Whitman-Hanson Express

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Whitman board hears SST debt proposal

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WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, March 9  were briefed on an $18.9 million capital article — of which, Whitman’s share would be 24.75 percent — being presented to the eight member towns of the South Shore Tech school district this spring.

W-H Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak plans to attend the Selectmen’s next meeting to discuss that school district’s budget.

Town Administrator Lincoln Heieneman is planning to have the annul Town Meeting on Saturday, May 3, possibly either outside at Memorial Field or at the high school, but also reported that Town Hall custodian Todd Decouto has volunteered to figure out, with six feet of social distancing, how many people could be accommodated inside Town Hall.

Acting Chairman Dan Salvucci returned the gavel to Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski to start the meeting. Kowalski had taken a leave from the post due to health concerns.

Salvucci returned to his role as vice chairman.

“Dan, I want to thank you a lot for taking care of me for that time when I felt like I couldn’t fulfill all the duties of chair because of  COVID and it’s relationship to my health,” Kowalski said.

“Well, welcome back,” Salvucci said.

A full slate of articles is expected to be voted on later this month.

“We’ve been talking for several years about the need to maintain the building that we have, and I know that starts with the support of our eight communities through the annual budgeting process,” said SST Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey and along with District Treasurer James Coughlin, who presented an overview of the debt authorization article sought at Town Meeting.

Coughlin said Hickey has applied for grants whenever they become available, bringing the district more than $3 million in vocational equipment over the past half-dozen years.

“We’ve got to continue to listen to our communities and see what the state of the union is, in terms of the local economy,” Hickey said. “If we’re not going to get a budget passed going into fiscal ’28, despite our great idea of having a five-year phase and because of an economic issue, we have to be mindful of that.”

Enrollment from Whitman is unchanged at SST from fiscal 2021, Hickey noted, and the budget presented this year has no debt in it.

“Nothing that I speak about tonight has any impact on the fiscal ’22 budget,” he said. “We’re looking at an assessment increase of about 1.7 percent — or a little over $27,000.”

Of that assessment of $1.65 million, $221,550 is set aside for capital projects, with some ESSER II [COVID relief grant] money available for some of that, according to Hickey. He said he thinks some of the assessment increase could be absorbed by ESSER II funds.

“We’ve been a very patient and annual applicant to the Mass. School Building Authority since 2015, telling a story about an aging building — a well-maintained, aging building — and the need for more space,” Hickey said.

The SST School Committee, meanwhile will delay a vote on the article until late March or early April, because their vote would “start the 60-day clock ticking” to take into consideration Scituate’s April Town Meeting through to early May when most district towns hold their meetings.

South Shore is awaiting to hear word, following the MSBA’s April board meeting about whether they would be invited to participate this go-round. In the meantime, he said, there are capital projects the district cannot justify or afford to bring to member towns in one budget cycle.

A window project of about $700,000 for fiscal 2022 is expected to be the last big capital project that could be absorbed within one annual budget cycle, according to Hickey.

Borrowing for bigger projects would be phased in over a six-year period using a combination of interest-only bond anticipation notes and bonding.

Recent capital requests have been largely about infrastructure, and while this proposal won’t be entirely that way, Hickey foresees that a good portion of future capital lines will be transferred over to debt service under this proposal.

“We have the responsibility of bringing a single number that includes capital and operating expenses [to town meetings],” Hickey said of the plan, which stemmed from a master facilities plan created by an engineering plan.

There will also be annual capital costs for materials supporting the vocational programs at the school.

“Unlike debt, capital is a rolling three-year average, so that 24.75 percent could certainly change,” Hickey said.

“I think Tom has presented a budget that is outstanding as far as a capital budget,” Salvucci said. “We’re looking at an entire building that is almost 60 years old, and now we’re looking to do the part that was built in 1992 that’s going on 30 years.”

Salvucci said the district may have maintained the buildings too well, as MSBA’s criteria is concerned.

Selectman Randy LaMattina asked about the scope of the SST application to MSBA.

“The scope of what has been submitted to MSBA is broader than what you’re seeing here,” Hickey said, noting expansion for future enrollment increases will be focused in trades with the strongest industry and student demand.

“Money’s going to be tight for sure, and to have such a good plan in place, the Whitman citizens are going to have their ability to make judgments based on this presentation,” Selectman Brian Bezanson said.

COVID update

Whitman has improved to the yellow, rather than the red zone for rate of positive cases, according to Heieneman.

The town has received some doses, with 21 people vaccinated at their homes who are elderly and/or homebound, and another 81 were vaccinated during a clinic at the K of C.

The town is also working with the Housing Authority to obtain vaccinations for elderly residents.

Carousel reopens doors

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WHITMAN — The roller skating rink is not being sold.

