who added that 26 Fire Department vests and 33 Police Department vests in total are being sought.

“It’s less of a firefighter issue and more of an EMT issue,” he said, noting that some overdose calls might warrant their use.

Small asked if, going forward, the chiefs could begin asking for replacements a little early so the town could start staggering the amounts over more than one budget year. While arguing that it is an appropriate capital expense, that could be suggested. Any vests that have not exceeded warranty or expiration date would be kept in use because to do otherwise would be wasteful.

Member Justin Casanova-Davis agreed with Heineman’s suggestion that in the long-term consideration could be to stagger purchases could move the request to the operating budget.

“I don’t want to put strain on there, but if it’s a regular recurring item – stagger it in the operating budget,” he said.

Codero, however, asked if a lot of fire equipment, including engines, also come with a warranty – that often expire when the equipment is still in use.

“Based on the same logic that the fire chief is providing, every piece of equipment they’re using that isn’t warranteed, isn’t safe,” he said. “That’s what I’m hearing.”

Heineman disagreed because, unlike the vests, a vehicle being out of warranty is not an imminent threat to the safety of that firefighter.

Small, who works in the insurance business, said vehicle warranty’s are protection from any defect in the parts or workmanship when it is created.

“When you’re wearing a vest, we may be calling it a warranty, it’s more of a performance guarantee under certain circumstances for X amount of time,” he said. “I think that’s a big differential.”

Chemicals used to make bullet-proof vests effective do break down.

“It would be easier to rubber-stamp this if the word ‘expiration’ was inserted instead of ‘warranty,’” Esson said.

Heineman said, that to his understanding, there is no expiration date in relation to vests. The term the manufacturer uses is “warranty.” During the meeting, Small researched bullet-proof fire vests on the Internet and reported that while both terms are used by manufacturers, the important consideration is how fibers break down over time and is the main reason the warranty stops. The terms, Small said, are used interchangably.

McNeil also said a $60,000 price tag for vests is much less than the potential financial implications for the town should someone be killed because the vest was actually expired.

“Yes, this is a financial piece, but more than that … it’s the right thing to do,” Heineman said.

DPW building

“We are in desperate need for a DPW building that is safe and sanitary for the employees and that allows them to do the work that they need to do to service the town,” Heineman said.

He noted the several past attempts to do that over recent years.

A feasibility study completed and peer-reviewed late last year put the minimum cost of a new building at just under $11 million at the current location. Selectmen decided to propose at Town Meeting the expenditure of 10 percent of that figure for architectural plans. Selectmen also established a DPW Building Committee to oversee procurement and oversight of the plans and building project. The funding sources are available from current funds, Heineman said of the plan funds – $713,000 from water and sewer retained earnings based on the estimated space those employees would use in the new building, $234,335 from free cash and remaining monies from the capital stabilization fund, which requires a two-thirds Town Meeting use to be included.

“It is also a gauge for how the town feels about moving forward with this needed project,” he said.

“That’s pretty strategic,” Casanova-Davis said of the two-thirds vote requirement. He asked if it was considered to put the whole project price before Town Meeting to take advantage of low interest rates.

Selectman Justin Evans, who also serves on the Capital committee, said there was a lengthy discussion between Selectmen and the DPW Commissioners on how to proceed with the project.

“The DPW Commissioners initially wanted to fund the whole project now,” Evans said. “The Selectmen had some concerns that it just wasn’t ready to ask to borrow that large amount of money for a big capital project. … We thought this was the better path to take.”

Codero asked if there was a reason why the feasibility report was not forwarded to the Capital Committee. He asked department heads to send project requests by October and none were received although all departments had told him there would be no problem.

“I don’t know if it’s a blatant disregard of the will of the people or the department heads just don’t care or they’re incompetent,” he said. “I don’t know.” He said he was glad Selectmen formed a building committee.

Casanova-Davis also said he would like to see the feasibility study, but said he would vote for it.

Building Inspector Robert Curran said, with every passing month, the cost will go up and urged the committee to vote to recommend the article.

Small noted that, once the money is voted, it will be under the complete control of the building committee. That committee was formed by Selectmen Jan. 18.

McNeil asked why a new building committee was being established, when the Capital Committee has already worked on the new police station as well as renovations to both Town Hall and the fire station. Heineman said Selectmen felt a building-specific committee was preferable.