Humorist Mark Twain asked by a reporter about a rumor that the great author had died, is said to have replied, “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

For Charlene Conway, owner of Whitman’s Carousel Family Fun Center, it is a familiar feeling.

“We’re back open again and we’re very happy and we’re moving forward,” she said Monday, March 8. “We had a great weekend and we’re very happy to be open again an back at it. We’re here to stay for a while.”

Over the weekend, a post on real estate website Crexi.com which listed the rink property for sale with an asking price of $1.3 million, had tongues wagging in Whitman.

“I had a realtor reach out to us while we were closed because of COVID,” Conway said this week. “That started when we didn’t know what was going to be going on.”

She said a license fee waiver from the town for the period during which the rink was closed because of the state’s order concerning indoor gatherings, has helped the business tremendously. Selectmen had been hesitant, when Conway made her initial request in January, to approve the waiver over their concerns about opening opportunities for other businesses to make the same request and the wish to determine what kind of relief she may have already received. The waiver was, however approved last month.

“It’s kind of hard to pay for permits when you didn’t use them,” she said. “Every penny counts now.”

Conway is not letting dust gather in the corners, either, planning a St. Patrick’s Day Family Skate event from 2 to 4:30 p.m., Sunday, March 17 and a welcome back to roller skating Superhero Skate from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 20 “with special guests.”

Conway stressed that the facility follows the recommended COVID-19 guidelines, and provides details on the website carouselskate.com.

She is also planning the regular schedule of public skating hours: Family skates from 6 to 8 p.m., on Wednesdays; 7 to 10 p.m., on Fridays; 2 to 4:30 p.m., and 7 to 10 p.m., on Saturdays as well as 2 to 4:30 p.m., on Sundays. A Saturday skating class, from 8 to 10 a.m., is also continuing.

Hanson Fire honored for ice rescue

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Hanson firefighters were among personnel in seven fire departments across the state receiving Governor’s Group Citations for Meritorius Conduct during the 31st annual Firefighter of the Year awards, conducted virtually on Monday, March 8 by the Mass. Department of Fire Services.

During the ceremony, Worcester Fire Lt. Jason Menard, who lost his life in a November 2019 blaze while aiding fellow firefighters to escape the flames, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

“Although this is a virtual ceremony, nothing replaces what the fire service does,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who with Gov. Charlie Baker gave remarks from the Worcester Fire Department. “Clearly a firefighter is someone who is born brave,” Polito said. “They are built in a very different way. … We are eternally grateful for the Jason Menards and for all those who choose the fire service — who get up without question,  put on the uniform, answer the call of duty and go do their jobs.”

“Across our commonwealth and across our country, we’ve asked a lot of our pubic safety professionals over the last year,” Baker said in remarks recorded for the ceremony. “Day after day, they showed up, time and time again, to do their jobs and keep us safe.”

Baker pointed to initiatives such as a five-year commitment to a fire equipment grant, investments in fire training, support for community education grants to prevent fires and the recently-signed flame-retardant bill as illustrative of his administration’s support for firefighters.

Hanson Fire Chief Jerome Thompson, Jr., Lt. Keith Wilson and firefighters Gary Somers, Thomas White and Timothy Royer were honored for their work in an ice rescue of two people from Maquan Pond on New Year’s Eve, 2019.

The department had received calls after 10 p.m. that night about people in the water on an open section of the pond, which was partially covered in ice. When they arrived, they heard the victims shouting and learned that they had fallen out of a kayak and had been in the water for about 10 minutes.

The victims were clinging to an ice shelf about 100 yards from shore, unable to get out of the water and onto the ice. Firefighters Gary Somers and Thomas White donned rescue suits and tried to reach them over the ice, while Thompson and firefighter Timothy Royer launched a rescue boat.

The ice, too think for the rescue boat was too thin to hold the weight of Somers and White, who began to “aggressively break the ice with their elbows” when the victims made clear they couldn’t hold on much longer.

“With only seconds to spare,” the awards narrator stated, “they reached the victims, securing the first to the rescue sled and grabbing the second, who had just slipped below the water.”

Lt. Keith Wilson and four members of the Hanson Police Department pulled the rescuers and victims to shore.

During his remarks in Worcester on Monday, Gov. Baker became emotional in describing the sacrifices made by firefighters and their families.

“Firefighters are a special breed,” Baker said of the profession he said takes its oath to serve and protect seriously. “In the end, the greatest sacrifice of all is the one made by the family, who loses their loved one — not to an injury, and not for a week or a month, but forever.”

He said opportunities to express how the size and significance of their loss is understood, is the least we can do.

“I hope I never have to give out another one of these awards during my time in public service, because I can’t imagine how hard it is for all of you to deal with tihs,” Baker said.

WFD Lt. Jason Menard was a 10-year member of the Worcester Fire Department, sad state Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, who described Menard as a “firefighter’s firefighter — always there to help his brother and sister” firefighters.

Sharing through shearing

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HANSON — When Massachusetts entered COVID lockdown last March, a great many people could not wait until barber shops and hair salons reopened to regain control of their messy mops.

Will McArthur of Cohasset had other plans for his longer locks.

He grew his hair long during the shutdown of Hanson’s Modern Barber Shop, according to employee Joan O’Brien.

“He then decided to see how long he could grow it,” she said.  “During this time he decided it would be a great idea to raffle off his haircut and donate the money to the Hanson Food Pantry. He was able to raise $850 for them.”

He returned to the shop last week to get a stylish cut to top off the effort.

— By Tracy F. Seelye

W-H unveils FY 2022 school budget

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Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak presented what he calls a “level services-plus” budget of $57,955,988 — an increase of $2,635,750 (or 4.76 percent) to the School Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Under the proposal, Whitman’s assessment would be $16,827,516 with non-mandated busing costing $422,595 and high school capital costs at $427,835. Hanson’s assessment would be $13,114,756 with non-mandated busing costing $103,572, high school capital costs at $140,269 and capital/technology/HVAC costs at $277,465.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) II fund through the CARES Act is anticipated to deliver $1,001,000 to the district for the 2021-22 school year.

“We have not received it,” Szymaniak said. “There have been no checks sent.”

He noted that $10,000 of the ESSER money must be earmarked for social-emotional learning, but added there has been great discussion, but a lack of clarity over how the remaining money can be used.

“We have been told that 75 percent of the remaining funds will go back to the two towns in the form of helping them out with increases in their minimum local contributions,” he said.

About $350,000 could go to Hanson and $400,000-plus for Whitman, if the information bears out. More information is hoped for by the March 10 meeting.

That budget scenario depends on the district starting a traditional school year in September, and maintains current K-12 staffing levels and addresses anticipated student regression due to COVID-19, among other highlights.

“I believe what we’re asking for minimally supports our educational and operational needs,” he said.

The committee held its public hearing on the fiscal 2022 school budget remotely. School Committee member Dan Cullity was unable to attend due to what School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes described as an “emergency situation.”

Residents watching were able to submit questions, via the “raised hand” icon on the Zoom session, prior to or following Szymaniak’s budget presentation. No questions preceded the budget presentation.

Szymaniak also outlined the online budget process and timeline:

• March 10, line-by-line budget detail presentation;

• March 17, budget vote;

• April 14, budget session (tentative); and

• April 28, budget session (tentative).

An additional School Committee meeting, specifically about the process for reopening the schools is planned for Wednesday, March 3.

Szymaniak listed eight items of concern related to the budget, which are currently out of the district’s control right now: the fall school opening date, contracts of all bargaining units, retirements and contractual obligations, state Chapter 70 aid, transportation reimbursements, special education tuitions, health and building insurance, and the Whitman water bill.

“Our goal is to bring all of our students back and in-person, but (Education Commissioner Jeff Riley) also outlined an option for students who are remote — giving parents the option of remote learning — through the end of this school year,” Szymaniak said. “I don’t know next year if that is going to be an option for our students.”

He said if remote learning is an option for the 2021-22 school year, officials “have to think long and hard” about how it affects the FY ’22 school budget.

The budget Szymaniak presented did not include the option for any student.

“This budget includes additional special education programming [$570,000]  to try to retain our students from going out of district,” Szymaniak said. “It’s an initial cost in this budget, but as years go by — and even in this fiscal year — we will see monies coming back to the district and keeping our kids here.”

A high school science teaching position [$75,000], cut a couple of years ago will prevent the need to have a teacher instruct out of their license area, which the state does not allow.

Refreshing the district’s inventory of outdated Chromebooks [$150,000] is also included in the budget. Devices reaching end of life no longer support software for the MCAS exams.

Four staff positions, one of which would facilitate special education efforts, aimed at intervening in student regression at the elementary and middle school levels is forecast to cost about $375,000.

“I’m speaking of academic intervention,” said Assistant Superintendent George Ferro. “What we would like to do is have a district elementary intervention team.”

Regression is also a concern with special education, explained Director of Student Services Lauren Mathisen.

“Unfortunately a lot of our students in out-of-district programs have experienced COVID-related shut-downs,” she said. “Many students have missed five, six weeks or more of their education and these are students who really require structure and routine in their program to make progress.”

Interruptions mean added expenses to support services to the students, including home visits.

Since 2014, when the approved budget was $44,576,361, district budgets have been slowly increasing, with the fiscal 2020 budget at $55,320,238 representing a 5.5-percent increase over the 2014 budget.

“We are starting to get back on track from the losses of 2015 and 2016, Szymaniak said.

Whitman-Hanson received $24,776,700 in Chapter 70 state aid in 2020.

“We receive quite a bit of money from the state, compared with some other local districts, and we’re getting there, but we’re still spending less per-pupil than other districts,” he said.