Reorganization

Don Esson was elected chair as the committee, effective at the next meeting – with some new additions recently appointed inspiring a reorganization – and Fred Small was elected vice chairman. Heineman was elected clerk.

Leverone honored for library career

By

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 25 honored Library staff member Antonia Leverone for her 3 years with Hanson Public Library.

“She assisted with the automation process in 2000,” Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer read from an email about Leverone’s retirement from Library Director Karen Stolfer. “Toni was instrumental in obtaining a grant that provided materials and equipment for the blind and low-vision individuals.”

Leverone also took over leading the Library’s popular Book-To Movie Club after the passing of Nancy Cappellini and has managed the library’s magazine collection and helped ensure computers were up to date and maintained the collection of historical materials.

“I think Toni is an overall great example of a public servant who cared about the community in which she served and brought her passions to our community and shared them with us,” Dyer said.

Selectmen are sending her a citation honoring her service.

The board also held a brief public comment hearing on the town’s community aggregation plan with Patrick Roche of Good Energy, a hard copy of the responses gleaned during the public comment period is available for review at both the Town Hall and Library as well as on the town website. 

The Dept. of Energy Resource next does a review and a final plan will be brought back before Selectmen, which is then reviewed by the Department of Public Utilities for review before bids are sought.

Residents have asked about details such as other town aggregations’ performance, how the plan impacts people with solar panels on their homes and how opting out works.

Selectmen Chairman Matt Dyer, who also serves on the town’s Energy Committee asked whether or how an aggregation plan might affect people on other low-income or other savings plans as well as how it could affect people with solar panels on their homes.

Roche said is would not affect people on other plans. Those with solar panels would see the credits they now receive would be valued and the way credits are allocated would not change. It would only change the cost of the electricity pulled from the grid.

Selectman Jim Hickey asked about the average savings for Gloucester’s four-year time period. Roche said that town have not yet seen the full impact of it.

“I know we had talked about this before and we had both agreed that it was not about the money, although citizens would save, it was the idea of using cleaner energy,” Hickey said. But saving $60 or $70 each year is kind of a win-win situation, he added.

Dyer also said the savings also hinge on how much energy people consume.

Selectman Joe Weeks asked if people want to stay with NatGrid, is there a participation threshold at which the contract could be nullified. Roche said it is not effected by that.

FitzGerald-Kemmett asked about the length of the contract and any decoupling process if the town decides the program isn’t what it wants. Roche said the most common contract is three years with some going a bit longer.

Usually after a full year the contract can be reviewed before a town decides to lock in for the next contract.

“I think it’s important that this vote we take tonight, what does that lock us into?” she said. “We’re not locking it down today, we’re going out for bids for brokers.”

 “I just want people to understand there are a lot of checks and balances out there,” FitzGerald-Kemmett. 

It process could take as long as two years to complete.

Financial policy wins final vote

By

WHITMAN — Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 18 voted to approve a final portion of a financial policy for the town.

Four such policies have been under consideration either as new or amended with one not yet voted on — the question of how the proposed procurement card policy will control use of the card.

Only one credit card will be used for the town and kept in the Selectmen’s office.

“The policy you have in front of you makes that clarification, that it would be one,” Heineman said.

Selectman Dan Salvucci asked how food tabs would be covered, such as sandwiches brought in during long meetings as opposed to billing restaurant meals to the card.

Heineman said the town’s personnel policy includes the federal government’s GSA guidelines for standard federal meals and hotel rooms, where necessary, rates for the area.

“Our personnel policies are linked currently to the GSA’s guidelines,” he said.

Forest Street resident Shawn Kain asked how the financial policy — as well as the strategic plan and capital projects — going to be presented to the public.

“Will there be a budget document that’s given to people as they come in for the special Town Meeting that will kind of display this stuff and how … decisions are made?” he asked.

Heineman said the debt policy adopted by the board last month, he definitely thinks there is some nexus to the special Town Meeting, but not directly because there is no borrowing. The consideration for the DPW building under consideration are the recommended debt levels.

The debt policy requires that levels of borrowing not exceed a certain percent of the town’s levy limit.

“Because there is no debt, there is no requested debt at the special Town Meeting,” he said. “But, certainly, it would be great to have the board’s toughts — your thoughts — on a way to, perhaps in a sentence or two, say how this is projected to, in the future, be in compliance with the new debt policy.”

Kain said even a simple statement such as that would demonstrate the town’s fiscal due diligence.