Increases sought in the budget include $1,071,450 for salary lines to accommodate union negotiations, $100,000 for health insurance and $90,000 in transportation in addition to the science teacher, regression intervention, special ed and technology requests.

Of the $57,955,988 in the fiscal 2022 budget, salaries comprise $31,154,756 of the total and expenses $26,801,232.

The district also covers, within the budget, $9,455,513 in employee benefits and support expenses covered by towns in non-regional districts.

Revenues include $25,951,287 in state revenue, $31,314,008 from assessments, $600,000 in Circuit Breaker special education assistance, $90,693 in local receipts.

School Committee member Dawn Byers asked to see class size numbers at a future meeting swell as questions on special education and social-emotional support programs.

Szymaniak said enrollment studies for both towns should be completed by the March 10 meeting, although he said he was not certain if class size numbers would be available by then.

Hanson hazards grant is reviewed

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HANSON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Feb. 23 heard a review of priority projects aimed at easing the effects of potential weather-related hazards.

A representative from the Old Colony Regional Planning Commission reviewed a vulnerability preparedness grant application process and is seeking feedback from residents. Top hazards already identified by community members are: floods and drought; extreme winds and storms, fire and extreme temperatures, which led to the creation of a risk matrix of facilities in town that could be impacted by the hazards and how they could be made more resilient.

Workshops on the process have been ongoing since October 2021.

The public is asked to call Laurie Muncy at 508-583-1883 Ext. 210 or email lmuncy@ocpcpa.org to offer comments on the presentation, which may be viewed on Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV’s YouTube site.

Priority projects identified were continued efforts to identify and address flood-prone areas; improve a warming/cooling center for seniors lacking a backup generator for power; pursuing alternative or supplemental water supplies; increasing the town’s water storage capacity; development of a culvert maintenance and repair plan and a new highway facility.

40B developments

The board also heard a review of ongoing 40B developments in town.

Hanson currently has 4.5 percent of its 10-percent affordable housing goal, to be consistent with local needs. The town needs 357 total units to meet that goal, and now has 160 affordable units.

“At our last meeting we talked about a 40B project extensively,” Town Administrator John Stanbrook said. “I just wanted to give an update on some of the other 40B projects that are in town.”

One of those facilities is Dunham Farm condominiums for people age 55 and over. Built in the 1990s as affordable units in perpetuity, the original plan called for 52 units, with 28 built aimed at a market rate of $321,000, 12 of which were affordable. There are now 24 more units being added (market rate $429,000), with only one intended as an affordable unit because enough were built in the original portion to cover the required ratio.

Another project, Depot Village on Phillips Street, will have 45 total units when completed — 12 affordable. The three-story building will have no age restriction.

“Hanson will be credited with all 45 units as affordable, because they are rental units,” Stanbrook said. It is expected to be move-in ready in January 2022.

Ridders’ development at 280 Liberty St., with 57 townhouse units planned to be built starting in about four weeks, includes 13 affordable units with a 55-and-older age restriction.

The three developments will bring Hanson to within half-way to it’s goal — 186 units of the 357 needed.

“We’re not close to the 10 percent yet,” Stanbrook said. “If we only put aside 25 percent of every 100, it will take another 1,000 units in order to get to the 10-percent goal.”

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said it seems there is a misconception that the board can stop 40B housing from coming to Hanson.

“I think it’s important that people recognize … that the town needs to basically demonstrate that it’s on track to have 10 percent affordable housing,” she said. “We’re far from that.”

What selectmen can do, FitzGerald-Kemmett said, is articulate their concerns and work with the land use boards, so the developments are in keeping with the character and nature of the town.

“What we can’t do is stop 40B,” she said. “There is no way to stop 40B.”

Selectmen also discussed the ongoing issue of under-billing for water services to the W-H Regional School District by the Whitman Water Department.

“This is kind of a long-standing matter that got on our radar screen close to a year ago,” said town general counsel Jay Talerman. “We’re kind of odd man out, so we don’t really have that much of a stake in it, although there is some money at stake.”

Talerman said Whitman, which forgot to bill the school district for water supplied to the high school, for whatever reason, now wants to collect. He became involved in the issue because Hanson would be obliged to pay some portion of that bill, and the school district’s counsel thought he could be helpful with bargaining.

He said that among the things he pointed out to Whitman officials is that the law only allows going back six years for payment — not the 15 that is owed.

“Second, we’re not going to pay it,” Talerman said, unless any payments are spread out over time in the operating budget. About a year ago the bill was negotiated down to the six years, or about $185,000.

“It appears that’s been accepted by Whitman … and they’ve also agreed to spread it out over three years,” Talerman said. “The remaining question is, how is it paid?”

He said the school district has the authority to pay it through the assessment and does not recommend taking it out of other funds. The town generally pays water bills from the assessment, which he recommended Hanson’s position should be as it is not a principal part of the discussion, but only a party to paying a portion of the bill.

Selectmen agreed with the approach — with FitzGerald Kemmett reminding the board Hanson would only be paying 40 percent of whatever the final bill is.

Timing a Town Hall opening

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WHITMAN — The Board of Selectmen, on Tuesday, Feb. 23 supported a “three weeks in the Green” timeline for reopening town buildings, including Town Hall.

The state has established a guideline of reopening municipal buildings after a community has completed three straight weeks in the Green level.

Town Administrator Lincoln Heineman met with the Board of Health to discuss their recommendations Tuesday morning.

“The consensus among the Board of Health members was that the town be three weeks in the Green level and that would be the appropriate time for reopening,” Heineman said.

Red indicates greater that 10 average cases per 100,000 and greater than 5 percent positivity rate; Green indicates less than 10 average cases per 100,000 with a positivity rate. There is a Yellow level between the two.

The average daily incidence per 100,00 people was 30.8 between Feb. 4 and 18, with a 5.33 percent positivity rate. Whitman’s peak for the second wave was hitting at the end of 2020 when the town saw a 62.5 incidence rate with 10.8 percent positivity.

Selectmen Chairman Dan Salvucci said he has had conversations with residents who have asked him when Town Hall would be reopened.

He said there are residents who cannot pay bills online or do not have checking accounts and need to pay bills, such as excise tax, in person with cash.

“I look around Town Hall, and all the offices are protected by [Plexiglas] shields, and employees are protected behind those shields,” Salvucci said. “The same goes for the DPW office — I’ve seen that.”

He said he has not been in the Senior Center or Library to see what changes have been made at those facilities.

“I do have concerns about the Senior Center and Library, where people sit around tables and communicate with each other, whether they are at a meal or at a book club meeting at the Library,” he said. “If we ever consider opening up the town buildings — which I would like to — we need to talk to the department heads and they would have to take some kind of action to make sure that their building is taken care of during the day, and [a custodian] could spray the buildings down at night.”

Selectman Brian Bezanson said he has heard a news report about the state aiming to reopen schools in early April and suggested that could be a good target date for the town.

“That might get us to that Green area we need to be in anyway,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to put a hard date on it but my suggestion would be that maybe we look to that timeframe for reopen.”

Selectman Dr. Carl Kowalski expressed concern over the town’s current incidence level.

“The fact that we’re still in the Red would make me really pause about getting too excited about opening the town buildings,” Kowalski said. “We have been pretty good about listening to the Board of Health and where they get their information from.”

He said if the three weeks of Green the Health Board is talking about coincides with the early April date Bezanson mentioned it would be fine, but that the town needs to take the side of safety.

Salvucci agreed that it should be up to the Board of Health’s knowledge before a reopening date is set.

Selectman Randy LaMattina asked whether Heineman has looked into whether all town buildings and offices have plastic shields in place and a supply of disinfectant wipes on hand to ensure safety as a plan is formulated.

“I do think there’s a few other things that need to happen in Town Hall,” Heineman said. “I would say, if the consensus of the board is three weeks in the Green, the board could take a vote on that.”

He said there are still some CARES act funds remaining, and such preparations would be an appropriate use for that money.

Selectman Justin Evans said he sees no reason to stop listening to public health experts, but noticed there was a period when the town was in the Gray area, which meant that the town — because of its small size could have been Green, but there was not enough data to determine that.

“Would you just run that by our public health experts and say, ‘Do you consider Gray to be Green?’” he asked.

Heineman agreed to ask about that, noting that Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Timothy Grenno agrees with the three weeks in the Green rule of thumb.

COVID rate

In the meantime, Heineman said he would request that Town Hall offices post at the entrance the number of employees willing to go to the door to help people with bill paying, accepting voter registration cards or other simple transactions.

Salvucci said that, when a plan is devised, Heineman should meet with department heads to review proper sanitation procedures.

“We need to be safe,” he said. “We need to keep people safe.”

Heineman reported that all town first responders, who wished to be vaccinated, received their second dose last week.

On Monday, Feb. 22, Whitman received a small shipment of vaccine, focused on second doses for those who have already received their first, to get the new dose next week — after two weeks of requests had been denied.

The Fire Department and Board of Health have set up on a hotline to serve homebound residents (due to age or disability) eligible to receive the vaccine. These residents should call 781-618-9778. A small mobile clinic will be used to deliver the vaccine to the homebound. A reverse-911 call will be issued later this week to eligible residents to help spread word of the vaccine availability.

“The good news is that our incidence rate is going down,” Heineman said. “We are certainly still in the red in the color-coded system, but down from the previous week.”

Budget issues

Regarding the fiscal 2022 budget, resident Shawn Kain wrote a comment to the Selectmen that continuing the assessment compromise with Hanson for another year should be considered to ensure the schools have adequate funding.