“Just to connect those dots is very helpful to people,” he said. “Certainly very helpful for me.”

A written copy of the town’s strategic plan was expected later that week, Heineman said.

Ready for Town Meeting

By

WHITMAN — Town officials are working to set up the Town Hall to ensure proper social distancing is in place to safely conduct the Monday, Jan. 31 special Town Meeting, according to Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman.

“We’re thinking about having the check-in table in the foyer and having folks come in primarily through the front door,” he said, noting the lower-level handicapped entrance would still be accessible to those who need it. Six-foot spacing will be marked out on the floor.

The setup would also allow more seats in the auditorium at six-foot intervals.

“Since the Town Meeting warrant has been posted, it is the town moderator’s decision, in consultation with the Board of Selectmen and public safety officials, if he was considering postponing,” Heineman said. 

The town marked it’s 11th consecutive week of increases in the positivity rate for COVID-19 — now up to 28.6 percent, reported Heineman, who receives weekly reports from Fire Chief Timothy Clancy. The vaccination rate has also climbed among those eligible to be vaccinated. It’s been climbing at a rate of about 1 percent per week to about 65 percent fully vaccinated.

“I think that we’ve been knowing and believing that the omicron variant would peak and then quickly drop,” he said. “It’s very preliminary, but I was just looking at the numbers today, and the state positivity rate as of [Jan. 17] was 17.44 percent, down from 21.5 percent. So … it would appear as though we may be past the surge there, at least statewide. That’s a little glimmer of hope there.”

The town is also planning a second round of distribution of the COVID test kits it purchased from 1 to 3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 21 at Whitman Middle School. Any Whitman resident is eligible to receive a kit, which includes two tests. 

There is a half-day school session that day.

“We have looked into it,” Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said. “The school is booked on weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until March 17. We had looked at pulling it off this Monday — Martin Luther King Day — when school was [closed]. Obviously, the weather didn’t cooperate.”

Another is being planned for Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Residents are limited to one self-test kit per vehicle. Kits will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis while supplies last. Residents will be required to show proof of residency at the beginning of the line when picking up the self-test kits.

The Biden Administration also began making orders of four test kits per household available free by mail at covidtests.gov on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

The town’s final planned Moderna booster clinic is slated for 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., today at the Knights of Columbus [see box below]. 

School audit update

Heineman also updated the board on the bid process for selecting a school audit firm. He has met with Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green, and selectmen liasions to the School Committee Randy LaMattina of Whitman and Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett of Hanson, to discuss Hanson Selectmen’s decision to proceed with the audit and reissue the invitations to bid and look at the previous invitation to bid.

The only changes were that CARES Act and American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds are for funding COVID-19 efforts and not under consideration for funding audit costs. They also discussed Circuit Breaker funds.

The invitation to bid has been put together and disseminated to potential bidders with a deadline of Jan. 28, 2022.

“In light of the Circuit Breaker issue, it makes it more pertinent now than ever to just make sure that both towns are receiving and benefiting from the funds we’re getting and [that] they’re going in the right place,” LaMattina said.

Whitman names new TA assistant

By

WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen voted to offer the position of assistant town administrator to Stoughton Assistant to the Town Manager Rogeria Medeiros-Kowalczykowski.

She has also served as the executive secretary to the town manager,  affirmative action officer, administrative assistant to the town manager, Finance Committee and Board of Health as well as senior clerk/town clerk, with 33 years of experience in town government service.

The board had initially selected Medeiros-Kowalczykowski, on a 3-2 vote, with Selectmen Dr. Carl Kowalski voting for Millbury acting Finance Director James F. Kelley and Dan Salvucci voting for Captain Ranger for the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation Jake Dodge. The board changed the vote to a unanimous one in the interest of unity. The selection becomes official when  contract terms agreed to.

The search attracted some 90 applicants, of which the search subcommittee of Kowalski, Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman and Selectman Justin Evans interviewed eight semi-finalists to narrow the field to the three interviewd by the entire board: Medeiros-Kowalczykowski, Dodge and Kelley.

Kelley has also served as interim town manager and human resources director in Millbury, he filled the same roles in Stoughton from 2012 to 2017, where he was also acting town clerk for six months in 2013 and he was a human resources administrator in Sterling.

Dodge has also served as a Lt. Ranger supervising DCR rangers at the State House as well as acting chief ranger and has been a reserve police officer in the Whitman Police Department.