“I sympathize with Shawn, but it was pretty clear last year, when we were able to get this compromise passed, that it was basically based upon using the statutory method this year in both towns,” Kowalski said. But he said he does believe the idea should be considered and thought about.

LaMattina, however, said that while he respects Kain he does not believe the town is in the position to subsidize the school budget this year.

“I would not vote for that this year, knowing that,” LaMattina said. “This is being played off [in some quarters] as we gave Hanson money. I don’t believe we gave Hanson money. I believe we gave our kids money.”

Salvucci also said upcoming capital needs such as a sewer main project among others, will also require Town Meeting actions.

The board was unanimous in their opinion that it is premature and counter to what was promised to voters who supported the compromise last year to support extending it another year.

Selectmen indicated they did not favor voting to eliminate non-mandated school busing for the sum of about $64,000 that could be saved, if it meant placing children at risk.

“The goal right now is obviously to get students back to school as safely as possible, not messing around with busing right now is a way of doing that,” LaMattina said.

SST sets town assessments

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HANOVER — The South Shore Tech School Committee set assessments for member communities during it’s Thursday, Feb. 18 meeting.

Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey has met with finance committees in Hanson and Rockland in recent weeks, and Selectmen and the Advisory Committee in Scituate and Abington’s Finance Committee this week.

The fiscal 2022 budget of $14.6 million is being assessed to the towns as follows: Abington, $1,280,575; Cohasset,  $126,594; Hanover, $882,861; Hanson, $1,228,077; Norwell, $420,095; Rockland $1,824,264; Scituate, $574,126 and Whitman, $1,651,348. Total assessments make up $7,987,941 of the budget.

“Borrowing too much money too quickly is not something that is going to work in an annual budget,” said Hickey. “On the other hand, not taking on any debt will really restrict our schools’ ability to modernize.”

MSBA will also be asked for more funding. No action regarding borrowing would take place until fiscal 2023. Hickey plans a video presentation for posting on the district website on the issue.

“This allows us to go to our towns once for what we think are our priority items at this time, and then be able to plan accordingly,” Hickey said. No vote has been taken yet, because once a vote occurs, it starts a 60-day clock ticking as it is required to go before town meetings, which are strung between early April and late May. An official vote is not anticipated until late March.

Hickey also reported the district is coming closer to a debt authorization approval at the School Committee level. The amount is expected to be $18,960,537 – with almost $990,000 in electrical labor stripped out as work that SST students and instructors could undertake over a period of years to basically redo a lot of the wiring in the 1962 portion of the building, Hickey said.

“We have been in the process of negotiating with our sending communities and the feedback has been constructive, it has been clarifying what we are trying to do,” Hickey said, “We arrived at this number by looking at the projects that our engineering firms helped us develop and prioritize as part of the 2018 facilities master plan.”

Projects accomplished since 2018 have been removed and costs for remaining projects have been calculated with a 4-percent inflation factor going forward to fiscal 2023.

“In talking to our town administrator, he’s been saying that we take care of our schools too well and that’s been hurting us with MSBA,” said Whitman School Committee member Dan Salvucci. “If we saw an issue — which we don’t do — and let it go, they’ll approve [us], but that’s not the type of district we are.”

“One thing we can’t stop is age,” Hickey said.

Call for local clinics

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WHITMAN — A state policy change due to take effect March 1 would eliminate delivery of new vaccination doses for local fire departments and boards of health. It is meeting with near-universal criticism amid local officials and public safety personnel.

“It is highly premature to cut off the line of local vaccine doses, especially at this critical time,” said Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno on Thursday, Feb. 18. “It cuts off a literal lifeline for many residents.”

Cutting off the supplies to the local clinics — operating for several weeks — showed a “gross lack of forethought” and is a waste of municipal time, energy and resources, he argued.

As state legislators, educators and representatives of more than a dozen Plymouth and Norfolk county police and fire departments and health boards looked on, Grenno sounded the alarm over the state’s mass vaccination program at the expense of local clinics. Holding a press conference at the Whitman Knights of Columbus on Bedford Street, officials expressed concern that the vulnerable elderly are especially being left behind.

“Since the Cold War, municipalities have been asked to plan and prepare for emergency situations,” said Grenno, who also serves as Whitman’s Emergency Management Agency director. “As a result, local leaders are uniquely qualified and trained to handle a situation such as the distribution of vaccines.”

State Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, attending along with state Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, and state Rep. Kathleen LaNatra, D-Plymouth, said he planned to meet with state Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders’ office later in the day to readdress the change.

He said regional legislators sent a letter to the Baker Administration expressing disagreement with the vaccination policy change because local communities have the personnel to handle the situation.

“Our chiefs today aren’t saying that the mass vaccine sites aren’t working, they’re saying that they need it here, locally,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the Baker administration counted on local health officials from the beginning of the pandemic and is now shutting them out.

LaNatra added that Kingston and Plymouth have been in talks with Mass DPH for a long time with “no straight answers” to set up a regional vaccination site at the Kingston Collection.

“We need to put this back local,” she said. “Our chiefs, our boards of health, know their community. They know who is housebound.”

LaNatra, whose first-responder husband has been able to receive his second dose of vaccine, but not all have been able to do so.

“It’s a big lack of supply and every other week they’re changing their mind,” Brady said of state officials.

“We’re not against the mass sites, we’re not against the pharmacies that are having these [clinics] as well,” Abingon Fire Chief John Nutall said. “There’s definitely a need for that, however, they cannot cover all of our residents.”

He said the state cited a question of equity as a major factor in officials’ reason for the policy change, but noted a supply had been approved for a private health spa located in an exclusive country club.

“We’re not allowed to question why these decisions are made,” Nutall said. “It is time to question what is going on, so that we can get the vaccines to our residents that we know best.”

Grenno said there is no doubt that there is a need for regional vaccination efforts, especially in larger areas or areas more adversely impacted by COVID-19, but said they must work in connection with locally led health boards and first responders. It is especially crucial during Phase 2 of the distribution, when seniors ages 75 and older are inoculated.

Whitman has more than 950 residents over age 75, and Grenno’s department offered to help transport them to a mass vaccination site with all proper precautions.

“We’ll register you, we’ll hold your hand, we’ll walk you in, we’ll get you vaccinated and we’ll bring you home,” he said the department told them.

Less than 25 of them accepted that invitation because of fear or mobility problems, he said.

Four Whitman clinics had been scheduled, which would have vaccinated more than 500 of them. The clinics have all been cancelled because the state is denying the vaccine.

“These individuals are the ones who should be asked to drive the least distance and be given the greatest access to quick and efficient vaccination sites,” Grenno said. “They’re our neighbors helping each other  … local clinics for the oldest and sickest population, offer a familiar, a comfortable and convenient location when people need it the most.”

Mass sites are difficult for some to get to, involve long lines and staffed by unfamiliar people, while at local clinics they would be greeted by local fire personnel and health agents and involve shorter lines.

Whitman-Hanson Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak said vaccinations for teachers and students are also a concern, especially since teachers would run the risk of missing a school day to travel to a mass vaccination site.

“It was surprising to me that our schools aren’t being used as mass vaccination sites,” Szymaniak said. “Our school nurses are available and ready to work with our local health agents and fire chiefs to provide vaccines not only to our 65-and over populations,  but sequentially, our teachers.”

He noted teachers have been moved down the priority list for vaccines.

He argued the change reflects either a significant policy change by the state or a major vaccine supply shortage coming to the state from the federal level.

“Either way, it is an issue that should be discussed and addressed,” he said.

Grenno also expressed concern about the status of the state’s online vaccination registration at VaxFinder, which crashed due to heavy demand at about 8:30 a.m. Feb. 18. The state’s 211 information line also went down that morning.

He said Whitman registers its elder residents, noting a lot of senior residents don’t even own a computer.

“We are prepared to provide local vaccine clinics,” said Medway Fire Chief Jeff Lynch, who is president of the Norfolk County Fire Chiefs Association. “We’ve done extensive planning, we’ve done significant investment in equipment and training for our firefighters.”

Lynch said fire personnel stand ready to bring the vaccine to homebound elders, but as of now, he is not aware of the plan to serve them.

Hanover Town Manager Joe Colangelo said his town has already invested $500 in federal CARES Act funds to build up a program to test residents and merge to vaccinations. Hanover Fire Chief Jeff Blanchard added that town’s frustration is palpable.

“We are prepared to do vaccinations, but we have no vaccine,” Blanchard said.

Abington Board of Health member Marty Golightly has vaccinated more than 200 75+ residents and has a plan in place to vaccinate shut-ins, asking only for the supplies to take care of his town’s own people.

Communities represented: Whitman fire and police departments, schools and town administrator, Hanson Fire Department and Board of Health, Abington Fire Department and Board of Health, Hanover Fire Department and Town Manager, Cohasset Fire Department, Duxbury Fire Department, East Bridgewater Fire Department, Halifax Fire Department, West Bridgewater Fire Department, Medway Fire Department and Board of Health, Plympton Fire Department State Representative, Canton, Stoughton Board of Health, Brookline Fire Department and Middleboro Fire Department.

Schools look to March reopen target

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The W-H Regional School District is committed to safeguarding the safety and health of students and staff, officials say — and that means a return to in-person learning will not likely happen before the end of March.

“Our numbers in the communities have gone down, but we’re still quarantining students and staff due to positivity rates,” Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Szymaniak said.

He told the School Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 10 that the district will have to work out strategies for social-emotional support for students and when they return to school.