“I’d say we have three really strong candidates, and they all have their own strengths and, perhaps, weaknesses or errors of opportunity,” Heineman said. “I think, in many ways, [Medeiros-Kowalczykowski’s] skill set and past match – quite precisely, in many ways – the job description that we identified.”

He said his decision was largely made when checking her references.

“Three of her five identified references were people that she had worked directly for and we didn’t necessarily experience that with the other two candidates,” he said. “That said to me a lot about her ability and her past in serving – and coming back to that idea of service that, I think, in many ways is this role.”

“I agree with Lincoln on this,” Selectman Brian Bezanson said. “This job description Lincoln put out could have been her resume. … [Her] references were wonderful. I have this gut feeling … that she’s the one. I think she could hit the ground running, she’s smart, competent … I think she’d be a great addition to the town of Whitman.”

He said when he dismisses his gut feeling is when he gets into trouble.

Kowalski said all three would make excellent assistant town administrators, but cast his vote for Kelley.

“We have a very lean administration,” he said, noting that Kelley had ticked off what Whitman lacks – such as town planners and HR directors – which the administrator and assistant must take on. Both Kelley and Medeiros-Kowalczykowski have the length of experience and skills to do the work.

“I was impressed by [Kelley] tonight,” he said, pointing to the refences the received about him. “On the other hand [Medeiros-Kowalczykowski] worked for 30 years in Stoughton doing all of those tasks. … It’s a tough choice for all of us.

Selectman Randy LaMattina said the board had an “absolutely great” pool of candidates, especially the finalists. He said he used the posted job description as his own personal check list and said there were two candidates who hit all the qualifications: Medeiros-Kowalczykowski and Kelley.

“Coming into the night, on paper, I had one candidate and was kind of blown out of the water, personally in the interview,” LaMattina said. “I see areas where we could fill some void with Mr. Kelley.”

Kelley’s planning experience was very impressive and the way he presented himself earned some consideration, according to LaMattina.

Evans, who had already interviewed all the candidates before, said he was expecting the process to go one way, but said Kelley could come in and “possibly mentor Lincoln” on some things. He said that could be a valuable thing to add and asked about his reference checks.

“I think the general feeling was very positive toward him,” he said. “I do think all three candidates could do the job. Mr. Dodge, coming in, would have a little bit of training to do, but that’s not something we haven’t done in the past.”

But he cast his vote for Medeiros-Kowalczykowski, who really does check all the boxes, he said.

“Considering we’re filling a current vacancy in the town administrator’s office, I’m going to put a lot of weight behind Lincoln’s recommendation and say [Medeiros-Kowalczykowski],” Evans said.

He also said the town recently hired a new accountant and, during that search a lot of weight was put on the former town administrator and assistant town administator’s decision-making process. When the search committee seemed torn, they left it to the town administrator, who would end up working with the person hired.

“I put a lot of faith in that and we have two candidates who clearly have qualifications, and we need someone who can fill the role in the absence of [town administrator] Lincoln, who should be able to use his time.”

He flagged the learning curve Dodge would represent.

“She’s done just about everything that we ask,” Evans said. “It seems she could hit the ground running if hired, so we have a good challenge in front of us for this.”

 Heineman said, but added that he did not hear back from two of Kelley’s references, despite leaving two messages. One reference – someone Kelley mentored, which Heineman found meaningful. The other was the chairman of an elected board who Kelley had worked with in finding a new library director. But said his answer to Evans’ question would be partly incomplete.

Salvucci’s pick was Dodge, despite Kelley’s greater experience and Medeiros-Kowalczykowski’s stellar employment history and low-key demeanor, he saw a person looking to advance, despite less longevity in her career.

“The only thing is, I’m looking for a long-term employee,” he said. “When he’s saying he’s going to be four years and then he’s done, I’m saying we’re going to be back in this situation four years from now.”

While Dodge was the least experienced of the three, Salvucci voted for him because he’s a young go-getter who gets along with people and looks like a good problem-solver.

“I think he’s a learner,” Salvucci said.

During the discussion following the interviews, Heineman said he disagreed with Kelley’s comment about the “three to four year average” of  town administrators when he was questioned about his longevity plans should he be selected.

“The most important mentors that I’ve had in this field, and continue to have in this field, have much longer longevity,” he said. “I hope and plan to follow their lead and hope to be here, managing and leading, for many years.”