Szymaniak said he is still looking toward the end of March, but parents have been starting to demand a March 1 return. That, he said is unlikely because the district would need the month of March to prepare for students’ return. He is planning a March 3 presentation to the committee on what the return plan might look like.

“We’ve always had a plan, but we want to make sure it’s structured and good for all,” he said. “It will not look like March 12, 2020.”

Committee members agreed with Szymaniak’s approach, especially since teachers are still waiting for vaccinations, which are still difficult to obtain.

The CDC issued changes to its COVID guidelines Friday, Feb. 12 for the first time since August, stopping short of green-lighting an immediate return to classes.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the CDC is “not mandating that schools reopen,” instead opting for a color-coded zone approach based on numbers of new cases in a given area.

“Schools in areas with substantial transmission (orange, 50 to 99 new cases per 100,000) may still consider a limited reopening, as long as they can layer multiple safety strategies in the classroom,” according to an NPR report. “In hard-hit communities (red, more than 100 new cases per 100,000), elementary schools may consider limited reopening, with physical distancing required, but the CDC recommends middle and high schools be virtual-only unless mitigation strategies can be met.”

School distircts in many states have been demanding more practical information on reopening, according to the CDC. Still, the six-foot social distancing rules “should be considered nonnegotiable” for K-12 schools in high-transmission areas. Teachers would not be required to be vaccinated, but there is a recognition that teachers would prefer vaccinations before returning to work.

“It seemed like the wheels of the bus came off in the South Shore [region] a little bit last week, with some announcement that some districts with a full return to school,” he said, noting he sent another parent survey about return to school issues last week.

Resident Susan Wolford of Birchbark Drive in Hanson asked about the survey parents received from Szymaniak about returning to school during the Public Forum.

“I was looking for when and if there was a plan in place for when the kids are going to return full time,” she asked.

Szymaniak reminded committee members of the administration’s presentation of return options at the beginning of the school year, when the committee made it clear the most important thing was the safety and health of students and staff.

“So far that’s been true and I have no doubt that’s the first thing we have in our hearts and in our minds,” he said.

The committee chose the hybrid plan, while accommodating families that asked for a fully remote plan, with additional teachers hired to fill that role. Teachers who have tested positive have also been able to teach remotely from home, Szymaniak said.

“We have some long-term subs across the district that are in classrooms,” he also said. “That cost us.”

That is an expense for which the district is seeking reimbursement funds through the CARES Act. There are, however, regulations about how the district could use such funds and it is not clear at the moment if it can be used to balance the fiscal 2022 budget.

“There’s been some huge community push to get students in school — that’s our goal,” Szymaniak said. “Bottom line: If I can get students in here, that’s what I want to do.”

But, keeping to the tenets of health concerns, the district has not yet moved off the recommendation for six-foot social distancing and the limitations that it brings to classroom sizes. He apologized if the survey was interpreted as an attempt to be negative.

Even if teachers are vaccinated, which has not happened yet, the six-foot distance could be revised to three-feet or less. Movement between classrooms or around lockers would make contact tracing more difficult.

“With every challenge, we can modify and overcome the challenge, but parents need to know this — that this is going to be a change,” Szymaniak said.

The survey results indicate 67 percent of parents want full in-person learning or 2,204 responses. Students now learning remotely whose families want to send them back to school, would have an effect of class size.

Social distancing at lunches might also change. In some communities, when there is a limit to space, students have brought a blanket to eat sitting on the floor, which can affect other uses of school space.

There are also academic challenges when most students come back and a few others remain on remote learning. Space limitations on buses could also present challenges.

“I’m concerned about next year’s budget,” said resident Shawn Kain of Forest Street in Whitman during the Public Forum via Zoom. “Obviously with COVID, for anyone involved with the schools — teachers, students and parents — it has placed an incredible mental health burden on all of us and the thought of potentially losing funds next year is terrible.”

He said budget cuts to education at this moment would do “a good amount of harm,” noting the insight Hanson has already provided into their financial situation. Arguing that, since Hanson’s need to seek an override even for a level-service budget is less than ideal, Kain said it would be a good idea to extend the assessment formula compromise for another year.

In other business, Assistant Superintendent George Ferro provided an assessment testing update for the committee. A midyear assessment was given to students in kindergarten to grade five on math and ELA (reading), following similar assessments at the start of the year.

“Overall, for math, from the beginning of the year to now … we went from 21 percent on grade-level to 40 percent on grade-level,” Ferro said. The number of students in need of educational support is down 63 percent to 51 percent of students, while closing the gap in the high-needs areas down to 9 percent, he said.

“In math, we are moving more students to grade level and we have seen significant progress from our initial beginning of year term to our midyear report,” he said.

There was also progress in reading scores, Ferro said, explaining that at-risk students will receive extra help in improving before an end-of-year assessment and reviewing a regression plan for the summer as well as entering the next school year.